A/N Thank you so much for your reviews. As always, I am amazed at your input. I am still just borrowing these characters.

As Leonard collapsed on the couch, Penny instinctively ran over to him, putting her arms around him as he sank his head into her shoulder and began to sob.

Bernadette picked up the phone and listened for a moment, "No, this is a friend, Bernadette Wolowitz." The others sat shocked, listening to her side of the conversation. "Yes, I understand. Let me get a pad to write on."

She moved over to a table and began to write on a pad. "Santa Clara Police Station, 110 Main Avenue, 408-666-6666."

"Yes, I will let him know." After a last pause, "I will tell him, thank you."

Ending the conversation, she turned to the others, tears running down her face. "It was a drunk driver; he crossed the median. She was killed instantly."

She turned to Leonard, who was sobbing uncontrollably into Penny's shoulder as she was crying as well, "Sergeant Williams wanted me to let you know how sorry he was for your loss."

Everyone just sat, completely stunned. Raj began to cry silently, while Howard just sat, not knowing what to do. Even Sheldon just stared in disbelief.

Bernadette went over and joined Penny in holding Leonard. Finally, Leonard's crying slowed and he gently pushed Penny and Bernadette away. He turned to them, "Thank you." They just nodded and wiped the tears from their eyes.

After a few more minutes of silence, Howard and Raj hugged Leonard and everyone told him how sorry they were and if there was anything they could do.

Leonard managed to pull himself somewhat together. He turned to Bernadette, "What did they say?"

"The body is in the morgue in the Santa Clara Police Station. They need someone to identify and claim the body." She handed him the pad, "This is where they can be reached."

Leonard took it and then sat quietly, fighting not to cry again.

Suddenly, his face contorted and he looked lost, "Her family, I need to call them." He began to cry softly again, "This will kill them."

In the next hour, Bernadette made some coffee and everyone managed to regain some control. Leonard decided he should call Monique's brother Gerard first so he could be with her parents when they heard the news.

He looked at his watch. "It's eleven, it will be 8:00 PM in Paris."

Finally gathering his courage, he got through to her brother.

"Gerard, this is Leonard."

"Yes, I am still in California."

Struggling to keep control, he went on, "Gerard, maybe you should sit down. There is no easy way to say this or prepare you for it." He struggled again, "It's Monique. There was a car accident. Monique was killed."

After he listened for a time, tearing up again, "It was a drunk driver, he crossed the median."

Leonard than began to cry again as Bernadette went to him and patted his back.

"No, she didn't suffer, they said she died instantly."

"Yes, Warren is all right, he is with me."

"No, I thought I should call you first, I thought if you could be with them…"

"Are you sure? I can tell them when you are there."

"All right, perhaps that is best."

"I understand. I know she wanted to be buried in the family plot. I will find out what we need to do and will let you know when I know more."

"I'm hanging in there. I'm trying to be strong. I know. Thank you."

"All right. When Pierre and Marie want to talk to me, tell them to call any time. Tell them I love them and how sorry I am."

"I know, but I can't help feeling a little guilty."

"I love you, too. I'll talk to you soon."

"Goodbye."

Everyone sat silently after he hung up. Suddenly, he got up, "I need to see Warren."

He went into the bedroom where Warren was napping. Everyone sat, not knowing what to do. When he had been gone for some time, Penny and Bernadette went to be sure he was all right. Quietly opening the door, they saw him standing over Warren who was in Halley's crib. "Your Mommy loved you so much. I can never replace her, but I will do whatever I can to give you all the love you need."

Suddenly, he sank to the floor. "Oh God, Monique, I already miss you so much. I love you."

He lowered his head in his hands and cried softly. Bernadette and Penny weren't sure what to do but, in the end, went in and helped him up, Penny rubbing his back as Bernadette hugged him.

After a few moments, they made their way back to the others.

As they sat quietly again, Bernadette decided they needed to try to get some normality back. "Penny, why don't we make some sandwiches. I am sure no one feels hungry, but I think we need to have something."

She turned to Leonard, "Do you want one of us to call Santa Clara?"

"No, I'll call them."

While Penny and Bernadette made some sandwiches, Leonard called the number. He arranged a time to view the body and explained he needed to transport the body to Paris. They gave him the number of a local Funeral Home. They also asked for insurance information and gave him the insurance information from the other driver. Not wanting to mess with any of that, Howard called his insurance company for him.

He called the Funeral Home number he had been given and was relieved and gratified to find out they were able to provide him with the information that he needed. They told him they had worked with the complexities of transporting a body to another country before and would be able to help him get all the paperwork, etc.

After he hung up and after some discussion, they agreed that Howard and Raj would drive down with Leonard the next day to work out the details. They also all decided that Leonard would leave his hotel room and spend the rest of his time in California with Howard and Bernadette.

Although it seemed wrong, real life soon pushed its way in. Howard and Bernadette left for the Day Care Center to bring Halley and Michael home, not looking forward to trying to explain why they would not be meeting Monique.

After Warren woke up and Leonard had taken care of his needs, Raj and Leonard had left to get his stuff from the Hotel and settle up his bill. They dropped Sheldon off at Caltech. He had planned to skip an important meeting to meet Monique, but Leonard assured him it was okay to attend it. He had been pleasantly surprised at how supportive Sheldon had been about what had happened and understood how welcome it would be to have something to do.

Penny stayed and watched Warren. She was torn apart with what had happened. She could tell how much Leonard had loved Monique. She even found herself strangely feeling a little guilty spending time with her son. But most of all, she was devastated for Leonard. The biggest regret she had for cheating on him was losing his friendship. She had missed him terribly. She realized she had seen this as a chance to maybe start an interaction with both him and Monique. She sat with Warren thinking how ironic this was. Here she was with Leonard's child. A scenario that Leonard had envisioned the first time he met her. Only, she was not his Mother.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Howard and Bernadette returned.

A/N Just to clarify, the address and number of the police department are my inventions.