Sorry if this seems to be really short on chapters guys. I've seen a lot of writers do that on here with their stories, and they're getting reviews out the rear end. Hopefully, everyone likes this.
Fight Or Die
Chapter One
Where Are They Sheldon?
After a monthly grocery shopping trip, Penny and Leonard are silently packing up in the middle of the night, and she's crying the whole time.
"Honey, I don't want to do this either but I'm not going to have you targeted like this. That guy is bad news, and I'm not about to sit idly by and have him kill you one day. He's mad at me because I won your love, not him. If it makes you feel better, go and talk to Amy before we leave. Two minutes is all you've got. We have to get to New Jersey. My Mother may have acted like she doesn't like you, but she wouldn't want to see you killed." Leonard tells her and he goes to the back of the apartment to make sure they have everything they could take with them. When Zach lost Penny to Leonard, he went bat crap crazy and vowed to kill Leonard to get her back, so once he backed off for awhile, they thought they were in the clear. Then they ran into him at the grocery store. There, he threatened them both that if he ever saw them out again by themselves, they'd meet their fate by his bare hands, and even said he'd have people watching them.
"Did we forget anything?" Penny asks Leonard who's coming back from the bathroom with a small box in his hands.
"Just the essentials in there. I'll take this down to the car. You go and talk to Amy. I might be convinced to give you more than two minutes. I just want to get out of here. He told me he's going to have people watching us. I'll come back up and get you when I get this last box loaded up in the car." Leonard replies.
"Penelope Hofstadter, do you have any idea what time it is?" Sheldon asks upon answering the door. She doesn't even answer. Instead, she just lunges forward, grabs onto him, and cries like there's no tomorrow.
"Okay okay, you're sorry. Going a little over board here woman." Sheldon says in shock when Amy comes out of the bedroom.
"I need to tell the both of you something, and I have to make you swear to keep it a secret. Come look at the apartment." Penny tells them. Amy's rubbing her eyes and trying to adjust to the light but she reluctantly goes over to the apartment across the hall. As soon as she sees it, she cries out, "Were you robbed!?"
"No. Nothing like that. Leonard and I have been threatened with our lives, like literally. We're leaving. I have to make you two swear to secrecy, that you won't tell anyone where we are. I can't call or write or skype, or anything for awhile. I'll have to find a way of letting you know where we are when we get there. If I have to use post cards that are unsigned, I will." Penny explains and Amy just stands there in shock, whispering over and over while shaking her head back and forth, "No. No, please don't go. Don't do this."
"Ames, Dear God, don't cry. Please. I'll be okay. When the air clears enough you can come and visit me okay? Please, be brave. You still have Bernadette and Emily." Penny tells her and Amy just takes a hold of her and clings to her, not wanting to let go of her, like it's the last time they'll see one another.
"Babe, are you ready to go? We need to get on the road." Leonard says, while coming back from taking the box down to the car. He has to pry the women apart and Sheldon finally puts his foot down, demanding an answer.
"What the hell is going on here?! No one is leaving this place without someone telling me something." Sheldon demands.
"Zach was so pissed off that I won her love over him, and he's threatened to kill us before, well me anyway. He said he'd kill me just to get her back, and he went all crazy, completely losing his mind, and just went psycotic. We ran into him at the grocery store tonight and he said he has people watching us, who are going to continue watching us, and that if he seen us out again together like we were tonight, he wouldn't hesitate to kill us with his bare hands. I have to get her out of here. I don't care what happens to me, but you don't screw with my wife. Take care of each other. We love you both." Leonard explains and Sheldon looks like he could cry at any moment.
"I'm not going to cry. I promise. I don't want you two to see me like that. Be well, be safe, and as soon as you can, please, call us. We love you both too." Sheldon says, and he looks over to Amy who is in full blown tears, with her fingers up to her mouth, and her fist doubled up, trying to keep it together. They finish saying their good byes, and Sheldon waits until they are out of sight, as he was watching from the window.
"I'm going to go crazy until I get to see her again." Amy tells him. He never does answer her though.
"Sheldon? Sheldon baby, look at me. What are we going to do?" Amy asks. He turns around to face her, and there's fresh tear drops running down his face.
Two weeks later, everyone at the University is starting to get worried. No one has seen or heard from Leonard and even Penny's boss has given up on calling her at this point. Sheldon and Amy are starting to look bad since they've not hardly eaten since they had to let out in the middle of the night like that.
"Alright. You two know something's going on. What is it?" Raj asks one day at lunch.
"What are you talking about?" Sheldon asks, not even looking up from his turkey sandwich to make eye contact.
"Leonard and Penny dude. Where are they Sheldon?" Raj asks again. This time, Amy gets up to just leave the table and Bernadette does something she wouldn't usually do.
"Amelia Cooper! Sit on down here." Bernadette tells her. Amy sits down, leans back in her chair, and crosses her arms in front of her, and just sighs.
