This takes place between The Vartabedian Conundrum and The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis. So many people were confused about exactly what happened to Stephanie. This is a way I thought it could have happened.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything. CBS provides all the characters and background information for my mind to run wild.

"I'm sorry," Stephanie said. "I totally interrupted you, what were you saying?"

Leonard couldn't believe that it had happened again. That was the pattern here; he'd try to talk, she'd cry and kiss him, and then they'd have sex. That was the way it was, and that was the way that it would always be.

"I'm afraid that if I ask her to move out then she'll just dump me."

That's what he'd said to Penny. That's what the truth had been only a few days before. Now, if he were to say that he was afraid of being dumped he'd laugh.

Leonard Hofstadter knew now that Stephanie Barnett was not meant for him. They weren't compatible-all they had ever done was sleep together, and when the relationship began to move too fast for him, he discovered that he couldn't talk to her. He couldn't sit on the couch and talk about his feelings with her. He couldn't fold his laundry and joke around with her. She was needy, and when she was afraid that something was going wrong she cried and pulled him into bed. Leonard felt trapped when he was with her.

"I'll never have sex again."

The sex wasn't even all that great. It certainly didn't mean anything. It was just a distraction from all the problems in the relationship. It was the only thing that was keeping them together, and when it didn't even mean anything, Leonard didn't see the point.

Penny told him that he had a right to tell Stephanie that the relationship was moving too fast for him. Penny said that he didn't have to always do what the woman wanted. But lying by Stephanie, Leonard felt as if he didn't have those rights.

"Look at that. I have a girlfriend!"

He didn't just want any girlfriend. Leonard wanted a relationship where he could feel confidant. He wanted a woman who had independence, and who didn't ask him to control her. He thought that if he got to choose, he'd take someone who yelled instead of cried. Leonard wanted to in a relationship where he didn't felt more happiness than stress.

Stephanie Barnett was a very good person, but she wasn't for him.

Leonard stood and faced her. "Stephanie, I really like you. Don't-" He said warningly when that pathetic look came over her face. "I can't see you anymore."

"Oh, I knew this was going to happen sooner or later!"

"Hey," Leonard said, feeling bad. He took a step toward the bed, then stopped.

Don't. Don't let her control you like this.

The voice in his head spoke clearly and firmly. He knew that's what Penny would say if she was here. "Stephanie, you'll find someone." He put on his jacket and opened his closet door, looking at all her dresses. "But you need to move back to your place."

She was gone within a half an hour, and Leonard looked around his bedroom. It seemed so empty…but at least his regular bed sheets were back. Remembering something, Leonard opened a box on the floor, removed his bat signal, and put it back on his dresser. He stepped back and surveyed the room. His room. The room that he wouldn't share again until he knew he'd found someone special.

Let me know what you think!