A/N - I'm not entirely sure how this idea came about in my mind, but when I'm sick, I write. So I have quite a bit of this already written and basically the whole story mapped out in my mind. While I'm speeding ahead, I thought I'd publish the prologue tonight - partially because, why not, and also because I reached 100 posts on FanForum and get to use my molecules avatar on there (it's the small things!). I'll update this in accordance to how much is written - I'll keep myself 2/3 chapters ahead of what's published :) Things will be kept fairly ambiguous for a couple of chapters at least. Hope you enjoy, as always reviews are very much welcome :)
Prologue: "Raise your hopeful voice, you have a choice." (Once, the Musical)
There was no shadow of a doubt who those dark curls belonged to.
Pushing the door open, Penny's legs carried her automatically away from the back entrance of the theater and towards the all too familiar beige jacket. Her mind had lost its ability to think, not even attempting to comprehend why he was even here in the first place. He simply was, and that was all she needed. Her strong desire to get home and go to bed was gone, replaced by the consuming need to speak to him. As she got closer to him, she cleared her throat and released the grip on her jacket sleeves, which she'd been gripping in anticipation.
"Leonard."
Voice all too recognizable, he spun around. "Penny?"
"Hey," she smiled. Her heart fluttered. How she had missed that face. The way his eyes looked at her. His voice.
"Hey," he repeated. She was just as beautiful as he remembered her. It hadn't been incredibly long, but still, it felt like much longer. To him, it was too long.
"I... what are you doing here?"
"Trying to work out which way I'm supposed to go for the nearest subway station." He held his phone up to her quickly.
"They call it the tube here, and it's left and then left again... but what are you doing here?"
"Oh. Umm, I was meeting my boss for dinner to make plans. I was passing by the theater on my way and I saw your name on the list, and you were in one of the pictures outside, so... I bought a ticket to see if it really was you. It was you, so that was good - it was surreal seeing you up there, but you were great. And then I couldn't work out which way I was meant to go and... now I'm here. Talking to you." He chuckled, shaking his head slightly in disbelief. "I can't believe I'm here, talking to you."
"Me neither." Penny giggled lightly, the sound like music to his ears. "I was going to suggest we have dinner but I guess you already ate, and it's probably a little... weird."
"No, no, it's fine." Leonard paused for a moment, contemplating his options. He didn't want to simply say goodbye here and leave it at that, but at the same time, he didn't want to impose on her. "Do you want to... get some coffee, or something?"
"That would be nice," Penny nodded slowly. "Uh, it's only, like, a ten minute ride in the cab to where I'm staying, and there's a tube station near mine. If you wanted to come over... you don't have to."
"Oh, umm, sure. Yeah, I'd like that."