This is an official disclaimer of the prior disclaimer, reiterating what was in the prior, prior disclaimer. If I failed to cover anything in that disclaimer then forgive my thoughtless behavior.

Reconnecting

Penny turned toward the stairway, "See you tomorrow. Oh what time do you get home?"

"I should be here by 6:00PM latest, but you have the key so come over as early as you'd like." Leonard replied. She waved her hand, said one last time, "Bye" and started down the stairs.

Leonard shut the door, turned his back to it and leaned against it. He was thinking about what he had just done. It was scary. He may have just brought chaos into his and Lisel's lives and into Penny's as well. He really tried not the analyze it. I've got 4 weeks before I go back and get Lisel, it should be long enough to see where this goes.

He still felt anxious. He walked over to the coffee table. Picked up the wine bottle, glasses and cheese/fruit try and carried them to island in the kitchen. The wine was almost gone so he set it aside. He put the cheese away, ate some of the fruit and discarded the rest. He put the glasses into the dishwasher next, then the remaining wine into an ice cube tray and into the freezer.

Leonard grabbed his scotch tumbler and the bottle of single malt scotch off the counter and poured himself a very stiff drink. He sat back in his chair. He stared at the door for a change rather than the pewter urn. He really wanted it to open and have Penny come back in. For the first time in what felt like forever, Leonard did not grieve for his lost wife. He had worries and fear about what a relationship with Penny would mean. But he felt very right suddenly, righter than he'd felt in 12 years he thought. Leonard threw the rest of the scotch down his throat and put the glass on the marble coaster. He stood and walked to his bedroom, a slight bounce in his step.

Reconnaissance December 24th

Penny turned the key in the lock on apartment 4A, it was dark but as she walked in the lights came on. They were all recessed around the room bathing it the same softer light as last night. She was early, much earlier than she'd planned. It was 1:00PM give or take. She had went home last night. Had got the dogs up on the bed with her and cuddled up with them but sleep took forever to come. She kept thinking about this place, and if she had a place in it. When she had awakened in the morning the thought was still there. She had held off all morning but couldn't stand it anymore and drove over. Now that she was here she started to feel a little guilty but also at ease. She put her purse and a cloth bag she was carrying on the couch, Then took off her coat and her "disguise", as she liked to call her hat and glasses placing them on the arm of the couch.

Penny started down the hallway and went through Leonard's bedroom door. She set down on the bed, It was unmade, he'd been sleeping on the side near the door. She reached over and ran her hand over the spot where he'd slept. Penny looked around the room. There was a chest of drawers where one had always been. Though this one was slightly bigger and of better quality. She saw the photos on top she was interested in last night. Then she looked at the opposite wall beside the door. The wall she didn't see last night. It had a large white board that, held on with magnets, were hundreds of photos. Penny got up and went to the dresser first. There were three framed photos. The first was very clearly Leonard's wedding photo. A twinge of jealousy went through Penny as she picked up the frame.

Liisa had been a lovely girl, probably five years younger than herself, that would make her about 25 years old when she married Leonard. Her hair was golden, piled on top of her head with long spiral ringlets framing her face. She had a beautiful smile on her face, Leonard was dressed in a formal dove grey morning suit, he was holding her hand and smiling. It wasn't "That Smile", just his normal smile for the camera smile. Any jealousy faded when she picked up the next picture, it was Liisa again sitting up in bed with a baby cradled in her arms. The smile was the same, but her face looked ashen and much thinner, her hairless head covered with a purple and black bandana. The third picture brought an immediate tear to her eye. It was of Leonard and Penny snuggled up on the couch. Empty containers of food on the table in front of them. She had on a hot pink shirt, with red and swirling designs and jeans with no shoes. Leonard was in his hoody and coat with light brown pants. There it was that smile. She remembered when it was taken. Bernadette had taken it with her phone after they'd all had dinner that night. She could remember how that felt and it pulled at her heart. She bucked up, held back the tears and turned toward the closet.

