Chapter 4
As expected Bernadette was discharged from hospital later that day with instructions to rest up at home for the next few days. Howard insisted on pushing her in a wheelchair out to the parking lot even though she was able to walk unaided. Sat bedside her husband in the car Bernadette began to tremble as she watched him reach for the ignition to start the engine.
"Wait!" she gasped and grabbed Howard's hand away from the steering wheel
"What is it honey?" Howard asked seeing the fear in Bernadette's eyes
"I'm scared Howie"
It had been less than 24 hours since the accident and it was still playing over and over in her mind like a movie stuck on repeat.
"It's gonna be ok sweetie we'll be home soon" Howard promised her "And then I'm gonna take really good care of you"
He had already called his boss to ask if he could take the next few days off work so that he could stay at home with Bernadette. Howard started the engine and put the car into reverse
"I'm pregnant" Bernadette blurted out
Howard hit the brake
"When I was brought here yesterday the doctor asked if I could be pregnant, he ran a test and…."
"You're pregnant?"
Howard couldn't quite believe it they had only taken the decision to start trying for a baby around the time of Thanks Giving.
"Yeah I knew my period was a little late but I didn't know until yesterday"
Howard lent forward and pulled Bernadette towards him he had always wanted to have children but hadn't imagined it would happen so soon. They embraced for a long while.
"I love you Bernadette" he said looking deep into her eyes
"I love you too" Bernadette answered
"Howie what if Penny doesn't make it?"
The thought of losing her friend and the devastation it would mean for Leonard was eating her up
"We have to try and be positive for Leonard's sake" Howard said "He really needs us right now"
Bernadette nodded slowly knowing without doubt the next few days and weeks were going to be really tough. Once home Bernadette settled down on the couch while Howard covered her with a blanket and spent the rest of the afternoon fussing over her. By late afternoon Bernadette suggested Howard go back to the hospital to check in on Leonard, after some persuasion and very reluctantly he left and drove back to the hospital. Arriving at the ICU Howard approached the nurses' station and was pointed in the direction of a side room. He found Leonard alone with Penny her parents had apparently returned back to her apartment to shower and rest. Leonard had yet to leave Penny's side, except for to visit his daughter down in the neonatal unit.
"How's she doing?" Howard asked trying to hide his shock at seeing Penny for the first time
"She's fighting..." Leonard replied without looking away from Penny or letting go of her hand "you know Penny she's tough she wouldn't want anyone or anything to get the better of her" Leonard had put emphasis on the word 'anything' "She's just having a little rest right now aren't you sweetie? And when you wake up we're gonna be a family, you me and our daughter"
Howard suspected that Leonard's optimism was an attempt to convince himself of a positive outcome. Howard pulled up a seat; he had been wrestling with his conscience all day and had come to the conclusion that Leonard had a right to know about the other driver involved in the accident. It wasn't going to be easy telling him, but equally there was never going to be a good time to break such shattering news.
"Leonard there's something you need to know about the accident" Howard began but paused when a nurse entered the room to check on Penny leaving a few minutes later
"What is it Howard?" Leonard questioned
"The driver of the car that collided with Penny and Bernadette it was Jimmy Speckerman"
Leonard looked up for the first time
"What?"
"He was in the ER yesterday I saw him get arrested"
Leonard could feel the hatred building inside him, it had been bad enough when the driver had been a stranger but now that he knew it was the jerk that had made his high school days a total misery he his anger increased tenfold.
"Leonard are you ok?" Howard asked when Leonard failed to respond
"No Howard I'm anything but ok, my girlfriend and daughter are fighting for their lives and then I find out that it was the guy who tormented be throughout high school and made my life hell that put them there…. He always was a selfish son of a bitch who didn't care who he hurt…"
As soon as he finished his rant Leonard apologised to his friend realising that Penny and his baby were not the only victims of the accident, although Bernadette's injuries hadn't been life threatening she had still been badly shaken.
