A/N: Sorry for the wait! This second half of summer school is killing me. But I LOVE YOU ALL! Feedback, follows, & favorites, oh my! So you guys get an extra long chapter. :]
Anony & Dannon5: You both are completely right-it was too soon. This one amazing night together does not a happy ending make! Loose ends and new feelings? Sounds like a recipe for trouble, and this chapter will address that. ;] Hopefully in time all of my readers will see the method to my madness, but all I can say for now without spoiling too much is…drama, ahoy! Hold on tight, folks. :O
One more thing—I know I've said this before but I love, love, love your reactions to Junior. I adore writing him!
Okay, I'll shut up now—Enjoy chapter 11!
Ten years earlier.
"Don't you wish you could ever just turn off your brain?"
A couple of 40-ounce bottles of beer nestled in a tattered brown paper bags were being passed around. An inebriated man around Sheldon's age climbed out of his lawn chair and took two shaky steps towards him, offering him the bottle. With a shake of his head, Sheldon declined, so the man shrugged and walked back to his flimsy chair with the beer. Sheldon's butt was cold as he sat on the metal of the tailgate, his khaki slacks not doing much to block out the chill of the late January night under the starry Texas sky. He struggled to maintain focus on the sparring match happening just left of the large bonfire in front of him. Two men, one as pale as the moon and of medium build against another man, a tan fellow with sandy brown hair that fell to his shoulders (the local favorite fighter), beat each other senseless as the crowd of about 20 people around them egged them on. The pale man had very little fighting IQ and Sheldon longed to leap from his seat and bark out orders (get low! hammer fist!) but he was only there to observe. The pale man's eyes were both swollen and one eyebrow was dripping blood, distorting his view. He was, as Junior liked to put it, "getting his ass handed to him".
But a conversation between two young women sitting on the very same tailgate as he proved distracting. One of the girls, a blonde with a severely angular nose and chin and large brown eyes drew a wine cooler to her lips, sipping it quickly. She regarded her friend next to her and repeated her question. "Didja hear me? Wish you could turn your brain off sometimes?"
Her friend, a brunette that was much rounder in the face and body, took a moment to answer. "What do you mean, like, do I wish I could die? Because if your brain turns off, that means you're dead, girl."
Sheldon rolled his eyes. Usually he was unhip to rhetorical queries, never humoring anyone long enough to satisfy them with an answer, but he found himself biting his tongue hard so that he couldn't answer the girl's question with a very loaded yes.
Sometimes, Sheldon Cooper wished he could turn off his brain.
"No, idiot," the girl with the pointy chin handed the wine cooler to her chubby friend. "I mean, sometimes I think too much. It like, hurts my head. I have so much shit to deal with that I just want to go into radio silence for a like 24 hours straight."
"Uh-huh." The chubby one sipped the wine, nodding her head.
"Randy won't take responsibility for baby Jake," the blonde continued to ramble. "The kid's got his fuckin' face, ears, everything. They're identical."
"What an asshole."
"And my boss is giving me shit for having to leave early to take care of my damn baby. I just wish I could get wasted and just forget the world for a whole day."
"Mmhmm."
Pushing off with both hands, he jumped off of the tailgate, causing the truck bed to bounce and a wine cooler held between the blonde girl's knees to fall and spill on her legs. He kept walking, ignoring her curses. He had had enough of her foul mouth banter and the mindless agreements from her friend. Sheldon had work to do.
He clasped his hands behind his back and paced around the fire, watching closely as the tanned fighter landed a right hook straight into the pale man's jaw. The fist connected to the mandible accompanied by a popping noise, not unlike the sound of the fire licking the wood beside them, and the crowd cheered as the pale man fell to the ground, barely defending himself in time for the other man to leap onto him, pounding his hammered fists into his nose. Reddish liquid sprayed against the dirt like paint and the pale man began to lose consciousness, blood bubbling and pouring out of his nose and mouth when the appointed 'ref' jumped in and kneeled next to the pair, pushing the tanned fighter off of the pale man and screamed, "That's the fight!"
Cheers erupted in the midst of disappointed groans and cat calls. Sheldon remained quiet while the friends of the pale man rushed to his aid and the friends of the tanned fighter hoisted up his arms in victory, patting his back as he pumped his fists into the night air. A girl with flowing dirty blonde hair that Sheldon recognized ran up to the tanned fighter and planted a quick peck on his cheek then handed him a beer. She whispered something into his ear that made him grin and give her a high five. Someone threw another log into the barrel of fire, and as the flames rose higher, the girl's eyes shifted and latched onto Sheldon's gaze. Drat.