"If they're in some kind of trouble, we won't say a word to anyone. We swear. Maybe we can help." Howard suggests.
"The only way you can all help is to stay out of it. I don't mean to snap at anyone of you, as I have, we have gotten close to you all and love you all as family. They had to leave for sake of health, someone was threatening to harm them, and they had to leave. We don't know where they went, when they'll be back, or if they'll be back. We can't contact them, nor can they contact us." Sheldon starts to explain and Bernadette says, "Oh my God. Howard? What are we going to do without them?" She breaks down and cries, and Raj just sits there in silence. When Amy reaches over to touch his arm, he tells her, "Don't. Just leave me alone for awhile."
"Rajesh. How do you think I feel huh? Penny was my best friend and now I don't know when or if I'll ever see her again. We lived across the hall from each other. Do you know how hard it is to pass by that door, and fight the urge to go in and sit at the island bar, to drink a glass of wine in her memory?! It sucks. It downright, freaking sucks." Amy almost hollers at him. He gives Sheldon a look like he's asking for his permission and Sheldon nods his head in approval. Raj reaches his hands out to Amy and she takes them in her hands, and he lifts her to her feet where they embrace and share a good cry for awhile.
"This can't be happening. It just can't be." Raj says, and Amy has the same feelings again as what she had that night when they had to say good bye.
"I know. It seems so unfair." Amy replies.
"Of course it's unfair. We're all the good guys. Nothing fair ever happens to the good guys." Howard sort of mumbles.
Chapter Two
Settling In
Penny has stayed in her bedroom for the whole time she's been in New Jersey at Beverley's house, afraid to even try to talk to her. There's a knock on the door, and Penny rolls over on her bed, to face the wall, pretending she's asleep so that her Mother In Law won't bother her.
"Oh Penny dear. I know you can't possibly still be asleep. You don't have to be afraid to talk to me. I'm not going to psyco analyze you anymore. I promised I wouldn't do that again. Despite our differences, you are my Daughter In Law, and I care about your safety and well being." Beverly says while taking a seat on the bed. Penny sits up so they can talk, and without even saying a word to each other, she feels better just from Beverly being in there with her. She looks at Beverly with tears forming in her eyes, and Beverly takes her glasses off, and nods her head, giving Penny the go ahead and Penny lays her head on her shoulder, and just lets it all out.
"It's okay Penny. It's going to be alright. You cry all you want dear. I'm here for you. I only regret not being there before when you may have needed me." Beverly tells her, and she actually puts her arms around her, and holds her like a Mother or even Mother In Law should do.
That night, Penny finally comes out of the bedroom long enough to sit at the kitchen table and have supper with Leonard and Beverly, and she sees on the news that Zach has been picked up and being held in the Pasadena Jail House for questioning.
"Wonder what he did." Leonard says, breaking the silence.
"Who cares? He's behind bars. I can call Amy now and have her to come visit." Penny replies, but as she's reaching for her phone, she feels Beverley's hand on top of hers.
"Not yet dear. Wait about another week or so and see if they're keeping him there, or letting him go." Beverly warns.
"Mom's right honey. Don't jump the gun, but hold off." Leonard tells her, and she just mumbles, "I miss my best friend babe."
"I know you do. I miss everyone too but, they would rather have us alive, hiding somewhere for our safety, as to be where Zach can find us, and us be dead." Leonard says.
"Hey. I just got an idea. If we're going to be here awhile, how about we try to resume our every day life like usual? Find work while we're here." Penny suggests.
"We can't do that even. I don't want to be living off of my Mom but, how are we going to find work if he has people watching us? We don't know if he's got them in different states and forgive me for this Mother but, God forbid, has them here watching us even?" Leonard retorts, but not in a mean way.
"Well duh honey. We dye our hair, change our outward appearances, and use fake names." Penny tells him.
"Now see, that could work." Beverly says, defending Penny's idea and all Penny does is smile and nod.
Beverly was only at the store for about an hour, getting different styles in clothing, hair dyes, and assorted items for them and when she gets back, they get started on changing their appearances. They're in the bedroom for over an hour so while Beverly waits on them, she watches some Wheel Of Fortune and Jeopardy. Penny can hear her playing along, and she sort of laughs a bit, never seeing this side of her Mother In Law, and starting to get comfortable with it. She walks out of the bedroom and asks Beverly, "So. What do ya think?"
"It's convincing. I hope it works. I know you two are wanting to find work and everything. What's your new names?" Beverly replies. Leonard comes out of the bedroom and he's now blonde, and wears contacts. Penny has changed her hair color to auburn red, and cut her hair to where it's shoulder length, and not down to the middle of her back anymore.
"My new name is, Jennifer Dalton." Penny tells her.
"I'm Raymond Dalton. Let's go find us jobs honey. Mom, we'll be back in a little bit." Leonard says.
