A/N; Gotta keep the plot moving along. Still own nothing.

It was the following Monday afternoon. Penny entered Apartment 4B to find Leonard seated on her couch with his broken leg up on the coffee table, along with a dozen roses a bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice.

"What's all this?" Penny asked him.

"Just a little something to celebrate your taping, and to thank you for taking such good care of me," Leonard replied, patting the couch beside him. "Now come over and have a seat. I'll give you a foot rub while we wait for the pizza to get here."

"Wow a fancy dinner, too. You sure know how to treat a lady!" Penny said, kicking off her shoes and dropping her purse on the table.

"Least I could do," Leonard said with a smile as Penny plopped down and put her feet in his lap. "So, how'd it go?"

"Pretty good, not the first commercial I've done, so I kinda knew what to expect." Penny answered. "They'll show it to the Cheesecake Factory people and call me if they need to re-shoot anything."

"Cool," Leonard said as he massaged Penny's feet. "Any idea when we'll get to see it air?"

"I sure they'll let me know that, too," she replied. Just then her phone began ringing. With a groan Penny swung her legs off the couch and rooted around in her purse. Her face lit up when she saw who was calling.

"Hi, Dad," Penny said cheerfully. "Yeah it was today...Sure, I'll call when I know...No, they won't cut my part out this time, I'm in the whole thing!...Ok, Daddy, love you too, Bye!"

As she was talking to her father, Leonard had put his leg down and sat awkwardly on the edge of the couch to pour two glasses of the champagne. "So," he said when Penny had hung up, "Another family gathering in the works?"

"Yeah," Penny replied, taking the glass Leonard proffered her. "Only I don't think my brother will be there, not after the last time." She took a sip of the champagne and covered her mouth as she gave a cute little hiccup.

"I take it you're free tomorrow?" Penny nodded and Leonard continued, "I don't want to sound like Sheldon, but I need you to give me a lift to get my leg checked, if you don't mind?"

"Of course I don't mind! And to sound like Sheldon you wouldn't ask, just make it seem like it was an obligation,"

Penny replied. "There isn't a problem, I hope."

"No, just a routine progress update."

"Okay, good!" Penny said.

There was a knock on the door and both of them paused, waiting to hear their names. When Sheldon's voice didn't follow, they knew the pizza had arrived.

Penny stood up from her seat in the waiting room as Leonard made his way to her. "How's it looking, sweetie?" she asked him when he got to her.

"Everything is healing up just fine," Leonard replied. "In a few more weeks, I'll be rid of this cast. There's an itch that's been driving me nuts!"

"Speaking of driving nuts, looks like we're picking up Sheldon on the way home. Amy texted me that she has to work late, and everyone Else's phone seems to be out-of-order for some reason."

"That's fine," Leonard said. "I haven't seen him since last week. I'm sure we have some stuff to catch up on."

"Yeah, I miss the big fruitcake, too," Penny replied. "And I guess we've been a little lax in our parental obligations lately," she added with a hint of sarcasm.

As they were talking, Leonard and Penny had made their way out to her car. Penny helped Leonard get in the passenger side and then got in the driver's seat. They headed off to the university to pick up Sheldon, making small talk as they drove.

Leonard and Penny arrived at Cal Tech to find Sheldon waiting outside. As he clamored into the back seat, Sheldon politely thanked them for coming to get him.

"Leonard, how was your doctor's appointment? I trust your recovery is progressing as it should be?" Sheldon said.

"My leg is improving, thanks for asking," Leonard replied.

"And Penny," Sheldon continued, "I understand that you taped your commercial yesterday. Please inform me when I might be able to view it. I am looking forward to seeing you act again."

"Why, thank you, Sheldon," Penny gushed as she put the car in gear and pulled out on to the road.

"I don't mean to sound cynical," Leonard said, "But to what do we owe this unaccustomed interest in our personal lives?"

"Amy reminded me that it is a non-optional social convention to inquire after the well-being of friends..." Sheldon trailed off.

"And?" Leonard inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"And I was hoping the two of you would join me for take-out this evening."

"Aww, is Moonpie feeling lonely?" Penny teased.

"Don't call me that, and yes, even Homo novus requires social interaction on occasion."

Penny watched Sheldon fidget in her rear view mirror. "Was there something else?" she asked him.

"Since you ask, we need to stop at Pottery Barn for a new desk lamp," Sheldon replied. "And I am out of oatmeal, as well."

"I figured there was more to it," Penny said under her breath, putting on her signal light to change course.