Okay! Warning and junk: there is some QUITE heavy stuff in this chapter. Along with a mildly adult scene at the end. You've been warned.

Again: Go read The Summer Paradigm Shift by MattUF1 (after you read this chapter)

5 to go before the epilogue! :(

So, Sheldon can suck it because I am ready before he is. That's right people. Let it be known that Penelope, on this, July 6, 2012, was ready for a party before Sheldon. Okay, so it's by like three minutes, but the point is, I win.

Air's gettin' a bit thin up here!

"Penny, we need to leave in ten minutes, please hurry—" Sheldon stops dead in the doorway, noticing I am already dressed and good to go. –up," he finishes, a little dumbstruck. I smirk at him, entirely too satisfied with myself to hide it.

"You were saying?"

"You're ready," he murmurs, eyeing my lilac colored dress with the cute cap sleeves.

"You're observant Dr. Eidetic Memory," I roll my eyes, enjoying teasing him as I sidle up to him. His pupils are slightly dilated and I bite my lip, realizing that he's impressed and maybe, just maybe, a little turned on because I actually did what he told me to.

Again – egomaniac. Oh, who am I kidding here? I adore the kook. Even if his idea of appropriate behavior, is forcing his girlfriend to wear a stupid medical face mask that was suffocating and all kinds of embarrassing.

"Come on, Sheldon, it's five twenty-seven!" I grab him by the hand and drag him out the door as he regains his composure. And, as much as I'd like to drag Shelly over to that bed and have my Big Ol' Five way with him, there are more important things at hand right now. Like smoking out Missy's gorgeous, possibly (likely) abusive douche of a future husband.

We can make out after we help his sister.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the party is at the gigantic evangelical church that Missy and Mary go to. In the basement. Oh goody, all we need now is some Kool-Aid and we can all celebrate the Rapture.

Let me make something clear. I have no problem with religion. If that's what makes you happy, you go and you be religious. Personally, I don't see a need for it. I'm not saying I believe, but I'm also not saying I don't believe. What I am saying is, I don't really believe in the whole religion thing. If you don't believe, that's your choice. I don't have a problem either way.

What I do have a problem with is those judgmental hypocrites who say stuff like homosexuals are evil. Yeah, I don't go for that. Or, when guys who claim to be a 'servant of Jesus' go around hurting their fiancées! George is headed straight for the bar.

"Shelly," Mary says, grabbing Sheldon's arm, "come here, I want to introduce you to Pastor Duncan. He's been askin' after ya."

"But, Mom!" He complains, looking over his shoulder at me for help. I wave at him, grinning, and split to grab a quick drink. I could use a little liquid courage. Unfortunately for me (and George), this bar only serves soft drinks.

"You have got to be kidding me," George drawls, glaring at the squirrely little guy pouring drinks.

"No booze?" I ask, pouting. The man behind the bar stares at me as if I've asked directions to the nearest Planned Parenthood. "Guess that's a no."

"How does a girl like you end up with my baby brother?" George asks, leaning against the bar and sullenly accepting a Coke while I order one too.

"What do you mean, a girl like me?" I challenge, staring into almost the same face as Sheldon's. Same blue eyes, same bow shaped lips, same nose. The difference is in his haunted blue eyes, his longer hair and his slightly swollen face.

"Honestly?" George laughs, "Hot." Before I can retort, he holds a hand up to stop me. "Don't get all bristly on me, girly. I'm just sayin', Shelly's not the most social person on a good day. And believe me, Darlin', I've seen him at his worst. And he can get pretty crazy sometimes."

"He's not crazy. Your mother had him tested," I reply weakly, sipping my Coke. To my surprise, I see George's smile for the first time. It's like the first time I heard Sheldon's real laugh back in May, when we made fried chicken with MeeMaw. It changes his entire face.

"You do like him," George laughs, shaking his head, "he's a good man. A little goofy, but what the hell right do I have to judge? I love him. He's my brother."

