"Leonard! Let's go," Sheldon called down the hall to the shorter man while putting on his jacket and placing his bag over his shoulder. Still in his bathrobe, Leonard shuffled into the living room, causing Sheldon to panic. "Why aren't you dressed? We're going to be late for work."
"I'm not going to work today. Penny asked if I could drive her to a doctor's appointment today. Koothrappali is on his way to pick you up so you don't have to take the bus. He's also agreed to drop you off at the end of the day," Leonard poured himself a cup of coffee as he explained the plan for the day.
Sheldon narrowed his eyes as he studied Leonard's demeanor. "Can't you just put all of us out of our misery and ask her out already? She knows you like her and you'll be able to stop pining over her when she shoots you down."
"It's not like that," Leonard shook his head after taking a sip of his coffee. "She asked if I could drive her because she's having a procedure done and they won't let her drive herself home after. It's two hours of my day to help a friend. How many hours of my life have I spent driving you to and from doctor and dentist appointments? Not to mention all the haircuts and trips to the train store? Can you please drop this? I'm sure Koothrappali is waiting for you. You don't want to be late for work."
Leonard knocked on Penny's door later that morning, "Hey, you ready to go?"
"No," Penny locked her door as Leonard waited near the stairs, "But there really isn't a good time to be doing this, is there? Thanks again for driving me today."
"I've told you there's no need to thank me. I'm just helping a friend. Do you have any idea how many times I've had to drive Sheldon?" The pair made their way to Leonard's car and as he pulled out of his parking spot, he broke the silence that had fallen over them since they exited the building, "I hate quiet, but I'll be quiet today unless you want me to distract you."
"I think I'd prefer not to talk. Maybe turn on the radio, though?"
Penny requesting the radio be turned on were the last words spoken in Leonard's car until a few minutes after he'd parked in front of the building he'd driven Penny to a week and a half earlier. Thinking she was working up the nerve to go inside, he didn't say anything until the clock on the dashboard flipped to read ten-fifteen. "Your appointment is at ten-thirty. Didn't you say they asked you to be here fifteen minutes early? You better head inside so you aren't late."
Shaking her head, Penny looked at the man in the driver's seat. "I can't do this."
"Do you want me to go in with you? I know I said I'd stay in the car until you text me to come in when you're done, but I can sit in the waiting room," he offered, trying to make this easier for her.
"Can you take me home?"
Leonard watched her from across the car, "Are you sure? I'll drive you home right now, but are you sure that's what you really want?"
"As much as I'm not ready to have a baby, especially with Kurt, I can't do this. I don't know what I am going to do, but this is my baby and I can't do this."
"Okay. Let's go home," Leonard put the car into gear and backed out of the parking space. "But we're stopping to get you some ice cream because ice cream makes everything better, or so I've been told. I can't have it, you know lactose intolerance and all, but I'd like to think the majority of people are right on this one."
Penny let out a small smile as Leonard steered through Los Angeles towards Pasadena, "I want a milkshake. Chocolate."
"You got it."
Leonard trudged up the stairs behind Penny as she slurped her milkshake. "I took the whole day off, so if you need anything this afternoon, I'm right across the hall."
"Do you think maybe you could stay with me for a little while? I don't want to be alone right now." Nodding, Leonard followed Penny into her apartment. She dropped her purse on the floor behind the door and flopped onto the couch. Leonard watched as she did this, closing the door and standing awkwardly between the coffee table and kitchen island. "Sit down. You're being weird standing there, watching me." She patted the couch cushion next to herself as she spoke, inviting him to join her on the couch.
Reaching for the remote on the coffee table, Leonard clicked on the television and found a channel airing old sitcoms to fill the silence. "Oh, okay," he said, surprised when Penny rested her head against his shoulder. As she got comfortable against him, he grew uncomfortable. "Are you sure you want to be sitting like this, Penny?"
She twisted her neck, looking up at him, and stared into his eyes as she replied, "I just want to feel close to someone." Leaning forward she attempted to kiss Leonard, surprised when he pulled back before she could make contact with his lips.
"I don't think this is a good idea. You're not drunk this time, but you are feeling a lot of things. You kissing me right now will only make things more complicated as you make really big decisions about your future and the future of your baby."
"You're right. Do you mind sitting with me a little longer? I promise not to try kissing you again," Leonard slightly nodded in response to her request as she continued, "Can you please not tell the guys? I'll tell them once I figure out what I'm going to do. I think I've got a few weeks before they start to notice anything."
Leonard nodded again as he put his arm around Penny's shoulders, holding her close, "You got it. Let me know if you need anything, but try to not make it too obvious to make them think something is going on."
"Leonard?" The blonde said, not moving from where she sat.
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry I keep telling you these things and making you keep it to yourself."
Shrugging his shoulders, Leonard brushed off her request, "It's what you do for a friend."