The distinctive pounding at her door woke her. It was Sheldon. Penny glanced at her bedside clock. It was only 9:45 in the morning. Her 'do not disturb before eleven' rule was being challenged. She rolled out of bed and padded out of her bedroom, yawning along the way. With each step, the knocking grew louder. An evil smile crept across her face as she envisioned the amount of blood that would seep from his gaping throat wound. She reached her door and clenched her fist, ready to pounce.

The first light of dawn peaked over the horizon as Sheldon got out of bed. For the first time in ages, he didn't sleep a wink. He couldn't seem to get comfortable. A yearning of some kind had worked its way to the surface yet again. It was just like craving a certain food. The feeling was still new and unsettling. It was a nuisance to have his routine disturbed. He put thought and planning into his lifestyle to avoid situations like this.

Sheldon perched on his bed and took a deep breath to calm down. He worked on his breathing slowly, trying to come back to his senses. Think logically, he thought. If his sleep had been disturbed it meant his body or brain was trying to tell him something. He didn't feel sick, but he couldn't define the aches that ripped through his body. There was a dull twinge in his groin, and one in his chest. Frowning he stood up and stared at himself in the mirror. He was beginning to suspect what it might be.

He put on his robe and ambled out to the kitchen. Putting some water on to make tea, he glanced at the clock. It was almost 5:30 in the morning, too early for breakfast, but the tea would help calm his nerves. He prepared his tea and sat in his spot on the couch. The silence in the apartment was nice. He glanced towards Leonard's bedroom and remembered that Penny was no longer there. They had only just broken up the week before. That accounted for the early morning silence, when they would normally copulate to start their day. It sometimes woke him up. Just two weeks ago they were having a particularly noisy morning and Sheldon had to put on his headphones. But before he did, he listened for a minute, trying to understand what he was hearing. It sounded awfully violent, but Penny's loud cries allowed him to deduce that she was receiving pleasure from Leonard's actions. Listening to them, his groin had developed a peculiar ache that bothered him until he left for work. He managed to ignore it, and eventually it went away.

It also seemed that his everyday life was beginning to wear on him. Watching as someone like Wolowitz secure a relationship with an actual woman had been a little off putting. He knew it was jealousy, but why? Jealousy was an emotion he reserved for other breakthrough scientists, something to keep him motivated. In all his life, he had never been that interested in an intimate relationship. His work was too important to him and it would be a distraction. He learned early on that allowing oneself to be sidetracked is the first sign that failure isn't far behind. Sheldon couldn't bear to fail, it wasn't in his nature. The few times it actually happened, he had to rationalize it away just to make it through the days, until it was all but forgotten. He realized he better get to the bottom of his current diversion before he lost another night of sleep.

He began to ponder the last few months. He knew there were one or two other times he had felt this way, but Sheldon was having trouble remembering the circumstances. The first was when he was eleven and woke up from a dream he couldn't' remember. The fronts of his pajamas were damp at the crotch. Later, when researching the event, he found he had ejaculated in his sleep. But reading on, apparently it was normal for this stage of human male development and never put much thought into it again. He glanced toward Leonard's bedroom and stared at the door. Then he remembered another time. When Penny had fallen in her shower, he was helping her get dressed when he accidently felt her breast. That caused him to peak at her half naked and take note of her tattoo. Thinking about Penny's half naked form had sent butterflies to his stomach. It was pretty obvious what was happening.

He was having sexual urges.

Penny threw open the door. Sheldon stood there staring at her, a frown on his face and his eyes a little red. The anger slipped away from her and was replaced by alarm.

"Sheldon, is everything ok?"

"May I come in please?" he said looking a little sick.

"Uh, sure I guess," she said, curiosity getting the better of her.

He strode past her stood in the center of the living room, looking a little lost. She guessed it was some kind of Sheldon specific problem, which she wasn't ready to deal with unless she had coffee first. She stumbled to the kitchen, and busied herself there for a few moments, glancing toward him a few times. He had sat on her couch, presumably waiting for her to be finished. He stared at the carpet quietly, his frown getting deeper by the second. She brought him some water and sat next to him, waiting for her coffee to brew. Something suddenly occurred to her. It was a Wednesday. She had off from work today, but Sheldon goes to work every day at the same time. Worry shifted in her stomach.

"So what's up sweetie? Why the long face?"

He responded in kind, in his usual robotic way. "It's physically impossible for facial structures to be long," he said quietly as if his mouth did the answering, but his brain was elsewhere. She remained silent and waited for him to continue.

"Penny, I have a big problem, and I was hoping to enlist your help."

"My help," she said sarcastically. "What could Dr. Sheldon Cooper need that I can provide?"

He wanted to choose his words carefully, but he was bursting. If he didn't get it out soon, he was going to start involuntarily twitching. Besides, he was never one to hold back his thoughts. He was an honest man, mostly because lying was an illogical concept. He swallowed thickly and turned to look her in the eyes.

"Penny, you and I are friends. I value that friendship and would never do anything to put it at risk. But, lately I am having trouble with an issue I think you are well educated in, and I was hoping to ask you for a favor." His hands were shaking a little.

