:Delayed Wooing:
He couldn't think of anything to say. For perhaps the first time in his life, he was not only speechless, but his mind was alarmingly blank. He stood beside the kitchen island and watched her tape the box of DVDs shut.
Penny stood and looked around the packed up apartment one last time. She had a lot of memories, both good and bad, of this apartment. Her eyes settled on Sheldon and she sighed sadly. He looked so lost. Her one true friend. He was the only one who had come to say goodbye.
She understood Howard and Raj. They were bros with Leonard, and everyone knew that old saying. Bernadette was Howard's wife. She had to support him. She had called and said she'd miss her, but it felt like a slap in the face to be honest. Amy was the one she was most hurt by. Amy chose Leonard's side for one reason only. Sheldon. She had already approached the landord and signed a lease. She would move in the day after tomorrow, so she could be closer to Sheldon.
He watched her look around the apartment and struggled to find a way to convince her to stay. He understood her reasons for leaving. She was fulfilling her dreams. A secondary character on a tv show and a prominent role in a movie had been offered to her. Together they would require her to spend the next 14 months in Canada. Leonard had flipped out when he heard. He had only been back from the North sea two months and didn't understand how she could leave for over a year.
When she pointed out how much this meant to her, he had yelled that she should just give up this pipe dream and finish school. An hour later, after much yelling, they had broken up. So, how could he ask her to stay? How could he tell her he didn't want her to leave when it meant so much to her?
Penny picked up the box and stacked it by the door with the others. Tomorrow movers would arrive to transport her belongings to Alberta. With mixed emotions she pulled on her coat. She was finally going to get her dream. She was a real actress now! But she was leaving behind all the friends she loved. She picked up her satchel and stepped into the hallway. Sheldon followed and watched her lock the door. She turned to him and smiled softly.
She could tell he had something he wanted to say, but no idea how to say it. After a couple of seconds she held out her key to him. "I'll send you an email as soon as I get settled, okay?" she asked.
Sheldon gave a jerky sort of nod and pocketed the key. "I hope you have a turbulence free flight," he murmured.
"I'll miss you, Sheldon. I'll miss everyone, but I think I'll miss you most of all."
He searched her eyes carefully. "Why?" he questioned. Maybe if he knew why she would miss him, he could figure out why he was so upset. "I do not understand why this feels this way," he said in a scared voice.
Tears formed in her eyes and she shook her head. "You got used to me," she said. "But Amy will be here now. It will be fine." Penny wiped away the tears and smiled as sweetly as she could. "Okay, Moon Pie. This is non-optional. I'm going to hug you now, and you're going to let me."
Sheldon moved swiftly, gathering her tight against his chest. After a second of surprise, Penny hugged him back. They stood that way for several minutes before slowly drawing back. Penny placed her palm on his cheek and smiled up at him. Then she picked up her bags and headed swiftly down the stairs.
He watched her until she was gone from sight and then went into his apartment. He walked straight back to his bedroom and dug the box from under his bed. He sat down on the edge of his bed and pulled Meemaw's letters from it. Underneath was a small wooden box. He gently opened it up and looked at the contents. A penny Blossom, a stale chocolate, a photo from Disneyland, a label from Mama Rosa'a spaghetti sauce, the empty jar of vapo-rub she had used on him and finally, the questionnaire he had made her take to remain his friend. He had been shocked by how well she knew him. He slipped her apartment key off the Hello Kitty keychain and placed it in the box. He closed it back up and replaced the letters on top.
"Goodbye Penny," he whispered sadly.
Penny pulled into her parking space and grabbed her groceries and dry cleaning. It had been a long day of re-shoots but finally the second season of Darlings and Devils was done. Her secondary role had quickly become a regular character. She had a five month hiatus before the start of the third season. She had a script to look over for a sequel to the movie she was in, Distortion. She had also registered for a couple of classes at the college. Every time there was a break in filming, she continued her education. At this rate, she'd be 40 before she got her degree, but she didn't mind.
She waved to old Mr. Jenner in the lobby before heading to the stairs. The elevator worked in her building, but she still took the stairs out of habit. When she got to the third floor she ran into Bethany who lived across the hall from her.
"New tenant in 3C," her friend whispered. "Bit of a weirdo."
Penny shook her head and laughed. Bethany was very picky, and to her, everyone was a weirdo. She unlocked her door and put the dry cleaning in her closet. She moved to the little kitchen to put away the groceries. She was just opening the fridge when there was a knock on her door.
Knock. Knock. Knock. "Penny?"
She spun toward the door as her heart thumped loudly.
Knock. Knock. Knock. "Penny?"
She was sure she was imagining it, even as she took a step toward the door.
Knock. Knock. Knock. "Penny?"
She flew the rest of the way across the apartment and jerked the door open.
Sheldon smiled shyly and clasped his hands behind his back. "Hello, Penny."
Slowly she reached out and touched his arm. "You're really here?" she asked softly.
Sheldon nodded and pointed to the apartment diagonal from hers. "We are once again neighbors."
Her jaw dropped as she stepped around him and walked across the hall. Boxes were stacked neatly in the center of the room. Five white boards were placed against the far wall. It was the brown couch that convinced her, though.
Slowly she turned back to him. She was slightly surprised by how close he was standing. "Why?" she finally managed to ask.
Sheldon took a deep breath. He had spent two years coming to terms with how he felt. It took him a long time to work up the courage to come after her. He reached out and took one of her hands in his.
"I am not very comfortable expressing emotion. I have spent decades suppressing or ignoring that side of me. I do not know if I am capable of breaking down the walls I built around myself. Intimacy may never come easy for me. When you left, I had nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide, and a few other trace elements, but I was missing the most important one. Penny, you are my oxygen. And without you, I cannot breathe."
She looked up at him hopefully. In the two years she had been gone, she had made a startling discovery. She cared for this whack-a-doodle more than she had ever realized. He was the one she kept in touch with. He was the one she missed most. He was the reason she turned down the men who asked her out. "What do you want from me?"
He smiled shyly down at her. "A chance. An opportunity to be with you. Will you take a chance on me?"
Penny's smile spread wider. "Not on you, on us. We'll take a chance on us, Sheldon."
He gently wrapped his arms around her and held her close. Us. Who knew such a small word could hold so much joy in it?