Hello all my faithful readers! I know it's been awhile since I've gotten to update this but as often happens, real life happened and being without internet meant no updating! On top of which, I was also sweating bullets on the way to end this, especially considering information I've heard about possible story lines for the upcoming season! So if you feel that this was a bitter/sweet way to end this particular fanfic, just keep in mind, I try to keep my stuff as close to the time line of the actual show as possible. So for the last time, R&R&Enjoy!

mbg

Leonard awoke the following morning, a thin stream of sunlight peeking through Penny's bedroom window. He absently rubbed his hands over his chest and realized he wasn't wearing any clothes; he'd fallen asleep after their last round of love-making and hadn't bothered to put anything, not even his boxers, back on. It was one first amongst many he'd experienced the night before with Penny, as he'd always felt uncomfortable sleeping nude with a lover ever since his first sexual experience with his college girlfriend and she'd lightly joked about how slight his build was. But that didnt' matter, not now that he was lying in bed with this beautiful and exquisite creature. Putting his hands behind his head, he just stared up at the ceiling and took stock of the evening.

Whoa. That was the only way he could describe his first night with Penny. Up until the time they went into her room and stood by her bed, looking at each other will equal parts nerves and curiosity, Leonard was certain that he would turn their relationship into one great big regretful mistake, or that their experience together would be quick and horribly, horribly awkward. Instead, they'd taken their time, using the discovery of each other's bodies as the sudection for their first time. When they finlly stood naked before each other (in all possible senses) Leonard's heart melted as Penny tried to cover herself with her hands. It was nothing short of pure relief when he saw that she was just as nervous as him. He'd just pulled her close and...well, you didn't have to be a genius to figure out the next part, he mused.

He turned onto his side and watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest under the sheets, and when she started to snort and stretch, he only grinned. He considered himself the luckiest man in the world that he was the one who got to see Penny like this, at her most vulnerable.

She didn't stay that way for very long, though, as she blinked sleepily, then smiled at him. "Morning."

"Morning. How'd you sleep?"

"Just great." Penny smiled as she studied Leonard. "You've got some pretty good moves, you know."

"Are you kidding, I had nothing, I was just trying to get through it all without looking like an idiot. Believe me you'd know if I had any moves on deck."

"Hey, I was thinking I'm working nights tonight, for real this time, and I know Winona's got the morning off, so why don't the four of us get some breakfast?"

"That sounds great. I'll go ask them."

"Okay." Penny smiled as she watched him dress, then headed for the shower. Once under the hot spray of water, she thought about their night together. Had she known what it would be like to wake up with him in the morning like this, perhaps she wouldn't have waited so long to finally do the deed with him. And it hadn't been as awkward as it could have been; in fact it had been quite lovely. She hated to admit it, but Penny realized that Sheldon was right, Leonard was a very thorough and gentle lover, and not at all selfish. It was such a refreshing change from the normal get on and get off grunts she usually dated, though deep down she knew those guys were only fillers for the void. Maybe that was why she'd needed to wait with Leonard, since there was so much more emotional investment with him.

She stepped out of the shower, refreshed and still smiling, dressed and went across the hall, unsure of what to expect on a double date with her boyfriend's roommate and one of her best friends. First time for everything, she thought absently.

Later, as they ate omelets and BLTs in a nearby all-day breakfast cafe, Leonard realized that he had seriously misjudged his friend. Apparantly he did have some capacity to act as a normal human being, and all it took was a totally reversing of the universe through a rip of the time space continuum. Winona sat beside her loverboy (and oh how strange it was to think of Sheldon as anyone's loverboy), laughing and teasing him, but more importantly, Sheldon didn't pitch a total conniption fit over it. Even Penny appeared surprised by the development, and wrote on a napkin that she passed to Leonard, are we in the Twilight Zone?

By the time the check came, Leonard was convinced of it, Sheldon did have the capacity to act like a normal human being.

"We should do this again sometime, all four of us, it was actually fun," Penny said honestly, with more than a hint of surprise in her voice.

"As supposed to virtual fun? And how could you tell the difference between them?" Sheldon questioned as he polished off his Western omelet.

"Sheldon, I-"

"Seriously, though, wouldn't that be fascinating if you could really tell the difference?"

Winona jumped in before blood could be drawn. "Just keep eating that omelet honey. I have to go, I have a date with the library catalogue for my dissertation. Sheldon, I'll see you around." She leaned over, kissed Sheldon's cheek, then tossed a few bills on the table.

Leonard stared after Winona as she left hte restaurant, then back to Sheldon. "What did she mean, see you around? That doesn't sound too promising."

"Oh, we split up last night," Sheldon said between bites. "She said that she wsa just coming out of a bad relationship and really liked me but the timing wasn't right. I'm sure it was just a platitude for my ego, though quite frankly I'm relieved. It was becoming tedious."

Penny could only stare at him. Had she had someone leave her flat like that, especially the first person she had a sexual experience with, she would be in bed with a pint of triple chocolate ice cream. "Winona was becoming tedious?"

"Well yes, I mean, there is only so long a purely sexual relationship can last before the neurochemical appeal of a particular mate plateaus, and not everyone is lucky to be like you two love-doves and have what I assume is an intense emotional connection. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm heading into the lab to catch up on some work. The amount of paper piling up on my desk that I ignored while spending all my time with Winona is appalling at best. Plus the guys want to go and catch part of that anime festival. You interested?"

"Is it Sailor Moon?" Penny asked.

"Of course not, it's a real anime festival, Penny."

"Then no."

"Suit yourself. I dont' know what else you'd want to do with a perfectly good free day on the weekend." With that, Sheldon counted out exactly his share of the bill plus a portion of the tip, then walked out of the restaurant, leaving Leonard and Penny to stare at each other with looks of 'What the hell was that' on their faces.

"Well," Penny drawled, "I supposed it was too good to be true."

"Winona was honest with him, and Sheldon's too dense with women to know any better. But at least when I hear noises from his room now, I can think there might be an actual woman in there."

"Speaking of which, I just realized something," Penny said, dropping her voice down to a whisper.

"What's that?"

"Well, with the universe being back to it's rightful orbit and all, we've got an empty apartment all to ourselves, no chance of being walked in on by Raj or Sheldon or Howard. Why don't you show me some of those moves you talked about this morning?"

Leonard couldn't pay the check fast enough.

End.