She stared at him and waited, confusion twisting in her head.

"I believe what I need is a sexual release, and I would feel better if it was with you, someone I trust," he said, sounding out each word carefully and slowly as if he had been rehearsing it.

She stared at him in shock. She opened her mouth a few times, but no sound came out. Instead, she stood up and went to get her coffee. When she turned around, mug in hand, she gasped a little when she found him almost right behind her. He was staring at her with a worried look. But, his eyes weren't puffy like he had been crying.

"Why are your eyes all red?" she asked quietly.

"I haven't been sleeping well. Penny, you need to understand how difficult it was for me to come over here. I haven't felt like myself in awhile. Even sticking to my routine is getting useless. I'm having strange feelings that are disturbing my sleep. I can't seem to control my thoughts. It would seem that ignoring my natural urges has caused my body to take control of my unconscious mind. I had to leave the room the other day when Wolowitz was kissing Bernadette because watching them left a hollow feeling in my gut. I think…I think I might actually be jealous." He flopped into the chair next to the counter and put his head in his hands.

She was dumbfounded. First of all, Sheldon never flopped. He sat. Sheldon never missed work and he never spoke like this before. He sounded…human. She felt ashamed thinking that way, but she had grown accustomed to his perfunctory attitudes. Her heart went out to him when she realized how he must be feeling. Poor guy, she thought. His manly hormones had finally come to claim him and he didn't know what to do with himself. His breathing became ragged, as Penny put down her mug and went to him. She put her arms around him carefully. He buried his face in her neck and tried to calm down. Over her shoulder he saw that the clock was just about to hit 10 am. He gasped and pulled away.

"It's before eleven and I've roused you. I apologize. I'll go." He started to get up. She held him firm to the chair.

"It's okay Sheldon. I'll give you a pass this time." She smiled at him and he relaxed in her arms. She led him to the couch so they could talk it out.

"Sheldon honey, I would like to help you, but I honestly don't know how. Maybe what you need to do is try and date a little. Getting accustomed to intimacy is the first step to understanding sex."

"I don't need to understand coitus. I'm schooled in the aspect of fornication, and its purposes."

She had to laugh. "Oh sweetie, no offense, but you have no clue," she said softly. He looked surprised and opened his mouth to speak. She silenced him with her hand and spoke gently.

"You may know what sex does physically, but emotionally, you will never know until you have experience. The reason you are losing sleep isn't just because you're horny and haven't had a release. If Howard's relationship stirred feelings in you, sex isn't all you need. You couldn't be in the same room with Leonard and me on more than one occasion either. I don't think you are jealous Sheldon. I think you're lonely."

While she spoke, he stared into her eyes. Now he looked away when he realized she was right. His work wasn't enough anymore. He had put this need aside for so long, it was manifesting physically.

"I would still be more comfortable if it was you," he said, unabashedly, still trying to convince her. "I couldn't go to work today because of the knots in my stomach. Trying to date, as you put it, is going to take an ungodly amount of time that I can't waste. The courtship and the first few dates alone could take weeks! In addition, I lack the focus right now to place myself in a position where I might be attractive to a woman. I am also assuming she may return my affections and wants to copulate when I do. Logically speaking, you are the wisest choice."

Penny shook her head. Now there is the Sheldon I know, she thought. He just asked to sleep with her because his hard-ons are disturbing his precious routine, she thought. She felt a wave of anger sweep through her. She was about to tell him how insulting it was when something occurred to her.

He has no idea, she thought. He thinks this is another one of those things that can be "solved". For every problem, there is a solution. He wasn't trying to be rude or insulting. She realized then that she had a rare opportunity to convince a man that a relationship is worth the trouble.

"Sheldon, I don't think it's a very good idea. I don't want to be the one who took your virginity that way. You deserve to be in love with someone."

He gave her a look. "Penny, let's be reasonable adults. What kind of woman can love me that way?"

"Don't take this lightly, Sheldon. I'm telling you as a friend. I think you should wait until you find the right girl. You have to discover what intimacy is between two people who think the world of each other. You have no idea what you're missing. To be in love is something you should experience." Her voice broke a little and she looked at the floor, suddenly a little sad. She got slightly chocked up and stared into her lap. Listen to me, she thought. I stomp all over poor Leonard's heart and I have the nerve to tell Sheldon what love is like after I rejected an open opportunity.

All at once, she felt his arm go around her. She looked up into his eyes and blinked. They were so dark, like two black holes in space, with flecks of gray scattered about, like the stars. When he spoke to her, his voice was low, and a little scratchy.

"I'm very moved that you still call yourself my friend after my callousness. Forgive me." He gave her a small smile.

She kissed his cheek. "For what it's worth Sheldon, I am so flattered that you came to me. It does make me feel good that you would trust me so much." Her eyes grew a little damp.

"If I have never said so Penny, I have a great deal of affection for you. And talking about it seems to have helped some. I feel as if a great weight has been lifted from my shoulders." He pulled her close for a sort of half-hug and stood.

