A/N: Help I made myself feel

Goodbye Kiss

A few weeks had passed with little real change, and that more than anything else convinced Howard and Leonard that the quicky dubbed "Shenny" wasn't such a bad thing after all.

Unfortunately, Penny had a family gathering that she couldn't weasel herself out of. Her parents had already bought her plane tickets and she couldn't bring herself to let them down like that. She hadn't seen them in over a year; they'd be devastated.

She was mostly disappointed to be leaving Sheldon. They were still in that 'honeymoon' period couples have at the beginning of a relationship. Or so she was told by just about everyone. Which was ridiculous. She was just going to miss the sex.

And sleeping next to him.

And waking up next to him.

And waking up under him.

And maybe she'll miss his snarky comments and his stupid breathy laugh and the way he looked at her and blushed when anyone made an innuendo toward them and the way he tried to patiently-but-not-really explain something to her and-

Holy crap on a cracker, she was in love with him.

She was in love with him and she was leaving for a week.

Oh hell, I can't tell him now! What if he doesn't feel the same? I'll be telling him and then leaving for a freakin week! Jesus Fucking Christ, why did it have to be now?

She'd just have to suck it up and keep her mouth shut until she got back. She was leaving tomorrow whether she liked it or not. She could suffer through dinner.

And the night.

With him.

Balls.

~*DD*~*DD*~*DD*~

Sheldon was going over Penny's itinerary in his head before everyone arrived for dinner. He was sure she wouldn't actually follow it exactly, but it made him feel better about her leaving if he knew where she would be and what she would be doing almost every step of the way.

He would have booked her a train ticket but her parents had already purchased the plane ticket and Penny insisted she appease her parents. Sheldon was a notoriously nervous flyer, and apparently it now extended to being nervous for Penny. Every time he thought of her getting on a plane and potentially not returning, his heart stuttered and his stomach swooped like he was on a rollercoaster.

Oh, what fresh hell is this? he thought. Meemaw will know. It's about time for our weekly phone call anyway.

Sheldon retreated to his bedroom and dialed his grandmother's number. She answered after three rings.

"Hello, Moonpie, how are ya baby?"

"Hello, Meemaw. I actually called about how I'm feeling. I'm not quite sure."

"Tell me all about it."

Once he'd explained everything she chuckled, and while he was slightly peeved that she found it amusing, the mere fact that she found it amusing meant that she knew what he was feeling.

"Well?" There was just the barest hint of desperation in the simple question.

"Baby, you're worried about her b'cause ya love her. And it's no wonder, from what you've told me she's a right peach. I'd be more surprised if you weren't worried for her safety."

Suddenly everything slid into place. It was as though his world's axis had been ever-so-slightly tilted, but was now corrected.

"I love Penny," he said, pacing his bedroom. "Well hell, Meemaw, I can't tell her now! What if she doesn't feel the same? I'd tell her only to have her leave for a week. Or worse, she'd tell me she doesn't feel the same way, and she'd still leave for a week! Meemaw, why did you have to tell me this now?!"

Meemaw laughed again and Sheldon almost yelled at her in his distress, but caught himself in time. No one yelled at Meemaw. "Sheldon, honey. Surely you can keep a lid on it for a week and tell her when she gets back?"

Sheldon stopped his pacing. He wasn't good at keeping secrets. But this wasn't a secret, Meemaw knew. It was his possible future. And he could keep his discovery to himself for a while longer.

"I suppose I'll have to. Thank you, Meemaw. I have to go to dinner now. I'll call you next week and tell you how it goes."

"You do that, Moonpie. I love you."

"I love you too, Meemaw."

~*DD*~*DD*~*DD*~

Penny and Sheldon each managed to get through dinner without attracting any more attention than normal, but when it came time for bed, they each hesitated. Then Sheldon went to his bedroom to grab his pajamas and made his way over to Penny's.

"I'd like to check your bags and make sure you didn't forget anything. Would that bother you?"

Penny thought it was weird that he would actually ask instead of just doing it, but she wasn't going to say it. "Uh, no, Sheldon, go right ahead. I'll wait til morning to pack my bathroom stuff, though." She had a late morning flight, thankfully, so she'd have time to shower beforehand.

As Sheldon checked her luggage Penny searched her closet for her babydoll lingerie.* She was gonna tell him she loved him without telling him and hope he actually got the message. And there was no way she was going a week without sex without completely rocking his world.

Upon Sheldon's return to the bedroom, his mouth went dry. He tried to swallow but almost choked. Penny was kneeling on the bed in his favorite nightie and completely makeup-free. He had never been more thankful for his eidetic memory.

She slowly undressed him, but once he was naked he took over. He would try his hardest to let her know how he felt without actually telling her and hope she understood.

As they made love, their eyes never left the others' face. Their kisses tasted like goodbye, even though they each knew it was only temporary.

*Google Victoria's Secret babydoll and go with whatever you like. YMMV.