Sheldon sat on Dirk's bed, he should be packing for the journey back to Pasadena, a journey that since he booked the tickets he has been looking forward to, the Southwest Chief is unique amongst all long distance passenger trains as it is permitted to run up to a maximum of 90mph (145km/h) along significant portions of the route,a fact not lost on the beautiful mind of Dr Cooper. Instead his mind was elsewhere and his stomach is tied into knots and for once in his life he didn't have the answer to the baffling question that keeps coming to the forefront of his mind. What to do about Penny.

Ever since Sheldon can remember he hasn't enjoyed physical contact with others, it isn't the contact itself that he is adverse to, no it is the germs that certainly transfer from one person to another. When Sheldon was growing up and watched his brother and sister hug their meemaw without the worry of germ transfer Sheldon wished that he too could do the same, instead his beloved meemaw knew to expect just an awkward handshake, or at best half a hug from her favourite grandchild.

But Sheldon has come a long way in just the four and a half years that he has known Penny, he has hugged her three times, the last one being just this morning. Their first hug took place when Penny gave him his Leonard Nimoy napkin, that hug was very awkward, but with their second hug other than the duration he believed he did it just right. The only concern Sheldon felt now is that on the second hug, Penny had indeed transferred germs and he ended up with the flu, not something he wants to repeat in a hurry, hence his return to the awkward hug this morning.

Would Penny perhaps be adverse to wearing a surgical mask during any hugs? He could always clean his hands after the hug, or better yet shower. Would Penny be offended if every time they hugged he ran off to shower? Very likely, no not a viable solution.

But it isn't just the hugging that he is so concerned about, it's kissing and what goes beyond that. Will he ever be able to just close off his mind and let Penny kiss him?

He knew the answers to everything in the world except this.

Penny sat on the bench on the back porch with a glass of white wine to her right. Her parents had taken Meg out with them to do some grocery shopping, Penny knew it was really just to give Sheldon and her some privacy,after their words this morning Sheldon had retreated to him room and she hadn't seem him. A song keeps popping into Penny's head, A Fine Romance, indeed with no kissing.

Penny knew that their future lay in Sheldon's hands. What was his problem really, I mean they had hugged at least three times that Penny could remember, they sit next to each other all the time on the couch, why can't he just take that small step to kiss her? Penny knows that Sheldon is a complete whack-a-doodle, but over the years that she has known him, he has relaxed a little more. He wouldn't even shake her hand when she first met him, so there are signs that he will grow more and more used to her wanting physical touch.

Penny closed her eyes and straight away she could imagine herself kissing Sheldon on the lips, down his neck, nibbling at his ears. Will he ever allow her to do that? Will he ever be able to make love to her?

The back door opened and Sheldon walked over to the bench and sat next to Penny. She took a sip of her wine for courage.

"Penny, I have been thinking about your kiss this morning."

Penny nodded.

"You know me to be a man that doesn't like physical contact, and I know you to be a woman that does. So therein lies our problem, we are polar opposites to each other. There is only one solution to our problem."

Penny waited for him to complete his train of thought, but he seemed to be waiting for her reply.

"Which is?" she asked.

"We have to meet in the middle."

Penny smiled, Sheldon was talking about meeting her half way, he was offering to bend for her, to change his rules, this is monumental.

"I will try to be less restrictive with my adversity to touch and you, you must try to restrain your desire to touch me all the time. Together I believe that we can come to an understanding that is suitable to both."

"Does this touch include coitus?"

Sheldon shifted uncomfortably and he took a deep breath before replying to Penny's question. "I understand that in an exclusive relationship the subject of coitus will eventually be brought up, but I believe that it may still be a way down the track for us."

"Meaning what?"

"I don't believe I am ready to think about coitus, lets deal with the hand holding and kissing first."

Penny didn't take offence at Sheldon's saying he was not ready to think about coitus, he didn't mean that the thought of it with her was repellent, he just meant that in his plan to meet her half way that was the half way mark.

"So do we start now?"

"As good a time as any I suppose." he grabbed at her hand and held it tightly.

Penny turned and smiled at him. Small steps she thought, small steps.