The Epiphany Reaction

Author: Baliol

Rating: T for now

I have no idea how late I am to this party, if all the Shenny fanfictions are done or not. But I felt that I just had to join the fun. It is my first fanfiction, so if anyone is there, please don't hate on it for lack of experience. I take suggestions very literally, so if there is something you want changed about the story, don't hesitate to ask. I have no definite plans for this yet, so there is a lot of leeway. All I know is, Leonard and Amy are going down.

Another day, another disastrous audition. Penny tumbled up the stairs to 4B, fighting to hold back the sobs that threatened to break out. She had been in California for almost 4 years, and with that came more alcohol, more men leaving her apartment disheveled, and more glares from Leonard. Sheldon didn't seem to care that much, but only because she knew him, and realized that he only cared about himself and his work.

Stumbling into her apartment, she took off her heels, and threw them across the room. The tears were flowing down her face in spades now, and she went straight for the Vodka on her coffee table. Not bothering to pour a glass, she drank half the bottle in only a few swigs. Lately, she had contemplated returning to college, and she joined a history course at Pasadena Community College. All was going well until Leonard found out, he went crazy, criticizing her for not telling him, and he said repeatedly that she should have done that in the first place. More shit about how her acting career was going nowhere, and when she glared at him, he attempted to deflect and say he would always support her. At least Sheldon never lied about the fact that he believed it too. She wished so much that her wackadoodle would come over and complain about how much of a mess her apartment was in now, just to get her mind off of the disaster she was in right now.

Leonard heard her coming home, and thought it a good opportunity to get sex out of his girlfriend. "Hey Sheldon, I'm going over to Penny's!" He yelled as he ran out the door.

Knocking four times on her door, he tried to hide the smirk he had on his face when she opened the door. "Hey Leonard." She stepped out of the way to let him in, and as she did, he slammed his lips against hers, pulling her hips to his with snaky fingers. After what seemed like forever, he licked her lips with his tongue, and her eyes grew huge. Pushing him away, she yelled "What the hell is wrong with you!" Not understanding this, Leonard barged inside and flopped on the couch.

"I heard you come home, and I thought a little making out would lift your spirits." He truly thought that was what would help, although judging by the pained look on her face only worsening, he surmised that it somehow didn't help.

She closed the door to her apartment, and timidly sat beside him on the couch. "Sweetie, I just had a really rough day at the cheesecake factory, and a failed audition. I need emotional comforting, not physical." With this, Leonard furrowed his eyebrows.

"So, what do you want me to say, that you deserved to get the part, that they were stupid to turn you down?" With this, Penny broke into sobs.

"You are my boyfriend, you should be sad for me that I lost the part!" She was more angry than sad at this point, not knowing why he would treat her this way.

"Penny, come on. You know that you aren't a very good actress, you should have stayed in school to get a good job, not hopelessly run around trying to get noticed by some stupid director." Leaning in for another kiss, Penny put a firm hand on his chest.

"You say that, and then you expect me to just let you have your way with me? Do you think I'm fucking stupid?" She said this with an iciness that Leonard was not comfortable with.

"I'm gonna go with no?"

"How can you seriously not know?! Do you even love me? Or are you just interested in keeping me around because I am your slut that's on beck and call mode?" She was fighting back another round of sobs, when Leonard put his hand on hers.

"You know I love you, but I think its finally time you realized that this acting dream of yours is completely stupid." He tried using his puppy dog eyes to gain some sympathy, "At the moment, your only talents lie in the bedroom, and unless you go back to school, that is where they will stay."

Penny yanked her hand away, "That's seriously all I am to you, aren't I? You don't love me, you love the idea of owning me, lording me over all the nerds? You just want me for my body!" Penny only ever admitted to her mother that her greatest fear always had been that ever since she started dating. And now, she realized that Leonard was no better than all the other Jocks and Meatheads she always dated. Now that she thought about it, he wasn't all that interested at all about listening to her problems, they usually just ended up having sex when he would shut her up with a kiss.

"You know that's not what I think about you."

"Oh yeah? Then why do you constantly show pictures of me to anyone who will listen, or bring me to stuff like Comic-Con just so you can show me off?" The sobs echoed throughout the complex, and she didn't care.

"Says you! I have to deal with you telling me your problems and you are always sad around me! All I want to do is have sex, and you are over here bitching about god knows what! I'm tired of this!" With that, Leonard storms out of the apartment, and across the hall. The last thing she hears from him is his door slamming shut, and she walks to her bedroom with tears falling down her face. She flopped on the bed and cried herself to sleep.

Sheldon was writing equations on his whiteboard when Leonard stormed in. "I suppose from your premature departure that you had another argument with Penny?" He already knew the answer, even though it was common courtesy to ask.

"Shut up Sheldon!" With that, his bedroom door slammed shut, and Sheldon briefly considered going over to 4B to inquire as to what happened, but he decided against it, and he went back to his work