The Intrinsic Happiness Quotient (2/?)
TWO: THE SHELDON SOLUTION
Penny had expected to like Star Trek; it had, after all, received pretty good reviews. She had not, however, expected to love it. And how cool was that Spock character that Sheldon idolized? She felt that she understood a whole new dimension of Sheldon’s personality now. And besides, it was really awesome to know that she had actually met Leonard Nimoy. But there was also something special about Zachary Quinto’s Spock, though, that really reminded her of Sheldon - so much so, that she couldn’t help but wonder how Sheldon had reacted to being bullied as a boy, or how Sheldon would react if a woman kissed him the way Uhura had kissed Spock. He’d probably faint, she thought with a smirk, and later, when he came to, he would rinse out his mouth with industrial strength Listerine.
“Oh, Sheldon,” she remarked aloud, shaking her head in amusement.
- Hello, Penny.
A Skype IM box popped up on her screen and startled her.
Sheldon.
Holy crap on a cracker - that was freaky.
- Hi, Sheldon.
- Penny, I was hoping you would come online. I did not mean to upset you earlier tonight.
- No, Sheldon, I’m sorry I cut you off. Wait - why can’t we do this by webcam?
- I wasn’t sure you would take my call.
Penny felt guilt churning up her insides, and called Sheldon herself. He answered immediately and his fretful face appeared on her screen.
“Sheldon - I don’t care how much we fight - I would never not talk to you.”
“Thank you,” he murmured, looking like he didn’t believe her. “I do apologize for any distress my words may have caused you, Penny. That was not my intention. I merely meant to enquire as to the status of your well-being.”
The uncomfortable truth of his earlier words came rushing back to her, and it was too much: the polite concern on his face, the sincerity of his voice, she couldn’t help it - she burst into tears.
“Penny!” she heard Sheldon gasp, and he sounded horrified. “Umm... there, there.” His uncertainty and awkwardness resulted in laughter bubbling up through the tears, and it made her wish he was sitting in her room, just so that he could at least pat her on the back. The thought made her cry harder - what was wrong with her?
She was still sobbing a few minutes later, when his words froze her in place - they were hesitant and hushed but they were, strangely, exactly what she needed to hear.
“Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur.
Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, puhrr, puhrr, puhrr.
Playful kitty... frisky kitty... you streak by in a blur.
Funny kitty... sweet kitty, puhrr, puhrr, puhrr.”
“Oh, Sheldon...” she whispered when she could speak and look at him again.
“Hello, kitty,” he said softly.
She couldn’t help it - she giggled.
“Penny, please don’t cry. You... you look awful when you cry. Your eyes get bloodshot, and your skin gets blotchy and your nose runs...” He shuddered. She glared. “And, for some absurd reason,” he quietly admitted, avoiding her eyes, “I don’t like the way it makes me feel, either.”
“Give me a sec, okay?” She hopped off the bed before he could respond and hurried into the bathroom to wash her face and blow her nose. It also gave her time to get her breathing and heart rate back to normal because Sheldon Cooper had just stunned her almost speechless. She stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror.
He had sung Soft Kitty to her. He felt bad because she was upset. Sheldon... and feelings?
But funnily, strangely, weirdly, it had been the sweetest, most poignant, most wonderful moment, and she knew in her heart, that she would always remember it.
“Better?” he asked when she returned to her laptop.
“Much,” she beamed at him. “Thank you, Sheldon. That was so sweet - I guess I finally get why you like that lullaby so much, it really does make you feel better. And there’s a second verse!”
“I just made it up - I didn’t know what else to say.”
“That was perfect, sweetie,” she smiled, her heart constricting in her chest.
“Oh, good - I’m not usually adept at dealing with situations of an emotional nature.”
“Well, you did much better than last time.”
“I’m a quick learner.”
“Yeah,” she laughed. “Can’t argue with that.” There was a moment of comfortable silence as they just looked at each other. “Thank you, Sheldon. It means a lot to me that you care enough about me to do that.”
“Of course I care about you, Penny. Is that not a pre-requisite for friendship?”
“It definitely is.” She grinned at him. “Although, I’m kind of surprised you actually admitted to it.”
