I don't own the characters, or the show. I make no money from my stories. I did, however, make a Penny-Blossom for a friend's 3 yr old niece who loves Sheldon. She thinks he's real. She plans to grow up and marry him. When I explained that even if he was a real person there's almost 30 yrs between them and he would be almost 50 by then, she said (and I quote) "That's okay. I'll be old enough to make my own chocolate milk since he'll be almost old."

He stared at the door blankly. It took several seconds for him to even realize it was shut. All he could think about was the pain in her eyes. There was so much torment and anger in those hazel orbs. And he had put it there.

Two Months Earlier

He looked around Penny's apartment, appalled that she was so disorderly. Granted, she had made a (slight) effort to pick up. At least there were no clothes on the floor or furniture. However magazines and books cluttered the sofa and coffee table. Movies were stacked up on and beside the TV instead of on the shelves where they belonged. And her care bear collection seemed to be overtaking the apartment, one cheerful belly at a time.

He had to admit that the spaghetti was delicious, though. Maybe even better than his Mom made (not that he would ever tell her that). And Penny was listening attentively to him as he spoke even though she obviously understood none of it. Too bad he never got to finish his behavioral training.

Sheldon paused mid-bite. Now that Penny and Leonard were no longer dating, he could resume re-programming Penny! But how? She would see through chocolates. He would not use alcohol. Using new shoes could get very expensive considering her tastes. Suddenly he had it. Sex!

Well, not actual coitus. But affection could work. Penny was a very physical person. She dispensed hugs and touches often. He could use that to his advantage. He remembered her reactions to the two hugs he had bestowed upon her. Yes. This would work. He would use touch to manager her behavior. He could even use the occasional hug to reinforce progress.

He watched her serve them both a slice of cheesecake, and felt a twinge of conscience. He pushed it aside almost immediately. He was doing it for her own good. It's what friends do.

Penny smiled as she washed the dishes. It had been nice to have Sheldon over for dinner. She hadn't realized how much she had missed him until he showed up. He must have missed her too. After the meal he had patted her hand and thanked her sweetly.

She couldn't believe he had initiated the touch. She would have to do something special for him. Maybe rent a movie he would like for next time. She paused with a frown. Would there even be a next time? Now that she and Leonard had broken up, Sheldon didn't have to put up with her. She sighed as she wiped down the counter. Maybe if she was on her best behavior, he would come over again. She missed her friend.

Two days later Sheldon knocked on Penny's door. He had devised a simple reward system and was confident he could have Penny behaving exactly as he wished within 12 weeks. He could have accomplished it in half the time if not for the way his friends had adopted a "bros before hos" mentality. He would not be able to visit Penny too often without risking their ire.

Tonight they had gone out to a club and he was taking the opportunity to begin working on Penny. She opened the door for him as soon as he had finished his knock. He held up two containers of Indian food and his copy of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

"Good evening, Penny. Would you be interested in a movie and dinner?" he asked.

Penny smiled and stepped back to let him in. "I'd love it, sweetie."

Sheldon opened a program on his laptop and began to catalog the event of the evening.

Weekly Entry #1: Approached subject P with food and entertainment. P removed magazines and coat from couch. Rewarded her with two tiny pats to the hand. When P began to talk during the movie, I shifted away from her and looked stern. She immediately ceased talking. Rewarded with two pats to the forearm. P is very receptive to correction using touch as a reward. I am pleased that my subject learns quickly.

Penny dumped the magazines in the trash and thought about the evening. She had been surprised by his visit, but very glad to see him. Maybe he really had missed her friendship, too. He had even touched her arm twice, and Sheldon was famous for avoiding physical contact. She turned out the lights and headed to bed. She fell asleep smiling.

On the next Sunday his friends left to go see a marathon of Godzilla movies. Normally he would have accompanied them, but instead he opted to work on Penny's rehabilitation. He sent her a text explaining that the guys were gone for the day and that if she was interested, he was planning a marathon of Doctor Who and pizza. At first she was hesitant to come to 4A, but the allure of free food was too much for her to resist.

