They arrived at Szechuan Palace, at 8pm sharp. The proprietor, Mr. Chen, was standing by the entrance greeting customers. When he saw Sheldon approaching, in a smart suit, with a beautiful blonde woman on his arm, his face twisted in startled disbelief. "Evening, I believe you have my reservation," Sheldon said.

Mr. Chen didn't reply, he simply motioned for them to follow him inside. Sheldon had reserved the quietest table, in the corner. He pulled out a chair for Penny and she sat down. "Thanks Shelly," she said, affectionately.

Mr. Chen muttered something in Mandarin and placed down the menus.

"Sorry?" Sheldon asked.

"Can I bring you drinks?" he said, removing the 'reserved' sign from the centre of their table.

"White wine for me please," Penny said.

"Okay… and the usual for you, Sir?"

"Yes, thank you."

Penny picked up the menu and began to browse through it. She could feel Sheldon's eyes wandering over her. "Don't you want to choose something," she said.

"I know what I want."

"Of course you do," she said, her lips curling into a smile.

Mr. Chen arrived a few minutes later with a tray. He placed down the glass of wine and a pot of jasmine tea. "Are you ready?" he said, in an abrupt manner.

"We'll just have the usual," Penny said, looking up at Sheldon, who seemed very satisfied with that response.

Mr. Chen shot her an indignant look. "Pff!" he huffed and glided away.

"You know…" she said, "I was thinking earlier, that if Leonard hadn't gone to that symposium. And if you hadn't locked yourself out of the apartment. AND, if I hadn't insisted on us sharing the bed, we wouldn't be here together now."

"Yes, it's a paradigm of causality," he said.

"But don't you think it's amazing?" she said, "We would never have known we were in love." Her green eyes were gleamed brightly.

"It is,' he said, "…and it's no longer necessary for me to cross a hyperspace universe."

Penny looked a little mystified. "You wanted to cross a universe?"

"I often hypothesized that you and I, might be separated from one other, by a single quantum event."

"I don't know what that means, but it sounds romantic," she said, raising her hand to her heart.

"It means, that there was an alternative reality, in which, we could be together."

"You thought about us being together in another reality?" she asked, tenderly.

"Frequently."

Penny thought for a moment. "Do you think there's a universe out there, where we still don't know?"

"Of course." (the show - authors joke :p)

"That's really sad," she said.

"I suppose it is," he said thinking.

Mr. Chen arrived at the table with a very large tray and set down five plates, in front of them. He waited with his arms crossed, as Sheldon picked up his fork and tried a very small mouthful of each. He nodded and put the fork back down. Mr. Chen huffed once more and stomped off.

"He's a charmer!" Penny said. Sheldon wasn't sure what she meant, so he just stuck his fork in a dumpling and began.

She looked at the five plates in front of them. There was a chicken dish, another with beef, a shrimp one, vegetables and dumplings. "This is a lot of food Sheldon, we'll never get through all this."

"This is the usual order."

"You mean, the usual order, when the four of you boys come here together?"

"Yes."

She laughed. "You should have told me, we could have ordered half of this."

"He won't do reductions. I won't do eliminations. Logistically, this is simpler. Besides, I liked that you asked for the usual," he said.

Penny smiled, "I might have to take half of this home with me," she said.

She started on the chicken first. The food was great, even though she had sampled it many times at their apartment. It just seemed much nicer, with a wonderfully dressed Sheldon Cooper sitting opposite her. She took a sip of her wine and watched him delicately choosing the perfect mouthful, his eyes darting around the plates. He looked up suddenly, sensing that he was being observed. "God he's gorgeous," she thought, as the intensity of his eyes overpowered her. Why hadn't I see this before? I must have spent the last six years walking around in a coma.

"Sheldon, why do you think we argued so much over the years?" she asked.

"We didn't argue."

She laughed, "Very funny! You picked at everything."

"I was simply stating facts," he said, "…and you frustrated me. You still do."

"I still do?" she said, flashing him a cheeky look.

"Yes, you're highly illogical, woefully apathetic, obtuse and overly sentimental. It was frustratingly inconceivable, that I might feel…"

He stopped.

"That you might feel…?"

