Chapter 12

Leonard got up with Penny on Monday morning, a little amazed how awake and energetic she was at 4 AM in the morning even though they were fast asleep before 10 PM the night before. She then quickly took a shower and got ready, having a bagel with coffee for a couple minutes with him, before she took a coffee full travel cup from him to leave for work, her rushing around that early based on her need to get to the beach before daylight and the beginning of the day's filming. Leonard expected her to just rush out the door as he opened it for her but she stopped, took the handle from him and closed it, then wrapped her arms around his neck and brought her lips to his. The kiss quickly deepened and as Penny's lips crushed against his he heard a soft moan come from deep down inside her as she pressed her body against his. He didn't know how long the kiss lasted but when their lips finally broke contact they were both breathless and he could see Penny's eyes were so dilated with desire that they were almost black and she was biting her lip like whenever she became coy with him.

They just stood there in each other's arms for several seconds saying nothing, their eyes just locked on each other and Leonard suddenly began to wonder if she was now actually planning to leave, "Penny don't you need to leave?" he finally asked, though reluctantly.

Penny sighed, "Yeah, I guess." but she still didn't do a thing to remove her arms from around his neck.

Things were now getting difficult, because for some reason she didn't seem to want to leave and to be honest he didn't want her to leave, he would have loved to just spend the day with her, but he knew today was important for her and she needed to go. So, he decided he needed to be the one that was strong because he wanted her to be happy and he knew going to work today would make her happy even if right now she didn't want to leave. "Honey, I'd gladly stay here all day with you, but you have to get going, you know you do."

Penny put her head on Leonard's shoulder and sighed, "I know." she then sighed again, "I love you Leonard."

Leonard squeezed her closer to him, she said those words so freely to him now but each time she did it still made him feel all warm and happy inside. "I love you too, and because I love you, I want to see you happy, so you need to leave and go do what you love to do and be happy." He then took his arms from around her, "Penny you need to leave and go have fun, enjoy your day and be happy."

Penny took her arms from around his neck and backed away a step, staring at him the whole time. "How did I get so lucky to find you." She then leaned in to kiss him softly on the lips, then leaned back, sighed and dropped her shoulders in acceptance that she had to leave. She then reached back and re-opened the door, stopping before she was fully through it to look at him again. "I love you."

Leonard could see a single tear roll down her cheek, which really surprised him that she was being emotional, so he just reached up to wipe it while smiling at her. "I love you, too. Drive carefully and enjoy yourself, okay."

Penny smiled and nodded, quickly giving him another kiss before slowly walking to the stairs, looking back at him the whole way. Leonard just stood there in the doorway watching her, remaining there until he could not hear her footsteps anymore going down the stairs, happy to know she was driving the new SUV to work so at least to that extent he knew she would be safe. He then slowly closed the door to their apartment and walked to his chair to sit down to think about what just happened, his mind now too awake to ever go back to sleep again that morning.

It seemed that there had been a change in their relationship over the last 24-hours, a change for only the good as he could tell now by how things were between them and how Penny was acting, like this morning. The talk they had coming back from camping had surprised Leonard, especially how open Penny was about her past feelings for him, he was actually a little shocked that Penny admitted how early she had feelings for him and how they had happened after only knowing him a few weeks after they first met. It allowed him to understood her better, how she was scared because she had never felt towards another guy how she felt for him and how serious it felt to her when they were dating and discussions on their futures came up, there had never been any other man that had made her feel this way, never Kurt or even Mike. Then she told him how it killed her to watch him with Priya, even though she was happy he was happy, she still knew she was to blame for them being together and how it was her own insecurity and stupidity that made it that she had probably lost him forever. She couldn't even have a serious relationship with anyone during that time, her emotions and thoughts still all centered around him, it was why she went out with someone like Zack, he was just a non-threatening guy who she could never see herself getting serious with. It was like she was cleansing her soul while telling him her inner feelings on the drive home and that evening after they had dinner they had the most poignant love making he had ever experienced, Penny actually crying on his shoulder after they were done, telling him over and over how much she loved him. Leonard had never tried to get his hopes up when it came to relationships with women and with the rollercoaster ride that was his past relationship with Penny he tried to just appreciate what he had, but now he couldn't help but hope that they had just made a move forward that would lead to them actually maybe being together forever.

