The Big Bang Theory is owned by Chuck Lorre Productions and Warner Bros. Television.
A/N: Thanks again for the reviews. Again this is a shorter chapter that most of my previous ones. You would think it would take me less time to get it out but it's not the case.
Penny awoke with a kiss to her forehead and found herself lying on Leonard's chest. "Mmmm I missed this" she said with her eyes closed. "I want to stay like this all day."
"Ok but were going to need some food eventually" said Leonard.
"That's your comeback we'll need some food" she said disappointed.
"Well I'm going to need some energy later when we make love but I'm good with staying right here for now" he said.
"Very good honey there were only a few right answers and that was one of them" she said snuggling her face into his neck and placing kisses there. "Leonard, could you tell me about the job offer from Berkeley?"
"There's not much to say except that it was nice to get the offer. I don't know why Sheldon had to tell you."
"He told me that because he's throwing a party for you tonight to convince you not to take that job" said Penny. "He doesn't want to lose his little buddy."
"Sheldon's throwing me a party" he said incredulously and then smiling. "Actually that's kind of nice of him even though he's mostly concerned with himself being inconvenienced if I moved out."
"Leonard, are you considering it?"
"I would have had to be crazy not to. It's Berkeley, I mean its San Francisco. How often does that opportunity come along?"
"I won't stand in your way Leonard. I'm very happy for you" said Penny getting up from lying on him.
"Come back here I'm not taking it" he said putting his arm around her and pulling her back down to his chest.
"But you love San Francisco" said Penny.
"I do but I love you more Penny."
"I don't know if I'm worth it Leonard."
Leonard felt her tears on his neck and kissed her forehead. "You're worth it to me. I would rather be in Pasadena with you than in San Francisco all alone. It doesn't matter where we go as long as you are with me sharing everything together."
"You're so great Leonard" she said moving her head back to look at him with teary eyes. "Kiss me?" Their lips met and they kissed softly, their tongues briefly engaging. "Leonard did you ever think that the reason you want to be with me is because you think I'm pretty?"
"Don't forget beautiful, sexy and very skilled in bed."
"Thank you sweetie" she said patting her hand on his chest. "So is that why you want to be with me?"
"Physical attraction does play a role in all relationships but there is a lot more to it than that."
"How big a role" she asked.
"Well it's pretty important when two people first meet although initially it may carry more weight with men than it does with women. After that it's still there but it takes a backseat to other more meaningful facets of the relationship. Why are you asking me this?"
"Because when I'm old and everything is sagging you won't want to be with me anymore because I don't give you any other reason to stay."
"How can you say you don't give me any reason to stay with you? Do you know why I said I love you the first time?"
"Because I quoted Star Wars?"
"That was part of it. You know I spent my whole adolescence getting laughed at, rejected, pranked and even beat up by; and don't take this the wrong way; girls like you were just because I was smart, liked comic books and sci-fi. Then you came along and accepted me for who I was. You embraced my life learning about all the things I liked. You even accepted my friends including Sheldon. When you quoted Yoda it was like you telling me you loved me."
"Yeah then stupid me breaks up with you. Leonard, why have you never told me this?"
"I'm sorry Penny I should have. I guess it came to mind now because of what you said. So never say you don't give me a reason to stay with you or that you don't deserve me. You're an amazingly compassionate and kindhearted woman Penny and I'm the luckiest man in the world that you picked me."
"Luck had nothing to do with it Leonard. You have been so good to me from the first day I met you. I treated you badly, broke up with you and did stupid things that hurt you and you still didn't give up on me."
"Now you know why I never did" he said. "No one else ever loved all of me like you have."
"Now I really don't want to get up but you're going to have to eat to build up your strength if you want to keep up with me later" said Penny grinning at him.
"Well I don't think I will have to keep up with you because you will be at my mercy" he said with a smirk.
"Ooh I think I like the sound of that" said Penny getting up and straddling him. "How about french toast for breakfast?"
"Do you have lactose free milk to make the french toast?"
"Yes I do, french toast coming up" she said leaning down to him and kissing him. "Go take a shower and I will start our breakfast."
