Crash
Chapter 4
Leonard felt on top of the world to be leaving Cal Tech on a fine sunny Saturday afternoon. He had popped in briefly to Cal-tech and to his joy he had finally found the data he was looking for.
It was really turning into a great week, after he had spent a few days with Penny which to Leonard's joy, had seemed to have brought the couple even closer if possible. Besides that Sheldon was in Texas using up some Vacation time or he would have only insisted on accompanying Leonard to Cal_Tech. it felt really good to have the radio on and a window wound open and to put the icing on the cake a favourite song of Leonard's had began playing on the radio.
He turned north heading for a florist near E Orange Grove Blvd which Bernadette had recommended for the best flowers, and thinking of his beautiful Penny's smile as he presents them to her later, before taking her out to dinner in the evening..
Carl eased the ache in his back and shoulders then loaded up the pick up truck with the tools and materials from the roof repair job on a house they had just finished.
His workmate, who didn't like working for a living much, but Carl was paying big and it was cash in hand to boot, as Carl was in a mighty hurry to get the job finished before Monday
He then carelessly threw some the assorted garbage and materials on to the top of the pick-up; then the two guys mounted up with a "Well, that's us done for the day, now for a beer" from Carl who was in a hurry to get home as it was bowling night for him, and they drove off with a start trying to catch the lights as they were showing green, and dislodging some of the waste onto the road in the process.
Half an Hour Later Dr Leonard Hofstadter was driving along and began slowing for the lights, then smiling with glee and speeding up as they then turned to green, promptly running over the waste deposits picking up a couple of screws in the sidewall of his near side front tyre in the process, causing a blow-out.
This then violently forced the vehicle to veer towards the sidewalk, mounting it and finally hitting a tree causing some frontal damage to the vehicle.
Though he had managed to slow the careering car to 10 MPH, Leonard (being short of stature), hit the still inflating airbag which forced his head backwards receiving a blow to the back of his cranium due to a heavy flashlight which had been lying on the back seat.
A few bystanders waited , fully expecting the driver to exit the vehicle in order to inspect the damage to his car;
But the driver remained motionless, still slumped over the steering wheel.
At 2011 Los Robles In apartment 4b an hour later, Penny having had her shower, was still feeling very happy after her little holiday with Leonard, and she was just going to put on Leonard's favourite dress for him for the dinner Leonard was taking her to later that evening, when she was interrupted by her phone ringing.
She checked the caller I.D. then seeing that it was her mother and accepted the call.
"Hi Mom can't talk for long as Leonard's taking me out to dinner tonight; How are you?".
"Yeah I'm really looking forward to tonight", Penny told her
"It was so great, I had such a wonderful time with him that I never wanted it to end", Penny replied on the subject of her week with Leonard.
"Just tell Dad, Leonard has been treating me like a Princess, yeah he really has, It's no wonder I love him".
"You would like us to come down to you soon?, OK, That would be great, I'll talk it over with Leonard and let you know when we can come down, OK?",
"OK Mom , I love you too, and send my love to Dad too", and Penny ended the call
she put on her robe and began to paint her nails when she was interrupted by a knock at the door.
She reached to open the door and was about to berate Leonard for forgetting his key and being over half an hour late,
When She was stunned into silence by the appearance of a uniformed officer from the Pasadena PD
"Are you the partner of Dr Leonard Hofstadter Ma'am", he asked
Penny Answered in the affirmative, and suddenly feeling very anxious about what else he was about to say.
He informed her of the details of Leonard's accident and that he had been taken to the emergency care center in Pasadena.
Penny thanked the officer then closed the door intending to drive to the center she quickly threw on some sweats but not being able to locate her car keys she flew into a blind panic, wanting to get to Leonard as fast as she could but not being able to get there without her keys.
After turning out a couple of drawers and scattering possessions in her wake she saw them on the side table by her bed next to the snowflake Leonard had given her, without knowing why she picked both keys and snowflake up together and put them in her purse, then running out into the hall and slamming her door behind her. She began to descend the stairs thinking to herself that just when she needed Sheldon he was spending some of his enforced vacation time in Texas for a few days, and nearly running into Amy as she ascended the stairs.
