"Penny you are getting on this life boat!" Sheldon said authoritatively.
"But Sheldon what about you? I can't lose you! If you're not getting in then I am not" Penny cried. Her sobs made Millie begin to cry. Penny realized that she was not alone. Her decisions affected someone else. "Oh Millie I'm sorry; it's going to be alright." Penny looked over at the crewman "please let him on; the ship is sinking he could die!"
"My orders are women and children so that is who is getting in the boat" The crewman shrug as if he could do nothing. "Now hurry up or I am leaving without any of you."
"I hope you realize that the deaths of innocent people will be on your hands for your unwillingness to do the right thing." Penny said with venom. If looks could kill the man would be dead.
"Penny please stop some people you can't argue with since they are so unintelligible" he looked over at the crewman with just as much venom in his eyes as Penny. "My concern is to get you and Millie to safety which I am trying to do but you are being obstinate. If you are concerned about my wellbeing let me tell you I will be fine. I am Dr. Sheldon Cooper after all; or as you keep reminding me I will be someday" Sheldon smirked.
Penny softly smiled through her tears. She knew that there wasn't much she could do; she needed to keep Millie safe. As much as she hated leaving Sheldon, he was right. She turned around and lifted Millie into the boat with Amelia "hold her for a moment please". Once she was sure that Millie was secure she turned back to Sheldon; "I love you Dr. Cooper." She pulled him into an embrace. She didn't want to let go of him.
A loud shout was heard in the distance "NO!" Leonard stormed over to their spot. "This isn't supposed to happen. You're supposed to be with me! I love you."
"You had me arrested for theft" Penny spat still entangled in Sheldon's arms.
"To keep you apart! I can give you everything you want. He can't give you anything" Leonard argued.
"He is standing right here, and would appreciate that you stop talking about me in the third person as if I wasn't here. Also if you love Penny as much as you say you do then you will let her get into the lifeboat so she can live" Sheldon said calmly but yet forcefully.
Leonard thought for a moment and held out his hand to Penny. "Come along Penelope; let's go I'll find you another life boat."
"Unbelievable you'd rather have me dead then with Sheldon. Don't you get it there aren't enough lifeboats, more than half the people on the ship are going to die? You asshole! I've made my decision I am staying here with Sheldon." Penny had stepped away from Sheldon prepared to give Leonard the swift kick in the groin that he deserved. Her father always told her that if she ever catches a gentleman being ungentlemanly then to always go for that spot, it was a man's weakness. She was lifting up her dress when she heard thud. When it all registered Leonard was on the ground and Sheldon was rubbing his hand. "That hurts more then you expect it to" he said. In a blink of an eye Sheldon had punched Leonard in the jaw. The force of Sheldon's punch caused Leonard to fall over. His head smacked very hard on the deck.
"Oh My God Sheldon. Are you ok? You have to get out of here before he comes too." Penny looked at Leonard and then the crewman who just whistled as if nothing had just transpired.
"I'll meet you in New York Penny. Take care of Millie. Amelia please make sure she doesn't jump out the boat." Sheldon helped Penny settle in. "I love you Penny."
"I love you Sheldon" Penny kissed him.
"I'll find you I promise" Sheldon said before running up towards the stern.
Penny couldn't help but cry. Leonard still hadn't risen from where he fell; Penny didn't wish he would die because that would make her an evil person; but she certainly didn't wish him well.
They began their decent into the cold dark water. "Amelia I have to be with Sheldon. God why is he always right. I have to get off this boat." She had this urge to jump. Amelia who still held Millie in her lap grabbed Penny's arm.
"Dearie you need to keep your bottom on this seat. I know what it is like to lose the one you love but you have to stay here. If not for yourself but for this little girl here. You might be the only person she knows left." Amelia said. "He has more of chance of surviving if you stay here."
