It was Anything-Can-Happen-Thursday, and for once, the boys weren't rushing off to try and pick up women. Instead, they had ordered pizza and were sitting around drinking and talking. They had lapsed into an informal question game, and everyone was having a surprisingly good time.

Raj took a small sip of his sangria, setting it deliberately down afterwards. He was determined not to get drunk, but he was thoroughly enjoying being able to speak freely. Penny leaned over from where she sat on the couch between Howard and Sheldon and patted his arm.

"Don't worry, sweetie, I watered yours down a bit extra. You can finish that glass without getting drunk, I promise."

He smiled gratefully at her. He was working on talking to her without any alcohol, but wasn't quite there yet. Penny gave him a genuine grin. She had been surprised to realize how sweet he could be when he wasn't so terrified by her.

Howard sat forward dramatically. "Okay, I'm up. Alright, let me think…. Oh! Okay. Zombie apocalypse hits unexpectedly. Out of the five of us, you can only save one. Who is it and why?"

Leonard groaned dramatically. "Okay, um… Zombies. I would save… Penny, I guess."

Penny rolled her eyes. "Just to be clear, in no way am I repopulating the earth with any of you."

Leonard flushed. "Not because of that. I just think that, you know, if I can save someone, she's probably the one who deserves to die the least."

Penny couldn't help but laugh at that, as the others rolled their eyes and Sheldon frowned deeply.
"Leonard, if you recall, there is a clause about this in our roommate agreement. And I find that your judgment of Penny being the one who deserves to –"

Leonard cut him off. "Okay, who would you save then?"

Sheldon looked surprised that he had to ask. "Penny, of course."

Everyone turned to him, jaws dropping. Penny smiled smugly.

"Dude," Raj started, "You did hear the part about no sex, right?"

Sheldon ignored this. "Unlike Leonard's rather bizarre gesture, I have a perfectly logical rational for picking Penny. I believe that having her along will increase the chances of both of our continued survival. She is an excellent shot, in peak physical shape, and requires less sustenance than any of the rest of you."

Penny grinned at his logic. "Thank you, sweetie."

Leonard gaped. "What, so I have to save you but you can just leave me for dead?"

Sheldon shrugged. "Don't blame me; it was Howard's stipulation that I could only choose one. And besides, you signed away that privilege in our roommate contract several years ago."

Leonard sighed, letting it go. "Okay, Raj, you are up."

Raj smiled sweetly. "Sorry, Penny, hate to break the trend but I'm going with Howard. We have our survival plan all worked out."

Howard nodded in agreement. "Unless Penny puts sex back on the table…" He eyed her hopefully and she shuddered, scooting slightly closer to Sheldon. "… fine, Raj, then. Our survival plan is pretty awesome."

All eyes turned to Penny and she laughed as she took in their expressions. Leonard was shifting, pushing out his chest and trying his best to look attractive. On the seat next to her, Howard was arranging himself into the exact some pose. She suppressed a sigh. Raj grinned at her, clearly having noticed her irritation at their antics. On her other side, seated primly in his spot, Sheldon smiled calmly at her.

"Sorry, guys, I'm going with Sheldon." She declared, deliberately ignoring Leonard's hurt expression. "He's the one with the plan for every disaster, and he's not such a terrible shot himself."

Sheldon smirked. "In case you are wondering, we also have a survival plan that is, to quote Howard, 'pretty awesome'."

Howard raised an eyebrow. "This is something that you have discussed before?"

Sheldon eyed him arrogantly. "Of course, Howard. We have discussed all the possible disasters, natural or otherwise, and have devised survival plans for all of them."

Penny matched his expression perfectly, reveling in the horrified expressions on everyone else's face. She should stop, really she should, but she couldn't resist pushing them a tiny bit farther.

"And, if we did end up having to repopulate the world… let's face it, we would basically be single handedly advancing the human race."

Sheldon turned her, looking impressed. "That is excellent logic, Penny. With your looks and my intelligence, our children would rule the world."

Leonard went pale and collapsed against his seat, mouth opening and closing soundlessly. Howard had frozen completely in place, apparently unable to process the conspiratorial smiles that Penny and Sheldon were passing. Raj sat forward, a slight smile on his face. This was hilarious.

Leonard turned desperately towards Sheldon. "Bazinga?"

Sheldon frowned slightly. "What part of this conversation do you think is a joke?"

He turned back to Penny. "You…you would have his children? What happened to the no sex rule?"

Penny finally decided to take pity on him. "Leonard, sweetie, you do remember that this is an entire hypothetical conversation about the zombie apocalypse don't you?"

"Oh, well, yeah. I mean, of course. Right. Sorry?"

Penny reached across Sheldon and patted Leonard's hand. "Good. Ooh, I guess I'm up. Okay, um…"

Leonard got up to get some water, only halfway listening to Penny's next question. Raj joined him in the kitchen.

"You okay, dude? You know they were joking, right?"

Leonard shook his head. "They might have been kidding about this, but they definitely have a weird chemistry. And in a really strange way they are absolutely perfect for each other. It just kind of hit me."

Raj patted him on the shoulder. "Oh, that."

Leonard shook his head. "You've noticed it too?"

Raj nodded. "Yeah, they haven't really caught on yet though." His face brightened. "I know it's weird at first, but when you are ready…. Howard and I have bets on what Sheldon does when he figures it out."

Leonard grimed mischievously. "Sheldon? I want to see Penny's face when she realizes she's practically in a relationship with Dr. Whack-A-Doodle."