Chapter 1 - The Check
Another Friday night and unlike many Friday nights before, there was a change, Leonard was just getting home from Raj's place with Sheldon. That night they had actually done something different, after work they had gone to the comic book store, and then to Raj's for dinner and video games. Normally Sheldon would not have agreed to this break from routine but the comic book store had the new Flash comic book he wanted and Raj fixed spaghetti with cut up hotdogs, so he allowed this exception for tonight. The night had been great, and Sheldon seemed to have even enjoyed himself, however that still didn't get them off the hook, so they still were subjected to his ranting on how he was doing them a favor and it would only be this one time. Also, any kind happiness that Sheldon experienced that night didn't last long enough to cover the drive home and like many times during the last few weeks, Leonard had suffered, through another one of Sheldon's scolding's about his driving. So now as he pulled into the parking lot, he was just glad to be back to the apartment, where he could finally put some distance between him and his wacky roommate by retreating to sanctuary of his room.
No sooner that they turned into the apartment parking lot, Sheldon began again, "Finally, another horrible trip through the streets of Pasadena, risking my life just so you all could play video games at Raj's. I don't know why I let you all talk me into these anomalies to our approved routine."
Leonard sighed, "Sheldon, you can't tell me you didn't enjoy yourself, especially since you beat us all with that new HALO expansion pack Raj had."
"Leonard, I see no correlation between my excellent video game skills and you all risking my life in this death trap just so you can play video games at Raj's. We could have just as well played here and not risked my person anymore then necessary." Sheldon admonished him.
"Sheldon, it is nice just to go somewhere different for a change." Leonard regretted his response before it was fully out of his mouth.
"CHANGE! Leonard change is never good and if I could only get your feeble mind to understand that we would not have any more of these absurd nights gallivanting around town like tonight." Sheldon retorted.
Leonard finally brought his rental car to a stop in the apartment parking lot slot and proceeded to shut it down, as Sheldon, in a huff, opened the door and headed off ahead of him, obviously showing his displeasure with his bespectacled roommate. Sheldon had quickly reverted back to unhappy Sheldon, on the trip home, and sometimes Leonard thought that Sheldon didn't seem to like anything, and this rental car, the insurance company gave him, being one of the things he seemed to hate most. The insurance company had temporarily given him a cheap economy car, that was smaller than his original stolen car, while his claim was being settled, and it didn't take Sheldon long to inform Leonard it was completely unsatisfactory. For the last sixty days, which the insurance company insisted on waiting, because they thought they would find his car, he had to suffer through Sheldon's whining. It was bad enough he just flat out hated the car; Sheldon was also completely convinced that if anything hit the rental car, it would fold up like an accordion and they would die in a fiery horrible painful death. So, since Leonard wouldn't go back and insist that the insurance company give him a bigger car, Sheldon made him suffer, constantly complaining on his driving and how that Leonard was going to get them killed in that stupid little car.
Leonard leaned against his rental car, making sure that Sheldon got far ahead of him, he didn't want to walk up the stairs and have to listen to him on his latest rants for a least a few moments that night. So is was after waiting an appropriate amount of time, he finally mustered the courage to walk away from the rental car and follow his roommate up to the fourth floor. However sometimes even Leonard got lucky because as just he stepped towards the apartment building another car entered the parking lot and beeped its horn at him. That horn was distinctively Penny's car, making a smile form on his face, so he stood and watched the other car park, with content feeling coming over him, then walked over to greet his girlfriend, his dread he was experiencing from just a few minutes ago now dissipating as the thoughts of seeing his perking girlfriend now occupied his thoughts. The thing about Penny was she always brightened his day, and after the ride home he had with Sheldon, his day really needed any brightening it could get. Things were so much better with them now, between Penny admitting she loved him and Valentine's day fiasco, their relationship had actually gotten stronger and they both seemed happier for it.
Penny locked her car, then took a couple steps up to Leonard, smiling and then wrapping her arms around his neck, giving him a kiss, because after the hard day she had, it seemed only Leonard could make her feel better. Kissing Leonard had become something so natural to her she didn't even think about it, and the kiss seemed to immediately warm her whole being, tonight especially as she closed her eyes and made it a little bit longer. When she pulled away, she looked at him and a recurring thought crossed her mind that always filled her with wonder, 'How come he always looks so cute?' The next thing she did came as second nature to her too and was so natural for them, she grabbed his hand and they both slowly walked to the apartment door, both immediately feeling better from anything that bothered them that night and smiling with goofy grins at each other.