"I'm sorry Howard I didn't mean to yell at you, I just don't know how much more I can take of this" he explained
"Its ok buddy we're all here for you" Howard assured him thinking how easily it could have been Bernadette lying in the bed instead of Penny
They sat in silence for a while until Howard suggested Leonard go home and get some sleep and questioned him as to when he last had something to eat, he looked ready to drop with exhaustion, but Leonard flatly refused.
"I can't leave Penny" he insisted
"Leonard you can't do this by yourself you'll end up making yourself sick" Howard pointed out "Why don't we get a rota and take it in turns coming here so that Penny's not left alone?"
Howard knew for certain Bernadette and Raj would be more than willing to help and also Amy the only one he wasn't sure about was Sheldon who had an aversion to hospitals.
"That would be great" Leonard forced a weak smile he was so glad to have such supportive friends around him at this time of great need
Over the next two weeks Leonard got into a routine. He had to return to his job at the university but as soon as he finished for the day he would drive directly to the hospital to be with Penny and baby Hofstadter. Mostly he would wind up spending the night, driving home early in the morning to shower and change before heading back to work. He had fallen behind with his work so Penny's hospital room had become his makeshift office, often he would work into the early hours of the morning sitting cross legged on the armchair in the corner of the room with his laptop resting on his knees. It gave him comfort to be near to her and to watch over her. Now it was morning and the sun streaked in through the gaps in the window blinds waking Leonard as he slept on the armchair. The room was now completely full with get well soon cards all of which Leonard had read aloud to her and helium balloons, there were so many people that loved Penny. Getting up Leonard rubbed his eyes and wandered over to her bed bent over and kissed her softly.
"Good morning gorgeous how are you doing today?"
He stroked her hair the bandage had now been removed to reveal her long blond hair
"Are you going to open those beautiful eyes and look at me today honey?"
Penny remained motionless in the bed
"I have to go to work now but Sheldon and Amy are coming by this afternoon and Raj said he would come too"
He hated to leave her; even now her doctors said her condition was stable he still feared that something would happen to her while he wasn't there.
Sarah bounded cheerfully into the room and picked up Penny's chart
"Good morning Leonard"
"Morning Sarah"
"Good morning Penny honey" Sarah addressed Penny touching her hand
Often Leonard would come into Penny's room to find Sarah talking away to her about everything and anything as she worked
"How's your work going Leonard?" she asked as she replaced Penny's IV
Leonard talked for the next few minutes about his work Sarah smiled but admitted she didn't understand any of what he had said, although it did all sound very impressive
"Anyone who got selected to work for Professor Hawking must be a genius"
Leonard blushed slightly he still wasn't all together comfortable receiving compliments even though he had achieved so much in his career over the years
One of the monitors began to beep loudly drawing Sarah's attention from Leonard back to Penny.
"What is it?" asked Leonard instantly his face wrinkled into a worried expression
"Penny's temperature is a little high it's probably nothing but I'll ask one of the doctors to come and have a look at her"
"Maybe I should stay" Leonard said immediately
Sarah shook her head and gave a reassuring smile
"No you go, I'm sure it will be fine you must have so much work to catch up on"
Leonard couldn't disagree he was falling drastically behind with his work and although his boss Professor Gablehauser had been very understanding it did bother him that the work was increasingly piling up.
"You will call me if there's the slightest change?" Leonard asked for at least the fourth time as he followed Sarah out into the hall leaving Penny's room
"Of course but I'm sure it's nothing to get excited about" Sarah put a comforting arm on Leonard's shoulder "I know it's not easy but try not to worry Leonard"
Feeling only slightly reassured Leonard headed off down the hallway in the direction of the elevator. At that very moment alone in her room for a few seconds Penny's eyelids fluttered and opened and she stared up at the lights on the ceiling, but her eyelids felt so heavy it was impossible to keep them open. For those brief seconds Penny had come back to the world.