Weekly Entry #2: P has surpassed my initial expectations. She is much more malleable that I suspected. I only have to give her a stern look and she instantly adjusts her behavior. I rewarded her several times, also. When she brought drinks to the table she immediately placed them on coasters, something I always had to remind her of before. She cleared away the remains of the meal as soon as we were done, and left promptly at 8, knowing that it was time for my evening sleep preparations. The only behaviors I had to adjust was her tendency to place her feet under her bottom and she called me by my Meemaw's nickname once. I also mentioned that her lavender scent was a bit overpowering. From her chagrined look, I am confident I will not be smelling it again.

Penny stepped out of the shower and dried off. She reached for her lotion and paused. She picked up the lavender bottle and sniffed it. Hmmm. Maybe Sheldon was right. She tossed it into the waste basket and grabbed the cherry blossom instead.

She thought back over the evening. She had hesitated when he first asked if she wanted to come over. Leonard had made it clear he didn't want her visiting. But he was out and Sheldon was her friend. She didn't want to hurt his feelings by turning him down. Especially since he was putting so much effort into their friendship.

She was making an effort too. She tried her best to make sure he didn't regret hanging out with her again. She had accidentally slipped and called him Moonpie once but he had only looked sternly at her. She had curled her feet underneath her at one point but that made her shift away from him, and he hadn't liked that.

Penny paused. Why hadn't he liked that? Surely he would have liked more space between them. Sheldon didn't like people too close. Penny's eyes widened as she realized he had touched her several times, tonight. Always on the hand, true, but this was Sheldon. Penny paused, her hands full of lotion as an idea took root in her mind. Sheldon had touched her arm several times the Friday they watched the Harrison Ford movie. Tonight he had touched her hand and objected when she moved away from him. Could Sheldon like her? Penny felt a bit dizzy. No, not possible. Right?

On Tuesday Sheldon sent Penny a text invited her to play Age of Conan with him. He had retired to his bedroom since Priya was over. He and the Indian woman did not get along, finding each other abrasive and rude. Penny sent him a text explaining she couldn't quest.

Laptops down. Getting fixd but gonna B a bit.

Sheldon frowned. Penny, please use proper grammar and punctuation. Why did you not bring it to me?

I didn't want to bother you. I know how frustrated you get when I mess it up.

He glared at his phone for a moment. Nonsense. Ever since you began playing AoC, I have always taken care of the maintenance on your laptop.

I am sorry, sweetie. I just know how important your time is. I'll ask you next time, if you want me to.

He felt a little mollified by her excuse, so he relented slightly. Thank you. I am always available for you.

Sheldon was surprised when Penny did not answer immediately. He was about to send a new message when she finally replied.

Thank you, Sheldon. I'm lucky to have you as a friend.

Sheldon smiled smugly. She was progressing very quickly. It may not take the entire 12 weeks to have her behaving properly.

Weekly Entry #3: I have corrected P's text grammar. She knows how valuable my time is, so I do not think I will be subjected to her atrociously misspelled text messages I was not able to work on her online etiquette. She, foolishly, has allowed some "professional" to attempt to fix whatever it is she did to make her laptop malfunction. I will need to take a look at it when it is returned and try to correct whatever problems this "professional" has created along with fixing whatever Penny, herself, did to the machine.

Penny curled up on her couch and ran a hand through her hair. She looked at her phone with a worried expression. "I am always available for you." Did that mean what she thought? Was he trying to tell her he was a friend, or was he hinting that he wanted to be more? And how did she feel about this if it was the latter?

Penny sighed and sipped her glass of wine. She adored Sheldon half of the time. He was a good friend. He was also the most neurotic person she had ever met. Okay, so he was very handsome, too. And sweet when he wanted to be. But he was also condescending and pushy. Penny leaned her head back on the couch and tried to clear her mind. Oh, the problems this would cause if Leonard found out.

Weekly Entry #4: P joined me for laundry night. She started to just throw her clothes into one machine but a frown from me, and a request that she follow proper laundry protocol convinced her to separate her clothes and use the correct amount of detergent. She was a pleasant companion once she followed my lead. As a reward, I gave her a well-earned hug before we left. This seems to have had the most effect on her. It left her speechless for a full minute.

