Nothing without you.
Leonard was at his desk finishing off a paper that was due to be published in the science journal but his mind kept drifting to Penny. He hadn't seen her for a few days after what he heard as he was about to knock on her door and it also didn't help that his roommate was acting all weird around him he didn't know why, maybe Sheldon is losing his mind. His thoughts went back to Penny.
Why did things always have to be complicated when it comes to Penny.
Maybe the problem was their close proximity and living across the hall from each other was the problem.
He wondered if moving away was the answer but then that wasn't an option. His thoughts were broken by a knock on the door.
"Hey you," Penny said as she enters the guys apartment.
Leonard looked up at her and said nothing he continued to type away on his laptop. Penny thought that was strange she put her hand on her hip tilting her head to the side. She asked. "What's up Leonard?"
Still ignoring her and staring at his laptop, ignorant of her presence
"LEONARD," Penny said louder.
"What" without turning around. He was now getting agitated.
She walks towards him and put her hand on his shoulder he tensed up which didn't go unnoticed by Penny.
She was now getting worried. "Is something bothering you." she asked.
"No just busy" he lied.
"Leonard I know when you are keeping something from me. Spill it Hofstadter."
"It nothing Penny I don't want to talk about it." Leonard then walks to the kitchen and helps himself to a bottle of water. He leans on the island table sipping from It.
"Have I done something wrong, you've been avoiding me the last couple of days and now you wouldn't talk to me." She said with panic in her voice.
"Oh, I thought I'll give you some space because you know. Our love is boring.(air quote) Unlike the exciting love you've experience with other guys."
Blinking rapidly Penny stammered "err who, who told you that?"
"I heard you talking to Amy and Bernadette just as I was about to knock on your door last week."
"Leonard it's not like that I mean I didn't mean it like that."
"How did you mean it, Penny," he said angrily.
She looks down at her feet. "I don't know I guess it's different and new and I just don't understand it." A stray tear is falling from her eye.
"Penny do you love me or are you just waiting for something better to come along and break up with me because if you are we should just end this right now."
She quickly walks up to him and put her hand on his chest, looked into his eyes and said. "Of Course I love you Leonard and it you I want to be with no one else I promise you."
"Well, you have a funny way of showing it." He said bitterly looking away from her, his anger evident.
"Leonard what I meant is it was different from the other times I thought I was in love and looked how those ended for me."
"What are you saying penny?"
"What I am trying to say is our boring love is happy love. I'm so happy with you, it was confusing at first but it was the excitement I craved in past relationships, but that always fades in the end. But with you Leonard it's the passion and desire and I know you love me with all your heart."
"Penny, I don't know what to say I love you but..."
"Oh, I see you two are talking and Penny I'm glad you decided not to break up with him." Sheldon said as he stroll down the hallway from his room.
"You were planning on breaking up with me?" he raising a brow.
"Sheldon why would you say that." Turning to Leonard, panic in her voice." I was confused I wasn't sure how I felt about you, but I didn't break up with you because I realise you're the one and only."
"I don't believe what is happening, first our love is boring, and now I heard you were planning on breaking up with me. How do you feel about me penny?"
"Leonard..." he heads to his bedroom. "You know what don't answer that Penny. I want to be alone right now." Turning to Sheldon she spat out. "What the hell is wrong with you, why would you say that to Leonard."
"I thought you told him." he backs away from her.
"Of course I'm wasn't going to tell him I was thinking of breaking up with him she said angrily.
"Oh, that's not good Penny. "
"Don't you think I know that."
"So what are you going to do?" She sat on the couch hands on her head. "I don't know Sheldon I think you may have broken us up for good."
"Well, you can always go back to dating dumb guys again."
She looked at him with rage in her eyes and headed for the door before she did something she will regret."You are something else" she muttered as she slams the door behind her.
Leonard didn't know what to do about Penny. He loved her but did she love him back or just settling as this thought scattered around his head he began overthinking things and the panic kicked in, he reached for his inhaler and took a couple of puffs to calm his anxiety. He climbed into his bed and put the comforter over him he felt cold inside but it wasn't because it was hot. Why would she think their love is boring? Is that why she wanted to end their relationship? What change her mind? I need answers he thought, his mind went back to all the good times they've had. He remembered how she threw him a surprise birthday party because he never had one. Going for walks and just the two of them out for dinner and how many furnitures and beds they had broken. His favourite was when they broke the bed in her apartment while in the process the falling headboard somehow sliced through the extension cord that was running under the bed to her alarm clock, which blew the main fuse in the apartment when it shortened. They looked on stunned as they saw the electricity from the cord sparkle through the bedroom.
Talk about sex ending in fireworks.
He smiled at these memories. Penny was the one for him but why does she keep running from his love, all he ever wanted was to make her happy and be her hero, he drifted in and out of sleep as his mind played tricks on him.
Penny sat in her apartment drinking from a bottle of wine angry at herself for not being honest with Leonard or talking to him about her fears. She had a sleepless night with Leonard on her mind thinking the worst scenarios. it had just gone past noon. She took another sip from the bottle. She was also angry at Sheldon for opening his big mouth and may have destroyed their relationship. She hoped this wasn't the case, and they could sit down and talk about it like civilised adults. She needed to open up to Leonard it wasn't fair to him, he'd done so much for her over the years and had never given up on her like the other jerks she dated. She owed it to him to commit to him just like he has to her. Is it too late? She thought, had I pushed him too far what if he doesn't want to be with me anymore? She could feel the tears coming she didn't want to cry but it was too late the emotions were too much to hold inside. There is no way our love is boring. She thought of all the things they have done together.
She remembered their dates to the cinema particularly one where she embarrassed herself in front of Leonard while trying to act cool. Sometimes i wonder what he sees in me he could do so much better instead of being with a dumb blonde like me. She recollected the conversation vividly.
Leonard: "Two tickets to see Avatar please."
Guy: "Of course. Would you like to watch in 2D or 3D?"
Penny: "Oh, I wish you had 4D, too, That would be cool!"
Guy: "Well, technically, since films are moving images our 3D films are 4D. They move through time!"
Penny: "The fourth dimension!"
She remembered the look on Leonard face as he shook his head, smiled at her and turned to the guy and said. "2D will be fine." Penny just wanted the ground to open up and swallow her. Leonard just shrug it off and whispered how adorable she was. He never thought less of her. She recalled him taking her to the shooting range and shooting himself in the foot and the best one was making love in the ocean with him. She smiled at the happy memories as she took another sip from the bottle hoping the wine will help erase this dark place she found herself in. "I love you Leonard" she said out loud as she tried her hardest not to shed anymore tears.
Leonard woke up the next day just before noon he picked himself out of bed with much difficulty due to a sleepless night of tossing and turning not able to get Penny out of his head. He decided to face the day. Leonard went to the bathroom and after doing his morning rituals he brewed some coffee and waited for the timer to go off. He thought of the love of his life and his confusion as he poured himself some coffee and went to his room with it. He saw his phone flashing and retrieved it from the nightstand he had one message, and it was from penny. He opened and read it as he sips on his coffee
Leonard, I'm really sorry. Our love is not boring I did think of breaking up with you, but then I thought what life without you will be like that's when I knew I didn't want to find out. Can we talk? Xxx
He put his phone back on the stand, finished his coffee and went for a shower. 20 minutes later dressed and ready for the day he sat at the island table eating a ham sandwich thinking if he should go and see Penny or finish the paper he was working on. He decided he wouldn't be able to concentrate on his work with all this stuff going on with Penny.