“I find myself admitting to many things recently, even if it is only to... myself. The anomalies in my activity log are myriad. Being out here in this vast arctic wilderness - it’s... it’s hard to explain, which, in and of itself, is quite frightening... but I feel different somehow. I remain somewhat mystified. Being here makes one feel small and insignificant.”
“Sheldon Cooper feels small and insignificant? That’s not possible! Who are you, and what have you done with my Sheldon?” She teased, but he looked momentarily startled. He recovered quickly though, and frowned at her.
“It’s quite ridiculous, of course, it’s merely a psychological response,” he stated with a look of distaste, “no doubt brought about by temporal and spatial variances associated with being at the magnetic north pole. And the desolation. And the quiet. I’m quite sure I will return to my normal self once I return home.”
“I don’t know, Sheldon. This new and improved, and what else? Oh, anomalous and mystified? - version of you sounds pretty damn good actually. Sheldon 2.0.”
“Penny, you couldn’t handle a new and improved version of me, as if that were possible.”
“Because you’re as good as it gets?”
“Because you can’t improve perfection,” he said with a sly smile, clearly trying to get a rise out of her.
“All right, Mr. Beautiful Mind,” she mocked.
“That’s Dr. Beautiful Mind.” He leaned his head back against and studied her with his hooded gaze, the smile still playing about his lips.
The effect was oddly... sexy.
She blinked, her eyes widening in surprise, but before she could analyse the thought, he spoke.
“You never answered my question, you know. What’s wrong, Penny?”
“I... I...,” It was suddenly harder to breathe, and she looked away from him. “I don’t know.”
“I have heard that talking about your problems to friends can be a cathartic exercise. It may assist you if you’re feeling distressed. Would you like me to call Leonard? He is online.”
“No! Why would I...? I mean, not Leonard. I don’t... I can’t... No, not Leonard.”
“Very well. May I suggest a therapist?”
“No, Sheldon. Even if I could afford one...”
“Ah, so your woes are financial? Then perhaps I may assist you!” He seemed relieved, and continued in his usual know-it-all manner before she could say another word. “Penny, you are aware of where I keep my money. Please feel free to take as much as you need. It is not necessary to rush to pay me back; after all, I’m not even going to be there. Take your time and choose a repayment schedule that works well for you.”
“I don’t have money problems, Sheldon. Well, I do; scary money problems - but these days, everyone has scary money problems. It’s not that.” She looked at him. He looked at her. It was a typical Sheldon look; borderline expressionless. But then something changed - it was almost imperceptible, and if she didn’t know him as well as she did, she would have missed it. It started in his eyes, and then his expression... softened. It was a small thing, but it was enough. Tears sprang into her eyes, and she quickly blinked them away.
“Penny?”
“I’m not going to cry again,” she reassured him. “I just... I’m just...,” she paused and drew a deep breath. “You were right, Sheldon, when you said I wasn’t myself. I haven’t felt like myself for a long time now. It’s like I’m on some sort of emotional roller-coaster and I can’t get off. I don’t know... I just feel so hopeless, you know? I mean - I moved out here to make something of myself - to be someone. Not just another waitress at a bar like most of the girls back home. I did all right in school, you know - so I thought I had a good chance at real success. I took a big risk moving out here - following my dreams, following Kurt,” she snorted cynically. “Some dreams, huh? I tanked at community college. At least I’m not a waitress in some sleazy bar where I can drink myself stupid every night - the Cheesecake Factory’s not that bad, and I only drink myself stupid on the weekends. My acting career is non-existent. Almost no call backs - it’s like I can’t catch a break.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “In a nutshell, Sheldon, unless things change soon, I will have to go back to Omaha, defeated - a failure - just like everyone said I would be.”
There was a long interval where Sheldon looked like he was working out a problem on an imaginary whiteboard. Penny almost congratulated herself on being able to read the miniscule nuances of his face. After what seemed like an eternity, where by all rights, she should have become increasingly uncomfortable with the long, drawn-out silence but didn’t, he spoke.
“Penny, I need to call you tomorrow. Will this same time be suitable for you?”
“Er... sure, Sheldon.” What else could she say really? She had just poured her heart out and he... wanted to call her back.
“Excellent. Until tomorrow, then. Good night, Penny.”
