A/N I keep trying to think of some different way to let you know what your reviews mean to me. You all thank me for the quick updates, but you guys are just as impressive. I really do read and take to heart the things you say. Often your ideas are better that the ones I do write about. I still own nothing.

Barb noticed that Wayne was quiet on the ride to the motel. After they were checked in and in their room, she said, "You've been mighty quiet. Is something wrong?"

"Why did you jump in when your brother asked me to talk about myself?"

Suddenly Barb knew what it had seemed like, she stammered, "I just…"

"Were you trying to protect me or worried what I might say?"

He smirked, "Don't you think I know how to handle questions like that?"

In another voice, "Well, Steve, after my mother died, I just needed to get away, to put that behind me."

He looked at her, "After they told me how sorry they were about my mother, do you think they would have kept asking?"

He said quietly, "Admit it, you are ashamed of my past."

Barb struggled for something to say, "I am not ashamed, I just don't think they need to know."

He sighed, "They're your family. You say you love me and want us to be together. Are you going to keep the truth from them forever?"

Barb decided he was being unfair, "Of course not, I just didn't think we needed to discuss it now."

She tried to change the subject, "Speaking of telling the truth, what was that about needing to work on the bike?"

"We just rode it over 1500 miles. I always check it out after such a trip. I did it when I arrived in Omaha."

"Don't give me that. You just wanted me to have to talk to them."

He raised his voice, "Have to talk to them? Have to talk to your brother and his wife? Admit it, you don't want to talk to them because you know they are going to ask about me. You don't want to see the look on their faces when they realize you are screwing an ex-con, a man whose mother was a prostitute, whose father was a wife beater and a half brother who raped someone."

Seeing the stricken look on her face, he wanted to take it back, but knew it was necessary.

He sighed, "I got an old sleeping bag on the bike, I think I'll sleep on the floor tonight."

In the silence that followed, he went on, "We haven't had anything to eat since Vegas, do you want me to get anything.?"

Barb was struggling not to break down. She managed to say, "I'm not hungry," and went into the bathroom.

Wayne sat on the bed with his head in his hands. He knew he should try to console her, to tell her he was sorry, that it would be all right, but he knew it wasn't.

This was all his fault. What had made him think he could escape his past? Suddenly, he had to get away. Calling out that he would be back later; he went out to his bike and drove off.

Barb came out of the bathroom calling, "Don't go. I'm sorry. Let's talk about this," but he was gone.

She collapsed on the bed and let it all loose. Finally, she got to her feet and went to the bathroom and took a shower. Still wrapped in a towel, she sat on the bed.

Was he right? Was she ashamed of him? She had acted instinctively, trying to protect him. But he was right, they would have to know the truth. Maybe she was ashamed. She was at least afraid of how they would react. She realized they had been living in world of their own, protected from the outside world.

What should she do? She took a deep breath and with a new resolve got out a paper and pen. She quickly wrote.

Dear Wayne,

I am not ashamed of you. But you're right, I thought I was protecting you, but I was protecting myself from what they would think.

I am going over there now to tell them everything. I will tell them I love you and that none of that matters. That you are a good man, a loving and caring man. I will tell them I want to spend my life with you, if you will let me.

Please forgive me for how I acted.

Please wait for me to come back. I don't want to lose you.

Barb

When Wayne came back after riding around the city on his bike, he panicked when he found she was gone. But then he saw the note. After he read it, he sat on the bed and this time was not ashamed to let the tears fall.

When everyone had arrived at the apartment, Penny and Leonard told them the good news about the commercial. Everyone was stunned but they were excited for her.

Bernadette then told everyone she had taken the first steps to get back on path for her doctorate. Penny and Amy had told Leonard and Sheldon what she had said. Everyone congratulated her and assured her she would soon be a doctor.

Howard kind of killed the moment when he remarked to Penny, "I guess we will have to stick together, being the only ones without a doctorate."

Penny managed a weak smile.

Leonard continued the good news by saying he felt he was close to finishing up his protocols. He had a large series of tests to run, but felt confident in them being successful.

After everyone had gone home, Penny turned to Leonard, "I am so lucky to have such good friends."

She moved up to him, "I owe it all to you. You have always been my strength. It still scares me sometimes to realize how I almost screwed it up."

Leonard smiled, "Don't think for a minute that it was all your fault. I should have never let you go home without telling you how I felt."

