Look for the author's note at the end!
APRIL 2026
There was something about the way the sun was shining through her dressing room window that made Penny sadder than she already was, and she didn't like it. It was almost like the sky was mocking her. Like it was saying, "The sky is clear, the day is young, be happy!" Well, that was easy for the sky to say. She used to love the sun-even though she grew up in Nebraska, she was a California girl at heart. But now, she certainly preferred rainy days. They matched her overall disposition.
A knock on the door interrupted her deep thoughts, and before Penny could say "enter," the product assistant, a short, round man with unkempt, long, brown hair the color of a turd, walked in and said, "Mrs. Hofstadter, someone is here to see you. He didn't mention his name. And you're needed on the set in 20 minutes."
Penny scoffed. Before the PA could leave, she said, "Excuse me, do not, under any circumstances, address me as Mrs. Hofstadter again, am I making myself clear? It is Penny and only Penny. Oh, and do not come into this room again until you hear me say 'Come in.' Now please leave, and tell my guest to come in. "
The PA nodded and made a hasty escape, looking less scared and more bored, not the effect Penny was going for, actually. As her star began to steadily rise, Penny became more and more of a diva every day. She never wanted to be that girl, but it happened anyway. A lot of things aren't what she thought they'd be anymore.
There was another knock at the door. Penny was expecting her assistant to enter with her dry-cleaning, and she was about to say "Come in!" But again, before she could, she was interrupted. By another knock. And then a third knock.
No...way. She didn't know anyone else in the world who knocked like that. Her heart skipped a beat as she finally said, "Come in!" Because if it was who she thought it was, he was maybe the only person in the world she genuinely wanted to see.
And there he was. Standing in her doorway was Sheldon Cooper. 10 years had passed since she'd last seen him, but he didn't look much different. Wiser, maybe. More handsome than she remembered, for sure. It was so unfair how men only got better looking as they got older, Penny always thought. But whatever it was about Sheldon, Penny was drawn to him like a magnet. She hopped out of her chair and bounded over to him. And before any words were spoken, they were hugging. Sheldon didn't even protest, just clung to her like it was the most natural thing in the world. She didn't even know she missed the guy that much.
"Oh, Moon Pie! It is so good to see you. What are you even doing here?!"
"Hello, Penny. As you know, only my MeeMaw calls me that. And since she passed away a few years ago, it sparks a particular kind of inexplicable sadness in me that I would rather not experience."
It wasn't often anymore that Penny truly felt like an asshole-she tended to be numb to that feeling these days-but in that moment, she really did.
"Oh, Sheldon, I'm so sorry. Don't worry, I will remove the word from my vocabulary."
"Thank you. Now, to answer your question as to why I'm here, well, I was asked to be a consultant on a new movie they're making about the Higgs Boson, so I'm in town."
Penny nodded. "I guess your stock has gone up since you won the Nobel Prize, right? Oh, when I heard, I was so freakin' proud of you. I'm sorry I couldn't be there, but I'm sure Amy was happy enough for an army of people."
"Oh, yes," Sheldon replied. "She was like a giddy school girl. However, we terminated our marriage agreement two years ago, so there's no telling what's making her happy now.
Penny was truly shocked. And then just plain sad, and embarrassed… how long had it been since she'd talked to Amy? Was she really so caught up in the grind of Hollywood crap that she hadn't even bothered to call her old best friend for five minutes?
"I'm so sorry, Sheldon, I had no idea. How have you been doing?"
"Penny, I have a Nobel Prize, I am one of the smartest people in the country, and I am rich. I am perfectly fine."
Penny laughed. Same old Sheldon. Man, had she always missed him this much? She remembered back when she and Leonard first moved to San Francisco and how bad she felt leaving Sheldon behind, but that was so long ago. It was so unsettling, this feeling of blurriness when it came to the things that used to be important to her.
"Anyway, I saw your last Golden Globe speech. The movie was pure drivel, but it was nice to see you up there accepting an award. So I wanted to come and congratulate you on your continued success." Sheldon looked thoughtful. "You deserve it, Penny. You worked very hard to get where you are today. I'm proud of you."