"Well, let's just say, it wasn't love at first sight..." I tell him, "Well, I did think he was kind of attractive, until—"

"He spoke," George finishes knowingly, "It's okay, honey. Shelly's gotta grow on people. He's always been a little different."

"Understatement," I agree, "But, despite all that, and if you tell him this, I will go all Nebraska on your ass, I wouldn't change a thing about him."

"Good," George says gruffly, but I can see him smile a little bit as he finishes his Coke.

"I'm sorry you had such a hard time growing up," I hear myself say, and silently scold myself.

"It wasn't the growin' up that was the hard part, sweetheart," he admits darkly, "it's livin' with the consequences of it. Sheldon had enough to deal with, what with bein' so damn smart and small and havin' no friends. I didn't want him to have to deal with being afraid of turning into our father, too. So, I took it all on myself."

"He is afraid, though," I tell George, putting my hand over his, "He won't drink. He's terrified that he's going to be like your father. He's told me." George's blue eyes grow wide.

"Shelly told you that?"

"Yeah," I nod, noticing Missy and Ben heading toward the coat room outside the door, "Hey, I'm gonna go find Sheldon. Tell him to come find me if you see him."

"Will do," George acknowledges, pushing away from the bar and crossing to where his grandmother is seated near the door. I find him in the corner, standing beside his mother with a look on his face that tells me he is not amused.

"Oh, good!" Mary exclaims happily, "Pastor Duncan, this is Shelly's girlfriend, Penny."

"Ah yes," The aging blonde man nods, shaking my hand. I look around in agitation, wanting to catch a glimpse of Ben or Missy. Nothing. "Mary's told me so much about y'all. Good things."

"Nice to meet you," I agree, trying my best to sound pleasant and not rude.

"So, what are you workin' on now, Sheldon?" Pastor Duncan inquires kindly and Sheldon gives him a suspicious look.

"At present, my work is comprised of researching the Higgs Boson Particle. I've been granted a trip to Switzerland in a year to partake in a possibly groundbreaking experiment that could prove its existence. It's actually been nicknamed the God—"

"Hey, Sheldon!" I cut him off before he can piss off his mother's pastor, "I think your MeeMaw is waving us down." Pulling him by the hand, I smile at the man, "Nice meeting you."

"Penny, what in the world—?"

"Sheldon, that is Ben's father. You don't want to make him mad before we find out what's going on," I insist, "Hearing that you are working to basically prove God doesn't exist is not something a guy like that wants to hear."

"Well, it isn't my fault that he's delusional," Sheldon snaps irritably. At my look of warning, he clamps his mouth shut and sinks into the seat beside his grandmother.

"Oh, Shelly," MeeMaw smiles, reaching for his hand, "I been meanin' to talk to ya 'bout somethin'," she starts, her blue eyes twinkling mischievously, "why don't ya take me over to the punch bowl, MoonPie?"

"What about Penny?" Sheldon asks, glancing back at me. I wave him off.

"Go," I insist, "I'm gonna go find the bathroom. I'll be back in a sec." I peck him on the cheek and hop out of my chair, watching his MeeMaw guide him toward the punch bowl. Turning my attention back to Operation: Find Missy, I creep toward the exit into the hallway, and just as I start to poke my head around the corner, I see Missy disappear into the bathroom before bumping flat into another person.

"Oh, sorry!" I cry, embarrassed.

"No problem, Penny," I look up, jarred, and realize I've crashed right into Ben. "Going somewhere?" The sunny grin seems like it's plastered on his handsome face.

"I was just gonna go to the bathroom," I tell him, starting past him. He puts a hand on my shoulder, making me freeze.

"You'll want to use the other one," he tells me in a smooth, pleasant voice, "just across the room. This one's out of order."

"But, I just saw Missy go into it…"

"No, you didn't."

"Yes. I did," I insist, snatching my arm back and glaring at him suspiciously.