Penny put away her clean clothes and tried to keep calm. Sheldon had hugged her. For no reason whatsoever. Sheldon Lee Cooper, Mr. Germaphobe, had placed his arms around her shoulders and hugged her. She was convinced. Sheldon liked her. So how did she feel about him? She struggled to sort through the shock and find her true feelings. Sheldon had always been important to her. He was always there when she really needed someone. She knew she could trust him. She admired his intelligence and his confidence. She was very protective of him. So, what was the answer? Did she care about him as a friend? Or as something more?

Penny fidgeted with the Penny-Blossom supplies on her coffee table, barely able to concentrate with Sheldon sitting beside her. He was explaining about updating her site and all she could think about was his knee brushing against hers every few seconds.

Sheldon looked at her with annoyance. She wasn't paying the slightest attention to him! Here he was using his valuable time instructing her, and she was daydreaming. "Penny." He looked at her with irritation. "Are you listening to me?"

Penny looked up into his deep blue eyes and smiled softly. "I'm sorry, Sheldon. I just have a lot on my mind. Please continue. I'll try to do better."

Sheldon swallowed and cleared his throat. His stomach gave a curious flip and he nodded. He resolutely turned back to the supplies on the table and began again. This time Penny paid attention and soon they were discussing how to market her hair barrettes more efficiently.

Weekly Entry #5: P was distracted and inattentive tonight. I had to reprimand her, which means no hug, regardless of how well she followed the conversation later. I have to keep to my rules. After the reprimand she followed my lead admirably. I swear, sometimes that girl makes me wonder why I bother. But it's for her own good. I am determined to turn her into a more enjoyable and agreeable companion.

Weekly Entry #6: Now that P and Leonard have agreed to be friends again, I can spend more time adjusting Penny's behavior without having to consider Leonard's feelings. To this end, I had Penny drive me to the train store. I took the precaution of reminding her to obey all traffic laws before we entered the car. I am pleased to say, she did exactly that. I rewarded her with a smile and compliment. She would have earned a hug if not for the check engine light still lit up like a fiery red warning that she will insist of ignoring! But I digress. Upon our return she stopped me outside our respective doors. She smiled and thanked me for a pleasant evening. Her demeanor and words reinforce my opinion that she will soon be the perfect friend.

Penny finished putting away her groceries and leaned against the counter. She smiled softly as she thought about the day before. Sheldon had wanted to go to the train store, so she had taken him. She had missed an audition, but lately Sheldon had seemed more important. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and sighed. She was rapidly falling for the whack-a-doodle. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Sheldon wasn't like any guy she had ever known before. He could be arrogant, egotistical, and condescending. But he could also be sweet, adorable and attractive. Penny's mind flashed to his smile earlier. Very attractive.

Penny moved to the sofa and curled up to watch some tv. Who was she kidding? She was falling in love with Sheldon. And she was fairly certain he was interested in her, as well. The way he was always touching her arm or hand, the hugs he seemed to be more comfortable giving her. She smiled softly and sipped a cup of tea. She would never have believed Sheldon could be so sweet and attentive.

Penny knocked on the door to 4A and smiled when Sheldon opened the door. "All ready for putt-putt?" she asked.

Sheldon looked at her with surprise. "Penny, I did not expect you for another 23 minutes. It is pleasant to see you arrive in plenty of time for our outing." Penny smiled as he reached out and drew her inside by the hand. He maneuvered her over to the couch and she sat down. "Excuse me for a moment while I finish getting ready. I had not anticipated your arrival yet, so I need to change my shoes."

Penny nodded and watched him head back to his bedroom. Leonard looked over from his desk with shock. He took off his glasses and cleaned them before turning to Penny. "What is going on?" he asked sternly.

Penny sighed, knowing this was dangerous ground. "What do you mean? Sheldon and I are going to the putt-putt course."

Leonard stood and walked over to her. "I mean, why are you and Sheldon acting like that? It's almost like you two are a couple!"

Penny stood and shook her head. "We're friends. We are nice to one another."

Leonard snickered. "Since when?"

Sheldon reappeared and glanced at Penny before looking at Leonard. "Is something wrong, Leonard?"

Leonard narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Why are you and Penny so chummy all of a sudden?"

Penny moved over to stand beside Sheldon protectively. "We are friends, Leonard. Deal with it."

