Penny was carefully sliding a slice of pepperoni onto her plate when her phone buzzed. She glanced at it and froze.
"Uh… guys?" she said, her voice a little tight. "I… I just got an email from Ironclad Publishing. They want to publish Starfall Valkyrie nationwide."
The room went quiet. Howard nearly dropped his slice, Raj's jaw practically hit the floor, and Leonard gave her a slow, calculating look that Penny immediately found mildly terrifying. Sheldon, as always, blinked once, adjusting his spot on the couch.
"That is… statistically significant," Sheldon said flatly. "A major contract with numerous potential variables and constraints. Panic is a rational response."
"Oh, panic," Penny muttered, flopping onto the couch. "Yes, panic. Because… I like keeping things small. I like helping Stuart's shop. I like the quiet success I've carved for myself. I didn't… I didn't plan on national attention. And now I'm supposed to… I don't know… make it bigger?"
Sheldon immediately moved to sit beside her. "Step one," he said gently, "do not lose your composure. Step two: read the contract logically. Step three: identify risk points. I will assist."
Penny blinked at him, then laughed nervously. "Of course. Because nothing says comfort like a forensic breakdown of potential legal traps."
Amy, perched on the armchair with her notebook already open, raised an eyebrow. "I may also be able to assist. Contracts are not my primary field, but I have sufficient understanding of legal clauses and implications. And I have data on standard publishing rights."
Penny blinked at her. "Amy… that's really helpful."
Amy nodded seriously. "Observation: I can function in multiple domains when necessary. It's efficient."
---
Minutes passed with Sheldon meticulously highlighting clauses that might restrict creative control and Amy annotating possible negotiation points. Penny scribbled frantic notes, occasionally glancing at her friends, and felt… conflicted. She already knew her work could succeed—she'd already seen it thrive online and in Stuart's shop—but the idea of letting it reach a larger audience, and potentially changing the intimate, carefully balanced life she'd built since her second chance… that terrified her.
Until Leonard, who had been quietly nibbling pizza while pretending to read a comic, leaned back and said, "Just… make sure you stay humble, Penny. Don't get ahead of yourself."
The words landed and Penny blinked. "Uh… what?"
Howard whispered to Raj, "Oof. That's brutal."
Raj nodded. "Yeah. Brutal and unnecessary."
Penny's lips pressed together. "Thanks for the pep talk, Leonard," she said lightly, but her chest ached. Sheldon, reading her micro-expression, immediately furrowed his brow.
"Comment noted," he said. "I concur. That was… suboptimal social support."
Amy, ever precise, added softly, "Penny, do not internalize comparative judgments. Your success is your own, regardless of others' commentary."
Penny smiled faintly, squeezing Amy's hand. "Thanks, Ames."
She turned her attention back to the contract. Sheldon leaned over her shoulder, whispering things like: Clause 12, subsection b—possible forfeiture of intellectual rights if not amended and Page 7: consider negotiating royalty percentages relative to print and digital distribution.
Amy chimed in with legalese that sounded vaguely intimidating but comforting: Ensure that exclusivity clauses do not impede derivative works in ancillary media.
Penny's fingers hovered over her phone. She could say yes. She could take the leap. She could let Elisabeth Eiriksdottir's universe finally reach beyond Stuart's shop and her online audience. But… would that change her second chance? Would it force her life out of the quiet, careful rhythm she'd built?
She took a deep breath. "I… want to do this," she said softly, though her voice trembled with uncertainty. "I just… I need to make sure it doesn't… ruin what I have now."
Sheldon gave her a small, approving nod. "Decision aligns with optimal personal growth metrics. Contingency planning can mitigate risks."
Amy smiled faintly, precise but warm. "You will manage. I predict measurable satisfaction, provided you maintain control over your variables."
Penny's eyes flicked to Sheldon, and her chest warmed. There was something quietly reassuring in his presence—the way he sat beside her, calculating yet protective, watching her with a careful curiosity that made her feel… seen.
Leonard mumbled something under his breath about "not overestimating your abilities" while Raj and Howard whispered commentary about being impressed by her calmness under pressure. Penny ignored it all.
Because right now, surrounded by pizza, pencils, logic, science, and laughter, she realized something simple: she could protect what she'd built and still grow.
She could take the contract. She could trust her friends. She could trust herself. And maybe—just maybe—she could also let herself fall a little more for the guy who sat next to her, quietly helping her navigate this new chaos.