Before he could look somewhere else, she made her way around the fire and headed straight for Sheldon. She wore a leather jacket that was zipped all the way up to her neck and a tight pair of jeans. Tight jeans seemed to be Rachel's signature article of clothing. She wore them the night he first saw her, the drunk girl behind the makeshift bar that introduced herself to Sheldon the night Marky beat Abel with a bat, and every single time he's seen her since.
"I'm a bad girl. Wanna spank me?"
"Sheldon Lee," Rachel said sternly, crossing her arms across her ample chest. She stared up into Sheldon's blue eyes, looking frustrated yet playful. Another signature Rachel look.
"Rachel," he nodded a reply, then looked over her shoulder at the tanned fighter who was now helping the pale fighter to his feet, patting his back good-naturedly.
"Whaddya doing here?" Her arms remained crossed as she demanded his attention, reaching out to snap her fingers near his face. He recoiled and unclasped his hands from behind his back to wave her away, stepping back and creating space between them. "Oh, quit that. I wasn't going to touch you."
Sheldon's temper stirred as he stared down at Rachel, a whole head shorter than him, with fierce eyes. "Stop talking to me like I'm a child."
"Stop acting like one. Sheldon, I already told you a million times. My brother is not going to fight Junior. I don't know why you keep sniffing around him. I've asked you to stop."
"That's not really up to you, now is it?" Sheldon asked in a sing-song voice then noticed the tanned fighter begin to walk over towards them. "Hello, Rick." Sheldon bowed his head slightly as Rachel's brother, the victor, joined them at their spot near the fire.
"Sheldon," Rick greeted him tersely, his eyes squinting between him and Rachel. "You alright, sis?"
Rachel finally tore her gaze away from the side of Sheldon's face and gave Rick a short nod. "Just saying hi to our friend Sheldon. Ready to go?" She uncrossed her arms and touched Rick's shoulder, attempting to push him away, but Sheldon would have none of it.
"Impressive striking, Rick," he said, his voice reaching a higher octave, causing Rachel to whirl around furiously and Rick to stop in his tracks. "In fact, I can say I've seen a slight improvement in your bout. It would help, though, if you weren't so sluggish."
"Goddamnit, Sheldon," Rachel said through gritted teeth.
"Big talk for some skinny little dipshit who'd rather watch on the sidelines than get in there and fight someone himself," Rick chuckled humorlessly. He squared his shoulders, his chest still bare and covered with dirt and sweat and specks of blood along his pectorals. Sheldon suppressed a shudder of disgust. This was the world he was used to observing and studying, but he couldn't for the life of him understand why the men could remain covered by soil and gore long after each fight. The thought alone made him wish for his third shower of the day.
"Rick, come on," Rachel pleaded, attempting again to push her brother away but could not move his immense body.
"Well," Sheldon said lazily, his voice dripping with nonchalance. "I suppose I do lack the bulk and dexterity to be a fighter, all of which was awarded to my brother Junior in abundance." He paused for effect then added, "But of course, you already know how great a fighter he is. You have repeatedly refused to fight him on numerous occasions, and I wouldn't blame you." He supplied Rick with a lazy grin, only half of his mouth turning up at the corner. "But if you ever decide you're up for a real challenge, you know where to find us."
Rachel was fuming, her face almost as red as embers in the fire behind her. "Rick, I said let's go."
"Tell your brother I'll kick his ass any day," Rick growled, closing the space between him and Sheldon by taking a menacing step towards him. Sheldon tensed, only slightly. This was the part of his job he hated the most-the imminent threat of violence against him. He knew enough defensive moves and certainly how to inflict pain on another individual, but the difficult part was the possibility of being caught off-guard. "I'm tired of seeing your face around here. Tell him if he doesn't want to fight me, I'm going to kick your ass instead."
"Won't be necessary," a voice suddenly said from behind them all. Marky appeared to Sheldon's left from seemingly nowhere, holding a beer close to his chest. "I'll deliver the message myself."
Rick visibly stood down, his back slouching slightly now that Sheldon clearly had back-up. "Good. Let me know when and where."
"Glad to finally have you on board, Rick," Marky said after he took a swig from his beer. "Lot of money riding on a matchup between you and George Jr. Don't back out now."
"I won't." Rick spat at the ground near Sheldon's feet, which caused the physicist to yelp and hop out of the way. Revolting. Rick pivoted away and walked back to his group of friends who were watching the exchange from afar.