Leonard sputtered a bit, but Penny took Sheldon's arm in hers and led him to the door. A moment later, they were gone. Leonard stared at the door for several seconds. Something was up and he was going to find out what.

Sheldon smiled as Penny stepped into the lobby ahead of him. He had quite enjoyed their activity. In fact, he had realized at the fourth hole that he had never been as content as he was at that moment. He liked being with the new Penny. He placed a hand on her back as they headed to the stairs.

Penny felt a bit giddy as they walked back up the stairs. Sheldon had placed a hand on the small of her back when they entered the lobby and hadn't released her yet. Who knew so simple a touch could have her heart thudding in her chest and her emotions spinning like a centrifuge.

Their outing had been so much fun. Sheldon had laughed and teased with her. Then afterwards they had went to Carney's for lunch. Sheldon was telling her all about his favorite train ride as they reached the 4th floor. She was astounded to see Leonard waiting for them, anger radiating off of him. He was holding Sheldon's laptop.

"Leonard, is something wrong?" she asked hesitantly.

"Tell her, Sheldon," he demanded.

Penny looked at Sheldon who looked alarmed. "Sheldon, what's going on?"

Leonard turned the laptop toward Penny. "He's training you. Using fake affection to make you behave how he wants."

Penny took a single step toward Leonard and looked at the screen. No. Sheldon wouldn't do that. She shook her head to try and deny it, but by the second entry she was numb. She closed her eyes and swallowed the large lump in her throat.

She didn't turn to face him, but there was no doubt who she was speaking to. "Why? Why would you do that?"

Sheldon fidgeted and wrung his hands together. "I was trying to help," he said softly. "To make you better."

"Better?" Penny asked. "You thought I needed to be made better?"

Sheldon sighed, knowing she didn't understand. "Just a few behaviors, Penny. So we could be real friends."

Penny gasped as she felt her heart shatter. More than Kurt's cheating, more than Leonard's jealousy, more than every slight, rejection or hurt she had ever experienced, this was the most devastating. She looked down at the floor and trembled.

Sheldon took a step forward. "Penny, I did not mean to upset you. I was only trying to help."

Penny shook her head slightly. "All this time, you were tricking me. I thought you were my friend. I thought you cared about me." Penny took a shuddering breath and looked away. "I thought maybe you liked me. The way I was starting to like you. Instead you think I'm defective. That I need fixing." Penny looked up at Sheldon, her eyes swimming with more unshed tears. "It was all a lie. You've never seen me as more than a burden, have you? I never mattered to you at all." Sheldon reached out and she scrambled backwards, knocking into Leonard. "Don't touch me!" she screamed. She pushed a stunned Leonard in front of her and hurriedly moved out of reach. Sheldon looked at her with anguish. Her expression cut him deeply. He was dismayed by the depth of her pain.

She turned toward her door swiftly and unlocked it. She opened the door and stepped into the apartment silently. Sheldon tried again to touch her. Penny jerked away and looked up at him. Without a sound she reached back and slapped his cheek. "I never want to speak to you again. Stay away from me, Dr. Cooper." Then she shut the door quietly.

He wanted to blame Leonard for telling Penny. He wanted to blame Penny for being oversensitive. He sighed as he studied at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He only had himself to blame. He hadn't spoken to Penny in almost three weeks. Every time he saw her, she had turned pale and scurried away quickly. She no longer worked Tuesdays. He suspected she was doing her laundry in the mornings while he was at work. She had blocked him on face book. His texts, emails and calls went unanswered. He had knocked over forty times, but she never answered, even when he knew for a fact that she was home.

How was he to make this right if she denied him the opportunity to do so? He finished shaving and dried his hands. He missed her. He wouldn't have thought it possible, but he missed her more now than he had when she and Leonard had first broken up. Her smile, her laughter, her general sunny disposition. He missed talking to her and watching movies. Sheldon sighed and looked in the mirror again. Surprisingly enough, he also missed touching her. He had never desired physicality before, but now he found himself missing it very much. He yearned for it.

Sheldon's eyes widened alarmingly as realization hit. He was attracted to Penny. In his attempts to modify her, he had modified himself. He had developed feelings for Penny. Sheldon hung his head and tried to decide what to do. Slowly he made his way back to his room. He sat down on the edge of his bed and stared at the floor.

