See the prior chapter for disclaimers, and that entire BS. I should say something about TBBT being a wonderful sitcom, it is. In fact the only show I don't just DVR and watch later. It's going to be a long hiatus. Don't mess with LP, get them together, ratings don't lie. Beside we all figure Kaley will kick you in the nuts if you break them up again. Nuf said

December 26th Apartment 4A what Tish can see on the living room camera and sensors:

The coffee table holds 4 near empty containers from Nanking Table and an empty bottle of rose from Provence and two glasses. The couch pillows are on the floor, a heat spot still registers slightly on the far right cushion.

Tish has determined no movement has occurred in 5 minutes and turns out the already dim lights. The Christmas tree is still lit per Leonard's instructions. Leonard's bedroom is slightly warmer than usual. Tish increases the airflow to the room to drop it 2 degrees.

The front door is locked. Optimum equilibrium in the apartment has been assured. Tish goes into a sleep mode, but is always watching.

French toast on Oatmeal Day

Penny lay facing Leonard watching him sleep. She looked at his face. He was 45 years old and was just starting to really have his crow's feet deepen. His forehead had more lines, a touch of grey in his hair at the temple. He had little laugh lines around his mouth, smiles too much. Though they could be frown lines as well. Overall, she thought, a warm and tender face sleeping peacefully.

She carefully slid out of bed, she had on a cornhusker booster t-shirt and red panties. Leonard had rather liked these panties she thought at she took off the t-shirt and quietly opened the closet. It took her a second to find the right color. Perfect, light blue, she slid into Leonard's dress shirt. Penny left the bedroom, the door was open. She walked down the hall rolling up the sleeves on the shirt. He was bigger than she was now.

She was looking to recreate a moment. It would definitely go different this time. No Sheldon and his schedule. She reached the kitchen and started finding everything. Eggs, milk, cinnamon, maple syrup, butter were all now on the island. A nice half loaf of artisan bread she cut into thin slices. She mixed up the batter in a large bowl. Went to the cooktop and turned on the griddle. That will take a few minutes to heat up. She toasted her bread on the lowest level in the toaster, just enough so that the batter wouldn't tear up the bread.

The griddle was ready. Penny grabbed a spatula out of the drawer. She moved the bread and the bowl of batter over to the griddle. Got down an empty plate and set it beside the bowl. She was almost ready. "Tish, can you play Shania Twain's, Man! I Feel Like a Woman!". The music started, "louder Tish". The volume increased. Penny started dancing with the music and making French toast.

Leonard sat up and hearing the song smiled, "Must be oatmeal day" he thought to himself. Then thinking how nice a shared memory was. "Time to make more new ones", Leonard thought as he put on his new black robe and headed for the kitchen.

Conception realizations

Leonard and Penny sat on the sofa. The remains of last night's dinner was still on the coffee table. This morning's French toast on the kitchen island . Penny was sitting close as they both finished up a cup of coffee her legs draped over Leonard's legs. The blue dress shirt was having the desired effect. Leonard was caressing her upper thigh with his right hand, coffee in his left. He hadn't even notice he was sitting in the spot. Well they'd pretty much made it their spot last night.

She looked over at Leonard. He had that glint in his eye, that wicked little grin he got when he wanted sex. She smiled and put her cup on the table and ran her hand inside his robe onto his bare chest. "Leonard, honey, we need to talk about something. You and I have been going at it like teenagers into our third day now. Honey we're not using any kind of birth control. I could still take the morning after pill, it's good for up to five days after sex. But."

Penny stopped there not sure what she wanted to say next. Leonard rubbed her thigh softly.

"Penny, we've got all sorts of things to figure out. We've made the biggest decision already. We want to be together, the three of us no matter what."

She was getting teary eyed looking at him. Leonard just smiled and continued, "I don't think four would be much of a problem if it happens. Why don't we let birth control go for a bit? If that's what you want, I'll understand if you don't right now either. But if you and I are meant to have a baby we shouldn't really waste any time about it. Second half-life remember, but let's just be casual about it, if it happens for us it happens."

