I apologize greatly for not having update any of my three fics recently. Epic fail on my part. Well, on two of my parts. I was waiting for last night's Mentalist to guide my one fic and so that was deliberately on the backburner, but you're my TBBT audience so that really doesn't matter to you. ;) Except the crossover people who read both.

ANYwhoo, if you want to check out the next two episodes of Roxanne (ennaxor) and my podcast, go to the big bang and you'll find it! I know some of you have listened and commented already, so thank you! And we always love more listeners, of course!

And now on to the next prompt – I believe only two more after this one!

Never let her down.

Leonard had missed his flight.

It hadn't been his fault, unless someone wanted to criticize his character for not driving off after he swerved to miss a child running across the road and rear ended an elderly woman. By the time he got to the airport, the jet had taken off and he was resorted to catching a red eye – it always seemed to be a red eye when it came to going to her side – to New York; a good five hour flight in the middle of the night pressed between an old man who talked about someone named Gertie in his sleep and a young woman who would not stop clicking her nails and snapping her gum.

Upon landing, baggage claim couldn't find his suitcase and it was raining so no taxis were available and Leonard ended up wandering for an hour before pulling his jacket over his head and running four blocks before collapsing; his inhaler had been in his luggage. The others on the street, mostly running to get out of the weather, ducked around him. He was pretty sure one or two people hurdled him.

When he heard Penny's voice, he thought he was dying. Then she was on her knees in front of him, feeling his pockets for the inhaler that he thought he hadn't had, pressing it into his hands and telling him to take the medication "before I kill you myself."

He put the inhaler to his mouth. "What are you doing here?" he asked her after.

"What am I doing here?" she said. "What are you doing here? You have that experiment!"

"Finished early," Leonard said. "Wanted to…see your play." He felt her hands curl around his. "Wanted…to surprise you. You," he repeated after a deep breath, as if he hadn't felt like he'd enunciated it properly the first time. "Car accident…late flight…they lost my bags…rain."

"Thank God you collapsed less than a block from where the show is," Penny said. "That's a million to one, huh? God, Leonard," she said, pulling him against her and cradling his head to her chest. "I know I wished you could have come, but I didn't want you to die for it."

"I didn't die," Leonard said. He fumbled in his pockets and pulled out a soggy piece of paper. "I…well, I had a ticket." He sighed and sat up. "I'm sorry."

She cocked her head. "For what?" A smile came over her face. "You're going to see my play."

"You're not…mad? You sounded mad."

"I had no idea you were coming, and I see you crumpled on the street in the rain gasping for breath!" She said. "Leonard, honey…" she leaned over and kissed him. "I can't believe you came all the way out here to surprise me."

"I'm your boyfriend," he said. "You wished I could be here. I'm not supposed to let you down."

She smiled, rain dripping off her nose. "You could never let me down." Standing up, she held out her hand and helped him to his feet. "Now we have to get you into some dry clothes. I have to report in an hour." She took his soggy ticket. "I'll make sure you're in a place where you can see me. I won't be able to see you, but…" she smiled. "I'm so glad you're here."