Author's Note: Hello everyone! I am terribly, truly sorry for the delay in posting Chapter 2. I've had a lot going on these past few months and it interfered with writing time. I have this success driven writers block. If people like what I have, but it isn't finished, I get nervous and my creativity just stops flowing. So I also had to deal with that. I'm not blaming anyone, but I was also a beta for an AMAZING Shenny fic, and that took up a lot of time. I wouldn't take that back for anything though.

I also had originally planned this chapter to be much longer than it is and for it to contain Penny's reason for being sent to the hospital. I've known her story from the beginning, and it's not going to be a pretty one. I wanted to reverse the roles and lives of the two characters. A lot of fics have Sheldon as having this really traumatic childhood and Penny kind of having a normal one. It's the opposite here.

I would like to mention that I do have a synopsis of chapter three and I'll start writing it tomorrow. I will be on vacation till very late Thursday, 16 August. I will have had plenty of time to get writing done anyway.

Finally, I would like to thank my friend and beta, Lizwontcry. I don't know what I would do with her! If you have not (and shame on you if you haven't!), go check out her page and read her amazing stories! The Reverse Crush Conundrum and Pandora's Box are personal favourites.

And now without further ado, I present to you: Melancholy Serenity: Chapter Two!

Chapter Two: Arriving

They stared at each other directly in the eyes. Both were stunned at the other's presence. Penny was the first to break the silence.

"Hi," she spoke softly while waving her left hand.

Sheldon saw she was wearing the same blue wristband as him. Realization sunk in. She was the second patient to be going to Methodist.

"Hi."

She was about to say something else when Sheldon's gurney jerked forward. He leaned over the edge trying to keep her in his eyesight as long as possible. She disappeared when he went out the door of the emergency room.

Sheldon was silent the entire time he was in the ambulance. He sat with his eyes straight forward, looking out the window of the doors. It was an odd view. It was too dark to see anything of significance, so he enveloped himself in the blackness. Every now and then there would be a large bump that would momentarily shake him out his silent reverie, only to sink right back into his thoughts. Sheldon wasn't as nervous about being at this hospital anymore; he found it oddly comforting that he would at least see a familiar face every day.

Penny. Penelope Reed. She knew who I was. She recognized ME! She looked sad. No, not sad, her look said she was feeling something much deeper than sadness. Depression? Yes, that could be it. No, her eyes said she was experiencing something more dramatic; something that I felt, something more penetrating than sadness or depression. What was the word he'd used the other day… melancholy? Yes! That was it, she suffering melancholia.

Once Sheldon found the right word, he used his eidetic memory to remember what else he had noticed. Her eyes, while still a very beautiful shade of green, lost their sparkle-the thing that made them emerald green. The dark circles under her eyes indicated to Sheldon that she was exhausted. The empathy he had for her almost completely took him over.

"Sheldon? Sheldon, we're here," Lis spoke as she nudged Sheldon. He looked up, surprised for a moment at her presence. "We're going to floor seven, where you will be staying for the next couple of days. You will have your suitcase searched and a room and bed will be assigned to you."

Sheldon just listened and nodded his head when he felt it was appropriate while he was wheeled down a corridor, staring straight ahead. He was back to feeling scared again. He clutched his iPod in his right hand as if it were the only thing keeping him tethered to reality. He felt his breathing hitch and his heart began racing. Then the voices returned and tunnel vision settled in.

Lis was quick to notice the sudden change in his demeanour. She stopped the two people leading the gurney down the corridor.

Lis tapped Sheldon's shoulder, causing him to jump and catch his breath. She looked at him and noticed he was doing everything to avoid making eye contact.

"Sheldon, what's wrong?" Lis asked, her voice filled with worry. Sheldon stared at her as if he had never seen her before. He couldn't keep her face in focus. He shook his head to try to clear it and get everything to go back to normal.

"I... I... can't breathe. My eyes…" Sheldon stuttered. He was trying with every fibre of his being to stay focused on the reality in front of him, on Lis. He didn't know how to exactly express his fear to Lis in words that made sense. It was difficult to form a coherent thought when Sheldon felt this way.

"Okay, Sheldon, I need you to look me in the eyes," Lis spoke very calmly, almost soothingly.

Sheldon did as he was told. It took a second to feel comfortable staring into her hazel eyes, but he managed after a minute. It was then that he felt a sense of familiarity; as if he had seen her somewhere else before. Sheldon pushed those thoughts aside for the time being.

"Good. Now, I want you to take five deep breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Hold each for five seconds."

After following her instructions Sheldon felt immensely better. Relaxed even.

Lis reached out for his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze and a reassuring smile. Sheldon was grateful that Lis seemed to know exactly the right thing to say and do to make him feel calm and safe again.

