Chapter 10 - Loose Ends and Knots
The Delta flight from LAX left on time. Bernie and Penny were being treated like VIP's - the flight crew had been informed of the situation and made sure the girls had whatever they needed. For Penny, this was all new and strange - First Class was remarkable. Didn't know people lived like this, she thought. Her appetite had returned and the meals were extraordinary - not the usual bag of pretzels on the trips she'd been on before. And the wine...both she and Bernie were taking full advantage of the refills. "Sure," Penny exclaimed, "I'll try a glass of the Malbec." The two of them had fun with a little wine tasting party. They toasted Leonard, now safe and recovering. Penny then raised a glass to Howard, who'd magnificently set in motion events that found Penny and Bernie side by side on Flight 8549.
"Bernie, you've got yourself a good man," Penny offered as they sipped the vintage red.
"So do you, Penny, so do you!" returned Bernadette. A couple more Kleenex were offered by the First Class cabin attendant as the two friends smiled.
It promised to be a long flight - 15 hours from Los Angeles to Copenhagen, via a brief stop in Paris. Scheduled arrival in Copenhagen at about 7PM local time. With the cabin lights turned down for some quiet time in First Class, Bernie had drifted off to sleep. Like the rest of them, Bernie hadn't slept much since Saturday, and the relief, the comfy leather First Class seat and, finally, a good meal, with copious amounts of celebratory wine, caught up to her.
Penny smiled as she glanced at her good friend catching some well-deserved rest. Oddly, even with the wine Penny was still awake in the darkened cabin. So many thoughts raced through her mind about the past few days - it almost hurt to think about it. And Leonard - what was she going to say - well, OK, HOW exactly was she going to say it? She'd thought about it over the past few weeks, but it was always a conversation that she was going to have after he returned from a successful trip and they'd have a nice, normal reunion. But all that had changed. Finally slumber overcame the Nebraska girl as the Airbus widebody continued on course to Europe.
Wednesday, July 3 7:15PM - the Air France connecting flight from Paris to Copenhagen touched down at Copenhagen Airport. Penny was surprised how gently the giant plane's wheels seemed to kiss the tarmac. Finally, they had arrived. Holy crap on a cracker, it had been one long trip, Penny thought as she and Bernie gathered up their shoes and magazines and prepared to disembark through the First Class door. She and Bernadette thanked the flight crew profusely for taking such good care of them on this special mission.
As soon as Bernie and Penny exited the jetway, an Air France gate representative approached them, and introducing herself, escorted them to a private conference room where a youngish man in a dark gray suit was waiting.
"Hello, you must be Penny and Bernadette. I'm Daniel Melone from the US Embassy," he said as he extended his right hand in greeting.
"I should tell you that, as you may appreciate, the tragic events of the R/V Copenhagen have generated public interest both here in Denmark and worldwide. Moreover, the rescue of your boyfriend has sparked understandable excitement among the various media and public," Daniel explained as he looked at Penny.
Daniel continued, "There are a lot of members of the press here at the airport, down at baggage claim, right now. They somehow got word of your trip and arrival here. I would anticipate that you'd prefer not to deal with a press conference just now, and we have arranged your departure through a private exit to a waiting car. Your luggage has already been retrieved from Baggage Claims and is in the car."
Penny and Bernadette looked at each other in wonder. They had all been so focused on Leonard, and so sheltered from the outside world since Saturday, that they hadn't realized how big a story it had become, especially since Leonard's rescue.
"Press conference?" Penny asked. "Oh no, I don't want a press conference. Please, just get me to the hospital. Can we go right now?"
As the black car sped away from the airport, leaving the members of the press unaware of their escape, Penny glanced out the car window. Rain drops ran down the outside of the glass, adding a touch of beauty to the view of the buildings she saw. Her first trip overseas - never thought it would be like this, she thought.
Her heart was racing. How would he be? Was he hurt badly? Leonard wasn't good with needles and blood - normally he'd faint at the slightest cut, but she didn't know if his assurances on the phone were just a facade to keep her from worrying. But, she was here. She had made it. And she'd be reunited with her experimental physicist boyfriend soon. She managed a big smile as she thought about the nerdy guy with the Star Wars toys that had now become the most important person in her life. She remembered that day in his lab when he explained the Holographic Theory while showing her that little pencil trick and the rotating globe. He was so much more than the guy who first awkwardly introduced himself to her six years ago when she moved in to 4B. That day in the lab was maybe the - what was the term he sometimes used? - "critical mass" for her in the relationship. That was probably the day that she really knew that she loved him.
As the black car proceeded through the rainy streets of the city, Penny opened her handbag and saw the small box she'd carried on the trip. She'd made the purchase a couple of weeks ago. No one else knew, not even Bernadette. Penny hoped that Leonard would be OK with it. After all, she couldn't buy HIM an engagement ring. She didn't have a lot of money to spend, but a deal was a deal, and she had agreed to Leonard's Valentine's Day plan - she'd have to ask him. So, she bought herself a ring, not expensive, but that wasn't the point. She'd hope that he'd understand the gesture when she asked him. Why not? She'd present the little box to him to open and let him put the ring on her finger. Mixing old and new, um - what was the word that the guys always used?, oh yeah, she thought - "paradigms." Anyway, it was the best idea she could come up with. What mattered to her, and what she knew would matter to Leonard, was what he'd been waiting for..."YES!".
