'Er, what do you mean I have to move out?' Lani asked angrily.

'I mean you have to move out.' Sheldon said.

'Why! Why do I have to go? Did I do something wrong?' Lani said, exasperated.

'Penny is coming home.'

'And?'

'Penny is my girlfriend and as stipulated in the roommate agreement, you agreed to move out when she returns. If you don't like it get a lawyer.' Sheldon shrugged and Lani blinked, at a loss for words.

'Yes but I thought she'd be gone for a little longer than this. She's been in New York for like what… two months?'

'She's decided she wants to return to be with me. She told me that when she informs them of her resignation tomorrow, the production company rules state that they will give her two weeks of shows to complete so a replacement can be drafted in to take over.'

'Two weeks?' Lani sighed and rubbed her temples. She liked hanging with Sheldon, he was cool and they shared so much in common and he was alright looking. It also helped he was a Nobel Prize winner and had a lot of cash in the kitty. He was fun to live with and just because he had a girlfriend didn't mean that she had to move out. Unless… 'Oh I get it, she got jealous of me and so she's coming back to make sure you won't go for me instead.' Lani laughed, crossing her arms, 'I get that a lot.'

'I'm sorry Lani, but you signed the relationship agreement and there's no backsies once it's signed.'

'How long do you think it's gonna be before she leaves you again for another project Sheldon? She's an actress and that requires her to be away for periods of time on set. She could meet an actor and before you know it you've got the Jennifer Aniston, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt thing going on, only you'd be Aniston. She's famous now and that fame is never going to go away. She's going to want more, she's gonna miss being on Broadway and being the star of a show. I'm telling you now Sheldon, she's only coming back because she thinks I'm gonna make a move on you,' Lani said. It soon dawned on Sheldon that Lani had a point. Penny had been trying for 6 years to make it big. Why was she suddenly giving it up? Did she not trust him enough to live with Lani? 'I think you should tell her to stay Sheldon, she belongs there… like you belong here.'

'Penny is my partner and she trusts me, like I trust her. However, I shall forward this proposal. She is contracted to do this production for 6 months before renewal and to leave before seems silly.'

'Thank you Sheldon.' Lani smiled, breathing a sigh of relief. She tucked her long dark hair behind her ear before kissing his cheek, 'You're the best.'

Lani then went to her room and opened up her laptop. She had to find out more on Penny if she was to have Sheldon… no guy could be THAT loyal to a girl. Typing into google "Penny Miller", she clicked on the news section and began to read articles on her. After reading 5 or 6 different pages on her, she refreshed the page to see a new headline had been added, "Penny Miller sparks engagement rumours with a large tanzanite and diamond ring as reports emerge of her retiring from Broadway."

'Engaged? No way… Sheldon isn't the sort of guy who'd propose!' Lani said to herself before clicking on the link.

She has been quietly dating Nobel Prize winner Dr Sheldon Cooper for the past 9 months. And it seems like Penny Miller and her beau may have some happy news to share as the actress was spotted with a large tanzanite and diamond ring adorning her wedding ring finger on Wednesday showing that she and her man may be ready to take things to the next step. The 25 year old made no attempt to hide the previously unseen bling on her ring finger, clutching her phone with her left hand and smiling for the cameras. Penny has made no secret of her adoration of her Nobel Prize winning boyfriend, telling OK! Magazine's last issue: "I am actually dating my crush. I had a crush on him for a long time and it just so happens that we fit great together. We work hard at our relationship and we love each other very much". Miller recently accompanied boyfriend Sheldon to Sweden where he was awarded the Nobel Prize at the young age of 34. In his acceptance speech, Cooper credited his girlfriend, telling the world she was inspiration for his chasing his dream.

Lani sighed and flopped back in her chair. This was gonna be harder than she thought; especially now Sheldon and Penny were engaged. Shutting the laptop, she bit her lip wondering how she could make this work. It had to be done subtly, and within the next two weeks. Making her way back into the lounge, she walked in on Sheldon in an argument on the phone.

'Penny, all I'm trying to say is that you've been trying to chase stardom for 6 years. To give it up after 4 months just seems silly! Yes I know that. I'm not being irrational Penny… Look I don't want to talk to you if you're going to flip your lid… Now that wasn't very nice. I will call you again when you've calmed down and your profanity filter is back in place.' Sheldon then hung up the phone and sighed. He hated arguing with Penny and was startled when he saw Lani standing in the doorway.

