A/N This ran a bit long, simply because I wanted to finish the trip to New York. Again, the dates, times, and locations for the events are all where and when those events took place, although, obviously, anything including Penny and her show are a figment of my imagination. Speaking of which, I suppose I should throw a disclaimer in here, it's been seven or so chapters, so, I don't own any of the major characters, they all belong to Lorre, Prady, and Warner Brothers.

Chapter 16

CBS Broadcast Center, 9:45 AM, Tuesday May 15, 2012

Penny and Leonard had taken the nine AM limo, Dave and Pam were there also, and they arrived early. Penny's new pass got through, and then she vouched for Leonard so he could get a guest pass. Dave did the same for Pam. Just as they finished getting their passes, Tina came in and said hi. She directed them to the same studio from the previous day where there, again, was a table with pastries, fruit, juice and coffee. Tina then said she had to go find the others and left.

It was still a surprise to Leonard and Penny to hear people using the name Penelope. A couple of times it took a few seconds to realize it was Penny they were calling.

All four grabbed various pastries and fruit and found a table where they sat and talked. Dave was interested in talking physics with Leonard, while Penny and Pam got to know each other. A bit before 9:30 Jeanie came in, got a cup of coffee and joined them at the table.

It was another ten minutes before Tina, Jim and Kellie came in. They looked around and then Jim looked at Tina, who left. Jim and Kelli each got some coffee and joined them at the table. Kelli, sounding irritated said, "We'll get started after Brent gets here."

There was an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes, until Tina and Brent walked in. Tina walked up to Kelli and whispered to her. Brent poured some coffee, then came to the table and sat down.

Kelli, still sounding irritated, said, "Now that were all here, we can start. First off, the schedule is in your packet, there is no reason for anyone to be late for the times we have scheduled. Brent, you want to pick up women, fine, but do it on your own time. Be here on time for the rest of the week."

Brent looked down. "Now," she continued softer. "Today should be pretty calm. Most of the people here today aren't from the bigger news outlets. So it won't be so intense as it will be tomorrow, after the presentation. Penelope, don't be surprised if you don't get much of anything as far as questions go, most of people won't know who you are, they'll think you some sort of production person. However, if someone does come to you're and asks questions, just be yourself, but don't talk about the plot of the pilot or say too much about your character, or the other characters, OK?"

Penny nodded.

"We'll be moving over to the other studio, here, in a few minutes. If you hear something about the 'ballroom', that is the other studio. They will announce our show, and then us. In order it will be Jim, me, Jeanie, Dave, Brent, and Penelope. Then it will just be mingling. OK, everyone ready?"

They all murmured yes and got up from the table. They followed Jim out of the studio and through the hallways, until Jim stopped at a door. He turned and said, "Leonard, Pam, Tina will take you into the back of the room, you can meet with your girlfriend and husband after the introductions, OK?"

Pam and Leonard nodded, then Tina was leading them around the corner, to another entrance to the room. Jim turned back to the cast of his show, "Everybody ready?"

They all nodded, and Jim opened the door, and entered. Penny saw Jim hand a women there a card. Jim was further ahead and as she went through the door, the lights came up and walking into the light, she was temporarily blinded, but she heard. "The creators and cast from "Tales of the City"… creators Jim and Kelli Waldman, Jeanie Corbette, Dave Collura, Brent Crawford, and Penelope Jensen. Penny continued following Brent, listening to, and enjoying the applause.

Ritz-Carlton Central Park, NY 11:00 PM, Tuesday May 15, 2012

Penny and Leonard were preparing for bed and talking about their day. The press meet and greet went well. As predicted, Penny hadn't gotten much attention. Most of that went to Jeanie and Dave. Those two always had some kind of circle around them.

Brent had a smaller circle and Penny had exactly three people talk to her. Two asked her a couple of questions and the other walked away after asking her name, and not recognizing it.

Leonard had spent time talking to Pam and playing around on his phone, he even let Pam use it for a while. They were both joking and laughing about there being no reason for them to be there.

Four PM came and the actors and producers left the ballroom and gathered in the studio. Jim and Kelli talked about some of the questions they were asked, and then they asked the others about their experience. It was just over an hour later when Kelli told them they were free until two PM the next day.

They offered everyone a ride back in the limo, but Jeanie said she was going to get a taxi and head for dinner. She asked Leonard and Penny if they wanted to come with her, and they both accepted. Jim reminded them to be in the lobby at 8:30 so they could all go to the party together.

They had a nice leisurely dinner at Ruth Chris', with Jeanie asking various questions about Penny and Leonard, trying to learn more about them. When the bill came, Jeanie took it, insisting on paying. Both Penny and Leonard objected, until Jeanie pointed out that she was in a much better position than either of them to take care of it, and for them not to worry about it.

After dinner they went back to the hotel, to get ready for the party. At 8:30 they were in the lobby, to meet Jim and Kelli. Jeanie joined them a few minutes later, and within seconds after Jeanie, so did Jim and Kelli. It was a short drive to where the party was being held.

Penny saw many TV and movie stars there along with producers and directors Penny she recognized. Penny was excited, and a bit overwhelmed to see all the stars. Leonard, not knowing most of the stars spent a lot of the night in a corner.

