Sheldon watched Penny as she continued to sleep, not at all bothered by the sunlight from the window. After all, it wasn't 11 yet.

"Yes. She's here." He tried to lower his voice as much as possible. "No-I don't know why she's here. I just found her when I went home last night."

Penny squirmed under the blanket. "No, she's not awake." He glanced at her. "What am I going to do when she wakes?"

Sheldon heard Bernadette chuckling on the other line. "Oh, great. She's awake." He sighed as Penny slowly lifted the blanket off her. "Hey."

Sheldon didn't say anything, but watched her pull herself up to a sitting position. "Sorry for... breaking into your house."

Bernadette gasped on the other line, and Sheldon pressed the "end" button on his phone. "It's alright."

Uncomfortable silence ensued. "So... Why are you here?" Sheldon asked.

"Doesn't matter," Penny replied. "I have to go back."

Sheldon pursed his lips. "To Leonard?" She nodded. "Where else?"

He distracted himself by pouring a bowl of high-fiber cereal. "He is the reason why you're here, isn't it?" It wasn't a question.

She sighed. "If I said that he was, what would you say?"

"I'd say that you are better off without him." Sheldon replied sullenly.

Penny bit her lip. "Yeah, well." She stood up and straightened her clothes.

"Penny," Sheldon spoke with a tone that meant he was going to say something important. "You can't keep hurting yourself."

She smiled. "I love Leonard, you know. Warts and all."

"Leonard doesn't have warts-oh. Sarcasm." He sighed. "Alright."

She nodded. "Thanks for letting me sleep here, sweetie. And I'm really glad you're back." She replied, then she was gone.

Penny went straight to Bernadette's lab, unaware of the eyes that were following her. "Well, hello!" Bernadette greeted her cheerfully. "I see you haven't... Um... Went home."

"Do I smell bad? 'Cause I'm pretty sure everyone was staring at me while I was walking here." Penny asked.

Bernadette shook her head. "Penny, a celebrity-and a hot one-just walked past them! Of course they're going to stare."

"Right." Penny replied. "So. I need advice."

Bernadette removed her lab coat. "I figured. Sheldon called me this morning, told me he found you in his apartment crying."

"That's... accurate." Penny replied.

"Do you really love him, Penny?" Bernadette asked. "Or do you only think that you love him because he was the only one there when you were struggling to become an actress?"

Penny was silent. "I... Don't know. The latter."

Bernadette just stared at her friend. Penny sighed. "He just told me that he didn't believe I was ever going to be an actress."

"How did that make you feel?" Bernadette replied.

"Like the one person I thought made me feel like I'm worth something betrayed me." Penny replied, fighting back tears.

Bernadette wrapped her arms around Penny, and Penny just let her tears fall.

"What did you do?" Sheldon said as soon as Leonard opened his front door.

Leonard crossed his arms. "What's it to you? Why are you here, anyway?"

"I will have you know that when I went to my apartment last night Penny was in there, crying," Sheldon replied.

Sheldon watched as Leonard processed the information. "And you took advantage of her, is that it? Why can't you just let the two of us figure things out?" Leonard replied.

"No, I did not take advantage of her." Sheldon replied. "Whatever you did hurt her, Leonard, and I will not sit around knowing that you are hurting my best friend!"

Leonard looked up at Sheldon. "Best friend? That's it? She's not your lover or anything..."

Sheldon looked irritated. "She loves you, Leonard! She would never do anything to hurt you. You, on the other hand..."

"Stop." Leonard held up a hand. "I am not taking this. Not from you. Mind your own business, will you?" He slammed the door.

AN: I love it when Sheldon fights for someone's honor... and I especially love this last scene because it's Penny's honor he's fighting for. I couldn't stop smiling while proof-reading this!

I still don't own anything from TBBT. By the way, season 8 is premiering on September 22! I am excited!

Keep those reviews coming, alright? Thanks!