Penny took hold of Millie "You're right. I'm sorry. I just love him and I finally found who I am supposed to be as a person. I am a strong independent woman who doesn't need a man but wants one but the man is on that ship." She pointed up.
"You're afraid it is understandable to not be fully thinking" Amelia patted her friend's hand. Penny smiled through her tears. Thankful that she had at least one person with her. She looked back up at the ship; whose lights were still glowing, and cried softly as she held Millie.
XXXX
Sheldon and Raj ran towards the stern. As they ran Raj asked "where are we going?"
"They are obviously not going to load men on any of the lifeboats at least on this side of the ship; they aren't even filling them with women and children. We need to stay on board as long as possible" Sheldon said. His eyes darting to look for any sign of Thomas or Peg yet he saw nothing.
He thought of Penny and Millie; he was glad that Penny finally agreed to board the life boat. While he didn't know whether he would ever see her again he knew that she was going to be alright.
"Stay on board?" Raj exclaimed. "What exactly is your plan?"
"Well the ship is sinking fast and the water is freezing; we need to get the stern as quickly as possible. I'll figure out something out" Sheldon said. "For God sake move out of my way!" he shouted at people.
Everywhere people were screaming crying not sure on what to do or where to go.
Raj balked at what Sheldon said "You Sheldon Cooper don't have a plan. I thought you were prepared for every obstacle that might happen."
Neither stopped walking as Sheldon replied "on land yes, I'm in the middle of the ocean with no way off a sinking ship, I'm doing the best I can."
"I suppose that is the most I can ask for." Raj followed his friend up the rising stern.
XXXX
Leonard slowly rose; his head pounding. He looked around but Penelope was gone; and so wasn't that fucking bastard Sheldon. How did this happen to him. He was the good guy.
"No! Bernadette tell them I'm innocent. Tell them! Please believe me. Tell them!" Leonard heard Penelope scream as she was dragged down the corridor.
Leonard turned away. He needed to get some rest the whole ordeal was very tiring for him. He didn't even change out of his evening wear; he just laid himself on his bed and shut his eyes.
It only seemed like a mere moment when he heard a knock at the door. He almost didn't get up. He angrily opened the door "what business do you have to wake me at this hour" he asked the person at his door.
"I'm sorry to disturb you sir but the captain has ordered a life boat drill. He has asked everyone to put on their life belts and meet on the main deck" the steward at the door explained.
"Now?" Leonard question.
"Yes sir. Please come at once." With that the steward left.
"Of course why not have a drill at 12:30." Leonard went over to where his life belt was stored and carried it with him. He felt no need to put it on. He grabbed his coat and shut the door behind him.
Reaching the deck it was pure chaos. He pulled a crewman aside and handed him a few dollars "what is happening?"
"Sir the ship has struck and iceberg. The Captain has ordered us to start loading woman and children first."
"Is the ship sinking?" Leonard asked but the question wasn't answered since the crewman was called away to help load a boat. However Leonard knew the answer. He needed to get Penelope to safety.
He rushed back to his suite to find Howard. He needed the key to Penelope's small prison. Upon arriving he found it empty, of Bernadette, Howard, no one. "No! How can they not be here?"
He quickly exited. Leonard raced down the hallway, he turned to where she was being kept and saw the door wide open.
He barged in "what the hell?"
He looked behind the door "that bitch". Leonard slammed the door behind him.
Leonard looked everywhere for Penelope; pushing his way on deck. Back and forth up and down port side and starboard side. His search was starting to become in vain when he saw them. The two who were ruining his life.
The next thing he remembers is falling and waking up with a killer headache.
Now what was he supposed to do? His wife was gone. He didn't know whether in a life boat or if she ran away with the low life steerage bastard. He knew he wanted to live, he needed to find a way off this ship.
XXXX
Sheldon and Raj continued their journey. Sheldon saw a few men trying to get down a collapsible. "Raj we have to help." Sheldon began to climb up to the boat.