Penny moved over and kissed him passionately. Then she smirked, "There is something I would like to do."

Leonard smiled, "I am ready."

"Easy, boy. We can do that later. I was thinking of dancing in our underwear. Or don't you have any moves?"

"Oh, I have moves. In fact, when you see them, the sex will be inevitable."

He smiled and went on, "You realize this will drive Sheldon nuts."

"See, another good reason to do it."

Sanjay probably shouldn't have been driving. He was finding it difficult to concentrate. He thought back to his meeting with Priya. She had informed him she thought they were moving too fast, that they needed to cool it. She told him she did have feelings for him, but with everything that had happened they needed to take it slow, to be discreet.

He had been stunned. She was doing it to him again. No, he wasn't going to let her get away so easy. He was shocked to find himself begging her to change her mind, that he loved her.

He remembered how she had stared at him. Then she said, "I never realized you felt this strongly about me. I do have feelings for you, but I am not ready for any type of commitment. Maybe we should stop seeing each other for a while. She had reached out and touched his face, "I am sorry, Sanjay."

Then she had left. As Sanjay left the city behind and drove down the highway, he didn't realize the speed he was going. Suddenly, he heard a siren behind him. Looking at his speedometer, he realized he was going over one hundred miles an hour. For a moment, he thought of trying to outrun the police, but sighing resignedly, slowed down and pulled off the road.

Debbie was heading for bed when she felt the tightness in her chest. Suddenly, she found it difficult to breathe. With a final effort, before she collapsed, she hit the emergency number on her phone.

Howard and Bernadette had just returned home when his phone rang. When he answered a voice said, "Is this Howard Wolowitz?"

"Yes."

"I regret having to be the one to tell you this, but your Mother has suffered a heart attack. She was brought to Pasadena General." Pause, "I would suggest you get here as soon as possible."

Bernadette watched as the color drained from Howard's face, "What is it, Howie, what's wrong?"

He turned to her, "it's Mom. She had a heart attack."

Bernadette covered her mouth, "Oh, God." Then she moved forward to hug him, but he turned away, "I should have been there. It's my fault."

Bernadette teared up, "Don't say that. There is nothing you could have done."

The way he looked at her scared her, "She's at Pasadena General, I need to go."

"You are not leaving without me. You are in no condition to drive."

He nodded. They rushed out to their car and drove off. Bernadette was worried for him, he just sat quietly, looking straight ahead. She wished he would cry or something.

When they arrived at the hospital, Bernadette felt a huge sense of relief when they were told she had survived but was in a Coronary Care Unit. She would need to be there for 24 to 48 hours.

Bernadette asked if she could have visitors. He told her yes but only one at a time. He suggested they wait until morning.

Howard had quietly accepted the news, showing little reaction. When she went to hug him, he let her do so, but didn't return it.

He thanked the doctor and said he would be back in the morning.

When they got back to the house, he turned to her, "I am going to move back home, Mom will need me."

Then he began to sob, "It's my fault. This is all my fault. I never should have left her alone. She needed me." Bernadette tried to hold him, to console him, but he tore away and went into the bedroom saying he wanted to be alone.

Bernadette sat numbly on the couch, tears running down her cheeks. Finally, she took out her phone and dialed a number, "Penny."

Barb got out of the cab and walked up to the door and rang the doorbell. Mona opened it and showed her surprise, "Barb. What are you doing here?" She then noticed her face, "What's wrong? What happened? Is Wayne all right?"

"He's fine. Mona, we need to talk."

Steve called out, "Who is it?"

"It's Barb."

"What is she doing here? Is something wrong?"

"No."

Barb spoke up, "Mona, could we talk alone?"

"Of course. Why don't you go in the den? I'll talk to Steve."

Barb went and sat in a chair. She could hear Mona and Steve.

Steve was speaking, "What's going on?"

"I don't know. I just know something happened and she needs to talk."

She sighed, "For some reason she needs to talk to just me."

"Why you? I am her brother."

She smiled, "But I am a woman."

"Very well, but I want to know what is going on."

Mona came in and shut the door behind her, "Can I get you something to drink? Wine, something a little stronger?"

"Do you have some scotch?"

Mona smiled, "I believe so. Is on the rocks okay?"

"That will be fine."

Mona poured her a glass and then a glass of wine for herself.

When she handed it to Barb she smiled when she took a pretty good gulp.

"Okay, so what's going on?"