"Are you ready?"

Sheldon nodded, too afraid to speak. The gurney resumed its trip down the gloomy corridor.

A half an hour later, Sheldon was checked in and all of his belongings were in his possession, except for his shoes. They took his shoes because they had laces, which were strictly prohibited. The hospital provided Sheldon with a pair of footie socks, which is what he would wear instead. Anurse showed him to his room at the end of the was one of four single rooms. Sheldon was pleased that he wouldn't have to share because he couldn't imagine how he was supposed to keep his promise to his grandma with the added stress of having a roommate.

Sheldon put all of his clothes and pyjamas into the small bureau that was provided for him. As he was doing this, an envelope dropped to the floor. He recognized the handwriting on the front immediately. It was from Missy. He picked it up and stared at it for a moment. After neatly opening and taking out the paper, he slowly unfolded and began to read.

Shelly,

I'm writing this in your hospital room right after the nurse sedated you. I just want you to know, that I am not angry or upset with you. Yes, you did scare me but I get it. You were angry and I would have done the same thing had it been me.

The reason I am writing this note other than to tell you that I forgive you, is that I want you to know that you are LOVED. Momma loves you. Meemaw loves you. And I love you. When you said that we would all be better off if you had killed yourself, my heart broke.

Shelly, while you are at the hospital, I want you to do EVERYTHING you can to get better. Talk to people, if they give you medicine, take it, and try to make a friend. Just one friend, so you don't get lonely while you're there. The nurse, Lis, said that you would have access to a phone, so call me when you feel up to it. Don't worry about Momma bothering you; I'll take care of her.

I love you. You're the best brother anyone could ever ask for; I cannot imagine my life without you, even if you are a pain in the ass sometimes. I love you. I'm going to keep saying it until you believe it. Do you remember that Series Five episode of Doctor Who called "Vincent and The Doctor"? Do you remember what The Doctor told Amy when they went back to the museum and there weren't any new paintings? Of course you do, you remember everything. But I'm going tell you anyway, he said:

"The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. The good things don't always soften the bad things; but vice-versa, the bad things don't necessarily spoil the good things or make them unimportant."

I know there is more after that, but the part I wrote is the important part. Just because it's bad now or it's been bad for a while, doesn't mean that there hasn't been any good during the bad. I want you to keep that in mind. I'll see you on Christmas Day and we'll watch the Doctor Who Christmas Special together, like we always do.

Love,

Missy

PS: I know that you're going to be mad, but I took all those lectures of your iPod and put some REAL music on it. Just listen to it. I chose each song carefully and with you in mind. Listen to one of the playlists or put the music on shuffle and listen to the music for at least a half hour each day. Take in each lyric and reflect on them.

Sheldon finished reading the letter and tried desperately to hold back the inevitable tears. Missy had never been one to hide her emotions before but this was something he had never experienced from her: Unconditional love. He realized he was no longer annoyed with her for messing with his iPod, because that was her way of trying to bring him comfort. Sheldon folded the note neatly and placed it back into the envelope. He put it safely in his messenger bag that he took everywhere with him. It held all of his journals, both scientific and the ones he used to write down how he felt. Sheldon looked around the room, looking for a safe place to keep it; he saw a bedside table and decided that would have to do.

Sheldon thought about Christmas, which was on Saturday. There was no way he would be home by then.

He had just finished settling in, when he picked up his iPod and went through the playlists that Missy had put together. They didn't have names other than "Playlist 1", "Playlist 2", etc. He randomly selected the fourth playlist, pressed the shuffle button and sat down on the bed. As soon as the first lyrics came up, Sheldon felt like this song was written just for him. He looked down and saw that the song was called "Beautiful" by MercyMe. He went back to the beginning to really hear the lyrics this time.

"Days will come when you don't have the strength,
When all you hear is you're not worth anything.
Wondering if you ever could be loved?
And if they truly saw your heart,
They'd see too much.

You're beautiful, you're beautiful,
You are made for so much more
Than all of this."

Sheldon was snapped out of his reverie by someone knocking on his door. At first he didn't hear the knocks because the music was so loud, but he finally heard when the knocks became more persistent. He was momentarily startled and a little annoyed; until he saw that it was Lis with a few towels.

"Would you like to take a shower? Normally, we don't let people shower this late but I'll make an exception for you," she said, smiling genuinely at him. Sheldon didn't know what it was about Lis that he liked so much. He had never felt himself grow attached to someone so quickly before.

"Yes, I would like that. Thank you."

"Okay, well grab your stuff, and I will escort you to the one of the showering rooms. I'll get a male Patient Care Assistant, or PCA, to stand outside in case you need anything."

