The Pair

As they're settling in for Movie and Rum night, Sheldon rummages in his bag and produces a small box.

"After your success at your first Comic con I thought I'd buy you a gift, in appreciation of the effort you're making to acclimatize to my pastimes and as positive reinforcement ."

She looks at him warily "It's not more kinky underwear, is it?"

"No, not this time" he opens the box to reveal a gold bracelet.

"Oh, that is nice."

"Give me your left wrist" He unclasps the bracelet and loops it round her wrist, clipping it closed.

She moves her hand to admire it

"it fits perfectly"

"of course"

"let me guess, when you measured my neck, waist, wrist and ankles it wasn't just to order those leather restraints was it?"

"Indeed. As I understand it, surprise jewellery is more appreciated ? "

"Indeed it is"

She studies the design - it's not like any she's seen before, as it has two parallel chains of flattened links separated by short bars, making it look like a ladder. The clasp was a rounded triangle at each end of the chain, so it clipped together in an hourglass shape. On each clasp was a small sparkling stone.

"Sheldon, are those Diamonds?"

"Indeed they are. I had it made specially, I hope you like it"

"Oh Sheldon it's wonderful!" she chuckles and narrows her eyes "Is this so I can wear a chain of yours every day?"

Sheldon smiles happily "Indeed it is"

Next day, She pops over to find Sheldon. Walking into 4A, She finds Leonard and Lesley setting up to practise the cello.

"Hi, how are things? Sheldon about?"

After Leonard spectacularly crashed and burned with Pria she'd noticed Lesley was around more and Leonard had taken up the cello again. She chuckled to herself, as Lesley has done her hair, worn a shorter skirt and shaved her legs. She was even wearing a touch of makeup. Watch out Leonard, she's on the prowl.

"Oh , Hi Penny. Looks like the Faculty quartet needed a second cello so we're practicing. Sheldon is hiding in his room in protest"

She catches Lesley's eye, the little sly smile as Leonard talked. Yup, definitely stalking her prey

"Look what Sheldon got me!" she shows them her wrist

Leonard peers over his glasses "Sheldon gave you a bracelet? that's really sweet of him"

"yup, he said he even had it made specially"

"Oh really, can I see?"

She holds out her wrist, showing him the double chain of the bracelet with the two diamonds set either side of the pinch where the two chains touch

Leonard went wide eyed, glances at Lesley and back . "Oh wow... That's really something. and very, very Sheldon"

"Why?" she suddenly looks at it suspiciously "What's he done? it's not radioactive or anything is it? or does it have a secret camera so he can watch me? "

"What, No, no... well.. "He double checks , just in case. "it's. well, in superconductors you have lattices of positively charged ions " he points to the cross designs on each link of the chains.

"and sometimes two electrons join together and move through the lattice together, causing a field distortion , and that's what causes superconductors. " he points to the pinch of the clasp and the two diamonds .

"You think that's meant to be Me and Sheldon, two electrons joined together ? it's science and jewellery, that's so sweet of him."

"More than that... erm. I guess you don't know what those electrons are called?"

Penny looks at him, tapping her foot, waiting for him to realise the stupidity of his comment.

"No. of course I don't." she says , dripping with sarcasm

Leonard smiles

"They're called a Cooper Pair."