"Sheldon!" Rachel faced him, the anger long gone from her face and replaced by naked fear. "I know what kind of funny business you and this son of a bitch are up to," she accused, pointing a shaking finger at Marky. "How could you put my brother in danger like this? I thought you were my friend!"
"Business is business, sweetheart," Marky answered in a small, playful voice.
"Fuck you, Marky!" Rachel suddenly screamed, kicking the dirt beneath her so that it pushed dust and earth onto Marky's feet. "You fucking creep. Don't you ever talk to me. I know what kind of shady shit you're into."
"Rachel, please," Sheldon said with a roll of his eyes. "You're making a scene."
"Fuck you too, Sheldon," Rachel told him with the same vehemence as she showed Marky, causing him to shrink back in dismay. "I thought you were different. A bright guy with a bright future doesn't belong with creeps like this." She motioned with her hand to Marky who had begun to laugh at the spectacle. "If something happens to my brother, it's on you, Sheldon. If you do this, I will never speak to you again." She stood in front of Sheldon, waiting for him to say something back, her eyes round and pleading almost as if she wished he would stop her from turning her back on him.
The last seven years of their friendship flashed in Sheldon's mind. After that night in the barn, Sheldon had begun to see Rachel more frequently at all the events. She pursued him at first, and eventually she got him to talk back to her and they developed a friendship. She found his quirkiness endearing, his sullenness a challenge to bring him out of his shell, and she made it her number one priority to pull Sheldon out of his brother and Marky's grasp, but to no avail. Sheldon kept her at bay, even when he had begun to feel the small pangs of unfamiliar and impractical feelings for her, for her own safety. When her brother Rick began fighting in the same class as Junior, he showed enough promise to garner Marky's attention, thus putting into motion a high-priced fight in anticipation of Junior and Rick going head-to-head. Rachel knew Sheldon scouted fights for his brother and Marky's benefit, and she desperately tried to stop him from coming to watch her brother so that he could sniff out his weaknesses, but again, she could not succeed.
Not even Rachel could sever the ties Sheldon had to Marky and Junior.
"I'm sorry you feel that way," Sheldon said in a voice so cold and distant he could hardly believe it was himself speaking. "But I respect your decision. Will that be all?" He attempted to dismiss her with his eyes, raising his eyebrows high.
Without another word, Rachel spun on her heel and stalked across the field, passing the fire and over to her brother. Sheldon watched her go, then felt his inner self poking at the shell, begging to be let out. Just when he felt his mouth form the shape to call her name, Marky playfully punched his shoulder to get his attention. He turned and focused his hatred on Marky, a look that the red-headed man had long become accustomed to and learned to ignore.
"Nice job, Shelly." He nodded in the direction away from the bonfire and crowd, signaling for Sheldon to follow him. "I knew we'd get that shit head sooner or later."
Sheldon nodded and finally forced himself to turn away from the fire, the crowd, from Rachel, then followed Marky into the dark, where he belonged. "His right hook is quick but he doesn't protect himself. If Junior implements the combo for inside kicks after ducking a strike, he could break Rick's ribs within the first round."
Present day.
The hot skin at the bottom of her bare feet left condensation foot prints on the wooden tile as she padded down the hall. She wore a goofy grin and her pink robe over her naked body, the tank top and underwear she wore last night currently missing in action. Her blonde waves were wrapped up in a messy bun that she secured with a number two pencil she found on top of Sheldon's dresser. She had to sit carefully, almost hovering over the toilet when she relieved herself this morning; it had been an eventful night. But not even the mild stinging from having stretched herself six ways 'til Sunday could damper Penny's light mood.
Sheldon was a thorough lover, though inexperienced, yet made up for it by being willing and eager within minutes of each bout of sexual activity to continue. Penny hadn't taken a partner so energetic since she first started having sex at 18. They stopped just as the first rays of sunlight cascaded onto their naked bodies from behind his drapes.
She paused at the mouth of the hallway, teetering on the step as she took in the quiet living room. Leonard had lived here for years with his loony roommate, but the entire apartment breathed Sheldon, from the permanent indent on the cushion in his spot, to the white board with his scribble, to the lone yellow coffee mug on the kitchen table. She smiled and made her way to the table, snatching up the mug full of old milk to dump into the sink, then turned to check the time on the microwave. It was only a quarter until 9:00 A.M. She set down the mug carefully in the sink and turned again to the table, a few crumpled scraps of white paper grabbing her attention.