"What's wrong?"

Sheldon looked up at Leonard with surprise. He forgot to close the door, apparently. "I am well," he said dismissively.

Leonard looked at him with a mixture of anger and disbelief. "You can't!" he declared. Leonard stormed closer and shook his head. "How could you even think about it? Not Penny!"

Sheldon cringed away and shook his head. "I don't know what you are talking about."

Leonard snorted derisively. "You aren't fooling me, Sheldon. I know that look. I've seen it in the mirror often enough. You love Penny, don't you."

Sheldon started to shake his head, but his left eye twitched madly. He blushed and hung his head. "Yes," he murmured softly. "I am afraid you are correct. I love her."

Leonard's shoulders slumped. "Why her, Sheldon? Why Penny? You know how I feel about her."

Sheldon's temper erupted. "Do I? Do you? Because I seem to remember you sleeping with my house guest just two weeks after you and Penny broke up. And isn't that Priya Koothrappali who has been sleeping in your room the last two months?"

Leonard sputtered and stepped back. "That's different. I have needs!"

Sheldon jumped up angrily. "And I don't, right? I'm just the robot guy, right? The one who everyone laughs at and calls asexual. The one you guys write off as having no deal. Yes, I've heard the jokes and the sneers. Well, you're wrong. You've always been wrong."

Sheldon pushed past a very stunned Leonard and headed toward the door. He jerked it open and crossed the hallway.

Knock, knock, knock. "Penny?"

Knock, knock, knock. "Penny?"

Knock, knock, knock. "Penny?"

He waited for a count of 30 and knocked again.

Knock, knock, knock. "Penny!"

Knock, knock, knock. "Penny!"

Knock, knock, knock. "Penny!"

The door swung open and she glared up at him. "What the hell do you want?"

Sheldon grabbed her shoulders and pulled her against his chest. He captured her lips with his and knew instantly that this was what he had been yearning for. Her. He molded her body to his and drank in the taste of her. Until a sharp pain shot up his left leg. He jumped back just as Penny swung her foot back to kick him again.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?!" she screamed at him. She jabbed a finger in his chest. "Keep your damned hands away from me! You're experimenting days are over as far as I'm concerned!"

She started to slam the door shut but Sheldon kept it open with his shoulder. It bounced back and he grabbed her arm so she couldn't hit him. "Stop it!" he demanded in a loud voice full of twang. "You and I are going to sit down and discuss this, right now!"

Penny went wild. She slapped at his hand and tried to shake him off. Sheldon moved her back into her apartment and shut the door behind him. Tears poured down her cheeks, her breathing harsh.

Sheldon sat down on the sofa, ignoring the magazines strewn about. He pulled her down onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her tight. He held her against his chest and waited for her to calm down. He wasn't as muscular as the men Penny had always gravitated toward, but years of paintball, Wii sports, and walking up and down thousands of stairs had made him wiry. Besides, when you understood physics, it was easy to determine how much force was needed to keep her on his lap.

"Soft Kitty, Warm Kitty, Little Ball of Fur. Happy Kitty, Sleepy Kitty, Purr, Purr, Purr."

He was on his fifteenth verse when her sobs turned to hiccups. He took a chance and moved one arm so he could rub her back gently. Penny stiffened but didn't try to move away from him, which he took as a good sign. He took a deep breath and began talking.

"Penny, I cannot even begin to tell you how sorry I am. I never meant to hurt you. I was wrong. I tried to change you but you didn't need changing. I did. I thought that making you more demure would make things easier. I thought I wanted you more demure. I don't. I want you, the real you, back. I miss our arguments. I miss our struggles for dominance. I miss your smile and your laugh. Only one good thing came out of this entire endeavor. I became accustomed to your touch."

Sheldon rested his cheek against the crown of her head. "I miss that, Penny. I miss the feel of your skin. I miss your gently scent. I miss your warmth. I very much fear I cannot live without them, Penny. I have fallen into a trap of my own making. In trying to turn you into what I thought would be the perfect friend, I discovered the perfect woman. I love you, Penny."

She was silent for several minutes. "I don't believe you," she finally said, her voice a mere whisper. "I think this is just another of your fake affections to get me to be what you think I should be." Penny firmly pushed away his hands and stood up. Sheldon looked at the stark grief in her eyes, knowing it matched the pain he felt. She calmly walked over to the door and opened it up. "Don't be here when I get back."

