Chapter Four

The next morning, Penny skipped into their apartment at eight, with her Wonder Woman mug and went straight to the coffee machine. Sheldon had started it, never knowing when his neighbor and friend would get up on a Saturday. Leonard always took the opportunity for the day of unscheduled plans to sleep in until at least nine.

"Good morning, Penny," he greeted.

"Morning!" She chirped, in a cheerful voice normally not heard from her before eleven.

Grabbing his empty cereal bowl, he made his way to the sink. "Not that I'm complaining, Penny, but what has you so cheery this morning?"

"I don't know. I woke up feeling well-rested for once." She did a little shimmy as she watched the coffee pot fill with coffee. "Plus, I have an audition this afternoon after my short shift and I feel totally confident about it."

"That is very good, Penny. Being your best friend, I am required to tell you to 'break a leg'. Please do not take this in the literal sense. I would not like to drive you to the hospital again."

That night would be forever ingrained in his memory, even if he didn't have an eidetic one. Hearing Penny's cries of distress and seeing her lying in the bathtub in pain had nearly caused his heart to stop beating. His mind had gone through all the different scenarios that could have occurred. Penny could have slipped and hit her skull on the porcelain edge of the tub, giving her a mild concussion or worse. She could have fallen and broken one of her appendages, instead of dislocating her shoulder.

So many things could have been worse when Penny slipped in that tub. It was why when Leonard returned from his camping trip, he had demanded to be taken to the store. There he had bought her adhesive daisies, which had looked much like her Penny Blossoms.

"Sheldon, honey, I've lost you."

Sheldon came back to the kitchen, hand stilled in the process of washing his bowl. "I am sorry, Penny. I was just thinking about an equation I have been working on." Her back was to him so she did not see the tic under his eye, just as he wanted.

"So, what is this part you are audition for?"

She turned and gave him a smile. "It's a secret."

It had been the biggest secret Penny had ever had to keep. After all, it had come to a shock when her agent had actually gotten her an audition for this part. Hadn't she read that Brie Larson or Emily Blunt were wanted to play this role? But it seemed they had wanted to test out a few unknowns before committing to one of those actresses.

Well, Penny was going to be the best unknown they had ever seen. She wanted this part. She wanted it bad.

At night, she'd picture the looks on the boys' faces when she told them and she'd fall asleep with a smile so big it hurt. If they had looked surprised at the mention of meeting the cast of the Avengers, how would they react to her secret?

"Penny, I've lost you."

Now, it was her turn to come back to the kitchen in 4A. The coffee pot had long been filled and now, Sheldon was standing a few feet from away, waiting for a response.

"Sorry, Sheldon. Got lost in my mind for a moment."

Grasping the handle of her coffee, she filled her mug and then, moved around to the refrigerator. Inside, a small bottle of hazelnut creamer waited. Since she spent most mornings stealing coffee from Leonard and Sheldon, she kept her creamer in their fridge.

"This part you are auditioning for is a secret?"

"Yep."

"Why, may I ask?"

"Because it's for a part in a movie that I think you guys will watch. I don't want you all to be disappointed if I don't get it." Which wasn't going to happen because she was so getting it, dammit!

"Then, I wish you luck."

"You don't believe in luck, Sheldon."

"But you do."

Penny's heart skipped a beat. To distract herself from her feelings and those gorgeous blue eyes, she took a sip of her coffee...and nearly burned her tongue off.

"Crap!" Somehow she had managed to spit the scalding, dark liquid into the sink and not all over the floor and Sheldon. The lanky man should be proud.

"Are you alright?" He fluttered around her. "Would you like me to fetch you an ice cube for your tongue?"

"No, sweetie. I'm fun. I just won't be able to taste things for a bit."

"I've told you numerous times that your caffeine addiction can be dangerous," he huffed a little smugly.

She rolled her eyes. "It's just one burned tongue, Sheldon. I live." She wiped her mouth with her sleeve and side-stepped Sheldon on her way to the couch.

"So, what are you watching?"

Sheldon put away his cereal bowl and joined Penny on the couch. "I just finished watching a few episodes of Doctor Who, like I do every Saturday morning. Would you like to watch more with me?"

Penny shrugged. "Sure, I have a about an hour before I have to leave for my shift."

"Excellent." He picked up the remote from the coffee table and pressed play.

Leonard joined them an hour later, still in his robe. He looked just as shocked to see Penny on their couch so early in the morning. Instead of asking why, he just sat with them on the couch, with his coffee and watched whatever show they were watching. He had to admit that it was nice to sit in a comfortable silence like this.

However, the silence didn't last long.

"So, what do you all do on Saturdays, anyway?" Penny asked after washing her coffee mug. Sheldon had paused the current episode of Doctor Who.

Saturdays, the only things Sheldon had planned was Doctor Who in the morning and laundry in the evening. Sometimes, he worked in those hours in between or watched his favorite movies or tv shows.

"Kind of whatever we want," Leonard answered. "Unless, Sheldon wants to fly kites or something."

"Today, it is not windy enough for kite flying, so I supposed we will spend the indoors. Why do you ask?"

She shrugged. "Just curious, I guess. Most Saturdays I work all day, so I don't see what you guys do."

"We'll most-likely do nothing," Leonard spoke. "Howard and Raj may come over to hang out but that's it."

Penny hummed in affirmation. Then, her eyes went wide. "Oh!" Turning to Sheldon, she poked his arm. "You're going shopping with me at some point this weekend. Most-likely tomorrow."

Sheldon made a scandalized noise. "I will not."

"You will to. You need a new suit for our trip to New York and I'll need a new dress for my first time on the red carpet." And hopefully not my last, she added silently.

Sheldon glared at Penny and Penny glared right back. Leonard snickered into his coffee at the scene, wondering who would win. (His money was on Penny).

"Penny, you know how much I detest shopping. I have all the clothing that I need."

"So, do you plan on wearing your suit without pants again? I don't know how Robert Downey Jr and Chris Evans would like that." She sighed. "And if you buy a new suit, I'll buy you two new superhero shirts. A new store opened in the mall I'd think you like."

Sheldon didn't look like he was going to budge, but after a few minutes his face softened. "Very well. I will go with you to buy a new suit."

Penny, unable to contain her excitement, launched herself at him. "Thank you, sweetie." She looped her arms around his neck and pulled him close for a couple seconds before settling back in her seat.

Leonard waited for the angry words Sheldon would throw at Penny for touching him or the mad dash to the bathroom, but neither one happened. Maybe his friend was growing, after all.

"I don't understand why you enjoy 'dressing' me up, Penny.

"Because you have so much potential." She got up and patted his cheek. "I'll see you later, Sheldon. Bye, Leonard." With that, she all but sashayed out the door.

"Of course I have potential, Leonard. I have an IQ of 187." Sheldon turned to look at his friend on the couch. "I don't understand how that has anything to do with clothing shopping."