Kelli and Jim introduced Penny to quite a few people, including some agents. Several of those agents spent some times talking to her, and a couple of them gave Penny their cards and told her to call when she was back in New York for the production of the show. Jeanie introduced Penny to her agent and she gave Penny her card and told her to call her anytime.

Around 10:30 Jim reminded Penny and Jeanie that tomorrow was an important day, and they were getting ready to head back to the hotel. Jeanie and Penny both were ready to go, and so Penny collected Leonard and they all waited for their limo, which took them back to the hotel.

Penny and Leonard had finished their preparations for bed, and pulling back the covers to climb into bed, when Leonard spoke, "So, how did you like the party?"

"I don't know," said Penny. "In some ways it was over the top for me. But, I suppose I'll get used to it."

"You think you're going to change your agents?"

"I'll see how it goes," said Penny. "If I'm here, and my agent is back in California, it may not be very handy for me. With a national agency, it wouldn't matter where I was. It is something to think about."

"Well, it's time for bed," said Leonard. "So, good night."

"Hold on there, mister," said Penny pulling him toward her, into a hug. "You're not getting off that easy, I have plans for you."

"But we're supposed to get to bed early, so we're ready for the big day tomorrow, right?"

"We'll be well rested," said Penny, "we don't have to be there until two, but I want to be there at one. But, even at one, we can get enough sleep." She kissed Leonard deeply and he gave in to the inevitable.

Carnegie Hall, NY 4:15 PM, Wednesday May 16, 2012

Penny was nervous. She never expected to be on stage at Carnegie Hall, and here she was standing off stage, watching the cast of CBS' top show, "NCIS" joking around. The people in the audience were laughing and giggling at most of their lines. We're supposed to be the comedy, and they are all funny. How are we supposed to top that? I wish Leonard was here, he'd say something to calm me down.

But Leonard was in the audience, waiting for Penny to come on, so all Penny could do was worry. Finally, she heard Mark Harmon say it was time for them to leave, the applause got louder, and she watched as that cast came off the stage. Mark Harmon looked at them and as he passed them he said, "Great audience, you guys will have fun."

There was a ten minute wait, to allow the audience to get another glass of whatever was being offered or head to the men's or ladies' room. Finally, she heard the announcer, 'And now, the creators of the new comedy, Tales of the City Jim and Kelli Waldman.' They could hear the applause as Jim and Kelli walked out.

"Next, you know him as Captain Avery from several Marvel movies, please welcome, Dave Collura." Dave walked out, waving, and stood next to Kelli.

"You may know her as Carrie's boss from season four of "Sex and the City", or one of the characters or guest stars in several recent TV shows and movies, Jeanie Corbette." Jeanie also walked out waving to the audience.

"You will recognize our next cast member from his numerous guest staring appearances in both drama and comedy television shows, along with three movie appearances in the last year, Brent Crawford." Brent didn't wave, didn't even acknowledge the audience as he walked out and stood next to Jeanie.

"And finally, our next actress is appearing on her first TV show, and so, we are pleased to be the ones to introduce, Penelope Jensen." Penny didn't remember walking out, but she had her phone out, recording the audience. She was also waving, until she got to Brent and turned and faced the audience.

The audience applauded for a couple of minutes and then several questions were asked of Kelli and Jim, which they answered. Finally Jim said, "We've brought a preview clip from our pilot. Let's get the lights down, and can we run that now?"

The lights went down, and the clip started. Penny actually laughed several times, one time at one of her lines, and another at her facial expression. It was the first time Penny really understood what the producers and the other actors were saying about her facial expression. After fifteen minutes, the clip ended the audience applauded.

Some press were there asking questions. Dave was asked what it was like to go from Marvel movies to sitcoms and Jeanie was similarly asked about moving from single cam drama. Both answered it was different, but fun, and a bit easier. Brent was asked about having a steady role, instead of all the guest staring spots and admitted it was going to be nice to know when he would be working.

The next questions skipped Penny and went back to Jim. Then there were several more for Dave and Jeanie, and two more for Brent. Finally, someone asked Penny what it was like to be here, with all this fan fair, in her first show. Penny had to think about it for a few seconds, and said, "I'm just pinching myself, wondering what I'm doing up here with the rest of the cast. This is like a dream come true for me, and I feel a bit like a fish out of water."

They asked Jeanie a question, and she said, "Before we go on, I just want to say, Penelope, you belong here. Your timing and facial expressions are so, so good." She turned to the audience, "You all saw it in the clip. All of you out there will be making a big deal of her by the end of the season, you just watch."

Penny looked embarrassed and thanked Jeanie. Jeanie went on to answer the question, and afterward, Jim said it was time for them to go. They all waved and started walking off, to quite loud applause.

The press reception at Lincoln center was quite different for Penny, from the press meeting the day before. Penny had her own circle of people from the trade papers, and even regular newspapers were interested.

Many of them were drawn to her by her self-deprecation and naiveté about her acting ability. It was also interesting to see the reaction to her honest answers. Minding Jim and Kelli's warning, she didn't say anything about the other cast members, or about the show. But, she gave humorous answers about herself, her childhood in Nebraska, and her life in California.