He looked up at her, "A human weakness."

"Such as…?" she asked, teasingly.

His eyes dropped shyly, "Unspeakable burning impulses, a crippling and inescapable affliction."

"You make it sound like a disease."

"I thought it was."

"And now what do you think?"

"That you have consumed me, and now I must do the same to you." He stared at her with a steeled determination. It sent a sudden warm flush, to her skin. The full extent of his exploratory genius had pinpointed its focus and was boring into her soul. For the first time, she saw the raw power behind those eyes, that endless mind coursing towards her. She felt her body tingle with desire. She wanted to be consumed. "Wow…" she simply said, feeling herself blush.

"So, what's in the briefcase?" she asked, desperate for a distraction.

"Oh yes," he said, "Several documents for you to look over, at your leisure."

"Oh, more reading?" she said.

"Yes."

He picked up the case and turned slightly to the right, so he could rest it on his knee. Clicking the locks open, he drew out a familiar looking bound booklet and held it up. It was entitled, 'Coitus and other related activities.'

Penny's eyes widened. "Sheldon put that down!" she whispered, looking around and hoping that no one else had read the bold writing emblazoned across the front.

He gave her a confused look and handed the document across the table.

"What is this for?" she asked.

"It's a list of questions, outlining your erotic requirements."

"My…" he jaw dropped.

"Most require a simple yes or no answer, although some call for further explanation."

"Sheldon!" she said, trying to keep her voice down, "…we don't do things like this."

"Well… how do we do things?"

"We just go with the flow. Leave things to the imagination."

He looked at her, as if he had been slapped. "Penny, I'm a scientist. I do not leave things to the imagination."

"Sweetie, you know this is not a test, right?"

"Well, taking into account the conduct of my peers, I believe it is."

"That's just guy talk. They like to show off to each other. Why don't you do… research… ," she said, quietly.

"Oh I have," he said, gleefully. He clasped his hands together and leaned across the table, whispering, "In atomic physics, the excitation by photon collision with atomic particles, is concerned with the observation of a single atom."

"Not that kind of research!" she hissed.

"What other kind is there?"

Penny just stared at him, "The internet?" she said quietly.

He shook his head, "Penny, Penny, Penny, my hypothesis is sound. Why appraise thousands of unrelated opinions, it is far more prudent to go to the source," he said, gesturing towards the document, "Not unlike atomic physics."

"Oh…' she said.

"So will you complete it?"

"Okay, sure," she said, turning the document face down on the table.

He relaxed and returned to picking away at this food happily. She watched him for a few seconds again. She had to admit; she was more than a little curious about what was in that document. Especially after the way he had just looked at her. Sex was something they had not discussed. What was going on in that whirring brain of his?

"You said there were several documents?"

"Oh yes," he said cheerfully, "I have been working on your 'better life' quest."

"That wasn't a quest, Sheldon. Don't worry about that," she laughed.

"Oh, okay," he said, and poured some jasmine tea into his cup.

Penny paused to think, "Let me see anyway."

He glanced up, smiled and put down his fork. Reaching into his briefcase once more, he brought out a larger stack of pages, "The first component I looked at, was a more fulfilling vocation," he said clicking the briefcase shut.

"Wow, you mean there's a life after waitressing?"

"Yes well, the most obvious solution would be to move up the corporate ladder. Take on a supervisory role, then move into management," he said, handing her a set of pages stapled together.

"Waitressing has a corporate ladder," she laughed, taking the pages from him.

"A managerial course could be completed in the evenings," he said, "Then there's a business plan. You have an interest in shopping, so why not sell the products you like to buy," he said handing her another set.

"Oh…" she said, taking it from him.

"You also expressed a desire to teach. The minimum requirement for a career as a drama teacher, is the completion of a 4-year degree program."

"Four year!" she said.

"Yes, if that is your desire."

"Hang on, hang on…" she said, "how am I supposed to afford a four year break?"

"Well, I'd expect you to marry me, of course."

Penny dropped her fork. It landed with a loud clunk on her plate and the entire room went quiet. She stared back at him, blankly. Did he just ask her to marry him? No. He hadn't asked her, he'd implied. Or would he call that a suggestion? Oh damn! Leonard had asked several times and her immediate reaction was to back off. But this? She wasn't even sure what had just happened.

