Moving from friends to boyfriend and girlfriend was easier than Penny expected. Not that the actual relationship was easy. She was still spending a lot of time working, she hoped Kim Possible would become a hit so she could have a steady paycheck, because yes, while money no longer was that big of a pressure she still couldn't slack on her end.

Penny didn't want Sheldon to pay for her stuff. She had her pride about being independent.

If she were to complain about something in her relationship with Sheldon was that the man was way too oblivious, girls flirted left and right with him, and yes, he didn't pay any attention to them but it was still something that made Penny's insecurities flare up…until Sheldon turned and smiled at her. Penny had realized that Sheldon only smiled like that at her.

It calmed her and now they were boyfriend and girlfriend dammit, so she could hold his hand or kiss him in public whenever she felt like it. Sheldon was an eager participant.

Penny also realized that with Sheldon she had to be direct or he wouldn't get it 'Honey, it makes me sad when you don't kiss me goodbye' and that's it, she didn't have to play games with him or drop hints which took a little bit to adapt but there was something refreshing in just being able to say what was on her mind. She liked this type of romance more than the one she dreamed about as a child.

And Sheldon could be unexpectedly sweet. Penny usually had pretty bad period cramps and she had to lie down or risk passing out, and yet every time Sheldon sat with her. Even before they were dating. He sang her 'Soft Kitty' and Penny cried when he told her his Meemaw used to sing that to him when he got sick. Penny lied down using Sheldon's leg as a pillow and heard him talk about how his Meemaw used to call him Moonpie, his voice soft and wistful, with an undertone of pain as big as Texas.

"She sounds like an amazing woman Tex."

"I loved my Meemaw a lot and miss her everyday."

"Thank you for telling me this."

Sheldon folded himself awkwardly to give her a quick peck on the lips and Penny suddenly didn't feel so bad.

Sheldon really liked spending time with Penny. She was always a source of joy.

During the almost 2 years that they had been living together several routines had naturally developed. They had movie night, which was basically Penny showing him all of her favorite movies. She made good on her promise to show him 'Pulp Fiction' and while he found it incredibly violent and vulgar, he had to admit that there was something visceral about it that captured his attention.

Pizza night was a favorite of the both of them. Most nights either he or Penny cooked so having a night where they didn't have to worry about cooking or the dishes were great, they didn't really order a lot of takeout, at first because Penny lacked the money to do so and soon after because Sheldon found it relaxing to cook. One of the benefits of not living in a small cabin of a truck.

On Sundays they would go and play with a football before coming back home to watch a game. Sheldon was able to admit he liked football, not because his father forced him to, but because Penny was watching it with him.

They also had 'Penny night' which was a night they would do whatever Penny wanted. He had been dragged along to get 'mani pedis' as she called them. Clothes shopping. Shoe shopping. They even went to Build-a-Bear once. She made a Bear that was a scientist and he made a bear that was an actress. They sat side by side on their recently acquired bookshelf.

Of course he requested that a 'Sheldon night' was added. He took Penny to museums, galleries, bowling, to the shooting range. He had tried to make Penny like comics but she just couldn't get into them, so he stopped taking her to the comic book shop and instead they went to a bookstore. He could still get his comic but now Penny could also browse the romance section and take something she'll like home.

Once their relationship changed to include romance, they added 'Date night'. If Sheldon was being fully honest with himself, it was just another night where they spent time together, but it was important for Penny so he actually made an effort to try and understand the difference between their regular activities and this date night. And it wasn't until Penny told him point blank that he got it 'It's so that we can actively romance each other and not take our presences for granted.' So Sheldon made an effort, in general, not just on date night to ensure that Penny knew how he felt about her.

He loved her.

Penny was on cloud 9, after 2 years and some change in Pasadena she was finally in a place where she didn't have to kill herself working. Kim Possible had been signed for another 2 seasons and having the certainty of a paycheck made her finally reduce her pace.

She got some other roles and she had even auditioned to start voicing some Anime roles. Things were going great.

Sheldon and her were also going strong. Penny had tried to call her parents but they only reacted violently and started insulting her over the phone. Sheldon took the phone away from her hands, told her parents 'You don't deserve to have Penny in your life.' and promptly hung up. He sat with her for hours while she wept into his neck. Penny knew at that moment that she didn't need her parents anymore, she just needed Sheldon.

Penny also made sure that Sheldon was calling his brother and sister on a regular basis. She had been able to gather that Sheldon resented them for leaving him alone with their father, except Sheldon never actually expressed it that way. It took a long to get out of him but she was certain he needed to let it out. He called them that night.