Penny turned her phone back on, dialed Leonard's number and waited.

"Penny?" he asked cautiously. "Are you okay? Sheldon said you took off. We've been waiting hours for you to get back."

"Is he still at my place?" she asked softly.

"No. He's in the bathroom at the moment," Leonard said. "What happened?"

Penny sniffled. "I don't want to talk about it. Keep him away from me, Leonard. I mean it. I don't want to speak to him, or see him."

"Where are you?" Leonard asked. "I'll come and we can talk."

Penny sighed and looked out over the water. "I'm at the beach. I forgot my keys so I took a taxi. I don't really feel like company, Leonard. I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay? Just keep him away from me, okay?"

Leonard sighed. "I'll do the best I can."

Penny sipped the lukewarm soda and watched the sun dip lower in the sky. Beautiful shades of red, orange and purple streaked across the sky. A shadow covered her and she looked up. Leonard smiled down at her gently.

Penny looked away and sighed. "I really don't feel like talking," she said.

Leonard sat down beside her and placing his shoes in his lap so he didn't get sand in them. "Penny, you were right. We weren't for each other. I know that now. I am attracted to you. I like you. But mostly, we make really good friends. And as your friend I'm going to offer you some advice. Sheldon is an idiot sometimes. Especially when it comes to you. He has no idea how to explain himself when it comes to his emotions. Because until you came along, he was able to ignore and suppress them. But he can't ignore you."

Penny looked at him suspiciously. "Since when are you Sheldon's biggest advocate? And why does it seem like you're trying to convince me to forgive him?"

"Because I am," Leonard said tenderly. "Earlier today I talked to him. Listening to him, I discovered something I had never thought about before. Sheldon is practically a newborn when it comes to love, Penny. He's never experienced it, never thought about it, never paid any attention to it. Because of that, he has bungled it up. He loves you, Penny. He just doesn't know how to convince you of that."

Penny shook her head. "I don't think he can," she said. "He may have convinced you, but he hurt me, Leonard. He lied to me. He said I needed to be made better. How can he love me if he doesn't like who I am?"

"But I do," Sheldon said brokenly.

Penny gasped and turned to see Sheldon standing just a couple of feet away. She jumped up, ready to storm away but froze. Sheldon was holding himself stiffly, trying not to twitch. Penny reached up and pushed her hair back out of her eyes. She couldn't believe that Sheldon was standing on a beach. A public beach. He had always called them havens for every communicable disease imaginable. Even more unbelievable? He was barefoot, his shoes in his hand.

Sheldon looked at her hopefully. "I do love you, Penny. More than I know how to express. I don't want you to change. I want you to stay as you are. Please, Penny. I would do anything to make this up to you. I can't bear not having you in my life."

"You hurt me so badly," she whispered.

Sheldon reached out and caressed her cheek. "I know. I deeply regret it. I wish I could take it back. All I can say is that I will endeavor to always treat you with respect and affection. I will spent the rest of my life trying to make this up to you. Please, Penny, I'm begging you. Just give me a second chance."

Penny looked up at him, searching his eyes. After a moment she reached up to cover his hand with hers. She stepped forward and laid her head on his chest. Sheldon closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her. They stood there for several minutes until Leonard cleared his throat.

"I hate to break up this happy moment, but the tide is coming in. Sheldon may think he's learned to swim via the internet, but I personally don't want to test that theory."

Sheldon opened his mouth to argue, but Penny pulled him down for a brief kiss. "Let's go home, Moon Pie."

He smiled down at her. "Okay. But don't call me that. Only Meemaw can call me that."

Penny smiled and threaded her fingers through his. They followed Leonard across the sand to his car. He smiled as they both slipped into the back, so they didn't have to separate. He sent Priya a text before pulling into traffic to see if she wanted to grab some dinner and join the three of them. She would be happy to know Penny was no longer single. She'd be even more pleased to know Sheldon would be too busy spending time with his girlfriend to bother with them. He cast one last look in the rearview mirror, and blushed at the tender smiles his two friends were sharing. Oh yes, Priya was going to be quite pleased.