Limbo
Chapter 6
Inside the mind of Penny
Penny awoke and just lay there for a while happily watching the seagulls. Then she turned to see her Leonard laying close beside her, he was still asleep. Penny sighed happily, it felt really good to be here on the beach. And It made it feel even better to be here with Leonard, in fact now, wherever Leonard was, Penny knew, that that was where she would always want to be. Penny looked around, then spotting her empty Coke Cola can half buried in the sand, a naughty idea came to her and quietly rising she pick it up and ran down towards the sea. And as she filled the can with sea water a fleeting memory came to her that something just wasn't right, I'm sure I bought Dr Pepper not Coke she thought, then she looked back and saw Leonard, he was still laying there and she ran up to him and tipped the can of sea water over his back.
Penny ran giggling as Leonard chased her into the sea, she turned and said, "OK I surrender and threw her arms around him, they kissed then, hand in hand began to walk together back to where their things were and Penny lay and held out her arms to Leonard for him to join her. But Leonard suddenly looked sad, "I can't Penny, It's time for me to go.
Penny was puzzled 'What does he mean?, Didn't we come here together?', She thought to herself. Then thinking that Leonard was perhaps teasing her in revenge for her mischievous action, she looked down and patted his towel beside her in encouragement but when she looked back towards him. Leonard had vanished.
Conscious
After a difficult three weeks for the gang, they finally received word from the trauma center that Leonard had awoken from his coma and had been moved from the ICU to a general ward.
They all met in 4A along with Penny's mother, (Wyatt had had to return to the farm in Nebraska last week).
Everyone was much cheered by the news of Leonard's recovery and were eager to see Leonard when Sheldon reminded them they still had a big problem.
"We all go to see Leonard and what happens when he sees Penny is not there, what are we to tell him then? Hmm, that she has gone to see the Hadron Collider?, hardly likely, or are we to tell him she is busy cataloging all her shoes?, Really?, you people need to think again".
"Sheldon we have no choice. We have to tell Leonard the truth that Penny is ill. Leonard would be absolutely devastated if we kept it from him. Amy told him, "What we have to do is try and convince Leonard that we are taking good care of Penny until he recovers sufficiently to be able to see her himself,. Though Knowing Leonard I just dread to think how he is going to take the news".
Everyone considered ideas as to how they could keep Leonard calm enough so that he will stay where he is until he is well enough to leave.
Raj suggested if they might be able to bring Penny to see Leonard, but Amy informed him that until Penny had regained her mental health there was no way at all that they would let her leave. And this hard cold fact left the whole group in a somber mood.
The next morning Bernadette alone visited Penny. (Penny's mother had just found herself unable to cope at the sight of her once vivacious Daughter's plight and at the risk of her grief possibly distressing Penny further it was suggested that she visit every week), It saddened Bernadette to see Penny looking so thin and frail a mere shadow of her former self.
She forced herself to be cheerful however and told Penny that Leonard had now awoken from his coma and hopefully would be soon back on his feet.
Bernadette choked up at seeing no response from Penny even at the good news about Leonard , just the same vacant staring into space still tightly holding her snowflake. Bernadette could stand it no longer she rushed from the room crying helplessly.
"It's very hard I know, to see her like that", the nurse said , She was the one that was on duty when they brought Penny in. "But they do recover eventually you know, you just have to believe that".
Bernadette went on to tell her about Leonard and how devastated he would be not to see Penny at his bedside.
The Nurse, Sarah Cantle as she had introduced herself to Bernadette, thought for a few minutes.
"Let me inform Dr Anderson about this development and I will get back to you".
Then Bernadette felt a bit happier and returned home.
Inside the mind of Penny
Penny worriedly retraced their steps back up to the parking lot, while hoping against hope that Leonard was in the car waiting for her . But she opened the door to see Bernadette sitting on Penny's couch at 4b.
"Bernadette?, How did you...", then remembering Leonard she asked Bernadette if she knew where Leonard had gone. "Find him Penny, Find him, he really needs you, you know". Just then Penny heard Leonard crying out and turned towards the sound.
At the Wolowitz house
Later Doctor Anderson rang Bernadette to inform her that arrangements had been made to bring Leonard , as soon as he was able, to see Penny.
The trauma center
The visit to Leonard was even more difficult than they thought, at soon as he heard of Penny's Illness Leonard became absolutely hysterical. And tried with incredible strength to get up out of his bed in order to go to Penny as fast as possible, and it was with enormous difficulty that they barely managed to calm him down at all, and that was only achieved by the aid of a strong sedative from the Doctor.
Bernadette then told Leonard about the arrangement of Nurse Sarah Cantle and Doctor Anderson in bringing Leonard to see Penny as it was crucial to her recovery, Leonard's Doctor after learning of the importance to Penny's recovery had agreed to this action.
Leonard became less agitated at this arrangement and became impatient for the day to come to see Penny..
Inside the mind of Penny
Penny by now in floods of tears over Leonard's crying. So much so that Penny felt she could feel his pain as acutely as Leonard could. And her haste to comfort him became even greater. She rushed over to 4a and hammered violently on the door which was immediately opened by Sheldon. "Ah Penny you must hurry. Find Leonard he needs you. Go now, quickly", and Penny moved to descend the stairs. She opened the stable door where Wyatt had just finished saddling her horse. "You're all ready to go, quickly now Leonard needs you, go find him", and quickly mounting her horse she galloped out of the stable.
