Thank you everyone for the awesome reviews! I am glad so many have enjoyed this one. Well, the gang has honored Penny's request for a bit of space for a few days. But Sheldon never was a very patient man. He's tired of waiting. Time to check on his friend.

Penny taped the last box shut and stood up. It was just after 1 pm. It had been three days since the break up and she had accomplished a lot. She had quit her job, written a handful of goodbye letters to be dropped off on her way out of town, and packed all her belongings. A moving van was due any minute to load everything and ship it to a storage facility. Penny was almost 30. She was going to start anew while she still had the courage to do it.

A knock on her door drew her across the room. She opened the door. "Hey, you're early."

"I didn't know I was expected at a certain time. Should I come back later?" Sheldon asked with confusion.

Penny nibbled her bottom lip. "Oh, hello Sheldon. I'm sorry. I didn't realize it was you, since you only knocked once. I was expecting someone else."

He looked at her closely. "I wasn't sure you would answer if you knew it was me. I left work early to speak with you. Who did you think I was?"

Penny sighed. "Some movers."

Sheldon peered around her. His eyes widened at the sight of the boxes. "You are moving?" he murmured softly.

Penny nodded. "Yes, Sheldon. I'm moving away. I have a friend who got me a job where she works. I need a fresh start. The job pays better, the cost of living where she lives is cheaper, and I won't be stuck in an endless loop of misery." She grabbed some envelopes off the sofa. "Could you give these to the others for me? I thought it would be easier to say goodbye this way. I'm sure Leonard and the guys don't feel much like speaking to me at the moment."

Sheldon paled as he looked into her eyes. "Penny, what happened? You weren't always miserable. Were you?"

Penny smiled softly. "No, sweetie. I wasn't. But I have been for a while now. These last couple of years have been getting more and more intolerable. I hate my job. I can barely pay my bills. I spent more on booze last week than I spent on food. I had a boyfriend who would ask for sex the minute he walked through the door, but would go a week without asking how I was. I can't stay here. Because I know me. I'm weak. I've tried three times with Leonard, even thought I knew better this last time. And I'll do it again if I stick around, because I hate to be alone."

"I don't want you to leave," Sheldon said in a low voice. "You are my friend, aren't you?"

Penny's eyes filled with tears. "Yes, but you don't need me, Sheldon. You have Leonard, Howard, Raj, Bernadette and especially Amy. You won't even noticed I am gone." Penny sighed. "I'm not sure any of the others will notice either."

Sheldon gasped. "How can you say that! Of course I will notice!' Sheldon looked down at the floor. "I will miss you, Penny."

Penny smiled softly. "I know it sounds awful, but I'm glad you'll miss me, sweetie. I'll miss you, too. But let's be honest, we haven't exactly been close this past year. Most weeks we only see each other when you come into the restaurant."

Sheldon looked at her with a plea. "I promise to spend more time with you."

Penny shook her head. "Sheldon, I can't stay. I just can't do it. It's affecting my health. I'm so unhappy I have developed ulcers. Being here is harmful to me, Sheldon. No matter how much I want to stay, I can't."

Sheldon stared at her for several seconds. Then he surprised her by stepping close and wrapping his arms around her tight. Penny hugged him back after a second. She felt his lips move near her ear. His voice was barely audible.

"Sie haben mein Herz." he whispered to her. Then he turned and hurried across the hall to his own apartment.

Penny was still standing there, staring at his door when the movers showed up 20 minutes later.

Dear Sheldon,

Of everyone, I think I will miss you most. Because I have been missing you for over a year now. You have been a true friend to me. Generous, helpful, and honest. You always told me the truth, even when I didn't want to hear it, or it put you in danger of being punched. You challenged me, encouraged me, and cared about me, in your own way. I do not think I will ever meet anyone who fascinates me as much as you do. Please take care of yourself. I worry about you. You get so caught up in your work that you don't always notice the grandeur and beauty of life. Please take care of the others, too. They may not know it, or appreciate it, but they need you. I will be in touch when I feel that I can. Please grant me this time alone. I desperately need it.

Farewell, my dear friend,

Penny

He didn't say anything to any of the others. He kept the letters hidden. Except his own. He had read it several times. Every night in fact. But he didn't say anything to the others about Penny moving. Sheldon treated it like a test. He waited to see how long it would be before they noticed.

Two days after she left, Leonard invited Alex over for dinner. Everyone spent an uncomfortable evening trying desperately not to show how much they disapproved of Leonard's actions. Alex was pleasant to everyone, trying very hard to fit in. Leonard was smug and kept holding Alex's hand.

A couple of days later Sheldon listened to Bernadette and Amy talk about trying to get together for a girl's night. Amy suggested calling Penny to invite her, and Leonard glared for a second. Then he smiled benignly. "Alex would probably love to join you. She's really anxious to get to know you both."

Bernadette and Amy hesitated a moment. Sheldon watched closely. Finally Bernadette nodded sadly to Amy and Amy looked at Leonard. "I guess it would be okay for her to come." Sheldon stood and walked into the bathroom. It was the only way to hide his anger at the two women.

It was Howard who finally realized what had happened. Sheldon was sitting at his desk typing up some equations when Howard walked in without knocking. He shut the door and locked it. He walked over and sat down on a chair. He stared at Sheldon for several seconds.

"You know she left, don't you?" he asked.

Sheldon closed his laptop. "Yes. She moved out 4 weeks ago."

Howard looked at him in shock. "4 weeks?" He ran a hand through his hair. "Do you know where she went?"

Sheldon reached into his messenger bag. He pulled out a letter and handed it to Howard. "She did not tell me. She only said that she needed to leave because she was unhappy."

Howard opened the letter and read it quickly. He sighed and folded it back up. "I can find her. It wouldn't be hard."

Sheldon nodded. "I know. Do you intend to?"

Howard looked at him. "You already know where she is, don't you?"

He shook his head. "I do not. Her letter to me expressed a desire that she be the one to contact me when she felt the time was right."

Howard looked at him with a knowing look. "Does Amy know about this?"

Sheldon stilled. "About Penny leaving?"

The engineer shook his head. "That you love Penny."

Sheldon blushed slightly but held Howard's gaze. "No. Only you do."

Howard felt a rush of sympathy for the strange genius. "What are you going to do, Sheldon?"

Sheldon stood and walked over to the door. "I have no damned idea." He said angrily. "Now, it is lunch time. Shall we?"