Friendly Conundrum

Disclaimer: Yes this is a story about Leonard and Penny from TBBT; I may not own the main characters, other characters and the god damn buildings/sets the TBBT team have created. Although note to self and you drunkards out there this I do own the Plot and any character I invent.

Even though disclaimers cannot stop you from getting arrested for copyright, it will help with not getting sued.

I wrote a whole chapter these few days, I was stuck thinking about how to write it properly without sounding to repetitive. I finally completed it and found it sucked in an infinite number of ways. So I decided to rewrite using a different situation.

Enjoy.

Waking Up Alone

Penny finally stirred on her side, bewilderment quickly entered her mind she looked around to find herself in bed, rubbing her eyes as she rotated on her back she wondered why her legs felt heavier than normal, gripping the bed sheet she peered under "What the…how?" She was confused to why she was wearing yesterday's clothes. She glanced over Leonard's side to find that the bed sheets were pulled back on and no Leonard. She yawned sleepily, abruptly felt lonely as she rolled back but this time into his spot and peacefully buried herself in his pillow. She took a long and deep breath to smell him, his aroma still fused into the pillow. She laid there thinking, she first thought that Leonard must have carried her during the night but she soon came to the conclusion that he couldn't, not with his muscle. She turned back and looked at her ceiling still pondering how.

She laid there until she wanted to know the time she glanced over to her digital clock on the nightstand 9:37. Her eyes suddenly diverted to the cup of coffee sitting next to the clock still giving off vapours. It was another thing she loved about Leonard, whenever he had work early and she was asleep he would make her coffee and most often breakfast then leaving it on her nightstand. Penny leaned against the headboard, eyed the coffee for a few seconds before she reached for her cup. "Still warmish" Penny said to herself, as she took a sip, "God, that's good." She sighed with frustration at the thought at working in less than an hour working the morning, lunch and afternoon shifts and not seeing Leonard till tonight. Penny took a large sip of coffee before she slid slowly out of bed and forced herself into the bathroom for a shower.

Fifteen minutes later Penny came out of the bathroom towel wrapped around her, her hair hung over shoulders still dripping. She wandered over the nightstand and took a large gulp of coffee by this time it was more on the cold side. "Yuck" Penny rushed into the bathroom again and started on the morning ritual of make-up. She stood over the sink, attempting to do her eyes with mascara when she glanced at her engagement ring sitting on her left. 'Maybe it was time to tell the others about the recent engagement.' she thought with an unsure look on her face. She knew and probably Leonard knew it's been constantly getting harder and harder to convince and hid the ring.

Penny treaded over to the bathroom door, only to stare raising her eyebrows in a surprisingly disgusted way at her work uniform which hung from the wardrobe door, the sight of it made her cringe. She wished it was about time her manager gave her a new and nicer uniform to wear like the other restaurants.

Penny came through the bathroom door to the bedroom, sighing as she reached the end of her bed. Again she held out her hand and observed her ring, a sudden burst of emotion ripped through her. For six years she has been waitress continuously doing the stay job day in, day out. "What have I done to deserve Leonard…I'm a failed actress who dropped out of college." She questioned. Tears welled up her in eyes, the odd one rolled down her cheek. She quickly blinked them away and refocused as she realised how much off an idiot she was being. Grabbing her yellow uniform from its hanger, she stood back up and begun getting dressed.

While Penny got dressed she heard the vibration from her Phone on her nightstand, she finished the final touches to her war paint and hair before she headed over to find she received a text from Leonard, 'Hey, this is just suggestion but, how about we have lunch together? XOXO' Penny smiled to herself thinking about how adorable he is sometimes, she immediately replied. 'Sorry honey I have lunch shift, love you. Miss ya already :'(. XOXO' Penny felt a tad of contrition to having declined Leonard's offer of her phone buzzed a second later Penny giggled reading his text 'I love you too. It's okay. You have work, I have work I'll see you tonight. I miss you more.' She wanted to carry on 'I'll call you. I'll show you how much I miss you tonight ;) XOXOXO' She finally was dressed and ready, Penny peeked at the clock 9:57. 'Time to go' she thought, grabbing for belongings for the day and hastily ran out of apartment and closing shut the door. In fear of being Penny quickly hurried across the hallway and jolted down the stairs to the lobby.

Home at Last

After long hours at the Cheesecake Factory Penny stomped tiredly ascended the flight of stairs from the lobby to the fourth floor, she just wanted to sleep but she knew she couldn't. When she finally reached her apartment she sleepy opened the door with her keys. As usual she kicked the door closed with her right foot behind her and dropped her keys and phone onto her couch. She quickly disappeared into her bedroom with a small cute bag. A couple minutes later Penny stepped out from her bedroom wearing something more casual, a dark blue shirt with black leggings and brown Ugg boots. Penny stood in the doorway and saw the mess lying around her apartment; underwear, socks, clothes, and rubbish. After a quick survey of her apartment she decided that the her living room badly needed a clean-up, Penny felt her place needed to look more presentable and friendly instead of it looking like a hobo's garage sale for Bernadette.