Missy flew out to Pasadena after her first call with Sheldon in over 9 years. Penny had cried alongside her as she explained how much pain she was in at losing her mother and Meemaw and she apologized for leaving Sheldon alone, she had been selfish. Sheldon didn't forgive her right away, but that night in bed he told her that he had missed his sister.

By the time Missy had left to return to Texas, Penny could see the beginnings of an actual relationship between the twins.

Georgie was honest, he didn't want Ceecee exposed to their father. He should have known better than to leave Sheldon alone but he was still a kid himself and was scared of confronting their father. He was sorry that he didn't step in for a year and by that time it felt like not enough. Sheldon accepted the explanation, he also didn't want Ceecee to witness what her Grandpa had become.

Penny made plans so they could go and visit Sheldon's family in Texas. Secretly she thought it would do worlds of good for Sheldon to visit his Mom's and Meemaw's graves…and maybe his father, the one that he had mourned already and not the one that forced him to fight neighborhood kids or how to drink.

She really loved her Wackadoodle.

2003 started with bad news for Penny. Louis/Louise was moving away, Penny loved her neighbor and was sad about it. But they were transferring because of work, a promotion to Detective meant moving to LA. Penny was also happy that the cream she recommended had taken care of that skin condition.

Because of this Penny had been trying to get Sheldon to agree to move. She had found an amazing place for sale on E. Del Mar Boulevard, literally 5 minutes within walking distance from Caltech (And a gym, and a grocery store, and even more).

It was a beautiful Victorian style house, 5 bedrooms and 2 baths. Not only would they have a front garden, but also a backyard AND a huge plot for gardening if they wished to. But Sheldon was a little reluctant, he had a soft spot for Los Robles and she did too, but with Louis/Louise gone, it felt like the right move at the right time.

What finally changed Sheldon's mind was the new neighbor moving into 4B.

Penny arrived on the 4th landing, she saw that their new neighbor would be moving in. There were boxes around the entrance to 4B and Penny could see 3 young guys moving stuff inside the apartment. She was on the phone with Sheldon and once again trying to convince him to move while looking for her keys inside the mess she called a purse when a whiny voice was heard clearly.

"She's perfect." Penny refused to turn around, she could feel the weight of lustful eyes and even without looking she knew the type. 'Where are those damn keys.'

"Our babies will be smart and beautiful." Penny was ready to bring down her door but the only thing that stopped her was the idea that it would remove a barrier between her and this asshole. 'Holy shit, who says that stuff?'

Talking louder on purpose Penny wanted to make it clear she didn't appreciate the comments "Honey, did you also hear that?"

"I did." Sheldon sounded upset as well and she was willing to bet his acute hearing was more of a curse right now.

"And this is why I want to move. I don't want an asshole treating me like a piece of meat. Especially one that will be living so close." Penny was finally able to find her keys and to start opening her door.

"I concur, let's call the realtor."

"Thank you Honey. Love you" Penny locked the door behind her and stopped for a moment before putting the dead lock as well. 'Fucking weirdo.' New neighbor and it had to be a creep, just her luck.

"I love you too." At least Penny had her Wackadoodle.

Sheldon had been great at this relationship thing, he never pushed her for more than she was ready to give, and she was thankful for that. Penny had rediscovered sex with Sheldon and it felt nice to have someone actually care about you and not just your body.

Penny had read somewhere that the human body regenerates all of its cells in 7 year intervals, and the thought that one day in the future she'll have a body that was only touched by Sheldon and no one else was a strangely comforting one.

Penny knew that they were both broken but strangely enough they fit together. The Penny from 3 years ago wouldn't be able to believe that this would be her life after leaving Nebraska. There were a lot of things she still needed to do, like Tommy. He was getting out next year and during her phone calls with him she had floated the idea of him moving to Pasadena and finishing school and he seemed happy to try. Their parents had also cleaned their hands from him and Penny loved her brother, he also needed a new chance.

And this place, this apartment had been the first true home for both her and Sheldon as adults. But she was ready to start thinking long term.

She wanted to own her home.

Penny ignored the knocks at her door and the whiny voice accompanying them, she needed to contact the realtor as soon as possible.

"Leonard, buddy. Stop. I don't want the police to come get us, do you know what they'd do to me in prison? I'd be passed around more than the mashed potatoes during Thanksgiving."

"But Howard, I need to talk to her. To apologize I mean, she heard me."

"Leonard, dude. The last thing she will want to do right now is talk to you."

"But Raj-"

"No, dude. Give it a rest."

"Raj is right buddy. You messed up, leave it alone."

"Argh, I can never catch a break."

"C'mon buddy, let's get you settled in. And she's your neighbor so you'll have a chance to talk to her in future."

"Yeah, yeah. You're right. Thanks Howard."