“Good night, Sheldon,” she answered automatically.
“Actually, it’s already morning for me.”
“Fine then, good morning!” Penny snapped, and Sheldon quickly signed off.
She stared at her computer screen for a long while before snapping it shut. She didn’t really know what to expect - non-reaction to anything emotional was after all completely characteristic of Sheldon. Didn’t the guys always call him a robot? She just thought that after his earlier consideration, and all that stuff about his feelings... maybe she was going crazy. She sighed and leaned over to turn off the light at her bedside. It was useless trying to figure him out - her brain might break.
Until tomorrow, then.
****
Penny almost didn’t even turn her laptop on.
She had just spent an entire day stewing over Sheldon’s lack of response to her sob story, because that’s what it had been basically, she thought dispiritedly, and frankly she wasn’t sure she wanted to talk to him at all.
Or ever.
How could he not say anything after she had essentially poured out her heart? Even for Sheldon, that was insensitive. Perhaps she would have been better off confiding in Leonard. She’d done it before, after all, and he was certainly more sympathetic. The thought of talking to Leonard about her problems didn’t feel right, though. She felt like maybe she would end up glossing over some stuff and never really talk about what was really bothering her - almost as if she was afraid to upset Leonard by revealing things that were upsetting her. And now that they were... well, dating, it should have been different, or easier even, to talk to him, but it just felt... weird.
What was... un-weird was that she had no qualms about talking to Sheldon. Maybe it was because he always stayed so detached. Maybe it was because she could trust him to tell her the truth, and nothing but the truth, even if she didn’t want to hear it. She needed to hear it though. And Sheldon was the only one - of all her friends, girlfriends included - brave enough to do that.
In the end, curiousity got the best of her and she connected to Skype and waited for his call.
And waited.
And then waited some more.
The call came at two in the morning. She was jolted awake by the ring tone, and without thinking, she clicked to answer it almost immediately.
“I’m sorry...” he started.
“What the hell, Sheldon? I cannot believe I actually waited - I fell asleep waiting!” She yelled at him furiously. “Goodbye, Sheldon.”
“Penny, wait - please! There was a storm last night - our internet connection was disrupted. I had no choice - I’ve been awake all night, monitoring it. It’s now 11 a.m. and my sleep cycle has been completely compromised but I wanted to talk to you. If I get cut off during our conversation; I apologize beforehand.”
“Oh.”
“Is my tardiness excused?”
“I’m sorry, Sheldon - it wasn’t your fault. I’m... er, just cranky when I get woken up suddenly.”
“Yes, I do recall your previous throat-punching threats.” He appeared to gather his thoughts, as he absently rubbed his neck. “I have carefully considered what you said in our last conversation, and I believe I may be able to help you with your current predicament. I am sending you several emails as we speak, hopefully they will be delivered successfully as the worst of the storm appears to have passed. In these emails, I detail suggestions for dealing with your problems as you described them to me last night. First, your financial difficulties: please follow my instructions carefully, and by my return - you should be on firmer ground, fiscally speaking. Second, I have provided you with information for enrolling in an acting workshop offered by a legitimate, rather reputable, arts academy. I have already arranged for an appointment with the admissions personnel so that they may assess your acting prowess. If your talent is deemed noteworthy, you will be allowed to participate in their workshops, which I am told is routinely host to various agents in the acting world. However, I was also told to request that you please do not quit your day job.” He paused for breath as Penny’s jaw silently dropped.
“Finally, you are not a failure. You are smart, beautiful and kind, and much too adept at Halo. I have grave concerns about you singing anything but Soft Kitty, however, I will not hold this against you, but musical theatre may be out of the question for you. Furthermore, you are... unique and... interesting - most of the time - and almost always annoying and disruptive, and I have a feeling you are sitting in my spot every time you go over to our place,” he paused briefly to glare at her with narrowed eyes, “but... that is what makes you... you. I sometimes even find that I miss your company...,” his voice trailed off in surprise, and he gave a quick shake of his head. “What I mean to say is that we would miss you if you returned to Omaha, all in our own way, and if there is something any of us can do to prevent this from happening, then we would do it. It just so happens that you got... me.”
“I got you,” she repeated inanely.
