Author's Note: Well, I was originally planning to wait to post this, but I might as well put it up now. A little longer than the last one, but I wasn't sure how long it'd take me to finish, and I wanted to get this piece done before I (and you guys, wonderful audience that you've been!) get too bored of it. Thanks for reading this far!

Penny slumped against her door again, rubbing the mascara marks from her cheeks as she tried to pull herself together. She didn't need another man like that in her life. She didn't. She needed to get as far away from that as possible.

And her plans didn't go much further than that, only thoughts of escape, of freedom.

She struggled to catch her breath without sobbing.

She pulled her hair back, leaving the security of the door. There was a sort of dark, twisted happiness that she'd managed to get her parting shots in without completely breaking down.

Unfortunately as quickly as that thought replaced the anger, guilt started creeping in too. Maybe that was too harsh, maybe she should have tried to talk about it rationally instead of just letting the anger take over. But if that was how Leonard felt... or was he just lashing out in pain?

Without thinking it through, she curled her hand in a fist and hit the wall beside the door. Penny was immediately shaking the pain out of her hand. When did life get so difficult?

Her mind immediately started chiming in, when you started dating someone so innocent that doesn't understand the games and things that go without saying. When you fell for someone completely awkward, and adorable, and unaware. When you gave it up, went back to your old life, and just expected that sense of innocence to remain untouched.

There was a strange sense of having warped Leonard into this – was he really this angry before, this hurtful? Or was that all her fault?

She sighed and wandered into the bathroom, leaning against her sink and staring up at her reflection.

What did she really want for herself? She had her usual answers – to be a successful actress, to find someone to love, to be happy. Was she really pursuing any of those? She ran the water, cold, and scrubbed the running makeup from her face.

A clean start.

Well, she wasn't going to move her home. She wasn't going to run away. She'd started the day knowing what she wanted – what she thought she wanted. That was worth something, right?

The only question left in her mind was, was it really something worth fighting for?

She slipped into her bedroom and picked up a piece of flat plastic from her night-table. She looked down at the snowflake in its clear prison.

It was Leonard. Leonard who would teach her about crazy science things. Leonard who would absolutely believe in her. The same Leonard who was quick to anger, quick to answer with petty harsh words, who easily slipped into defensive whining and hiding. Leonard who was trying to be so strong. Leonard who was finally confronting his feelings.

A sad smile played across her lips as she put the snowflake back down.

The anger was so draining, she was so tired of fighting it and the fear. She'd take this leap.

Penny headed back to the door, leaning her ear against it and listening to the hallway beyond, hoping that this wouldn't be the worst mistake of her life...

Leonard sat outside, running over and over the words in his head. Guilt. Replaying his anger, his mistakes in his mind, thinking of a million ways he could have said anything better, anything different. Wishing that he had kissed Penny when he had the chance; that he could for once, just shut up and do, instead of thinking and speaking, and putting his foot in his mouth. And failing.

A cold smile thinned his lips. Well, this would definitely chase Penny out of his life. And eventually, someone would invent a way to wipe his memory so he could forget how stupid he was, and how miserable he apparently needed to make himself, and how he'd messed this one up to.

Anyone that said you should talk about your feelings was most definitely wrong.

He slowly dragged himself against gravity as the air cooled, the sun setting. He'd been shivering before the temperature chilled him, but now he couldn't really justify sitting outside anymore. He'd have to get home. Somehow.

Each stair was a challenge, his body felt like a dead weight. Dread crept in as he got closer to his apartment, to Penny's apartment. He was out of ideas, he had no way to make this right anymore. He was emotionally drained.

Zombie-Leonard, he thought. He liked that. It had a ring to it. Lifeless, but still moving forward. A thoughtless and empty shell. That fit him right now.

He reached the last stair and stared at the hallway, taking the first step toward his apartment and feeling like he might not make it across the space.

Penny's door opened and he froze, flinched even. He swallowed hard. "Hey," he said, because he didn't have the energy to run to his door, or the cruelty to ignore her.

"Hey," she echoed, her voice just as soft.

He looked up, surprised. Leonard had expected to be yelled at. Deserved to be yelled at. His dark eyes searched her face. Without makeup she looked vulnerable, like she'd taken some of her defences down. And with something as simple as that, he felt that familiar rush of desire to wrap her up in his arms, keep her safe. To protect her, to comfort her, even if he was the reason she was hurting.

But she reached out.

His breath caught when her cool hands took his. His eyes tracked across her face, trying to decipher her motivations. His thumbs fell into a familiar pattern, brushing lightly across the top of her fingers. Gentle, barely touching.

He leaned forward when she didn't pull away, pressing his forehead into hers, feeling the once-familiar weight against his glasses. He held his breath, scared he'd ruin this moment.

"Did-did you really mean it?" Penny asked, her breath warm against his face, oh-so-close.

There was a slight shake of his head, he didn't trust his voice. "Not like that," he whispered back. The feelings had been true, he'd thought he needed to tell her, to demand that she fix his jealousy, his own insecurities. But not like that, not an accusation. "I'm so sorry."

"Me too," Penny echoed. He felt her start to tremble against him. He dropped her hands, wrapping his arms around her like she was his lifeline. He wondered if her apology was for her actions, or for how he'd interpreted them.

But then her lips were on his cheek, pressing into his skin, warm and soft and ever so slightly wet.

Maybe the words didn't matter so much, he thought, pulling back enough to seek out those lips with his own.

As he kissed her, against all his rational thoughts and well thought out arguments, his fears fell apart, fading. He was lost in the moment. This was what he wanted, what was in his arms.

Maybe, just maybe, this could work out.

Penny let her eyes close as the kiss deepened, her hands holding Leonard close.

There were so many reasons why this could be a bad idea. He had his flaws. She most definitely had her own - she wasn't so deluded as to think she was perfect.

His lips were hungry against her own, chasing away deeper thoughts, leaving her in the moment.

She felt happy. Hopeful. Maybe this wouldn't be the all-consuming relationship she thought Leonard wanted – maybe it would even be more, maybe less. Maybe it wouldn't be the relationship she thought she wanted – for better or for worse.

But at least this way they could try to figure it out together.

fin.

Author's Note: Well, there it is. Love it or hate it, The Resolution Disillusion is at it's conclusion. Any feedback is appreciated - knowing people are still out there reading will keep encouraging me to write.

Thanks so much to everyone that has reviewed, you kept me going and the fact that this story is now complete is definitely a reflection on your willingness to write some kind words.