Chapter 26

Penny was laying on her couch, watching 'Top Model' and was trying to figure out her next step.

It was a week after the Fabio 'adventure' and she wasn't any closer to figuring out what to do. 'This keeps getting harder and harder' Penny reflected as she considered her options. She could continue down the Fabio road but it was proving to be more and more arduous. She attempted to talk to Sheldon about it a few days after the incident and Fabio immediately rose to the forefront. After chastising her, he immediately went back and Sheldon continued talking as if there had been no interruption.

Sighing, she pressed her face further into the pillow. 'Why do I care so much? Sure I really lo..like! I like Sheldon. But where will this leave us afterwards. Will he know about the alters? Will he be jaded from knowing what they are protecting him from?' The idea of that innocent light in Sheldon's eyes being snuffed out by the cruelty of the fate he'd be dealt made Penny shiver. 'Well that's one reason for doing it. I need a sign! Ugh, but..' her train of thought was derailed when she heard three successive knocks followed by a demanding "Penny?".

"Ask and you shall receive" Penny chuckled to herself as she hauled herself up from her couch.

Waiting for him to finish his second set of knocks, Penny opened the door. Sheldon's face lit up and he smiled shyly at her when his eyes met hers. This helped strength her resolve while her heart melted a little more.

"Penny, I would like to put forward a suggestion of a venture we could partake in together. I understand that you may have prior engagements but if you are otherwise unattached for the day, I have an undertaking that I think you will find most entertaining." Sheldon asked, hopefulness shining brightly in his eyes. Penny knew there would be no way that she could say no to those puppy dog eyes.

"What do you have in mind?"

Two hours later, Penny found herself trying to hit a tiny pink golf ball past a windmill. Sheldon had pointed out to her that they never went to putt-putt golf like they said they would. Penny had to wrack her brain to remember the incident with the grocery store, and Sheldon going off the deep-end before she remembered the promise to go miniature golfing with him.

So here they were, standing at the last hole of the putt-putt course. They were tied at the moment and the last hole was the deciding factor. Sheldon had made it in two hits. Penny had to make it in one to beat him and earn bragging rights.

"Penny. You are not positioning yourself correctly. Putt-Putt is all about using angles for your benefit." Sliding up behind Penny, Sheldon positioned her arms at a more intense angle. He continued to babble on about different kinds of techniques that she should be utilizing, and how to adjust to the wind, but all Penny could think about was the warm, Sheldon-body that was pressed up against hers. Her cheeks flushed at the full on body contact that Sheldon himself initiated.

'Might as well go with it' Penny thought before lightly pushing her body back against Sheldon. His whole body stiffened for a moment before he relaxed into the closer contact. Putting his lips oh-so-close to her ear, he uttered "It's now or never, Penny."

Penny's eyes widened at the words. She didn't even notice that Sheldon had moved her arms to knock against the ball causing it to speed off towards the windmill. She watched with trepidation as the ball made it through harrowing turns, off crazy against, and past mind-numbing obstacles to come to the end. The ball started to slow down before it was eventually crawling towards the final hole. Just as the ball teetered against the rim of the cup, unsure of whether or not it should go into the hole or not, Sheldon did the unexpected. He stomped his foot down. Stomped his foot hard enough to knock the ball into the hole.

"Wow." Penny murmured to herself. If there was ever a sign that she needed, then this was one of divine inspiration. Who would have thought that she would find the answer to her question at a Putt-Putt Golf Course?

Sheldon let go of Penny, a small smile gracing his features, and he started to make his way over to retrieve their golf balls. He started babbling about the origins of golf and the evolution into mini golf, but Penny was only half listening. She was finally motivated again to continue on her vendetta to fix Sheldon.

Coming up to Sheldon, she slipped her hand in his and leaned up to press a kiss on his cheek. Sheldon moved his head enough that their lips pressed against one another's. 'Well, he is full of all sorts of surprises today' Penny mused as she enjoyed the simple kiss.

Sheldon, unsurprisingly, was the first to pull back from the kiss. Surprisingly, however, he pecked her lips one more time before continuing on his ramble about the merits miniature golf posed to a person's mental and physical well-being.

They were walking back to the car when Sheldon stopped and looked down at Penny with assessing eyes. She waited for him to finish processing whatever question was working his way through his beautiful mind.

"Penny, have you seen the stars since you left Omaha?" Sheldon asked her, head cocked slightly to the side. Penny laughed lightly at the randomness of the question.

"Unfortunately, no. There are two many lights to truly appreciate them. Why?"

"Well, I found that one of the things I missed most about leaving Texas was the ability to look up at the stars and find constellations. Something familiar that you can always come back to, no matter where you are. The positions maybe different, but the stars are always the same. If you are not otherwise occupied, and I assume that you are not, I would like to take you to see the stars."

"Don't you mean I'll take us to the see the stars. You can't drive." Penny teased.

"A mere technicality" Sheldon responded while pulling his phone out. "As you are making jokes, I'll assume that you are in agreement with this idea. I will call my acquaintance from the observatory that is just outside of town. If we go now, we will make it with ample time to watch the stars move across the sky tonight."

Without wavering, Sheldon grabbed Penny's hand and started to pull their way back to the car. Penny giggled and matched her steps with his.

It had been years since a boy just wanted to go and look at the stars with her. Look at the stars. No ulterior motives to get in pants. No cushioning a blow for some tough news. Just a spontaneous suggestion, made on the idea that Penny missed the stars like Sheldon himself did. He was willing to share a bit about himself with her. Share that he got homesick. Share that he likes to just look at the stars.

'Sheldon Cooper. I'm going to fix you if it is the last thing I do. No stupid alters are going to ruin this.' Penny decided, as she laid her head against Sheldon's arm as they continued down the sidewalk.

***** I'm so sorry! I had this huge paper due. Like half of my final grade huge. However, after next week, I am fully devoted to putting out more chapters. Not only of this story, but of my other ones as well. My other BBT, plus ST, have been feeling neglected. This story is my baby and demands to be written first. I hope y'all enjoy the chapter. I felt that Penny needed more resolve with her vendetta. Let me know what you all think. As always my beloved readers, Much Love!****