One of my most favorite things in the world is Impact Wrestling on Spike TV. It is on Thursdays at the same time as TBBT. Don't hate me, but I watch Impact, and THEN I go watch Sheldon. I would never forgive myself if I didn't place Shenny in the Impact world, at least a tiny bit.

The moment he saw her it was as if a switch got flipped in his head. He had never needed or wanted anyone before. He had no interest in romance. His mind was too full of equations and theories to bother with the mundane. From what he had witnessed of his siblings endeavors and later, his coworkers attempts, relationships were nothing more that two people pretending to be someone they weren't in the hopes of getting the other person in bed.

Sheldon had no time for such folly. He was determined to do great things. He would rip away the veil from the universe and unravel every mystery there was. That's not to say he couldn't have fun. He enjoyed comic books, sci-fi, paintball and video games. He also had a secret love. One he had hidden from friend and family alike. Her.

She was unpacking boxes when they introduced themselves. Leonard thought he had seen her first. He childishly called dibs. Sheldon ignored him. It didn't matter what Leonard thought. Sheldon had seen her first. Had seen her before Leonard had even moved in.

He intended to wait. He wanted to find out what she was like before he decided anything. Then she called him a beautiful mind. He knew in that moment she was his. She would never be anyone else's.

She told them she was from Nebraska. He knew that already. She told them she was a flight attendant. He knew that, too. She told them she had just gotten out of a 4 year relationship. He hadn't known that, but he was glad to hear it. She was just asking them about their jobs when Howard and Raj showed up. He watched Howard ply her with pick up lines, and smirked to himself when she didn't flirt back. He happily watched her gently, but firmly try to dissuade Leonard. He wasn't too happy about how she tried to draw Raj out, but at least she only seemed friendly, not inviting.

He spent the next two months getting to know her. Subtle queries into her likes and dislikes. Gradually getting her used to his own quirks. She was surprisingly quick to adapt to him, and him to her. The only hurdle was Leonard. He tended to try to monopolize her time.

Then she got hurt. In her line of work, injuries were commonplace, he knew. That didn't stop his heart from dropping when he watched her opponent botch a moonsault and land on Penny wrong. Within the hour he was on a plane to Florida.

Penny was resting in her hospital room when the door opened up. Sheldon stepped inside and barely glanced at the three men and one woman sitting around. He walked over to the bed and took Penny's hand in his. Her friends watched him closely as he leaned down and lightly brushed her hair back from her face.

Penny stirred and opened her eyes. She blinked a few times. "Sheldon? How…What are you doing here?"

Sheldon sat down on the bed beside her. "You're hurt. I came to make sure you were getting proper care."

Penny looked at him strangely. "How did you know?"

Sheldon smirked. "I'm a physicist with an IQ of 187, Penny. There isn't much I don't know."

Penny narrowed her eyes. "How long have you known?"

Sheldon's smirk faded and he blushed slightly. "I'm loved wrestling since I was a child. I used to sneak and watch it. I've been a fan of yours ever since your debut 4 years ago."

Penny's jaw dropped. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Sheldon shrugged. "You didn't seem to want anyone to know."

Tara moved closer. "Our fans love us or hate us. Part of the job. But people who don't watch wrestling tend to treat us as glorified hookers or think they have to prove themselves tougher than us."

Penny nodded. "It's just easier to tell people about my other job. Not too many people outside of the wrestling world respect us."

Sheldon took a deep breath. He was tired of waiting. Watching her get hurt had made up his mind for him. He leaned in and kissed her softly. He felt Penny freeze up under him, and almost pulled away. Then her hand squeezed his and her lips parted so she could nibble his bottom lip. After a few moments he pulled back. He could see Tara, Ken, Daniel and James smiling in his peripheral vision.

"I have been trying to wait until we were closer. Until you knew me better. Seeing you get hurt, hurt me. I care for you a great deal, Penny," Sheldon said softly.

Penny smiled warmly. "About time. I was beginning to think I was going to have to start walking around naked to get you to notice me."

Sheldon turned bright red as images danced through his mind. He ignored the snickers around them, focusing on the devilish gleam in Penny's hazel eyes. "Once you're well, we may just revisit this conversation."

Penny laughed loudly and pulled him down for another heart stopping kiss.