Chapter 8 - Part of Penny's Life was Missing

The Wednesday evening with the girls was comforting for Penny, they had dinner and then stopped for drinks afterward. Penny kept herself to two drinks, she nursed for well over an hour, partly because she had to work the next day and partly because she didn't want to get drunk. They talked about a lot of things but Penny could see her friends were avoiding talking about her ordeal, almost two weeks ago, which she loved them for. However Penny was feeling better and could talk about it now, so she decided to bring up the subject herself.

"You know, this is nice, we haven't done anything like this since my incident at the Cheesecake Factory." Penny smiled at them.

Bernadette was first to broach the subject, "How have you been feeling about that now Penny."

"It is still in my mind, but I can live with it now. They told me it would eventually be just a memory in the future, and I really think they are right, it gets better everyday. Doing normal things like this help, getting back to my normal life, you know."

Amy now felt confident to enter the conversation, "So how has it been between you and Leonard, since this happened?"

The question really set Penny back, she suddenly felt concerned and it made her think to herself, 'Why haven't I seen Leonard?'. "Um…..I haven't seen him since that first weekend. I think he has been working late a lot…but I don't really know."

"Howard has been working late a lot too. I don't know what those guys are working on, but they sure have been putting in the hours." Bernadette added.

"Yeah, and I was gone this past weekend, to that spa and therapy, so we haven't got together." Penny now wondered more why they hadn't seen each other, usually they saw each other, even during difficult times.

The rest of the evening was relaxing for Penny and she was in her apartment, in bed, a little after 10 PM, feeling good. The only thing that bothered Penny was the conversation about Leonard they had this evening and now being alone in bed it was starting to feel lonely to her again, Leonard not being there felt strange. After this all first happened, she didn't want to talk to people, but now that she was getting back to, she was feeling the emptiness of him not being there. She began to wonder more again, why she hadn't seen him at all since that Sunday night the first weekend. She laid there awake, going over it in her mind, did she drive him off, she did that before when he rewrote her history paper, did she do that again when she told him she didn't want his company that Sunday? The more she thought about it, the more it seemed she did cause the situation she was now in between them, well she needed to fix that, because she was missing him and deep down she really needed him.

-TIN MAN-

Thursday Penny couldn't do much that day, about Leonard, she had to work, from after lunch to closing, the last 4 hours as a bartender. Penny had just arrived at work, and was putting her purse and jacket into her locker, when Cheryl arrived and headed right over to her with purpose. "Hey Penny, can you do me a favor and trade shifts tomorrow. I need the morning off to take care of a few things before the weekend."

"Yeah sure, especially since I owe you one for taking care of me last week."

Cheryl giggled a little, "You were pretty bad, you were an handful getting home."

"Yeah, sorry about that, and sorry you had to put me to bed."

"Well Leonard did most of the bed thing after I got you home. There was something that was funny though, he insisted that I get you into your pajamas, he seemed a little weird about it. You guys are still boyfriend and girlfriend aren't you?"

Penny nodded, confusion on her face. "Yeah we are. Leonard was there? He never said anything. But that would explain a few things like the water, aspirin and TV dinner…did I throw up while you were there?"

"No, you were really bombed though."

Penny stood there and thought, "I don't remember throwing up, but I know I must have. Leonard must have taken care of me."

"He didn't say anything?"

"No, I haven't seen him since."

Cheryl looked at Penny, seriously, "Penny is something up between you too. He seemed standoffish that night."

Penny shook her head, now confused.

The look on Penny's face, made Cheryl want to change the subject, "Oh well it is probably nothing, I had a few drinks in me too, so I probably wasn't all there either. Anyway, I need you to cover my shift from opening till 6 PM. Can you do that?"

Penny nodded, "Okay, I work from 3 PM to closing."

"Great I got it. I'll tell the manager were switching."

-TIN MAN-

The rest of the day went normally and after 7 PM that evening Bernadette and Amy came by to spend a couple of hours with Penny, while she tended bar. She always welcomed their company, especially on weekdays when the bar wasn't very busy, this day was no different. "Thanks guys for visiting, it is so boring tonight."

"No problem, Howard is working late again and I didn't want to go home anyway."

Amy smiled, "I came because I wanted to hang out with you." Bernadette gave her a quick glare and Penny giggled a little.

"I still appreciate it. What's your poison." Penny had a big smile on her face, which made both her friends smile in return.

The girls talked for the next hour, nursing their drinks, Penny really enjoyed their company. Penny didn't know who brought it up, but she talked a little about what happened there two weeks ago and they talked a little about her rescue some too. However Penny wasn't really interested in the mechanical man as much anymore, her mind kept going back to thinking about Leonard, so she decided to ask her friends about him. "Have you guys talked to Leonard this week?"

Amy and Bernadette both looked at her confused. "Haven't you?" Amy asked.

Penny shook her head. "No, have you guys?"

Bernadette and Amy both shook their heads. "I haven't seen him since the night you came home from the hospital." Bernadette looked at Penny with concern.

"Me neither." Amy added.

Penny stood their quietly for a little while, now making both girls look in concern. "Penny is something wrong between you and Leonard?" Amy asked her friend

Penny shrugged her shoulders. "I don't think so, but I haven't seen him for almost two weeks. I think maybe I drove him off with what was going on."

"He hasn't tried to help you?" Bernadette now was really concerned, she couldn't believe Leonard would not try to help her.