Penny's only intention was to float out of the apartment on her cloud of serenity and take a shower in her own bathroom then be back in Sheldon's arms before he woke up. But seeing discarded trash on top of Sheldon's table rather than in the trashcan can gave her pause. She picked up the first page and her eyes were immediately drawn to the footer of the document.
TERMINATION OF RELATIONSHIP AGREEMENT _SLC _AFF
The two spots next to the 'SLC' and 'AFF' were for initials, Penny guessed, and both were blank. She picked up the next two papers with paragraphs of intent, also crumpled and un-initialed by both parties. The last page provided two full lines for both Amy and Sheldon to sign. Sheldon's scribble was not on any of the papers, and Penny felt her mood come crashing down to the world like a plane with a faulty engine and then she surfaced, reality welcoming her back into its ice cold embrace.
The front door opened then, causing her eyes to widen in surprise and she grabbed the papers and hid them behind her back on impulse. She relaxed only slightly when she saw it was Junior coming in from what looked like a vigorous morning run.
"Mornin' hot stuff," he greeted her with a friendly smile. "You didn't kill my brother last night, did you?"
The mattress shifted and a weight disappeared, allowing Sheldon to flatten his body and relish the feel of the entire bed to himself. He heard the soft click of the door and his eyes flew open in alarm. He was alone as every memory of where his hands and genitals had been in the last six and a half hours came rushing back to him like bulls on parade. His mouth was dry and tongue thick, his eyes burning with lack of sleep, his inner thighs still slick as they clenched together, and that's when he realized he was naked and uncovered.
"Good Lord," he mumbled, shivering as he swiped at the floor for his dark blue sheets and yanked them on top of himself. Still alone, he sat up against the headboard, attempting to get his bearings. He felt as crummy as if he were hung over (only having less than a handful of experiences in such situations), but as his brain focused and the vivid memories of touching Penny's soft body, erupting inside of her, the feel of her sweet, breathy sighs on his neck pecked at his brain, he knew he hadn't had a sip of alcohol. His fingers clenched the sheets up to his stubbly chin, scratching his knuckles with his 5 o'clock shadow. He needed a shower, a shave, and a gargle of mouthwash.
But first, he needed to pick up around his room. The only point of order he could initiate, since he knew there was absolutely no hope in making sense of the whirlwind of thoughts forming in his brain at Mach speed. He flopped out of the bed, quickly gathering his fitted sheets that were tangled with his comforter and folding each article of fabric carefully. Although they needed to be laundered, he placed them in a neat, folded pile at the foot of his bed for now. Next, he wrapped his robe around himself and got to work adjusting the night stand near his headboard, carefully situating the Kleenex box and his wallet back in place, sitting his lamp upright again, and grabbed the discarded condom wrapper, studying it in his hand.
Had he not learned anything in his entire life? That perhaps engaging in a few hours of sexual release was not worth the emotional turmoil he would now have to endure? Sheldon Cooper was not known for being an empathetic man. But even he was aware of the disruption and inevitable pain he was going to inflict on his circle of friends. On Amy. He carefully tossed the empty wrapper into his trash basket.
For the last four days, Sheldon had been so worried that Junior would be the demise of his comfortable life. It took the harsh morning light for Sheldon to realize that maybe he was his own worst enemy. He may have physically left Texas behind, but deep down inside, Sheldon was still that cold, calculating presence around a bonfire, watching other fighters for weaknesses that his brother could sink his teeth into, no regard for anything or anyone but himself.
As he contemplated who he really was, he began to wonder where Penny had gone, momentarily drawing him out of his self-pity and agony. He felt the slickness between his legs begin to stick to his skin and this sensation coupled with getting a whiff of her natural perfume as he fingered the tank top she had left behind ceased the regeneration of his protective shell.
"But Penny, how I feel for you isn't going to disappear when Junior leaves and Leonard returns from the North Sea."
His heart kick-started, causing a rapid increase of thumps against his ribs. Why had she left him this morning? Out of anger, displeasure? Did he do something wrong? The thought that maybe he had disappointed her in bed soured his mood even further. Sheldon had a working knowledge of everything within the realms of this universe; he was after all, a man of physics. But it was not lost on him nor Penny that last night, being that it was his first time, he initially had no clue what he was doing. But she had been kind, patient, and very vocal. When Sheldon finally got the hang of exactly how to move his body with hers, she made it known, her voice carrying to the rafters. The memory enabled his libido to reform, the evidence nudging against his thigh.
