Chapter 12: How Long?

Penny returned to the boys apartment, when she went to open the door she realized that it was unlocked which was strange. She shrugged thinking that maybe she'd just forgotten.

"Nance wanna come help put stuff away?" She called from the door. She got no answer so she put her stuff near the door and closed it. "Nancy?" She walked into the apartment checking both bedrooms and the bathroom. "Hmm maybe she went to my apartment."

She grabbed her things and walked across the hall. She walked to the kitchen to start putting stuff away.

"Nancy are you in here?" She called as she put the milk away. She still didn't get an answer and felt uneasy. She walked to her bedroom hoping against all hope that her friend was just taking a nap in her bed. When she found an empty room and bathroom her stomach rolled. "Crap!" She whipped out her phone dialing Sheldon's number quickly. "Come on...Sheldon come on...please..."

"Penny I've told you countless times-"

"No time," she interrupted. "I can't find Nancy."

There was a long silence on the other line. "What do you mean?" His voice was tight meaning he was trying to control his emotions.

"I went to the store-"

"You left her alone?" He yelled which made her jump. "After everything that's happened?"

"What did you want me to do drag her out kicking and screaming?" Penny asked rolling her eyes. "She didn't want to come with."

There was a long sigh. "Ok do you think she could have just taken a walk?"

"Maybe," Penny said slowly. "But it's so unlike her to not leave a note."

"Well if ten minutes pass without a word from her call me back, we'll figure out what to do." Sheldon instructed her.

"Ok." They hung up. Penny tapped her phone in her hand, before running back across the hall. She looked around but didn't see anything out of the ordinary, Nancy's phone still sat on the table. She froze in her scan of the apartment. "Her phone?"

Panic began to envelop her, when the conversation they'd had earlier came back to her. "Crap, crap, crap!" She chanted angry that she'd left her friend alone and defenseless which would only serve to piss Sheldon off when she told him.

She knew she couldn't wait the ten minutes. She dialed him back.

"Penny please-"

"Her phone is still here, you know as well as I do that she never goes anywhere without it." Penny said harshly. "I think we'd better call someone...and I have to tell you something else-"

"Can it wait-"

"Sheldon her life could be in danger!" Penny said desperately. "Her ex-"

"That message...it was from him wasn't it?" He asked surprising her.

"Which text?" She asked feigning innocence.

"All I saw was one saying see you soon." Sheldon stated impatient. "I'm coming home. Call detective Maxwell."

"Ok." They hung up once more and she dialed the detectives number.

Nancy felt like her head was gonna explode as it throbbed painfully. She groaned lightly, trying to roll to bury her head in her pillow, only to find herself restrained.

She blinked her eyes open against the pain, and found herself in a very familiar place. "What-"

"Oh good you're awake." She whipped her head in the direction of the voice. "It's so good to see you again Nancy."

"Colin what-"

"I told you," he said smiling maliciously. "You weren't allowed to leave me."

"I-I couldn't stay," she said her voice thick. She tried to will herself not to cry, she didn't want him to have any satisfaction.

"But you could have," Colin replied sitting on the bed next to her, running a hand down her face. She shuddered unpleasantly. "Now be a good girl and don't scream or fight."

"Wh-what are..." The look in his eyes made her sick to her stomach.

"I'm going to take what you owe me," Colin said leaning down.

"N-No," she whimpered as his hand slid down her body. "Please don't..."

"Stop talking," he demanded. That's when she was fully aware of her surroundings and knew she had no clothes on.

'Sheldon...' She closed her eyes as he forced himself upon her.

When Sheldon arrived home it was to a frantic Penny arguing over the phone, she looked ready to hit something.

"Penny what's wrong?" Sheldon asked walking over to her.

Leonard came in after Sheldon panting and taking a long puff of his inhaler. "You...couldn't...wait?" Leonard gasped between breaths.

Penny hung up the phone with a violent cry. "God the police are so damn useless!"

"What happened?" Sheldon asked his brow furrowed, Leonard forgotten by the door.

"Maxwell said there isn't anything he can do because she hasn't been gone for twenty-four hours," Penny very nearly growled.

"Aren't they supposed to be on our side?"

"His words were they 'can't look for her yet'," Penny said. "And unless we have evidence that she didn't just up and walk away."

"Nancy wouldn't just walk out," Leonard said confused. "Isn't that her phone?"

Sheldon picked it up off the table and opened it to her text messages and saw all of the texts.

"There is no way she just left," Sheldon said. "She's not one to walk away without force."

"We have to track down this dude if we want to find her," Penny said hoping her geniuses could find her friend. It had only been maybe two months of knowing each other, but Nancy was her best friend.

They both hurried to Sheldon's work space and started on his computer.

Penny fell onto the couch feeling exhausted, she covered her eyes with her arm. She felt the huge swell of emotion as it passed through her, trying her best to stay strong and not break out into tears.

