A/N = Another shorter chapter this time, getting towards the end of the story now.

Penny moved closer to the table and grabbed the cotton balls and the antiseptic cream. She placed a small amount of the cream on the ball and turned to look at Sheldon. He was sitting down in one of the kitchen chairs, his eyes were a darker blue than normal this morning and were intensely looking at Penny watching her every move.

"Well, Ok, Whyatt I think you and I need to go have our coffee under the tree out back." Pamela rounded up her husband and then touched Meg on the shoulder and said "Meg come join us."

Penny watched as they all walked out the back and out to the tree, she could see her mother talking to her father but she couldn't hear what she was saying. Penny turned her gaze to Sheldon he was still looking at her. She looked down at the cotton ball in her hand.

"I need you to sit on the table Sheldon, so that you be at the right height for me."

Sheldon did as Penny asked and sat on the table, without questioning.

Penny squeezed the tube of cream a little more onto the cotton ball in her hand, she then looked straight into Sheldon's eyes, he hadn't uttered one word since she entered the room. Slowly she moved the cotton ball to his face, all the time looking straight into his eyes.

Penny was nervous and hesitate to touch Sheldon's face for fear that by touching him this once she may never want to stop. Gently she applied a little of the cream on to one of the grazes on Sheldon's face. He closed his eyes as Penny touched his face, when she finished and pulled away he opened his eyes once more and looked straight into hers.

"Sheldon, tell me I was wrong last night, and I will never talk about it again." she spoke almost in a whisper.

Sheldon just continued to look at her not offering anything to the conversation.

Penny licked her lips and took a deep breath, she looked away from Sheldon towards the window and out to the tree where her family were all sitting. Her eyes started to mist over and she bite her bottom lip, a tear dropped onto her cheek and then another.

"I don't know what to do if you cry." Sheldon at last spoke.

Penny wiped the tears away with both her hands.

"Sheldon I love you, I can't tell you when I fell in love with you, it seems to have been a part of my life for a very long time now."

"I believe it is social etiquette to offer those same words in return, but I cannot, " Sheldon stood up and moved closer to Penny. He was standing right up next to her. "Not for that reason anyway. I want to say it because I want to, not because it's expected. Penny you were wrong last night, when you said "It certainly isn't me", it is you Penny has been for years now."

Penny looked up and smiled, she wrapped her arms around his waist and placed her head on his chest, she felt at home, she felt safe, she felt secure. But Sheldon didn't wrap his arms around her, instead he stood there rigid not really knowing what to do.

Penny looked up at Sheldon. "Sheldon we have just told each other that we love each other, now would be a good time to hug me."

Sheldon lifted his arms, he clenched his fists and then unclenched them and he slowly and carefully wrapped his arms around Penny. She responded by tightening her grip. They stood there for about one minute just holding each other, then Penny began to pull away, Sheldon then dropped his arms back to his sides, he was fidgeting a sure sign that he was uncomfortable.

"I need to finish applying this cream Sheldon, you best sit down again."

Again Sheldon didn't argue and sat on the table. Penny slowly move the cotton ball to his face and applied it gently to the second graze on his face. She dropped the ball and glided her fingers along his cheekbone, then she moved in and kissed him on the lips very softly, he didn't respond much other than closing his eyes. She kissed him again, still not getting a response from him. She pulled away and he opened his eyes.

"Sheldon, do you want to kiss me?"

Sheldon shifted uncomfortably and started to lick his lips and turned his gaze to the ground.

"Penny. I, I, I"

"You don't, do you?" she stepped away from him.

"Penny I'm not like other guys you must know that by now, the idea of trading all that bacteria, I just can't."

Penny blinked at him twice, "Oh, so you love me, but you don't want to kiss me, you can barely hug me and obviously there is no coitus in our future." Penny pushed away from Sheldon. "I think Leonard was wrong last night, I am a fool."

"Leonard, you spoke with Leonard last night?"

"Yes, I wanted to ask him some advice."

"Did he mention anything about any damage to the apartment? Did anyone go in my room?"

"Christ Sheldon." she lifted her arms to gesture to him to stop talking, then she turned away and left the room.