"Get ahold of yourself, man!" he warned out loud, tightening the robe around himself. He waited a moment before leaving his room and wondered into the kitchen. He stopped short when he saw her there, but she was not alone.
"Good morning, you devil, you."
Sheldon's eyes rolled up, suddenly very aware of the breeze on his bare legs in the presence of his older brother and Penny. "Junior. I assume you've completed your morning run?" His eyes lowered and flitted to Penny, who was standing between the table and the microwave in her own pink robe. Her hair was swept up into an appealing styled-bun, and he noticed with a start that she had stuck one of his pencils between her locks. A flutter appeared in his abdomen. He wondered why she had not yet acknowledged his presence.
"Just got back, actually," Junior replied while he walked to the fridge for bottled water. He had a foolish grin plastered on his face as he paraded around in his long, polyester Nike running shorts and shirtless, as always.
"Must you insist on displaying so much skin on a daily basis, Junior?" Sheldon asked tiredly. He remained rooted to his spot near the step in the living room, his eyes on Penny who still had not made eye contact with him.
"Me?" Junior asked after a long swig of water. He pressed his hand against his bare chest, filmy with his sweat. "Nice knees." He lowered his gaze at Sheldon's lack of pants, causing the younger brother to squirm.
"Go get some clothes on for crying out loud!" Sheldon insisted, motioning with his eyes towards Penny and hoping his brother would get the hint.
"So sorry," Junior said, rolling his eyes in perfect imitation of his brother. "I'll go cover up. You two keep it down in here." He winked suggestively, causing Sheldon to scowl at him until he and Penny were alone again, Junior whistling a merry tune as he made his way to Leonard's room to retrieve a shirt.
"Penny-"
"I should go call Kurt and find out when he'll be at the gym today," she said so suddenly that it startled Sheldon.
"Wait, Penny." He took a deep breath and finally his made towards her, keeping his eyes on her profile the entire time. "What's wrong? Why won't you look at me?"
"Don't," she warned, flinching as Sheldon rounded the table and extended his arm to touch her. He recoiled, heeding her warning. "I've got to go, Sheldon."
"Did I do something…?" Sheldon racked his brain. Did he touch her incorrectly? Did her feelings for him change overnight? A fleeting thought that brought him sudden shame crossed his mind, remembering how quickly Penny used to go through men, and perhaps maybe he was just another one to bite the dust, so to speak. He suddenly became frustrated. "Look at me now." The tremor in his voice incised Penny's cold demeanor, causing her to thaw slightly and finally look in his eyes. "What happened?"
Instead of speaking, Penny lifted her hands that were hidden behind her back and supplied Sheldon with crumpled scraps of paper, the same papers he had been scrutinizing last night before Junior interrupted him and Penny entered the apartment. His heart plummeted into his stomach. "I believe you meant to throw these in the trash," she said bitterly, pushing the paper across the tabletop towards him. Before he could say anything, she continued on her rant. "What the hell is this, Sheldon? What, you think you can just have us both?" Junior suddenly reappeared in the kitchen with a black T-shirt to match his shorts, clapping his hands together and making a racket.
"Big day today! You guys ready for it?" When neither of them answered, Junior faltered, his arms lowering to his sides. He took in the icy silence and Sheldon turned to face him, their identical blue eyes meeting.
"I've got to go home and shower," Penny said suddenly, nearly knocking over the chair by her legs as she walked around the table.
"Penny, wait-" Sheldon began to follow her but stopped in his tracks when she whirled around and halted him with a piercing stare.
"Don't follow me," she warned again, then pivoted and exited the apartment, slamming the door shut behind her. Another slam followed a moment later, signaling she had made it into her own apartment where she was no doubt cursing Sheldon to high hell.
Junior let out a low whistle and shook his head before addressing his little brother. "I was gone for five seconds! What did you do?"
"Not important," Sheldon snapped. He turned around and walked back to the table, grabbing all of the crumpled papers that Penny had shoved at him. It was his unsigned Termination of the Relationship Agreement. Her outburst became clear to him; obviously she thought he had decided not to go through with sending the paperwork to Amy, but he still felt a nagging sense of betrayal, longing, and fury. Sheldon confided in Penny last night, told her that he was going to terminate his relationship as soon as he could. How could she be angry with him when he was with her in bed for hours into the dawn instead of signing these papers? How could she just walk out on him like that? Penny had made him angry before, but never like this. This was an anger he could feel in his bones. "Bat-crap crazy," he said aloud to no one in particular, walking to his desk to shove the tattered papers into his cabinet.