"You have the most smashing green eyes," he tells me, still fucking smiling, "Has anyone ever told you that?" Yes, Ben. As a matter of fact, they have. Has anyone ever told you that you're a shady liar?

"Yes," I answer him, watching his eyes subtly move down my body as I tear away from him, throwing the bathroom door open and hearing a gasp. I swiftly lock the big door to the bathroom so no one can barge in and start inside.

"Missy?" I call, feeling my heartbeat in my ears. "It's Penny." I hear quick shuffling in the last stall and hang near the sink, waiting. "Listen, can we talk?"

"Penny?" I hear her finally say and I sag in relief against the sink.

"Yeah, it's Penny," I echo, trying to catch my breath. Who knew that asking someone if they're being beaten would be so hard? The lock in the stall clicks and Missy's heels click on the tiled floor as she comes out. Her eye makeup is a little smudged, but other than that, she's physically unharmed. At least, from what I can see. But then she moves a little and lets out a little groan and my bells and whistles are going off like crazy.

"You okay?" I ask, watching her closely. She manages a smile and nods, leaning against one of the sinks for support.

"Just a little…tired…" She sounds like she's having a little trouble breathing. I start toward her and she lurches away.

And there it is.

"Missy, what happened?" I ask firmly, no longer skirting around it.

"Nothin'," she replies quickly, "I'm just—" An involuntary cry of pain escapes her, and I realize whatever is bothering her, just happened this afternoon.

"Let me see," I tell her, reaching her in a couple of seconds. There's a pounding at the bathroom door.

"Melissa! Open this door!" It's Ben.

"Don't," I murmur to her, holding out my hand like I'm beckoning to a skittish dog. Jesus, I feel like I've done this before. Imagine that. "Show me." With huge, terrified eyes, Missy begins to lift her dress. Ben knocks at the door again.

"Please, sweetheart! I'm worried!" Ben insists. Missy looks like she's going to lose her nerve. I shake my head.

"Let me see, so I can help you, honey," I plead. She shakes her head, sniffing.

"I can't, Penny."

"Listen to me, Missy. I lived with a man for four years. I thought I loved him. I thought I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. He hurt me, Missy. He pinched me, and slapped me and called me awful names when I made him mad. And I stayed…and I told myself that it was my fault he was being that way. But, you know what?" I grab her hand and very gently hold it between mine, feeling the clammy cold sweat on her palm. Her face is glistening a little with sweat too.

"Melissa, now!" Ben demands, banging a little harder on the door.

"No!" Missy cries, gasping a little for breath. "Penny, I think I need to go to a hospital…I can't…I can't breathe…" She begins to slide down the wall, and I catch her under the arms, helping her settle to the floor.

"Tell me what happened."

"It was…it was this afternoon—"

"Melissa!"

"—and we'd just got home after takin' y'all to Momma's…" She gasps again, holding her side, "he said somethin' about needing to cleanse the evil from my life and…and…" Another gasp, "and, he told me that he didn't think it was such a good idea for me to talk to…my brothers after the wedding, and—"

"Missy, Darlin'?" This is Mrs. Cooper's voice now, "It's Momma. Are you in there?" Missy squeezes her eyes shut.

"I'll be out in a sec, Momma…just…havin' some female problems. Penny's helpin' me!" Her voice is now a little wheezy. We're running out of time.

"Melissa, open this door at once!" Ben persists, knocking again. I feel my stomach begin to roil with rage.

"He told me George is nothin' but a wastrel and Sheldon is a blasphemous lunatic," Missy wrenches out, wincing. I notice her eyes are watering. She's not crying, but I can see she's in pain. "I slapped him across the face. He…he's done some things he's not proud of before, but never…" She stops, staring me in the face, "Penny, I do love him. I know he's good deep down…"

"What did he do?" I ask, still fuming at the thought of Ben calling Sheldon a 'blasphemous lunatic.' Missy finally manages to pull her dress up and I see it. It's the most hideous bruise I've ever seen and it's all along her right side. The deepest, darkest purple I've ever seen in my life. I shriek at the sight of it. "Jesus!"

