A/N Here's another chapter! I just want to thank you all so much! I'm just loving the response to this story and it's keep updating like I have. If any of you are reading TASO the next update will be up soon. I promise.

Before I wrote this I wanted it to go in a totally different direction but it came out this way. I'm happy with it and I hope you all are too!

Chapter Three

She awoke a couple hours later with someone's breath tickling the hair on her neck. Knowing only one person it could be she carefully opened her eyes and shifted her head a little to get a better look at him. She couldn't help but smile when she found that he had been leaning on her, his injured wrist laid in his lap, while the other was brushing alongside hers. Their fingers almost intertwining.

Maybe she could just grasp his hand and blame it on her sleeping self, but before she could a movement out of the corner of her vision caught her eye. She turned her head to find Raj sitting in the chair she had abandoned earlier.

Seeing that she was now awake and looking at him, he gave her a bright smile and a wave.

"Hey, Raj," she said, keeping her tone quiet. "Did Leonard and Howard stop by too?"

He nodded, and then held up one finger telling her to wait. He grabbed a notebook that had been settling in his lap, and a pen and began to scribble in it. She couldn't help but smile at his idea. It was a good one, since he couldn't talk to her.

He showed her what he had written. They left to go get some lunch at the cafeteria.

"When was that? I didn't hear any of you come in."

They left about ten minutes ago. They didn't come in because Leonard said he wanted to get something to eat. I volunteered to stay until you got up.

She glanced at the clock and saw that it was almost noon, her stomach growled. Definitely lunch time.

"Do you want to come with me to the cafeteria to grab a bite to eat?"

He nodded.

"Penny?" Sheldon's still slightly hoarse voice caused her to turn around and face him.

He was now sitting up a little straighter, both arms now in his lap.

"Hey, sweetie." She smiled. "Did you sleep well?"

He nodded and then gasped when he saw the time. "Penny!" He sounded scandalous. "You let me sleep half the day away!"

"Relax, Sheldon. I sleep this late all the time and I still think that my day is plenty fulfilling."

Huffing he crossed his arms on his chest, but winced when he jostled his injured wrist. So he just settled with a glare sent her way.

She patted his uninjured arm and shuffled out of his bed.

"Me and Raj are going to the cafeteria to get something to eat. Do you want anything?"

"It's 'Raj and I'," He corrected. "And no, I would not like anything." He paused. "But thank you, Penny."

She beamed at him. "No problem, Moonpie."

She was out of the room, following Raj before he could start his protesting.

The trip down to the cafeteria was silent. How could it not be when Raj couldn't speak to her and she didn't want to have to keep stopping so he could write his answers down in his notebook. No, she would wait to talk to him when they were sitting in the cafeteria. She had some questions to ask him anyway.

Like what had Sheldon done to make Leonard leave him at the University? The excuses he had been giving her just weren't adding up. Sheldon was always condescending to his friends but they always just brushed it off. They had heard it so many times it no longer affected them.

So what had really gotten Leonard angry?

Setting foot in the cafeteria, she immediately made a beeline to the coffee machine. Hands full with a cup of the steamy liquid she turned to find Raj had joined Leonard and Howard, who were sitting at a table in the corner.

Raj turned and waved her over. Leonard gave her a weak smile when she took her seat next to the Indian man and, of course, Howard just leered at her.

Nothing had changed. Well, beside the fact that one of their best friends was still laying in a hospital bed.

"Hey, guys." She said once she took her seat. She figured she could be civil towards them. For now.

"Hey Penny." This came from Leonard. "How are you feeling?"

"Just fine." She took a sip of her coffee and peered at him over the rim. "Considering I spent the night in a chair."

"Penny, you didn't have to st-"

She continued as if she hadn't heard him. "Oh, Sheldon's up now. You two should go and see how he's doing."

Howard and Leonard seem to fidget in their chairs. They were clearly not ready to face Sheldon right now, but she wasn't going to let them get out of it.

