Penny watched her sister walk back into the house and then she turned to her mom and said.

"Meg has no idea. Sheldon is not in love with me, Sheldon doesn't fall in love."

"He doesn't?" Pamela looked at her daughter with disbelief. "How sad."

"Sheldon has only one love, his work. Mom I've known the man for 5 years now, he has never so much as expressed any interest in anybody other than as a friend. Do you know that he has never initiated even a kiss from anyone?"

"So he's asexual then?" Pamela asked.

"I suppose." Penny just knew that he had no deal.

"Well if that's the case, he can still fall in love." Pamela stood up, it was starting to get quite warm outside and she was tired from her early morning. "I'm off to have a nap, tell your dad to wake me when he comes home, it's lovely to have you home again sweetie, even if it is just for a couple of days." she bent down and kissed the top of her daughters head and walked back into the house.

Penny stood up and took a short walk to the bench that sat at the base of a huge Oak tree that she climbed as a child, whenever she returned home she always felt like that little tomboy again.

She sat down on the bench, it was so much quieter in Omaha, she closed her eyes and basked in the warmth of the early summer morning and the silence, she could easily fall asleep out here, waking up at 4.00am is not for her.

With the sound of approaching steps Penny opened her eyes and she turned to see Sheldon, he sat down beside her.

"That spot ok for you?" Penny teased.

He gave her is look of haughty derision and declined to answer her question.

"Sheldon, why did you come here with me?"

"I told you Penny, because I am your friend and a much better choice than Leonard as an escort to your class reunion."

"I know what you told me, but is that really the only reason?"

"What other reason could there be Penny, really I don't understand why this is so hard for you."

"Ok sweetie."

Penny didn't want to press this anymore, perhaps Sheldon was telling her the truth, perhaps it's only Penny's family that see more into this than there really is. They don't know Sheldon, they really don't understand him. They have just read all his signals incorrectly.

"I'm going to go up for a nap for an hour, will you be alright by yourself?"

"Yes, I might return to my room to do a little more work."

"Hey I thought we could go play Miniature Golf later at the Fun-Plex when my dad gets home. You know you and me versus mum and dad?"

"That could be fun." Sheldon answered.

The afternoon miniature golf was a success and Penny and Sheldon were the victors, afterwards the four of them went to Ted and Wally's for an ice-cream, Wyatt's treat. They returned to the house just after 5.00pm.

"So Sheldon, you fish?" Wyatt asked as the men settled down in the lounge room.

"No sir."

"Never, didn't you fish with your dad?"

"No but he did teach me to shot close enough to a raccoon that it craps itself." Sheldon replied.

Wyatt looked at the strange man child sitting opposite him and thought to himself surely this isn't an upgrade on Leonard, he liked Leonard, why isn't Leonard here?

Penny had gone up to her room to shower and change her clothes, she was exhausted the afternoon nap hadn't helped her and she just wished she could just crawl into the bed and sleep for an eternity.

She came downstairs and walked into the living room, Sheldon was watching a repeat of Star Trek and Wyatt was no where to be seen.

"Hey sweetie the shower's all yours."

He looked up at Penny and smiled. "Thank you Penny." then he turned off the TV and left to have his shower.

Penny walked into the kitchen to find her parents sitting at the kitchen table with their heads locked together and talking in a low voice.

"Watcha doing?" Penny asked.

She startled them, they hadn't heard her walk into the room.

Wyatt looked into the lounge room to check that they were alone.

Penny noticed her father looking for Sheldon, "He's gone upstairs for his shower."

Wyatt cleared his throat, and then spoke. "Penny this young man, he seems a little," he paused looking for the right word "unusual. You two obviously get on well enough and work very well together, I mean I have never seen anyone play miniature golf like you two this afternoon."

"What do you mean?"

"Well you beat the pants of your mom and me. But it was like you were a real professional team today, like you know each other's game so well." Wyatt replied.

"So? We played a good game today that's all. He's my Halo partner dad, we play that together, I've also joined all the guys on paintball once or twice, always on Sheldon's team, we know how to play together so we win."

"I like Leonard better, why can't you go back to Leonard?" Wyatt only wanted the best for his little slugger.

Penny looked at her parents, they were both looking at her in anticipation of her reply.

"Mom, dad. Please believe me when I say that I am not going out with Sheldon, we are friends, that is all. I can almost 100% guarantee you that he isn't interested in a relationship, now can we leave this, I am sick of talking about it."

Later when Penny was in her room getting ready for bed there was a knock at her door, her mom popped her head in and said, "Goodnight sweetie." she was just about to close the door but then decided to enter the room instead, she closed the door behind her quietly.

"Yeah mom?" Penny was dog tired she just wanted to go to sleep.

"I noticed something today that your dad didn't."

"And what would that be mom?"

"You said that Sheldon isn't interested in a relationship, but you never said you weren't. Tread carefully sweetie." she kissed Penny on the forehead and left the room.