It had been so long since Penny received a genuine, heartfelt compliment (and he was right; the movie was, in fact, pure drivel) from someone who didn't want anything from her, she almost didn't know how to respond.
"That's very sweet of you, Sheldon. Thank you very much. It's nice that since we've last seen each other, we've both enjoyed success in our careers," Penny said, and they both nodded sadly. It was funny; they both achieved what they'd been envisioning for themselves since childhood, and yet… at what cost?
"Well, thank you so much for coming to see me, sweetie. I'm about to be called on set but maybe we can have dinner tonight? I'd love to hear more about the movie you're working on and, well, everything," Penny said.
Sheldon nodded. "Yes, let's catch up. I'll pick you up if you just text me your address. And dress nicely, it's a fancy restaurant."
Penny's breath caught in her throat. Sheldon was going to pick her up? He had a car? And they were going to a nice place? This was not a Sheldon she was used to… but she liked it.
"Sounds great," Penny said, trying to smile like the world famous popular movie star she was known as, instead of the broken, bitter woman she had become. She had a feeling Sheldon was hiding behind an exterior of pain as well, but she may never know. He wasn't the type to confide in her, after all. Well, dinner was going to be interesting, for sure.
"Well, I better get back to the job," Sheldon said. "It's nice to know that all Hollywood sets are dens of depravity and disgustingness, not just the one I'm on currently. See you this evening, Penny."
"Bye, Shelly," she said, and watched him go. Well, that happened. What a nice surprise for her afternoon. At that exact moment, he cell phone vibrated.
We need to talk about Caroline tonight, Leonard had texted her. Please call me. Don't make me beg.
Penny exhaled. She closed her eyes and thought about that moment so many years ago, when she made the split decision in the car on the way to Vegas. She could have made him turn the car around, but she didn't. What was a few kisses, really? No big deal. That was just the beginning, however. The beginning of the end.
Penny texted back, Tomorrow. She knew they had plenty to talk about, but it could wait until tomorrow. Tonight, she was going to see her Moon Pie.
A few hours later, Penny was putting on her make-up when she heard Sheldon honking outside. Of course he wouldn't come to the door; why would she even think that? But before she could finish applying her lipstick, there were the three knocks and her name. It was nice to see that some things would never change.
She finished with her lipstick and ran to open the door. "Hi, honey. Come on in, I need to finish my make-up." Sheldon sighed, but followed her inside.
"This is a lovely home," Sheldon said, taking a hard look at his surroundings. He was lying; Penny was renting a one bedroom, one bathroom house that cost her more a month than a mortgage on a mansion back in Nebraska. It was fine, though. Very cozy. It allowed her to be a hermit and curl up in the window seat and read when she was trying to escape her reality.
"Thanks," Penny replied. "I rent it whenever I'm in town. Leonard and Caroline-our daughter-live in San Francisco." Sometimes the only thing Penny missed when she was away from San Francisco was her huge, amazing house. Which was a problem.
"Yes, the last time I saw Leonard, he showed me pictures of your daughter. She is very pretty," Sheldon said, looking genuine.
Penny nodded, feeling a wave of sadness all over again. Caroline, her gorgeous nine year old daughter. Constantly caught in the crossfire of Penny and Leonard's tattered relationship, and as a result, was a bit of a challenge. Well, "bit" might have been an understatement.
"Thank you, she is. Speaking of Leonard, he never told me he saw you recently. When was that?"
"Oh, well, December 15th, 2024. 10:42 AM to 12:01 PM. Approximately a year and a half ago. I stopped in San Francisco on my book tour and we had coffee. He didn't tell you?"
Penny shook her head. "No, but that doesn't surprise me. He doesn't tell me a lot of things." Before Sheldon could look uncomfortable from all the personal talk, she said, "Well, where do you want to go for dinner? You said it was fancy, but maybe somewhere small and more on the down low? I'm not in the mood for paparazzi tonight."