"You may be right, Shelly. But what you probably don't realize is that we Cooper boys," he paused when Sheldon's eyes darted to his. "Well, we make 'em that way."
Penny was the queen of making scenes. But after stomping around in her apartment for a few minutes, she realized that it still hadn't felt right doing it to Sheldon. He had told her last night that he was going to end his relationship with Amy, but had also promised he wouldn't pressure her to end things so soon with Leonard. Who was Penny to demand something so big from Sheldon? These next few steps into the future would take time and care, and she couldn't blame Sheldon for going back and forth on leaving Amy. Maybe he meant to throw the paperwork away, maybe he didn't. Either way, Penny promised to be there for Sheldon, and she would keep her promise. She realized she was allowing her female hormones, phasers now set to 'raging', overcome her judgment after a night of sex with Sheldon. Then she groaned, realizing she took Sheldon's virginity and then blew him off hours later.
What kind of person was she becoming?
So after a shower and a couple of hours to herself, she decided she would go back to his apartment cool, calm and collected, and then apologize. But first, she needed to set up her play date with Kurt. She grabbed her phone from its charger on her nightstand and quickly scrolled past the texts from Amy. She needed to stay focused on the task at hand.
Kurt, baby. Is it still cool if I see U at your gym today?
She set her phone down and removed her robe then walked into her bathroom to start the shower. As the water cascaded onto the ceramic tub, she walked over to the mirror above her sink and studied her naked torso. Two quarter-sized hickies donned the top of her right breast and she stifled a giggle. Sheldon had been hesitant to put his mouth anywhere but on hers, but when she encouraged him to lick her chest, he could not stop himself. When steam began to roll out from behind her shower curtains, she stepped into the tub, regretfully allowing the water and soap to wash away the scent of her lover.
When she was done, she dried herself off and hustled back to her cell phone to look for a reply from Kurt.
- Yeah, I'll be there in an hour. The Golden Glove - 4599 E. Commerce St. Sorry about leaving you the other night. I suddenly had a bad stomach ache. Will make it up to you tonight if you want ;)
Penny smiled wickedly at her phone, thumbing a quick reply.
Can't wait. XOXO
"Yeah, stomach ache onset by chlamydia, hopefully," she muttered aloud, setting her phone down so she could finish getting dressed. She blow-dried her hair straight and pulled on a pair of skinny jeans with a University of Nebraska T-shirt, gray with the big red 'N' logo across the chest. Locking the door behind her, Penny walked across the hall and stopped in front of apartment 4A. She took a deep breath then knocked twice before opening the door and pushing forward, peeking her head in. "Hello?" she called softly, taking a step inside. The apartment was silent as she closed the door behind her, only the hum of the central air conditioning to accompany the sounds of her tennis shoes on the wooden tile.
She looked reflexively at the table, noticing that it was clear of any paperwork that she saw earlier. Another pang of guilt racked her body, coupled with fear. Did Sheldon and Junior leave without her? "Sheldon?" she called out, placing her purse on the coffee table. "Junior?" she tried next after she was met with silence. She walked down the hallway and headed to Sheldon's room. The door was closed and she let herself in, again meeting darkness and silence. She placed her hands on her hips, alarm and frustration building inside of her. Just as she was about to pull out her phone and call Sheldon to give him a piece of her mind, she realized that the room, although empty, was different. It took her a moment to realize that the mattress was completely stripped of its sheets. Turning around, she walked to Sheldon's hamper, peering inside to look for her underwear from last night. It was also empty. As where Sheldon could be dawned on her, she slipped her phone back into her pocket and looked around the room, suddenly missing Sheldon with every bone in her body. She closed the door behind her and just as she was rounding the corner to come down the hall, she heard the front door open and watched as Sheldon pushed his way in, carrying his laundry basket that held his folded sheets and comforter.
"Oh," he said lightly as he locked eyes with Penny. "Hello." He was wearing gray slacks, his black melting Rubik's cube T-shirt, and a navy blue long-sleeved thermal shirt beneath it.
"Hi, Sheldon," she said, suddenly shy. He was the only man that could do that to her, make her eyes study the floor as her face grew bright red. He intimidated her a little bit, but would never admit it aloud. "Sorry, I just went to your room to look for you."
"Ah," he said without interest, not moving from his spot near the front door. "Well, I was forced to take my bedding down to the laundry room, on a Tuesday, no less." He was fussy, Penny could tell, and she decided to tread lightly. She came down the hall and met him in the living room, blocking his path as he tried to walk to his room with his basket.
