You are all wonderful people! Thanks for the great reviews. As a thank you, I'm posting this earlier than intended.

Again, I own nothing (except the DVDs of course :P). More spoilers from s7ep21 so be wary. It gets a tad bit Shenny ahead.

"Hey, Sheldon," Penny said, breaking the monotony of the restaurant sounds around them. "When you first met me, what did you think of me?"

Sheldon's fork paused halfway to his mouth as he looked at her across the table. A second passed between them as an image of Penny, younger and more naïve than the woman who sat across from him filled his mind.

"Well –"he put his fork down, thinking. "In regards to what exactly?"

"I dunno, just tell me what you're first impression of me was."

His eidetic memory pulled up the events of that day. She was a bleach blonde like many of LA's female residents, but with a friendlier demeanor that hadn't been completely changed by jadedness. Her overall perkiness was a plus, but the ditziness was a considerable annoyance.

"I thought you were a considerable improvement over the last neighbor, though not nearly as impeccable with your household duties," Sheldon said finally bringing the noodles to his mouth. He figured using the same description he'd given Leonard would appease whatever need she had to learn his initial opinion of her.

"That's it?" Penny asked, her tone indicating she expected more. There was another lull while she took a drink of wine then she pried further, "What does 'improvement' mean?"

Sheldon realized he had made that comment based on her attractiveness. Something he wasn't keen on letting her know. He didn't make it a habit to notice the physical attractiveness of women, but base instincts were unavoidable. He took a moment to chew and stalled for response time.

"What is it you want to know exactly?" he asked considering possible answers.

Penny put her hands in her lap and looked down at them, "I don't know, I was just thinking about how much things have changed. I mean, would you have ever imagined that we'd be sitting at dinner because we preferred each other's company over everyone else's?"

That was an interesting way of looking at their current situation. When she told him to follow her out of the restaurant he'd merely complied because he saw no reason to object. The fact that Amy had lied to him and was avoiding him wasn't a surprise. A lot of people avoided him and he was quite used to that, but he found himself contemplating Penny's assessment and realized she was right. This did seem like the most pleasing outcome possible. Despite the food of course.

"Well, I suppose I wouldn't have imagined us sitting here in particular, seeing as how this place is subpar at best," Sheldon replied. "Initially, I found you vacuous, but over time you've proved that back country charm of yours can actually be appealing."

Penny glared at him and scowled at his description of her, but it was masking an obvious smile. He found himself smiling back at her as the waiter came by again setting down Penny's wine.

"All done? Can I get you two any boxes?" He asked.

"That won't be necessary," Sheldon said handing his plate to the man. "I would rather not have to experience what this food is like after being microwaved."

He stared back at Sheldon trying to decipher his meaning.

"He means 'no, thank you,'" Penny said, saving the man the trouble of translating an insult. "Can we have the check please?"

As he watched the waiter walk away, he considered the way she effortlessly fit in with him. If he was honest with her, his initial opinion of her had been that she was shallow and uninteresting, but when she had noticed his work, he was flattered. Girls like Penny did not normally even speak to Sheldon, let alone notice him as someone to be respected. He had softened to her then, noticing her soft smile, the kind eyes and something calming in her presence…

Then Leonard had made it quite clear what his intentions were. Sheldon did not have the energy or desire to compete for a girl he had just met so he'd put it completely out of his mind. But over the years her curiosity and innate ability to be patient, relatively of course, was endearing. Now, as she sat across from him smiling softly at some thought in her head he felt an unfamiliar pang of jealousy. It was also undesired, so he buried it quickly.

"Why are you suddenly interested in what transpired years ago?" Sheldon asked wanting to get to the real issue at hand.

Penny's green eyes met his and she sighed, the small smile disappearing as a frown replaced it. "I was just thinking about how terrible this week has been and how even though I hate every minute on set, it's supposed to be the next step for me. It's supposed to be a victory," she said indicating her present situation was anything but. "And I remember how when I first met you guys I thought I had it all figured out, but it's taken me years to get here."

"How do you think I feel?" he replied, surprised to hear similar doubts to his own from her lips. "I am a successful, brilliant and accomplished scientist –"

"Not to toot your own horn or anything," Penny muttered.

"-and now I have no idea what my next field of study is going to be," he continued, ignoring her jab. "What if I start studying dark matter and I have to change universities? I'll have to start all over again and that's going to be as tedious as a symposium on – on –"he searched.

"On dark matter?" Penny offered teasingly.

"Yes!" Sheldon affirmed leaning forward passionately. "What if it is tedious? What if I'm so bored I have to backtrack? After all it was Leonard's first choice and lord knows how dull his work is." Penny was grinning at him and he had no idea why. "What?"

"When you get excited about something your eyes light up like the little light on my laptop," she said.

Sheldon frowned at her description, unaware that she even noticed things about her laptop let alone his eyes. He sat back in his chair, "that doesn't help me at all… and if it's a solid light not a blinking light, then that means your hard drive is working too hard. As is my mind."

"Well, Moonpie," she said putting her elbows on the table and resting her chin on her hands, ignoring his obvious reply to being called that. "I don't think my advice is very helpful because no matter what you do you're going to be amazing at it."

It was a full moment before Sheldon realized she had paid him a compliment. The room seemed to get a little bit brighter, but before he could respond the waiter was back bowing as he placed the credit card tray that carried their bill and fortune cookies.

"Maybe the answer to your career problem is in one of these," Penny offered picking up a fortune cookie and passing it to him.

"There's only one cookie that has the answer to life's problems and that's an Oreo," Sheldon countered. "Or a Nutter Butter if you're in a pinch."

"C'mon open it, I bet it says something great," she pressed.

"This is Asian fusion. For all you know there's a tiny chihuahua in there."

"Fine, I'll go!" she said ripping her cookie open. As she began reading he decided not to tell her it was traditional to eat the cookie first. "'People look to you for guidance and wisdom," oh! That's a good one," she said excitedly.

"No it's not."

"What? How is that not good?" she asked.

"'Look to you for wisdom?' Clearly that cookie is mocking you. You'd never hear that kind of sass from a Nutter Butter."

"Alright since you're paying for dinner I'll let that one slide," she said annoyed. "Open yours."

Even though he knew he was pushing his luck, he couldn't resist poking the metaphorical dragon once more. "Have you ever paid for a meal?"

"Not with money, read."

Sheldon took in her words and looked up from his fortune cookie, not shocked, but caught off guard by her statement. Provoked undoubtedly by his earlier thoughts, he imagined the actions she was implying. He had to look away from her and focus on opening the cookie, because all his thoughts were replaced by those green eyes looking up at him from while lying beneath him on a mattress. He swallowed, hard, and read his slip of paper aloud.

"'Your warm and fun loving nature delights those around you.'"

"Nope, try again."

Wow, I don't even know what's gonna happen next. New chapter soon! Thanks for the follows and reviews. I love my enablers. 3