Two minutes later he was in a six foot room that had a shower in the corner with a curtain for privacy, a sink and toilet adjacent. There was also a counter with two drawers to keep possessions from getting wet and dirty. Sheldon looked around the room; it was plain with off-white walls and tiles. He was anxious about being there, naked without the door locked. Sheldon had been assured by Lis and Will, the PCA, that he would be undisturbed while he occupied the room. Sheldon had nodded to indicate that he understood, before turning and walking into the shower room.

He jumped in the shower and stood for what felt like hours under the warm spray. He was contemplating why he trusted Lis so much. He remembered that feeling of familiarity from earlier, and focused all his energy on figuring out why he felt like he had seen her before.

After about a minute, it struck him. Lis reminded him of Sarah Jane Smith, the beloved companion from the original Doctor Who, played by Elisabeth Sladen. He found it remarkable how similar, both in physicality and personality Lis was to Sarah Jane. It also struck him that Lis' full name was Elisabeth Sheridan. Same initials. Sheldon decided that was reason enough to trust her. He almost smiled when his inner Spock mentally chided him at that being an illogical reason to put trust and faith in anyone.

Sheldon had just finished his shower and was walking down the long corridor of the "floor" as he had overheard the staff calling his temporary residence. As he was walking silently down the hallway, he noticed that every occupied room had the names of the patients on a plate next to the door frame. Sheldon counted eight occupied rooms, all of them doubles. That meant there were four unoccupied doubles and three unoccupied singles. He thought about what room Penny was in. Which door would take him to her…?

Sheldon reached his room and was about to walk in when he heard a small noise from the room behind him. No one else would have heard it but he had what Missy had referred to as "Vulcan hearing". Sheldon turned around and paused. As he walked closer towards the open door, peering into the room, he was unable to see anything as it was very dark, almost pitch black. Sheldon decided that maybe he had inadvertently made the noise, so he shrugged, walked across the hall straight into his room.

Sheldon had just crossed the threshold of his room and put down his belongings, when he heard the noise again. It was definitely coming from the room across the hall. Sheldon turned around and walked into the room. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. He walked around the bed and saw girl sitting in between the bed and the bedside table. She had her legs pressed against her chest with her arms wrapped in front.

"Are… are you OK?" Sheldon asked timidly. He never liked to see anyone cry.

The girls head snapped up at the sound of his voice and immediately Sheldon saw that it was Penny. He moved closer to her and hesitated a bit before sitting cross legged adjacent to her. Sheldon couldn't help but notice that Penny's intriguing green eyes were swimming with was also struck by how her gaze seemed to penetrate right through his entire being. He felt a chill race down his back.

"No… I mean, yes… I'm f-fine," Penny stuttered. She looked into Sheldon's eyes for the first time since that day when he called out her name. The first time she realised Sheldon was watching her as much as she was watching him. Penny wiped the tears from her eyes and sniffled. She attempted to smile at him, but she only managed a grimace.

"I…" Penny began but again stumbled over her words. She didn't have any tears left to cry, but she felt her body still wanted her to sob, regardless of the lack of tears.

Sheldon looked up and saw an unopened box of tissues on the bedside table next to Penny. He reached out and as he did, he noticed Penny flinching and cowering even further, if that were possible, into the corner. Sheldon slowly brought the box down and watch as she slightly loosened her tense body.

"Here. For your eyes and nose," He said as she graciously took the tissues from him.

As she took them, her hand grazed Sheldon's. It was completely unintentional. As soon as they made contact, it was like an electric current was pulsing through them. Sheldon immediately thought that he was the electron to her proton. From the look in Penny's eyes, this contact didn't go unnoticed by her and that she had had the same reaction. Sheldon pulled his hand away, looking down breaking eye contact. The silence that stretched between the two was an uncomfortable one; however, neither knew what to say to the other. After a very long minute and a half, it was Sheldon who broke the silence by singing.

"Soft kitty, warm kitty; little ball of fur. Happy kitty, sleepy kitty; purr, purr, purr."

Penny felt her entire body relax. She looked up at Sheldon and gave him the tiniest hint of a smile. She met his eyes again and saw that he seemed relieved by her change in demeanour. It was the only thing he could think of doing, and honestly he wished that someone would sing 'Soft Kitty' to him.

"Thank you. That is one of the nicest things anyone has done for me in a long time."

"You're welcome. My mom always sings that to me when I'm sick."

"But I'm not sick."

"Well, sad, crying and being away from home is a kind of sick," Sheldon replied. He looked at her and saw that she was smiling again. Her smile was infectious; he couldn't help but smile back.

