Word Count: 1297
Disclaimer: I don't own The Big Bang Theory or the characters.
He didn't know what to say.
He was mad at everyone, his dad, Beverly and his new mom. Even if Beverly took him in, she had treated him badly over the course of his life. He didn't feel okay staying in New Jersey anymore, so as soon as the funeral was over, he flew home in the next available flight.
He didn't have a family. He was only half-brother to Michael and Samantha. Beverly would never talk to him again. His dad wanted him to talk to Jackeline, his biological mother. Leonard didn't.
He wanted to know more about what really happened, other than knowing that he was a possible cause to his parents' divorce. They seemed truly happy in the other pictures, and even after Leonard was there they were okay. There was a clear change in their relationship, clearly discovering that your husband cheated on you and had a child with another woman, didn't do really good for the relationship. Plus, the trust and respect for your partner disappeared.
But after Beverly's father died, they were only together because of their kids. Maybe the old man sad something to them? Leonard didn't know. What he did know was that he felt like an outsider on that family his entire life, and now he knew why. Did Michael and Samantha know about it? Questions that seemed to always be unanswered lingered in the air.
He now knew why his dad was always staying longer in other countries when he went to do some research. Technically, he didn't know. He had a small idea as to why. It was either to get away from Beverly and all his mistakes – one being Leonard himself – or to cheat on his adoptive mother once more. Leonard wondered if he had been the only one to be a bastard of the Hofstadter clan. Maybe he had more half-brothers somewhere else, in other countries his dad was at during his childhood.
He wasn't aware of whether he wanted to know or not. What would that do? It probably wouldn't make him feel better, would ruin even more whatever relationship his dad and he still had and would only make him pissed at everyone.
Leonard still didn't know what to do.
He had been lying in his bed since they arrived. That was six hours ago. Penny had slept on the plane so she went grocery shopping with Amy once they landed. Sheldon went to bed. Leonard did the same. But the only thing he actually achieved in the last six hours was staring at ceiling thinking of what to do.
Was he meant to do the same thing he had done for the last few years of his life?
Maybe he should just take a bath and see that after. He got up from his bed, and opened the door, immediately covering his eyes due to the bright light coming from it. The room he had just left was in complete darkness, so the living room light made his eyes hurt. But he just didn't care.
He took a bath, enjoying the scalding water passing his back, falling to his legs. He stood like that for a lot of time, enjoying the burning feeling it caused in his skin. When he left, his skin was red, hot. He looked to the foggy mirror, and passed his hand on it, watching the drops of cool water dripping from the mirror, feeling the cold water on his once burning skin.
When he looked himself in the mirror, he didn't recognize himself. It wasn't only because of the red skin, or the beard.
He didn't know who he was. What else was a lie? Was his marriage a lie?
He glared to himself, looking in the mirror.
Penny loves you. Nothing will ever change that. She promised.
He couldn't believe he actually just questioned his wife's love for him. Sure she said no to most of his proposals, but she accepted him back after his kiss with Mandy. She was his wife and she loved him. She was there for him and nothing was going to change.
He felt a cold hand on his back. Well, any hand would be cold against his scalding skin.
He turned to the person. It was Sheldon. How he touched Leonard's bare skin wasn't the question Leonard wanted to ask.
Sheldon had red-rimmed eyes and was sniffling. His first thought was to run since Sheldon becomes unbearable when he's sick. But he wasn't sick. Only mourning.
"It's okay, buddy." Leonard tried and hugged him. Sheldon pushed him.
"Can... can you put a shirt on?" Sheldon requested. Leonard smiled and agreed.
They hugged then, and Leonard could feel his best friend's tears drenching his shirt, but he didn't care. He felt his own tears joining his sweat since it was still foggy from his hot bath.
But neither cared. They were both grieving.
The first dinner back home was weird for everyone. They all felt the need to talk about the elephant in the room, but at the same time, they felt like they shouldn't. The first few moments were spent distributing the food by everyone, but as everyone ate, the room fell silent.
Sometimes a few would open their mouth, but would immediately close it. Leonard tried to make it stop.
"Okay, can we just stop acting like this. Please?"
They all stared at him. Bernadette asked him. "Are you okay with everything that happened?"
"Of course I'm not okay with it. But would you be?" He looked fixated on her, waiting for her answer.
"I don't think so." She answered, soberly and bowed her head., pretending to keep eating.
"Look," Leonard put his food on the coffee table and sat back in his chair. "it's complicated to find out your mother isn't your biological one. It's extremely complicated to then find out that your real mom gave you up and had other kids. The worst part is the fact that my dad never said anything about it. I mean, Beverly, I get it, you know? I'm not her son, so it's normal that she didn't exactly like me and spoke about it. But my dad never said anything." Leonard sighed. "Well, he wasn't exactly around to say it." He whispered.
"Maybe he was trying to protect you." Amy offered.
"Protect me from what?" Leonard questioned. "From a woman with kids and was married and seemed a really nice person and mother. Those kids were lucky to have her."
"You were lucky that Beverly wanted you. She didn't send you to an orphanage or something." Raj mentioned and took a sip of his drink.
"You got a point there," Leonard confessed. He threw his head back. "What am I supposed to do now?" He asked, just like a small defenseless child.
They all looked to each other. Penny clears her throat and Leonard looks at her.
"Talk to your mom." She said. Leonard looked back to the ceiling as if ignoring her. "Or to your dad. Or your brother and sisters. You know, from your biological mom."
Leonard sighed. "Why would I do that?" He wondered out loud.
"Try to understand their side," Penny said, thinking about else to say. "Uh... see what kind of person your mom really is, how your brother and sisters grew up like. Your dad can make you feel slightly better. Maybe." She shrugs her shoulders, not knowing what else to say, looking at her bestie for support.
But Leonard raised his head from the couch and looked at his wife.
"You're right! I'm going to do that!" Leonard said, jumping from his spot and running to the door while grabbing his phone. "Don't wait up!" He screamed, before shutting the door behind him.
End of Chapter 6
I once again want to thank WarriorCreed for the ideas. I'll join a few of them! Anyway, I'll try to update more regularly over the course of the next week, but don't promise anything. Don't make promises I can't keep!
Hope you all enjoy this chapter. Tell me what you think about it!