"Well, I had selected an eating establishment based on cleanliness and efficiency of the wait staff, but I had somewhat of an epiphany on the way here-why don't we just stay in and order something? As I get older, the noise and atmosphere of so-called 'hip' restaurants seem to get more and more irritating."
Penny smiled. It sounded amazing, actually, a dinner alone with her old friend Sheldon. She wanted to pick his brain, anyway-he was being so calm and courteous and adorable. What had happened over the years to change him so drastically? Obviously he was the same guy she used to know and love, but something was very different about him. She was intrigued. "I would love to stay in, Sheldon. I'll order us some pizza. You do still eat pizza, don't you?"
"Of course. I'm not an animal. I do have to say, however, that you look absolutely stunning in that dress. I have no doubt that if we were to go out this evening, every man in the room would be staring at you in admiration and lust."
Well, that was the last thing she ever expected to come out of Sheldon Cooper's mouth, but it was maybe one of the best compliments she'd ever received. As she approached her forties, Penny still looked good, but it no longer bought her what it used to. Men looked at her differently now, and the innocence and beauty of youth was passing her by. Man, getting old sure was a bitch.
"Thank you, Sheldon, that is so nice of you to say." She gave him a kiss on the cheek, and he blushed. He was so cute when he blushed.
An hour later, Penny and Sheldon sat at the small kitchen table, sharing a pizza and some Dr. Pepper. Penny would have preferred a glass of wine, but those days were behind her now. She was in recovery. Some days felt impossible to get through another second without taking a drink, but she was determined. Something in her life had to go the way she was planning it to. Something.
The two of them ate their pizza and caught up on all the small talk they'd been missing out on, carefully avoiding addressing either of their shattered marriages and personal lives. When Sheldon had eaten his second slice, he turned to Penny and said, "Penny, I have to confess something-I'm not just here because of the movie I'm consulting for, actually. I had many other offers in many other places, but I chose this one because I knew you were in L.A."
"Oh, yeah? Why is that?" Penny's heart raced a little faster than usual. Sheldon was not following the script, and that made her nervous.
Sheldon cleared his throat. "Well, I know your relationship with Leonard has more or less ended, and while I always knew it was doomed from the beginning, I had this urge to see you. I don't know why, but I felt like I needed to make you a warm beverage and rub your feet. And I hate other people's feet, you know that."
Penny sighed. "Is this about the TMZ thing from last month?"
Sheldon shook his head. "Of course not. I just-"
"Come on, Sheldon, is it the TMZ thing or not?"
"Okay, yes, it was the TMZ thing. I, of course, don't read that filth, but Raj emailed me a link. Penny, I'm sorry this has happened to you, and I want to be here for you any way I can. You're… you're one of my oldest friends, and while we've let distance and time keep us apart, I still consider you one of my best friends. Please, tell me what I can do for you."
Penny rubbed her temples. She should have known that was the reason why he wanted to see her.
About a month ago, Penny came home to San Francisco, unannounced. Caroline was away at school and she wanted to talk to Leonard alone, maybe try one last time to salvage their, as Sheldon described, doomed relationship. They had a child together, and they'd been through so much for so long. But when she got to the house-the house that she had bought after her fourth movie, "Black Beauty," scored box office records-Leonard was in bed. With her. Leonard had assured Penny over and over again that his affair with Amanda Ray was over a long time ago, but there she was, tanned and toned naked body on top of Leonard's pasty and flabby one. Penny's still not sure who threw the first punch-it was probably her, but she always maintained it was Amanda-and somehow they both ended up in county jail for the night. Penny's lawyer made it all go away, but not before the whole thing ended up on TMZ.
To be honest, Penny didn't really care about Leonard enough to fight anyone over him, but the fact that he brought Amanda to the house infuriated her. He was always assuring her it was over with Amanda, with the other girls she had known about, and the ones she didn't know about. But that was okay-for the past couple of years, Penny had her own lover, a very discreet actor whom she wasn't in love with, but who gave her the intimacy she occasionally needed. It was the best form of revenge in her eyes.