"I only have one question. You both know that to me, you'll always be Leonard and Penny. Do I have to call you by your new names, or only out in public?" Beverly asks them.
"Here at home you can call us by our names. Out in public, at least until we know for sure that we're in the clear, our new names." Penny replies. Beverly just smiles a little bit, and decides to play along for their safety, and she gets off the couch, walks over to Leonard and Penny, and extends her hand to them.
"Mom? What are you doing?" Leonard asks her.
"My name's Beverly Hofstadter. Nice to meet you Raymond and Jennifer Dalton." She tells them.
"You too. But Mom, you don't have to do this here at home." Leonard replies, while they both shake hands with her.
"Just wanted to start getting used to it when I'm out of the house and if I happen to run into the two of you." Beverly says.
Chapter Three
The Visit
Leonard and Penny, aka, Raymond and Jennifer, have been gone for over eight months, and it's been the most miserable time of Amy and Sheldon's lives. Not to mention everyone else who had grown accustomed to them being around all the time.
"Hey, how are you doing today?" Sheldon asks, coming in from work and he sees that Amy appears to have been crying.
"I'm okay. You get the mail on your way up?" She replies.
"Yeah. We have something, looks like a letter from a Jennifer Dalton in New Jersey. Addressed to you. Here ya go." Sheldon tells her, and he hands her the letter then proceeds to go through his mail. After Amy reads the letter, she jumps up to make sure there's no one in the hall, on the stair case, or around the building outside.
"What are you doing?" Sheldon asks.
"Sheldon. Jennifer Dalton is Penny." Amy says, and she's beaming with excitement.
"What? Let me see that." Sheldon replies with a smile, and he gets up to read the letter that says, "Dear Sheldon and Amy, this is Amy's bestie, Penny. I had to go under an alias, and so did Leonard. Things are going great here at his Mom's. She's actually warmed up to me, and we're working now. We figured that since it's been so long since we've left there, that the air would be cleared enough for you two to come out here and visit us. We'll provide the food and drinks. The most you two need to bring is yourselves, your appetites, and the rest of the gang. Oh, there's just so much I want to tell the both of you, but just am not able to do so yet. The address on the envelope, is not his Mom's. We got us a post office box, that way nothing would be traced to her or where we're living at. Just for safety reasons. Still can't call on the phone, but this way here, no one will be the wiser. I love you guys to the moon and back, and have missed you all like crazy. Looking forward to your response, and if you can make it out here for a big get together next month, that'd be great. Love you both, Jennifer and Raymond Dalton."
"They're okay honey, they're gonna be okay." Amy says, almost crying, and she hugs him.
"I know. I've been worried but trying to hide it. They're survivors and they're not going to let anyone hurt either one of them. You get started on writing them back, and I'll start supper." Sheldon replies. Amy nods her head, wipes her eyes, and gets started on her letter. Sheldon asks what she wants for supper and she just responds with, "Make that famous tuna casserole of yours. Oh, it's so good. Bad for the waist line though." He smiles, rolls his eyes with that look of, "That's my sweet Amy." then he gets started on supper.
A week later, Penny, aka Jennifer, is checking the mail and she sees that she has a letter from Sheldon and Amy. She hurries home to her and Raymond's temporary apartment, and rushes through the door to open her letter and read it. She reads it aloud so Raymond can hear too.
"Dear Raymond and Jennifer. It seems so funny calling you guys that, but I know it has to be this way. I've contacted the gang by going to each one of them in secret, and letting them know that you both are safe. They're all for a get together next month and said we'll be there. It was great to get your letter as we've all gone about nuts. Sheldon and I have some awesome news to share with you both. Since you guys have been gone, we're now expecting our first baby. We don't know yet if we're having a boy or a girl. You know Sheldon wants a boy to carry on the Cooper name. I was wanting a girl but to be honest, it doesn't matter. Just as long as, he or she, is healthy. So, you're Mother In Law is being nice to you now? That's exciting news. I can't wait to get out there to see you guys. We've got so much to catch up on, and depending on how long you allow us to be out there, it's going to be like old times again. Listen bestie, I hope I can still call you that. I have to go for now and wrap this up, as it's now 7:00 and Sheldon just pulled his famous tuna casserole out of the oven. We love you guys and miss you so much. We'll see you next month. Tell your Mother In Law that we said hello and miss her too. Love always, to the moon and back, Sheldon, Amy, and baby Cooper." Jennifer reads aloud.
"Aww, that son of a bitch. He's gonna be a Daddy. That's great. So, they're coming then?" Leonard says.
"Yep. There's so much to do and get ready before they arrive. That was two weeks ago when I asked them about it. It takes about a week one way for a letter in the mail. So, one week for ours to get to them, one week for theirs to get here. Two weeks to get everything arranged. Is your Mom coming to this as well?" Penny replies, when they hear something outside their door. Leonard signals for her to be quiet, and he looks through the peep hole to find one of the neighbor kids.
