72

Later, at the Cooper apartment, after everyone had repaired to their own homes

"What do you mean, Penny is scared of me?"

"Not just you, brother dear. She's scared of failin' at both of her jobs. She's afraid she won't be able to support herself. She's afraid of being alone and she's also afraid of bein' with anyone. She's not used to actually bein' in control of her life and it's freakin' her out."

"All of that is understandable. She's in an unfamiliar situation and past patterns inform her that she will be unable to sustain it. But why me? Almost everything I've done since I returned has at least partially benefitted Penny. And that was intentional. You know that."

"When we started discussin' this whole thing I was pretty pissed that she let those two roll on over you. Helped 'em even. But you convinced me that the girl I met a long time ago, that girl was still in there, inside the bitter, sarcastic, sad drunk she had become. So, despite my better instincts, I decided that if we could rescue her at the same time we dealt with those other two, I'd go along with it."

"And I was correct, was I not?"

"You were. Right now I think Penny is probably one of my closest friends and my life would have a great big hole in it if she wasn't around."

"And I feel similarly."

"Y'all feel more than that, Sheldon."

"That may be true, but neither Penny nor I are in an emotional state that supports entering a new romantic relationship. And now, with this new information, I'm not certain she would consider it if she were in a proper state."

"All that's confusin' her there is what happened with Leonard and Amy and what you decided to do about them. She thinks that with all the things that she did to you that you're just biding your time and someday you'll do something to get even with her."

"But I would never… I couldn't harm Penny. I want nothing but good things for her. She deserves happiness in her life."

"Shelly, there has to be a way that you can ease her fears about you and at the same time fix what's broken and maybe build something better. You're the genius. Figure it out. And no contracts! I'd think that by now you'd have learned that the only one bein' held to the contracts is you."

"All right."

Sheldon went to his room to think. A short time later Sheldon left his bedroom, marched through the living room, out the front door and across the hall.

Knock. Knock. Knock. Penny.

Knock. Knock. Knock. Penny.

Knock. Knock. Knock. Penny.

"Hi Sheldon. Listen, I think we need to talk about something."

"Indeed we do. Missy has made me aware that you hold yourself at least partially culpable for the situation that occurred between myself and Amy Farrah Fowler and that you also feel guilty because you supported, enjoyed and even suggested some of the behavior I was forced to endure from Leonard. I assumed that the restructuring of our living paradigms would have assuaged you of any such feelings but you are worried that someday, somehow evil Sheldon, likely wearing a goatee, will exact his vengeance upon you for your past behavior. I have a suggestion. There is a way for you to eliminate the many, many strikes awarded you over the years and establish a new zero point in our relationship."

Penny was surprised. No, surprised wasn't the right word. Shocked. Shocked was the word. Sheldon was actually starting the conversation they needed to have. And he'd figured out a way to resolve it for her.

"Fine. I'll take your freaking class."

"Because of the very large number of strikes I have devised a very special format for this class."

"Bring it on, bub."

"Each week, preferably on Thursday but, of course subject to external schedules, you and I will meet at a restaurant alternately of each of our choosing and review appropriate matters. The agenda will be determined ad hoc. There will also likely be fieldwork. The arrangement is subject to review or adjustment by agreement of the parties involved, namely you and me. Are you amenable to this situation?"

"So, let me get this right? You're suggesting we start dating."

"I am suggesting we review our wounded friendship and determining whether we can improve upon it."

"Tomato, tomato."

"So, this Thursday?"

"Yeah. Thursday."

A/N: So that's it, at least for now. It was always my intention to end this story with Sheldon and Penny just beginning to explore the possibility of being together. Now the crap that I've been dealing with in RL may well have had an effect in how I delivered the final few chapters and the exact verbiage I used. It's entirely likely that I could have made this go on longer and maybe better. But I've run out of time and I need to put my energy into other things for now. Will we ever find out what happens with Penny and Sheldon's dating "program" or Nora's business or Missy and her son living with Sheldon? If you know me then you know it's a possibility that we'll revisit this part of the Shenny multiverse at some point. Who knows?

Thank you all for staying on this long, long ride, for following, for favoriting, for reviewing and ultimately for waiting. There were days that knowing I still owed you a chapter was the only thing that kept me going. Take care. I'll be back soon.