Yippie! Got my first Shenny bashing review! That means I ticked off someone. I love those. Every time someone calls me delusional, or hateful for pairing Penny and Sheldon, I know I've written something that strikes a nerve with a Shamy fan. After all, no one gets mad and takes the time to bash something unless it makes them nervous or afraid. Fear away, dear guest reviewer. You won't get your review published unless you actually log in, but at least you have the knowledge that I saw it, and it made me happy. :)

Now, on to the "hateful Leonard bashing" part of our story.

Leonard and Alex were sitting on the couch when everyone walked in. Well, Leonard was sitting on the couch. Alex was straddling his lap. Leonard looked a trifle smug as Alex moved to sit beside him. Sheldon pulled the final letter from his bag and set it on Leonard's desk. He turned to the couple and joined his hands behind his back.

"Alex, I am sorry to do this, but I am going to let you go. I have no further need of an assistant at the moment."

Leonard glared as Alex gasped. "Why? Because she's dating me?"

Sheldon shook his head. "No. Because I am taking a sabbatical. I spoke with President Seibert earlier and he has granted me time away. When I return I will contact you to see if you would like to return to my employment. However, I do not know how long I will be gone."

Leonard popped up off the couch, suspicion in his eyes. "Where are you going?"

Sheldon shook his head. "I do not know yet. Penny moved from here several weeks ago. I intend to search for her."

"Why?" Leonard growled aggressively.

Sheldon took a deep breath and looked his friend and roommate in the eye. "Because I love her, Leonard. Because I need to be with her."

"You bastard!" he hissed.

Howard and Raj closed ranks and edged between the two men. "Calm down, Leonard," Howard suggested. "Hear him out."

Leonard clenched his hands into fists. "Hear him out?! Hear him tell me that he is going to go after Penny? Hear him tell me he wants the woman I love?! What the hell, Sheldon?! Since when do you care about anyone?! Like Penny would ever go for you anyway, with all your snide comments and insults."

Behind him, Alex gasped. "You still love her?" Leonard looked at Alex uncertainly. He stared at her for a couple of seconds. Alex stood and walked over to him. "Were you just using me?"

Bernadette snorted. "You aren't exactly innocent, missy. You knew he was in a relationship when you started chasing him. If you don't want to be treated like the other woman, don't BE the other woman."

Alex narrowed her eyes and tried to stare Bernadette down.

Bernadette smirked. "Try me."

Alex snatched up her purse and stormed out.

Leonard turned and looked at Sheldon. "How could you?! What kind of friend are you?! Penny is mine! She always come back to me! She loves ME!"

Sheldon flinched from Leonard's tirade. He hated confrontation. It always made him feel weak and panicky. But this was for Penny, so he drew on his scant store of courage. "I am going to find her. I am going to tell her how I feel. I am going to do everything in my power to win her love. I love her, Leonard. I will not apologize for something I had no control over. Especially not something I do not regret. How you feel does not change how I feel. You have had years with Penny. It did not work. No matter how hard you both tried, you failed. I do not know if Penny can ever love me. I have been caustic and kept her at arm's length. But I have to try. If I don't, I will regret it for the rest of my life. Penny is the most important thing in the world to me. "

Leonard sneered. "More precious than your damned Nobel prize?"

Sheldon nodded without hesitation. "Yes."

Before anyone could react, Leonard sprang forward and swung his fist. He connected with Sheldon's jaw. Sheldon was knocked back into the desk. Leonard swung again and caught him in the left eye. Howard grabbed Leonard's arm and Raj grabbed him around the waist. They pulled him back from Sheldon.

Bernadette and Amy knelt by him and checked him over. "You're going to have a shiner," Bernadette said solemnly. Amy nodded and pressed a tissue to the corner of his mouth. He had bitten his tongue with the first punch and a trickle of blood was oozing out.

"I want you out," Leonard snarled. "This is my apartment, too. My name is on the lease along with yours. I want you out!"

Sheldon stood and nodded. "I anticipated as much. My bedroom is already packed. If you look around, you will notice empty spaces on the shelves. Raj has agreed to store my belongings until I return. I spoke to the landlord and paid my half of the rent for the remainder of our lease. That gives you 82 days to either find a new roommate or a new apartment."

"You really are a heartless bastard," Leonard said in a low voice. "You don't give a damn about anyone but yourself."

Howard shook his head. "You're wrong. We've all been wrong. Sheldon cares, Leonard. That's why it took him 6 years to do this. That's why this is so hard for him. We all have been operating under the assumption that Sheldon doesn't have feelings or a deal. The problem is, Sheldon does, but he just has a hard time expressing them."

Leonard snorted in disbelief. "After all the hell he has put all of us through over the years, the insults, the annoyances, the stupid rules and tantrums! How can you take his side?!"

Raj shrugged. "Because despite all of that, Sheldon has always been our friend. You point out his insults and behaviors, but we have been just as bad to him. We have laughed at him, insulted him, and even worse, we betrayed him. Yet he never held it against us, Leonard. He is still our friend despite the terrible things we did."

Amy moved over to stand by Leonard. "We are all adults here, Leonard. Isn't it time we all started acting like adults? You can't whine and mope and make threats until you get your way like a spoiled toddler. You need to accept that sometimes, you don't get what you want. Can't you find it inside yourself to just wish your best friend well?"

He shook his head. "How can you be so calm? You have spent two years trying to get him to be a real boyfriend to you. How can you just stop loving him?"

Amy shrugged. "I never said I don't still love him. But I'm honest enough to admit he never loved me. And that maybe the way I feel about him isn't real love. Maybe it's the desire to be accepted and loved. I have never had friends or a boyfriend before. I have nothing to compare this to. But I do know that I want him to be happy. I want Penny to be happy. I want that more than I want to keep him by my side."

Leonard looked around the room at everyone. "You are all delusional. Go away. Just.." Leonard rushed to the door and threw it open. "I don't want any of you here when I get back!" Leonard hurried down the stairs, leaving them staring after him sadly.

Sheldon slumped against the desk wearily. After a moment Amy walked over to him. "Come on, Sheldon. Us girls will give you a ride to the airport while Howard and Raj load your things into their cars."

After a moment he nodded and stood. "Thank you all. I cannot tell you how grateful I am for your support."

"Good luck," Howard said, patting Sheldon on the back.

Raj looked at him calmly. "Do not forget your promise. Bring her back."

Sheldon nodded and walked back to his room. He picked up his suitcase and followed Bernadette out of the apartment. He looked at the door across the hall one more time. Determination filled his eyes. He adjusted his messenger bag and set off. He had a mission, a purpose, to fulfill.