Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and the girls looked up as the apartment door burst open and Howard darted in. He ran by everyone, dropping the bags of food on the table, and a moment later they heard him lock the bathroom door. Penny walked in more sedately, mouth full of pins, a tape measure around her neck, a length of yellow fabric over one arm, and a gleam in her eyes. She walked down the short hall and bent down. She took a couple of pins from her mouth and jammed them into the lock. In seconds they heard it click open and she stepped inside. They heard Howard shriek and a dull thump.

Bernadette giggled and smiled. When they all looked at her she shrugged. "Penny is making an ceremonial kimono for a Japanese friend who is getting married. Howard is her size and Penny needs a mannequin. She called earlier and Howard told her there was no way he was letting her play dress up with him. Penny's very determined, though."

They heard another yelp and everyone stood and moved down the hall.

"Hold still."

"You stuck me with a pin!"

"Then hold still."

"Why can't you get a dress dummy?!"

"No time. Hold out your arms."

"Ackk!"

"Hold still."

"I'm bleeding!"

"Not on this fabric, you better not!"

"Why can't you use Raj? Or Sheldon?"

"Too broad shouldered. Too tall."

"Penny!"

"Hold still, I said."

"What are you doing back there?"

"Shhh."

There were some clicking sounds and a loud gasp.

"What are you…NO!"

"Quit being a baby."

"Give me that camera!"

"Hush. No one else will see these. I need them as a reference."

"Penny! Give me the camera!"

"Hold still."

There was a scuffling sound and then another thump. The door opened and Penny walked out. The fabric was over one shoulder now, and she was writing on her hand. Howard was laying on the floor, tangled in the measuring tape. He scrambled to his feet and pushed past the others in pursuit of Penny.

"Give me that camera!" he screeched as he pounded on Penny's door. After a few minutes with no answer, he stormed back over to the guy's apartment and slumped on the couch. "I'm going to be the laughing stock of California."

20 minutes later Penny appeared with her laptop. She tossed the camera into Howard's lap and set the laptop on the kitchen table. "I need a woman's opinion, Anya and Bernadette. What do you think of this?"

The guys wandered over too, as Howard ripped the memory card from the camera. The program showed a featureless dress dummy. On the side bar were three pictures of a kimono. The dress was in 3D, but without Howard's body inside it. She maneuvered the dress onto the dummy and rotated it.

"Kyoko has a medium tan, so I went with a pale yellow to highlight her skin tone. She is using cherry blossoms in her wedding along with pink and yellow tulips since she and Randy met in Holland." Penny sat back and allowed them to see the dress. "It is a furisode kimono with long floor length sleeves, an attached collar, and with an appliqué of pink blossoms along the hem and up one side. The obi is striped gold and fuchsia. Her head piece and footwear are being made by her grandmother in the same pale yellow. It's a tradition in her family for an older female to make those by hand."

"That is so beautiful," Anya said softly. "I especially love the sash." Bernadette nodded her agreement.

Sheldon looked at Penny and frowned. "A furisode kimono is not a traditional wedding style."

Penny nodded. "I know, but it's what Kyoko wants. She also insisted on the attached collar."

Sheldon nodded. "Then I agree. It is very lovely. You have a great talent, Penny." He lightly brushed her hair back on one side and smiled. He was pleased to see a faint blush creep up her neck.

Howard handed her back her camera. "I'll buy you a new card. I'm burning this one!"

Penny laughed and picked up her laptop. "How about I pay for your next three meals. Forgive me then?"

Howard grinned. "Deal. But I'm still burning the card."

Penny laughed as she left the apartment. She met Sheldon's eyes as she turned to close the door behind her, and she blushed again. Sheldon turned and walked to the couch to hide his expression of hope.

He knew he was playing a risky game. The longer he waited, the more likely it was that she would begin dating someone. It had been over 16 months now since Amy. Penny hadn't dated anyone more than once in all that time. But lately, Penny had begun to go out more often. At first only every other Friday. But then she went the last two and she was going out again tonight. Sheldon was pleased with the progress he had made. He had pushed himself outside his comfort zone enough to where he and Penny now hugged or touched regularly. He had gotten good at finding ways of coming into physical contact with her anatomy. Which he did often. Hips pressed together on the couch, touches to draw her attention, brushing her hair back from her face, even laying his arm across her shoulders so she could lean against him on the couch.

He took every opportunity that presented itself (and a few he had manipulated) to remind her he was a man, not just her friend. The copy of Maxim he bought specifically to leave in his mailbox so she could see him collect it. Her eyebrows had shot up at that. The woman at the grocery store who had flirted with him, giving him a chance to lightly flirt back. The chaste kisses when they parted company at night were helping. Those usually made her study him carefully, and she often blushed at whatever she was thinking of. By far, the best indication of Penny's growing interest was the evening they had been returning from the laundry room and she had stumbled. He had caught her up against his chest and held her to him tightly. Penny had relaxed and leaned back into his body for a second before pulling away. Her breathing had sped up and her pupils had dilated.

Sheldon checked his watch one more time and headed across the hall. Then he knocked nine times, called her name three, and waited. Time to take the biggest chance of all so far.