"What do ya need Micheal?" Raymond asks him.
"My Mom was wanting to know if you and Jennifer wanted to join us for dinner tonight. She's fixing spaghetti, garlic bread, and garlic knots." Micheal Anders tells him.
"Is she putting a bell pepper and onion in the hamburger as it's cooking, and using Hunt's spaghetti sauce, traditional?" Jennifer asks from the couch.
"Is there any other way to fix spaghetti Jenny?" Micheal asks.
"That's my boy. Yeah son, tell her we'll be over. And Thank her for us." Jennifer replies.
"Will do. Oh hey, Mom said we're running low on Sunkist so, if you guys have some that would be great." Micheal says.
"Sure buddy. We'll bring over a case." Raymond tells him.
Two short weeks later, Amy was farther along than what Jennifer thought and when they reach Beverly's house, she welcomes them in. As soon as Beverly sees that Amy's pregnant, she just grins and hugs her.
"You have came a long way. Usually you would say that you only wanted kids to change the world." Amy tells her.
"I have changed quite a bit dear. Penny, no Jennifer, has really softened me since they've been here. Hop in my car and I'll drive you over to their apartment." Beverly replies.
"How did they manage that when you have to have an ID, social security number, and all the right papers?" Sheldon asks.
"They changed everything. It's actually not legal, but they faked a lot of things. Their ID's and socials are not real. Nor are their birth certificates. We uh, had a friend of Raymond's from high school, rig those up for them." Beverly explains. They pile in her car with their stuff for the get together as well as their suitcases, and head over to Raymond and Jennifer's.
"I hope we don't cry when we see each other." Amy says.
"It's only been eight months sweet heart." Beverly replies.
"The longest eight months of our lives." Sheldon says and Beverly just sort of nods and says, "Hmm. I see."
When they get to the apartment, Beverly tells them to hang on a second and they look at her like she's crazy. She has Amy to put her hair up and put on a base ball hat, then she puts a wig on Sheldon with another hat for him, and gives them both sunglasses. Then, she puts on her little get up as well, just in case if anyone is watching. There hasn't been any signs of trouble in quite a few months, but you never know either. The make overs, were not enough to fool Raymond and Jennifer.
"Oh my gosh. It's really you. Come in, come in. Hurry up." Raymond says, and when they get through the door, Amy asks, "Where is she Ray?"
"In the bedroom. Hang on. Jenny! Got company honey." Raymond says, and he makes his way through the apartment. Amy and Sheldon take off their hats and stuff and just wait for Jenny.
"Raymond. What is it this time? You tell me someone's here when they're not, and most of the time, it's Micheal. Ames? Sheldon, is that really you?" Jenny starts to complain but then sees her best friends standing there. She and Amy hug each other and it's like they've not seen one another in years. They get caught up on everything, then Amy and Jenny cook them all a good supper like so many times before.
"Where's the rest of the gang?" Jenny asks.
"Oh they won't be here til tomorrow. We'll go to the air port and pick them up together okay?" Amy tells her. Jenny smiles and says that it's a good idea, but they never get to the air port.
Chapter Four
No Way Out
The next day when Amy and Jennifer go to the airport to pick up everyone, they decide to stop and get them a small snack, not knowing things are about to turn deadly.
"You have no idea just how bad things have been without you guys. It sucks. They still haven't rented out your old apartment yet." Amy tells her.
"How often have you went in there and had a glass of wine for old times sake?" Jennifer asks.
"Maybe once or twice. We'd better not be out too late. You know that Raymond and Sheldon are going to be looking for us." Amy replies. They get their snacks and drinks, then head toward the new apartment, and they're being followed.
"Hey, turn on Neil Diamond." Jennifer tells her.
"What? I didn't think you liked him. Okay, let's see what we have here." Amy replies, and she finds her favorite CD of him that has "Coming To America" and they're just singing and dancing when someone who was hiding in the back seat of Jennifer's car, puts something over her mouth at a stop light.
"Someone, help us!" Amy cries out, hoping someone in passing cars will hear them. Sadly, no one did. Whoever was hiding in Jennifer's car, used chloroform on the both of them after punching Amy in the face, trying to get her to quit screaming, and then the person put them into a near by van that had been following behind them.
"They should be back be now shouldn't they?" Sheldon asks Raymond while they're playing a game.
"I was just starting to think that same thing. Think we should call one of them?" Raymond replies.
"Couldn't hurt." Sheldon says. As he's reaching for his phone, the house phone rings.
"Hello?" Raymond answers.
"Hello Leonard. How are you doing?" The voice says.
"You've got the wrong number buddy. My name isn't Leonard. It's Raymond Dalton." He replies.
