Word Count: 964
Summary: "It's just that, maybe the reason for me to come here was to become an actress, but that wasn't why I stayed. I realized that I was looking for something else, after a while"
Disclaimer: I don't own The Big Bang Theory or the characters.

She left her home in Nebraska to follow her dream of becoming an actress but wasn't that successful. She worked in the Cheesecake Factory to see if maybe she could have a better life, even if it wasn't with acting. And when she left, Bernadette got her a job that paid a lot more than she ever dreamed to receive.

Work was important to her. It made her feel independent. Even if most of her salary was used to pay for past mistakes, she could easily live without her husband. And that was something that a lot of people reminded her of. She no longer needs to be with him, since she could pay rent and food and whatever else she wanted without his money. And that was true.

But was money the most important thing in the world? Could she be able to live her life without that constant company, without a warm bed or that person that made such amazing coffee in the morning? Better than anyone else she had ever met? And that is without mentioning the fact that he was, without any doubt, one of the greatest and sweetest people she had ever met. Undoubtedly.

Other thing people liked to remember her of, was that she didn't pursue her dream of acting. But, did she still wanted that? Travel the world, move around so often that she couldn't call a place home?

Because that apartment became her home. She lived there for most of her adult life, for over a decade. She had so many memories there, especially in that hallway. Her life changed so much in that place, her insecurities and commitment issues changed in that hallway, all thanks to that one person that everyone puts down and thinks that she could do better than him? Maybe he could do better than her. He deserves the world, and she knows it. He doesn't know it, but he does deserve the world.

And one day, when the opportunity comes for her to act again, make her oldest dream come true, she's happy. For a little while. But then, she's reminded that she wouldn't be able to call a place home, that her home wouldn't come with her everywhere. And no, that home isn't a place.

"Why don't you want to act again? That was the whole reason for you to come here to California in the first place!" He tells her, the moment he found out. He wasn't exactly thrilled, but he was right, it was the reason for her arrival in California.

"I just don't feel like it, okay? Drop it, Leonard. Please." She asks him, and he is immediately concerned. Because that's exactly how he is.

"Is everything okay?" They are both sitting on the couch, and he puts his hand on her shoulder, and she turns to him.

"Yeah, everything's fine." She bits her lip, and she takes his hands, making him believe something is, in fact, wrong. "It's just that, maybe the reason for me to come here was to become an actress, but that wasn't why I stayed. I realized that I was looking for something else, after a while."

He furrows his brow, wondering what that might be. "What was it that you were looking for?" He finally asks, after reaching no conclusion."

She smiles and hits his shoulder. "You, you idiot." He smiles, still with doubts, but she's laughing. "You're the reason why I stayed here. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have any reason to be here anymore. So, thanks for being here." She jumps into his embrace, a smile on her face, and a tear leaving her eyes. Penny closes them hard, trying not to show it to him.

He was caught by surprise with the hug, but he recovered quickly, and his arms were holding her tight, and stroking her hair. Leonard knew she was crying, he could feel the tears soaking his shirt, but said nothing.

And they stayed like that for a while, until she was ready to leave his arms. And when she finally leaves them, he gives her a small smile, that she returns almost immediately.

"Thank you, Leonard."

"You're welcome, Penny." He grabs her hand, and feels her cold ring against his warm hand, making him think of those days where they were so happy. "But I also need to thank you."

"Why? Did I make you stay here, or something?"

"No." He shakes his head. "But you did change us, for better. All of us. I don't think that Raj would talk to women if it hadn't been for you. Sheldon would be harder to deal with if you didn't make him realize that change, sometimes, is good. And Howard would be creepier than he was when he met Bernadette. And I know that both Amy and Bernadette helped Sheldon and Howard become less crazy and creepy, but you have a part on that too. I hope you know that." He added, making her feel slightly better.

Whether or not he was lying, she couldn't exactly tell. But she wanted to think he was telling the truth, that he wasn't just saying that to make her feel better.

It seemed as they both made an impact on everyone's life because if Leonard didn't show up in the apartment Sheldon was renting, he wouldn't have brought Howard and Raj into their lives. And Penny changed the guys to be better people, focused on more than video games and comic books, made them see there was more out there than that.

But they also changed each other, just like Stuart had said years before. And even if Penny didn't get what she wanted in the first place, she found something else. Or better, someone else.

The End

A kind of sweet story, trying to make up for the next story... And the others that weren't as kind to my favorite TBBT couple. And also, I wrote and published two stories in one week. Actually, wrote three, I'll publish that one later. Next week maybe. It's angst, by the way!