Chapter 6

Penny woke up feeling the hot rays of the sun in her face. She was drenched in sweat and smelled funny. She looked to her side and saw Leonard still asleep. Penny felt like her head was about to split, her mouth was parched and her stomach felt tight. Summoning all of her strength, she got up and made her way to the bathroom to splash some water on her face. She found some mouthwash and gargled some. Penny fixed her hair and returned to the bedroom. She saw that Leonard was sweating profusely. Penny put her hand on his forehead and instantly felt his high temperature. She immediately looked through his drawer to look for a small towel. She found one and went to the bathroom to wet it. She came back to him and wiped the sweat off his face. By then Leonard stirred, opened his eyes and was somewhat disoriented as to what was happening.

Penny placed her hand on his face. "Leonard sweetie….you're burning up." she said as she helped him sit up on the bed.

"Uh….Penny...I don't feel so good…" Leonard said as he put his hand on his head.

"Leonard you have a high fever...here….let's get you out of your clothes and I'll wet a towel to wipe off your sweat." Penny helped him take off his shirt and saw that Leonard was somewhat fit and buffed. She blushed slightly then went to the bathroom, rinsed the towel and went back to clean off Leonard's back and chest.

"Thanks Penny, you can go now. I'll be fine... I'll just sleep this off." Leonard fell back on the bed.

"Not a chance mister! You're sick and I'm gonna take care of you until you're fine...do you understand?" Penny said adamantly while she picked out clothes from his drawer.

"Really Penny...I'll be fine." Leonard said.

"You are one stubborn scientist Hofstadter! Now go to the bathroom, wash up and change into these…." she handed him some fresh clothes. I'll make something in the kitchen for you to drink." she said as she went to the kitchen.

Leonard gave up and did as Penny told him. His joints ached and his head felt like it was going to burst. He went inside the bathroom, locked the door and took off his clothes. He then dipped the towel into the bucket of water, rinsed it and wiped his body with it. He repeated this until he felt a little refreshed. Leonard then got dressed and went back to his bedroom and fell across the bed.

Penny came back to the bedroom with a hot cup of coffee. She pulled Leonard's hand for him to sit up and drink his coffee. "Come on Leonard, don't be such a pain in the ass...drink this coffee…" she handed him the cup. "Listen to me, I'm going to go back to my hotel and change. I'll get some food so we could eat and I'll buy some medicines for your fever ok!?" she continued. "and then I'll make you a hot soup to help with your fever." Penny looked at him.

"Whatever you say Penny." Leonard said feeling a little groggy.

"Ok...I'll come back as soon as I can." she said "just hold on ok?" Penny touched his face then turned around and walked away.

Penny walked back to her hotel room to get a quick shower and change her clothes. She was done in under fifteen minutes. She then took her purse and went to a nearby diner to order takeout food. After paying for her order, she asked the waitress for directions to the nearest pharmacy. Fortunately there was one nearby. She went inside the pharmacy and asked the staff for non-prescription fever medication. She paid for the medicines and made her way back to Leonard's place. She passed by a small grocery store and decided to buy some food stuff so she can cook while Leonard is recovering.

She entered Leonard's place and found him sleeping on the couch. He had a blanket draped over him. She put the takeout food on the kitchen table and prepared for them to eat. It was at this time that she finally felt hungry. Penny walked over to Leonard and woke him up.

"Leonard wake up...food is here….you should eat before you could take your medicine….come on sweetie." Penny said while shaking him.

Leonard stirred and sat up on the couch. Penny pulled his hand and guided him to the kitchen to eat. He sat down as Penny started to serve him his food. Penny also sat down and began eating. She made sure Leonard ate his food and told him to drink lots of water.

"Leonard sweetie you need to eat more….you won't recover if you have no strength." Penny said to him.

"Thanks Penny….now I owe you…" he said as he took another bite of his food.

"You're welcome sweetie….now finish your food so you could take these." she handed him the fever medicines.

Leonard finished his food and took a couple of pills. He drank a full glass of water and made his way back to the couch. Penny started to cleanup in the kitchen and the coffee table where they drank the night before. It didn't take long for Leonard to fall asleep. Penny saw this and went to his bedroom to change his bed sheets as it smelled of sweat and alcohol. She put the sheets and some of Leonard's clothes in the washer, put some detergent, pushed some buttons and watched as the machine did it's thing. Next, she went to the kitchen to make some soup for Leonard for when he wakes up. She turned off the stove and let the soup to cool off.