And then Penny stopped suddenly, "Which way do I go?", she sobbed, "Which way do I go?".
Connections
The day finally arrived when Leonard would be taken to the Psychiatric hospital to see Penny.
Leonard when he was conducting experiments at Cal Tech, though excited, was always cool and calm during the process. But today he was impatient, irritable, and bubbling over in eagerness to see Penny. In fact if he wasn't taken soon Leonard was quite prepared smash his way out of there and hot foot it by himself to see her.
After he had awakened from his coma, Leonard's nights were filled with vivid dreams of Penny, But each time he reached out to hold her in his arms, she became as the substance of a hologram. Many times during those nights Leonard would howl out in frustration and grief at not being able to hold her close, often waking to find himself sobbing uncontrollably.
Soon a Nurse appeared with his clothes and Leonard hurriedly dressed, although he was now able to walk, the Nurse also brought a wheel chair for him as it was not known if he was strong enough to be able to walk further than the length of the corridor outside the general ward.
She wheeled him to the lifts, entering one that was already there and they descended down and out through the main doors of the Trauma Center. Then he was wheeled into the back of the ambulance and taken on the short Journey to the Psychiatric hospital.
Leonard could not recall his journey through the building until he got near to Penny's room where Nurse Sarah was waiting for him. "Ah you must be Leonard, the snowflake giver, so pleased to meet you, and I am so glad to see that you are recovering". She quickly explained Penny's condition and as he listened to her Leonard fought an almost impossible battle to keep from crying his heart out. Then she wheeled him into Penny's room.
At the sight of his Fiancee looking so frail and still tightly holding the snowflake, gazing into space. Leonard very nearly lost total control of his emotions.
he moved towards the bed kissed her cheek then placed his hands on hers.
"She just won't let go of your snowflake not for anything, just talk to her, tell her about the special moments you shared with her. Well I'll leave you two alone now, see you in a bit", Sarah told him and then left.
"I love you so much honey", he said his voice hoarse with emotion. Leonard spoke to Penny about the many happy times they shared together , how happy Leonard was on the night when she finally told him she loved him, and the Prom night they spent on the roof of their apartment block, and many other close moments they shared together.
But Penny remained still locked in her own distant world and did not respond.
Finally Nurse Sarah returned signaling that it was time for him to leave.
Leonard leaned over and placing his hand on her shoulder, kissed her cheek and said, "see you again soon honey come back to me please, I do love you so very much".
then he was wheeled out of the room and back in the corridor outside where Leonard just lost it screaming in grief and pain at not being able to reach her sobbing with the frustration he was just hysterical.
Nurse Sarah put her arm round him and held him till the crying subsided. "You must realize this may take a few visits before Penny gives you any sign you are getting through to her,
so please don't be so discouraged.
Meanwhile unseen in the room Penny at the sound of Leonard's crying, turned her head to look at the door a tear falling from her eye.
Inside the mind of Penny
The crying began again and Penny turned her horse in the direction it came from, but then for Penny her horse just wasn't fast enough, so Penny quickly dismounted and ran as fast as she could to get to her Leonard. "Now I know which way to go", she said urging herself to go faster.
Lost then found
Leonard now back in his hospital bed thought often of his visit to Penny. He had wept quite a few times since over his anguish in his failure to reach her, to bring her back from a twilight world that was neither day nor night. but now he considered long and in depth the right approach to reach her. vowing to himself that he would never ever give up on Penny, she was too much a part of him now, she was his life.
A week after his visit to Penny. Leonard once more found himself being wheeled to see her again. The last time he would be making this journey in this fashion. As next week he was being discharged, except for some physiotherapy, he was finished with the hospital for now.
With the butterflies swarming in his stomach, just as they were on his first date with Penny. Leonard was once again wheeled into her room taking up the same position by her bed he kissed her in greeting, and then talked to Penny on all the things he thought would bring her back to his world.
Inside the mind of Penny
Penny excitedly felt that she was getting closer as she was sure she could smell the unmistakable scent of Brut aftershave that Leonard always wore to remind him of his Father. Penny tried to run even faster but her frustration began to increase as she still could not seem to reach Leonard.
Leonard
But alas still without result. Leonard had vowed beforehand that he would not break down in front of Penny, if he still didn't achieve his aim to restore her back to his side. but as he looked at her vacant expression then at the snowflake still tightly held in her hands, Leonard lost that battle.
With shoulders heaving then great tearing sobs, Leonard again broke down and cried.
Inside the mind of Penny
The crying had started again, nearer this time, it wrenched Penny's heart to hear it. She ran as fast as she had ever run before he was so near. Suddenly at last Her Leonard was there, tearfully, but with joy at finding him. She reached out her hand and laid it on his head entwining her fingers in his hair to comfort him.
Leonard at first unaware that Penny had responded, suddenly looked up at her and then rising in joy, he held her tightly in his arms covering her in floods of tears while Penny seemingly still unable to speak wrapped her arms tightly around him, with one hand still holding on tightly to the snowflake , "everything's OK now, I've found him at last", she said in her mind.
At that very moment Nurse Sarah Cantle entered and was then stunned into immobility at the heart wrenching scene in front of her and with eyes brimming She ran to fetch Dr Anderson.
