What doesn't kill us, makes us stronger.

Quote by Friedrich Nietzsche

No money's being made. I do not own TBBT, I just play around with it and I love the Shenny.

Long one-shot (I hope :-p) Italic is someone thinking or writing.

Leonard was poking his salad with his fork while thinking about Penny. They broke up a couple of months ago and although Penny said she wasn't seeing anyone, Leonard felt there was someone.

"Leonard, I do believe the chicken in your Ceasar's salad is already absent from it's life." Sheldon said. Raj snorted in his soup and Howard miffled a giggle. Seriously... A giggle? Are we sure they're not gay? Leonard thought.

"I'm not hungry." He said.

"Penny?" Raj asked. "Penny." Wolowitz nodded, already sure of it, because it's the only thing Leonard was thinking of the last... Oh I don't know... Years!

Sheldon stiffened in his chair, looking cautiously at Leonard from under his eyelashes.

"I think she's seeing someone!" Leonard suddenly said out loud and he threw his fork down, huffed out loud and folded his arms like a petulant child. He looked up and saw Sheldon's eye twitching.

"What. Do. You. Know?" Leonard said, taking up his fork again and pointing it threatingly at the genius. The others went quiet and looked at the confrontation.

"There is no need to point that infected fork at me, Leonard. Do you know how many bacteries are on that piece of metal? I can do the math I you'd like..." Sheldon started, trying to divert the attention.

"Tell me!" The fork poked his cheek. Sheldon pulled his head back and went to take a napkin to clean his cheek that was propably being eaten away with Leonard-pesticides at the moment. But Leonard was faster and grabbed all 4 napkins and dropped them on the ground.

"LEONARD!" Sheldon shouted outraged. "Oooh, this is going to be goooooood." Howard chuckled while rubbing his hands. Raj just nodded excitedly.

"TELL ME!" Leonard shouted again, by now Sheldon's eyetwitching went to an extreme and he stood up from his chair, it screeped loudly over the floor and a lot of heads turned their direction.

"Very well. I asked Penny if I may court her." Sheldon said, a blush spreading over his cheeks.

"YOU WHAT!" 5 voices said at once. Sheldon looked around and saw Kripke en Leslie listening into the conversation.

"What!" Leonard said again "How? Why!"

"Because I've fallen in love with her." A loud thump, Raj was unconscious and Howard looked a little green.

"After Howard's wedding and your break-up with Penny. Again. I noticed several things."

"Like what?" Howard asked.

"Amy and I were not working out and she terminated our Relationship Agreement. I did not feel saddened by this and I wondered why. I talked with Amy and I came to the conclusion that my affections already were taken by none other than Penny."

"Affections? But... Aren't you a robot? Or what? You haven't got a deal!" Leslie said.

"I have no idea why you are mingling into this conversation and I think it's rude, but to answer your question. I do have a deal and it's Penny. I spend a lot of time with her and..."

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT! What did she say? Did she say 'yes'?" Leonard shouted.

"She said she wanted to think things over and has done so the last couple of weeks. I promised to not push her and give her all the time she wants. I do not want her to hasten her decision."

"And she will say 'no'." Leonard said.

"How do you know that?" the confused genius asked. Raj his head peeped out from under the table.

"Who wants to be with you? You have no feelings, you're selfish and you have no idea how to handle a woman. She'll die from sexual frustration alone, I know Penny and she thinks you're crazy. She's too good to be with a guy like you."

"I'm not crazy, my mother had me tested and Penny has been with you. I'm a much better mate than you are. For one I'm not lactoseintolerant and..."

"That's beside the point! You're a frakking freak! You'll never make her happy, just like you make everybody around you unhappy! You. Do. Not. Deserve. HER!"

Sheldon reeled back like he just got slapped really hard in the face. The whole cafetaria was silent.

"But..." a hoarse Sheldon started. Leonard interrupted, "And you know what, you're an asshole too and a bad friend. It's againts social conventions to date your friend's ex. If you like to pretend to be human, try being one first."

"I did not know this rule. I... I apologize Leonard." Sheldon said and he turned abruptly. Shuffling out of the cafetaria with his eyes down.

"Dude... That was pretty harsh." Raj said to Leonard. "I don't care. He's not going to get together with Penny."

Knock knock knock "Penny!"

Knock knock knock "Penny!"

Knock knock knock "Penny!"

"Hellooooo Doctor Neutrino!" a beaming Penny said opening the door.

Sheldon kept himself in check as to not correct her on her idiotic opening lines.

"I came here to tell you I don't want to court you anymore. Goodbye." And he turned away.

"Wait!" Penny yelled and grabbed his arm. "Why?" her eyes were so beautiful and filling up with tears. Sheldon couldn't stand it and looked at his toes. "It's against social conventions and I don't think I can bear to see you any longer."

"Why!"

"Goodbye Penny." And Sheldon shook her hand off of him and went into his appartment.