"Oh and when you go see him," Which you will be doing and soon. "Stop at the gift shop and get him some Red Vines. He said he didn't want anything, but maybe he'll see it as a peace offering."

Without another word, the two of them got up and started out of the cafeteria. Raj stood up to follow him but she grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Stay. I want to talk to you."

He gulped.

She finished drinking half of her coffee before she started talking. Raj still looked nervous.

"So, what did you guys do after work yesterday?"

The pen came out and the notebook opened.

Howard wanted to see the Avengers movie.

"Again?"

She had gone with the guys the first time they went to see it. Midnight showing. There was probably about a million people there. However, they had managed to get good seats; she sat next to Sheldon (That alone had made her night. God, she was getting sappy.) And she found that she really liked the movie.

C'mon. Not only did it have Robert Downey Jr in it, but Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans and Mark Ruffalo! Hell, even the guys who played Loki and Hawkeye were hot! It also had a very good storyline and a shit load of action. If this was how most of the movies the guys watched then she would come over more often!

Okay, back to her conversation with Raj.

He had nodded at her question.

"Why?"

Scarlett Johansson.

"Oh." That made sense, since they were talking about Howard. "Okay, now for a serious question. Did Leonard tell you guys what Sheldon did to make him so upset?"

Raj nodded, looking very nervous now.

"What was it?" She glared at him. He was going to tell her.

Now.

With a defeated sigh, he placed his pen to the paper.

Before he could write a single word, though, her phone began to go off. Checking the caller ID, she let out a growl of frustration.

"Yes, Leonard?"

"Um, there's a police officer talking to Sheldon right now and we can't go in and see him." He almost sounded a little relieved. "Also, a nurse just came by and said he could go home now."

She brightened. "Good." Then hung up.

"Come on, Raj. Sheldon can go home."

He closed his notebook with a snap and a sigh of relief.

She turned and pointed a menacing finger at him. "Don't you dare think that this conversation is over."

He felt the sudden urge to run to a bathroom.

When they reached Sheldon's room, Howard and Leonard were just standing around looking awkward. Leonard was clutching a bag of Red Vines and Howard was trying to hit on every nurse that walked by them.

Rolling her eyes at Howard, she went straight to Leonard. "How long has he been in there?"

Before he could answer, the door opened and the man that had talked to her the previous night walked out. Smiling when he saw her, he went to her first.

"Me and your boyfriend had a little chat and we'll be taking his attacker into custody soon."

Too relieved that they knew who had attacked him she didn't even correct him about Sheldon being her boyfriend.

"Thank you!" She cried and kept her arms to her sides. If she hadn't she knew she would have thrown herself at the man.

"I think he's getting dressed at the moment and then he'll be right out for you to take home."

"Well, I have to go back to the station to process this information. It was nice meeting you, Penny."

"You too." Then she frowned. "I never did get your name."

He smiled. "It's Shane."

"Well, nice to meet you too, Shane."

He nodded his head, smile still on his face and then turned to leave.

Moments later Sheldon's door opened again and Sheldon stood there. Penny winced when she saw he was wearing the same clothes as yesterday, bloodstained Flash shirt and everything, she should have had the boys bring back some clothes for him.

His eyes immediately landed on her and he gave her a small smile, her heart fluttered.

"Penny, I would like to go home now. May I ride with you?"

"Of course, sweetie."

He made his way toward her and together they walked down the hall. Not once did he look at Leonard, Howard or Raj.

She didn't blame him.

The drive back to the apartment was silent for the most part, but Penny couldn't keep in her questions.

"Sheldon, honey, I know you probably don't want to talk about it but I need to know: What happened?"

He didn't look at her when he spoke. "It is quite easy to figure out, Penny. While I was walking home I become the victim of three highly intoxicated men." He said with no emotion, like he was use to this kind of thing happening.

"There were three?!" She exclaimed.

Lifting a hand off the steering wheel, she placed it on his knee and squeezed gently. "Oh my God, Sheldon, I should have left work to pick you up. This wouldn't have happened if I had." She choked back tears, not wanting to cry in front of him.