Penny knew after that night, there was nothing worth saving. Caroline probably would have preferred she and Leonard divorced, anyway. None of her friends' parents were together anymore, after all. So since the "incident," Leonard and Penny had finally decided their marriage was a disaster, and now only spoke through their lawyers. If only she had made him turn the car around instead of going to Vegas…
"Sheldon, you're sweet, but I'm not sure there's anything you can do. Leonard and I just don't love each other anymore. We haven't in a long time."
Sheldon reached across the table and took Penny's hand, which startled her. It was such an intimate gesture, something she didn't know Sheldon was capable of, not to mention the way it made her feel. She hadn't seen him in so long, and yet this one simple touch sent shivers down her spine. What was that about?
"I know you," Sheldon said, looking into her eyes. "I know that you think you don't need anyone. I know you think I'm not capable of comforting anyone but myself. But trust me, Penny, I've changed. I mean, of course I'm not a hippy or anything, but I now understand why intimacy is important. And though we have been separated for many years, I know you need someone who gets you. So, please, talk to me. I want to listen."
For so many years, Penny was convinced she was all alone. She didn't need anybody or anything. But here was a friend from her past who was offering to be there for her, and she was not in a place to deny how much she needed that. So the two of them moved to the couch. Sheldon gently put his arm around her, and Penny cried. She cried for an hour about how she let Leonard ruin her life and turn her into this emotionless robot, and how her daughter Caroline hated her and was acting out at school so bad they had to put her in a special program at the boarding school, and how hard everything had gotten, even though her career was in a place she'd all but given up on ten years ago. Sheldon listened, never interrupted her, and it was the first time in a long time that Penny felt like someone actually cared about what she was saying.
When Penny was done crying, she accepted the cup of tea Sheldon insisted on making her.
"Thank you for this, Sheldon. It's been so long since someone has done this for me. I really appreciate it."
Sheldon nodded. "I'm glad you let yourself go, Penny. I must get back to the hotel now, however. Perhaps we can have lunch later in the week?"
Penny's heart sank. Of course he was leaving. Everyone does. But… she didn't want him to go. Not yet. And she wasn't going to pretend.
"What if you stayed, Sheldon? I'll sleep on the couch; it folds into a bed. I'll get you some clean sheets."
"Hmm, I suppose I can do that," he said, looking thoughtful. "I haven't actually checked into my hotel yet."
"Good," Penny said. And… "I want you to stay."
"I want to stay," Sheldon replied, looking into her eyes. It was so intense, Penny got goosebumps on her arms. What was this? Was it a huge mistake? Should she just have accepted his pity and let him go? She didn't want to let go. Sheldon was like shelter in the storm, and she needed him. And these days... she always got what she wanted.
Penny never did make it to the couch that night. In an unspoken agreement, the two of them shared her queen-sized bed, back to back, warm to each other's touch. Something was happening, but Penny didn't question it. For now, she'd just hold on and try not to let go.
A/N - Hello, friends. You've probably noticed by now that this story is a little different. I've always loved the movie Sliding Doors, and I kinda wanted to explore that concept with this story. What if Penny did break up with Leonard, and what if she didn't? It's just, for the first time in many seasons, it seems like there's finally an infinitesimal chance that Shenny could happen, what with Amy and Sheldon being on a break and maybe the break-up of Penny and Leonard. So here is my story, and I hope you like it. And for all you Shamy and/or Leonard fans out there...this story is not kind to them, so maybe let's agree to disagree and go our separate ways.
Thanks for reading! Reviews are encouraged and appreciated - except from people who have nothing to say but BOOO ThIS WiLL NEVaaR HAPPEn! I get it. I'm still writing it. Bye bye now.
One more thing - I can't promise this is going to be updated on a weekly basis or anything; I mean, it did take me like 2 months to write the first 2 chapters. But it will be worth it in the end.