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Penny came home late that Monday, calling him just as she left her filming location, giving him a good hour head start to get some food put together for them when she finally got to the apartment. He was glad that she was coming home after the rush hour traffic but still disappointed that they would have only a short time to eat, relax and watch some TV before they had to go to bed. Though he was a little excited about her day and wanted to hear all about it, thinking that she would be excited too, since she was working another week on the movie. However, he was a little surprised when she came home and just dropped down onto the couch, not giving him a greeting or even stating how hungry she was, like she usually did every time she came home from working.

"Is something wrong, Penny? Did you have any problems today?" he asked cautiously, not having any idea what was causing her mood.

"No, but something weird happened today, Leonard." she was talking quietly and without emotion which worried Leonard.

It worried him enough that he went over to her and wrapped her in his arms, her responding immediately by molding her body to him and hugging him tight, which only worried him more. "What happened Penny?"

"Leonard, when I got there today and after I changed into my bikini, they called me back to see the director and one of the assistant producers." she told him in a matter-of-fact tone.

"I don't really know if that is good or bad, Honey, maybe if you could tell me more?" Leonard asked

Penny slowly nodded while her head was still on his shoulder, squeezing him a little tighter, "They had me read a couple scenes, then they brought in one of the main characters and had me read those same scenes with him."

Leonard was now even more confused, "I guess I still don't know what that means."

Penny nodded again. "I did those scenes, then just stood there in my bikini while they talked."

Leonard now got worried, "They didn't ask you to do anything you were uncomfortable with, did they?" he was worried that maybe they asked to take off her bikini or something like that.

Penny shook her head, "I actually thought that it might be one of those casting couch things myself when they called me back there." Penny now took her head off his shoulder to look at him, "Honey, you don't have to worry, I would never do something like that for a job, no man gets to touch me but you." she now took a deep breath, "Leonard, they then told me why they asked me to come back Monday, they said they wanted to use me in a few more scenes, they are actually giving me some lines and a speaking part in the movie."

Leonard pushed her slightly back to look more fully at her, "Oh my God, that is good, isn't it! This is what you wanted, right?"

Penny nodded as tears dripped down her cheeks, "I did, but now I'm so scared."

"But this is what you hoped for?" Leonard tried to reassure her.

Penny nodded, but tears still came down her cheeks. "I know, but Leonard what if this is my big break and I blow it. What if it turns out like that NDSS, NCSD, whatever thing again."

"Penny they asked you to come back, this has to be better, right?" Leonard again tried to make her feel better.

"Yes." was all Penny got out before she pulled herself close again to Leonard and started sobbing.

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It took several minutes to get Penny calmed down, then another few minutes to convince her she really needed to eat dinner, her being too stressed out to even consider eating unless being pushed by Leonard. Even then when they sat down at the table, she just picked at her food quietly, to Leonard she seemed so lost and scared, he had never seen her like this before, so vulnerable and unable to deal with something. He knew he had to help her, he had to do something so when she left the next morning, she would feel better, so he decided he needed to help her talk everything out.

"So, after they told you about doing a speaking part, what did you do the rest of the day?" he thought if he just got her to talk about the mundane parts of the day she would relax.

Penny looked up at him and stared for a second before speaking, it made Leonard feel like he had just pulled her out of a place where she had been lost in her thoughts. "They wanted me and one of the main characters to read a couple of short scenes together so they gave us a couple pages of rewritten script to read."

Leonard was surprised, if she was this upset now, she must have been close to a basket case earlier today, "Did that go okay?" he asked cautiously.

Penny's face again looked like she was going to cry again as she spoke, "Leonard, I was terrified, I almost threw up."

'Oh God' Leonard thought, but again cautiously asked, "What happened?"