Both cried themselves to sleep that night.

2 months later...

Life went back to normal after a week of silence. The four friends were eating in the cafetaria when suddenly 3 men in black came in. They headed straight to Sheldon. "Dr. Cooper?"

"Yes?" And being the Southern gentleman he was, he stood up and held out his hand but they did not shake it. "I'm Agent DeVito. Remember that phonecall a couple of years ago with code 93, Doctor?"

"Ofcourse! I have an eidetic memory and an I.Q. of... Wait? Code 93 you say? What are you saying!?" Sheldon's eyes widened.

"Yes Sir, we have to escort you immediately to the Pentagon." The biggest agent of the three said.

"But... My work here? And my family? My friends?" Sheldon almost started hyperventilating.

"Your cooperation is non-optional Sir. You have to come with us, now. The helicopter is waiting."

Sheldon turned frantically to his friends. "Howard! Keep close tabs on Bernadette, know where she is at all times. Raj! Contact my family and..." The three agents gripped Sheldon by the arms to drag him out before he could say anymore. Sheldon showed a surprisingly amount of strength by ripping himself free and he clutched Leonard to him. Leonard was frozen in confusion and fear, this was so unlike Sheldon. "Leonard." Sheldon whispered in his ear. "Open the box under my bed. The code to open it is Penny's birthday. Follow my instructions. Promise me Leonard." The agents took Sheldon again by the arms and this time less friendly. He went with them, struggling and looking back.

"Promise me!" He shouted over his shoulder.

"Leonard!" And Sheldon saw Leonard give a nod and the genius relaxed at once.

"What... What was that all about?" Howard asked. Raj just stood there with his mouth wide open. People were staring at them and Doctor Gablehauser looked angry.

"I don't know. Maybe he hacked into their satellites again?" Leonard said.

Leonard

You are propably wondering what is going on by now. A couple of hours ago I got a call from the Pentagon. I can not tell you what was said, but you know how hard it was for me to keep a secret. I decided to write a letter immediatly as to inform you as much as possible.

I'm in Washington D.C. by now and there is an emergency that needs my high intelligence. I prepared a box specially for this situation and you must follow its instructions.

There is going to be some sort of attack and I'll do anything in my power to get you all to safety. Trust me. If I'm not back in the first 3 months then I want you to go on with life as you knew it. One day I'll be at our doorstep again to come and get you or to come home forever.

I cannot say more on this matter.

Live long and prosper.

P.S.: Tell our friends about this, but they must keep the secret.

Leonard needed a couple of minutes to calm down and think what to do. He searched the rest of the box and found 6 backpacks. They all had basic survival stuff in it. Also a lot of maps, notebooks, astronaut food and protective clothing.

"What the hell..." Leonard started. He saw a backpack with a hello kitty key ring on it. An envelopcorner was pointing out of the front pocket. Leonard took it.

'Penny' was written on top of it. He could not keep his curiosity away and ripped it open so he could read the letter.

Leonard went back to the livingroom. Amy, Penny, Howard, Bernadette and Raj were all waiting for Leonard to say something. He read the first letter out loud.

"What's in the box?" Howard asked.

"Some basic survival stuff. I have no idea why."

"Should we panic?" Amy asked. "Social studies show that in case of impending doom people may start panicking."

"No..." Leonard said pointedly. "It's obvious Sheldon did something wrong and is just overexagerrating things."

"He does do that sometimes..." Howard murmured. Raj leant over and whispered in his friend's ear.

"Raj wants to know when Sheldon is going to get back."

"Well... We don't know that. Sheldon said that if he does not return in 3 months we'll have to go on living our life like we've always done. I don't know any much more than you guys, stop asking me questions." Leonard felt himself getting angry and the others noticed too.

Finally Penny opened her mouth.

"We trust Sheldon. Let's just do what he told us to do and wait 'til he comes back. He'll tell us then what happened. I don't think there is any reason to panic." She played with the hem of her Cheese Cake Factory jeans skirt. Trying to hide her turbulent feelings. She was scared for Sheldon and she was going to miss him. But they'll just have to trust him and everything was going to be fine. Right?

The others nodded.

Leonard asked himself if he should feel any guilt.

6 months later

"Why don't you come live with me. You could be my new roommate." Leonard suddenly said while the guys and Penny were playing Halo. Penny was beating their asses... Again... While complaining about her failed auditions and the fact her power got shut of. Again...

"But what if Sheldon comes back?" Penny said.

"We haven't heard from him and he did say that we only had to wait 3 months to go on with our lives. You get to save money and I don't think Sheldon will mind if we tell him this. It's reasonable."

Raj and Howard stayed silent.

"Alright... But I'm not allowed in his room. I'll stay on the couch until we get some news from Sheldon." Penny said.

"Alrighty!" Leonard grinned, things were looking up again.

Next: 2 years and 11 months later

Alright... No one-shot. I can't help it! Review!