"How was work?" Leonard asked, continuing to smile at his adorable girlfriend.
"It's the Cheesecake Factory, I spend the whole shift on my feet serving ungrateful people for measly tips, so work sucks as usual, but I am so happy to be home." Penny responded, giving him one of her best cute smiles. "How was video game night."
Leonard sighed, "Well it could have been better."
Penny looked at him, seeing that expression many times in the past, "Aww, where things not happy in Wack-a-doodle land tonight?"
"Sometimes Penny, he is just impossible." Leonard admitted shaking his head.
"You could always move." Penny gave him that advice, then regretted it as soon as she saw his sad eyes look back at her. "I know, I wasn't thinking, I don't want you to move either." She then gave him a smile and a peck on the cheek, getting the hoped-for smile back in return, 'He is so cute when he smiles' the thought immediately filling her mind.
They stayed that way just smiling at each other as they walked in the apartment building, then stopped at the mail boxes to get their mail, such a simple routine even now being enjoyable, just being around each other. This week was Leonard's assigned mail pickup week, per the roommate agreement, so Leonard quickly sorted his mail from Sheldon 's putting them both in their respective piles, while Penny got hers. As Leonard then picked up his pile, his girlfriend flipped through hers, to see if there was anything important.
Penny was already tearing open her mail and was going through it before Leonard had even looked at all his, "Junk, Bill, Junk, Bill, Junk, Oh look, a credit card application!" she exclaimed, and immediately was studying the paperwork, making Leonard pause to look at her and remind himself how adorable she was.
Leonard, with a little smile from watching her, then turned his mind back to his own mail and found a letter from the insurance company, immediately opening it, "Well what do you know, I got my check from the insurance company for my car. They finally gave up trying to find it." Leonard said quietly and sarcastically, standing there looking at the check, his girlfriend's attention now focused back on him.
"So, when do you have to turn the rental car in?" Penny asked
"It says here I have two weeks more to look for a new car, before I have to turn it in." Leonard frowned.
"What's wrong, Baby?" Penny asked as she put her arms around Leonard's neck, giving him a sad look to mimic his frown.
"I don't like buying cars, I always feel I paid too much and didn't get the right options. I don't trust car salesmen either." sadly, he said.
Penny immediately brightened up, "I'll help you, I love shopping for new cars and I am off Sunday, so we can go then." the excitement obvious in her voice.
Leonard chuckled, "You like shopping for new cars or you just like shopping?"
Penny smiled at him and gave him a quick kiss, "Both, but I am a good car shopper."
Leonard frowned, "Like that red Volkswagen you bought?"
Penny playfully swatted him, "Hey you know how much I paid for it right!"
Leonard nodded, it wasn't a great car but then she paid almost nothing for it, so he smiled and said, "Alright, Sunday, it's a date." and then he and Penny went up the stairs to fourth floor, Penny taking the lead, obviously heading them both to her apartment.
They were both surprised when they reached the fourth-floor landing, because there stood Sheldon in the doorway of 4A, and he was waiting for Leonard. Making Leonard think, 'What Hell does he have in store for me now.'
"Leonard, we need to put a clause in the roommate agreement on my transportation needs." Sheldon demanded, holding the roommate agreement in his hands.
Leonard groaned. "Not the Roommate Agreement, please not tonight."
Penny couldn't help but feel sorry for him, she knew Sheldon sometimes drove him up the wall and down the other side. So, she decided to try and help, "Sheldon, hello to you too. It is nice to see you this evening too. I've had a terrible day at work, but thanks for asking." Penny sarcastically said to him, trying to distract him from her boyfriend.
"Penny, I was not talking to you and yes I know that was sarcasm." Sheldon responded, dismissing her and staring at Leonard again. "Yes, the Roommate Agreement, and this needs to settled tonight."
Penny was basically wore out, and already tired of it all, otherwise the next part would never have left her lips, "Sheldon, I have missed Leonard all day, so he is going to take me in my apartment, and rip all my clothes off and coitus me right on the floor, but if you delay him anymore then he can do it here." Penny then pulled Leonard close running her hand up his t-shirt, having it half way pulled up, for Sheldon's benefit.