He looked it over, "the oars are stuck underneath it. We have to lift it." He ordered the others. The task proved futile because the oars snapped like twigs under the weight of the boat when they lifted it but it still landed wrong side up when it smashed onto the deck.
"Damn it!" Sheldon yelled at the situation. He didn't like to use vulgar language but he just couldn't help it. He looked at the sinking ship; the bow now almost completely submerged. The water glowing green with the lights reflecting underneath it. They didn't have much more time.
The ship surged forward causing a wave that was headed straight towards Sheldon and Raj. Everyone began to run. It didn't matter though the wave pulled Sheldon and Raj into the sea.
Sheldon never being the best swimmer was for just an instant positive that he was going to drown. However he thought of Penny, he thought of Millie. His mother, Meemaw, and knew that he had to keep fighting. He kicked his legs and pulled himself to the surface of the water.
"Ah" he gasped for breath. "Raj? Raj where are you?" Sheldon looked around but couldn't find his friend.
"Sheldon I am over here" Raj called out but in the darkness he couldn't see him. Sheldon called out to him "I can't see you but swim away from the ship! It will pull us down with her."
"I'm coming" came the reply. Sheldon swam for what seemed forever. But he was still close to the ship. His arms were getting tired when he hit something. He registered that it was the same lifeboat that he was trying to get down not a moment ago. A few others had climbed on top and he was going to join them. "Raj he called over here!"
A loud snap was heard. The wires holding up the funnel snapped and landing very close to their boat. Sheldon looked at the bending funnel and looked at Raj who he could now see. He was so close. "Hurry!" Sheldon yelled. He was mentally preparing himself for impact. He couldn't look away as he saw the funnel come crashing down right over where Raj was. "No!" Sheldon tried to cry but the fall of the funnel had created a wave that, luckily, pushed them far away from the ship.
XXXX
Raj was a medium swimmer. He knew the basics. When he was pulled into the ocean he kicked with all his might. He came to the surface the lifebelt that he had on was a small help. He looked around for Sheldon when he heard his name. "I'm over here." He swam towards Sheldon's voice. He tried to swim faster when he heard Sheldon yell that he was on a boat. Then he heard the crack. He turned and saw the funnel bend. He tried to get away. He knew that this was it. He cried out in Hindi "Bhagavāna nē hama saba kō bacānē" as the funnel slammed over him and the hundred others in the water.
XXXXX
Leonard climbed his way to the only place left that wasn't submerged; the stern. He put his life belt on as he pushed his way through. As the ships front descended the stern ascended. People were falling off at a rapid pace. He focused on living. He was too important to die he told himself. He gripped the railing as tightly as he could. He did quick calculations and decided he needed to be on the other side. The ship creaked with the pressure of the water. The lights began to blink on and off. Then they stayed off.
CRACK!
To everyone's surprise the ship split in two. Screams could be heard in the silent night as the stern came crashing down onto more unfortunate souls.
The stern leaned forward and began its own descent into the black ocean. Leonard held his breath and was prepared to get out of this alive.
XXXXXX
Penny was holding onto Millie tightly with one arm and the other was grasped with Amelia.
They watched in horror the scene that was unfolding. The lights flickered and finally were off. All they could do was hear the screams of everyone who had gone down.
She didn't like not knowing what happened to Sheldon. Where were Millie's parents? Did they make it to a life boat? So many unanswered questions that couldn't be answered.
Things to note:
I was going to delete that guest comment who says that Shenny deserves to die, but then I thought who cares what you think. You are just a troll who has no life and no guts (or you wouldn't review as guest) and I am not going to waste my time deleting your comment. I want everyone to see how stupid it is to leave comments like that. If you don't like Shenny then watch the show they don't exist there; yet.
Again super sorry it took so long for this chapter. I tried to make it longer due to the wait. I would say it won't take me this long again but we all know that it is a possibility. Sorry.
Bhagavāna nē hama saba kō bacānē means God save us all.
Thanks again for reading