"Hi Bestie, you're in a mighty hurry, where...", but Penny cut her off quickly, and tearfully began telling her what had happened.
"I'll come with you if you wish" Amy informed her noticing the very distressed state Penny was in.
Penny nodded tearfully and they made their way to Amy's car, As Amy told her in Penny's emotional state right now, it would not be good for her to drive.
Penny entered the trauma care dept and headed for the reception, upon giving hers and Leonard's name she was told to sit in the waiting area and that shortly a Doctor would come along and give her the details of Leonard's current condition. She was also given a clipboard and some forms so she could fill in Leonard's details.
Penny nervously completed the forms then handed them back to reception.
Amy tried to strike up a conversation with Penny giving her all the details of the conversation she had shared with Sheldon on the phone last night, although she knew Penny wasn't listening to her at all.
Two hours later a doctor came and informed her that Leonard had had an emergency operation to relieve the pressure and to stop the bleeding in the brain and he was now in the ICU.
Penny begged him if she could see her Leonard, but was told she could only see him through the window, in order to keep any infection in the ICU to an absolute minimum.
Then keeping tight hold of Amy's hand she walked down the corridors to see Leonard.
Upon seeing him connected up to various equipment & drips and unable to even hold his hand, it was just too much for Penny to take in, suddenly, unable to cope with the horrible nightmare she found herself in she collapsed sobbing with grief, and the corridor became filled with the sound of the great racking sobs from a very devastated Penny.
Finally after a supreme effort, Amy managed with the aid of a couple of nurses to get Penny, still sobbing and wailing into her car,
Amy decided to drive to Bernadette's as it would not be good for Penny right now to be alone.
When Bernadette heard about Leonard, pangs of guilt assailed her knowing it was herself that had told Leonard about that particular florist as the flowers their were particularly fine, especially when Amy puzzled over the fact that Leonard's crash was in the opposite direction to Penny's apartment than he would have been if he was coming from Cal Tech,
Upon seeing Penny's troubled face at this revelation from Amy; Bernadette thought she ought to come clean about the florists.
It was a huge mistake to reveal that information to Penny at that moment, as Bernadette told Howard later, for Penny it was the last straw . Yet again Leonard had got hurt in his attempt to make her happy. And Penny Just lost it big time and categorically refused to stay, leaving with Amy no option but to take Penny Back home.
As soon as Amy returned home, she rang Sheldon to inform him about Leonard's accident.
Then Amy had just changed the topic to ascertaining the time his train would arrive when Sheldon Interrupted her "You Mentioned that he was hit on the back of the cranium by a flashlight?".
"Yes Sheldon that's exactly what I said?" Amy just sat there stunned at what Sheldon said next. Then demanded an explanation from him, saying, "What do you mean that you're never coming home ', Sheldon?.
Over the next three days they all took turns to check on Leonard but there was still no change in his condition, and strangely no sign of Penny at all?.
"I went to Sheldon's apartment he had ordered me to check on his ants while he was away but there were no lights on in Penny's apartment , I did knock but could get no answer at all from her, maybe she has gone home to her parents ?". Amy suggested
Bernadette looked thoughtful "I don't think so Amy, you know how much she loves Leonard?, I mean I saw them both yesterday when they returned from the beach and I have never seen them look so happy as they were", and at that Bernadette began to cry.
The next day Amy left for Texas to find out why Sheldon was reluctant to return to Pasadena.
While a worried Bernadette still not receiving any word from Penny let herself into 4a with Amy's key, then retrieving Penny's Key from the bowl by the door walked across the hall to Penny's apartment
Then on getting no answer at all to her knock she entered.
Straight away she could see that things were very very wrong Penny was sat on her couch staring into space still dressed in the clothes she wore four days ago and held tightly in her hands was Leonard's snowflake.
