Penny spun the wheel on the door to the lab, pushing it part way open. Only partway, because it quickly got stuck. The door had been having problems ever since Penny moved in with Billy and Moist. And it looked more and more like Bait was going to set up camp here too. Shoving her shoulder into the door, she pushed until it was just wide enough to let her in.

"You have GOT to fix that door." She panted, glaring at the annoying metal blockade.

"Uh-huh." Penny rolled her eyes. Billy was busy elbow deep in some gadget again, not really paying much attention to anything around him. Though he did make an amusing sight. Three strips of bandages were still around his chest, all his stitches were gone it was just to keep whatever scabs or soft-spots there were clean as they finished healing over. He looked much better; there was more color in his face now. But he was still comical, as his pinstriped boxers, mix-matched socks, bandages, gloves, and goggles were the only things he had on. Something that looked an awful lot like a metal coffin the size of a backpack sat on the table in front of him, his little laser welder busily at work repairing something or other. Penny crossed her arms, frowning.

"You told me-"

"I never said I would stop working on things."

"But-"

"No, I never said I would stop working on things. I have to do something to keep me busy. Besides, I still think our lines are bugged, I have to block it somehow so we can order from Chang's again."

A couple days after Penny and Billy had made love, he had announced to her that he was hanging up Doctor Horrible.

"Moist and I agree that I need to lay low." That was a sudden topic from Billy. Penny shifted her weight, moving from her back to her elbows and looked away from her book. Where was he? Grabbing the back of the couch she hoisted herself up and stuck her head over, finding her boyfriend lying on his back behind the couch, knees in the air, trying to catch his breath. Penny had him on a physical therapy thing, trying to get him back on his feet.

"Was this his idea?"

"No, actually. It was mine. I realized just how much danger I put you in. You and Moist, both of you could have been killed because of my stupid grudge against Hammer."

"What about changing the world?"

"Heh, I still want to, it'd be awesome to give you Australia. But, um… you're trying to change it too."

"So we have different ideas on how to do it."

"Yes, but yours is a heck of a lot safer. Mine has people getting hurt, and taking things from people, and it's not right."

"But it's what you love to do."

His blue eyes delved into hers. She could see just how much this meant to him, how much it hurt him to stop. Doctor Horrible was his world, it was how he mattered, how he made his mark on the universe, how he could prove he existed. He was going to give it up to keep her safe.

"I've only had three things matter to me. You, changing the world, and getting into the ELE. Well, the ELE is out, so it was a fight for which came first. You, or ruling the world? You won, no contest. I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe."

"Billy…"

"Yeah, I know, I'm just some loser. But it's my decision, and I'm sticking to it. No more heists, no more Doctor Horrible, no more Evil League."

"You're going to give up your dream? For me?"

"You are my dream."

But here he was, sometime later, working away on some mechanical thingamagigger, protesting that he wasn't going to do something "evil" with it.

"Billy."

"Penny." He put down the laser pen, pulling his goggles off his face, giving her the sternest look he could muster. "I'm not going to do anything with this, okay? I told you, no more heists, no more Dr. Horrible. I'm installing this thing in our phone lines to scramble any messages a wiretap might send out. I want to be able to use our phone again if an emergency comes up. I'm making smaller ones for our cell phones too. I'm just trying to keep the League from getting too much information on us, okay?"

Wow, he was really in a strange mood. Penny couldn't help but feel slightly guilty, because it was for her that he was going through this. He had no reason anymore, no drive. He was just making things to make them, something to keep his hands and mind busy. What was going to happen when he was well again, and Moist was working for a new villain (they had agreed that they'd still be rommies) and Bait was on her heists and Penny was at work? He'd be home, alone, bored out of his mind.

And it was to keep everyone safe. Billy was sacrificing so much for his friends. Sighing, Penny walked around the table, slipping onto his lap and resting against him. He put an arm around her waist, handing her a second pair of goggles which she put on, before lowering his own and went on working.

"So this is supposed to hide our calls from being monitored or recorded?"

"Yeah. Poor telemarketers, they won't know what hit them."

"Hah, you're so mean."

"I'm not mean, I'm evi-"

"Uh-huh."

"Yeah, I'm mean." There was a comfortable silence between the couple, the only sound being that of heated metal melting into grooves and niches. Penny settled into his arm happily, pleased with the idea that he was at least keeping busy. She really wished he'd get a job at NASA or some medical place, use his Ph.D. to good, instead of line-tapping. She'd bring it up later, when he's bored enough. She was sure that after a month or two he'd be tearing his hair out. But there was something just a bit more pressing.

"Billy?"

"Mmm?"

"Promise you won't be mad and hate me?"

"Nothing could ever make me mad at you or make me hate you."

Penny paused, biting her lip as she weighted the options. She should just get it over with, best option, right? He was in an odd enough mood anyway, why not just add onto it?

"I'm pregnant."

Billy's head slowly went up; Penny kept her head on his shoulder, eyes behind dark goggles solidly on the contraption. Calmly, Billy put down the pen welder, took off his gloves, removed his goggles, and rested both his arms around her frame. He looked around, taking in the lab, the test tubes, the lightning disk, the big chair in the corner. He signed slightly, resting his chin on her head. She could feel the words he spoke vibrate through his chest, into hers.

"Looks like we're going to need a bigger apartment."

Alright, no more mentions of people going at it. This isn't a story that is full of sex. It's fluffy, yes. But there's a reason for it. It's not a typical "changing the ending because I don't like the movie's ending" story. It's getting sappy, I know. It'll get better in the next few chapters, there will be more action. Thank you guys for sticking with me for so long! Special thank you to Donteatacowman, Orange, and Funkypartyweasel. This is supernatural/romance/angst. Yes, angst. I write angst. Things are going to get much more serious very soon. Thank you again for sticking with me so long, and thank you for reading!