The Game The Started the Change

Chapter 14: First Kiss and an Explosion

Sheldon and Penny roared, cheered, and groaned for their respective teams. As the game traveled to halftime, the two got a bit competitive about it. Gentle bantering turned into betting. That turned into yelling over the crowd to hear each other. As soon as half time was reached the three boys made a run for the concession stands. Totally ignoring Penny's warning about missing halftime.

Penny laughed to herself as she saw them leaving up the stairs. "You know...they are going to regret not listening to me."

Sheldon, who had been trying to come up with a good comeback to her latest comment about the game, hadn't been paying attention to the boys. So he didn't understand why the boys would regret something. "Explain." He simply stated.

Penny pointed to the quickly retreating backs of their group. Leonard yelped and bolted further up the steps, leaving the other two behind. They proceeded to laugh as Leonard slipped on the steps in his haste.

"Oh, I see." Sheldon said as he turned back to her. "Didn't you tell them not to miss halftime?"

"Yup." Penny popped the "p" making it sound similar to a bubble gum bubble popping.

"Then I completely agree with you." Sheldon smiled at her. "They are going to regret it."

Penny smiled back as the two teams' cheerleaders flooded the field. Each cheerleader team did their own routines as music blared from the loud speakers. Penny had once thought that it would have been her on the field instead of Rachel. She had wanted to be a NFL cheerleader so bad in highschool. Kurt was the one who convinced her to try acting. That she would be an "instant star". For once, she was glad he did. Being there with Sheldon... Having met Sheldon... It made everything she had done, lost and given up on, totally worth it. If going back in time and changing her choices made it so she never met Sheldon, then she never wanted to do so.

Sheldon made her feel safe, cared for, loved, cherished, respected, needed and challenged. No one else had ever made her feel that way. One or two...maybe three of those things. But never all of them. Best of all, she would never have to wonder if he was cheating on her, he would never be able to. And if he was unhappy or didn't like something, he would just tell her. Sure they had their arguments and fights. Their conflicts and issues. But... They always worked it out in the end. None of this passive-aggressive bullshit. No "it's your fault I cheated" and definitely no being arm candy. She knew that with Sheldon, it would be honesty, love, passion, compromise, caring, gentlemanly manners, and friendship.

Penny looked up as Sheldon looked down at her. She could see all the excitement and fun he was having. All the worries, phobias, and fear was replaced with trust and love. It was a heady combination and took her breath away.

"Sheldon..." Penny barely breathed, causing his eyes to travel to her lips.

"Yes, Penny?" Sheldon questioned back.

Her answer was drowned out by thousands of cheering fans as they announced the kiss cam count down appeared. But Sheldon could see her lips form the words I and Ready. The boys managed to make it back just in time to see the last girl flip through the air and land across from where she started.

"You said it wasn't important!" Howard slapped Leonard on the arm.

"I was told it wasn't!" Leonard yelled while he pointed at the man in question. "By Sheldon!"

"I told you it wasn't important on TV, unless it's the Super Bowl. I never said that about being at a game. You were warned."

Leonard was still sulking when their group appeared on the kiss cam. First it was Howard talking to the girl behind him. Then after a few more couples, it showed Raj talking with an asian girl. While Howards kiss was long and kinda creepy, Raj's was very short but very sweet too. The last couple writing appeared and Sheldon and Penny showed up on the screen.