Jeanie and Dave had come over several times to see how she was doing, and they also had pictures taken with Penny. Penny also had quite a few taken by herself. She, didn't seem nervous at all, in fact, she looked like she was enjoying the experience.

Leonard stood off to the side with Pam, while Dave when through the same thing. He was fascinated by all the attention that was paid to Penny. Pam gave him some tips on how to handle being a significant other of a star.

Around 9 PM, the crowd started to thin out, and Leonard suggested they head back to the hotel. Penny wasn't so sure as she was thoroughly enjoying herself, but after seeing the others preparing to leave, Penny nodded and they both headed off to their room for the night.

Ritz Carlton, NY 8:15 AM, Thursday May 17, 2012

Early the next morning, Penny got a call from Jim, telling her a copy of the New York Times had been left outside her door, and she needed to look at the entertainment section. She hurriedly opened the door and brought the paper in, woke Leonard up and started looking for the entertainment section.

There, in the lower right corner, on the front page of the entertainment section was a picture of Penny, with the headline:

Self-described "terrible waitress"

adjusting to starring in sitcom

A very nice and complementary write up accompanied the picture. Penny was very excited about it, and wanted to call their friends in California. With a chuckle, Leonard explained that it was only five AM in California.

They ordered room service for breakfast, and after eating, spent most of the day lounging around in their room. They both went for a massage late in the morning and around two PM, headed to the CBS Broadcast Center, to get ready for the Warner Brothers press event. Many of the people working now noticed Penny, and were offering congratulations on the article.

Arriving at the Warner Brothers event, Penny was surprised by all the attention she was receiving, not realizing there were other articles ,in other outlets, which had heightened interest in her. Reporters who hadn't bothered with her the day before, were now asking her questions. Leonard was again bemused by all the attention paid to Penny and he again found himself talking to Pam, off in a quiet corner.

This event ran shorter than the CBS event, simply because Warner Brothers wasn't selling any ad time. Leonard and Penny found themselves back in their room by 9:30 PM, and they again enjoyed a leisurely lovemaking session in their room.

Ritz Carlton, NY 8:15 AM, Thursday May 17, 2012

Leonard and Penny woke up at 8 AM and dressed for their trip to the Statue of Liberty. Before leaving, they had breakfast in the hotel restaurant, and after breakfast, they took a cab to Battery Park and caught the ferry to the Liberty Island.

The spent a few hours walking around the island, touring the museum, and had lunch in the cafe on the island. They thought about climbing the statue, but after a brief discussion of Leonard's asthma, they decided against it. At 2 PM, they decided to head back, so they could get a nap in, before dinner and the show.

It was almost a repeat of the dinner on Monday, as before, Brent hadn't shown up for dinner. They took the limo to the restaurant, Leonard and Penny's confusion about the menu, and their uncertainty about the utensils. But, as before, they simply ordered the Prix Fixe menu, and used Jeanie's idea for the utensils.

What was different at this meal was the discussion about Penny's experience. Dave and Jeanie, along with Kelli and Jim were all asking about how she was enjoying it. Penny sounded really happy about it, she told Jeanie it was like her dreams come true, what she imagined when she came to LA. Penny also thanked all of them, for all the help they had provided her both in New York, and during shooting.

After dinner, they got into the limo, to take them to a show. Dave and Pam weren't going to go, as they had seen "The Book of Mormon" previously, so they were dropped off at the hotel. Jeanie was looking forward to this, as she knew two people in the show.

Everyone enjoyed the show. Penny was excited at seeing her first Broadway show. And after the show, Kelli and Jim led them backstage, to the actor, Josh Gad's, dressing room. Josh was glad to see them, and seemed enthused to meet Jeanie, Penny and Leonard. While Kelli and Jim talked to Josh, Jeanie left to see her friends.

After about thirty minutes, Jeanie returned, Kelli and Jim said their goodbye's and they all left, heading back to the hotel. Getting there, Jeanie said she was going to the bar to have a drink, while Leonard and Penny were going to their room.

Jeanie left, and Jim and Kelli pulled Leonard and Penny off to a quiet spot in the lobby. Jim said, "I want to thank you for everything this week. Penn-e-lope," He smiled at the almost slip, "for someone who hasn't had to go through this before, you handled yourself very well this week. I want to tell you, I think Jeanie is going to be right, about you being made a big deal by the end of the year."

"Now, your flights home are on Sunday. So enjoy your day tomorrow, and we'll get together over the next few weeks. Again, thank you." With that, Jim and Kelli headed to their elevator, and Penny and Leonard left for their room.

Saturday was a lazy day for them. They went to the Central Park zoo in the morning, walk around a bit in the park and finished with a ride on the Carousel. In the afternoon, they did a bit of shopping, Penny looking for shoes and a blouse or two. They found a Thai restaurant for dinner and capped off the evening packing, and having sex together for the last time in New York. They did the breakfast buffet in the hotel restaurant before finishing their packing, calling Bernadette to give her their flight number and landing time, and heading off to the airport, for their flight home.