"I just can't see this working Penny" Bernadette was on the other end of the phone. "I mean you two are not like me and my Howie. What do you even see in him, and really has he ever looked at another person other than to pass judgement and tell you how much smarter he is than they are."

Penny listened patiently on the other end of the phone, Bernadette had phoned just as Penny was ready to turn off her light, obviously Bernadette had forgotten to take into consideration the time zone differences.

"Bernadette, what do I see in him? His intelligence is very attractive, and he challenges me like no other man ever has before. His eyes are so blue that I could just stare into them forever and you have to admit that he is rather nice looking. But he doesn't love me because of what I look like, he's beyond that and he would be the first man ever that has loved me for me and not for my looks. He makes me feel secure when I am with him, I feel safe, I feel at home with him. His strengths are my weaknesses and I would say he would say the same about me.

The phone line went quiet, "Well if that's how you truly feel Penny then I wish you both the very best."

"It's early days Bernadette, and Sheldon being Sheldon, nothing is simple, but I am willing to wait for him to catch up, because I know when he does it will be the full on fireworks this time."

"So you haven't done it yet?"

"No," Penny laughed, "We are at just pecking each other on the cheek at the moment, moving slowly. We've talked about it and you know Sheldon has a germ phobia, but he is trying, really hard and I will wait for as long as he tries."

"Well we shall see you soon, I think Leonard mentioned about meeting you guys at the station on Thursday morning. Howard will be disappointed that you guys made love not war on your holiday.."

"Night Bernadette, and thanks for the phone call, see you Thursday."

The next day they were out and about very early in order to fit in both requirements for the day. Penny had a great time with Sheldon at The Museum of Science and Industry, although a couple of times she had to tell Sheldon to move right along, he did go into so much detail with every exhibit. Then after lunch they went to Millennium Park and did indeed make instruments, of course Sheldon was very good at not only the making of the instrument but could also play it very well, Penny had a great time.

Their train was scheduled to leave the station at 3.00pm, so they arrived 10 minutes early and were shown to their room, once again Sheldon had only booked two bunks, but he wasn't so concerned this time. Penny took the top bunk and Sheldon the bottom. As the train left Chicago they went to sit in the sightseer lounge car, Penny had a glass of wine and Sheldon a glass of milk.

"Penny this train travels through eight US states, we cross the Mississippi and just one the many towns we travel through is Dodge City, which of course is a famous wild west town."

"We stopping off there?"

"No we will arrive there tomorrow morning at about 5.25am, it is very possible that we will both be asleep."

"More than very possible for me. I'm not having two early mornings in a row. I can tell you I won't see Dodge City." Penny winked at Sheldon.

"We could have taken a transfer from Williams Junction to go visit the Grand Canyon."

"We are?"

"No I said we could have, but we aren't." He shook his head.

After dinner Penny and Sheldon retired to their compartment, Sheldon downloaded a move on his laptop and they sat on Sheldon's bed, which had been made up and watched it together. They held hands all the way through the movie.

After the movie and after brushing her teeth Penny started to climb up the ladder, but Sheldon stopped her.

"Penny did you want to sleep next to me tonight. Just sleep though."

Penny placed one foot on the ground and got off the ladder, she looked at Sheldon lying there, he had opened the blankets up for her to join him and she did.

"Sheldon are we going to cuddle?"

"Yes I think we will." Sheldon hardly got the words out of his month and Penny had placed one arm across his chest, resting her hand on his shoulder, with her right leg she wrapped it around his left leg.

"Comfortable?' she asked. She knew he really wasn't she felt him pull away from her slightly, but he was slowly starting to relax.

"Yes." he replied then closed his eyes to sleep.

When Penny awoke in the morning, she opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was him, sleeping. All they had done last night was cuddle, nothing else, no kissing certainly no petting, yet she felt that they had reached a milestone in their relationship. She smiled at him, at her boyfriend, and resisted the urge to touch his face, though she so wanted too, but she had to wait for him. No other man ever had done was much as Sheldon was doing so that they could be together, her eyes started to tear up and a couple of the tears escaped onto her cheek. She was so happy.