She wasn't ready for the white board yet, she opened the closet door. The clothes within were neatly hung. Some still had the dry cleaner tags on them. There were six jackets, all very finely made. She took one off the hanger, It was a lovely hounds tooth the tag from Anderson & Sheppard on Savile Row, London. She looked at another, also Savile Row. All of the jackets were from London. They were all conservative, woolen jackets, they all clearly said college professor. There were two suit bags all the way to the left side, she pulled one out and before she opened it she saw the name on the bag was Caraceni, Milan. She unzipped it, inside was a beautiful charcoal suit.

Penny followed fashion, not like the passion she had for shoes, but she went to fashion shows and watched the Style channel and fashion podcasts. She didn't follow men's clothing much but she knew the names. All of Leonard's jackets and suits were very expensive. The jackets alone would have cost $5000 dollars apiece. She looked at his dress shirts, they were all from Milan or London. Leonard's slacks were all wool, silk or fine cotton. She looked down at the 5 pair of dress shoes. They were all from high end leather and shoe makers in Milan. What was going on here? Then she saw and old pair of Reebok tennis shoes in the back. Those were more his old style, then two old dungaree style jackets to the far right of the closet.

Penny turned and crossed back to the dresser and opened the top drawer. This was more like it, star wars and comic themed boxers and white socks. The next drawer down were white tee shirts. The third drawer had half a dozen themed tee shirts, including superman. The last drawer though went back the other way. Very expensive dress socks were inside, perhaps a dozen pair. The drawer also contained a small men's jewelry box. She opened it, inside were golden cuff links, a very old watch, and a diamond wedding ring. It wasn't a huge diamond, and looked to be platinum. She thought about the wedding photo on top of the dresser.

She placed the ring back very gently and closed the box. Now Penny really was starting to feel guilty about snooping around. She slide the drawer back in and approached the white board. The photos were all of Lisel, from when she was a baby up to the age she had seen on Leonard's phone last night. Some were just of her, a few had other children, one or two had Leonard in them with her. Penny smiled, Lisel will be a very lucky little girl. Her father was always a person who loved all the way.

Penny left Leonard's bedroom and came back down the hall. She turned left to go to window next to his desk. A letter was laying in the middle of it, still half folded. Penny reached over and unfolded the bottom. The letter was in German, it looked like it came from a bank or lawyer in Geneva. She couldn't make much sense of it but two lines were pretty clear.

Leonard L. Hoftstader € 2,900,000

Lisel P Hoftstader € 1,300,000

It all was starting to make since now, she wasn't sure how but Leonard Hoftstader had made a fortune in Europe. She crossed over to the kitchen. On the island was a bottle of Pinot Noir wine, a cork screw and two glasses. Beside them was a note

Penny, if you get here first open this bottle of Pinot, I'm sure you'll love it. Food and goodies in the fridge, indulge yourself and make yourself at home.

Leonard

Well I certainly have made myself at home, I'm so nosey, Penny thought. She left the wine on the counter and hunted around until she found herbal tea. She used the hot water dispenser on the sink and made some. She went to the wardrobe and got the blue blanket. Moved to the couch and settled down to wait for Leonard.

Rich Food and Richness

Leonard took the stairs to the fourth floor. The elevator worked fine but it felt better to take those well-trod steps. He opened the door to 4A and saw Penny asleep on the couch. Her coat, hat, glasses, purse and a cloth carry bag were on the arm. Penny was snuggled up in Sheldon's spot with the blue blanket around her. A red couch pillow under her head on the arm of the couch.

Leonard gently closed the door to the apartment. He softly said, "Tish, how long has Penny been here? Quietly please" A voice came softly from his computer, "Since 1:09 PM". It was still loud enough that Penny stirred on the couch. Leonard sat down beside her, and pushed her hair behind her ear. Penny's eyes fluttered open, and looked into his face. "Hey you" she said very softly. He grinned "hey to you too, I'm glad you came. You've been here a while, I'm glad I got here early." Leonard took her hand kissed it gently and got up and headed to the kitchen. "Time to cook, want to help?"