Penny was busy building a stack of french toast when Leonard came out of the bedroom in his robe. "Smells great."
"Sit down honey and I'll bring your coffee." Penny came to the table with two mugs of coffee and more french toast to add to the stack. "Maple syrup or powdered sugar?"
"Both, I'll try each one separately."
"Penny came back to the table with both condiments and then sat down on Leonard's lap putting her arm around him. "I made a lot so eat up I'm going to need you full of energy."
"If I eat too much I might just get sleepy" he said.
"Not with all that syrup, sugar and coffee you're going to have."
"Oh I see you planned all this out" said Leonard smiling.
"No you're the one who said you needed to eat first I was just playing along" she said pouting. "I just want it to be special after our time apart."
Leonard put his arms around her. "Hey I wasn't trying to make fun of you and how could it not be special. Just holding you before was special to me. Everything after that is amazingly hot and sexy fun."
"You're so sweet but hold that thought" she said getting up and moving to the other chair at the table. Leonard was just staring at her waiting for her to say something. "What's wrong start eating?"
"You said hold that thought."
"Yeah I said hold that thought not freeze."
Leonard gave her a slightly embarrassed look and took two slices of french toast and poured syrup on one and sprinkled powdered sugar on the other. "This is great french toast Penny."
"Thank you sweetie" she said before putting a forkful in her mouth. "Wow you're right I made it good two times in a row. That's not luck anymore. So do you remember when you were at Berkeley and you told me to go out Saturday night with Amy and Bernadette?"
"Yes and you got mad at me because you thought I was trying to justify going out and sucking face with Melanie."
"This is my story Leonard. All you need to say is yes or no" she said annoyed.
"I'm sorry. Yes" he said.
"You don't have to apologize Leonard. Anyway I did and I got into a big fight with Bernadette and I told her she was dead to me."
Leonard looked up from the table at her. "You and Bernadette, I never would have expected that. What did you do?"
"What the hell Leonard why are you assuming it was my fault" said Penny angrily.
Leonard had a guilty smirk on his face. "Well you know Bernadette she was brought up in a strict Catholic household and she gets self-conscious about doing bad things."
"If you only knew Leonard. Anyway her temper is worse than mine you know that" she said sharply.
"Ok you're right I'm sorry. It could have easily been Bernadette's fault."
"Don't try to pacify me with an apology. I know what you think about me now. What did Penny do now? It must be Penny's fault. Penny fucked up again."
"Whoa calm down that's not what I think. If the fight was between you and anyone else I would not have assumed that. I should not have assumed anything. That was wrong of me. I will try not to doubt you anymore."
"Yeah you go ahead and try. I know how hard it will be."
"That didn't come out right" he said despondently. "That's not what I meant."
"I know exactly what you meant Leonard." I'm not hungry anymore" she said getting up and moving to the couch. Leonard went over to the couch and sat down next to Penny.
"Tell me what happened and I promise to have an open mind" said Leonard putting his arm around her.
"Yeah right" she said. "I'm already tried, convicted and sentenced. Once you hear it you're going to run back to Berkeley. Just go home Leonard."
"We had such a beautiful morning waking up together and you lying on me in my arms. That's all we need to think about today. You don't need to tell me what happened with you and Bernadette ever. I just want you to be happy and us to have fun together and love each other." Penny turned her face towards him with a wistful expression but remained silent. "I'll go if you want me to" said Leonard.
Penny sat up and hugged him placing her head on his shoulder. "This is why you're the only one for me Leonard."
"And you're the only one for me Penny. Let's finish our breakfast ok?"
"Ok" she said and they both went back to the table. "Leonard I have to tell you what happened or it will always be hanging there between us ok?"
"Are you sure" he asked.
"Yes I have to."
"Ok but we should both try to not get so dramatic and I will not jump to any conclusions."
"Ok here it goes" she said cautiously. "We were at this club sitting at a table and a guy at the bar bought me a drink and I waved him over to sit with us and offered to buy him one and then he hit on me and I flirted with him back but I was just teasing him because he was a creep and nothing would have happened" blurted out Penny in fear of Leonard's reaction.
Leonard had a confused look. "So instead of just holding the drink up and mouthing thank you, you called him over to return the favor?"
