The Big Bang Theory is owned by Chuck Lorre Productions and Warner Bros. Television.
A/N: Again thanks for the reviews and faves. As for my two guest reviewers I cannot disagree with your observations except for why they came so late in the story. Firstly I write conflict because I live with conflict both external and internal so I know it well but conflict can be beaten back and overcome. Secondly I took this story away from it's original theme because I don't plan to write again but still wanted to write my Leonard and Penny love story. They will struggle but their love will triumph in the end. There is no true love without suffering.
"Penny" said Leonard softly walking to the couch and sitting beside her. She turned to him her eyes stark, her face a desolate pale landscape. "Penny I would have told you about Alex but I didn't know Raj was even taking a video let alone sending it to you."
"He didn't send it to me it went all around the nerd vine first before I got it." Her tone was reserved, almost surrendered. "So what would you have told me? That you and Alex had this deep romantic moment together in front of everyone in the cafeteria or that the two of you were flying off to Europe together to be famous discoverers of Unruh radiation." Once the words came from her mouth Penny felt herself losing the battle to hold back her tears. She bolted up and away from the couch towards the bedroom and turned tears streaming down her face. "I never thought you would do it not in a million years."
"Do what Penny what did you think I did" he pleaded.
"You broke my heart more than anyone ever could." Penny then entered the bedroom closing and locking the door.
Leonard ran to the bedroom door in a panic her words 'you broke my heart' resounding in his head. A transgression he promised himself he would never be guilty of when it came to Penny. He had might as well have been convicted of murder except this would weigh more heavily on his heart than that. He knocked on the door gently. "Penny we need to talk about this it's not what it looked like" he said loud enough to be heard through the door. There were no sounds coming from the bedroom so he continued. "Penny I would never break your heart it would be the same as breaking my own heart. Penny? I love you Penny and nothing or no one is going to change that." Again not a sound emanated from the bedroom. "Okay Penny I'll wait for you to feel better and we'll talk later." Leonard slid down the wall to the floor in defeat. He would wait until she came out which was hopefully soon.
Leonard awoke blurry eyed finding himself still on the floor outside of Penny's bedroom. Rubbing his eyes behind his glasses he looked up to see Sheldon standing over him then noticed Penny's bedroom door open. Standing and not seeing Penny he turned to Sheldon. "Sheldon where's Penny."
"I was told by Amy to tell you that Penny is at Bernadette's."
"Sheldon I'm in big trouble. Penny told me I broke her heart. What am I going to do?"
"I'm sure she was referring to the metaphor for the intense emotional pain she is suffering caused by your betrayal with Alex. I'm sure you didn't actually cause her any type of trauma to her heart."
"I didn't betray Penny it was a misunderstanding. Alex was just surprised that she was being included to go to Cambridge. I'm sure she just overreacted."
Sheldon's mouth went agape and his eyes bugged out. "Leonard do you think this is part of Hawking's plan to break up you and Penny thereby guaranteeing you traveling to Cambridge with your still inconclusive but promising experimental results?"
"Well, being that Hawking has no idea who Penny is and anything about my personal life I am going to say you're crazy."
Penny and Amy were sitting on the couch having tea at Bernadette's who was the reason why they were having tea and nothing stronger. She sat down in the chair next to the couch with her tea. "I hate to say it Penny but I think you hurt Leonard more than he hurt you."
Penny almost spit out her tea at Bernadette's remark. "How did I hurt Leonard? By getting upset that he had a romantic moment with Alex. Did you even see the video?"
"I saw the video Penny but what I saw was Alex hugging Leonard and him letting go of her first. She was having a romantic moment not Leonard."
Penny turned to Amy "Ames?"
Amy nodded in agreement with Bernadette. "I can't believe you didn't give him the benefit of the doubt."
Penny's lips pressed together and her brow rose as a feeling of guilt overcame her. "He's been spending so much time with her and she flirts with him and now they're going to Cambridge together."
"Penny Alex was told by her superior to work with Leonard" said Amy. "Additionally if you listened to the video they are only going to Cambridge if the results of Leonard's experiments show promise of proving Unruh radiation. That may never happen."
Penny looked back and forth at Bernadette and Amy feeling like they were ganging up on her. "I told him to talk to her about flirting with him and then there she is hugging him. How did I hurt Leonard anyway?"
"You told him he broke your heart" said Bernadette. "That must have devastated him. I don't care what you saw Leonard would never break your heart. He must think he lost you forever."
When Penny heard the word devastated tears came to her eyes. "Oh my god what have I done." She brought her hands to her face feeling shamed. Both Amy and Bernadette quickly came to her sides hugging her. "I hurt him again what is wrong with me?" Penny dropped her hands to look at her friends. "What if he doesn't want me anymore? What if I drove him to Alex? He's probably with her now."
"Penny Leonard is just waiting for you to go running into his arms" said Bernadette. "That is why he is your soul mate he loves you so much he tolerates you when you're bitchy and mean to him. Amy smiled and nodded in agreement with Bernadette.
"He does doesn't he" said Penny smiling with tears still falling.
"Go to him Penny" urged Bernadette.
"Ok" said Penny happily, her tears waning.
"And we want to hear all about the make-up sex afterwards" said Amy excitedly.
