A/N- Thank you all for the reviews, and story alerts, it really is lovely to see them in my inbox. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
The clickety clack of the train was gently lulling Penny to sleep, it was getting later in the day and the carriage was darkening. Sheldon had spent the first hour of their journey talking to Penny all about trains and the train journey's they were going to be taking on this trip. He got out a detailed map that showed Penny their route to Omaha and back again. His excitement was palpable, he couldn't stop smiling. His happiness was infectious and Penny actually was really enjoying herself.
Sheldon even struck up a conversation with John, a young man seated in the seat across the aisle from him when he saw him reading a copy of "Trains", one of Sheldon's favourite magazines, this allowed Penny time to read her own choice of magazine, Cosmopolitan. When John got off at San Luis Obispo Sheldon took out his laptop and started to type away at his work.
It was dark out when Penny woke and the carriage had emptied somewhat since she had fallen asleep. Sheldon had stopped work and turned off his laptop, he was now asleep, Penny looked at him and wondered what he dreamt about, probably winning the Nobel Prize, he was smiling even in his sleep.
On the first day that Penny met Sheldon she had thought he was cute and she wasn't the only one amongst her friends that thought so too. Katie, one of the waitresses at The Cheesecake Factory had developed a small crush on Sheldon and asked Penny several times if she could wait on his table hoping for a chance to chat him up. Penny had told Katie she was wasting her time, but she wouldn't believe her, so Penny let her wait on his table, Katie never asked again.
Sheldon shifted in his sleep and his hand came to rest on Penny's leg just above her knee, she didn't know whether she should try to remove it and perhaps wake him, or just leave it, she decided to leave it. She looked at his hand, Penny liked a man to have nice hands with long fingers, and Sheldon's hands were very nice. He shifted again and this time his hand moved onto her thigh, if this wasn't Sheldon Penny would think he really wasn't sleeping, but instead trying to get to third base. She left his hand there, it wasn't hurting anyone was it? The train started to slow down as it was coming into Martinez, it was nearly 11pm, they had been on the train for over 12 hours. Penny turned to look at Sheldon and saw that he was now awake and looking at her, his blues eyes were so intense and he was now staring directly into Penny's eyes, he then noticed that his hand was resting on her thigh, he nervously removed his hand, mumbling an apology as he did so.
"That's ok sweetie, now if it was Howard's hand I would have chopped it off," Penny smiled at Sheldon, he was embarrassed and he really had nothing to be embarrassed about.
"Excuse me Penny." Sheldon got up from his seat and walked towards the toilets.
Penny shook her head trying to wake herself up and grabbed out some mints from her bag, she really couldn't wait to get to the hotel and freshen up, she grabbed her phone and saw a text message from Howard.
"Have you killed him yet?"
Penny sighed, " Really Howard." She choose to ignore the text, it didn't deserve a reply, she threw her phone back into her handbag.
Sheldon returned to his seat, he had brushed his teeth, Penny could smell the mint.
"Only one station and then it's Sacramento, did you read in the itinerary the details of the hotel we will be staying in? " Sheldon asked.
"Mmm, no."
"Penny, the itinerary holds very important information for you. What would you do if we had an emergency right now? "
Penny looked at Sheldon "Follow you?"
"And if you lost me in the crowd?"
"Oh Sheldon, it's not going to happen!"
Sheldon looked hurt. "It might, and I wouldn't want you to." he stopped.
"Ok I will read the itinerary." She grabbed it out of her bag and starting reading.
Sheldon really had covered everything, from Apocalypse to Zombie Attack, and much to Penny's surprise it wasn't dry reading either, there were parts in there that were quite humorous and she even giggled a couple of time whilst reading it, when she did Sheldon looked at her with a look of surprise, he hadn't expected her to get those jokes.
They started to slow down on their approach to Sacramento, Penny and Sheldon were ready to disembark, Penny had to admit this day had been far more enjoyable than she had expected.
The hotel Sheldon had chosen in Sacramento was less than a mile from the train station, so a quick taxi ride and they were there, he had especially organised a very late check in.
He held the door open for Penny and they walked into the foyer.
"I believe you have a reservation under Dr Cooper for two adjoining rooms."
"Welcome Dr Cooper . Yes we have you in Rooms 876 and 878 they both have wonderful views over the city and full bathrooms, if I could just grab some details we can get you settled into your rooms for the night, you both must be very tired." the desk clerk said.
Penny flopped onto her bed, the rooms were beautiful and must have cost Sheldon a lot of money, how was she ever to repay him, although she knew he wouldn't want or expect repayment.
Knock knock knock, "Penny."
Knock knock knock, "Penny."
Knock knock knock, "Penny."
"Come in sweetie."
Sheldon walked into her room.
"Penny I have set the alarm for 8.00am, I took into consideration the late hour and thought a sleep in would be welcome.'
"Thank you Sheldon." but she was thinking 8.00am is no sleep in.
He turned to leave.
"Sheldon, thank you for this, for the train fares, the beautiful room and for coming with me, you are a very good friend." Penny looked at Sheldon standing there in his chinos and double shirts, Penny would never have thought when she left Omaha to move to Los Angeles that she would meet such a remarkable and strange man as Dr Sheldon Cooper, but she really is glad that she did.
He smiled at her.
"You're welcome Penny, see you tomorrow morning, sleep well."
And he turned and left the room.
Penny looked at the closed door for about 30 seconds hoping he would come back, but he didn't.
"Sleep well Sheldon."