'She not take it well?' she asked and Sheldon sighed.

'The female mind really is a complex thing. I believe it to be the one thing I have never been able to solve. Give me equations and I will solve them in under a minute but hand me a woman's brain and we're running around in circle.'

Lani smiled at him, 'Well that's why you have me. Do you wanna watch something?' she asked and Sheldon frowned.

'Hmm… I fancy a Lord of the Rings marathon… what do you think?' Sheldon asked and Lani smiled.

'Perfect, I'll cook us something whilst you set up.'

'Brilliant… I must say Lani, having you as a roommate was probably the best thing I've ever done. Leonard, my old roommate, he never cooked for me and the amount I've saved on not buying take out… it's amazing.'

'Well, you'll always have me.' Lani grinned as she began to make some homemade popcorn from scratch, 'I like being your roommate.'

'And I you,' Sheldon smiled. An hour into the second movie, Sheldon didn't realise that he and Lani were very close on the sofa. She was resting her legs on his lap as they both watched the film under a blanket with the light off, 'Now you see Gollum's eyes. When he's Gollum, his pupils are tiny so they appear more sharp and menacing, however when Smeagol's personality comes through, his pupils are larger. That shows the more naïve and oppressed character.' Sheldon said and to Lani's surprise, she found it to be true.

'Wow, I never noticed that before! That's amazing!' She grinned and Sheldon looked smugly at her.

'I make it my business to know all trivia on Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones and all Star Trek and Star Wars franchises.' Sheldon bragged and Lani giggled.

'Sheldon you are sooo funny.'

'I would hardly call that funny but thank you for the compliment, regardless of its improper use. Do you think I should call Penny now?' he asked and Lani frowned.

'Why don't you watch the rest of the movie first? We still have the second part of the extended version to go as well as another hour and a half on this and then we have to watch the third one.'

Sheldon grimaced, 'No, that's too long to wait… I have to do it now. You continue on without me, I know it word for word anyway.' He said, quickly taking his phone out, 'Could you remove your legs from my lap please.'

'Shelly, she can wait, stay with me and watch this.' Lani said, batting her eyelashes flirtatiously. Sheldon looked at Lani and smiled at her before shaking his head and starting to dial Penny's number.

'I'll be back in a few minutes Lani, just continue watching and I'll be back soon.' He walked into his bedroom and Lani sighed in frustration. She should have known Sheldon wouldn't understand flirting. The man didn't understand sarcasm for God's sake!

'Hey sweetie,'

'Hey, so um, are you calmer now?'

'Yes.'

'Penny, I want you to come home I truly do but I think that if you left Broadway you'd miss it and I know you've worked really hard for it. I can't let you give that up.'

'But Sheldon… I want to. I want to marry you, have kids with you; I want to have a life with you.' Penny sniffed over the phone.

'And we will. I want to suggest the following. You stay in New York and continue Broadway…'

'Sheldon, no… I want…'

'Let me finish. You stay in New York and stay until the end of your contract and if you still want to leave at the end, simply don't renew it. In the meanwhile, I will organise a two month transfer to New York University as a visiting professor and I will sublet the apartment until we return. I love you Penny and I want us to be together.'

'You would do that… for me?'

'Yes Penny. I was thinking about something Lani told me. She said that you might miss Broadway and I want to make sure that you are 100% sure you want to leave Broadway and this isn't a rash decision.'

'Oh Sheldon, I love you so much.'

'I love you too Penny. So will you do this for me?'

'Yes, and I'm sorry about how I acted earlier. I don't know what's wrong with me… I'm just angry like all the time and if I'm not angry I'm upset but when I'm with you I feel so happy. I dunno…. Just come soon and I'll be happy again.'

'I'll make arrangements tomorrow. I'll be with you as soon as I can.'

Lani narrowed her eyes as she listened from the other side of Sheldon's door. No she wasn't going to let this happen. Penny didn't deserve Sheldon, she treated him so badly all the time and yet time and time again he forgave her. Just because she was a Broadway star didn't give her the right to treat him like dirt. Sheldon was not going to go to New York and that was final.

Uh oh! Anyone got any ideas for what Lani might do ;] Thanks for all your lovely reviews and I look forward to reading any that you leave me for this chapter so let me know what you think xx