Penny almost thought he'd read her mind, even more he'd read her heart. There was always that old dream about having Leonard's child She kissed him and ran her hand down his chest. His hand moved up her thigh. "Perfect answer", she thought "Perfect answer"

Field apertures

Leonard had got out of the shower first and Penny had shooed him out of the bathroom. They had lain together for long time after. Cuddling, kidding, talking about nothing. It was just before noon. He'd suggested they take a walk in the park then if they got hungry something in Old Town. She had seemed hesitant but agreed. Leonard went for comfort as he got dressed. A pair of soft light brown cotton pants, his Reeboks. He put on a black CERN logoed t-shirt that had white letters in German that said "Large Hadron Collider Survivor 2020". He grabbed a brown tweed jacket and slipped his phone in the side pocket.

Penny came in fully dressed, Black jeans and blue top over a purple lacy camisole underneath. She went to her bag. "Now what shoes should I where?" Leonard laughed, "How many pairs did you bring?" She gave him a rueful look, "Only four pair, a girl has to be prepared."

Leonard shook his head as she made her decision. She went with a pair of purple low pumps that were almost a perfect match to her camisole. He whistled a low note through his teeth, "oh now I get it." He would go on, but as always Penny looked fabulous. He pulled her into a hug and kissed her. "Have I told you you're beautiful lately?"

Now it was Penny's turn to laugh. "Three times this morning, I'm sure the one time you couldn't even see my face." Leonard blushed, "Well that was beautiful to." He patted her bottom as he turned for the door. "Yours ain't to shabby either Hoftstader", Penny said grabbing his butt as she followed him out the door.

The park was only two blocks away. They held hands or put her arm in his as they walked to it. Once they got in the park itself they strolled and talked.

"Leonard, What kind of teacher was Liisa?"

"She taught literature and writing. She wrote poetry and prose for fun. I'll let you read them if you'd like. She had stuff going back to when she was a teenager. Everything she did in her last 10 years is on my computer. "

"Were you happy?" He seemed to have to think about that question. "Yes we were before she got sick. Like I said you would have liked her. She was very self-assured. This was good because I would work for days on end. She never complained. She would tell me she'd missed me. We would talk and we'd catch up then things would be back to normal.

Penny got serious "Leonard with everyone else that was ever in my life I could have been like that. It's just been me and the dogs for a while now. But with you I'm not like that, even at this very instant I can't stand the idea of you not being here every day. Not every second but knowing I'll be beside you when I'm sleeping and waking up next to you is really important to me right now"

Leonard pulled her into a hug, and kissed her. "It's important to me too" He kissed her a second time and then they started walking again hand in hand. They got to the end of the park, the street was coming up. Leonard saw a woman across the street taking pictures. The camera was pointed directly at them.

Refraction

Penny saw the photographer also. "Crap", she said under breath. Leonard looked a little startled. Penny kept hold of his hand and steered him away from the photographer. "Honey, be calm don't look angry, or anything like that. If she gets in front of us just keep smiling. They hate to use pictures of you smiling."

Penny took her phone out of her purse that was on her shoulder. She dialed, and was talking immediately. "Patty, I need a car to pick me and my friend up, we have a problem. Yeah that kind of sicko problem, have the car pick us up at the corner of Dayton and Fair Oaks on the Central Park side. Thanks, see you soon."

Leonard looked at her, confused. "Where are we going?" Penny looked at him and smiled, leaned over and kissed him. "Hope you got that weasel." She thought. "Just keep smiling honey or I'll just keep kissing you. Where going to have a town car pick us up and take us back to my place for a while. We don't want them following us back to the apartment."

Leonard went with it, smiled and walked beside her until the town car arrived about 10 minutes later.

They piled into the back seat. Penny gave a big sigh of relief. She looked over at Leonard and laughed. "Dr. Hoftstader you about to become tabloid news."

Leonard sat there for a moment, and then looked out through smoked glass rear window. The lady with the camera was standing where they had gotten in the car. A phone in her had.

"Damn, I left that leg of Lamb on the counter to get to room temperature." Leonard fumed.

Penny grabbed his hand, "It's okay honey we'll go to my place. Play and say hi to the dogs. You can meet Patty my PA. Then we'll get another town car to take us back. We will be cooking together on time tonight."

She wished that was the end of it. She needed to call her publicist when she got home also. They might have a hard time figuring out who he is right away. Then again, maybe not. If they do his interview is going to get a lot more play

This is a little shorter chapter. There were things that need talked about. I always wanted to rewrite the French toast scene without Sheldon. We have obliquely brought in a new character Patty. So I'm happy with how it sits. Leonard and Penny my not agree.

Reviews are awesome. The only reason this ever went past a one shot were people asked for more.

PS Thanks Again Big Fan for the funny stuff.

Of course some immediate changes need to be made.