A/N Sorry for the little wait, but hopefully this is worth it and it's a little longer than normal.

Enjoy!

Chapter 5

…And as it flew it rained down darkness upon the land. [1].

Penny flipped the page to find, to her surprise, that she was at the end of book one of the book she now held in her hand. Glancing at her phone, she found that it had only been an hour and a half since she had started the book and now she was more than halfway through.

Saying she was proud of herself would have been an understatement. She could not remember the last time she had finished a novel, probably not since high school. Even then, doing more than skim the pages was something she rarely did. She had been more concerned with boys, friends and parties back then.

Sheldon would be happy that she seemed to take a liking to one of his science-y books.

Speaking of Sheldon, he was still statue-like in front of his board when she last checked up on him. That had been about an hour or so ago. She hadn't heard anything from his side of the office; looking at him now she had to stifle a giggle. He was now sitting at his desk, head buried in his arms, fast asleep.

And he had tried to tell her he didn't need his sleep; that little liar.

"Sheldon, honey. Wake up." She gently shook his shoulder.

His head jerked up, eyes now wide open. "Danger, danger!" He cried, looking around him wildly. His eyes finally landed on Penny and started to focus.

"Yes, Penny?"

She couldn't help but smile at his slightly confused look. "Sweetie, I think it's time we head home."

Looking longingly at his white board, with the numerous equations covering it, he decided it would be best if he listened to Penny and agreed to leave with her.

She grabbed her purse and looked at him. "Can I borrow this?" She held up the book she was reading.

He looked at her with surprise. "Ah, War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells. I'm surprised, Penny, that you have taken a liking to it."

She shrugged. "I know it's not a Cosmo magazine; I think it's interesting so far."

He followed her out the door, closing and locking it behind him. "I suppose you have seen the most recent film of the same name."

"Yup." And to get a raise out of him, she added. "Tom Cruise was pretty hot in that one."

A smile of triumph lit up her face when she heard him sigh in annoyance. Sometimes it was just too easy.

"I hope you are aware," he was now walking alongside her, one arm hanging by his side and the other clutching the strap of his messenger bag. "That that movie is only loosely based off the book."

"Oh damn, and here I was thinking that this was the novel adaptation of the movie; no wonder Dakota Fanning wasn't on the cover." She glared at him. "I'm not stupid, Sheldon."

He hmphed. "I never said you were."

Their fingers brushed as they walked, and she wondered, for a fleeting second, how he would react if she just grabbed his hand.

The thought made her heart beat faster and she slowed her pace so she remained a half-step behind. He hadn't seemed to notice and they continued in silence.

When they reached her car her phone began to vibrate with an incoming call. In her haste to answer it, she almost dropped it.

She cursed her shaking hands. She didn't know why she why she was so nervous. Okay, she did. While they had walked in silence through the hallways of the science department, her mind began to wonder. To say most of her thoughts were about Sheldon would be an understatement, because all her thoughts were about him.

After they had brushed hands she began to think about him touching her. Kissing her. She had never thought these things about Sheldon before. It was Sheldon for crying out loud! She would look at him as they walked and whenever his gaze met hers she quickly skirted her eyes away. She felt like a teenager with a crash and was now trying to sneak glances at him from across the room.

All she wanted to do was get home and lay down.

But first she had to answer her phone. It was Leonard.

"Hey, Leonard." She tried to blindly place her key in the lock on her car door as she adjusted her phone on her shoulder; after the third try she gave up and looked down.

The whole time Sheldon stood patiently by the passenger door. A first for him. And if parking in his spot bothered him; he didn't say anything. In fact he was being oddly silent as well.

She couldn't dwell on him though Leonard had begun speaking.

"Oh, hey Penny. I, uh, we were just wondering if you've managed to drag Sheldon kicking and screaming out of his office yet?"

She rolled her eyes. "He actually came willingly. He's tired and hungry; hopefully you have the food ready."

Sheldon was looking at her; knowing she had been talking about him. He still said nothing though.

"Yea, I just sent Howard and Raj to go and pick it up."

'Okay, cool. See you when we get back."

"Okay, bye."

After hanging up with Leonard, she placed her phone back in her purse and started her car. She glanced at Sheldon, sitting silently in his chair and decided to try and make conversation.

"I hope you don't mind that I parked in your spot."

"Of course not, Penny. I don't use it and if you plan on bothering me at work again then you can park there."

When he said the last part he didn't sound like he was annoyed, like Penny thought he would. She glanced at him briefly; did he not mind that she visited him at work? Did he like that she had?

Her heart began to beat just a little bit faster and she had to quickly shake those thoughts away. Come on, Penny. Stop being desperate for any sign that he might like you.

"So, should I get use to your visits, Penny? Should we make a routine of it?"

Was it her imagination but did he sound hopeful?

"Hmm, I don't know about a routine. How about when I feel like visiting you I will."

"Penny, you can hardly just show up at my place of work whenever you feel like it!" He looked appalled.

"How about I call before I stop by?" If I remember too.

He nodded slowly, thinking about it. "All right. That's acceptable."

She beamed.

They arrived at their apartment building the same time Howard and Raj returned with the food. Raj waved at them and Howard looked like he was going to say something inappropriate to her but Raj grabbed his arm and dragged him inside.

Raj was such a sweetheart; when he was sober. Drunk was another story.

"I hope they got my order right." He had walked up right beside her and she hadn't noticed.