"Don't play me dude. I know your name is Leonard Hofstadter and your wife is Penny, and her best friend is Amy Cooper, married to Sheldon Cooper of Pasadena California. If you wanna see them again, they have about six hours and that's only if they can swim. If they can't swim, less than six hours. Time's a ticking. Come find me." The guy tells him and Raymond feels a wave of nausea sweep over him.
"What's going on with you?" Sheldon asks. Raymond hangs up the phone and says, "Zach has Penny and Amy."
"Do what?! Amy's pregnant! We have to find them. How did he find you?" Sheldon says, rambling on.
"There's no time to explain. He said they have about six hours to live, if they can swim. If they can't, around five hours." Leonard explains. Sheldon looks at him and says, "We have work to do."
Around thirty minutes after they were abducted, Amy wakes up in a tank, and starts looking around.
"Where in the hell am I? Where's Penny?" She says, and when she sits up, she sees Penny, but she's still out.
"Oh my God! Penny, come on, wake up." Amy cries out, and she starts lightly shaking her until she's awake.
"Oh, my head. Are you okay? You've been hit." Penny replies, and she sees that Amy has been punched near her left eye and it's already black.
"I thought I had been. Where are we? Is this a tank or something?" Amy says, and then they hear someone talking to them. It's Zach's voice.
"Hello ladies. How are you doing today?" Zach asks.
"How the hell did you find me? You've got me, let her go. She's pregnant." Penny tells him.
"Oh well, I guess congratulations are in order. Time for the baby shower. Here ya go." Zach says, and he turns the water on them.
"That's not how a baby shower works you stupid ass! You're gonna kill us in here!" Penny yells.
"Very good Penelope. I thought you were so dumb. If Leonard and Sheldon find you in time, you'll still die in there. I have men standing at the ready if they show up." Zach explains.
"Penny, what do we do?" Amy asks, starting to panic.
"Don't do that honey. They'll find us. Have they ever let us down before?" Penny replies.
FLASHBACK 1
"Sheldon, what do you want me do again? I'm not so good at this fishing thing." Amy asks while getting her first lesson. Sheldon had finally broke down and let Penny teach him, then he taught Amy how to do it.
"You're trying too hard honey. After you bait the hook, cast the line out. Like this." He tells her, and then he takes a hold of her hands from behind her, and casts out the line with her.
"This is kind of fun. Why don't you do this more often?" Amy says.
"Well, there's work, the guys, grocery shopping, comic book store night, a whole number of reasons. You're doing it wrong again sweet heart." Sheldon explains, and she gives him that famous look of hers.
"You work too much. You're too busy with life and you need to have more fun. You're stubborn, you have no sense of style, you're too much into your research, and you think a good time consists of comic books. Whoa!" Amy replies, and she slips but Sheldon catches her and says, "And you, my dear sweet Amy, have no balance what so ever. And I love you."
"I love you too Sheldon." Amy says and she kisses him.
END OF FLASHBACK 1
FLASHBACK 2
"This is not going to work. There's no way that I can talk to your Mother Leonard. It doesn't matter if I buy her her favorite colored jacket, or take her out to eat, she won't like me. What makes you think that if you buy her a puppy, and have me to give it to her, it will help?" Penny asks after a minor disagreement between her and Beverly. They had been trying to get through another uncomfortable visit but, this time it wasn't Leonard that was having issues with her, it was Penny.
"Honey. Listen to me. She loves dogs. She used to have a cute little beagle when she was a kid and she took that dog everywhere with her. She needs someone to interact with since she and my Dad are divorced now." Leonard explains.
"She had a cute little beagle? Really? Your Mother, the ice queen herself?" Penny asks, who's in complete shock at her choice of dog breeds.
"Why's that hard to believe? What breed of dog did you think she'd have?" Leonard asks.
"A doberman. It would suit her personality." Penny says, making him laugh and he says, "Come on. Let's get her a puppy." They got her another beagle like she used to have, and it worked.
END OF FLASHBACK 2
"You're right Penny. They're always there for us." Amy says.
"Good girl. Hold onto that thought. They'll find us." Penny tells her. They start looking around, trying to find a way out, and the only thing they see, is a trap door looking kind of thing in the celing on the tank, above them.
"What are you looking at?" Amy asks.
"Look up there. Think you can hold me up? I'm going to try to pry that loose." Penny explains.
"If it will get us out of here, I could support Leonard's weight right now. The water's around three feet deep. Maybe we should wait just a bit. Make you even lighter." Amy suggests.
"Good point." Penny replies.
Another two hours passes when Bernadette calls Sheldon to see what's going on. No one has met them at the airport yet, and they don't know what's happened.
"Well, it's like this. We have to figure out where Zach is holding them at. I guess he found out where Penny and Leonard live at out here, and he did in fact have them followed. They're in trouble. He said if they can swim, they have about six hours to live. Only five if they don't." Sheldon explains.
