DISCLAIMER: I do not own Big Bang Theory.

Penny stared sadly out of the car window at the smiling and cheering faces of the crowds of people that lined the sidewalk. She knew that many would have been waiting in line for hours, maybe even days all for the chance of a momentary glimpse of their favourite actor or actress as they arrived to make their red carpet entrance at that evening's prestigious awards ceremony. Sat beside her on the backseat of the limo was her husband, Brett Harrison one of the most successful casting directors in Hollywood. Two years ago she had worshiped the ground that he walked on, now she saw him as nothing more than a bully and her tormenter.

"Couldn't you at least have worn something a little less revealing?" he commented

The silk stole that Penny wore over her evening gown had slipped from her shoulders revealing the bruises on her arms that were still partially visible. Choosing to ignore her husband's comment Penny continued to stare out of the window, the constant blinding flashes from the thousands of camera's was beginning to hurt her eyes.

"Did you hear me Penelope?" he repeated prodding her bruised arm causing her to wince in pain

"Why are you afraid people will find out that you get off using your wife as a punch bag?" Penny snapped back unable to hold her tongue any longer

"Don't you dare speak to me like that" Brett yelled causing Penny to flinch "Or have you forgotten already what happened the last time you took that tone with me?" he added with a sadistic smile

Penny immediately quietened. There was no way she could risk another beating when she got home that night. Not now that she was carrying a baby. Leonard's baby. Thinking back to the time before she had met Brett, there had been many occasions on her days off work when she had watched daytime TV chat shows that featured women tearfully recalling how they suffered years of abuse and the hands of their partners. She remembered then wondering why they just didn't pack a suitcase and get the hell away from them, that's what she would do in their position for sure. That was at least until it happened to her. Now Penny lived in fear of what each new day would hold when he was around, but above all she felt so desperately alone. So much so that a few months back she had even contemplated taking her own life. That was until she came across the preserved snowflake from the North Pole that Leonard had once given her and realised that despite the fact they were no longer together, how utterly heartbroken he would be.

"Look at all these people that have come to see you Penelope" Brett said as he gazed out his side of the window "I wonder if they would bother if they knew you for the dirty tramp that you are…"

Penny could feel tears burning in her eyes, but there was no way she was going to give her husband the satisfaction of making her cry and ruining her entrance. Just then her cell phone beeped in her purse indicating that she had received a text message, taking it out of her clutch purse she saw that the message was from Sheldon, Leonard's roommate and colleague. As Penny read the words on the screen it felt as though her heart literally stopped beating.

'Penny Leonard's been hurt in an accident. Please come to the Huntington Memorial Hospital I need you here. S.'

Turning her head Penny stared at her husband and narrowed her eyes. She knew beyond doubt that this was his doing and although Sheldon hadn't given any indication of the severity of Leonard's injuries, somehow she could sense that it was serious. Only two weeks ago Brett had given her his word that if she came home to him that no harm would come to Leonard. It was emotional blackmail pure and simple, but Penny would rather sacrifice her own life than put Leonard in danger. It was only after returning home to her husband that she had discovered that she was pregnant, a fact which neither her husband nor Leonard were yet aware. Earlier that evening while Penny had been taking a shower Brett had made the phone call which had ultimately sealed Leonard's fate. After checking that there was no possibility of his wife overhearing, Brett had taken out his cell phone and called one of his many contacts.

"Hi Wayne it's me" he had said "You know that thing we discussed earlier? Well I want you to take care of it tonight…see that's it done ok?"

That evening as Leonard and Sheldon were leaving work and were walking towards Leonard's car in the parking lot at Caltech University a car heading right at them had come out of nowhere at speed. Leonard had been the first to spot it and had managed to push Sheldon to safety, but it was too late to save himself. Blinded by the brightness of the headlights he had momentarily shielded his eyes whilst preparing himself for an impact. Seconds later there was the sound of a blood curdling thud as the car hit Leonard full on flipping him onto the hood and shattering the windshield before rolling back down and hitting the ground. In a split second the car had driven off leaving Leonard critically injured and Sheldon crying out for help to anyone who could hear.

"What is it Penelope? You look like you've just gotten some bad news…." Brett said with a smile filled with malice.

"You unimaginable bastard" Penny breathed she had never hated anyone as much as she hated her husband at that moment.