A short time later the car arrived at the large, modern hospital complex. "Somewhere in this building is my Leonard," she said to herself as the door opened. It was another private entrance to avoid what was apparently more press at the main entrance. Penny could feel her heart pounding, and Bernadette took her hand as they made their way to an elevator that would whisk them up to the 10th Floor. This is it, she thought.
The hospital representative and Daniel Melone escorted Penny and Bernie to Leonard's room. Leonard had been informed that they were coming and he made sure to look reasonably normal to reassure her. His leg was in a cast and he had the usual drip IV and monitors beeping, but the doctors had told him he'd be able to fly within a week.
"Leonard!" Penny's exclamation was heard all the way down to the nurse's station.
"Penny, honey!" Leonard replied. The two lost contact with the rest of the world for a few minutes as they gently hugged and kissed. Leonard looked actually a lot better than Penny had feared, and his calm voice told her all she needed to know.
"Thanks so much for being such a good friend...to both of us, Bernadette," Leonard said as he and Penny both looked back at Bernie, herself now wiping away tears at the sight of her two friends together again.
After some casual conversation and Leonard's abbreviated account of the harrowing days in the life raft, and his sorrow over the loss of the rest of the ship's party, the conversation quieted down. Daniel bid his goodbyes, promising to check on the three of them tomorrow. Bernie decided to join Daniel who would drop her off at the hotel. She knew Penny and Leonard needed some alone time, and, frankly, Bernie needed some too. She couldn't wait to get to her room to call Howard with an update.
Back in Leonard's hospital room Penny and Leonard talked about what had happened and what each had almost lost. Penny poured out her feelings in a way that caught Leonard by surprise. She cried and laughed as she spoke softly to him.
Finally, catching her breath, she reached down into her handbag, slowly and delicately removed the small box that she had kept close to her since she'd left her apartment. She handed the box to Leonard and said,
"This is for you...to give to me. A deal's a deal. Sorry - I had really wanted to embarrass you with a Jumbotron proposal, but it didn't work out," Penny smiled.
Leonard opened the box. The ring was small but it was beautiful, made so much more so because Penny had picked it out. He remembered what he had said to her that Valentine's Day night,
"It's all on you."
And so it was, and Penny had done it beautifully. Leonard carefully removed the ring from the box and placed it on her finger. And in a strong, clear voice, Leonard responded,
"And, Penny, I say 'Yes' to you, too".
They were about to hug when Penny's phone rang - she didn't even know it would work in Denmark. Maybe that's what Raj had done to her phone before she left.
"Hello?" Penny said, wondering who was calling her now.
"Penny, it's Scotty Cornell," came the voice. Of all the possible callers right now, her agent wasn't among her top guesses.
"Scotty? Um, what's going on? Why are you calling? You will not guess where I am right now and what's happened this week." Penny, caught up in the emotion that she was now ENGAGED, let the words tumble out, "I'm going to be getting married, Scotty! Can you believe it!"
"Congratulations, kiddo! That's great news. Yeah, I heard about Leonard and everything. So happy for you. But, listen, I hate to crowd your plate, with all you've got going on, but, well - are you ready? You got the part in that Lifetime movie! The lead! They loved you," Scotty exclaimed.
Penny looked at Leonard, who had a puzzled look, wondering what was going on.
"Sweetie, I got the movie part!" Penny beamed to Leonard, barely able to contain herself. His face brightened even more. He'd always known she could do it. Leonard and Penny hugged again. They talked more about the new future they'd share together, both of them relieved, grateful, happy, excited... and exhausted. Penny wondered about the little prayer she said back in Leonard's room. Maybe there was something to it after all. Finally, the two of them fell asleep on Leonard's hospital bed.
Half way around the world Sheldon sat at his computer. He still couldn't quite grasp it all, but more than before he could feel that life was not going to return to normal. Something important was changing. As he returned his focus to the laptop screen, alone for the moment in 4A, he contemplated the unfamiliar feeling.
Hmmm...well, he thought, maybe, just maybe, he'd be OK with it.
THE END...
Author's note:
I hope you've enjoyed this little TBBT Fan-tasy. It was really fun to write - actually it was more like the story just wrote itself, and I was along for the ride. It's kind of a trip to see some of the story events unfold as you type - stuff you didn't have in mind when you started but just sort of appears as the story develops. If you haven't tried writing Fan Fiction, give it a shot. Maybe, as with my experience, you'll become a passenger rather than the driver.
I appreciate all of the kind comments I have received from the TBBT Fan Fiction members who were nice enough to read the story and provide some feedback. As is hopefully evident in the story, I love the characters of Penny and Leonard. Couldn't have their story end here any other way.
BTW, all of the characters I added - the embassy official, the search and rescue crew member, Stephen Hawking's assistant, etc., are all just fictional characters. The names were made up by me and do not reflect any real person. Leonard's research vessel's name was also made up.