"We had a scuffle and I fell over the coffee table, and he—" She stops, and buries her head into her knees. A scuffle? The guy beat the living shit out of her! Her ribs have to be broken…she'd be lucky if he didn't do something to her lungs.

Oh fuck.

That's it. I have to get her out of here and to a hospital. The girl can't breathe because she's suffocating a little. What if her rib punctures her lung or something? Can that even happen?

"Hold on," I instruct, pulling out my phone as the knocking at the door grows more intense. "Shut up!" I scream at him, furious as I dial 9-1-1.

"Nine-one-one, what is your emergency?"

"I need some cops and an ambulance sent to Morning Star Pentecostal Church in Galveston," I rattle off, watching Missy's eyes flit about wildly.

"Penny, no…" She whispers fearfully, not at all the head strong girl I knew a few years earlier.

"Hurry," I snip, hanging up and crouching beside Missy. "This is not okay. Ever. We're gonna get you some help, Sweetie. I'm gonna go get your brothers."

"I don't want him to hurt them!" Missy protests, looking terrified. I smooth her short hair and shake my head.

"I won't let him," I promise her, meaning it. I'm sorry, nobody is getting near Sheldon and I don't think I have to worry about George. Moving to the door, I unlock the bolt and pull it open, realizing vaguely that there's a large group of people gathered around the door.

"Melissa!" Ben screams, starting in, trying to push me aside. Anticipating his intrusion, I immediately throw a right hook into his beautiful nose, hopefully breaking it. Quickly, I hook my foot around his and take him down in one swoop, instantly dropping with my knee on his chest and my hands holding his arms down.

"You don't ever get to touch her again, you piece of shit," I growl, barely suppressing my own surging emotions.

"I got him, Penny, help Momma with Missy," George instructs authoritatively, urging me up and stooping to grab Ben by the scruff of his neck. "You better hope the cops get here before I kill you, you sick little fuck." I notice Sheldon standing with MeeMaw to the side, looking more worried than I've ever seen him. That's when I start to cry, the fear and stress of the situation catching up to me as I hear Mrs. Cooper's wail of horror. Pastor Duncan can only stare in mute disbelief as George Cooper Jr. drags his son out of the bathroom and back toward the exit. I watch him scurry after them, probably to make sure that George doesn't murder his douche of a kid.

"Don't move her!" I hear Sheldon's voice distantly, as MeeMaw pulls me into her arms and he darts into the bathroom. "We aren't completely sure what injuries she has suffered and, depending on the severity, we could do more damage by prematurely moving her."

"Can't breathe…" Missy tells them, wheezing again as I finally hear sirens.

Four hours later, Missy and Mary have been taken to the hospital and Sheldon and I are left with George and MeeMaw in the waiting room. Mary finally emerges from the back of the Emergency Room with tired eyes.

"She's got two broken ribs and a bruised lung," Mary informs us, exhausted, "She's sleepin' now. I'm gonna stay with 'er."

"Mary, Darlin'," MeeMaw pleads, "I don't do no good for you to get no sleep. You ain't helpin' our girl."

"I can't leave her, Momma," Mary replies defensively, "I failed these children enough."

"You didn't fail your children, Mary Beth. Your husband failed 'em. You're about the only thing that they could count on," MeeMaw says comfortingly. Mrs. Cooper nods, though she looks unconvinced.

"Y'all go on home and get some sleep," she tells us, "I'll come in the morning after I see how she's doin'."

Sheldon and I look at each other and I sigh, because I am tired, but I'm still worried about his sister. We all ride back in heavy silence, the anger and regret hanging over us like a velvet cloak.

Ben makes Kurt look like the fucking Boyfriend of the Year.