"Yeah, he did, but I sort of told him I didn't need him and I haven't seen him since. Well except, I came home drunk one night, the first week, and Cheryl told me he took care of me, but since then, I haven't seen him. I think he is giving me space, because of how I was acting towards him. I really need to see him tomorrow and get things back to normal." She didn't tell the girls she was becoming more and more concerned about what was going on between her and Leonard. She usually had a good handle on their relationship, but now she had no idea what was happening, it was actually starting to worry her.

Both girls nodded and then went back to talking about their own boyfriend and husband. The girls left a little after 9 PM and Penny left work a little after 10 PM, heading straight to her apartment to sleep, she had to get up early to cover Cheryl's shift. While laying in bed she thought about Leonard for a little while, aggravated with herself, that he wasn't with her now, she always fell right to sleep in his arms.

-TIN MAN-

Friday evening, after Penny returned from work, she showered, changed and took a few moments to sit on her couch and have a glass of wine, while she thought about things, before she went across the hall to check on her boyfriend. It was exactly two weeks since the incident and Penny had the evening off, so she wanted to spend it with Leonard, she was missing him more and more. She felt it was her fault she hadn't seen him, she had been so wrapped in the incident and the mechanical man, that she had neglected him and probably drove him away. He of course took care of her while she was drunk, and didn't tell her, she smiled as she realized that was exactly like him and was one of the reasons she loved him. Actually she really felt silly, she had been excited and so curious about the hero that saved her, she had ignored Leonard completely, this week, and she wondered why she did that, because now that she realized it she felt really bad. She had been so wrapped up in herself, but now after she had her head together, she needed him, because for her, when life went back to its normal routine, Leonard was the only one who made her happy. She once told the girls that her love for Leonard was a boring love, but what she really meant was that in the everyday progression of life, Leonard was the person she turned to because she always felt good with him. It was happening now, life was back to normal, and she needed Leonard, being with him was what she needed, it felt empty without him, so she got up and went to 4A.

Penny grabbed the doorknob and walked into her boyfriends apartment to see the guys playing Halo, it was now so obvious to her that Leonard was not there. "Where's Leonard?"

"Penny is that you? Yes you can come in." Sheldon mocked her then glared at her, but did not stop playing, instead then just ignoring her.

Penny walked in front of the TV, getting Sheldon's immediate attention. "Penny, you are ruining our game, move or you will get two strikes."

"Where's Leonard?"

"He's in his room, at least he has the decency to stay in his room when he is sick. Now move!"

"He's sick! How long?"

Howard put his controller down, "He has been sick for a couple days, but I think he is over the worse now." Howard was worried about Leonard and he hoped Penny was going to see him, he wouldn't see Howard.

"Howard, you can't just stop. We are getting killed here, pick that controller back up." Sheldon was now getting upset. "Yes he's sick, now leave us alone."

Penny reached back and turned off the TV, "Damm you Sheldon. Why didn't you tell me he was sick!"

Sheldon threw his hands in the air, "Penny! We have been playing for two hours and winning, but you now made that all for nothing. And why do you care if Leonard's sick, you have had nothing to do with him for the last two weeks."

Penny stood there speechless, she could feel the tears forming, she was a horrible girlfriend, Sheldon was right, she could have cared less about Leonard the last two weeks. Penny turned and headed to Leonard's room, not hearing the remarks Sheldon make to her back. Penny quietly opened Leonard's door and looked in, there was a night light on, so after her eyes adjusted she could see everything. Leonard was asleep, his breathing labored from congestion, and there were tissues all over the floor on the other side of the bed. His night stand had some medicine on it, plus a couple inhalers, she knew he was having trouble breathing, and she felt horrible again.

The sight of him curled up in bed made her heart actually hurt, as it became clear to her that he had needed her this week and she wasn't there for him. She had to take care of him, she needed to take care of him, it was her only thought, the only thing that made sense to her. Penny then quietly walked around his bed to look at him, he looked so sick, it made her feel terrible all over again, she was determined to make him better, she would stay with him till he was better. She slowly and quietly got in bed with him and put her arms around him, he felt a little cold, so she moved her body against him. As she took him into her arms, she couldn't help think how frail he felt, he seemed to have lost weight. A tear rolled down her cheek as she thought how he had been alone, with no one to take care of him, never complaining, just lying there suffering, so she laid her head next to his and after a little while she feel asleep with him.

Penny woke up to Leonard's raspy voice. "Penny…..Penny…..wake up."

"Sweetie, how are you feeling?"

"Penny, you shouldn't be here, you'll just get sick, like me."

"No I won't Sweetie, I'll take care of you."

"No Penny, you have to leave, you'll get sick, then you won't be able to work and…and you need to leave."

"Sweetie, let me take care of you. I won't get sick, but if I do you can take care of me."

"Penny…..leave. I want you to leave. Please Penny, if you want to help me, leave."

Penny was about in tears, he was throwing her out, she needed to take care of him but he didn't want her, she couldn't believe how bad it made her feel. "Leonard, please let me take care of you." She repeated, "You are sick and need someone to help you, Sweetie. I'm here to help you."

"Penny, I'll be okay, you don't have to worry. Please just leave me be."

Penny just looked at him, he wanted her to leave him alone, just like she wanted him to leave her alone a couple of weeks ago. She forced herself up and got up from the bed, stopping at the door. "Leonard, I'm just across the hall if you need me."

"Okay, Thanks."

Penny then went out and closed the door, tears running down her face, as she stood outside his door, trying to keep from sobbing. After about a minute, she walked through the living room and out the apartment door, to her apartment, not stopping until she was laying on her bed, hugging her pillow and crying. Leonard had told her to go away and it was breaking her heart, he never acted like that before, she couldn't help but feel it was like telling her they were over.