I am so sorry for the wait and have no excuse, except for the fact that I haven't been feeling this story at all, lately. I also want to apologize for the length of this chapter, but it's something to help get me going on the rest of this story. I hope. Well, I hope you all enjoy! :)

Chapter 16

Penny wondered if it was too late to escape back to her and Sheldon's suite. She liked Dr. Mueller, he was a nice man that didn't treat Sheldon as if he was crazy, but she didn't know how she felt about him trying to be a matchmaker. She was perfectly capable of getting to fall for her... right? Yeah, she got it. She'd totally be able to woo Sheldon.

Who was she kidding? She was going to need all the help she could get.

"Is this spot all right?" Dr. Mueller asked for the hostess and broke Penny out of her thoughts of a certain blue-eyed physicist. Sheldon said yes and looked at Penny, waiting for her answer.

The table was by a window and they had a nice view of the street and the people that walked by. "It's perfect," she answered and sat down. Being in Europe was becoming even more real as she looked out the window to people watch.

A waitress came by their table a few minutes later to place a glass of water in front of them and to hand them their menus. Penny realizes that everything was in German, but fortunately, there were pictures by most of them. It would have taken her forever to take out her dictionary and figure out what each item was.

Many of the choices had sauerkraut with it and she wrinkled her nose in disgust. She had never liked the stuff and hoped there was something that was doused in it.

"What will you be getting, my dear?" Dr. Mueller asked. When she looked up, she saw that he and Sheldon both had placed their menus down and seemed to be ready to order.

"Um..." She quickly scanned the menu but came up with nothing. "I don't know. What are you getting?"

"I'm getting the Schnitzel," Dominik answered.

"Oh, like Weiner schnitzel, right?" That sounded familiar to Penny.

"Careful, though. If you tell the waitress you wish to have that, then you will get it out of veal."

"Baby cow?" Penny frowned. Both Sheldon and Dominik nodded.

"However, the schnitzel wiener is made of pork and that is what I am getting."

"I think I'll get that, too." She pointed a finger at both men. "But if I say it the baby cow way, one of you better stop me." She put some menace in her voice and was satisfied with both men's eyes widened slightly and they nodded. With a satisfied grin, Penny looked at Sheldon and said, sweetly. "What are you getting, Moonpie?"

Sheldon glared at her, but choose not to say anything about the use of his Meemaw's nickname. Instead, he cleared his throat and answered, "I will be getting the Kasespatzle. It was one of my favorite German dishes from when I was here when I was younger. It is like macaroni and cheese, but served with roasted onions."

"Oh, that sounds good," Penny said. "I may have to try that sometime."

"It is quite good and I know of a place on the other side of town that serves the best Kasespatzle, well in my opinion anyway." Dr. Mueller spoke up. "I will have to take you both there sometime."

"I'd like that," Sheldon responded.
"I would like that, too," Penny said with a smile. She was really liking this Dr. Mueller.

Later, after they had finished their meal and the plate cleared away, Dominik had to go his separate ways from Penny and Sheldon, saying he had things to do at the University and reminded Sheldon that he would see him the next day.

Penny looked up at her tall friend. "Soooo," she drew the word. "Now, what?" Earlier, she had felt tired and had wanted nothing more to go back to the hotel and her bed, but now, she felt wide-awake and wanted to do something.

"There are quite a few things we can do, Penny." Reaching into his bag, Sheldon pulled out a tourist guidebook, which Penny had no idea he had but wasn't surprised to see in his hand.

"Like what?"

"Well, we can always walk through the square and 'window shop', as you call it. There is also the Heidelberg Castle that we can visit."

"Ohh!" Penny did a little giddy dance. "A castle? Let's go!" She went to grab his arm, but he held up a long finger.

"Just wait a moment, Penny. I have actually designated a day this week for us to take a visit there."

"Oh," she said, slightly disappointed. She had wanted to go see the castle, now, but at least they were going to see it at some point.

"I'm sorry, Penny," Sheldon apologized. "I really didn't expect to do much sight-seeing today as we have just arrived in the country."

"It's okay, sweetie. We can go to the square you were talking about. It seems like fun. But I'll be looking forward to seeing that Castle!"

Sheldon gave her a smile. "I knew you would. That's why I planned an entire day around it."

Penny's heart started to beat faster. He had planned a day just for her? Usually events like this were all about him and they would only do things he was interested in, but this was showing how much he was changing and making room for her in his life.

"Thank you, Sheldon," Penny said softly. "It really means a lot that you would think of me like that."

Sheldon stood a little straighter, prouder. "You are my best friend, Penny. Of course, I would have your interests in mind when we are here. Also, if you like the trip to the Castle you will love what I have planned for us at the end of our trip."

Her eyes grew wide. "What is it?" Sheldon had something even better planned than visiting a freaking castle?

"I am not good at secrets, Penny, and you know this, but you also know that I am stubborn and I am going to refuse to tell you what it is."

"Fine," Penny pouted and crossed her arms. Sheldon just smirked and slid his guidebook back into his bag, right next to the French dictionary he would be presented Penny with at the end of their trip.

I know it's super slow going, right now, but things will start to pick up in the next few chapters. Hopefully. Thanks for sticking with me this far! :)

Oh, and can any of you guess where they might be going at the end of their trip?

Thanks for reading

*all the information about food I got from a website and if what is said is not true, please let me know and I will fix it!