I glance over at Sheldon and realize he's being extremely quiet. Suspiciously quiet. The way he gets when he's hiding something, but I'm not going to bug him right now. We're all too freaked right now. And, honestly, I'm whipped. I'm so tired, I don't even care that we part without so much as a 'goodnight', before disappearing into our separate rooms. I don't really know how I managed to pull off my dress and get into my Hello Kitty pajamas, but I'm woken out of a dead sleep some time later.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Penny." Oh, it's like the good old days!

Knock, knock, knock.

"Penny." Drearily, I get out of the bed and stumble, like I'm drunk, to the door.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Penny." Opening the door, I squint up at my giant, shadowy boyfriend and try not to be too grumpy.

"What are you doing?" I whisper, looking over my shoulder at the alarm clock on the night table. "It's three in the morning."

"I couldn't sleep," He looks a little sheepish and a lot like a stubborn toddler, "It's scary down there."

"Alright," I sigh, pulling him inside by the lapel of his blue plaid robe, "Get in here." I shut the door and push him toward the bed, throwing back the covers and crawling in. He hesitates, staring down at the bed as if it were a foreign concept to share space with someone. "What, have you figured out how to sleep standing up?" I ask grumpily, wiping at my eyes.

"You intend for me to…?" His question hangs between us, making me glare at him and point at the empty spot.

"Lay down!" I hiss, and he quickly discards his robe, draping it meticulously over a chair and settling into the bed, lying beside me with the covers pulled up to his chest.

"Penny?"

"Mmpf," is my response. I'm not very conversational at three in the morning. Oh well, I guess I should thank my lucky stars that he's not playing the bongos or some other crazy bullcrap.

"Thank you for helping my sister this evening," he says quietly into the darkness of the room. My eyes open and I sigh. Damn him for being sweet when I really need to get some sleep.

"Of course," I answer, patting his arm absently and fumbling for his hand, feeling the long fingers instinctively clasp around mine.

"Penny?"

"Sheldon?" I mumble, still half incoherent.

"Are you still going to force me to partake in kissing with no shirt?" Really? He's going to be all cute and hilarious now?

"You bet," I tell him, squeezing his hand. To my utter surprise (again), he turns so that he's lying on his side facing me, still holding my hand. It's crazy, how far we've come in two months. And it still scares me how much I love him even if I want to kill him from time to time. And it still scares me that he might never say he loves me back. Oh, alright…I'm up. Might as well take what I can get.

I carefully place my hand against his bristly cheek (the things I would do if we were further along in this process), and pull him toward me a little, letting him close the distance between us. He's getting better at this.

"Um," I pull back and raise an eyebrow, "you still have two shirts on, Shelly."

" Penny, please don't call me Shelly when we're lying in my childhood home together. You're lucky my mother opted to spend the remainder of the night at the hospital. I doubt I would have found the nerve to approach you."

"Wait, you approached me for this?" I ask incredulously, pulling back to look into his face. His eyes are wide.

"Penny," his tone is vaguely condescending, "you know me well enough to know that as I was indebted to you, I could not allow myself to enjoy a REM cycle without fulfilling said debt."

"Say what?" I ask, too tired to comprehend.

"I owed you," he sighs, placing a hand on my hip, "that's what you told me, at least."

"Well, pay up then!" I grin, unbuttoning his pajama top with ease and wrestling his white undershirt up over his head, before removing my own tank top.

"Penny…" Sheldon says again, sounding unsure of himself. We've been naked together before, but neither of us is sure what to do now. So, I adjust my position to my back and pull his hand to my chest, placing one large hand over my right breast. He keeps it dead still, face frozen and eyes wide with question.

