Leonard was just walking into the laundry room as Penny was finishing up.

"Hey Penny, not doing your laundry tonight with Sheldon?" He started to load the machine with his laundry.

Penny swung around to look at Leonard, she had a smile on her face. "No, he and I have a date tonight."

Leonard's face fell and he stopped loading the machine, he looked at Penny. "You have a what?"

"A date, well not a real date." Penny shrugged. "He just wants to make Amy jealous so he asked me on a date and I haven't been out on a date for ages, so I said yes."

Leonard didn't say anything.

Penny looked away from him and started to bite her bottom lip. "It's not a real date Leonard, and it's Sheldon, so not like anything gunna happen, I'll probably be home and tucked up in bed by 9.30."

"Alone I hope." Leonard said.

"Leonard, come on, it's Sheldon. He's my friend and it just seemed that it could be a bit of fun." She defended herself.

Leonard thought a little more and then realised that he was overreacting, it is Sheldon she is going out with after all. "Sorry Penny, that was uncalled for. Well you and Sheldon have a nice time tonight."

Leonard walked into Apartment 4A. "Sheldon" he yelled.

Sheldon appeared from his bedroom. "Yes Leonard?"

"You are taking Penny out on a date tonight?"

"Yes Leonard."

"Why?"

Sheldon thought about he answer. "Because I asked her and she said yes." He stepped down the step and walked into the kitchen to get a bottle of pop out of the fridge.

"Is it just to get back at Amy?" Leonard placed his washing basket down on the lounge room table and walked over to Sheldon.

"Why does everyone think that? NO!" Sheldon replied defiantly.

"You sure, it sounds like it to me. Sheldon why don't you just phone Amy and tell her how you feel."

Sheldon dropped his head. "Leonard, let me say this so you can understand. Amy went on a date with Stuart last night. She wants to be my girlfriend, I don't want to be her boyfriend, so I don't care."

"You sure about that buddy?" Leonard questioned.

"Yes. If Amy wants to be someone's girlfriend, then let that someone be Stuart, all though I really don't seeing that lasting very long." he scoffed.

"Ok, so why ask Penny out on a date?" Leonard smiled at his question, he knew that he had Sheldon at checkmate, that Sheldon would have to confront his feelings for Amy.

"Because if Amy is moving on, I think I should too."

Not the reply he expected. "With Penny?"

"Why not, you dated her?" Sheldon cocked his head to the side.

"Well that is rule number 1 as to why you shouldn't." Leonard raised his voice slightly.

"Oh. OH."

The room went silent whilst both men thought about what next to say.

"It's too late now Leonard. It would be rude to break the date now, and besides I've booked the restaurant and they have a strict no show up we charge you policy."

Leonard looked at his guileless friend, there was no chance of anything happening, what is Leonard so concerned about. Let them go out, have a hopefully good time together and then they will both be happy tomorrow and Sheldon and Amy will get back together and Penny will realise that Leonard is a good date after all.

"It's ok Sheldon, you take Penny out tonight and have a good time."

Sheldon smiled at Leonard and returned to his room.

At about 7.20 both Raj and Howard arrived at 4A.

"So what's on the cards tonight?" Howard enquired.

Leonard was sitting in his chair watching a documentary on Starfish. "Well we could go to see a movie?"

"Or go out to a club?" Raj questioned.

"Raj, I'm engaged, why do I need to go to a club?" Howard replied.

"Well for Leonard and I to meet women."

Howard turned to look at Leonard hoping that he would vote down the idea, but instead Howard was outvoted.

"So just leaving Sheldon at home then tonight, or is he going to join us?" Howard asked sarcastically.

Leonard flippantly replied. "No Sheldon has a date tonight."

"With Amy, nice. So he decided to become a man hey." Howard laughed.

Leonard looked at Howard. "No with Penny." and then he smiled.

Raj looked at Howard and Howard looked at Raj.

"Dude did you just say with Penny?" Raj asked.

Howard also replied at exactly the same time "With Penny?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just calm down guys, it's just a play date."

Howard and Raj looked at each other and then again at Leonard.

"So you're not jealous then?" Howard moved closer to Leonard, almost sitting in Sheldon's spot.

"No, it Sheldon she's going out with. Why would I be jealous." Leonard laughed.

Just then Sheldon appeared in the room, he was dressed in his black suit with his black shirt and tie.

"Hey Sheldon." Leonard got up off his chair. Leonard wasn't unaware that Sheldon was a good looking man, just that normally he wasn't a threat to Leonard. "All dressed up I see, so where are you and Penny going to tonight, which Sheldon approved restaurant?"

"None. I ordered a table at Mi Piace."

"Mi Piace, that's awful expensive Sheldon?" Leonard looked at his friend.

"Well I read that if a man wants to impress a woman and show her a good time, he needs to take her somewhere nice."

Raj interjected. "But it's not an approved restaurant?"

"It is now, I went there for lunch today." Sheldon replied.

Leonard sat down why was he getting a knot in his stomach?

"Oh nearly forgot." Sheldon returned to his room and then appeared back into the lounge room with a bunch of red roses and some chocolates in a heart shaped box.

Raj walked over to Sheldon. "You're giving her flowers and chocolates in an heart shaped box Sheldon?"

He then turned to look at Leonard who was looking a little queasy.

"Well gentlemen, best not leave the lady waiting. Goodnight." Sheldon left the apartment.

"Play date eh!" Was all Howard said as he turned to look at Leonard who by now had he head between his knees.