“The emails were successfully delivered. Please peruse them at your earliest convenience and respond with any questions or concerns you may have.” He instructed her crisply. “Alternatively, I could also call you back - two nights hence, same time as last night. Would that be preferable?”
“Yes, I would rather talk to you than email you!”
“Excellent. Raj and I are on outdoor duty right now, and I’m fairly certain the storm has wrecked havoc with our data recorders. Good night, Penny.”
“Er... good night, I mean, good morning... Sheldon. Thank you! And be careful out there!”
Penny fell back on her pillows as Sheldon’s face disappeared from her laptop screen. What the frack had that been about? Holy guacamole - would she ever understand this man? Her fingers flew over the keyboard as she logged into her email account. Sure enough, there were Sheldon’s emails. One by one, she read them. Then she read them again. After the contents of the emails had sunk in, and her annoyance at his bossy attitude faded away, she felt something she had not felt in a long time, something she had - in her darkest moments - thought she would never feel again.
It was hope - and apparently it went by the name of Sheldon Cooper.
Penny had expected to like Star Trek; it had, after all, received pretty good reviews. She had not, however, expected to love it. And how cool was that Spock character that Sheldon idolized? She felt that she understood a whole new dimension of Sheldon’s personality now. And besides, it was really awesome to know that she had actually met Leonard Nimoy. But there was also something special about Zachary Quinto’s Spock, though, that really reminded her of Sheldon - so much so, that she couldn’t help but wonder how Sheldon had reacted to being bullied as a boy, or how Sheldon would react if a woman kissed him the way Uhura had kissed Spock. He’d probably faint, she thought with a smirk, and later, when he came to, he would rinse out his mouth with industrial strength Listerine.
“Oh, Sheldon,” she remarked aloud, shaking her head in amusement.
- Hello, Penny.
A Skype IM box popped up on her screen and startled her.
Sheldon.
Holy crap on a cracker - that was freaky.
- Hi, Sheldon.
- Penny, I was hoping you would come online. I did not mean to upset you earlier tonight.
- No, Sheldon, I’m sorry I cut you off. Wait - why can’t we do this by webcam?
- I wasn’t sure you would take my call.
Penny felt guilt churning up her insides, and called Sheldon herself. He answered immediately and his fretful face appeared on her screen.
“Sheldon - I don’t care how much we fight - I would never not talk to you.”
“Thank you,” he murmured, looking like he didn’t believe her. “I do apologize for any distress my words may have caused you, Penny. That was not my intention. I merely meant to enquire as to the status of your well-being.”
The uncomfortable truth of his earlier words came rushing back to her, and it was too much: the polite concern on his face, the sincerity of his voice, she couldn’t help it - she burst into tears.
“Penny!” she heard Sheldon gasp, and he sounded horrified. “Umm... there, there.” His uncertainty and awkwardness resulted in laughter bubbling up through the tears, and it made her wish he was sitting in her room, just so that he could at least pat her on the back. The thought made her cry harder - what was wrong with her?
She was still sobbing a few minutes later, when his words froze her in place - they were hesitant and hushed but they were, strangely, exactly what she needed to hear.
“Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur.
Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, puhrr, puhrr, puhrr.
Playful kitty... frisky kitty... you streak by in a blur.
Funny kitty... sweet kitty, puhrr, puhrr, puhrr.”
“Oh, Sheldon...” she whispered when she could speak and look at him again.
“Hello, kitty,” he said softly.
She couldn’t help it - she giggled.
“Penny, please don’t cry. You... you look awful when you cry. Your eyes get bloodshot, and your skin gets blotchy and your nose runs...” He shuddered. She glared. “And, for some absurd reason,” he quietly admitted, avoiding her eyes, “I don’t like the way it makes me feel, either.”
“Give me a sec, okay?” She hopped off the bed before he could respond and hurried into the bathroom to wash her face and blow her nose. It also gave her time to get her breathing and heart rate back to normal because Sheldon Cooper had just stunned her almost speechless. She stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror.
He had sung Soft Kitty to her. He felt bad because she was upset. Sheldon... and feelings?
But funnily, strangely, weirdly, it had been the sweetest, most poignant, most wonderful moment, and she knew in her heart, that she would always remember it.
“Better?” he asked when she returned to her laptop.
