The two young women walked slowly back to the waiting area. Penny shot a glance at the receptionist, and caught her eye. The woman behind the desk shook her head slowly, indicating that there was no news yet. Bernadette steered Penny to a couch in the corner.
"Where's everybody else?" Penny said, suddenly realizing that Bernadette was there alone.
"I came first, to be with you as soon as possible. Howard is rounding up the rest of the gang – they're all over the place. By the way, something's up with Amy and Sheldon. Howie says they don't seem to be on speaking terms."
"Oh, right," Penny recalled. "Sheldon told us they had a fight. Actually, that's what started us off toward getting married."
Bernadette looked quizzical.
"See," Penny explained, "when I told him that Amy had reasons to be frustrated, because he was moving so slow in the relationship, he accused us of moving slow too. So I thought to myself, 'Why wait,' and told Leonard I was free tonight." She looked stricken.
"Oh God, so even this is my fault!" Penny practically howled as her eyes teared up again.
"Penny, I'm sure Leonard couldn't have been happier than at the prospect of getting married as soon as possible. Stop blaming yourself!" Bernadette was getting a little annoyed. After all, Leonard couldn't be that badly hurt, and this was all going to be over soon.
Just then, the other five friends rushed into the emergency room, looking worried. They all gathered around Penny and peppered her with questions.
"That's enough, guys." Bernadette said. "I'll tell you what happened, just leave Penny alone, she needs to rest." And Bernadette gave the group a quick run-down of the accident and Leonard's condition – leaving out details about the planned trip to a Las Vegas wedding chapel, the North Sea kiss, and the argument.
The group settled into a comfortable knot around their friend and attempted to keep up a quiet series of conversations. Penny and Bernadette did notice that Sheldon and Amy were sitting on opposite sides of the group, not looking at each other. Whatever was keeping them apart seemed serious, Bernadette thought to herself.
Penny looked up sharply as she heard the door to the patients-only area open slowly. The young doctor she had talked to before walked out cautiously.
"Ms. Hofstadter?" he said, somewhat formally, looking anxiously at Penny.
The group of friends looked at Penny with bemusement. Bernadette and Sheldon smiled, though. Sheldon thought to himself, "Well, that was quick!" and grinned. But his grin was brief as he saw the serious look on the doctor's face.
Penny walked over quickly, the six friends behind her but hanging on his words.
"I'm terribly sorry," he started, but before he could finish his sentence Penny fell to her knees on the floor.
"No, please, no!" she whispered as if to herself.
Her friends rushed to Penny's side and….