Title - The Sky Wept

Disclaimer - I don't own them

Timeline/Spoilers - Spoilers for the last few episodes (February 2015)

Warning - angst

Summary - The team suffers yet another loss

Author's Note - This was not the story I was going to write for picfor1000 this year. In fact I was struggling to get it done and then today my hero Leonard Nimoy passed from this world. This is for you, Mr. Nimoy. Thank you for brightening my world.

XXX

Penny rested her umbrella against the door before knocking. What a terrible day. She would have thought the doctors would have better manners than the guys at the Cheesecake Factory, but no, they ogled her just as much. To top it off, it rained hard and the wind had turned her umbrella inside out. She was surprised to see Amy open the door to the boys' place, shocked more by her pained expression.

Looking past her friend, Penny saw Bernadette sitting with Howard on the couch, their heads close together. Sheldon sat next to them, looking near to tears as did Raj who sat on the floor, leaning against the table. Leonard brought his head up to look at her, but he didn't pull himself up from where he slumped in his chair.

"My god, what's wrong?" Penny didn't really want to know. It was bad, and this year had been so awful already.

Amy closed the door, then took up residence in the chair pulled up next to Sheldon's spot.

Leonard patted the arm of the chair. "Leonard Nimoy died today."

Penny ran over and embraced him.

"How could you not know? It was all over the news," Sheldon sniped.

"I was listening to my Beyoncé mix," Penny lied, settling against Leonard. She didn't know why she lied, but she didn't feel like telling him she had been listening to an acting lecture. She hadn't given up her dream yet, but Penny realized that the boys' dream had died today. "I'm so sorry. He was so nice to me whenever he came into the restaurant. Raj, is Emily coming?"

He nodded, nervously smoothing down his sweater vest. "Once she gets off work."

"It's so unfair. First Howie's mother and now this," Bernadette said exactly what Penny had been thinking.

"I can't take much more," Howard said in a tone more broken than Penny had ever heard. He gestured to the table. She noticed a couple Mr. Spock dolls sitting there next to a picture frame. Mr. Nimoy's autograph on a napkin sat proudly behind its glass. "We were just telling stories about him and what he meant to us."

"I guess you sort of just did, Penny," Amy said.

From her expression, Penny wondered if Amy was a bit jealous. As far as she knew, Amy had no Leonard Nimoy stories.

"I've never liked my name," Leonard said, putting his hand on Penny's knee. "But I liked to pretend my parents named me after Nimoy. I know they didn't, but that's what I told everyone in school. I thought it might make me cooler." He frowned. "It didn't."

"He followed me on Twitter." Raj offered up a sad smile. "It took me three weeks to convince Sheldon, it happened."

Sheldon slapped the couch. "Why would he follow your drivel about your dog when he wouldn't follow my brilliant insights on space?"

"That restraining order on the table next to his autograph might have something to do with it," Howard said.

Penny wondered how many restraining orders Sheldon had taken out against him. She knew of at least three.

Sheldon flopped his head back and forth like he did when he was trying to decide whether or not to concede a point. "No, that can't be it." He picked up the doll from the table. "He did talk to me in a dream though, or should I say, Mr. Spock did. He was very helpful, and then he was rather mean."

"Because you broke your transporter and switched it out with mine. You deserved mean Spock." Leonard glared at him. "But he was nice at that convention, remember? He was so well spoken and we were having fun…up until you pissed him off and wouldn't leave him alone."

"I had so many questions," Sheldon protested.

"And that's why you have that restraining order."

"I liked his poetry," Amy said, making everyone stare. She smoothed her hair back, defiantly. "What? I try to like things Sheldon likes, and I like poetry so I tried his. He was good."

"Can I read it sometime?" Bernadette asked.

"Sure."

"Remember that Ballad of Bilbo Baggins song he did way back when?" Howard laughed. "How high did he have to be?"

Sheldon scowled. "Now why would you bring that up? It's so undignified."

"I disagree," Leonard said. "It showed his playful side." He held up a hand. "Yes I know Mr. Spock wasn't playful, but Nimoy was."

"All right. I can agree with that."

"Have I seen that Bilbo thing?" Penny asked thinking that sounded familiar, but that was probably because Leonard had forced her to sit through all those Hobbit movies. Now, seeing how much he was hurting over the death of his role model, it seemed like such a small thing to do for him. It surprised her how much Leonard's pain hurt her.

"Actually I loved that video with him in Bruno Mars's absolutely perfect Lazy song." Raj smiled.

"That was fun." Penny had seen it mostly because she loved Bruno.

"Guys, did you see his last tweet?" Bernadette read it off her phone before anyone could answer.

A big lump formed in Penny's throat at the poignant words. She put her head on Leonard's shoulder and he held her tight.

"I say we start a Star Trek rewatch," Leonard said.

"Television or movies?" Howard asked.

"We start with the television show then the movies over the next few days," Sheldon replied.

"I'll order a pizza," Raj pulled out his phone.

"I'll make Romulan ale. I know, I know." Penny grinned. "I don't know what happened to me either."

She went to mix up the drinks and poured them once the pizza came.

Leonard held up his glass. "Here's to Leonard Nimoy. Thank you for all the wonderful years."

"You lived long and prospered," Howard added.

Raj raised his glass. "I have been and shall always be your fan."

Sheldon swallowed hard, eyes wet. "Of all the souls I have encountered, his was the most human."