When she finished picking up most clothes from the living room she indisputably strolled over to the kitchen in search of anything alcoholic to drink for when Bernadette arrived. "Mmm…Wine" she looked up on top of the fridge and scrolled her finger across the labels of three bottles. She stopped when she couldn't choose which one to drink. Eventually she played 'Innie Minnie miny moe', to determine which one was the unfortunate one. "Sorry but looks like you're one" She reached up on top of fridge, gripping the 2010 Calico White Columbia Valley in her right hand resting it down on the island counter; she twisted the top slightly to loosen it for when it was needed. She bent down and routed for two glasses, she was surprised when she found them instantaneously in a cabinet.

Once she straightened herself out, laying the glasses next to the bottle she wandered over to the couch, grabbing her 'InStyle' magazine from the table under the window on the way. She slumped down, resting the magazine on the right arm of the couch. Penny groaned at the pain in her feet from working. She took off her boots one by one picked up feet in her hands and gave them both a quick rub sighed, letting go off the other foot and slid into a more comfortable position, with her feet under her. She moved her right arm out of the way and twisted slightly enough so she could reach her magazine, she drooped the magazine across her thighs. Penny gave the occasional interested comment and disgusted sigh on different articles while she waited for Bernadette. Penny's mind was still in conflict about whether or not to tell her best friend about her engagement, she was extremely excitement and stressed out; she needed to tell someone.

The Secret's Out

The silence in Penny's apartment was quickly interrupted by someone knocking at her door, completely startling her. She glared at the door for a moment, before heaving herself up from sitting, throwing her magazine onto her chair behind the door. "I'm coming" she called to whoever knocked. She swiftly reached the door, grasped the door knob in her left hand and twisted it open to reveal a small blonde microbiologist wearing a red and pink floral pattern white dress with a blue cardigan over the top.

"Hi." She greeted in a cheerful tone. Before Bernadette could realise or respond she was engulfed in an enormous hug by Penny. Bernadette thought it was like she hadn't seen her in ages. "Hey" She replied, while she returned to hug Penny wrapping her arms around her friend slightly. It was a couple of seconds before Penny finally released Bernadette from her hold. "How are you?" Penny moved to the side to let her friend come through. "I'll get the wine." Penny started to make her way to the kitchen as Bernadette sat down on the couch, smiling as always. Penny returned with two glasses in one hand and the bottle in the other. For some reason she felt nervous about speaking to her best friend she has never felt this way before, she was trying her best not to show her ring till she was ready she thought. Penny unscrewed the bottle top and poured the win after she sat down next to her best friend. Penny handed Bernadette a glass of white wine.

"Yeah, I'm okay". Bernadette took a sip of her wine, turning her hand around expecting to see Amy in Penny's bedroom or lurking around somewhere. "Where's Amy, I thought she would be here." Bernadette placed her wine back down on Penny's coffee table.

Penny shrugged and raised her eyebrows, she looked down at her wine on the coffee table "Ohh… she said she was staying late tonight. She said something about measuring Ricky's brainwaves or something as he gets sexually arouse while drunk…" Penny watched the blonde face change instantly from curious to a slightly disgusted, she gave a small chuckle.

"Eww… that's just creepy. I don't how she can be fascinated by that." Bernadette shook her head trying to get the mental picture out of her head, quickly she changed the subject. "So how's work I heard it got busy today?" Bernadette picked up her wine and took a sip again.

Penny took a sip of wine before answering. "I now right, but it's what she does." Penny nodded to Bernadette's question. "Same as it always was I'm just stressed out. It was, I got complete swamped, but I made a lot from tips though." Penny shifted into a better position to face to the small blonde. "Ohh... and yesterday I were waiting on this table of jocks, after trying to do my job can you believe it one of them asked me out."

Bernadette smirked; she glared at Penny wanting to know more. "Oh… really…" She started to worry knowing to well Penny s past with guts like that. "What did you tell him?"

"What do you think" Penny picked up her glass and took a large sip, "I told him that I was with Leonard, and then he questioned how I told him it was love. He even tried again…"She said with annoyance just thinking about the guy.

Bernadette's quietly felt a sense of relief come over, her mouth dropped open. "No! You're so brave Penny." She said. Her face riddled with shock and awe.

"Yep, right after I finished work… I told him straight I wasn't available. As per usual he didn't like it. He moved closer. I warned him, he just stormed off." Penny remembered the way she stormed off "You never mess with a girl from Nebraska." She grinned over to Bernadette feeling prove to be a Nebraskan.