“Much,” she beamed at him. “Thank you, Sheldon. That was so sweet - I guess I finally get why you like that lullaby so much, it really does make you feel better. And there’s a second verse!”
“I just made it up - I didn’t know what else to say.”
“That was perfect, sweetie,” she smiled, her heart constricting in her chest.
“Oh, good - I’m not usually adept at dealing with situations of an emotional nature.”
“Well, you did much better than last time.”
“I’m a quick learner.”
“Yeah,” she laughed. “Can’t argue with that.” There was a moment of comfortable silence as they just looked at each other. “Thank you, Sheldon. It means a lot to me that you care enough about me to do that.”
“Of course I care about you, Penny. Is that not a pre-requisite for friendship?”
“It definitely is.” She grinned at him. “Although, I’m kind of surprised you actually admitted to it.”
“I find myself admitting to many things recently, even if it is only to... myself. The anomalies in my activity log are myriad. Being out here in this vast arctic wilderness - it’s... it’s hard to explain, which, in and of itself, is quite frightening... but I feel different somehow. I remain somewhat mystified. Being here makes one feel small and insignificant.”
“Sheldon Cooper feels small and insignificant? That’s not possible! Who are you, and what have you done with my Sheldon?” She teased, but he looked momentarily startled. He recovered quickly though, and frowned at her.
“It’s quite ridiculous, of course, it’s merely a psychological response,” he stated with a look of distaste, “no doubt brought about by temporal and spatial variances associated with being at the magnetic north pole. And the desolation. And the quiet. I’m quite sure I will return to my normal self once I return home.”
“I don’t know, Sheldon. This new and improved, and what else? Oh, anomalous and mystified? - version of you sounds pretty damn good actually. Sheldon 2.0.”
“Penny, you couldn’t handle a new and improved version of me, as if that were possible.”
“Because you’re as good as it gets?”
“Because you can’t improve perfection,” he said with a sly smile, clearly trying to get a rise out of her.
“All right, Mr. Beautiful Mind,” she mocked.
“That’s Dr. Beautiful Mind.” He leaned his head back against and studied her with his hooded gaze, the smile still playing about his lips.
The effect was oddly... sexy.
She blinked, her eyes widening in surprise, but before she could analyse the thought, he spoke.
“You never answered my question, you know. What’s wrong, Penny?”
“I... I...,” It was suddenly harder to breathe, and she looked away from him. “I don’t know.”
“I have heard that talking about your problems to friends can be a cathartic exercise. It may assist you if you’re feeling distressed. Would you like me to call Leonard? He is online.”
“No! Why would I...? I mean, not Leonard. I don’t... I can’t... No, not Leonard.”
“Very well. May I suggest a therapist?”
“No, Sheldon. Even if I could afford one...”
“Ah, so your woes are financial? Then perhaps I may assist you!” He seemed relieved, and continued in his usual know-it-all manner before she could say another word. “Penny, you are aware of where I keep my money. Please feel free to take as much as you need. It is not necessary to rush to pay me back; after all, I’m not even going to be there. Take your time and choose a repayment schedule that works well for you.”
“I don’t have money problems, Sheldon. Well, I do; scary money problems - but these days, everyone has scary money problems. It’s not that.” She looked at him. He looked at her. It was a typical Sheldon look; borderline expressionless. But then something changed - it was almost imperceptible, and if she didn’t know him as well as she did, she would have missed it. It started in his eyes, and then his expression... softened. It was a small thing, but it was enough. Tears sprang into her eyes, and she quickly blinked them away.
“Penny?”
“I’m not going to cry again,” she reassured him. “I just... I’m just...,” she paused and drew a deep breath. “You were right, Sheldon, when you said I wasn’t myself. I haven’t felt like myself for a long time now. It’s like I’m on some sort of emotional roller-coaster and I can’t get off. I don’t know... I just feel so hopeless, you know? I mean - I moved out here to make something of myself - to be someone. Not just another waitress at a bar like most of the girls back home. I did all right in school, you know - so I thought I had a good chance at real success. I took a big risk moving out here - following my dreams, following Kurt,” she snorted cynically. “Some dreams, huh? I tanked at community college. At least I’m not a waitress in some sleazy bar where I can drink myself stupid every night - the Cheesecake Factory’s not that bad, and I only drink myself stupid on the weekends. My acting career is non-existent. Almost no call backs - it’s like I can’t catch a break.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “In a nutshell, Sheldon, unless things change soon, I will have to go back to Omaha, defeated - a failure - just like everyone said I would be.”
