Word Count: 1424
Summary: Fresh starts. [Story takes place before Penny leaves The Cheesecake Factory and goes from there]
Disclaimer: I don't own The Big Bang Theory or the characters.

"I came to California to become an actress and have a fresh start. And even though I didn't become an actress, I had my fresh start. Because of you." Prompt made from me to me, after seeing the words fresh start

Sitting on the floor of her bathroom, she looks down to the floor. That cold floor, filled with clothes that she just doesn't have the energy to put in its place. She is no longer crying due to her life, crying because it's not much of a life. She thought that by now she would be an actress, she would be famous, and would no longer live in that crappy apartment. She was wrong.

She was nowhere near where she wanted to be career wise, and let's be realistic. People who had a good day don't usually sit on the cold floor of their bathrooms at three AM. Problem was, for Penny, it hadn't just been one bad day. It had been a series of them, one on top of the other, and they never seemed to end.

And not even the thought of him made her happier, because he wasn't there. Not really, at least. He had spent the entire week with Sheldon because of some stupid something that she knew nothing about because she wasn't at the apartment with them when they said it to everyone. Why wasn't she there? Because she had to work extra hours so that she could continue living in that crappy apartment right across the hall from the man she loved more than anything in the world. (She had told him that plenty of times before, but it always seemed like it wasn't enough times said.) Oh, and his roommate, of course! How could she forget!?

She continued to stare to the floor, until it started to become blurry. It took her far too long to realize that she was once again crying, and once she did she tried to dry them using her sweatshirt, which made Leonard quickly understand that she was crying. He started to enter the bathroom as quietly as possible, just to ask if she was okay, but when he realized she was crying, he was immediately prepared to hug her forever and never let go – as if that wasn't something he would mind doing when she was happy!

It only took her a moment to realize he was there, and took her less than that to open her mouth and start to give him a fake reason for her cries and make him go back to his apartment and sleep. But Leonard knew her all too well, and was prepared to immediately ask her what was truly going on.

"No need to hide how you feel. It's me you're talking to, you know?"

She then breaks down, complaining about everyone and everything, from her coworkers that don't seem to have any brains whatsoever, to the way her cereals were mushy the day before. And Leonard just sat there, looking at her, as she cried and complained. And when she was done, he just waited for her to calm down.

"I didn't know you felt like that. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Don't be sorry, it's not your fault. Apparently, I'm a disaster of a person, someone that doesn't have anything good in life."

He just stares at her as she finishes that sentence. She understood instantly what her words meant, and her hand jumps to his in a split second, grabbing it as fast as she could before he walked away or made that hurt face that she hated to see on him.

"I didn't mean you. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me."

"Am I, though? Aren't you with me just because I'm someone your parents approve? Because I'm not a jackass like the rest of your ex's?"

"I am with you because I love you. The fact that you are those things is just a bonus."

She looks at him as both of their eyes are becoming teary, and their visions cloudy. They sit there just holding each other's hands for a long time, in need of each other's comfort. Penny, for the weeks she had gone through, and Leonard for what she had said moments prior that made him feel worthless.

The room was silent for those moments, until Leonard broke the silence.

"Why didn't you come to me when you started to feel this way?"

She looks at him with sad eyes, with tears that never seemed to leave her eyes and face.

"Because I feel like I keep having bad days. And I don't want to make you feel bad for me, you know? I haven't been happy for a long time, and it has nothing to do with you but I know that the minute I told you about it, you would think as if it's your fault. But it isn't. You were the only reason for me to keep going. One day at a time, like you had told me tons of times before."

He let's go of her hand and moves so that he can be next to her and against the wall. Then, he takes her hand back and puts his arm around her. She starts to play with his fingers.

"If I wasn't here, what would you have done?"

She looks up to him for an instant, before looking back to his hand.

"I would probably have gone back to Nebraska. I would stop chasing my dream. I would definitely not be here. I came here to have a fresh start, but I didn't accomplish my dream. But I did meet you. I take that as a win." She finishes with the sweetest smile, making Leonard instantly smile.

He moves the hand she's playing with so that she pays attention to him. Once she looks at him, he starts talking.

"You wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me, but somehow you stayed here when I wasn't around, like when I went to the North Pole."

"Yeah, but I knew you would come back. If you didn't I would have to go there and drag you back here." They both laugh at this.

"I promise that I will always come back here if it is to be with you."

She moves so that she can be with her head on his chest and still be able to look at him.

"Good. I wouldn't want it any other way."

They sit in that cold floor until Penny complains that she's uncomfortable, which makes them both move to the bed where they can finally sleep comfortably.

As they both drift off to sleep, the only thought of Penny's mind is "next time this guy proposes, I'm going to say yes."

Long time after their conversation in the bathroom floor, Penny finally gave up on her job at the Cheesecake factory and eventually even got a role in a movie. Things were starting to work themselves out, and Penny was happier. Especially since her relationship with Leonard was getting stronger and stronger every day.

But it was even better when they got engaged, because even though she was unemployed, her being engaged to Leonard was the happiest moment of her life, and she was sure that nothing would top that. Well, maybe their wedding. Or better, their weddings.

And even though Penny was happier now that she was married, she still had her breakdowns, which made her fall in love with her husband more and more, because he was always supportive and loving and respectful. He knew when to give her space, knew that she wanted him there but didn't want him to hold her. She wanted to go through things by herself, but with him as a crutch just in case she needed him.

He was okay with it, because she did the same for him. He broke down, and she waited. She waited for her moment to step in and be supportive, just like he always was.

Now, when they went to bed, she no longer had to think that she was going to say yes when he proposed. Because she had a ring to prove that she had already done that, and after that she had said yes other two times. That ring, a proof of their love and their commitment for one another, was placed on her hand for the rest of her life. And he did the same. For the rest of his life.

The End

A new story brought to you all. I hope you all enjoy this as much as I did.