"Ok" said Penny happy to agree to anything now. They all stood and Penny hugged both her friends. "I love you guys so much. What would I do without you."
"First off you would be…"
"Amy I think Penny's question was rhetorical" said Bernadette interrupting her. "Penny you should leave before you start crying again."
As Penny walked to her car she couldn't wait to get back home and apologize to Leonard. Feeling guilty she took out her phone and texted him "Leonard honey I'm coming home. I'm so sorry for what I said. I can't wait to see you. I love you. Xxxooo.
Getting to her building Penny climbed the stairs with haste going directly to 4a and knocking on the door. She tried the door but found it locked frustrating her. She knocked again impatiently waiting for Leonard to open the door to relieve the hurt she now knew all too well she caused him. As the door opened Penny smiled nervously ready to leap into his arms begging forgiveness until the sight of Sheldon glowering at her stopped her cold.
"Yes" said Sheldon like he answered the door to an annoying salesperson.
Penny responded to his rudeness with a frown "hello to you too. Is Leonard here?"
"No" said Sheldon about to close the door on her.
"Wait a minute" she said putting her hand against the door. "Where is he?"
"Unknown. He emerged from his room in a tizzy saying he needed to take care of something and quickly walked out the door."
"Oh I hope he's not going to do something crazy" said Penny in worrisome tone.
"It's a miracle he's not crazy already. The things that Leonard had to do to win your heart and keep you happy have taken him to the far outer reaches of sanity. I don't know how many times I have seen him at his wits end after having to ride your emotional rollercoaster all these years."
Penny's jaw dropped in disbelief of what Sheldon just said. "How about all the times he's come to me at his wits end having to put up with you. That's why he wanted to move in with me twice just to get the hell away from you and when he does live with me he won't need to sign a ridiculous roommate agreement."
"The roommate agreement provides order where there would otherwise be chaos like in your life Penny."
As she has done many times before Penny overlooked Sheldon's insult. "Could I come in and wait for Leonard?"
"Penny I told you yesterday that you were off limits to this apartment. How could you have forgotten already or are you unable to comprehend what off limits means?"
"I know what it means Sheldon. Look I don't want to fight with you anymore. I want things to go back the way it used to be when we were good friends. It would make Leonard very happy to see us friends again."
Sheldon's face took on a serious expression. "Are you willing to undergo a full physical and psychological examination as well as submitting yourself to psychotherapy and whatever medications are deemed necessary to control your antisocial and psychotic behavior?"
Instead of getting angry or upset with Sheldon Penny now had a way to manipulate him to do whatever she wanted him to do. "I understand why you want me to do that and I would agree to do it but there is no time. Leonard may be going off to Cambridge and you and I will have to stick together like when he went to the North Sea." Penny kept her most sincere expression while Sheldon pondered her revelation.
"Unfortunately you may be right Penny. We cannot know if Leonard will leave tomorrow or next month but I believe that Hawking wants him in Cambridge nonetheless. Due to the urgency of the situation I may have to overlook your psychotic behavior and restore our friendship. Do you think you can control your violent outbursts?"
"What choice do I have" said Penny keeping up her sincere façade. "With Leonard gone all I'll have is you Sheldon to take care of me and keep me in line and as last time I will return the favor by seeing to your needs as Leonard does every day." Penny saw doubt in Sheldon's face and started to think she may have laid it on too thick.
"Ok you can come in" said Sheldon further opening the door. "Wait…you will keep your clothes on at all times in the apartment and in our shared hallway. You could do whatever you want in Leonard's room as long as his door is closed."
"Agreed" said Penny smiling as she followed Sheldon into the apartment. "Can we hug to our restored friendship?"
"Don't push it" said Sheldon turning his head around to her before sitting down in his spot.
Penny feeling her phone vibrate quickly took it from her pocket hoping it was Leonard. Seeing a text from him she couldn't open it fast enough. "it's okay I understand. I will be home soon. I love you too. xxxooo." Penny texted back "I'm waiting for you in your apartment. xxxooo. "Leonard is on his way back" she said sitting down on the couch opposite Sheldon.
"Penny did you ever consider that Leonard may not go to Cambridge on the chance he may think it will cause his relationship with you to end?"
"Sheldon I would never come between Leonard and an opportunity like this for him to work directly with Hawking."
"But he told me he broke your heart and he reacted with emotional distress. I'm sure if you simply told him not to go he would listen to you."
"Absolutely not" yelled Penny. "I was wrong he didn't break my heart and I'm going to tell him so when he gets here."
"Then how do you plan on preventing Leonard from going to Cambridge for an undetermined amount of time with Alex who noticeably desires him."
"Sheldon I don't plan on preventing Leonard from going. I'm not going to make the mistake of not trusting him again either."
"I understand your concerns Penny. You want to keep up the appearance that we thoroughly support Leonard by letting him go to Cambridge so that is exactly what you are going to do. We then wait a specified amount of time to be determined by you before you break up with him causing Leonard to come running back to you."
"That's your plan I break up with Leonard when he's over five thousand miles away in Cambridge while he has Alex there to console and comfort him? If I was to break up with Leonard I would do it before he leaves but that would n….
Because breaking up with me is what you do best" interrupted Leonard standing in the open doorway.