Word Count: 1189
Disclaimer: I don't own The Big Bang Theory or the characters.

He was at a total loss.

Leonard felt a storm of anger swirling inside him—at his dad, Beverly, and even his newly discovered biological mom. Sure, Beverly had taken him in, but she hadn't exactly been a great mom to him. Now that Beverly was gone and the funeral was over, he felt like he couldn't stay in New Jersey any longer. The moment the service wrapped up, he booked the next flight home.

He was feeling utterly alone. He was only a half-brother to Michael and Samantha. Beverly was gone, and Leonard had no intention of ever seeing her again. His dad wanted him to get to know Jacqueline, his biological mother, but Leonard had no interest.

He wanted answers—real answers. Not just that he might have been the reason his parents' marriage fell apart. The old family photos showed happier times, before everything went south. Leonard could see it now: discovering your spouse cheated and had a kid with someone else would probably ruin any relationship. The trust, the respect—gone.

After Beverly's father died, it seemed like the only thing keeping his parents together was their kids. Maybe the old man had said something to them? Leonard didn't know. What he did know was that he'd always felt like an outsider in his own family, and now he understood why. Did Michael and Samantha even know the truth? There were so many questions that just hung in the air, unanswered.

He now saw why his dad was always off in other countries on research trips. Leonard didn't know for sure, but he had a hunch. Maybe his dad was trying to escape Beverly and all the mistakes he'd made—like Leonard himself—or maybe he was off cheating again. Leonard wondered if he was the only illegitimate child in the Hofstadter family or if there were others scattered around the globe from his dad's trips.

He wasn't even sure if he wanted to know. What good would it do? It probably wouldn't make him feel any better. It would likely ruin what little relationship he had left with his dad and just make him angrier at everyone.

Leonard still didn't know what to do.

He'd been lying in his bed for six hours since they got back. Penny had slept on the plane, so she went out grocery shopping with Amy when they landed. Sheldon had gone to bed too, and Leonard followed suit, though all he did was stare at the ceiling, lost in thought.

He thought maybe a bath would help clear his head. He got out of bed and opened the door, only to be met by a bright light that made him squint. The living room was blinding after the darkness of his room. But Leonard didn't care.

He filled the tub with scalding hot water and climbed in, letting the heat burn his skin. He stayed like that for a long time, relishing the searing sensation. When he finally got out, his skin was red and hot. He looked at the foggy mirror and wiped his hand across it, watching the cool water droplets slide down as his skin cooled.

Staring at himself in the mirror, he didn't recognize the man looking back. It wasn't just the red skin or the scruffy beard. He felt lost. Was his entire life a lie? Was his marriage a lie?

He glared at his reflection.

Penny loves you. Nothing will ever change that. She promised.

Leonard couldn't believe he'd actually questioned Penny's love. Sure, she'd turned down most of his proposals, but she'd taken him back after the Mandy kiss. She loved him, and she was there for him. Nothing was going to change that.

A cold hand touched his back—well, any hand would be cold against his overheated skin.

He turned around to find Sheldon standing there. It wasn't exactly surprising to see Sheldon with red-rimmed eyes and sniffling, but it was strange to see him so vulnerable. Leonard's first impulse was to run, considering how unbearable Sheldon could be when he was sick. But Sheldon wasn't sick—just mourning.

"It's okay, buddy," Leonard said, reaching out for a hug. Sheldon pushed him away.

"Can… can you put a shirt on?" Sheldon asked, his voice trembling. Leonard gave a small smile and nodded.

They hugged, and Leonard could feel Sheldon's tears soaking through his shirt. It didn't matter. Leonard's own tears mixed with the sweat from his hot bath, and they both cried together.

The first dinner back home was awkward. Everyone felt the unspoken weight of the situation, but no one knew how to address it. They busied themselves with serving food, but as they ate, the room fell into an uncomfortable silence.

Sometimes someone would open their mouth, only to close it again. Leonard tried to break the silence.

"Okay, can we just stop pretending everything's normal?" Leonard said. "Can we talk about this?"

Everyone turned to look at him. Bernadette was the first to speak. "Are you okay with everything that happened?"

"Of course I'm not okay!" Leonard shot back. "But would you be?" He stared at her, waiting for an answer.

"I don't think so," she replied quietly, looking down at her food.

"Look," Leonard said, putting his plate on the coffee table and sinking back into his chair. "Finding out that Beverly wasn't my biological mom was already a shock. Learning that my real mom gave me up and had other kids? It's a lot. And the worst part is that my dad never said anything. I get it, Beverly probably didn't like me and didn't talk about it, but my dad should have said something." Leonard sighed. "Well, he wasn't exactly around to say it," he added quietly.

"Maybe he was trying to protect you," Amy suggested.

"Protect me from what?" Leonard asked, frustration evident in his voice. "From a woman who had a family and seemed to be a really good mom? Those kids were lucky to have her."

"You were lucky that Beverly wanted you. She didn't send you to an orphanage or anything," Raj pointed out, taking a sip of his drink.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Leonard admitted. He leaned back in his chair, feeling defeated. "What am I supposed to do now?" he asked, sounding like a lost child.

The group exchanged looks. Penny cleared her throat, and Leonard turned to her.

"Talk to your mom," Penny said softly. "Or your dad. Or your siblings. You know, the ones from your biological mom."

Leonard sighed. "Why would I do that?" he wondered aloud.

"Try to understand their side," Penny said, searching for words. "See what kind of person your mom really is. Find out how your siblings grew up. Maybe talking to your dad could help a little. Maybe." She shrugged, looking at the others for support.

Leonard's eyes widened as he looked at Penny. "You're right! I need to do that!" he said, jumping up from his chair and grabbing his phone. "Don't wait up!" he called out, before dashing out the door and slamming it behind him.

End of Chapter 6

I once again want to thank WarriorCreed for the ideas.