Penny sighed loudly, "The scene they gave us was about the main character and me saying something to each other in the middle of the major shark attack, so we were supposed to be both scared. I was so scared already that they thought my reading was just fine." she then just shook her head, obviously not really happy about how everything turned out.

Leonard knew he needed to keep her talking or she would withdraw into herself again, "So, what happened after that?"

Penny looked directly at him again, "They told me they needed to film a couple follow-up scenes with me since I now had a bigger part so I spent the rest of the morning and afternoon filming short scenes."

"Really, what kind of scenes?" Leonard was now curious

"So, like there was a scene we did last week where all the sharks attack the beach and everyone runs. Well in that scene there is a couple of seconds of all the girls, that I worked with last week, running away together because we are all supposed to be pretty stuck-up cheerleaders and that is why we all die in the movie. The scene they added is a close up shot of me stopping for a second to look back before running again, they said since I will be a more prominent character in the movie, they need to see me more." Penny then gave another sigh but then looked down at her food and speared a noodle and piece of chicken with her fork and put them into her mouth.

Leonard watched her, she seemed to be relaxing more and more as she talked, she even had started to eat her food which he thought was a good sign. It wasn't a really fancy dinner he made, just some chicken alfredo using a jar of sauce over some boiled noodles with some already cooked chicken that he heated and thrown in, but unlike Penny he tended not to burn things and she liked his cooking. So, when he saw her put a second fork full of food in her mouth, he knew he needed to keep her talking so she could relax and continue eating.

"So, they did all these scenes with just you in them.?" he asked

"No, not all of them. Remember that pretty brunette I told you they killed off last on Friday?" Leonard nodded so Penny continued, "Well they brought her back this week, too, and a couple of those scenes had her in them. Also, tomorrow we are going to reshoot the scene where she gets eaten and that is the first scene that I will be in that I actually act. I'm supposed to try and save her because she is my last alive friend."

"Do you save her?" Leonard prodded her on.

"The script pages they gave me say I only save her arm, gross huh." Penny gave a small sad chuckle at the end.

Leonard watched as she put another fork full of food into her mouth, she was absently eating now that she was talking which made him feel better about her relaxing more. "Do you and the other girl work okay together, is she okay with you getting more acting?"

Penny shrugged and seemed to think for a minute while she chewed another fork full of food, "I think she is probably jealous that I'm getting more work than her, I know if it was reversed, I would be jealous, but on the other hand she is getting a more dramatic scene to do with more lines, so she has to be happy with that, I would be."

Leonard nodded, Penny was now speaking more normally to him and eating up all her food, "So if you have script pages do you want me to help you read them after dinner?"

Penny looked down at her plate, seeming to just have noticed she had been eating, before looking back up at him, a tiny bit of surprise on her face. "Yes, if you don't mind, I really need to learn my lines before tomorrow."

Leonard smiled, "No problem, getting to eat dinner and then spend the evening with a movie star is every guys dream." he then chuckled.

Penny now actually smiled before she swatted his arm, "Stop." she said before giggling.

Penny actually finished her dinner and after they quickly cleaned up, Leonard then went to the couch with a glass of wine for each of them while Penny got her bag to retrieve the script pages she was given before she left work. They spent the couple hours just sitting together going over Penny's script, nursing their wine, and just getting Penny comfortable with her lines in the script. So, it was just passed 9:30 PM when they both stretched and began to feel really tired due to it being the time, they normally had been going to bed over the last two weeks.

Their getting ready for bed was pretty normal and their banter while getting ready seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary, so when they got into bed Leonard felt pretty confident that he had succeeded in calming Penny down enough and restoring some of her confidence to help her for the next day. However, that feeling was soon forgotten as soon as they pulled the covers over them, Leonard tried to spoon Penny only to have her turn in his arms and clamp on to him tightly, pulling herself as close to him as humanly possible. They were now both on their sides facing each other and Penny had the whole front of her body pressed against the whole front of his body, normally a position they would be in when they made love, however Leonard knew this had more to do with Penny seeking some kind of comfort so without hesitation he wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tightly to him.

