Apartment Argument.

In Apartment 4A a Massive argument was in full swing. Leonard was getting louder and more flustered, Sheldon was almost purple with apoplectic rage.

Sheldon was waving the luxury bound copy of the roommate agreement and threatened to dissolve the friendship clause.

Leonard told him where he could shove the whole damn stupid thing.

She'd never seen them fight like this. She and Lesley couldn't make then see sense, hell they hardly got what the fight was over. Apparently Leonard had said something Sheldon took offence to so Sheldon had said something to Leonard that hurt his feelings.

Penny summoned up her courage, she hated to see Sheldon like this, like a shrill petulant child rather than the man she knew.

But there wasn't anything she could do to make him see reason... except...

She walked up to Sheldon, who was hyperventilating and wiping flecks of spittle from his lips as he prepared to shout again

"And another thing..."

"Sheldon? " she said, sounding calmer than her racing heart felt

He wheeled on her, eyes crazed.

"What?! "

She met his gaze then slowly lowered her eyes and held her hands out in front of her at waist level, palms up.

"Think Blue, count two, Sir"

Sheldon froze. Suddenly ignoring everyone else in the room he took her hands and asked. "Penny? What's wrong?"

She hesitantly makes eye contact again and speaks softly

"This is the worst I've ever seen you two fighting and its scaring me. I don't want you to damage your friendship. He is your friend, even if he doesn't always respect you or agree with you. Please stop and reconsider."

Sheldon pauses. All the rage is gone from him. He turns to the open mouthed Leonard.

"I do not agree with you but accept that you have your own opinion. We should agree to disagree and move on."

Leonard stutters, wind completely gone from his sails. "Agreed"

"Good".

In a small voice Leonard asks "what just happened?"

Sheldon turns to Penny, calm and business-like. "My room, now"

"Ok, but I just need to get something first" She gestures to the door and hurries out

She retreats to her apartment, hands shaking.

Lesley follows, curious. "I didn't know he came with an off switch?"

Penny gulps and says slowly . "Erm. Not an off switch. A safe word. I've never had to use it before, I didn't know if it'd work with arguments and other people but I had to do something before he exploded"

"Safe word? Isn't that for... you know... kinky stuff?" She raised an eyebrow and makes a whip-crack gesture with her hand

Penny looked away, blushing. "It's just a direct and unambiguous way for me to tell him to stop if I think he's gone too far. " she shrugs "He's probably mad I used it in public, but he has to learn to stop that stupid rage he gets into. "

She picks up a heavy leather belt from the back of a chair and loops it casually round her hips.

"Guess I'm going to be sore in the morning. he's such a stubborn asshole at times " She grins at Lesley and winks "but he's worth it"