Ok, I know, it's been a while. Well, I've had a lot on my mind, one of my aunts has cancer, I had my birthday and was really missing my parents, and my fiancee and I decided to move up to our hometown, where almost all my family and my fiancee's family live. So not really an excuse, but I wasn't up to writing. For those who don't know, Glenmorangie is whiskey. Also, Howard and Bernadette (though I love them together) crashed and burned before this story begins!
Penny had to tell someone. She couldn't keep it to herself anymore. Which is how she ended up at Amy's, with a bottle of Glenmorangie in hand.
'Bestie, I normally don't comment on your drinking, but Glenmorangie? Why?' Amy seemed confused, so Penny had to explain that you still get drunk, without drinking the whole bottle.
After taking a long drink from her full glass, Penny just came out with it. 'Amy, I like Howard. I like him, and I've been going crazy! We went out and then Leonard got all caveman on him and it just isn't fair! I don't know what to do, I mean, I told him I wouldn't be interested in him if he were the last man on earth. What do I do?' Somewhere along the rant, Penny had started crying. She downed the rest of her glass and refilled it. She knew Amy was inexperienced when it came to social 'protocols', but they were friends, and she trusted Amy. And, well, she just couldn't talk to Bernadette about it! 'Penny, have you tried telling Howard about this?' Penny stared at her friend. 'Why would I tell Howard when I can barely admit it to myself? When it makes me hyper ventilate and rant? When all I can think of is everyone's reaction if we were to date?' Amy noticed that Penny had become somewhat panicked. 'Penny, no one has to know. You are now able to admit your feelings for Howard to yourself. Why not admit them to Howard? Find out how he feels Penny. Only then can you deal with them.' Penny wondered if Amy was right, if Howard reciprocated, then they could move forward together. If he didn't, then Penny could move on.
Meanwhile, Howard was thinking of ways to tell Penny how he felt about her. When every imagined scenario turned sour, he called Raj over. 'You like Penny? Like, actually like her? Not just leer at her and make a pervy comment sort of like, but have actual feelings for, kind of like?' Howard nodded. 'Wow. You're in so much trouble. Oh my god, dude, what about Leonard? What the frak is he going to say?' Howard had to explain about Leonard's previous outburst. Raj didn't look surprised, 'Dude, you know how Leonard feels about Penny. He thinks she'll come crawling back to him, or, more realistically, he hopes she'll snap her fingers so he can go back to sleeping with her. But we also know that she isn't interested in him. Especially after him and my sister. I think it made her realise just how well they didn't mesh.' Raj had never like Leonard and Penny together. Leonard always felt like he deserved Penny, when really, he didn't. So if Penny returned Howard's feelings, then he would be a shipper.
Back in the apartment...
'Why were Howard and Penny out together, eating? What does that mean? Who does Howard think he is, taking MY ex girlfriend out on dates? Wha-' Sheldon interrupted. 'Leonard, the point of this rant is unclear, but the contradiction in that sentence is very clear. Penny is your EX girlfriend. You two are no longer an item, having coitus or even remotely in a relationship. Howard has every right to take Penny out on a date. However, he, and Penny, I might add, made it abundantly clear that neither occasion was a date. I really don't know why you're unable to think logically, Leonard. It's quite simple, if you just listen.' Leonard just stared at him. He deserved Penny, after everything he'd been through. His parents not showing him love, being bullied, always being second best to his siblings in his accomplishments. Like that wasn't bad enough, he lived with Sheldon, and so had to put up with that crazy, make sure his demands were met, be humiliated by his social mishaps, and be blamed for the whole Arctic results mess. It wasn't all his fault, the other guys went along with it, why didn't they get any of the blame? Why did it all come down on him? He deserved happiness, and a hot girl to sleep with, dammit! But no one else thought this. They all thought Leonard was a sanctimonious and whiny man, who didn't deserve most of what he had, simply because he believed he deserved so much more. Leonard never did realise just how bad he came across.