Penny slammed the door of apartment 4A shut, tears streaming from her eyes as she made her way over to her apartment. As soon as she closed her door behind her, she slid down it, burying her face into her arms as she cried. She thought Leonard loved her, he had proposed numerous times, followed her like a puppy, and he was absolutely devoted to her. She thought she was finally in a relationship where everything was fully functional and she wasn't with another jerk. However, walking in on him having full on sex with Priya, who had recently returned from India, was just too much. Yes, Leonard had his insensitive moments but she never thought he would cheat on her. They had been so happy together; well at least she had been happy, and he had spent so long trying to get back with her. How could this have happened? Leonard cheating on her!

Knock knock knock

'Penny?' came a soft voice, penetrating her thoughts and bringing her back to reality: sitting on her own in her dark apartment.

Knock knock knock

'Penny?'

'Go away Sheldon, I just want to be alone right now!' Penny cried in as normal voice as she could.

Knock knock knock

'Penny?'

Penny sighed, dried her eyes and opened the door.

'What do you want?' she asked with a hostile tone to her voice. Sheldon didn't say anything; he just walked towards her and gave her a hug. Shocked at his actions, Penny melted into his arms and just cried. Sheldon shut the door behind them with his foot and just held her, stroking her hair and rubbing the small of her back. 'Why are you doing this Sheldon? This isn't like you, you don't hug people,' Penny whispered through her tears.

'I had just come up the stairs when I saw you leave my apartment in tears. When I entered the apartment to see Leonard and Koothrapali's insufferable sister dishevelled, panicked, half-dressed and running around like headless chickens, I put two and two together and came straight over.' Sheldon said softly, 'Normally I would offer you a hot beverage but I think the circumstances are slightly different this time and with my highly evolved brain, I deduced this was the best form of making you feel better.'

'Well, thank you,' she burrowed into his chest and it didn't take long before Sheldon realised that Penny had fallen asleep on his chest.

'Oh Penny,' he sighed to himself. What was he to do now? He wasn't an athlete so it wouldn't work for him to lift her. He also didn't have the heart to wake her, after all she deserved a bit of sleep, just to calm down and relax. This was just typical Penny. Even when she was distraught, she still managed to make his life difficult. Maybe the hug was too much? Sighing, Sheldon shook her shoulder gently to try and wake her but she didn't stir. 'Typical Penny,' Sheldon groaned. He would have to try and be an athlete after all. Well, if he dropped her, he certainly wasn't apologising as he had already tried to wake her. Sheldon wiggled her so that she fell back into the crook of his left arm before placing his right arm under her legs and lifting so he ended up carrying her bridal style. She was surprisingly light and to his shock, he found that it was fairly easy for him to lift her over to her bed and place the covers over her. As he started to leave the room, Penny called his name.

'Did I wake you?' he asked and she shook her head.

'No… but could I ask that you don't leave me tonight Sheldon, I… I don't want to be alone,' Penny said in a quiet voice.

'Penny… you know I have a strict routine. I couldn't possibly stay here.' Sheldon stated but when he saw her face, he softened, 'I can sing soft kitty to you though?'

'I thought soft kitty was only for when you're sick,' Penny sighed.

'Heartbreak is a kind of sick,' Sheldon said, earning him a small smile from Penny.

'Well, will you stay with me until I go back to sleep?'

Sheldon sighed and agreed to the compromise. He sat down on her bed and made sure she was all tucked in before starting to sing soft kitty to her.

'Soft kitty, warm kitty little ball of -' Sheldon singing was interrupted when he felt a small hand slither into his own. He looked down and then back at her. 'You can't do that.'

'Why not?'

'Penny, I don't hold people's hands. It's unsanitary. Amy and I tried it as an experiment and it failed.'

'Just for tonight, please Sheldon. I just want some security,' Penny pleaded, giving him doe eyes. Sighing with defeat, Sheldon let her hand remain where it was.

'Just this once, now pipe down and get ready to sleep!' Sheldon cleared his throat and began to sing again:

'Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur,

Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr purr purr'

Sheldon looked down at Penny, whose eyes were starting to close as she started the process of drifting into the subconscious. Sheldon looked down at their intertwined hands and frowned. Somehow it was different holding Penny's hand in comparison to Amy's; with Penny it was like the cogs in a train… they fit together perfectly. Soon Penny was asleep and Sheldon quietly left her apartment.

Upon entering his own apartment, Sheldon saw Leonard hunched over in the chair, chewing his nail and bouncing his knee up and down. Upon hearing the door close, Leonard looked up and blinked at Sheldon.

'How is she?' he asked in a quiet voice. Sheldon hung his jacket up before sighing and turning to face Leonard again.

'I won't lie to you Leonard. I do believe that you may have terminated your relationship agreement with Penny by fornicating with Priya.' Sheldon said gravely before sitting down in his spot, 'You have hurt her deeply; I don't believe I have ever seen Penny cry like that before and it was distressing for me!'

'Sheldon…'

'Where is Priya now?'

'She's gone back to her hotel,' Leonard said before standing up and pacing the room.

'How long has it been going on for?' Sheldon asked quietly. Leonard sighed and got himself a beer out of the fridge.

'She was supposed to be coming next week, that's the date Raj is aware of. However, she contacted me saying she missed me last week. We met up and went on a couple of dates, which at first I took as friendly outings and well one thing led to another and this afternoon I invited her back for coffee because I knew you were working late and I know you two don't get on. For the next couple of hours, we ordered a take out, she and I discussed how we used to be, our former relationship and she said how sorry she was for sleeping with her ex and that she had missed me, which was why she came back early. Y'know, so she could see me and set things straight,' Leonard sighed, 'I was happy with Penny and I don't know why I didn't stop Priya when she kissed me. It felt so nice, so right, so comfortable that I didn't stop. I told Priya I was with Penny but she said she didn't care and she still loved me and then we moved to the bedroom. 10 minutes into me having sex with her, Penny walks in and… and… God I feel horrible!' Leonard downed his beer and sat back down opposite Sheldon, with his head in his hands. 'What do I do Sheldon?'

'As much as this may surprise you, I for once do not have the answer to this problem.'

'Then help me find a solution!'

'I wish I could Leonard but you have made your bed and I think you have to lie in it. Penny will come to you when she is ready. Don't try and push her before she's ready,' Sheldon sighed, pouring himself a glass of water.

'I feel horrible, I need to tell her I'm sorry and apologise to her.' Leonard said, feeling slightly better. Sheldon gave a snort of derision and shook his head, 'what was that for?'

'You think a simple apology will make her feel better or forgive you Leonard? You feel horrible; you're only saying you'll apologise to make yourself feel better.' Sheldon shrugged.

'I am not, I feel terrible! I love Penny!'

'If you say so, but I'm not the one you need to convince Leonard.'

First chapter finished, let me know what you think Trying to capture Sheldon's personality as best as I can!