Chapter 7

Two months later…

Despite the original drama with Leonard, Sheldon and Penny's relationship was progressing naturally. Well, as naturally as one can expect when "pair-bonded" with a sexophobic basket case. Penny slapped her cheek lightly. Bad Penny! After the first week, it became apparent that no Bazinga was lurking around the corner. Raj had hugged her with a concerned look on his face upon realizing they were actually a couple. Then he'd glanced at Sheldon before giving her two thumbs up and a smile. She could only interpret it him being happy for them, but worried for her. She supposed she couldn't blame him. When Howard cornered her the next day, Penny pierced him with a glare and readied herself to fend off his sexual innuendos. If he offers me the "physical companionship" I'll be missing out on, I am totally going to knock a few more inches off his height… She was caught completely off guard, however, when Howard had asked her if she was sure that Sheldon really cared for her and that this whole thing wasn't just an experiment. Her first reaction had been to be offended for both herself and Sheldon, but she'd noted the worry in his eyes. Sheldon had never given his friends any reason to think something like this would ever happen. Howard's concern wasn't a slight against Sheldon so much as it was concern for Penny. Her eyes watered and she'd grabbed him in a tight hug, while telling him she was going to be okay and that she trusted Sheldon. Howard had blushed and stammered when she pulled away. Then his eyes had glittered as he leaned towards her with a leer. "Well, hey, if you guys ever break up, count me in for rebound sex!" Penny had groaned and pushed him out the door, shutting it in his face before laughing to herself.

Penny snorted to herself. The guys' reactions were more sensical than Sheldon's own. A few days after they started dating he had pulled her to his room for a "serious discussion". He had tried to claim that he was a subspecies of human from a different planet, sent here to facilitate Earth's humans' mental evolution, while gaining insight into how Earthlings managed to use deceit to their advantage. Leave it to Sheldon to decide SARCASM is an alien power worth study. As she stared at him blankly, he'd continued his story, explaining how a single touch could have a sexual connotation. Her vague amusement had quickly devolved into irritation.

"Oh my God, Sheldon, you don't have to make up crazy stories to keep me from pushing you into a sexual relationship! I'm not going to tie you to your bed. I know you aren't ready for anything like that. I know you might never be. We'll take this one day at a time and see where it goes. If it comes to a point that we realize it won't work, we will cross that bridge when we get to it. Don't burn the bridge before we can even see the damn thing!" She'd punctuated her final shout with a stamp of her foot.

"Penny, I assure you that I am in no way attempting any subterfuge. As a matter of fact, if you will sign these documents I have been given permission to prove to y-"

Penny had ripped the papers from him and tossed them on his bed. "I'm not signing your 'Penny promises not to rape Sheldon' contract! You'll just have to trust me on this, Sheldon, I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want to. If you feel like I'm pushing you, just tell me!"

Sheldon calmly gathered the papers up and again attempted to present them to her. "Penny, these documents are unrelated to the matter you are-"

Penny had thrown her hands up, exasperated. She stepped toward him, her voice testy. "Is it okay if I kiss you on the cheek?"

Sheldon rolled his eyes. "Of course, Penny. As I was trying to say-"

Penny kissed his cheek with a huff, halting his words. "See? Self control and respect of boundaries. I can offer you that. No contracts."

She'd left Sheldon protesting in his room, annoyed with him, but that was nothing new in her relationship with Sheldon. Leonard had been on the couch, smiling with his arms across his chest, chin tilted slightly upwards as he watched her. She'd blown right by him without a word, already knowing how he felt about the whole situation.

She sighed, again thinking back on their friends' reactions. Things had gotten back to normal with Howard and Raj pretty quickly. Leonard, however, was proving to be quite the irritation. He consistently sniped at their relationship and relished in every moment the couple spent at odds with each other. They may be in love, but Penny was still the picture of chaos and Sheldon would forever be the anal-retentive Whack-A-Doodle she had fallen in love with. Of course some bickering was to be expected. Leonard acting as though every little argument, no matter how playful, was just a prelude to the end was really getting on her last nerve.

She noticed her hands trembling in anger and felt the tears on her cheeks. Ugh! I really am an emotional wreck lately though. She sighed. Her hormones seemed to be way off since that first day with Sheldon. She hadn't had sex for months before they had gotten together (not that anything had changed in that department once they had kissed), but she had eventually taken a pregnancy test after missing two periods. She got the crazy idea in her head that maybe she had somehow taken advantage of Sheldon when she was blacked out. The idea that he might only be dating her because of something like that had sent her into a downward spiral. She'd only relaxed after multiple tests showed a negative result. She still felt as though something about her was changing.

Well, I guess I'll just have to go see the OBGYN. Man, and my insurance sucks!