He covered her hand with his own, repeating what she had done, by squeezing it lightly. He couldn't tell who was more surprised by his actions; Penny or himself.

"It's all right, Penny." He finally looked at her. "It is, in no way, your fault for what happened to me."

She pulled into their apartment building's parking lot before she spoke.

"I know." She adjusted herself so she could look at him properly. "Maybe I should have told you to wait until I got off work. Maybe-"

"Penny," he interrupted her. "Don't do this to yourself. I don't blame you for anything. If I blamed anyone it would be Leonard, Howard and Raj."

At the mention of their names, it seemed, the three of them pulled up next to them. They each got out of the car and stood around the car as if they waiting for them to do the same. Looking at Sheldon, she rolled her eyes and proceeded to get out of her car.

They all stood around awkwardly, waiting for someone to speak. Penny was the one to take the lead.

"We should probably get inside." She turned to Sheldon. "Come on, sweetie."

He dutifully followed her, glaring at each of the guys as he walked by. That was his way of telling them that they were most certainly NOT forgiven.

She was about to take the first step up the stairs when Sheldon's uninjured hand landed gently on her shoulder. She looked at him with a questioning glance.

"May I hold onto you while we climb the stairs, in the case I receive a dizzy spell?"

All she could do was nod and bite her lip, trying to ignore how warm the spot on her shoulder was becoming. Her palms were becoming a little moist and he could probably hear her heart beating from where he was standing.

God, this is what happened to her just by one touch by this man. What would happen to her if he held her, kissed her-

Whoa, Penny. Best not to think of those things right now. Not when he's only inches away!

And only inches away he was. Turning her head, she found that if either leaned just a little more towards each other their lips would meet in the middle for a kiss.

Oh God, she just wanted to lean forward those extra few inches.

She quickly snapped her head back around.

When they reached their floor, Sheldon's hand left her shoulder. He had felt reluctant to do so and the thought brought a small smile to her face. She quickly wiped it away, though, when she turned and faced him.

The bruises on his face caused her to wince now that she had a better look at them. Taking advantage of their time alone she softly placed her fingers on his cheek, avoiding most of the bluish purple spots that marred his pale skin.

"I'm glad there going to get the guys who did this to you. They better not let me see them because I would probably kill them."

"Penny, as of right now you are my only friend. It would greatly displease me if you were to spend the rest of your life in a jail cell." The corner of his mouth twitched.

"You could visit me on the weekends. You would, right?" She was only half-teasing now. She wanted to know if he cared enough about her that he would visit a prison just for her.

"Of course, Penny." There was no hesitation at all.

"Good." She smiled.

They stood there in silence and she could hear the rest of the boys coming up the stairs.

"Why don't you go in and rest." She gave him soft kiss on his cheek. "I'll see you later for laundry night, okay?"

He could only nod as his hand slowly went up to the cheek she had just kissed.

With one last smile, she left him there to go into her own apartment.

A/N Just another little thing. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Avengers! I've seen that movie three times and I plan on buying it the moment it comes out on DVD. I also love all the actors I mentioned in this story and if you had to ask me to choose between Loki(Tom Hiddleston), Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), Tony Stark or Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) I would probably cry. I would probably pick...OMG I can't! I mean have you seen them! I may pick Robert Downey Jr just because I have seen him in so many movies(he's flippin' Sherlock Holmes for crying out loud!) but the other three are all tied for a very close second.

Sorry for that little thing up there. I just like to talk and if you get me started on some topics I probably won't stop!

Oh, and another thing! Have you ever thought two people should be together so badly that, even though the guy is totally good-looking( in this case Sheldon), that if you try to imagine them with yourself you can't because you just want them to be with their significant other(in this case Penny). I don't know, I just randomly thought of that because it happens to me. I can't imagine myself with Sheldon(Jim Parsons as himself is another story ;) ) because I just want him with Penny.

Okay NOW I'm officially done. Thanks for sticking around if you read all that!