A cautionary warning from Howard?
:The Message:
Penny blew on the nail polish and regarded the color critically. For something called Princess Pink it was pretty orange-ish to her. She reached for the polish remover and some cotton balls. Suddenly the lights flashed and went out. "Damn!"
Penny sighed and rubbed her temple. Could her day get any more sucky? Or her week? Leonard, the little bastard, had broken up with her. For Sheldon's assistant. Seems he liked being chased. Made him feel powerful. She knew it was her pride more than her heart that hurt, but it still hurt. She had tried to love him the way he wanted. She did love him. She just wasn't in love with him. Then Amy had called her. Apparently her fiancé in some desert somewhere had finally had enough. He was demanding she move there and marry him or lose her funding. Amy didn't know which she loved more, science or Sheldon.
Penny was trying to stay out of it. It wasn't her decision to make. When she had approached Sheldon and asked how he was doing, he had glared at her and walked away without a word. Penny stood and walked over to the window. The whole street was blacked out. She was about to look for some candles when a flash of light behind her made her jump.
Penny turned as gaped. "Howard?"
It was Howard. Only it wasn't. This Howard was older. He had grey hair and was stooped a bit. His wrinkled eyes were sad and scared.
"Penny?" he wheezed. "Oh, thank heaven! It worked! I made it back!" Howard smiled gently. "I had forgotten how pretty you were."
Penny stepped closer, fear coursing through her. "Howard? What happened? You look 80!"
He smiled and cackled. "Really? Cause I'm 104!" He watched her wistfully. "Penny, I can't stay. Raj and I think this will only last a few minutes. You have to find Sheldon. You two messed up. You left after the breakup with Leonard and Sheldon was all alone. He eventually lost his mind and went evil. He's almost destroyed our world now. You could have stopped it. It was losing you that did it. He loved you so much. He just never knew it until it was too late. Please, Penny. I know you love him. Don't let it happen again!"
Penny could only gasp and stare as the image of Howard faded. "Howard! Wait!" she screamed. She reached out for him but he was gone. Penny collapsed on the floor. What had just happened? How was that possible?
She tried to think it through. She had left, he said. Sheldon had been all alone, and he had gone insane. Because she left? Or because he was alone? Why was he alone? Had Amy chosen her sheik? Sheldon. Penny sobbed. He couldn't be evil! He just couldn't. Not her Sheldon! Penny froze as she realized what she had thought. Her Sheldon.
Yeah, she loved him. She had always loved him. But that was a fool's dream. She had known from the first day they met that he would never want her. She was pretty, sure, but she wasn't smart enough for him. She wasn't good enough for him. He was special. Not just a genius. Not just a man. He was destined for great things. World changing things. She had no spot in that.
He loved you so much. That was what the future Howard had said. Was it true? Could he love her? Slowly Penny stood up and made her way to the door. She opened it slowly and looked across the hall. She walked over and knocked on the door three times. After a moment Sheldon opened it with a frown.
"Penny? Why are you knocking?" he asked. "You never knock."
Penny took a steady breath. "Sheldon, I love you. I always have. I know I'm nowhere near good enough for you, and I don't expect you to reciprocate. But I want you to know how I feel. I've put it off for too long. There is nothing I wouldn't do for you, if you asked. And as long as you want, I'll be there for you." Penny leaned up and quickly placed a kiss on his lips before hurrying back to her own apartment.
Sheldon tentatively touched his lips. Penny had said she loved him. She had kissed him. She said she had always loved him, but she wasn't good enough. Sheldon stared at her door for several minutes.
Penny was curled up on her bed sobbing when the bedroom door opened. She sat up quickly and brushed away the tears. Sheldon moved over and pushed her hair back from her face. He sat down facing her and stared into her eyes.
"Why aren't you good enough?" he asked softly.
Penny looked down. "You know why, Sheldon. Because I'm not smart. Because I've been with a lot of guys. Because I'm a failed actress with a crappy waitress job, and you are a genius unraveling the mysteries of the universe. You're smart and handsome, and gifted, and you could have any girl you wanted."
Sheldon tilted her chin up so she was looking at him. "What if I said there's only been one woman I ever wanted? A messy, chaotic, stubborn woman who steals my onion rings, sits in my spot and keeps me awake nights wishing she was mine."
Penny stared at him in astonishment. "Sheldon?" she whispered longingly.
He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. Almost instantly they were wrapped in each other's arms. Long after the lights came back on, they lay on the bed, just holding each other. Penny told him about the visit from the future Howard. Sheldon frowned at first. He would become evil?
"Penny, is that why you told me you love me? To stop me from being evil?"
She shook her head against his chest. "No. I told you because it's true. Because the thought of leaving and never seeing you again hurt too much. I don't care if you turn evil, as long as I don't lose you. I love you so much."
Sheldon grinned. "I love you," he whispered before kissing her again.
Raj disassembled the projector and turned back on the power grid for Los Robles Avenue as Howard removed the make up on his face and hands. "Think they'll forgive us for tricking them, if they ever find out?" Raj asked.
Howard smirked. "Hey, we did it for their own good. Those two have been tiptoeing around each other for 6 years. They just needed a push to realize they both loved each other."
Raj sighed happily. He did love a good happy ending.
I was feeling down and I wanted a sappy happy Shenny. I also wanted Howard and Raj to trick Penny and Sheldon into admitting it.