"Here," I tell him huskily, using my hand to guide his fingers over the taut nipple and the smooth, tanned skin around it. Maybe I don't have D-Cups like Mom and Darce, but I think my C-Cups will do fine. The feel of fingertips other than my own over the sensitive flesh makes me shiver. Forgetting myself for a second, I take his face into my hands and bring his lips to mine, letting them move together, and velvety soft. "Come closer," I beg, dragging his body over mine and feeling our skin come completely together (well the top half anyway).

"Penny," Sheldon gasps raggedly, burying his face in my neck instinctively. I can feel the whisper soft bristle on his jaw and the jutting arousal below his waist, pressing insistently into my thigh.

"What do you want to do?" I ask, letting him set the boundaries. Because, at this point, if I get to pick, I'm going to take advantage of him. And I don't want that. So, it's up to him. Even though it's killing me.

"I don't know," He sighs, moving against my leg and letting out a long exhale. We both stop when his hand falls accidently between my legs and brushes against my poor, neglected friend.

"Oh shit," I sigh, arching readily into his hand and praying he doesn't move it away.

"Penny, don't be vulgar," he scolds, making me chuckle, despite my almost painfully throbbing downstairs.

"This is so not fair," I whine, arching up against his still hand again. As if that's going to miraculously make him want to touch me down there.

"We did not specify anything beyond kissing—"

"Spontaneity, Sheldon…" I breathe, losing patience and reaching down to hold his hand against the damp outer layer of my Hello Kitty shorts. I feel like I've defiled the purity of my friend Hello Kitty, but she'll live. Penny needs some lovin'.

"How should I…?"

"I'll show you," I tell him, pulling my shorts and panties aside so that he has access. If he goes through with this, I swear I'll give a thousand dollars to charity or sell my soul to the devil himself, just please, let him do it. Please?

I feel the touch of just the tip of his middle finger against the swollen, throbbing flesh of my deal, and I'm both amazed and a little embarrassed by how wet I actually am.

"Please," I hear myself whine. I'll be ashamed tomorrow; I just need him to give me this little, tiny bit. Grabbing his wrist with one hand, I show him how and where. "Don't worry," I gasp, feeling my eyes burn as his finger begins its slow entry, "I have Purell."

"Penny…" He says, but it doesn't sound like a protest. It sounds like he's just letting out a breath and my name slipped out with it. I can still feel him against my thigh and it's only serving to arouse me further.

"You're doing fine," I groan, closing my eyes and bucking upward, "Just keep…keep doing that…" A moment later, he begins to move his hand with a bit more purpose, his thumb brushing delightfully against the spot above as he does so.

This is happening. Sheldon Cooper is getting me, Penny, former mortal enemy and neighbor, off in his childhood home.

And then, it happens. I feel the languid relief of my climax wash over me and my limbs become heavy and limp as I continue to cling to him, a sweaty, sticky mess.

And I didn't even take my shorts off. Damn I'm good.

When I open my eyes and see him staring at me in quiet wonder, I arch up toward him for a kiss, needing to feel close to him. I want to tell him so badly how he really makes me feel. About how I feel about him. But I can't…I open my mouth and nothing comes out. And I suddenly feel guilty, because we're here in this bed together enjoying ourselves, while poor Missy is lying broken in the hospital.

"Penny, you're crying," Sheldon tells me, caressing his knuckle over my cheek, where a tear has fallen.

"I'm sorry," I sigh, holding him tighter around the neck.

"You have no reason to apologize, therefore, you should not be sorry," he assures me, letting me hold him.

"Thank you, for that," I tell him, urging him back down to me, so that I can brush our lips together again.

"You're welcome," He answers quietly, pausing for a moment and moving us so that I am lying with my head on his shoulder and our hands clasped together on his chest. "Penny?"

"Yeah, honey?"

"I need to change my pajamas."

I look down and realize the front of his pajamas are equally soaked too, and I can't help myself, I laugh. While I subscribe to the many worlds theory, which posits the existence of an infinite number of Sheldons in an infinite number of universes, I assure you, that in this one:

Sheldon is definitely not asexual.