this unfortunately is the penultimate chapter, next chapter will indeed be the proposal and Penny's surprise party. So guys, thank you for reading and don't worry i've already started the next story in the Lenny engagement

love S x

26TH NOVEMBER 2014

Leonard – t-minus 2 days until he proposes to Penny

Ring ring. He took his phone out of his pocket to find Bernadette's name flashing up. ''Hey Bernadette'' Leonard said trying to balance pens and papers and phones. ''Penny's not very well, I thought id give you the heads up.'' ''oh god, thanks'' He shut his phone closed and packed his stuff off his lab desk. Penny was equally as bad when she was ill as Sheldon but she didn't want help. No, she was tired, irritable and snappy. Leonard traveled the 20 minute drive home and climbed up the mass amount of stairs and opened the door to 4A. He had given Penny many lectures about locking her door but she always blew it off with the fact they never lock there's which is true so he shut up. He opened the door and said loudly ''Penny…'' he quickly turned it into a whisper as he saw her curled up on the sofa in her Nebraska huskers t-shirt passing just the very tops of her legs. With the puffy eyes, red nose and red throat, her bed-ridden uncombed hair in a mess trailing down the side of the couch she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever had the pleasure to set his eyes on.

He lightly walked over to his sleeping girlfriend and lifted up her head ever so gently and placed a pillow under her head on her lap. She stirred and Leonard grimaced. You don't wake up Penny. No one wakes up Penny and I pray for anyone who does and has to face the wrath of fury of morning Penny (or in this case 4 pm Penny, which for her was morning Penny.) Leonard just sat watching her peacefully sleep with the corners of her mouth slightly curled when all of a sudden her whole face turned into a frown. ''shit, she's awake.'' Leonard thought but she didn't move just slept. A wave of protection hit Leonard; he didn't like the thought of Penny having bad dreams. Of course everyone had bad dreams but the thought of penny upset broke his heart. It was like the time when he was dating Priya. Whenever Priya would enter the room, the hurt would fill her eyes as she knew she shouldn't be at his apartment. But the frowning got deeper, He couldn't face to see her like this.

Leonard lightly picked up a strand of her dark blonde hair and swizzled it in his fingers. In the softest voice possible he woke Penny up. Her right eye slowly opened, '' Leonard!'' she said in such a hoarse voice that even Leonard could feel the pain. ''your back!'' she whispered turning to bury her face in his hoodie. ''I'm back? Where did I go? And you shouldn't be talking missy!'' as he playful pushed her side. ''I had a dream that you went...'' her voice was getting hoarser as she went; Leonard couldn't tell if she was getting upset of it was her throat. ''where did I go?'' ''on a boat to the North Sea, to work with the wheelchair time guy. It just seemed so real.'' She said burying her face deeper into his hoodie. ''As much I would love to work for 'the wheelchair time guy', I'm not going anywhere.'' ''promise?''

''promise''

''hey I got you something!'' Leonard said reaching over Penny's head to grab a white plastic bag at the side of the sofa. Penny breathed in to the smell of fried food and sauce. ''YOU GOT CRISPY CHIPS'' Penny practically shouted which Leonard couldn't help but laughing because her shouting made her voice sound like a 13 year old boy starting puberty. Leonard watched as Penny grabbed the chips, her blanket and the TV remote. Penny spotted him looking. She stared back. They at least had eye contact for 10 seconds, the sexual tension was actually visible, penny couldn't hold in anymore she spurted out a giggle. ''what?'' Leonard said worried but with a smile. ''you're practically squinting at me!'' she said while trying to fit as many chips in her mouth at once. ''I can't see anything till your birthday!'' Penny moved closer to Leonard, placed her hands on his and moved them up to her checks. ''how's that?'' ''much better'' Leonard said as he lightly but passionately placed his lips on hers.

PENNY- 27TH NOVEMBER

T-MINUS 18 HOURS

Penny turned and fidgeted in her bed. She turned to groan at the time. 3 am. She hadn't yet been asleep and she almost couldn't breathe with a blocked everything. Her head was in tatters, she couldn't think straight. Everyone knew if she proposed Leonard would say yes but then she would be engaged, she would be a fiancee, she would be having kids before she knew it. She started to feel panicky, her throat got even tighter. It was like she had gotten a ball stuck there.

She grabbed her phone and dialed Amy. ''Penny its 3 am'' Amy answered in a groggy voice. ''Ames….help…I can't…do this….'' Her breathing was rapid; she couldn't get a breath in. Amy seemed suddenly awake. ''whoa Penny breathe.'' She could hear it getting worse. ''penny. Penny you're the one doing this to yourself not your body. Come on breathe when I say one, okay?'' ''okay.'' This wasn't helping they were practically doing breathing exercises like when someone's in labour. ''one'' penny breathed in ''one'' and out.

Once she had calmed down she explained her panicking to her quirky best friend. Amy had never been in this situation before, a friend relying on her to reassure her. She had no clue so she just explained what she knew.

''Penny I may not of been here to see the whole of your relationship but what you have with Leonard is something I have never seen before. You came here to be an actress and you threatened yourself to go home many times. But there is always something holding you back, there's always someone you know you can't leave. One day, you will do this weather today or not because you love him Penny. 7 years. You've broke up twice, knowing you you would of backed off the first time but you two always end up back together.''

''aw thank you amy, love you!''

''love you too Penny.''

''right lets do this.''