Looking around her she could see that the car in which she was riding was in a line of limos edging towards the entrance of the awards ceremony venue, even if she could convince the driver to take her to the hospital which was unlikely with her husband sat in the car, they were totally boxed in. The adrenaline kicked in and without further hesitation Penny reached for the car door handle and opened it.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Brett demanded and lurched forward to try and grab his wife by the arm

Leaping from the car Penny managed to slam the door on his arm. She could hear his cries of pain as she made her escape, climbing over the barrier on the sidewalk and pushing her way through the crowds towards the road. All around her she could hear her name being called and was blinded by the constant flashes of the cameras as they photographed her. Running out into the traffic Penny had only one thought in her mind, to get to the hospital, to get to the man that she loved. As she darted recklessly out into four lanes of traffic her silk midnight blue evening gown and the jewellery that she wore shimmered in the glow of the oncoming headlights. All around her she could hear the screeching of brakes and the sound of horns being sounded angrily as cars narrowly avoided hitting her. Seeing a car stopped immediately in front of her Penny yanked open the passenger door and slid in.

"Hey lady are you crazy? What the hell do you think you're doing?" the male driver demanded angrily

"I want you to take me to the Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena" Penny panted her heart was pounding so hard she thought it might explode in her chest.

"I aint no chauffeur l, I don't have to take you anywhere" the driver responded to his uninvited passenger

Aware that she didn't even have a dime in loose change in her clutch purse, Penny took off the diamond necklace that hung around her neck and forced it into the man's right hand.

"Here these are real diamonds worth thousands of dollars" she told him "Now will you take me?" she pleaded

The man looked at the necklace in his hand

"Hell yeah" he said "I'll drive you all the way to Alaska if you want …"

Hitting the accelerator he performed an illegal U-turn in the road following the sign that was directing them towards Pasadena.

"Please hurry!" Penny cried finally allowing her tears to flow

It seemed like an eternity had gone by before Penny finally arrived at the hospital. Jumping from the car she ran towards the entrance of the ER, kicking of her high heel shoes that were only slowing her down as she went and letting her silk stole fall to the ground un-retrieved. Once inside all around people stopped to stare at the stunningly beautiful woman in a designer gown and there were many gasps as she was recognised. Dozens of cell phones were held up in out stretched arms as they sought to photograph and video the Hollywood actress. Penny knew that it would only be a matter of minutes before the pictures were all over the Internet and that by morning they would be in the newspapers, but she didn't care. Nothing but Leonard mattered anymore. Looking around her she caught sight of Sheldon sat with Amy. Howard, Bernadette and Raj were there also huddled in a group. Barging through the crowd that had gathered around her Penny rushed over to her friends.

"Where is he?" she demanded "Where's Leonard?"

Sheldon appeared to be in a catatonic state and unable to respond to the question. It was Howard that answered.

"He's in there" he said nodding his head in the direction of a room with the words 'Trauma Room 1' in red lettering on a frosted glass door.

"But Penny you can't go in there…."

Not even registering Howard's words Penny pushed open the door to be greeted with a scene that resembled something from a disaster movie. There surrounded by medical staff wearing surgical gowns and safety glasses lay Leonard. Were it not for the electronic beeping from the heart monitor Penny would have sworn that he was dead, he looked so pale and lifeless. His t-shirt had been cut away to reveal his bare chest which now had electrodes attached to it. A nurse stood at the head of the gurney was administering oxygen with an ambu bag.

"Leonard" Penny's voice came out as a barely audible whisper, looking up one of the staff noticed her presence in the room.

"Mam you can't be in here" he said firmly "You need to leave"

Penny shook her head; there was no way on God's earth she was leaving now. At that moment the monitor alarm sounded.

"He's arresting" one of the nurses reported as she watched the pattern of waves changing on the heart monitor "Let's start chest compressions…"

"Oh God no please no" Penny breathed still unable to raise her voice above the sound of a whisper

At that moment the door to the room opened and a photographer burst in pushing his camera right up into Penny's face, behind him stood a female colleague who began to fire off questions.

"Are the rumours of an affair true Mrs Harrison? Is this the man you've been having an affair with?" she pressed

Penny heard a voice shout out for somebody to call security, followed by something that sounded like 'get the hell out of my ER', but the room was now spinning uncontrollably and the voices were indistinct as though she were underwater. A second later Penny's legs gave way sending her collapsing onto the floor. Delighted by the dramatic turn of events, the photographer continued to take pictures of a now unconscious Penny sprawled on the floor in her dress knowing full well that these photos would be far more valuable on the black market than any number of red carpet shots. Feeling a firm hand on his shoulder the photographer turned around to be faced with a slim but far taller man who grabbed the camera from his hand and threw it to the floor shattering it into a thousand pieces. It was Sheldon. Leonard was his best friend and he knew that he would want him to take care of Penny in circumstances such as these where he was unable to protect her himself.

"Get away from her!" he yelled with fire in his eyes

Two security guards entered and forcibly removed the photographer and the woman. Sheldon could only watch in total despair as the ER staff battled to revive his friend.

"Ok preparing to shock" a physician announced as he held the defibrillator paddles in his hands

Sheldon closed his eyes and for the first time in his life without coercion from his mother he prayed….