They fell asleep that way, neither of them consciously letting go of each other, and when Leonard woke up the next morning, he found himself on his back, holding Penny, while over half of her body was on top of his, her head tucked in next to his neck. He couldn't help feeling good waking up this way, Penny being in his arms each morning was one of the most wonderful things in his life and he still couldn't get over the fact that she chose him to hold her each night and wake up with each morning. He laid there for several more minutes before he resigned himself that Penny needed to get up before she was going to be late for work so he started to rub her back and a couple moments later he felt her adjust herself on him and let out a small content sound.

"You keep doing that and I'm going back to sleep." she whispered.

"Well we don't want you to do that." Leonard stopped rubbing her back and lowered his hand down her back to the cheek of her ass, where he gave it an affectionate gentle squeeze.

"You keep doing that and we'll never get out of bed." she then whispered to him.

Leonard softly chuckled, "Okay, I get the point, keep my hands to myself." then seriously, "You probably really need to get up now so you are not late."

Penny sighed, "I know, I guess I have to go back to the salt mines today."

"Somehow, equating the beach to salt mines doesn't really doesn't really work." he told her with a chuckle.

"You're not seeing it from my point of view, I'm leaving my nice warm bed with my cuddly boyfriend in it, which I could sleep longer in and then have amazing sex, to go to work in front of cameras all day trying to act like sharks are going to eat me." she explained.

"Doing work, you love doing, you forgot to add." Leonard said with a chuckle.

"Did you not hear the part about the cuddly boyfriend, Hofstadter, and the sex." she now admonished him with a trace of a giggle.

"There are somethings more important than cuddly boyfriends and sex." he tried to say seriously back to her.

Penny now lifted herself up so she could stare at him, "Who are you and what did you do to my boyfriend, you completely contradict everything I have learned about men." she said with fake shock.

Leonard smiled, "Someone who loves you." he told her softly.

Penny's face suddenly turned serious as she leaned down to kiss him, her kisses becoming more passionate with each second, it taking every ounce of Leonard's will power to actually be the one to end them so she could get ready for work. Even then, after Penny got up from the bed, she stripped off all her night clothes as soon as she stood up, making a point to wiggle her ass all the way around the bed to the bathroom for his benefit alone. Leonard just shook his head in amazement after the bathroom door closed and he heard the shower start, he still had trouble believing he could be so lucky to find someone so perfect for him like Penny and that she felt the same way about him.

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The next couple of days were very much the same in 3A, Leonard worked each day a little later because Penny was working all week late on Sharknado, the director trying to get all the additional scenes using Penny done in one week. It remined Penny of working the evening shift at the Cheesecake Factory because like there she would return from work in the evening, however unlike being a single waitress previously and now living with Leonard, coming home meant sitting down immediately while Leonard brought her something to eat and drink then working on her lines with him for the next day before going to bed. Of course, once in bed with Leonard, Penny would fall immediately asleep, safe, secure and warm in his arms, she was already so accustomed to Leonard being there in their home and now depended on him to cuddle her in her sleep, she had gotten to a point in her life where she really didn't know how she ever lived without him before. It didn't really matter if they had sex or not anymore either because they both enjoyed just being with each other and holding each other, it made them both extremely happy just to have each other close.

So, it was Thursday night that things sort of changed, Penny not really coming home in the same happy mood she did for the last two days, but seeming quieter and more thoughtful. Leonard noticed immediately; the last two nights she would come home tired but with a glow about her that let him know she was happy working as an actual actor on the movie. This was her big chance to show on major media that she could act, and it would be seen on TV by millions, so she had really begun to enjoy it, after he had helped her get over the terror of the first day. But today seemed different, obviously Penny had something going on in her mind as she came home and Leonard was wondering how long it would be before she told him.

"So how was your day?" he causally asked, really quite curious about what she was thinking about.

"Okay, I guess." she flatly responded

"I guess?" he asked her

Penny just stared at him for a moment, then sighed, "Leonard, we need to talk."