A stand-alone story
shaggy77
(fictional story about fictional characters)
Leonard Hofstadter left CalTech early that day to run a couple errands, telling his roommate Sheldon that he would have to get a ride home with their friend Raj. The next day was his neighbor's birthday and he wanted to get Penny something special as a gift. Although she had broken up with him (again) a few months ago, they were still friends and he still held out hope for a romantic future with her. She was the girl of his dreams and he wasn't ready to give up. Even if they never got back together, he still cared for her and wanted to see that heart-melting smile on her face on her birthday. He had gotten her a humorous card; he wanted it to be a romantic one, but knew it would be inappropriate given their current relationship.
Then he had stopped at a renowned spa and purchased a gift certificate for a deluxe spa treatment. He knew she would love to be pampered for a whole day; as the package was all inclusive. She would enjoy the manicure/pedicure and the sauna/whirlpool combo. He tried hard not to imagine her magnificent body immersing in the warm mineral water. As he paid for the spa-day, he was reminded of his devotion to Penny by the raised circle in his wallet; the outline of the engagement ring he had purchased for her about a year earlier, when he was certain their relationship was headed in that direction.
He filled out the card and wanted to sign it "Love Leonard," but settled with "your friend Leonard," before slipping the gift certificate inside. Putting it on the seat of his car, he drove toward home when suddenly his world went black. A drunk driver had run a STOP sign and t-boned the driver's side of Leonard's car. His side airbag had not deployed and Leonard's head shattered his rolled up window.
At the hospital, they looked through his wallet for identification, found his CalTech employee card and contacted the university. Sheldon's name was listed as the person to inform in case of emergency and he was soon in route with Howard as chauffeur. Howard, of course, called Bernadette and she contacted Penny. Penny still cared deeply for Leonard and also rushed to the hospital. The only reason she had broken it off with him was because she knew he was rushing into a commitment too fast for her, and she wasn't ready. The truth was, she was panicked at the thought of him being harmed. Sheldon pushed his way past the nurses in the lobby and found Leonard still in the Emergency Room. The entire side of Leonard's face was covered with blood-soaked gauze and Sheldon fought the urge to vomit.
Leonard had suffered a severe concussion and was in and out of consciousness, but the cuts, although numerous, were fairly minor. The profuse blood was due to the numerous glass lacerations. X-rays would determine he had four broken ribs and a dislocated left knee. He was lucky, according to the police. They also told Sheldon that, in what is usually the case, the drunk driver had walked away without a scratch. His eyes fluttering open, Leonard was terrified as his world was blood red, as seen through the gauze. He had no idea what condition he was in, just that it even hurt to breathe.
Seeing Sheldon hovering over him like a giant praying mantis, Leonard spoke: "Sheldon...you have to promise to do something for me if I don't make it." Just as he began to speak, Penny rushed to the room and paused just outside when she heard him talking to Sheldon. She wanted to give the friends time alone, just in case it was the last time. Sheldon nodded his head and Leonard continued: "please tell Penny that since the moment we met, I have been in love with her and will be until I die." He then drifted off into unconsciousness and Penny burst into tears.
She stumbled into the room and Sheldon said: "I guess you heard. I think Leonard thought he was dying even though the medical evidence indicates otherwise."
Still sobbing uncontrollably, Penny's eyes showed relief at Sheldon's diagnosis, and she sobbed: "he sure looks awful...are you sure."
"Yes, the doctor told me their main concern was his concussion; which is considerable. They are going to watch him closely for the next twenty-four hours," Sheldon informed her. The nurse shooed them out of the ER, telling them they were moving his gurney to ICU and they could visit him for a few minutes when they got him settled. They went out to the waiting room where the rest of the gang had gathered and explained the situation. Since there was nothing to be done, everyone except Sheldon and Penny went home. Sheldon handed Penny a blue envelope: "here, this has your name on it. The police officer investigating the accident gave me this and Leonard's laptop. They were on the front seat of his car, which they were impounding for safe keeping."
Her eyes were already puffy from crying, and they would only get more so when she opened the card. She knew immediately why he had written "your friend Leonard" instead of something more intimate and it made her even more sad. Sitting back in the uncomfortable chair, her mind began to put the clues together about the location of the exclusive spa, and where Sheldon had told her the accident took place. She just knew that the last thing he had done before the accident was purchase her birthday gift. "You sweet, sweet little man," she mumbled to herself as tears streamed down her rosy cheeks.
Sheldon asked the nurse at the admitting desk if he could see Leonard, and was told that only family could visit in the Intensive Care Unit. "But I'm his roommate...he's my little buddy...he has no family in California," he whined; to no avail. The nurse told him that maybe tomorrow, if he was transferred into a regular room.
When Sheldon reluctantly visited the restroom, Penny waited until the nurse's attention was diverted and slipped past the desk and into Leonard's room. Seeing him hooked up to various machines and the red-tinted gauze on his face, a fresh round of tears streaked her face. Kissing his forehead, she whispered: "I love you my little Ewok, and I'm never letting you go." Very carefully she crawled up onto the bed beside him and put her arms around him. In a few minutes, the ICU nurse made her rounds and was astonished to find Penny there. When she asked if Penny was family, she answered: "no not yet, but we're going to be married."
"Oh congratulations; then that beautiful ring must be yours," Nurse Althea remarked; and then held her hand over her mouth like she had just inadvertently revealed a secret.
"What ring," Penny exclaimed, trying not to let on how shocked she was.