Feeling tired after all the chores she did, she sat down on the chair next to the couch. Leonard was still asleep. She leaned over and put her hand on his forehead, his temperature was still high. She took the small towel from the bathroom, rinsed it and wiped the sweat off his forehead. Penny smiled as she looked at Leonard, he was really cute she thought. While Leonard was sleeping, she decided to look around his place. There was a small desk with a laptop computer, a bunch of notebooks, pens, small tools, electrical tester, some wires and circuit boards. She saw a pad paper with some complicated formulas and equations she doesn't even understand. Beside the desk was a small bookshelf with some scientific books as well as novels and magazines. On top of the bookshelf was a picture frame. She took it and saw Leonard with three other guys – one was tall and skinny, the other was the same height as Leonard but with silly Beatle haircut, the last one was a brown-skinned guy who she guessed could be of Indian descent. They were sitting on a brown sofa. On the background was a huge bookcase filled with books, magazines and some super hero action figures. So this was the life that Leonard left behind, she thought. Penny sat back on the chair and without her knowing, she fell asleep.

She woke up around five in the afternoon feeling energized. She checked Leonard's temperature which was still high. She wet the towel and rinsed it to put on Leonard's forehead. By this time Leonard woke up.

"Leonard your temperature's still high, let me heat up the soup so you could eat and take your medicine." Penny said.

"Thanks Penny." he said as he sat up on the couch. "Was I asleep the whole afternoon?" he asked her.

"Uh yeah sweetie…" she said as she stirred the pot of soup. "I hope you like chicken noodle soup?" she said back.

"Penny I can take care of myself...you've done enough already." he replied.

"No. You're still sick...now come here to the table and eat this." Penny put a bowl of soup on the table.

Leonard stood up and went to the table. He sat down and started to eat his soup.

"Now, I'm gonna go out and buy us some dinner so we could eat ok?" Penny said as she picked up her purse and walked to the door. "Oh, and you should probably wash up and change to some fresh clothes when I come back."

"Yeah ok." Leonard said as he continued to eat his soup.

Penny went out and found a nearby diner to order takeout food. She also saw a fruit stand and bought some small orange looking fruits which the vendor said was called mandarines. The vendor told Penny to try one. She opened and tasted one and was surprised at how sweet it was. She bought two kilos of it. She figured this will be good to boost Leonard's immune system and help him get better. She got back to the hut and Leonard was lying back on the couch.

"I'm back. I bought you some mandarines, might help with your immune system." she smiled at him.

"Thank you Penny...you're very kind…" he said as he sat up on the couch.

"No problem...I'll unpack our dinner so we could eat, I'm starving." Penny said.

"Uh Penny….did we do something crazy last night?" Leonard asked.

Penny froze. Their kiss last night was nothing more than a drunken dare. It wasn't even good considering their lips both tasted of tequila. She decided not to reveal this to Leonard. "Uh nothing. Why do you ask?" she said

"Uh...no reason…" he said as he stood up and wen to the table. He still felt clammy and feverish. "So what's for dinner?" he asked as he sat down.

"Uh I don't know what this is called...some sort of chicken stew...but it smells delicious...and a vegetable dish...I don't know the name either but it looks so good...and some brown rice." she smiled at him. "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah." he said as he tried to smile back at her.

Penny started to prepare the table and scoop up some food for Leonard's plate.

"Thank you Penny." he said as Penny handed him his plate.

"You're welcome Leonard. Now eat so you could take you medicine and rest….hopefully your fever will be gone by tomorrow." she smiled at him as she took a bite of her food.

They continued to eat in silence, exchanging awkward glances at each other from time to time. After they finished eating, Penny started to cleanup in the kitchen. She told Leonard to wash up in the bathroom so he could take his medicine and rest for the night. Leonard came out of the bathroom and took his medicine.

"Penny I'll be alright now….thank you for bringing food and the medicines, I really appreciate it." he said.

"Are you kidding, I'm gonna stay here tonight to look after you...we need to make sure your fever breaks…" Penny said.

"Penny you don't have to do that….you've done so much already…" he answered as he sat on the couch.

"Awww...are you shy….listen….I'm gonna take the couch and you'll sleep in your bed….I promise I won't do anything while you're asleep…" she teased him.

"That's not funny…" Leonard told her.

"Hey it's not like I have anybody waiting for me at the hotel?" she continued. "Besides I would feel much better when you get better from your fever." Penny smiled at him.

"Ok, if you insist." he added. "Let me get you some blankets and a pillow." he stood up and went to his bedroom and took out a fresh blanket and a pillow. "Here...you can freshen up in the bathroom if you want."

"Thanks...you should probably go to bed now….and at two in the morning, I'll wake you up so you could take your medicine ok?" She said as she put the alarm on her phone.

Leonard went to his room to sleep while Penny prepared the couch. It was then that Penny realized how tired she was. Sleep came easily for both of them as they felt the cool ocean breeze blowing gently through the window.

Author's note: Thank you for all the positive comments and reviews. I really appreciate you guys taking the time to read my stuff. It makes me put in a lot more effort in revising and re-writing my work.