A/N: I will update my other story one of these days. However, I had this idea that was swimming around in my head and well, I didn't want it to go to waste, so in the meantime here's another story. I haven't, nor will I ever, own TBBT. I do, however, own a dream version of the show where Penny DOES make the right choices. Hope you like it, folks.

"Hey guys! Ready to order?"

The four men paused their Star Wars discussion and glanced up at Penny. It was Tuesday and therefore, according to customary routine, they were dining at the Cheesecake Factory.

"Yes," Sheldon answered in his usual monotonic voice, "Although your question is completely redundant. Even if I, or Leonard, Wolowitz, and Koothrappali for that matter, did not have our meal choices predetermined before arriving, if we were not ready to order we would still be looking at our menus."

"So, you're saying it's a redundant question because you've already got your mind made up before coming to the restaurant?"

"Ye-" Sheldon cut himself off when he noticed Penny's cheeky smirk. "Touché."

"Leonard, sweetie?" Penny smiled and looked at her other, more sane neighbor.

"Oh, uh, I'll just have a salad. I'm not really that hungry," he shrugged.

"Sure. Howard?"

"I'll have one Penny with a side of gorgeous," came the engineer's predictable reply.

Penny narrowed her eyes. "I'll give you one more chance, Wolowitz."

"Just Penny, no gorgeous?"

"And you're cut off. I'll be back." She scooped up the menus and left the table.

"Dude, she forgot about me—again!" Raj cried.

"Well, it's no wonder," Sheldon rolled his eyes. "Given your inability to speak to females in a state of sobriety, I would assume that it's quite natural for you to be rendered overlooked."

"But it's not fair, though," Raj sulked.

"You want to talk about unfair? You think it's fair that I live with my mom and have to pay rent?" Howard said.

"Don't forget about my lactose intolerance," Leonard added. "Tell me that's fair."

"Gentlemen," Sheldon interjected, and they all turned towards him. "If we are going to converse about the subject of 'fairness', I believe it is only—if I may—fair that I mention Penny."

"What do you mean?" Leonard asked.

"Well, the other definition of fair is attractive, correct? And I believe Penny's features are very aesthetically pleasing. In fact, I would say I'm quite attracted to Penny."

His three companions stared at Sheldon like he'd just announced he was jumping off the Eiffel Tower.

Sheldon smirked. "Bazinga."

—

"I swear to God, one of these days, I am going to go insane," Penny muttered as she made her way back to the kitchen. She felt completely exhausted. It was bad enough that she had to work a gruelling shift 24/7, but she always had to keep a close eye on Sheldon whenever he came to the restaurant, just in case he did something to disrupt or alarm the other customers. She was thankful that they only stopped by once a week. She couldn't bear the thought of having to deal with Sheldon and his crazy antics at work every single day. It was bad enough having him as a neighbor.

Penny cursed under her breath as she opened the kitchen doors. She honestly couldn't wait for her shift to be over, so she could go home and just relax.

Just two more hours, just two more hours. This was the only thought that was flowing through her mind as Penny stepped inside the kitchen to pick up food for another table. Unfortunately, Penny wasn't paying enough attention to her surroundings to notice the spilled grease that was coating a section of the floor. As soon as Penny's heel touched said grease, her foot slipped and Penny had no time to stop herself from falling. She crashed onto the hard tiles and felt like there were a million needles, wasps, and flames attacking the whole of her back.

"Holy shit, someone call an ambulance!" was the last thing the waitress heard before the whole world dissolved into black nothingness.

—

"Sheldon, sit down," Leonard ordered, growing slightly irritated by Sheldon's pacing.

The physicist ignored his roommate and kept nervously pacing back and forth in the waiting room. They had immediately rushed to the hospital when they heard that Penny had tripped and blacked out at the restaurant, and now they were waiting nervously outside of her ward; Sheldon was so anxious that he didn't even care about the fact that this incident had disrupted his schedule, let alone remember his dislike of hospitals. "The carelessness of that woman! What if she's fractured her skull?"

"I'm sure she's fine," Raj said as an attempt to calm him down.

"How can you possibly know that?" Sheldon cried. "She could very well be in a coma, or even worse, about to die." He shuddered.

"Would it help if I sang Soft Kitty?" Howard suggested, half joking.

"Soft Kitty is for when I'm sick," Sheldon said, his panic momentarily shifting to annoyance. "Besides, Penny is the one who sings Soft Kitty to me." He shifted back to panic at the mention of her name. "Penny."

"Sheldon, trust me, everything will be fine, it's nothing to worry about," Leonard insisted, although he wasn't too sure. "Now just sit down."

Sheldon was about to argue, when suddenly a voice snatched their attention.

"Good evening, gentlemen."

They all looked up and saw a doctor standing in front of the room where Penny was resting. Leonard, Howard and Raj instantly stood up, heartbeats pounding against their flesh.

"I'm Dr. Lombard."

"Dr. Sheldon Coop-" Sheldon started to introduce himself, before Leonard shushed him.

"Now, you four are close friends of Miss … oh shoot, what was her last name?"

"We just call her Penny," Leonard said. "And yes, we're good friends. Sheldon and I live right across the hall from her."

"Ah, very well. Now, I'm afraid I have some bad news."

"Oh, I knew it! We've lost her, haven't we, doc?"

"Sheldon, let him speak."

"Thank you. And to answer your question-" He stared straight at Sheldon, who gulped. "No, she is alive and will be waking up shortly."

They sighed in relief.

"However-"

They grew tense again.

"The collision unfortunately damaged her spine, which means Penny will no longer be able to walk."

There was a silence so deep you could hear a pin drop.

Raj's throat went dry.

Howard's eyes widened. "You're kidding."

Leonard started to fumble in his pockets for his inhaler. "No, no. Please, no."

Sheldon simply stood there, dazed and for once, blank minded. All he could manage was a soft murmur. "Penny…"