"Remember? We tried to teach Penny how to swim one year. She never really learned. Give us the address to their apartment and we'll be there as soon as we can." Bernadette tells him.
"No. I'd much rather when you all get here, that you and Emily stay here at the apartment and us men will go find them." Leonard says, who was listening from Sheldon's phone being on speaker. Emily gets on the line and says, "Forget it. I'm a doctor now. Not just a dermatologist either. I have my medical degree in family medicine. If they're in real life or death trouble, they're going to need medical assistance when they're found."
"Done. The address is, sorry Leonard. All Zach's goons have done found ya. Gotta give them the address." Sheldon starts to say and Leonard says, "Just do it. Don't talk about it. Time's wasting here, chop chop."
"The address is 589 Linwood Avenue West State Road 37, apartment number 286. See ya soon." Sheldon says, and Bernadette has Howard writing it down then they hear him tell the women and Raj, "Got it, haul asses, let's move it!"
"This is so cold. I can't feel my legs anymore Penny." Amy says, while they're swimming around, trying to keep above the water.
"I know. We have more problems than that. Number one being the baby. If it's this cold on us, I hope that little one's okay in there still. Number two, I can't swim. Remember? You and Bernadette tried to teach me one afternoon. The best I'm able to do right now is just, keep the strength in my arms by hanging onto this metal door." Penny tells her.
"The metal door. Penny, I think it's deep enough for you to get up there and see about getting us out of here. Come on, get on my shoulders. Upsie daisy, one two three." Amy says, while Penny makes her way on top of Amy's shoulders and starts working on the door. Zach sees this and is curious about what they're doing.
"Smart ladies. You found the only way out of there." Zach says, and he gets his radio out to call his guys that he has watching everything outside.
"Yeah." A man named Jake says, while keeping an eye out.
"They found the exit in the tank. Get on it." Zach replies.
"Come on bestie. Have you almost got it?" Amy asks, and she's starting to struggle a bit with holding Penny.
"Just about. Okay, let me get this right here. This side is stuck in there pretty good." Penny replies and then she starts talking to the door while smacking it and she says, "Come on, you son of a bitch! Get, out, of there." She gives it one last good smack, and then it pops off.
"I've got it. We're out of here. Push me up, push me up!" Penny tells her, and Amy has to almost jump even though the water's to her neck, but just as Penny's hand are in the air, she's reaching up and grabbing onto the roof, where she pulls herself to a standing position to look around for a minute.
"Penny, what about me?" Amy asks. Penny is just about to turn around to get Amy and pull her out but Jake is there waiting for her. He sneaks up behind her, pecks her on the shoulder making her turn around, and when she's face to face with him, he punches her across the jaw, and throws her back in the water.
Chapter Five
The Rescue
The water is now just inches away from the metal door, and Amy and Penny are hanging onto the slotted holes on the bottom of the door. Leonard, Sheldon, Raj, Howard, and even Bernadette and Emily, have been searching the city ever since they all arrived at the airport and heard they were missing.
"Come on now, think. He said if they could swim, they had six hours. Less if they didn't. What places in this city would fit that description?" Howard tells them all.
"Oh my God you guys! There's an old warehouse over on the south side of town. I can't believe I forgot until now. That's the only place I can think of where there would be a limited time to be above water at. There's a tank there." Leonard replies.
"I'm about to give up here bestie. I can't do this anymore. I can't hang on any longer. It's so cold. Way too cold." Amy says, with her teeth chattering.
"Don't you dare. You hang on a while longer. They're coming. Hey, hey do you remember when we thought they would never find us after that storm? What happened huh? Think back. There was cold water for three days. That's all this is, just a little cold water honey." Penny tells her, and Amy closes her eyes to go back in time.
FLASHBACK 3
"Come on Leonard. I heard something over there in that ditch. I know it sounds stupid because they're women and wouldn't ever go where dirt's collected at, but it's worth a shot." Sheldon says after a big lightning storm that hit Pasadena and knocked the power out for three days. Then Penny and Amy, got stuck out in it when they went shopping, and were unable to get back to the apartment. They ended up losing their way back home due to so much damage being done from the storm.
"Are you sure that you heard something over there and it's not your imagination this time?" Leonard asks him.
"I'm positive. It's them, it's gotta be." Sheldon replies.
"Fine, we'll start hollering for them. Penny! Amy! If you're near, answer us. Answer us if you can." Leonard calls out.
"Stop crying for a minute bestie. Do you hear that?" Amy asks.
"What? Is that, Leonard and Sheldon?" Penny replies. They stand up out of the ditch, and start calling back for them. The guys take off down the street toward them, and pull them the rest of the way out of the ditch, where they're making sure they're okay.
END OF FLASHBACK 3
"Okay, they better get here soon cause I can't swim, and I can't hold onto this thing much longer." Penny says, and when she doesn't hear anything coming out of Amy, she turns around to find her under the water.
