Spoilers: Slight for The Work Song Nanocluster

Disclaimer: Recognizable Characters from the Big Bang Theory aren't mine, just borrowing them for a little while, I'll put them back, honest!

Ignorance: (noun) lack of knowledge or information.

(knock, knock, knock), "Penny"

(knock, knock, knock), "Penny"

(knock, knock, knock), "Penny"

Sheldon Cooper held his arm protectively over his throat, "It is after 11 am, you can't be mad at me."

Penny glared at him, "Yes I can, I just can't hit you. What do you want? I was up till four prepping my latest orders. I had to get 500 ready for Monday shipping." She sighed, "Today is my only day off."

"I have a matter I would like to discuss with you. It is important or I would not bother you."

She sighed in resignation, "ok, come on in".

Sheldon entered her apartment, following Penny and she moved to sit down on her couch. He followed her to his spot, he noticed approvingly that she had kept it empty and free of debris. He spied several boxes ready for mailing stacked by the door and the residue from Penny Blossom making on her table, while very cluttered with boxes of raw material, to her credit, it looked like she had made an attempt to tidy up before going to bed.

"I wish to discuss your ignorance."

"What?" Penny bolted to her feet, she was ready to go over there and smack him into next week. Something in the back of her mind made her stop. She stared at Sheldon who was sitting absolutely still.

Oh dear, I have committed a social error, I should make amends to her. "I apologize if I offended you. I am not insulting you."

Penny glared at him. "You come in here and tell me that? How am I not going to be offended or insulted? I'm workin' on 3 hours sleep, you want to be snide and condescending; do it another time."

Dear Lord, I have so much work to do with her, it is a shame that as bright as she is, no one took the time to educate her properly. He let out a little sigh, "Penny, ignorance is simply the lack of knowledge." He shifted in his chair. "I believe you possess above average intelligence, and a generous supply of common sense, perhaps excepting relations with males."

Penny softened the look in her eyes, Did Sheldon Cooper just compliment her? What does he mean 'relations with males'? Stop it! Focus, Penny, this is Sheldon, listen, translate into regular English, then react, you know this drill. She looked him square in the eyes. "Go on."

He continued, "You have started what is becoming a thriving business; I wish to reduce your ignorance and assist you in gaining information that will enable you and your business to thrive." He paused, "it would be an equitable arrangement, as I require your assistance as well.

Sheldon looked at her expectantly. She returned his look, I'll be dammed ifI don't think he is sincere. What's going on in this wackadoodle's mind? But I don't want to make it too easy, where's the fun in that? "So you're offering to teach me about business, what do you know about business? What am I supposed to teach you?"

"I'm a physicist Penny, I know about the universe and everything important it contains." Take that! "You need to properly organize your manufacturing process so that you can efficiently manufacture your Penny Blossoms and still have room to live, plus when you expand you will need the background to handle your growing endeavor."

Damn it! I would have had him with Fargo this time! Oh well, he'll slip up again soon.

"I would like you to teach me how to get along with other people in social settings; in order to secure additional funding for my work. He paused and looked at her. "Dr. Gablehouser is unwilling to assist this endeavor, evidently he considers me 'eccentric'." Penny stifled a giggle, Sheldon actually used "finger quotes" and he looks so adorable doing it. "Also I am not, in his rather limited view, a 'team player'; I don't quite understand that, since when are group sports parts of physics?"

Penny looked back at him, "Sheldon…"

"I mean really, how can I be blamed if the other faculty members are envious of my intelligence and talent?"

"Sheldon!"

"It is not my fault that these second rate cretins are…"

"SHELDON!" Sheldon paused and stared at Penny.

Penny glared as Sheldon, "The first thing you need to learn is that you have to let other people talk."

"But what if they aren't saying anything interesting? You should hear some people prattle on about themselves. They go about discussing their mundane lives as if other people ca…."

"Sheldon." He stopped and looked at her. Good, at least he figured out that lesson. "Sometimes, you have to be polite and at least pretend to listen to other people. Life isn't all about you. You're the smartest guy I have ever met and I love you, but you come off to other people as really self centered. Nobody likes that, and they won't take the time to learn what a wonderful and interesting guy you can be." She paused and looked him dead in the eyes. "If your work is so important, stop and begin to listen to other people."

Sheldon looked at her. She loves me? Of course she must mean only as a friend, but she thinks I am wonderful and interesting and… Stop it! You're getting sidetracked, focus on the task at hand! He sighed, "I suppose you are correct. I will do my best to pay attention."

Penny smiled and Sheldon smiled back. "Give me a couple of hours to finish cleaning up, then we can sit down and figure out how to work this. I suppose you have a contract?"

"Of course."

"Let me have it. If it isn't too screwy we can sign it this afternoon."

"That would be acceptable." Sheldon looked at her for a minute, Penny thought he might say something else, but he simply turned and left.

TBC...