"Yes?"
"Doesn't that mean that you're interested in taking the next step" asked Leonard.
"The next step?"
"Yeah you know, here's my number, let's suck face or your place or mine" he said.
"I didn't go up to him alone I invited him over to us. If it was you wouldn't it be better if the girl called you over?"
"Yeah it would be great but then I would think she was interested in more than just talking" said Leonard. "Then you said you flirted with him, which for a guy pretty much means you closed the deal on sex for that night."
"Yeah that's basically what Bernadette said" she said with a half-smirk.
"Why did you flirt with him?"
"He was a creep. He didn't ask us anything about ourselves. He ignored Amy and Bernadette. All he was interested in was what I looked like without my dress. I wanted to teach him a lesson."
"What dress did you wear" he asked.
"You know the black one with the round collar, mid-thigh."
"Ok tell me if I got this right" asked Leonard. "You wore that very sexy slinky dress that hugs all your curves, you called this guy over who hit on you and you flirted back."
"That's right."
"So in other words you thought it was your place to punish him because he disrespects women?"
"Yes that's right" she said nodding her head.
"I know you enjoyed that and don't tell me you didn't" said Leonard.
"Only because that's not a way to treat a lady" she said shaking a finger at him.
"Here's a question I asked before" he said. "What was going to happen next?"
"We would have said it was nice to meet you and goodnight but Bernadette faked having to hurl so me and Amy went to the bathroom with her and that's when she started yelling at me."
"What if he was a not a creep but a nice guy" he asked.
"Then we would have had a nice time with him."
"So what did Bernadette say to you that made you say she was dead to you" he asked.
"She said I disrespected you and that I need to grow up and stop using my body and looks for fun."
"You are aware that she said that because she cares about you" he said.
"Yeah I guess. But then she said I get off teasing men. So I said I was not going home with her and she told me to have Rich take me home." Then I said I would but I was just kidding. That's when she said if I did she would make sure I never see you again. She didn't have to go that far."
Leonard took a deep breath, sighed and sat there going over all of what Penny said.
Penny reached out and took both of Leonard's hands in hers. "Tell me what you're thinking Leonard."
"Rich was the guy who bought you the drink?"
"Yeah."
"Penny I have to side with Bernadette on this" he said bracing for her response.
Penny pulled her hands away from him. "So you think I get off teasing men and that I use my body and looks for fun" she asked him angrily.
"Not exactly" he said trying to delay the inevitable.
"Well what then Leonard" she snapped.
Leonard now wished she would have spared him from hearing about this so soon after returning from Berkeley but it was too late and there was no turning back now. "I think you went too far. You should have not called him over."
"Penny leaned in closer to Leonard. "Nothing was going to happen" she said loudly. You know you and Bernadette can't tell me what I can or cannot do. I can make my own decisions and do whatever I see fit."
Leonard could feel his anxiety rise as he prepared to tell her straight to the point how he felt about this. He used his inhaler to prevent the otherwise impending asthma attack. He knew this wasn't going to end well. "Penny I have to ask you something and I'm not going to sugar coat it or dance around the question. Do you enjoy using your body and looks to tease men?"
"I think you better leave now Leonard" said Penny standing up from the table with her back to him and walking into the kitchen.
"That's your answer I should leave?"
"You said not to be dramatic right" she said loudly. "Well this is me not being dramatic. Please leave before I say something I'll regret."
Leonard was saddened to hear her say that. He got up and went to the door but stopped and turned before opening it. "I'm sorry if I hurt you Penny."
"Penny couldn't stand to see him sad especially if she was the one who caused it. She watched him open the door. "Leonard wait" she pleaded. "I'm sorry too. I don't want to fight anymore I love you."
Leonard closed the door and turned back to her. "I know I love you too."
Penny went to him and they hugged. "What are we going to do Leonard?"
"I don't know. Last night and this morning was so great and then it all went down hill. We are always on this rollercoaster."
"It's all my fault isn't it" she asked.
"No it's my fault too. Maybe you do things that I don't agree with but I know you don't do them intentionally to hurt me but I respond like you are trying to hurt me."