"Ames! Come on now, fight. It's fight or die honey. Get up here and you stay up here." Penny says, while she reaches under the water's surface and grabs Amy by the back of her shirt to pull her back up.
"I just couldn't hang on any longer." Amy tells her.
"Yes you can. Warm thoughts. Warm, happy thoughts." Penny says. The gang's racing through town toward the warehouse that Leonard mentioned and then they see some guys standing outside of a red building.
"Is that it?" Bernadette asks.
"Yeah, looks like a warehouse. There! Look, there's a tank!" Raj says, and they pull up to it.
"Zach! We got company!" Jake yells through the radio.
"Handle it! I'm on my way." Zach replies. No sooner than everyone gets out of the van, the fight's on. Why Bernadette would have a gun, none of them knew but she gets out her gun from the back of her blue jeans, and opens fire on one of Zach's men out back of the tank.
"Must get it from her Dad. Oh my God! Look guys, there's Penny." Howard says, and they can see Penny under the water by this time, and she's trying to pound on the glass of the tank.
"Where's Amy? Does anyone see her?" Sheldon asks.
"No, but let me through here guys, cover me Bernadette. I'm going in for them. Shoot that glass and be careful not to hit them." Emily tells everyone while running right into the fight. Just as Bernadette is about to shoot the glass, Amy thinks back to the last carnival that she and Sheldon went to and how she couldn't get him to ride a roller coaster with her, but right before the park closed for the night, she talked him into it. She smiles really quick and says, "I love you Sheldon." As she said that, she went under the water and swallowed a bunch of it. Bernadette finally got the glass busted and when she's standing there waiting for some sign from Emily, Zach comes out and starts shooting at them. Howard grabs the gun from Bernadette, shoves her out of the way, and shoots Zach, clean through the heart.
"I couldn't do that again if I wanted to. Come on, let's go get the girls." Howard says. When they get in there they hear Penny on the floor of the tank saying, "She held out for a long time Emily. She really held out for a long time." Emily starts doing CPR, while Sheldon and everyone make sure that Penny is okay and Emily tells them to just sit her up against the wall, and she'll get to her when she brings Amy back around.
"Come on Amy, breath. Wake up and breath for me." Emily says while taking a small break, then starting up again.
"Come on Amy. Come on honey, don't give up." Penny says, while trying to catch her own breath. Leonard was instructed to leave Penny alone and let her come around on her own cause of the trauma they've been through but, he goes over to her, and starts rubbing her back, and patting her around her lungs. Emily looks up long enough to see Penny spit out like a big mucus ball from her lungs, and she keeps saying, "Ames, come on."
"What's taking her so long to wake up Emily?" Sheldon asks.
"Shouldn't be too much longer. Come on Amy. One, two, three, four, five." Emily replies, as she counts the compressions and continues CPR on her.
"Come on Amy. Come on Amy, breath!" Penny says with her teeth gritted, thinking they're going to lose her. About the time that Emily does one more set on her, Amy starts coughing a little and that makes Emily grab her chin, turn her head, and try to get her on her side. Amy spits out the rest of the water, and Sheldon jumps down there, takes her in his arms, and the front of his shirt is wet from whatever remaining water Amy had in her.
"Thank God. Oh, Thank God." Sheldon says, as he continues to hold Amy in his arms. The rest of them are just sharing a look like "Did he say what we think, he just said?"
"Sheldon? The baby." Amy manages to whisper and then she tries to get up.
"Nope. Don't get up. Leonard, carry Penny out of here and get her to the van. Sheldon, you do the same with Amy. I'm calling ahead to the hospital and letting them know we're on our way. We have to get them checked, and we need to make sure the baby is okay." Emily tells everyone. Amy keeps saying she hasn't felt the baby move all day, and that only makes them all worry.
Chapter Six
Returning Home
Penny and Amy only had to stay at the hospital for about three hours to make sure they were completely back to one hundred percent health. Of course, when they got released, none of the men would let them do anything so, they went to Beverly's house for their recovery so she could watch them, while the men packed up everything to take Penny and Leonard back home. Amy and Penny have been on the love seat in the living room for awhile, reclined back, and legs propped up, watching "Wheel Of Fortune" and "Jeopardy" with Beveryly, when Penny asks, "Did you pee all over yourself and the couch?"
"What? No. Why would you ask that?" Amy replies.
"This loveseat is soaked. I think you need to go to the bathroom honey." Penny tells her.
"Okay, I'll go then." Amy says. She gets up off the couch, and all the trauma they went through earlier that day, has sent her into labor. The nurses and doctors at the hospital, all thought she was in the clear. They heard the baby's heart beat, and said that everything looked good, so they got released when Penny did.
"Oh boy! We're having a baby tonight! Amy, sit back down. Penny, tend to her, I'm calling Sheldon." Beverly tells them.
