Chapter Four: Et Ardens Lacrimas

It was pandemonium. The bus rolled to a stop and Sheldon got out as eyes roved above the crowd trying to find a path through the chaos. The onlookers watched in fear and awe as fire trucks parked awkwardly in the street to gain access to hydrants. The police frantically set up barricades to keep the crowd safe as they all watched the first responders tend to the wounded. There were orders shouted for people to stay back intermingled with loud heartfelt appeals to any deity imaginable.

Sheldon's progress through the throng of civilians was frustratingly slow as moved closer to what he suspected was his worst fear come true. Fire raged in his apartment building. He took note of the fact that it was on the fourth floor and felt dread creep through him. He counted all of the windows that mattered. His living room window was intact as well as the small bathroom window and that of his bedroom. The dread that filled him slowly subsided as he found the two windows in Leonard's bedroom were also intact. His apartment and all of his belongings were all relatively safe which meant the only other apartment on that floor—the one being ravaged by the worst of the flames—was Penny's.

At that point he saw a familiar blond making her way down the fire escape. She was nearly to the second floor when she slipped on a step and her body pitched forward until her head smacked against the railing. Sheldon barely registered the collective gasp from the crowd as he watched in horror the way her body fell limply down the metal steps. The fire fighters that saw scrambled to get her down to safety. When they eventually got her down, her limp form was carried to a gurney and the first responders moved her long yellow hair to reveal a nasty gash on her forehead. Her face was covered in blood and soot. She didn't seem to be moving or responding in any way. Fear gripped his stomach in its cold fist at the sight, which made Sheldon fight harder against the crowd to get to his friend.

Just as he moved to get past the barricades, an officer caught him by the arm with a firm grip.

"Sir, I'm gonna need you to stay back," he said in an authoritative tone.

"But that's my friend over there," protested Sheldon. The officer looked over his shoulder to the woman who was being worked on near one of the ambulances. He looked back to Sheldon and saw the sheer panic on his face. The officer's face softened marginally and Sheldon chose that moment to continue. "I just want to make sure she's okay. Please, let me go to her."

"I can't let you through. It's not safe. I'll go over and check on her for you. But you have to stay here," said the officer while giving him a warning look.

"Alright. I'll stay here," he agreed reluctantly. Sheldon watched as the officer made his way across the street carefully picking his way through the web of hoses that were crisscrossed over the pavement. He spoke for a few moments with one of the EMT's and pointed in his direction. The two EMT's nodded before the officer made his way back to Sheldon just as carefully as before.

"Well, how is she?" The officer had a grim look on his face and took a moment to carefully answer.

"Your friend isn't doing so good. She'll be taken to Pasadena General. You might want to start making your way there and maybe see about contacting her family."

"Th-thank you, officer."

"No problem, kid. Good luck to you." Sheldon pulled his phone from his pocket and quickly sent Raj a text informing him of this new development and how that evening's activities were cancelled. When he looked up, he saw that the gurney had already been loaded on to the ambulance. The female EMT, shook her head in pity as she gently placed her patient's hand on her stomach, then pulled the white sheet over her face.

Sheldon forgot how to breathe.

A/N: Damn!