A/N: Hello everyone! Though I am a tried and true Lenny fan, I do find it touchingly adorable when Sheldon and Penny have their moments, too. I've tried to capture a little bit of that in this chapter and I do hope that you like it. If you could be so kind as to leave me a review, I would very much so appreciate it. Happy New Year, readers!

Chapter 2

Sheldon turned over in his bed, cursing his inability to drift off. Penny was fine. She did not need further assistance, so sleep should have come easily. This, however, was not the case.

The sound of objects breaking, angry shouting, and Penny's cry brought back memories that he thought were long forgotten. Truthfully, he hadn't wanted to remember. It took him back a time in his life when he had little control over his environment. He was too small too effectively change his situation. This feeling of helplessness forced him to regulate as much of his life as he could.

As an adult, he found himself controlling every aspect of his life as much as possible. Everything was scheduled perfectly, disasters planned for, each detail meticulously thought out. He could expect no less from himself. It was this logic and this reasoning that kept him awake; what had happened to Penny was unacceptable.

Penny sat up, pulled a blanket around her and shivered lightly. Even with the warm cover wrapped around her, she still felt cold and uneasy. She wished Sheldon hadn't gone to bed so soon. He might show concern differently than anyone she'd ever met, but she knew him well enough to know he was being sincere.

She felt restless and despite the late hour, found herself wanting to go back to her own place. She stood up, crept quietly across the hall, and entered her own apartment. If I can just clean it up, maybe then I'll be able to sleep.

She flipped on a light in the kitchen, carefully walking around the broken glass on the floor. Her stomach sank as she glanced around. Housekeeping was not her forte and never had been, but she'd tried hard to make the apartment her home. Looking at her things scattered across the space, some broken and some merely out of place, she felt her knees go weak. Her elbows rested on the counter and she put her head in her hands. It was worse than she had remembered.

She took a deep breath to steady herself, grabbed a broom and started sweeping up the broken glass on the kitchen floor. The pieces clinked together as they filled the trash bin.

Walking into the living room, she bent down to straighten a stack of magazines that had toppled over. She accidentally bumped the end table, sending a picture frame to the floor. The ceramic frame cracked and the glass shattered as it hit the floor. Her parents' picture stared up at her, their faces smiling through the shards. It was the straw that broke the camel's back. She began sobbing quietly, overwhelmed by the mess that surrounded her.

"Oh mom and dad, I'm so sorry," she cried, speaking to the living room.

A light knock on the door startled her, and she turned. Sheldon stood in the doorway wearing his robe.

"Penny, why are you here? I promised you I would help clean in the morning. Please come back to my apartment. It doesn't seem fitting for you to be here right now. It's late."

"My mom and dad," she said, sniffling. "It's my fault it's broken."

He gave her an odd look. "You realize of course, Penny, that the photograph in that frame is only a likeness of your parents…"

"Of course I know that Sheldon!" she replied, frustrated. "It's just…they gave me this before I left and now it's broken and…"

He walked over and patted her shoulder. "There, there. It's alright. The photograph itself is not damaged. You can purchase a-"

She interrupted. "Wait a minute. Sheldon…you only knocked once."

He nodded. "Your door was left open. I could physically see you, therefore three knocks to alert you were deemed unnecessary." He paused a moment. "It's dangerous to leave your door unlocked, let alone leaving it open for any passerby to enter the premises. In this instance, I was awake and heard you depart, but what if I had been sleeping and that man had returned?"

"I don't know. It doesn't even matter."

"Of course it matters. Why on earth would you even say such a thing?"

She shrugged. "I shouldn't have brought him here. It's my fault this happened. I knew at dinner that I didn't like David, but I still brought him here…I was lonely. "

"Penelope, this was not your fault. Do not blame yourself for the violent and caustic actions of another. Destructive behavior is common among those who have been victimized."

"Oh Sheldon, I'm not a victim. I'm just an idiot."

He closed his eyes. "Penny, look around you. Your belongings have been broken and strewn about. You were verbally assaulted. You were pushed into a wall. Whether you are comfortable with the term or not, I must insist that you are, in fact, a victim in this situation."

She fell silent for a time, and he stood quietly, awaiting her reply.

"I couldn't sleep. I just kept thinking about what happened. I thought maybe if I cleaned up the mess it would be like it didn't happen and I could forget about it."

"Merely cleaning up will not alleviate your emotional distress. Come along. Do you wish to talk more about what happened?" he asked, leading her back across the hall.

She shook her head lightly. "No."

After once again securing her door, he walked back into his own apartment. Sheldon checked the clock on his way in and seeing the time, he made up his mind. It was time to implement something he wasn't comfortable with, but something he knew would lend comfort to Penny.

"You mentioned a moment before that you were feeling lonely. I can only assume that you are still feeling that emotion, perhaps more so now, based on the events which have transpired." He stopped a moment, glanced towards his room, and sighed, already regretting what he was about to propose. "I suggest that you stay in my room tonight."

"I thought no one was allowed in your room."

"I'm well aware of that rule, Penny, as I am the one who created it."

"Wait, couldn't I just stay in Leonard's room since he's not here?"

"You said you were lonely. I may not be anyone's first choice, Penny, but I am someone. If you are truly lonely, as you say you are, perhaps you could find solace with me?"

She stood up, backing away. "Wait, you want to sleep with me? Sheldon..."

He wrinkled his brow. "Penny, I'm not suggesting coitus. I'm offering you a place to sleep where you will not be alone."

"But…you don't like touching anyone, you don't even like hugging anyone. I don't understand."

"Penny, you know very little about my childhood. I do not wish to divulge particulars, but I have experienced numerous situations similar to the one you faced this evening. That alone is the reason why I am allowing this. If you accept my offer, you will stay on your own side of the bed, promising not to cross the barrier I will place down the middle. You will not be by yourself."

Twelve minutes later, Penny found herself lying in bed with Dr. Sheldon Cooper. A blanket had been rolled up and placed down the middle of the bed, effectively providing a barrier between the two. His mattress was firm yet comfortable, the blankets warm and soft. The sound of his breathing helped her relax and she found herself dozing off within a matter of minutes.

Sheldon lay perfectly still, uncomfortable and ill at ease. He wanted nothing more than to exit the bedroom and retire to the couch. He looked over at the blonde and reconsidered. The point was to lend support to Penny; after all, he was the one who had invited her in. He sighed with resignation. Perhaps he could tolerate it for one evening.

She had fallen asleep faster than he'd expected and he turned his head slightly to look over at her. She slept on her stomach with one arm tucked under her pillow and the other hanging off the side of the bed. Moonlight filtered in through the window and he watched her back rise and fall with each breath she took. Her hair was mussed and appeared to glow softly in the dim light. The intimacy of the moment startled him and without understanding why, Sheldon simply watched her sleep quietly next to him. His head began to nod and his body relaxed. His eyes closed and he drifted off next to her.

Penny turned in her sleep, wrapped an arm around Sheldon, and snuggled close as she pulled the covers up. He placed his hand on her arm and squeezed it gently. They found comfort in each other's arms as they slept that night. Both ran from different demons, but both found the refuge they were looking for, just the same.