Penny looked up as Sheldon walked into the laundry room. She watched him separate his clothes and start the machines. Then he turned to look at her with a small smile. She raised a hand and beckoned him closer. He walked over and placed his hands on either side of her legs and pressed his head into the side of her neck. Penny's arms moved around him and she sighed.

"Sheldon, what are we doing?" she asked softly.

He kissed her neck lightly and raised his head. "Shifting our friendship into something deeper. We care a great deal about each other. We are physically attracted to each other. We are forming a newer, stronger bond between us."

She searched his eyes and cupped his jaw in her hands. "Is this just an experiment?"

Sheldon gripped her arms. "No! Penny, maybe it's too soon, but you know me. You know I abhor lying. You know I am always completely honest with you." He kissed her gently. "I love you, Penny. I have for so long. I waited as long as I dared. I know you don't love me like that. Not yet. But please, just give me a chance. That's all I ask."

Penny's eyes were wide when he finished. For several seconds she was silent. Sheldon's nerves were becoming more and more frayed. Her voice was a mere whisper. "You love me?"

Sheldon nodded. "For over a year now."

Penny's hands moved from his back, down his arms, to his hands. "Sheldon, I…" Her voice broke and she looked down.

Sheldon released one of her hands and tilted her chin up to look at him. "Penny, I am not asking you for a declaration of love. I am only asking for a chance to date you. Be with you. Show you how good we could be together."

Penny wove her left fingers in his right ones. "Sheldon, no one in my life means as much to me as you do. Maybe even more than my family. I don't know if I do or could love you. But I know I want… no, I need to find out. I want to be with you. From the very first day, when you came into the store alone, I knew there was something about you that I found intriguing. Every conversation, every argument, every joke and prank between us has brought us closer. I'm scared of how much you mean to me. Because you could hurt me so deeply. If this goes bad, it would kill a large part of me, Sheldon."

Sheldon looked at her devotedly. "Penny, hurting you would destroy me, too."

Penny was silent for a couple of minutes. Then she stretched up and gave him a soft kiss. "BMG, wanna be my boyfriend?"

He sagged with relief and wrapped his arm around her tight. "Oh, yes, Penny. Very much so."

Sunday morning, Leonard trudged up the stairs and let himself into the apartment. He had went to a rehearsal for the quartet last night. Afterwards he and the others had hit a bar downtown. 6 or 7 drinks later, he had went home with Leslie. Now he was tired, hung over and smelled like sweat. It was almost noon and all he wanted was a shower and a nap.

He walked into the apartment and froze. Penny and Sheldon were stretched out on the couch, arms around each other as they napped. Star Wars: A New Hope was just ending. He cleared his throat, but got no response, so he did it again louder. Penny mumbled in her sleep and snuggled deeper into Sheldon's embrace. A knock on the door distracted him, and he opened it up. Howard, Raj, Bernadette and Anya walked into the living room and stopped.

"Whoa," Howard said softly.

Leonard glared at him and walked over to the couch. "Ahem!"

Penny jerked awake and fell off the couch, pulling Sheldon down with her. He blinked down at her sleepily and sat up. He looked up at Leonard and then over at the others. Sheldon sighed, knowing the next few minutes were going to be awkward and filled with heavy accusations. He moved back onto the couch and pulled Penny up beside him.

"Comfy?" Howard teased. Bernadette elbowed him and nodded her head toward Leonard. Raj pulled Anya to the kitchen and Bernadette pulled Howard over to the couch. Penny slipped over onto Sheldon's lap to give them room and laid her head on his chest. She yawned as Sheldon's arms encircled her.

"I am now," Penny smiled.

Sheldon blushed slightly and kissed her cheek. "Minx."

Leonard's voice was taut with anger. "Want to catch me up?" he asked through clenched teeth.

Sheldon started to speak but Penny spoke first. "Sheldon came to see me on Friday. We spoke a little about our mutual attraction to each other. Last night in the laundry room, we talked about the possibility of our dating, and decided we really care about each other, and want to pursue this. We are dating. A couple."

"Sheldon?" Leonard laughed condescendingly. "You're going to date Sheldon 'I'm above emotions' Cooper?"

Sheldon watched Penny's eyes narrow and her lips thin out. Only once before had he seen that look. Luckily this time it wasn't focused on him. He could almost feel the anger rolling off her. Sheldon reached up and turned her to him. He kissed her softly, and after a couple of seconds, she relaxed into him. Her arms snaked around his neck and he smiled against her lips.

He didn't take his eyes off Penny as he pulled out of the kiss. "Leonard, this is really none of your business. This is strictly between Penny and myself."

Penny laid her head on his shoulder and watched the angry flush rise in Leonard's cheeks. Why was he so upset? She would have thought he would be happy for his friends.

"I can't believe you would do this to me," Leonard hissed to his roommate.

Penny stiffened and realization hit. "Leonard, why do you like me?"

He looked at her with startled eyes. "What?"

Penny sat up straight and faced him. "What is it you like about me?"

Leonard moved closer. Maybe she would see sense if he explained. "You're like an angel," he said confidently. "Beautiful, exquisite. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen and I love you."

Penny turned to Sheldon. "Tell me again what you said this morning. About what you like about me."

Sheldon rubbed her arms lightly. "You are confident, talented, and kind. You challenge me. You are strong willed and determined. And you're kind of cute," he repeated.

Penny smiled and turned back to Leonard. "Do you see the difference?" Leonard looked confused so she elaborated. "I asked you what you liked about me, and immediately you focus on my physical appearance. I ask Sheldon and he focused on me. Who I am, on the inside. You think you love me, but you don't, Leonard. Not really. You are attracted to my looks, not to me. There's a difference. I'm not the girl for you. And if you are honest with yourself, you'll see it yourself."

Leonard deflated suddenly. Was she right? Had he focused solely on her looks? No, he wasn't that shallow!

Penny sighed. "Leonard, what's my favorite color? My favorite food? Movie? Band? My age? Do you actually know anything about me?"

He opened his mouth but snapped it closed again quickly. He didn't know any of that.

"Her favorite color is purple," Howard said.

"Pizza with olives, mushrooms, yellow peppers and beef," Anya said.

"Harvey with Jimmy Stewart," Sheldon said softly.

"Her favorite band is My Darkest Days," Bernadette said with a grin. She had introduced Penny to their music.

"25 years old," Raj said.

Leonard looked at Penny and felt as if he was seeing her for the first time. He shifted his gaze to Sheldon who was looking at Penny as if the answers to every mystery in the universe were hidden in her eyes. His shoulders slumped as he faced the truth. He really was that shallow.

"Leonard," Penny said softly. "I'm still your friend. You're a good guy. You just need to learn to look beyond the physical. You know, you have someone who loves you. You just don't realize it. Why do you think Leslie keeps coming back?"

Leonard felt shocked at the notion. Was she right? "You think she loves me?"

Penny nodded. "For all her abrasiveness towards everyone else, she's never treated you that way. With you, she is gentler, nicer. Think about it. Get some sleep, cause you look like hell, but then really think about what you want. You just might be surprised by the answer."

Slowly, Leonard made his way back to his bedroom. He had a lot to consider.