"Remind me not to mess with you." she joked "Who was he?" Bernadette questioned.

"I don't know… some guy from the gym"

"How are you and Leonard?" "I mean you both look so comfortable together."

Penny frowned at her now, "We're good well more any good. I'm glad the weirdness is gone."

"Leonard's one of kind isn't he, like with the snowflake do you think anybody else has received a snowflake from there other half. God I wish Howard got me one from the North Pole. "

Penny looked over in the direction of the door, remembering that time when he came back from his trip to the North Pole, he looked as cute and cuddly his bearded. Again suddenly a feeling which she hadn't felt in a long time shot right through her a burst of guilt. Penny looked back at her friend. Spoke softly "Yeah he is-" Bernadette interrupted before Penny could continue.

"Penny do you think Leonard will propose again? If Leonard asked you to marry him again, hopefully a little more conventionally than before, what would your answer be now?"

The sound of Bernadette's questions made Penny's heart jump numerous amounts of times. Her stomach suddenly felt knotted. She hated being on the spot. Penny was more nervous to how her best friend would react to the news. She started to over thinking, now she properly understood what meant about Schrödinger's cat. "Bernadette I don't know how but I need to tell you," She looked at Bernadette with a fear written across, Bernadette looked back worryingly she had no idea what Penny was about to say. "I'm in engaged… Leonard proposed to me two weeks ago and I said yes."

Penny held out for hand for my friend to see, "OH MY GOD penny that gorgeous." Bernadette firmly grabbed Penny's hand glaring at the ring. She let go off Penny's hand sung her arms around her into a hug. "I cannot believe it! Congratulations! I don't understand why you didn't tell me! She stared at the actress with annoyance, but it soon changed into a smiled, she still couldn't believe it, she wanted to tell Howard or somebody about Penny announcement.

"I know… I'm sorry for all the secrecy… Well we both agreed to not tell anyone yet because of Amy wanting to be maid of honour again and Sheldon being Sheldon. We wanted to wait till we we're financially secure first." "After telling you I certainly feel like a big weight has been lifted off my shoulders."

"Oh my god! Where did he ask you?

"Erm… in bed would you believe it… but we weren't having sex or anything."

"That's so sweet, but why I thought you said you wanted him to propose in the conventional way?"

Penny didn't move for a second, she stared at the wall and thought back to the night of the proposal, and then she remembered the phrase 'Promise me, you won't leave me.' Her heart sank again with regret and selfishness. "I did but I had a nightmare and I was scared off losing him, basically I made him asked me, but thinking about now I feel guilty about it all."

Bernadette confusedly tilted her head slightly thinking "Why, aren't you happy with him?"

"No, no I am it's just he really had his heart set on doing it proper in Switzerland."

"Why did he want to do it in Switzerland?"

"It's where we were going to have our first Valentine's Day before I got ill."

"Oh my god that's so romantic," Bernadette sipped her wine again then looked over the glass at Penny, "Well I figured out you two would tie the knot Penny, because after the last few days' you've both been acting weird, Oh my god I still can't believe it. Congratulations."

Penny leaned over to the blonde and smothered her in another hug "Aw, thank you sweetie." A few moments later She let go off Bernadette "I'm still dreading the day when Amy starts nagging wanting to be Maid of Honour."

Bernadette emptied her glass, placing it back down into the table, she looked at it a few moments and glanced back to Penny "Your wedding planning can't be as bad as ours. Remember the Klingon invites, when are you going to tell the others?"

"Yep, yours was pretty bad, seeing it all I can't wait to start on the big stuff." She said sarcastically. Penny sat back on her couch and stared at Bernadette for a moment, than both girls broke out into a comical laugh "I don't know… I think I will let Leonard decided that. He can think about the consequences and stuff."

Penny Leaned forward and took hold of the bottle and poured another glass full for her and the small blonde. "So how's Howard…" Penny and Bernadette continued with the afternoon talking about Howard, his mother, her mother, how Sheldon would react to the news. Bernadette couldn't stop asking questions about Penny's engagement to Leonard. She was so excited more than Penny herself.

Sorry this took a long time. I was seriously ill. Although from the ashes of the Phoenix there is good news. I managed to write a few first drafts of upcoming chapters while I was resting and doing other things. I say about six, saying that, they're not all in sync will each other, more set at different times in the story.

I hate it when you have an idea and once you stand up; it literally flies out of your head. Leaving you wondering what the hell you're doing making you feel and look like a complete and utter fool.

So what was this Chapter about? Well it's a carry on from last chapter and it's just telling how Penny's day started. She finally tells Bernadette about the wedding.