Barb opened up completely, telling her all about her and Wayne. How he had been in prison, his mother, the fears about his half-brother and Father. How he had talked to Penny and Wyatt. How she loved him. How he had been upset when she tried to protect him.

When she finished, she took a long drink from her glass.

Mona sat stunned. She had often wanted to say something but knew she just needed to let her vent.

She took a sip of her wine, "From what you have told me, I have to admit, I find a lot in Wayne to admire. It is obvious he has had a very difficult life. But it appears not to have made him bitter. I think you have been a big source of strength for him. You shouldn't feel too bad about what you did. You were trying to protect him. Just based on the facts, I suppose I should have some concerns about you being with him, but seeing how you feel about him, I know he must be a good person."

Barb looked up, "What am I going to do? I don't want to lose him. I know he has feelings for me, but they don't seem to be as strong as I feel for him."

"I am afraid I can't help you there. He feels like he feels. You have let him know how you feel."

She finished her wine, "Would you like me to go back with you? Maybe it would help if he knew that I am not judging him and don't believe Steve will either."

"I can let him know we love you and trust your judgement. That we would be proud to have him be part of the family."

Barb managed a small smile, "How about Mom and Dad?"

Mona smiled, "I think they will be more understanding than you think. They will be a little shocked, but I think they will come around. After all, they love you as much as we do."

"I think I would like you to go back with me."

"Good. Let me talk to Steve. I don't have time to go over it all, but I will tell him I will fill him in when I come back."

Not knowing who else to call, Sanjay called Priya's oldest brother to bail him out. Thanking him and ignoring all his questions, he drove carefully back to his apartment.

He sighed as he thought of the fine he was going to have to pay. He managed to find a small smile, maybe he should ask the Kootherpallis to pay it. After all, it was their daughter who caused him to do what he did.

Fixing himself a drink, he wondered what to do about Priya. He realized he had to recognize that things were not going to change. Maybe he was lucky she had ended it and showed her true feelings. She really was a cold bitch.

As he finished the glass and started to drink from the bottle, he remembered what she had said about her boss learning about her cheating. The more he drank, the more he considered a way he could get back at her.

Penny smiled, Leonard was right, he did have some moves. In fact she was about ready to suggest they head for the bedroom, when her phone rang. Signaling for Leonard to turn down the music, "Hey, Bernadette, what's up?"

She quickly got worried as she could tell Bernadette was crying, "Are you alright?"

"Debbie had a heart attack."

"On my God, is she alright?"

"She survived but is in a coronary unit." She took a deep breath trying to get under control, "It's Howard. He is blaming himself for what happened. He says he needs to move back home."

Her voice broke, "He won't let me try to help. He won't even let me hug him."

Penny was stunned. She tried to think what she could say or do to help. She could see Leonard was concerned but she just motioned to tell him she would talk to him later.

Finally, she said, "I know it's tough. But I am sure he is in shock. I think you just need to give him time. Just let him know you will be there when he does need you."

She paused, "How are you doing? Do you want us to come over?"

"Would you? Maybe Leonard could talk to him."

"Of course, we will be there as soon as we can."

She quickly filled a shocked Leonard in. After they got dressed, Penny called Amy and told her what had happened and that they were going to Bernadette's apartment. Amy told them to keep her informed and be sure to let her know if there is any way she could help.

She then told Sheldon who pleasantly surprised her by have her sit beside him and put his arm around her.

Ever since Priya had left Sanjay, the feeling that she was missing something had grown more pronounced. Why couldn't she put this behind her? Why was this different?

For a long time, she had taken Sanjay for granted. No matter how she treated him, he had always been there when she needed him. She had been stunned when he told her he loved her. But should it have been such a surprise?

She of course, had no such feelings for him. Oh, she did have some feelings for him. She enjoyed being with him. Suddenly, she realized what she had done. She could have finally lost him. Wasn't that what she wanted? The thought of never being with him again, of never making love to him again made her realize how much it meant to her, how much he meant to her.

Then, she came face to face with it. She had not wanted to believe it. She couldn't afford to feel this way. Her love for Leonard had grown out of admiration for him. She realized as much as she had been happy with him, she felt more when she was with Sanjay. Leonard had been a great lover, but there was something more with Sanjay. They had known each other most of their lives.

She couldn't deny it anymore. No matter what it meant or what it could cost her, she needed to admit it. She loved Sanjay.