Leonard got to the kitchen, "Tish, task lighting please, the lights in the kitchen turned on, brighter lights over the island and the cook top." Penny set up and folded the blanket up. "Tish?" she looked at Leonard with a raised eyebrow. Leonard chuckled, "TISHH, Transparent Interactive Synthetic Human Home. It's something Howard was working on last year. She's built into the apartment. She takes care of the heat, lights, water temperature, all sorts of stuff. She's aware of everything happening in the apartment. I helped him get it off the ground last year, the apartment is her first beta test. You remember beta testing?" Leonard smiled at her, a little bit of a leer in his glance. Penny blushed. "Say hello and use her name."

Penny looked around, "Hello Tish." Tish replied "Hello Penny, how are you today? Did you have a nice nap?" Penny looked almost dumbfounded, a little spooked. "Leonard how does she know me and that I took a nap?" Leonard smiled back, "don't ask me, ask her? Oh and you have to say her name so she knows your talking to her"

Penny looked around her, "Tish how did you know it was me and that I was sleeping?" She was answered immediately, "Leonard identified you to me this morning from your signature last night. You were given system wide access to me at the same time. When you were on the couch I saw that your temperature dropped slightly and that you had failed to move for over 4.7 minutes and therefore you were asleep." Penny's mouth was hanging open.

Leonard was getting out pots, pans and ingredients for dinner. "I should have showed you last night, but I forget she's here most of the time." She uses infrared, heat sensors and your voice to identify people. She hears and sees pretty much everything that happens in the living room and kitchen area. She just has temperature sensors everywhere else. A little privacy from you home is a good thing."

"She told me when I got home you've been here since 1:00 pm. It feels really good here doesn't it? If I know you you've been snooping around, I really have nothing to hide, just ask me."

He could see he hit home there. Penny had always been that way, she loved to snoop around finding things out about people. That wouldn't have changed. Leonard started dressing the duck with a long thin knife and smiled at her.

Q & A Professor

Penny was nervous now, the apartment watched me. At least it couldn't tell what she had done in Leonard's room. Leonard was still smiling as he worked. "First question?"

Penny thought where to start, might as well go big. "Leonard, how rich are you?" He started cutting vegetables. Penny got up and started walking toward the kitchen.

"I'm not Bill Gates rich if that's what you mean. I hold several patents in laser technology in Europe, including the laser type that corrected my vision. They have paid off extremely well. I'm actually not sure how much it is right now. I have them split between a trust for Lisel and my account. The amount varies and will decline over the years, but I could live well for quite a few years on what I've put away already."

Penny smiled this time, that big brain had made itself rich. She'd thought that maybe he'd inherited from Liisa or maybe his own parents had passed. She should have known it was Leonard on his own. She stood by the kitchen island, he had opened the wine. There was a glass poured for her. She picked it up smiling at him. "So who is your fashion consultant Dr. Hoftstader, you are looking very suave these days?" Leonard looked down at himself. He had put on a red apron, beneath it was dark blue button down shirt, no tie, black slacks and shoes.

"When I went to Oxford I was informed that professors there were expected to dress well. I made a friend of the local haberdasher, he hooked me up with a buyer on Savile Row. I still have her buy for me when ever I need something new. They have my measurements and make whatever I need now, back then it was off the sales rack."

He made several poses aping fashion models. They both proceeded to laugh. He apparently was ready to cook the duck. Picking up the tray and another bottle of wine he moved to the cook top.

"What should I do?", she asked.

"You could set the island up with plates, silverware, wine and water glasses, The stools slide in to the end, we'll need four. Then you can kiss the cook", he chuckled. She put down her wine glass and walked up behind him. "I think I'll do things in reverse." She touched his shoulder and he turned his head. If he was expecting a peck on the cheek he was in for a shock. Penny kissed him passionately and he responded. Both his hands were busy so he could not escape. The kiss was long and wet, and so easily remembered. She let him go and he stood there pan in one hand, tongs in the other. She looked at him and smiled her best seductive smile, then turned and started taking plates from the cupboard.

Leonard turned back to the duck, and muttered under his breath, "Damn cat's still alive".

Penny heard him, "She scratches too so be forewarned."

Aside: The first kiss to the last kiss is learned behavior, but the first kiss must be wonderful to get that learning opportunity.

Please review if you like it, Cleaned up a little.