It's awesome to get reviews back from my first Chapter of Bye Bye Hofstadter. This is my first Big Bang Theory fanfic, so it's a little out of my element, but I was willing to take on the challenge.
Penny left the gym around the same time Leonard did. She wanted to talk to him badly, but Penny didn't want to be the one to give in. From previous times when Penny and Leonard would break up, it would be hard for Leonard not to talk to Penny. This time Leonard does as told and gets out of Penny's life. It is very difficult for Leonard to do this, but he knows it's the only way to keep her happy, or so he thought.
Penny was miserable. She knew she loved Leonard as much as he loved her. Penny wished she never terminated the relationship. She felt like Leonard was giving her the cold shoulder, but he wasn't. All Leonard was doing is occupying his life with work, friends and going to the gym. Penny began to think about all the good times she had with Leonard and the bad times. The bad times such as arguments they had caused her to start sobbing. Penny turned to her left and picked up the picture frame of her and Leonard staring at each other so deeply in love. She cried even more. Sheldon was walking up the stairs when he heard Penny crying and walked over to her door.
Sheldon knocked repetitively on her door and said, "Penny…Penny…Penny."
Penny threw the tissue box down and wiped her eyes, then approached the door to open it.
"Yes Sheldon," she replied sniffing.
"I heard you sobbing are you alright?" Sheldon replied.
Penny said, "Yeah I'm fine," beginning to close the door.
Sheldon stuck his foot in the door awkwardly before it could close and said, "Nonsense, the sound of sobbing does not assure one is fine. May I come in?"
"I guess," Penny replied leading the way.
"Let me guess you're crying because of Leonard?" he replied as he was trying to find a "comfortable" spot.
"How'd you know?" Penny said raising her head to make eye contact with Sheldon.
"Well, for starters you have all of the pictures of you and Leonard turned face down. The one in front of me on the table has tissues surrounding it and it's a photo of you two gazing at each other," Sheldon said pointing to the picture frame faced down.
Penny began to sob and Sheldon hugged her saying, "There, there," awkwardly patting her back.
"I miss him so much," she said wiping her eyes with another tissue.
"Here's an idea, why don't you go over to our place and talk to him," he said letting go of the hug.
Penny looked Sheldon straight in the eyes, "I can't do that. I told him to get out of my life for good. The guy that Ioves me doesn't even dare to look at me anymore. I was at the gym earlier and he saw me and started walking the other way."
"Penny, it's because you forced him out. You terminated the relations between you two. Yes, that letter was wrong, but it was also wrong of you to pour Chinese food all over him. He is now living a life where having you is no option. He doesn't behave the same way. He stays later at work, sleeps on a mattress at work, hangs out with Wolowitz, Koothrappali and I whenever he gets the chance. Oh, and he's started going to the gym. It's all so he doesn't have to make contact with you," Sheldon replied with a frown.
Sheldon left Penny's apartment giving her the little information she should know. Penny knew she was going to have to find some way to get Leonard to talk to her. Penny sat on her couch and thought of ways she could approach Leonard. She stayed up until midnight drinking wine and writing the possible scenarios she could talk to Leonard. Penny ended up falling asleep on the couch. The next morning Penny woke up and got dressed for work. She headed out the door grabbing her tan purse along with the keys. She began walking down the stairs as she passed Leonard and smiled at him. Leonard did not notice the nice gesture Penny was making because he was arguing on the phone with Howard. Penny felt even more heartbroken knowing she may never ever date Leonard again.
While she was waitressing lunch at the Cheesecake Factory, she was mellow, but had to perk up to make it look like she was happy. She took some orders and tried to work as quickly as she could. During that day all she thought about was how much she loved Leonard and began to daydream.
Penny's Daydream
Penny and Leonard were at the backyard of their future home. It was their wedding day. Penny couldn't be any happier as the preacher read the words of the bible to the couple. She could smell the roses and hear the birds chirping. Penny was wearing an elegant paper white dress and Leonard was wearing a smooth looking black tux. Penny's family was there and so was Leonard's. The ceremony was just gorgeous.
Present Day
Penny snapped out of her daydream and waited more customers. She was so exhausted by the end of the day. On her way home, she broke down crying once more. She didn't know what to do to get Leonard back into her life. She needed him, wanted him, loved him and missed him. By the time Penny got upstairs to her apartment, she struggled getting her keys out and into the lock. Penny was highly frustrated and started kicking the door with anger. She wasn't mad at the door, she was mad at herself. Penny slid down to the floor from the wall and buried her face into her knees and cried again. It was bad timing on Leonard's part to come home because he came across Penny crying. He did not say a word to her, but he grabbed her keys and opened her door and went back to his apartment.
Penny enjoyed those few seconds of seeing Leonard, but it just wasn't enough. She wanted to say something, but the words wouldn't come out. Penny walked into her apartment and didn't care about changing into her pajamas, so she slept in her bed with her work clothes on.
Leonard's phone rings and he picks up his phone and it reads Wolowitz on the screen. He clicked on the answer call button. "Hello."
"Leonard we seriously need to talk man to man," Howard said in a serious tone.
"What's up?" he replied.
"Dude you need to talk to Penny. I know she told you to get out of her life, but she's a female. Women change their minds all the time," Howard said.
"Wolowitz you know if I do that I'm not going to get anywhere. She wants me gone out of her life. There is a science lab I'll be moving to. It's in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. I got the job offer two days ago because of my extra hard work and it involves a promotion," Leonard said with a giant smile.
"Are you nuts? You're running away so you don't have to see Penny anymore," Howard said putting his right hand on his hip.
"Howard I'm not running away. I got a really good job offer and I'm going to take it. I leave in two months. These other physicists need my expertise and do we really have to talk about Penny? Yes, I love her. We've been through this a million times," Leonard replied getting on his laptop.
"Yes, we do need to talk about Penny. Do you really think it's best if you go to New Jersey? How do you think Penny would feel?" Howard asked without hesitation.
"Penny will be fine. She's made it clear she doesn't need me around anymore. How many times do I have to keep telling you this? Its beneficial to my career and on the plus side I'll be in my hometown for a little while. I'll come back if they don't need me more than two to three years," Leonard replied.
"Well, I can't make you change your mind. I'll talk to you tomorrow about this. Bye," Howard said disappointed with Leonard's reply.
"Bye," Leonard said hanging up the phone.
This very moment was the moment that changed everything.
