Sheldon isn't alone in his struggle to find the Penny he knew. Missy, Bernadette, Stuart and even his own mom are doing the best they can to help Penny heal, physically and emotionally.

(BTW, I don't know much about medicine, so I'm writing it as I see it in my head.)

Penny glanced at the clock and sighed. The past week had quickly become a routine. She shouldn't be surprised, since Sheldon had always been about schedules and routines. In one way, it was a comfort to look at the clock and know exactly what was going to happen. In another, it was quickly becoming incredible restrictive. Of course, with her inability to get around on her own, it wasn't like she could just do whatever she wanted, anyway.

Sure enough, just as the clock hit 11:45 am, Sheldon walked out of the bedroom with a lap blanket and her hoodie. She didn't want to speak to him very often, fearing that if she opened her mouth, she would say something she would regret. She held out her arms silently and he helped her into it. "I don't really feel like a walk," she couldn't help grumbling, knowing it was useless before she ever spoke.

Sheldon nodded. "I know. You never do. However, today you have an appointment with Dr. Reilly. They want to make sure your infection is clearing up. Then we have a meeting with the physical therapist to keep your legs from atrophying."

Penny shrugged vaguely. "Whatever."

The front door opened and Missy peeked around the edge. "Good morning! Who's ready to get goin'?"

Penny looked at her friend with a slight smile. "Good morning, Missy. Are you driving me?"

Missy nodded as she walked over. "Yep. Mom and Bernadette said to remind you that we're all having dinner together tonight, and you ain't gettin' out of it."

Penny sighed heavily. "Missy…"

"You are going." Sheldon's voice was stern and unyielding. He looked at his twin calmly. "Penny and I will be ready at 6pm. I promise."

Penny's eyes narrowed and she gritted her teeth. "Sheldon, I'm about to be poked and prodded. Then I have my first therapy session. I'm tired and sore already. Please, I just want to get through these appointments and then rest."

Sheldon watched her for a couple of seconds before kneeling down. He picked up her hands in his, ignoring the flinch she gave. "Penny, you need to eat. Please, we are worried about you. You barely eat anything, you never want to do anything but sleep or watch tv. Is it really too much to spend a couple of hours with the people who care about you? If only to make them happy?"

She looked down, hiding the hurt in her eyes. She took a deep breath and looked back up, her expression blank. "Fine. I'll go. I would hate for anyone to be unhappy."

Once again, Sheldon felt like there was a trap in that wording. Something he was missing. It seemed to him that most of what Penny said anymore held some sort of hidden meaning. Meanings that, thus far, he had been unable to decipher.

"Penny, you have never made me unhappy," he promised softly. "In fact, your friendship has always made me very happy."

Penny looked at him, struggling to keep her emotions in check. He had no idea had badly she wanted to lash out at him. To make him hurt like she did. She swallowed the bile in her throat and gave him a fake smile. "That's nice," she managed to say quietly.

Sheldon searched her eyes, wishing he had more experience reading people. Something had flashed across her face just before she spoke. Something that made a shiver run down his spine. It put him in mind of the way Leonard had looked the day he checked Penny out of the hospital. It had looked like rage.

Penny turned her head toward Missy. "I'm ready. Can we go, now?"

Missy nodded cheerfully and opened the door before grabbing Penny's wheelchair and purse. Sheldon slipped his arms around her and picked her up. He shifted her to cradle her close. He was glad he had taken up fencing and judo in Helsinki. The musculature he had acquired was coming in very handy now. Of course, only having to carry her one flight of stairs helped. He would never have made it up four.

XXXXX

Sheldon settled into the chair beside the exam table and grasped Penny's hand. She didn't pull away, even giving his hand a tight squeeze. Her eyes were closed, and her lips set into a thin line. He watched Dr. Reilly smear alcohol around the base of her spine before slowly inserting a large needle. He drew out fluid and handed it to the nurse for labeling.

"Penny, it's a lot clearer today. I think when we get the results, we'll find the infection is clearing up. I'm going to remove your stitches now, okay?" the doctor said calmly. He looked at Sheldon and gave a slight nod. Sheldon relaxed a bit, seeing the confidence in that look.

Sheldon reached out with his free hand and smoothed Penny's hair back. It was finally taking on a glossy sheen again. She flinched slightly and then relaxed. He wished she would open her eyes so he could read her better. Every day he grew more and more worried about her. She had closed herself off from almost everyone and everything. She smiled, rarely, with Bernadette or Stuart. She had hugged his mom twice without flinching. Only with Whack did she seem to relax and show real emotion. She loved that stupid dog. Of course the dog loved her, too.

He had tried to befriend the mongrel, but it was determined to remain enemies. Whack snapped at everyone who got close to Penny, and growled often. He had started putting on his heavy jeans before getting Penny up in the mornings, because the dog was apt to nip at his ankles every time he picked Penny up. He felt Penny squeeze his hand again and looked over to see the doctor prodding the entrance wound. The puckered scar was the size of a nickel, and shiny. It was no longer red, but he knew it was still tender. Dr. Reilly wiped off Penny's back carefully and pulled her shirt back down.

"Penny, I'm pleased with the rate of healing. The infection looks to be clearing up, and I'm hopeful that once it's gone, we'll see some reaction from your lower limbs." He placed an arm around her back and helped her sit up before Sheldon could.

Penny looked at him gratefully. "Thank you," she said sincerely. "How much longer will I need to take the antibiotics?"

"Another week, at least," he replied, reaching for her chart. "We want to make sure we've completely eradicated it. Now, once I have your results back, I'm going to start you back on your Hep C treatments. Now that you've stopped taking the codeine, and are relying on Tylenol for your pain, we shouldn't have any problems with your treatments once the infection is gone. I'll refill the Peginterferon/Rebetol combo as soon as we're sure. I see here you were also taking Ativan. I'll refill that one next week and get you started back on it. So, I want you back here in 7 days to see how you are doing, okay?"

Penny nodded and picked up her left leg to swing it to the side of the table. Sheldon stood by as she did the same with her right. He had to keep himself from stepping in to do little things for her. He knew, as well as the rest of them, that there was no guarantee she would get the use of her legs back. It wouldn't be good to coddle her too much. Once she was at the edge of the table, he bent and waited patiently for her to put her arms around his neck. She always paused a second before touching him. Those little pauses never failed to slice through his heart. Once he had her in the chair, he placed the blanket around her legs and wheeled her to the nurse station. He took a seat on a chair beside her and looked over the selection of magazines.

"Sheldon?"

He looked up with surprise. Penny had not initiated a conversation in the two weeks since he had returned. "Yes?"

"I owe you a thank you. For helping me," she said softly, her eyes on her hands. "I know it hasn't been easy for you. Or anyone else. So, …thanks."

Sheldon placed a hand over hers and smiled at her. "You are my friend, Penny. I am glad to be here, even if the circumstances are not good. I missed you," he said gently. "I know you are angry with me, but I have never stopped thinking of you as my friend."

Penny looked over at him and his chest tightened. His eyes went wide at the fury in her eyes. "Do not mistake me, Sheldon. We are NOT friends. I am not happy to have you here. I am grateful for the help. I can appreciate that this situation is difficult. But the sooner I get well, and you leave again, the better."

He stared at her for a long time. A nurse walked over and handed Penny the paperwork from the doctor and left before he found the will to speak again. "Do you hate me so much?" he finally asked in a tentative voice.

Penny placed her hands on the wheels and released the chair's brake. "I don't hate you, Sheldon. I stopped feeling anything for you a long time ago." He stood and followed her to the elevators, his heart and mind numb.