The effect was instantaneous as Sheldon's eyes went wide, "Well….We can talk about this tomorrow." said a now embarrassed Sheldon, as he disappeared inside 4A, slamming the door behind him.
Leonard looked at Penny's hand then her eyes, confused, "Really?"
"Honey, I just want to go in, get in my pajamas, have a glass of wine, watch TV for a mindless hour, then fall asleep in my nice warm bed, in your arms." the now tired look she gave him backed up her every word.
Leonard gave her a sympathetic smile, "Come on you poor, poor girl, Leonard's is here to take care of you." he then put his arm around her, helping her to the door.
A small smile reformed on Penny face as she opened the door and then she turned to kiss him, "Thank you sweetie." before they both disappeared into her apartment.
Penny got in the shower and washed off, what she called the stink of the Cheesecake Factory, the warm water relaxing her, soothing every part of her body. Then once out of the bathroom, she got on her pajamas and a robe, to go out into the living room and watch a little TV, thoughts of sitting and relaxing fully occupying her mind. Entering the living room, she saw Leonard on the couch, waiting for her, with TV showing a rerun of a romantic comedy show she liked, cheese and crackers on the coffee table, a half glass of wine, and a bottle of water. It was set up just for her and she smiled, sitting close to him, grabbing the water and snacks, eating, while leaning on him and mindlessly watching the show, he was taking care of her and it felt so nice that a sensation of pure contentment was flowing through her whole body. It was really amazing, Leonard always knew how to make her feel comfortable, when she came home from work or was just upset about something, and she admitted to herself she now came to expect him to be there, she didn't want it any other way. As she snuggled into his side, she also realized he was with her more, and, if he wasn't, she would hunt him down, it was actually getting to the point where she needed his company, otherwise she was lonely.
It was so different from months ago, when everything became so awkward, after Leonard asked her to marry him, things seemed to be going too fast again for her and she almost broke up with him. She actually started to do it, she was going to talk to him about just being friends again but then she had looked into his deep dark brown eyes and knew she couldn't hurt him, it would be over for them if she broke up with him again and she cared for him too much to give him up. She had been really lucky that night because unknown to her Alex had showed up shortly after and she wanted Leonard, Penny would have lost him again probably never to get him back again. This thought scared her and sent a small shiver through her, she would have lost all this they had now, this very comfortable feeling she had when she was with him and how she wanted him around pretty much all the time. All these thoughts quickly made her silently sigh inside as she realized she was probably just overthinking things, like Leonard always did. It really was very simple, she was happy and that was all that mattered, so, she grabbed cracker and cheese then looked up at her cute boyfriend.
"Thank you, Sweetie," Penny said between chewing crackers and cheese.
"I should be thanking you. Do you have any idea what I would be doing right now if I was across the hall?" He squeezed her gently a little tighter as she nuzzled herself into him. She was happy she could help him escape Sheldon and very happy he escaped to her. This was where she wanted him to be, with her, always with her.
Penny almost didn't last till the movie ended, her hunger and thirst satisfied, plus a warm Leonard to cuddle, quickly making her eyes close, so it was with her boyfriend's help that they brushed their teeth and went to bed. Penny quickly snuggling back into Leonard's chest, while he wrapped his arm around her, she was now in her little cocoon under the covers. It still amazed Penny how secure and wonderful it felt to be in Leonard's arms at night, and she loved how he would sometimes stick his face so close to her that she could feel his breath on her. It was funny that he was the only man that could make her feel like that, it was a feeling she had never felt from anyone else, not Kurt or even Mike, it made her feel special, loved, even cherished. She also loved how Leonard treated her, he treated her as an equal and he respected her and how she felt. Like right now, he knew she worked hard and was tired, so he made things as good as he could for her, and pampered her, making it easy for her to relax and rest. She remembered how it had been with Kurt and how he never cared how she felt and would probably be humping her right now, instead of letting her tired body get the sleep it needed. Leonard made her life better, so much better, he was a wonderful man, and those were her last thoughts as Penny put her hand in Leonard's, their fingers quickly becoming intertwined, before falling into a deep sleep.