"Sheldon, about this morning…"
"I don't want to talk about it, Penny." He stared down at her with tight eyes, his face betraying no emotion.
"Sheldon," Penny said in a tired tone. "I need to apologize for my behavior, so let me."
"While I agree that your behavior this morning was unwarranted and most unappreciated, I do not require you to explain yourself." He moved around Penny and headed down the hall to his bedroom.
"Hey!" she called, following closely on his heels. "Don't do that, Sheldon!"
"Do what?" His back was turned to her as he set his laundry basket down on his bedroom floor and took the sheets, flattening them on his bed.
"You're pushing me away again," Penny said as she placed her hand on his arm and whirled him around to face her. "Look, I wanted to say that I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone through your personal paperwork, and I shouldn't have just left you this morning without talking about what we did last night…"
"And I told you I don't want to discuss it," Sheldon said coldly, shaking his arm from her grasp. He stared down at her as she wilted from his cold gaze. "Anything else, Penny?" He was clearly dismissing her, and she was at a loss.
"Sheldon," she pleaded, feeling panic begin to rise in her again. "Look, we both knew this wouldn't be easy." She motioned to the bed with her arm. "But I meant what I said yesterday. This isn't a one-time thing for me. You're way too important to me. Please don't push me away."
"Penny," Sheldon began, his voice exasperated as he looked at the ceiling. "I haven't signed my relationship termination papers in the last two hours, if that's what you want. Lord knows that's what's most important to you at the moment."
"Is not," Penny bristled, then relaxed. Sheldon's behavior was suddenly very familiar, very human. He was hurt. She watched in silence as he turned back to his bed, fastening the fitted sheet over his mattress before bringing down the next sheet and tucking it in. "What are you feeling right now, Sheldon Cooper?" His back straightened out as he stopped what he was doing, then slowly turned to face her.
"Pardon me?"
"Are you feeling betrayed? Hurt? Used, maybe?" Penny took a tentative step towards him, keeping her eyes on his. "Do you feel as though I've let you down?"
"It doesn't matter how I feel," Sheldon said quietly, emphasizing 'feel' as though the word disgusted him. "What matters is things have not changed. I am still with Amy. And you obviously cannot deal with this situation like an adult."
"I told you, I'm sorry," Penny insisted, crossing her arms over chest as tears threatened to fall. "I just…Sheldon, sit down. I need to explain something to you." He looked as though he was going to protest, so she grabbed both of his arms and forced him to sit, joining him on the edge of the bed. "My emotions got the best of me this morning, just like yours are threatening to do now." He opened his mouth to disagree, but she placed her index finger on his chin, careful to avoid his mouth. "It's okay to feel how you do right now. It's okay to be hurt by my behavior, because my actions this morning were hurtful. I never meant to leave you in such a vulnerable position, but Sheldon, I care about you deeply. And having sex with you last night just amplified those feelings tenfold. So when I saw that you intended to throw away the termination papers, I guess I felt as though you weren't serious about me." She waited for a moment as Sheldon finally softened and seemed to process her explanation. He stopped resisting her touch, allowing her hands to rest on his that were placed in his lap.
"I have a confession to make," Sheldon said, just above a whisper. He licked his pouty lower lip quickly, studying Penny's hands with interest. She watched him carefully as he sighed. "I experienced a vast and overwhelming rush of emotions this morning when you left." He sighed again, the confession taking more out of him than he was willing to give. "I think I can concur with your theory that feelings intensify after coitus."
"They really do, sweetie." Penny rubbed small circles with her thumbs on Sheldon's knuckles, hoping that he was coming around. She didn't know what she would do if he sent her away. Though she deserved it, she couldn't bear to think of leaving his side.
"Did we make a mistake, Penny?" He suddenly peered up at her with his deep blue eyes, so wide she could almost see herself in them.
"I don't think so, Sheldon." She leaned forward and rested her forehead on his. "I will never hurt you again." Nudging his nose with hers, she brushed her lips against his, keeping contact until she felt him push back with his own mouth, welcoming her kiss. They broke apart before it became too intense, Penny leaving her forehead against his. "I told you I wouldn't leave you, and I meant it. I will never push you when it comes to Amy. I know you have more important matters to tend to right now." They waited in comfortable silence for a few minutes, wrapped up in each other's presence. Penny felt herself relax, knowing that they would be alright. "Speaking of important matters, where is Junior?"
"He went back to the gym to work out. Should be back any moment."