"Beverly, calm down. What has happened? Are Amy and Penny okay?" Sheldon asks.
"Yes and no. They're fine, but you're about to be a Daddy." Beverly replies.
"Well I know that. The doctor at the hospital this evening said she's eight months along." Sheldon says, and that only makes Beverly call him the one thing she never would.
"Sheldon you dumb ass! Read between the lines for crying out loud! Your wife's in labor you ding dong!" Beverly yells.
"Oh wow. Hey, you guys, Amy's in labor and I'm about to be a Daddy. How cool is that?" Sheldon tells everyone and then it hits him and he ends up saying, "Oh dear! Amy's in labor. We have to go. Beverly, meet us at the hospital please."
Early the next morning, Beverly and everyone are walking into Amy's hospital room and they see both her and the baby passed out on the bed. Beverly actually smiles, remembering how hard labor and delivery was on here when Leonard's brother, Micheal was born. Sheldon goes over and gets the baby and holds her for awhile, and Amy finally wakes up for a few minutes.
"Hey. They said since she and I are doing so good, we'll get to go home later today. This has been one crazy visit hasn't it bestie?" Amy says, and she gets up to go to the bathroom.
"Yeah. It has. When you two are able to leave here later today, how long until you both can travel? I only ask because, the guys got everything of ours packed up last night to go back home. Unless, you wanna let Beverly visit with Crystal for awhile." Penny replies.
"I'd actually love it if you could do that for a couple of days. What is her full given name anyway?" Beverly asks.
"You're gonna think we're crazy but, Sheldon and I sat down last night after she was born, and we discussed it. Her name is, Crystal Bialik Cooper. The Bialik is Yiddish for water. Her early birth was brought on by freezing cold water." Amy tells her.
"That's so cool. I love that name." Leonard says, and he takes his turn with the baby.
Three days later, it's finally time to say good bye. Leonard and Penny had a lot of explaining to do with everyone like their land lord, and normally for their deception, he wouldn't have gave them their damage deposit back but since they always had a clean place and never caused any problems with anyone, he gave it to them. They're loading up the last few items when Mary calls Sheldon and Amy to see how they are doing.
"Well, long story short, your Grandbaby was born early. Her name is Crystal Bialik Cooper. The Bialik is because of how she was born." Amy tells her.
"Meaning? I'm confused here honey." Mary replies.
"Like I said, long story short. One of Penny's ex boyfriends threatened her and Leonard so bad that they had to move for sake of health. We all thought he was gone for good and I had gotten a letter from Penny who changed her name to Jennifer Dalton. Came out here for a visit, then everyone else from our social group arrived, the guy that threatened them wasn't just playing. He abducted Penny and I a few days ago, threw us in a tank of slowly rising water, and everyone only had six hours to find us or we'd die. That night after Penny and I got released from the hospital, I went into early labor from all the trauma and shock. The Bialik in Crystal's name, is Yiddish for water. Extremely cold water, brought on her early birth." Amy explains.
"That's so neat. I have never heard of anything like that. Well, sounds like I need to do some shopping and come to Pasadena to visit everyone. Are they going back home yet?" Mary asks.
"Sure are. And don't worry about messing up Zach when you see him again cause he's dead anyway. I'll explain that one later. I have to feed Crystal and we're loading up the last few items. Sheldon, Leonard, Penny, Crystal, and I, are all going to be getting on the road here in about thirty minutes." Amy replies. Beverly looks like she's about to cry and Leonard asks her, "Are you okay Mom?"
"I just wish I would have been there for you like a Mother should be when you was growing up. I'll always regret that. The events of this past week, has shown me that, you can't take life for granted, or the people you love." Beverly tells him.
"You actually love me?" Leonard asks.
"Of course I do Leonard. No matter how I may act, or how many times I say there's more to life than always telling someone how you feel, you're my son. No matter how big or old you get, you'll always be my son. I do love you, and I love that young woman over there. You're the happiest with her than I've ever seen you in your whole life. I'm so happy that everyone came out alive from this, and that you two chose to come to my house and stay with me during this ordeal." Beverly explains. Leonard doesn't say a word, he just walks over to her and throws his arms around her, where everyone else eventually joins in with the hugs.
"We love you too Beverly. We've gotta get on the road. A lot of us have work in the morning but we might just have to do it the day after. Got a lot to put away when we get back." Penny says.
"You call me when you all arrive home safely." Beverly tells them. They tell her that they'll all gather at Sheldon and Amy's apartment, and put the phone on speaker to call her when they get back. They get the women situated in the vehicles comfortably, and make sure they have everything they need, then they honk the horns, all of them, smile, wave, and drive out of sight, heading back home to Pasadena. Zach's gone and all his guys he had helping him, have been arrested, and there's no danger anywhere for any of them.
THE END