"And now if you will excuse me, I need to freshen up and go to work. If I am lucky, I will fall asleep tonight with visions of sugar plums doing the hokey pokey." He laughed low and quick, as was his custom. She smiled at him and watched him leave.

Dabbing at her eyes, she got up from the couch and went into her room. She threw herself face up on her bed and stared at the ceiling. She thought of Sheldon's suggestion that they become lovers. She decided to give it some real thought, now that she had time. Her mind began to wander. The angel on her one shoulder was proud of her, saying that she did the right thing by turning him down. But the devil on the other was whispering that she picture what it would be like to show him what kind of a world he was missing. He never experienced even a real good kiss. He had no idea how exciting it was to make out, explore the bases slowly, savoring the reactions of your partner in pure bliss. My God, she thought. What if he does start dating and he never finds out? What if he was right, and he had too much baggage to make it work with another girl who didn't want to take the time to understand him? It may be too late to help him one day. She could be married and living somewhere else, and he would go on, never really knowing what life outside science could be like.

She listened to the silence around her. She remembered telling Sheldon that he was lonely. A deep need of her own soared through her chest as she remembered her first time. She had wished now that she could have had a better relationship with the guy. Maybe then, she would be able to look on it more fondly than just a roll in the hay. Penny thought of how cold the nights had become. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. She could have her own personal sex slave; a man who was to follow her every instruction, looking for ways to please her more.

Suddenly, she was getting up and running around her bedroom looking for clean clothes. She grabbed her towel and headed for the shower. She was going to pay a visit to a doctor.

He stared at his white board. The shaking in his hands appeared to have stopped and he was holding a red marker in mid air, trying to add another anomaly to his problem. He felt a little better after his talk with Penny. Though he was disappointed that she denied his request, he felt warm inside when he realized she only wanted to do right by him. She felt that being in love would enhance his experiences, and he was grateful. It was hokum, of course, but still touching.

He was making some notes in his notebook when there was a knock at his office door. He had expected Dr. Gablehauser to come and inquire about his lateness. It was deplorable, but he had prepared an excuse, citing "illness" as a reason. Since he was never late, he figured the reprimand would be minimal.

"Come in," he said, his eyes on his notes.

"Hey Sheldon, sorry to disturb you, but I have to talk to you." Penny walked into his office and shut the door softly behind her.

"Penny, can this wait. I am expecting one of my superiors shortly. He will want to know why I was late."

"What are you going to tell him?" she asked out of sheer curiosity.

"That I was a little ill this morning, but otherwise fine." He looked at her. She was staring at the floor. He tapped his foot a little, and tried not to smell the fragrant air she brought in with her. It did things to him.

"I'll make this quick then." She placed her purse on the chair and walked to him behind his desk. He was startled when she stopped very close to him.

"Sheldon, I'm going to help you," she said softly, her eyes on his.

He blinked and swallowed. He was about to speak but she went on.

"I know what I said, but after you left, I realized you had a point. We have trust and affection. What if you never find love? I know it's a pretty bleak way of thinking, but I also know you don't see things that way. You see the logic in everything, so I guess I will take a page from your book."

"Penny, I…are you sure?"

She gazed at him. There was really only one way to answer. She carefully placed her hands on his shoulders. He instinctively leaned away from the contact, but she held him firm. Staring into his eyes, she brought her mouth to his and kissed him firmly. This was to be his first kiss, and she promised herself she would make it a good one for him.

The sharp intake of his breath illustrated how surprised he was. His eyes remained open and for a moment he watched her. She was leaving soft pecks on his lips, beckoning to him to return the kiss. He noted that her eyes were closed, so he closed his slowly and opened his mouth a little. They molded their mouths to each other, and he found himself wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. He was doing things by instinct, and honestly, it was rather exhilarating. Her mouth tasted sweet and her small breaths in between kisses gave him that ache in his groin again. After a few more moments, she pulled away gently. He stood there, arms still around her, staring at her in amazement.

"That was…very stimulating. I hope to do it again."

He was so formal, that she giggled. "Yes Sheldon, we will do it again. That's the whole point. I am going to show you everything. I hope I can make your experiences pleasant and not laced with doubt and fear. But I want you to promise me something, and it's important."

He cleared his throat as he composed himself, moving away from her a little to give her his complete attention.

"During our," she smiled "lessons, you're emotions will overwhelm you. I know you think you have a firm grip on reality, but this may be a little scary. Your first time…you may lose control of yourself. But no matter what, we will always stay friends and respect each other. Will you promise that to me?"

"Of course Penny, I understand. "

She grasped his hand and smiled kindly at him. "If you can, sneak over to my place tonight before you go to sleep. We should get started on lesson one."

"And what does lesson one entail?" he asked.

"Getting to first base," she said.

She turned to leave, but was pulled back suddenly. Sheldon pulled her close and kissed her firmly, holding her cheek with one hand. She was a little stunned, but kept her cool. They broke apart and she caught her breath. He smiled at her.

"How am I doing so far?"

She didn't answer. She hid a smile and grabbed her purse before leaving.