"You know after I don't know, frowning I guess for so much of my life, smiling feels really weird. Like my muscles have forgotten what it's like to make this face. And right now, even though I know it's a real and genuine smile, I can't help but still feel like I'm faking it," Penny said quietly, looking directly into Sheldon's eyes.

There was another pause, this time it wasn't uncomfortable. It was contemplative. They were both thinking about the last time they had genuinely smiled.

"I understand what you mean. You know, the last time I smiled before today, actually smiled, was six months ago. I had just received my acceptance letters from my top six university choices. My dad gave them to me right after I graduated. I was so excited. My dad and I met my mom and sister at The Cheesecake Factory for a celebratory dinner. Everything was perfect. All I had to do was decide which school I was going to attend. But then…" Sheldon's voice cracked. He looked down at his fidgeting hands.

Penny waited patiently for him to continue. She watched him intently and noticed his eyes were glistening with tears he was trying to hold back. Sheldon took a deep breath before continuing.

"That night, on our way home from the restaurant, there was an accident. A drunk driver ran a red light and crashed into our car. I was knocked unconscious and when I woke up in the hospital two days later, I was told that my dad had been killed on impact. I had a broken leg as well as two broken ribs," Sheldon said flatly.

Penny reached out and put her hand on Sheldon's shoulder, again sending that same spark as before through his body. He normally didn't like people touching him, but he found that he didn't mind when Penny did it. He felt comforted. Even more so when Penny began to rub her thumb in small circles on his shoulder in a soothing manner.

They were silent for a long time. Penny was in the process of working up the courage to tell Sheldon the last time she had smiled. Penny knew that she couldn't tell him without sharing her secret with him; the reason she was here. The secret that was slowly killing her. Just as she was about to start speaking, there was a knock on the door, startling both of them. They simultaneously looked towards the door and saw the shadow of a female loomed behind the door; and Sheldon figured it was probably Lis

"Sheldon, Penelope, its lights out. You'll have to finish your conversation tomorrow," Lis said, not unkindly. Sheldon got up first and did something he had never in his life done before; he reached out his hand as an offer to help Penny up. Penny stared at it hesitantly before grasping it. The spark was as shocking as ever, Sheldon would probably never get used to it.

"Good night, Penelope," Sheldon whispered. He started to walk away when she called his name and he turned to face her again.

"It's Penny. Just Penny. And good night to you as well. Thanks for… you know."

Sheldon nodded and walked across the hall. Lis told Penny that she would be right back and walked into Sheldon's room. She held a small cup of water as well as a clear plaster cough syrup cup with pills.

"This is called Ambien. It's to help you sleep, and it will start working in approximately five to ten minutes. If you have any side effects that make you feel uncomfortable at all, tell a PCA or a nurse right away. The doctor you spoke with earlier when you arrived has already set up a medication regiment that you will begin, in full, tomorrow morning. Do you understand everything I am telling you?"

Sheldon nodded. He was grateful that he was allowed to take something to help him rest; otherwise he might not get any sleep at all, due to his exhilaration from his encounter with Penny.

"All right, you have to take them in front of me, hospital policy."

Sheldon took the two containers from Lis' hands and did as he was told. Lis did a mouth check to make sure that he hadn't tongued or cheeked them.

"Okay, the last thing I want to do is check the arm where your original IV was. Have you felt any soreness or pain at all?" She walked over to his bed and waited for Sheldon to extend his arm out to her. Sheldon lifted his arm and flinched, surprised by the pain. He very carefully pushed up the sleeves of his pyjama top and showed Lis his arm. Sheldon didn't even want to look but his scientific curiosity always betrayed him. It wasn't pretty; there was a huge bruise forming in the crease of his arm. Currently, it was a blackish purple but Sheldon knew that it would turn a plethora of colours before that patch of skin returns to his normal soft ivory tone.

"I can give you Ibuprofen for any pain or discomfort," Lis said. Sheldon noticed that although what she said was a statement, she spoke it like she was asking him a question. Sheldon considered her proposal and decided to not take her up on the offer. "No, thank you. I'm fine for now."

"All right then, we're all done. Have a good night's rest," Lis said with a smile. She made her way to the door to his temporary room and left, leaving it slightly ajar.

Sheldon crawled under the covers, reaching with his left arm towards the end of the bed to grab the iPod. He opened "Playlist 1" to see its contents. He was delighted that his sister made him a playlist exclusively of piano music. He pressed "Shuffle" and immediately recognised the first notes of 'Clair de Lune' by Debussy. The last thought he had before sleep consumed him was of his first conversation with Penny. Perhaps his stay here wouldn't be so terrible after all. Maybe finding a friend was just what he needed to start the process of healing.