"I'm sure they did. I mean, you order the same thing every week."

"I would like to believe you, Penny." He held open the door for her; she smiled her thanks. "But you are the only person I can trust to get my food order correct."

"Aw, sweetie." She looked at him over her shoulder as they ascended the stairs. "It's probably because I'm your waitress."

"No." He seemed thoughtful. "I think it's because you are the only person that seems to care if they do or do not get my order right." Instead of looking at her, he watched his feet.

This was something to dwell on. Leonard had been his roommate a couple years before she had met them and he still got his order wrong; her first time she got everything right, down to the soy sauce. Did that mean she cared more? It was just food after all.

"I just know how peculiar you are about your food." She stood outside 4A and waited for Sheldon to get his key out.

"Yes, I suppose. But Leonard knows that too."

He just doesn't care.

They opened the door just as Howard, Leonard and Raj sorted out the takeout on the little coffee table in front of them.

"Hey, guys!" Leonard peered over his glasses and smiled at them; well, it directed more at her.

"Hello, Leonard. Howard. Raj." Sheldon greeted each one and then went to his desk to drop off his bag.

Penny went straight to the middle cushion. Her Spot.

Grabbing her Chinese container, she immediately began to dig in.

'So, what are you guys watching?"

Leonard looked sheepish as he talked. "Well, we didn't know when you guys would be back so we started season one of Babylon 5."

They all turned their heads when they heard Sheldon's groan from the kitchen. Leonard rolled his eyes and continued.

"We're about to watch the sixth episode. "

"Interesting." She said this in a tone; indicating it actually wasn't interesting. Well, if this was what her boys wanted to watch she supposed she could stay. Her limit was one episode, though, any more she would probably fall asleep in her food.

Some of the stuff the guys watched was interesting; others…were not. And she had to agree with Sheldon on this one; this was one of the things that were not.

Sheldon walked over, instead of sitting at His Spot, he grabbed his food and headed toward his room. Neither of the guys gave him a second look, but she got up and followed him.

"What's wrong? Don't you want to eat out here?"

"Penny." He sighed. "I'd rather not sit through and watch that drivel; so I'm going to eat in my room."

Well, she didn't want to watch it either. If Sheldon wasn't, then neither was she.

"Um, do you want to come over to my place and eat? We can watch a movie or something."

It took him a moment to think things over; glancing at the door to his room and at the door to the hallway.

"What movie do you have in mind? If it's The Lake House then I would rather spend the duration of my meal in my room."

"It won't be that, I promise. I don't know what we can watch." She shrugged. "We can figure that out when we get there."

Actually she already had a movie in mind and she had to turn and head for the doorway to hide her smirk.

He followed after; ignoring the looks the guys were now giving them.

She opened her apartment door, glad that she had thought to clean it during the week. It also helped that she had hardly been in it for the past; either she was working or she was next door.

Looking at Sheldon and gauged his reaction; he looked pleased. This time she didn't hide her smirk.

"Okay, have a seat." She went to the fridge, grabbed two bottles of water (AND she had gone shopping recently; Penny Dixon for the win!) and set one in front of him.

She went in her room and came back out; a movie in her hand.

"How about some aliens and Tom Cruise?" She showed him the cover; smiling as he rolled his eyes.

"I know it's not like the book but it still scares the crap out of me. I went to see it in the theatres with a friend in Nebraska and I swear I almost started crying."

Once again he rolled his eyes. "Penny, you do know that no part of this movie is real."

"Yes, Sheldon, I know." It was her turn for an eye roll. "If you don't want to watch it, we don't have too."

"Yes, I know it is no where near what the splendid H.G. Wells wrote I do not dislike the movie and I quite enjoy the visual effects and acting is average; though that little girl's screams irritate me."

"You and me both. Now," Hand on her hip, she gave him a pointed look. "Is that a yes?"

"Yes."

"Good." She slid the DVD in the player and took her spot back on the couch; next to Sheldon. "Oh, and when we're done eating I'm turning the lights off."

"I presume so you can reenact how you first viewed the film."

"Hell, yes."

[1]- War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells.

A/N Well, it's going to be moving along a little faster now and I can clearly visualize the next chapter so hopefully you won't have long to wait for that one.

So I gave Penny a last name and I don't know if many of you recognize it (yes, I did get it from another show). Daryl Dixon from the Walking Dead. I think it fits, right?

And the little story Penny says about going to see War of the Worlds and almost crying; well that was based off me. My sister, dad and I went to go see it and I'm not afraid to admit that it almost had me in tears (Hey, I was only 12!) but I love that movie and whenever I watch it I make sure I do in total darkness. (I do the same with the Jurassic Park movies, but that's for another time and place to talk about.)

Also, I have a question: Babylon 5 is the TV show that Sheldon hates, right? I will feel totally stupid if it's not. And do you think that Sheldon and the gang would watch The Walking Dead(it's about zombies) or Falling Skies(aliens)? This isn't necessarily for my story I'm just curious. Well, actually I may use it as a bonding moment for Sheldon and Penny. (Maybe they could bond over their like of The Walking Dead and have marathons and such. I say Walking Dead instead of Falling Skies cuz I like the TWD and not so much Falling Skies.) But what do you all think? You can either say it in a review or PM me!

(Sorry about mentioning The Walking Dead so much [This is more so for my other story] but I'm hooked!)

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and leave me some awesome reviews!