Sorry I wasn't able to get anything posted yesterday or earlier today. Been crazy with work and classes and stuff, hopefully things will be a little easier here on out. This chapter should be a good read, was a little hard to write but I think it serves its purpose well. The upcoming chapter is the one to look for ;) Enjoy and as always thanks for reading, following, or favoriting!

Chapter 10: Reentry

The room was smaller than the one Leonard had been in before but cozy. At least for a room where patients were sent to recover from a variety of injuries or illness's. The thought made Penny wonder just how many others had shared the bed that Leonard's unconscious form now occupied. She sho away the images in her head and took her lovers hand, squeezing gently hoping he would wake up and hug her.

Penny was seated in the only chair the room offered, she had pulled it directly next to the bed and lowered the safety rail designed to keep patients from rolling off so she could hold Leonard's hand easier. The rest of the group milled around the edges of the room trying to stay comfortable.

But it was late, everyone was exhausted, and Penny wasn't surprised when Sheldon suggested they might want to head home and try again tomorrow.

"The anesthetics they gave him are obviously going to leave him in this state for some time," Sheldon was saying, "if we come back tomorrow the odds of him actually being able to communicate with us will be exponentially higher."

Penny couldn't really hold it against them when the others seemed to agree. It was late after all, they had been in the hospital nearly 6 hours and little had changed. Save for getting to sit with Leonard instead of in the waiting room.

"You coming, Penny?" Bernadette asked as the group slowly meandered towards the door.

Penny looked up and tried to speak but coughed as she tried to form words. She cleared her throat as she realized she had barely spoken since they had been there, "no," she tried again, "I think I'm just gonna wait a little longer."

Bernadette looked worried, "Penny, you need sleep, and a bed is going to do you far better than that chair."

The blonde haired beauty just shook her head, she could be so stubborn some times. Bernadette moved closer to her putting a hand on her shoulder, she started to speak but stepped back as Penny stood up.

"Listen," she said turning to her friends, she needed them to understand. "I know your trying to help but please just think about this. If our places had been reversed, if I was lying on this bed with a whole in my stomach and who knows what chance of walking again do you think he would leave?" she asked pointing to her fallen boyfriend. "Do you think Leonard would have left the hospital at all?"

Penny pulled Bernadette into a hug and continued, "I need to stay, but I promise I'll be okay." The smaller blonde just nodded, tears in her eyes she stepped back and took Howard's.

"Call us if anything happens, anything at all," he said as the group slowly made their way through the door.

Just like that Penny found herself alone. Alone with the man who had saved her life but at so much self sacrifice. Would he ever be the same? How would he react when he woke up and understood the condition he was in? The thoughts were a little more than frightening to her, she just hoped everything would be okay.

She moved back to her chair, took Leonard's hand in her own again, and layed her head down on her arms on the side of his bed. She blinked once, and let the tears she had been fighting back roll down her face.

It was late... or was it early? Penny couldn't tell, she had been flitting in and out of consciousness for what seemed like hours trying to get a little sleep. That changed however, when she felt something brush the top of her head.

She yelped and sat straight up in her chair, that yelp of surprised turned to a cry of joy when she realized that the eyes of the man in front of her were open. He was looking at her!

"Leonard!" Penny shrieked as she practically jumped on him and wrapped her arms around him.

He lent out a grunt of pain as her weight touched his wounds. "Sorry," she muttered shifting slightly, but not releasing her hold.

"I—just—love-you-so-much," she said, alternating ever word with a kiss.

Leonard smiled as their lips met, "Penny," he tried saying but she was too preoccupied. "Penny," he repeated a little louder, "I need to breath," he coughed out her strangle hold starting to suffocate him.

"Sorry," Penny said again, taking one of his hands and rubbing it against her face. "I've just been so scared."

She watched as Leonard used his free hand to lift his shirt slightly so he could look at the bandage that was covering his stomach and a large part of his side.

He closed his eyes as the fuzzy memories cleared and came rushing to the forefront of his mind.

Kurt waving a gun.

The weapon pointing at Penny.

Sprinting towards her, he had to save her.

Yelling to draw his attention.

Shoving Penny out of the way as the gun went off.

Feeling the pain as his stomach opened up.

His eyes closing as another gunshot rang out.

Leonard's eyes sprang open as he whirled on Penny. "Are you okay? What happened? There was another gunshot! Why did Kurt have a gun? What is going on Penny?"

The questions continued but Penny couldn't follow. The only one that had stuck in her mind was Are you okay? Here he was, lying in a hospital bed, paralyzed from the waist down, with a bandage the size of Kentucky covering his stomach and Leonard's first thought was for her safety.

Tears filled Penny's eyes as she looked down at the most amazing man she had ever met, "that's a lot of questions sweetie," she started. "Would you like me to answer them all at once, or one at a time," she smiled.

Okay so this chapter didn't go exactly as I imagined it. There was a lot more to put in about the group leaving and Leonard waking up than I thought. I promise next chapter will be the one that explains what happened and why and all that good stuff. This one ended up being a bit of filler which I apologize for but it was necessary. Hope your enjoying and again, thank you to all who read, comment, or follow :)