"Kurt told me he would be at his gym in an hour. When Junior gets back, we should go." Penny leaned back to view Sheldon's face, taking in his freshly shaved chin and cheeks. She inhaled, smelling his soap and shampoo, and felt a familiar stirring in her lower abdomen as she suddenly became aware of the mattress beneath them and the fact that they were currently alone in the apartment. She swallowed hard and refocused on Sheldon's eyes, which were watching her carefully.
"Are you becoming aroused right now, Penny?"
She burst out laughing, tightening her grip on Sheldon's hands. "What would give you that idea?"
"Quickening breath." Sheldon removed one of his hands from hers and ran a finger along the side of her neck. She inhaled sharply, not moving a muscle as he continued. "Dilated pupils." He brushed her bangs out of her face. "Hardened nipples." His other hand snuck up and lightly rubbed the sensitive nub through Penny's T-shirt. She moaned and then pouted, for just as quickly as his hands were on her, they were gone.
"Junior's here," he whispered regretfully and sure enough a split second later, the front door slammed.
"Damn your Vulcan hearing," Penny lamented just as she heard Junior call out Sheldon's name. "Are you ready to go?"
"I am," Sheldon replied, nodding slowly. "To be continued?"
"To be continued." She stood up reluctantly, her knees slightly shaking, and she extended her hand to Sheldon, helping him to his feet as well.
As Junior, Penny and Sheldon pulled into the parking lot of The Golden Glove, his breathing began to quicken. Marky could be just inside the doors, and much as Sheldon felt himself revel in the possibility that revenge was not far away, he truly felt the tightness in his chest associated with fear. Fear for Penny, fear for his past rushing at him without any way of stopping it. He turned in his seat to face Junior who was sitting in the back, his fists clenched so tight that Sheldon could see the whites of his knuckles. So he wasn't the only one nearly foaming with anticipation of meeting Marky face-to-face again. Penny circled the lot until she found a spot as far as possible from the entrance of the gym. She parked and sighed, turning in her seat to face Sheldon. "So, I'm going to go inside and watch Kurt for a bit. I'll keep my eye out for Marky…I mean Rob. And if I find him, I'll discreetly pull my cell phone out and take a picture. Then I'll send it to you, Sheldon."
"Precisely," he said quickly. "But more importantly, if you in anyway feel that you're in danger, you call us, immediately." He narrowed his eyes at Penny before continuing. "No funny business, no acting like a tough Nebraskan with nothing to lose. You will call us."
"Yes, Sheldon," Penny smiled. Her lips pursed together when Sheldon gave her a warning glance. "I promise. No funny business."
"And you're not recording anybody fighting today. We just want to know if this trainer of Kurt's is actually Marky." Sheldon turned and waited for Junior to chime in. When his brother remained silent, Sheldon studied his face. "Junior?" The older man began to shake, visibly trembling and his neck reddened ominously. "Junior," Sheldon repeated, a little more sternly.
"Yeah," Junior acknowledged him finally, meeting his eyes. "I really wanna go in there myself."
"No," Sheldon said assertively. "I will not have you risk Penny's safety. You must give me your word now that you will remain in the car with me, if not we'll leave right now." He waited a beat, giving Junior time to process the information.
"Alright," he finally relented, relaxing his fingers from their fists. "Alright, I'm cool."
"Okay." Sheldon took a deep breath and refocused on Penny. "Are you sure you're up for this?"
"I am." She smiled weakly, causing Sheldon to doubt her. "I promise," she assured him, rubbing his hands with hers. "Wish me luck."
Sheldon nodded tightly as she unbuckled her seat belt and opened her door, climbing out of the car and slamming the door shut behind her in one swift movement. She took two steps ahead, looking both ways before crossing the parking lot and finally disappearing inside of the gym. He immediately felt her absence but swallowed it down quickly before it overcame him and caused him to scramble out of the car after her.
"And now we play the waiting game," Junior said meekly from the backseat, struggling to control the pitch of his voice.
Sheldon grasped his cell phone in his hands, watching it like a hawk and pressing the button on the side every few moments to make sure he had enough reception bars. After what seemed like hours but was really only fifteen minutes, Penny's name appeared on Sheldon's screen, signaling a text had been received. Taking a deep breath, Sheldon opened it and studied the picture.
"Is it him?" Junior leaned forward in his seat, his tone dripping with anticipation.
Sheldon gave the phone to his brother and studied the entrance doors of the gym, wishing on everything holy and not that he had walked into that gym with Penny instead of letting her go in on her own. "It's him."