"You're going to get tired of this, tired of me eventually aren't you" she asked.
"I said I won't give up on you and I meant it" he said lifting his head to look at her.
"I'm not giving up either so that's good right?"
"That's right" agreed Leonard. "How can we lose? We'll just spend all our time together in bed" he said smiling.
"In bed" she asked looking confused.
"Yeah we always get along great when we're in bed like last night and this morning. So when one or both of us starts to get irritated we will just jump into bed."
Penny had a dreamy look on her face. "It was so nice being in your arms last night and this morning. We should have eaten in bed and then made love until the afternoon."
"Wouldn't you have still told me about your fight with Bernadette?"
"Yeah but if we were in bed we could have had angry sex afterwards."
"Angry sex" he repeated. "Does that consist of a lot of cursing and name calling?"
"It can" said Penny. "It also can be very kinky."
"Well then maybe there's hope for us yet" said Leonard. "For now I better go across the hall and make sure Sheldon doesn't go overboard with this party."
"You're going" said Penny disappointed. "Can't we have angry sex first?"
"Were not angry anymore Penny."
"Can't we pretend" she said tilting her head. "Really I just want you to be angry" she said putting a finger on his lips.
"Why should only I …oh ok I get it" he said while Penny giggled. "We probably don't have to pretend I'm sure you'll piss me off soon enough."
"Leonarrrd" she said punching him lightly in the arm and pouting.
"Hey that hurt" he said rubbing his arm. "You know you think you're punching lightly but you're not."
Suddenly Penny's eyes went wide and she smiled. "Ooh, are you angry now?"
"Nice try" he said. Look Penny angry sex with you sounds incredible and it's going to be on my mind until we do it but I'm really stressing over this party Sheldon has planned for me and I need to make sure nothing crazy is going to happen."
"Ok my sexy little nerd" she said putting her arms around his neck and kissing him on the lips. "You know Amy is actually running the fun part of the party so it may turn out good. I'm not sure what Sheldon has planned."
"Ok it just got worse" he said looking anguished. "I better go. I'll see you at the party."
"Relax I'm sure it will be fun" she said and then kissed him on the lips.
Penny was almost ready to go across the hall when there was a knock on her door. "Hey Amy what's up."
"Are you coming to the party a lot of people already showed up."
"Yes I'm almost ready. It's still early."
"So how are you and Leonard doing" asked Amy following Penny to her bedroom.
"Um ..when we're not fighting we're so so good together" said Penny from the bathroom.
"Are you fighting a lot?"
"On and off you know how we are."
"You don't seem too concerned" said Amy.
"Leonard and I are both optimistic about our relationship. We're not giving up."
"That's great Penny. Did you tell him about your fight with Bernadette?"
"Yes I did."
"How did he take it" asked Amy.
"Oh we had a big fight" said Penny matter of factly.
"And you're still going to the party?"
"We made up right after" said Penny coming out of the bathroom with her hair brushed.
"I don't know how you guys do it" said Amy.
"I know it seems crazy to everyone else but we both can't imagine our lives without each other" said Penny stepping into a pair of flats.
Amy retrieved her phone vibrating in her pocket. "It's just a text from Bernadette. She's probably telling me ….
"Ames what is it?"
"Oh it's nothing. So you think you will get your engagement ring soon?"
"Where did that come from" said Penny giving Amy a confused look. "Let's get going."
"Um Penny is that what you're wearing?"
"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"
"Don't you want to wear something special for Leonard" asked Amy.
"This is fine Amy. What's gotten into you" said Penny walking out of the bedroom.
Amy quickly followed Penny out of the bedroom. "Penny could you help me with a problem I'm having with Sheldon?"
"Ok Amy why are you stalling?"
"I'm not stalling this is a serious problem I have with Sheldon" said Amy nervously.
Penny moved near Amy and grabbed her phone out of her hand. "You're a bad liar Amy."
"What are you doing" asked Amy. "There's nothing interesting on my phone."
Penny found the text from Bernadette. "Keep Penny over there? See attached? What the hell is going on?" She opened the attachment which was a picture. "Son a bitch I'm going to kill Sheldon" yelled Penny.
'