The conversation around them resumed, and he continued, "I've taken the liberty to obtain the prospectus's from several viable schools within the area. Pasadena City College, offer a splendid bachelor's degree in Theater Arts, which would advance you towards a teaching career. Assuming you would want to work, of course. My mother never did. Although, I must insist on a limit to exorbitant footwear acquisitions."

Oh… My… God, he had!

"Sheldon, please… I can't take all this in."

He stopped abruptly and slowly gathered up the documents from the table. She watched as he carefully placed everything back into the briefcase and clicked it shut. He then smoothed a hand across the front of his hair, even though it was not out of place.

"More wine?" Mr. Chen, had appeared from thin air.

"Yes! … and a glass for the gentleman."

"Penny I don't…"

"I think we both need it."

Mr. Chen brought over another glass. Sheldon picked it up and sipped, taking the tiniest of mouthfuls. When he set it down, she stretched across the table and took his slender hands in hers, "Sheldon, this is all so wonderful" she said, "I'm so touched that you would do all this for me."

"I want you to be happy."

"I am."

She was struck by a sudden truth. One day she was going to give up waitressing. It didn't matter when. He would be there. Whatever she wanted to do, he would be there. Her days had been an endless treadmill, going nowhere. She'd been waiting for her life to start, just like Amy. She remembered the advice she had given her that day. No more waiting! Even though she knew he wasn't fond of hand holding, she squeezed his hands lightly, and said, "I love you so much, Sheldon."

"I love you too," he said softly, "but why are you crying?"

"I'm happy," she said, "and I want to sign the Relationship Agreement now."

"You want to move the date forward?"

"Yes."

"But, we have not completed our courtship. I have yet to serenade you, or battle to protect your honor."

"You can still do all that."

"You want coitus now?"

"No."

"You don't?"

"I mean yes eventually, but this is not about … coitus."

"Oh!"

"This is about you and I, walking into that apartment amongst all our friends and showing everyone, we are a couple. We're together now. No more holding back."

"And Leonard?"

"I'll deal with him."

Not long after, they returned to the apartment building. As they came up the stairs, they heard voices emanating from 4a. Everyone was there. Penny turned to Sheldon and put her arms around his waist. "Now, I'm going to go back to my apartment to fill in your questionnaire. I will drop it by later. Then tomorrow, we sign the Relationship Agreement. Deal?"

"Deal," he said. He then leant down and kissed her. To her surprise, the tip of his tongue brushed against hers for the very first time. She did the same and their kiss began to intensify, sending a charge of electricity through her body.

"That was nice," she said, when they finally parted, "…that was new."

"I'm going with the flow," he said, a little awkwardly.

"Is that so?" she said beaming at him.

She watched, as he removed everything from his briefcase and handed it to her. "I'll see you very soon," she said, taking the documents.

Penny rushed into her apartment, leaving the door ajar. She dropped everything on the coffee table, opened the questionnaire and began to read. She was snickering to herself, when she saw a shape at the open door.

"Sheldon?"

It was Leonard. "It's true, isn't it?" he said.

She looked back at him without answering. Lowering the pen slowly, she placed it down.

"You're in love with Sheldon."

"Yes, it's true."

"He's just come home looking like the cat that's got the cream, at any rate."

"And you guessed."

"I'd already figured it out."

"Oh..."

"Everyone's been trying to tell me. Raj was going on and on, about the rites of courtship and suitable quests. Bernadette has been comparing supersymmetry, to human emotion. And Amy's has been talking, for the last half hour, about someone called, Maureen Pomeroy?"

"Ahh… and Howard?"

"He just looks like he's been hit by a stun gun."

"I'm so sorry," she said.

"I don't understand it, but what can I say?"

"I know it's been hard for everyone to take in."

"Why him?"

"He's what I need."

Leonard sighed and stared at the floor for a minute, "Well, as I said, I don't get. I might never get it. But it's your life and I have no choice but to accept it," he said.

"Thank you," she said.

He pursed his lips, then turned and walked back to 4a.

Penny sat there, staring into space. Her heart was beating like a drum. It was done.