I am SO sorry for the wait, and I'm sure you are all sick of hearing that. Well, here's the next chapter. It's short, but I hope you all enjoy! :)

Chapter 19

"Ah, Doctor Cooper, you're early." Dominik Mueller greeted him the moment he stepped foot into the science building of the university. There were several students scattered through out the hallway when Dr. Mueller had greeted him, and now, they were looking at him in wide-eyed wonder. Sheldon immediately felt smug. They obviously knew who he was and knew of his numerous achievements back in California.

Just as quick as that feeling of smugness came to him, it was gone. Glancing at a pair of students to his left, he saw that they were whispering to one another. What if they didn't know him for his achievements, but of his failure? His one failure.

"Is he the one who...?"

"Doctor Cooper didn't he...?"

"Didn't he go to the...?"

"I heard that one of his experiments..."

As he walked up to where Dominik stood, Sheldon caught snatches of different conversations and quickened his steps. They had to be talking about the Arctic Incident. Why else would they be whispering? Why else would they not say his praises aloud, if that was what they were whispering amongst themselves? His ears burned with embarrassment, but he would not let it show that these people were getting to him.

"Good morning, Doctor Mueller," he greeted and ignored the whispers behind him. They may know him for his failure, but once he spoke to them, they would realize how brilliant he was.

"I'm glad you're early, Sheldon." Dominik ushered him into an office, which looked to be his, and gestured for him to take a seat. Now that they were no longer among the students, Mueller used Sheldon's first name. "I want to go over your schedule for the week before I send you to your first lecture of the day."

"All right." Sheldon lifted his messenger bag over his head and set it next to his feet. He had already memorized the schedule his old professor had given him last night, but it didn't hurt to look it over, again.

When Dr. Mueller settled in his seat, he took out a pair of reading glasses from one of the drawers in his desk and turned the sheet of paper in front of him around so that Sheldon could see it from where he sat. "You'll be having your first lecture in about..." He looked at his watch. "Twenty minutes. Its located in room 115, which is just done the hall a bit. The class is relatively small, with only about thirty students, and they are all eager to hear you speak, Sheldon." He looked over the tops of his glasses and smiled. "Each lecture will last about two hours, which you already know. You will have three of them today, and all in the same classroom."

Sheldon nodded, already knowing everything the other man was telling him, but had large respect for his former professor, and didn't say anything.

"You will have two lectures before your lunch break at 12:45, and then, at 2:15, you will have your last lecture of the day." Dominik sat back in his chair and took off his glasses. "Tomorrow, will only have two lectures, and they will happen before lunch. So, you will have the rest of the day to spend time with your beautiful Penny."

Sheldon's mouth went dry at the mention of Penny, especially the mention that Penny was his. "Excuse me, sir, but Penny is just my friend."

"A female friend that you brought to Europe with you, hmm?" Sheldon wasn't good at reading people's facial expressions, but he saw something in his friend's eyes that he wasn't he liked. It was almost as if he knew something that Sheldon didn't. Doctor Dominik Mueller may have been his professor when he was much younger, but he knew he suppressed the man, now, in intelligence. So, admitting that the man knew more than him on something was quite distressing.

"Yes, that is exactly what she is. If you must know, Doctor. I used a completely fair way to decide which of my friends would accompany me here, and it just so happens that Penny was chosen." He hoped that when his face twitched at the lie, Dominik didn't know that was the way to tell that Sheldon had said an untruth.

"I see, Sheldon. Did you know that Ms. Penny and I have met before?"

"Yes, she was the one to tell me of your first meeting back at CalTech." Sheldon's brain tried to work out why he had asked him that question, but despite his vast intelligence, he could not.

"Well, she told me something that day, something I'm sure you would like to know." Dr. Mueller leaned forward and placed his elbows on his desk. "You see, she told me that she was in l-" He was interrupted by an annoying beeping coming from his wrist.

Sheldon had been listening so intently, to what the other man was saying, that when Dominik's watch started to beep, he jumped in his chair.

"It looks like you haven't to be at your classroom in five minutes." He pushed a button and the beeping stopped. "I set an alarm just in case I talked too much, and made you late." He stood from his desk and walked around to the door. "Come along. We'll speak of Penny, later, but right now, you have some work to do."

Penny woke up at around eleven. It didn't matter that she was in a foreign country that offered many sights to see, she was still going to sleep in. Stretching, she slid out of bed and made a beeline for the bathroom. She would take a shower, order some lunch and then, head out to do a bit of sightseeing and shopping. Ever since Sheldon had mentioned going to Germany, she had started saving up money so that if she were chosen to go, then she would have some to spend on souvenirs.

After her shower, she ordered her lunch, which was delivered to her room, but before she could partake in her meal, her phone rang. Picking it up from its place on the table, Penny looked at it and groaned. Leonard. "Hello?" She answered.

"Uh, hey, Penny. It's Leonard." Even half a world away, she would know that nasally voice, anywhere.

"I know. I looked at my phone before answering." Leaning back on the couch, she used her chin and shoulder to hold the phone in place and finally, dug into her lunch.

"Oh, okay. Well, how are you?"

"I'm good. I'm eating lunch, right now, and Sheldon's at the University for his first lecture." Which reminded her, she hadn't texted him good luck, yet. As soon as she got off the phone with Leonard, she would do just that, even though she knew he would be done with at least one of his lectures.

"So, are you ready to come home, yet?" Leonard chuckled.

Penny set down her food and gripped the phone in her hand, not liking the way he had sounded. "What do you mean, Leonard? I told you, I was fine. Why would I want to go home?" She knew his answer even before he said it.

"W-Well, I thought Sheldon was driving you crazy, and you'd be ready to hop on the first place back to California."

"You know what, Leonard? Sheldon and I are having loads of fun here, and he hasn't irritated me once, which is more than I can say for you, right now." Her phone creaked in her hand as she squeezed it tightly.

"Uh, I'm sorry, Penny. I just-"

"Isn't it like almost three in the morning there, Leonard? Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"I, uh, I just wanted to talk wi-"

"Goodnight, Leonard." She hung up.

It wasn't until Penny was dressed and walking down the street to the shopping district when she remembered to text Sheldon.

I know this is late, sweetie, but good luck today! :)

His reply was almost immediately. You are very late, Penny, as I am preparing for my last lecture of the day. I am assuming you slept in, then.

You are correct, Moonpie! ;)

If I did not have to stand in front of room full of students, soon, Penny, I would lecture you about calling me Moonpie when I have asked you repeatedly not to.

Sorry! Can't help it.

I see. Well, Penny I must go. I should return to the hotel around 4:45. Would you like to go out for dinner this evening?

Sure, that sounds great! :)

Good. I'll see you, then. Goodbye, Penny.

Bye, Sheldon!

It must have been fate, because the moment Penny's eyes left her phone, they landed on a shop window that displayed a dress that she knew she just had to have. It would be perfect for their dinner late that evening. Sheldon would probably dress casually, but Penny wanted to look beautiful for him.

I hope you all are having a great new year so far, and thank you for taking the time to read this! I really appreciate it! :)