This one is pure whimsy on my part. I wanted Leonard to meet Penny too late to call dibs.

Sheldon Cooper was a genius. He knows it, and so does everyone who stops and spends 5 minutes with him. There isn't much Sheldon doesn't know, understand or quickly figure out. Except people. People confound and surprise him constantly. He has little experience or understanding of the emotional aspect of humanity.

But even he can see she is scared.

Penny Queen was not a genius. She barely finished high school, due to goofing of, and dropped out of college at his insistence. They were going to make it beg in Hollywood. They'd be huge stars and live life in the fast lane. Kurt put dreams in her head, stars in her eyes and, once he got her away from her friends and family, he put a bruise on her hip. And another on her back. And another and another.

She followed him around the store, never looking around, because it was what he taught her to do.

Sheldon knew a thing or two about being scared. He knew the signs of abuse. He knew everything about her. Her name, her age, her favorite flower, her dream of being a writer, her loneliness. He knew it all, because she told it to him. At night, in his dreams. He had always assumed she was a figment of his imagination. He never dared hope she was real.

But there she was, the woman who lived in his dreams.

Penny listened to Kurt tell his buddy he needed a new headboard because the hellcat he had picked up at the bar the night before had broken his. Penny flooded with shame as his buddy looked at her with pity. What was wrong with her? She should be stronger than this! But she wasn't. Not anymore. She had no one here. Only him. And he didn't really exist. Sheldon was a figment of her imagination. She created him in her dreams. Someone to pour her heart out to. To escape to when she was hurting.

Penny closed her eyes tight for a second and once again wished he was real.

He was only 3 feet away when her eyes flickered over to him casually. He heard the sharp intake of breath as she suddenly paused and looked at him again. Her eyes grew wide. He watched as hope blossomed in them. Her lips parted and he smiled encouragingly.

Suddenly there was a wall of flesh blocking his view. "You looking at my girl?!"

Penny pinched her thigh, and jumped. Yes, she was awake. He was here. How was that possible? She stared into his electric blue eyes and he smiled at her. She could barely breath. Her heart was thudding in her chest. Her friend, her confidant, her Sheldon!

"You looking at my girl?!" Kurt's voice was an angry snarl.

Sheldon ignored the growing fear in his chest. He eyed the behemoth before him. "No. I am looking at my girl."

Penny gasped, a combination of fear and hope at Sheldon's answer.

Kurt cracked his knuckles and stepped forward. 'I'm gonna pound you into hamburger."

Sheldon steeled himself for the first punch. It never came. Instead, the Neanderthal's eyes suddenly rolled up in his head and he went to his knees. Sheldon looked him over closely and saw a wiggling pink sneaker clad foot caught between Kurt's thighs. Sheldon watched Penny tug her foot free and land on her bottom. Sheldon hurried around to help her up.

Penny was shocked by her reaction to Kurt's threat. Anger had boiled up in her and exploded. She jerked her foot free and overbalanced. In a second Sheldon was looming over her. He reached down and gently pulled her to her feet. He slowly slid his hand from her elbow to her neck. Penny shivered at the light touch.

"I can't believe your real," she whispered.

Sheldon smiled softly. "I was just thinking the same thing."

"Um, you two might want to be gone before he gets up," a third voice said.

Penny looked at Kurt's buddy and nodded quickly.

Two hours later Sheldon found himself standing in the spare room of the apartment he had lived in for 6 months. Several large garbage bags sat on the floor. He set down the last one and turned to walk back into the living room. Penny was standing by the window, looking out.

She turned to him slowly. "How did we do it?" she asked softly. "How did you and I meet in our dreams?"

Sheldon shrugged. "I don't know. My Meemaw says that some people are just destined for each other."

Penny moved closer. "Do you think we are?"

Sheldon cupped her cheek in his palm. "I am a man of science. I've spent my life unraveling mysteries. For once, I don't care how. I'm just glad it happened."

Penny slipped her arms around his waist and raised up to kiss him shyly. "Me, too. By the way, we need a couch."

Leonard Hofstadter looked up from unpacking a box in his new apartment to see a gorgeous blonde coming up the stairs. He hurried to the door of 4B and watched her approach 4A. "Um, hi. I'm your new neighbor."

The woman turned and smiled faintly. "Oh, hello. I'm Penny. I live in 4A."

He stepped into the hall. "Leonard, Leonard Hofstadter. It nice to meet you."

"Welcome to the building, Leonard," she said.

Leonard felt his pulse speed up. She was beautiful! He was going to love living here! "Um, listen, I was thinking of getting some food. You know, for dinner. If you're not doi…"

The door behind Penny opened and a tall, thin guy looked out. "Penny? Doctor Who is about to start."

Penny smiled up at him warmly." I know, Sheldon. Our new neighbor was about to ask me out on a date."

Leonard smiled smugly until the tall guy in the laser gun shirt sighed heavily.

"Well hurry up and turn him down," Sheldon said. "You know I can't get comfortable on the couch if you aren't there too."

Penny leaned up and kissed his heatedly. "Yes, sweetie."

Leonard watched the exchange with a sinking heart. He turned and walked back into his apartment and closed the door. Great. He meets a goddess and she's involved with someone who looks even geekier than him. Life just wasn't fair.