World Red Cross Day (May 8th)
Sheldon was just coming out of the laundry room when Penny and Mark came into the lobby. They didn't notice him, but he had a bird's eye view of their kiss. He watched, acid boiling in his stomach, as Mark pressed Penny up against the wall and reached down to caress her hip. Penny's hands slipped under the back of Mark's shirt and she moaned. Sheldon's hands clenched on his basket tight enough to crack the handle.
Penny and Mark shot apart at the sound. They both looked at him, but his eyes were on Penny alone. Slowly he walked on into the lobby and headed up the stairs. His ears strained to hear even the slightest noise, but it was completely quiet in the lobby. He trudged up to the fourth floor and paused. He looked at Penny's door before turning to his own. He walked inside and shut the door. He ignored Priya and Leonard cuddling on the couch and made his way to his room.
Sheldon sat on the bed and buried his face in his hands. Penny and Mark. Together. He had suspected she was seeing someone. Sheldon flopped back onto his back and stared at the ceiling. Did she love him? Did he love her? Were they just friends with benefits? Were they, at this minute, making their way to her bed? Sheldon tormented himself, imagining them together. It was past midnight before he finally fell into a fitful sleep.
Penny watched Sheldon move quickly up the stairs. Her heart pounded, the anger in his eyes burning it's way into her mind.
"Penny?" Mark's voice was worried. "Are you okay? Shit, doll. I'm sorry. If I had known he was there…"
Penny shook her head and reached out to hug Mark. "No. It's okay. You know the deal with me and Sheldon. I'm not going to live my life waiting for something I'm never going to have. Sheldon is with Amy. He loves her. He's attracted to me, but he doesn't love me."
Mark hugged her close. "Are you sure? He didn't look like a man in love with someone else."
Penny tilted her head back and kissed him softly. "He's been with Amy for over a year. I've lived across the hall from him for more than four years. The only time he ever made any indication he cared for me was three months ago. He is still with Amy. No, if he loved me, he wouldn't still be with her."
Mark sighed. He liked Penny. She was a wonderful friend. He wanted her to be happy, to be loved. "I better get home," he said after a few minutes.
Penny held him closer. "Sure? I'd like it if you stayed."
Mark looked down at her. He smiled gently. "Okay." They walked up the stairs together. Two friends finding solace in each other.
Sheldon hesitated before knocking on Penny's door. A couple of seconds later it opened and he found himself looking at Penny's friend Lisa. She smiled with recognition after a moment.
"Hey. Leonard, right?"
He frowned down at her. "No. I am Dr. Sheldon Cooper. I need to speak to Penny."
Lisa looked over her shoulder. "She's in the shower, but she should be done soon. Come on in." She walked toward the kitchen and picked up the glass of juice. "Are you going to the blood drive with us?"
"I do not know what you are talking about," Sheldon said calmly.
Lisa smiled. "It is National Red Cross day. Penny and I are going to give blood. Then we are volunteering at one of the booths taking donations."
Sheldon nodded. "A worthy cause. No, I will not be joining you." The bedroom door opened and Sheldon looked over. His blood froze when he saw the bed. He could see Mark's arm laying across a pillow. Penny paused when she saw him, and then shut the bedroom door firmly behind her.
"Good morning, Sheldon. What are you doing here?" she asked calmly as she walked to the kitchen.
"He said he needs to speak to you. Think I can sneak past Mark? I need to pee," Lisa said.
Penny nodded, her eyes firmly on the glass of juice she was pouring herself. Lisa tiptoed into the bedroom and Sheldon marched over to Penny.
"Just friends?" he sneered.
Penny's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I don't owe you an explanation. I'm single. I can see whoever I want."
Sheldon snorted. "I very much doubt you are only "seeing" him. In fact, last night it looked as if you were trying to crawl inside him."
Penny cringed back a bit. "I'm sorry you saw that. We weren't trying to hurt you, Sheldon. However, you don't have any claim on me."
Sheldon looked at her solemnly. "I care about you, Penny. I want to be with you."
Penny looked into his eyes. "Yet you are still with Amy."
Sheldon ran a hand through his hair. "I don't want to hurt her. She is a good friend."
"You would rather hurt me," Penny whispered. "What do you expect from me, Sheldon? To put my life on hold for you? You want me to wait on the sidelines until you are tired of Amy? To spend my life alone and lonely because you don't have the balls to be with me?"
Sheldon tilted her head back. "You want me. I know you do."
Penny stepped back from him. "Yes, I do. I care about you. More than I want to admit."
Sheldon's anger was evident in his voice. "Then how could you sleep with him?"
"Because I like him. Because with him I'm not so alone. Because he wants to be with me, and he's free to do so." The bedroom door opened up and Mark walked out. He stopped when he saw Sheldon and Penny.
He looked at Sheldon and then turned to Penny. "You okay?" She nodded so he stepped back into the bedroom and shut the door.
Sheldon looked back at Penny with surprise. "He knows?"
Penny nodded. "Mark knows how I feel about you. He's been my shoulder to lean on."
Sheldon shook his head. "I don't understand how you can care about me, but be with him."
Penny's eyes flashed and she walked past Sheldon to the door. She opened it up and turned to him. "And I don't understand how you can care about me, but still be with Amy."
Sheldon stormed over. "I'm not sleeping with Amy!"
Penny looked up at him sadly. "Maybe you should. It's time you committed to someone, Sheldon. If not me, then her. Fish or cut bait."
Penny gave him a gentle push out the door and then shut it. After a moment Sheldon walked back across the hall. He walked over and cleaned off a white board. He began writing out equations, trying to use physics to decide what to do.