Leonard couldn't believe his luck, he had moved across the hall from the perfect woman and he and his stupid mouth had to ruin it. She was beautiful and blond, he could already picture himself getting married to her.

He just needed to be able to apologize.

"But dude, you did listen to her on the phone right? She was talking to her boyfriend or husband."

"Boyfriend, she was not wearing a ring."

"…Sometimes you scare me dude."

"C'mon Raj, buddy, why you gotta hurt me like that?"

Leonard ignored his friends. If Howard was right and she wasn't married then that means that Leonard still got a chance. Most likely she's dating someone without a future. Leonard had just been hired by Caltech, he was on his way up in life.

He would apologize to his hot neighbor and then he would let it casually slip that he had just been hired by Caltech, she might not understand why that was a big deal but he'd teach her.

And…she hadn't been carrying mail, maybe he could 'accidentally' pick her mail up and be a good neighbor and deliver it to her.

He would wait for Howard and Raj to leave. Leonard didn't need them to cramp his style.

Leonard had waited until the last possible moment before rushing downstairs, he was grabbing the mail out of 4A mailbox when a gloved hand tore it out of his hands. He was already turning to complain, but he had to look up, and up again.

The man was tall and Leonard could see muscle bulk underneath the Flash tee. "Stealing mail is a federal offence." He sounded normal but the grip he had on the mail made Leonard back down immediately.

Leonard had been a victim of bullying all of his life, he knew the type and he knew what he had to do.

"I'm so sorry, I made a mistake. You see, I just moved in." He extended a hand "I'm Leonard."

The other man simply looked at his hands and frowned. Change of tactics.

"Well, you have your mail now. Once again, I'm sorry." And Leonard ran up the stairs. He paid attention as always when running away, but no steps were following him. Even so, he knew he had to be careful.

Arriving at his apartment Leonard locked it and deadbolted it. He glued himself to his door and looked into the peephole.

His heart almost stopped when the tall man came out of the elevator. 'Oh no.'

But he went to 4A, took out his keys and opened the door. Only for the deadbolt to prevent him from entering. Leonard could hear him call for someone and the blond bombshell of his dreams appeared and opened the door.

Leonard had to groan in disappointment when she went up to her toes and kissed the tall man. They were talking in the doorway and the tall man gestured to the mail in his hands and the blond woman pointed at his door.

The tall man frowned even deeper and approached Leonard's door. 'Oh no.'

*Knock, knock, knock*
*Knock, knock, knock*
*Knock, knock, knock*

Leonard pretended that he had died and tried to make as little noise as possible.

"I can hear you breathe behind that door. But no matter, I would like to ask you to refrain from your harassment lest we'll be forced to take legal action. My girlfriend is a human being and not an incubator. And while I detest violence, should I find that you continued in this fruitless pursuit, I will be forced to engage in it to make my point clear. State clearly if you understand."

Leonard wanted to cry. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. He was a nice guy, this guy was crazy. But he still whispered "I understand."

"Excellent, please refrain from contacting either of us ever again." Leonard wasn't sure how this guy could hear him through the door but he didn't want to find out.

Man, this sucked. Nice guys like Leonard can never catch a break. When was his turn to get rewarded with the hot chick?

This guy threatening him was probably a taxi driver and Leonard was the one cowering only because of height and muscle difference. Why couldn't people see how great of a guy he was?

Penny was deliriously happy. The house was everything she wanted it to be and more.

Now with an honest to god backyard she had discovered that Sheldon's love for brisket was bigger than she expected. He had a grill and a smoker and he was experimenting with all kinds of wood chips. Not that Penny complained, it was a fantastic brisket. Sheldon said it was his Meemaw's recipe.

And she was happy to be out of Los Robles. That apartment had been their first home but this was their forever home. Of course, being away from the creepy neighbor helped too.

Penny had never been one to want children. She wasn't vehemently against the idea or anything like that, but she never got that 'feeling'. That is until Sheldon.

She could picture it. A blond little girl running around the backyard while Sheldon taught her to throw a football. Penny teaching her all about fashion…it was a nice thought. She wasn't ready for that just yet, she was only turning 24 in a couple of months. She wanted to enjoy her time with Sheldon for a little longer before they brought kids into the equation.

But as Penny stood barefoot in her garden, she had to thank her lucky stars. Now, more than ever before, she knew that Fate existed and that it was the reason why she had the life she had right now.

Penny didn't tell Sheldon but she had made it a habit to pray for Mrs. Cooper and his Meemaw's souls. From everything that Sheldon told her, Penny was certain, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that these women that she would never meet, were the ones that put Sheldon and her on the same road.

"Is the brisket ready Moonpie?"

"Penny, you can't rush perfection."

"Wackadoodle."

fin.