"How are we supposed to find him without a last name?" Sheldon growled.

"I'd say track the number, but I don't think he used his phone." Leonard said with a sigh. "And if we expect help we'll be stuck waiting for the twenty-four hours."

Sheldon sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Call Wolowitz maybe he can help."

"Sure," Leonard walked off dialing the phone.

Penny walked over to Sheldon and touched his shoulder gently. "We'll find her sweetie," she sniffed gently.

Sheldon turned to look at her, and noticed the usually strong blonde was crying. He stood up and pulled her into a friendly hug.

"I know," he whispered. "I'm just afraid of the condition."

Nancy could feel every ounce of pain as it spread through her body. She knew she had been bleeding down there, but it had long since stopped. She couldn't tell how long she'd been in this awful place, whether it be a couple hours or even days. She felt so dirty, she wished she could just disappear.

'Sheldon I'm so scared. Penny help me.' She thought desperately as tears fell silently down her face.

"I hope you know you're never leaving here," Colin said from the door a tray in his hands. He'd untied her after he finished. She was curled on her side, trying to get warm considering the room was so cold and all she had was a thin blanket.

"By the time they figure out where you are, you won't be here." He laughed. "Now eat, you need to keep your strength up, especially for what I have planned."

"They'll come for me," she said quietly, defiant. "They'll stop you."

"And you really think they can find me? You think I was dumb enough to use MY phone?" He laughed as he made his way to the door. "They may be geniuses but they still can't find you if I didn't leave a trail. And do you think a bunch of lab rats can stop me?"

The door closed with a click that meant he locked it. Nancy stared at the tray he set in front of her. She would have refused to eat if her stomach wasn't so empty.

"Please find me soon," she whispered to the dark, quiet room. "I want to come home." She now regretted not following Penny's advice and letting the detective know she was being stalked. But as in everything in her life, it was was too late now. She squeezed her eyes closed as tears slipped out.

Penny stared blankly at the wall, her eyes glossed over. The boys had been hard at work for the last nine hours, it was getting close to midnight and she could feel sleep trying to take her. They all looked ragged, Sheldon had a permanent scowl in place as they ran into yet another dead end.

"How are we not getting this?" He seethed. "We're a group of geniuses and Howard."

"I resent that," Howard mumbled halfheartedly. "Look it's almost midnight, we might have to call it a night soon if our brains decide to shut down due to sleep."

"No," Sheldon stated.

"Sheldon we won't be useful if-"

"I said no. If you three would like to quit then go ahead, I won't stop until I find her."

"I need to sleep dude," Raj said rubbing his tired and sore eyes. "Come on Howard."

"Right behind ya buddy," Howard said following the Indian out.

"I don't need them any way," Sheldon murmured.

"Sheldon you need rest," Leonard said placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. Sheldon shrugged it off.

"Leonard tell me," Sheldon only spared a glance at Leonard. "If it was Penny in this situation would you really take a break to rest?"

"Sheldon it's not-""

"How is that not the same thing?" Sheldon asked incredulous. "You love Penny don't you?"

"Of course-"

"Then you would do anything in your power to get her back," Sheldon ground out. "I don't care go to bed."

"Buddy-"

"No I'll find her, even if I have to do it by myself." Leonard could only stare at his friend as he ignored him and continued on the computer.

He turned to Penny who was glaring at him tiredly. "What?"

"Nothing," she said simply turning away from him. "You should go to bed."

"Great now everyone's mad at me," he grumbled as he went to his room.

"Sheldon, sweetie?" Penny asked softly walking over to him, rubbing his back soothingly. "I was thinking...do you think we should call her dad?"

He turned to her and scrubbed a hand over his tired face. "Is it really a good idea? They just got back into each others lives, he lost his wife….what if he's lost his daughter now and it's all my fault."

"How on earth is this your fault?" She asked her brow furrowed.

"I saw the text," he took a deep breath. "I could have asked her about it, but I was too big a coward to even bring it up."

"Sheldon how could you have known what it meant," Penny said pulling him close.

"I should have asked her," he was trying very hard to keep it together. "No I may never see her again."

"Don't think like that," Penny hushed. "We can't..." He felt moisture hit his cheek. "If anything it's my fault...I'm the one who left her here alone."

Suddenly Nancy's phone gave a ping startling the two. They shared a look before Sheldon jumped up and grabbed it.

Good luck finding us, if you don't soon you'll never see her again.

Sheldon felt his heart squeeze painfully as he threw the phone onto the couch. He stood there motionless his fists clenched tightly. Penny went to check the phone.

She turned to say something to Sheldon when she noticed tears spilling down his face.

"What do we do?" He asked pitifully, staring sadly at Penny. Penny responded by hurrying over and hugging him tightly.

AN: Sorry my updates are all over the place, it's hard when you get a lot of writers block...hopefully it'll be sooner next time