There was a long interval where Sheldon looked like he was working out a problem on an imaginary whiteboard. Penny almost congratulated herself on being able to read the miniscule nuances of his face. After what seemed like an eternity, where by all rights, she should have become increasingly uncomfortable with the long, drawn-out silence but didn’t, he spoke.
“Penny, I need to call you tomorrow. Will this same time be suitable for you?”
“Er... sure, Sheldon.” What else could she say really? She had just poured her heart out and he... wanted to call her back.
“Excellent. Until tomorrow, then. Good night, Penny.”
“Good night, Sheldon,” she answered automatically.
“Actually, it’s already morning for me.”
“Fine then, good morning!” Penny snapped, and Sheldon quickly signed off.
She stared at her computer screen for a long while before snapping it shut. She didn’t really know what to expect - non-reaction to anything emotional was after all completely characteristic of Sheldon. Didn’t the guys always call him a robot? She just thought that after his earlier consideration, and all that stuff about his feelings... maybe she was going crazy. She sighed and leaned over to turn off the light at her bedside. It was useless trying to figure him out - her brain might break.
Until tomorrow, then.
****
Penny almost didn’t even turn her laptop on.
She had just spent an entire day stewing over Sheldon’s lack of response to her sob story, because that’s what it had been basically, she thought dispiritedly, and frankly she wasn’t sure she wanted to talk to him at all.
Or ever.
How could he not say anything after she had essentially poured out her heart? Even for Sheldon, that was insensitive. Perhaps she would have been better off confiding in Leonard. She’d done it before, after all, and he was certainly more sympathetic. The thought of talking to Leonard about her problems didn’t feel right, though. She felt like maybe she would end up glossing over some stuff and never really talk about what was really bothering her - almost as if she was afraid to upset Leonard by revealing things that were upsetting her. And now that they were... well, dating, it should have been different, or easier even, to talk to him, but it just felt... weird.
What was... un-weird was that she had no qualms about talking to Sheldon. Maybe it was because he always stayed so detached. Maybe it was because she could trust him to tell her the truth, and nothing but the truth, even if she didn’t want to hear it. She needed to hear it though. And Sheldon was the only one - of all her friends, girlfriends included - brave enough to do that.
In the end, curiousity got the best of her and she connected to Skype and waited for his call.
And waited.
And then waited some more.
The call came at two in the morning. She was jolted awake by the ring tone, and without thinking, she clicked to answer it almost immediately.
“I’m sorry...” he started.
“What the hell, Sheldon? I cannot believe I actually waited - I fell asleep waiting!” She yelled at him furiously. “Goodbye, Sheldon.”
“Penny, wait - please! There was a storm last night - our internet connection was disrupted. I had no choice - I’ve been awake all night, monitoring it. It’s now 11 a.m. and my sleep cycle has been completely compromised but I wanted to talk to you. If I get cut off during our conversation; I apologize beforehand.”
“Oh.”
“Is my tardiness excused?”
“I’m sorry, Sheldon - it wasn’t your fault. I’m... er, just cranky when I get woken up suddenly.”
“Yes, I do recall your previous throat-punching threats.” He appeared to gather his thoughts, as he absently rubbed his neck. “I have carefully considered what you said in our last conversation, and I believe I may be able to help you with your current predicament. I am sending you several emails as we speak, hopefully they will be delivered successfully as the worst of the storm appears to have passed. In these emails, I detail suggestions for dealing with your problems as you described them to me last night. First, your financial difficulties: please follow my instructions carefully, and by my return - you should be on firmer ground, fiscally speaking. Second, I have provided you with information for enrolling in an acting workshop offered by a legitimate, rather reputable, arts academy. I have already arranged for an appointment with the admissions personnel so that they may assess your acting prowess. If your talent is deemed noteworthy, you will be allowed to participate in their workshops, which I am told is routinely host to various agents in the acting world. However, I was also told to request that you please do not quit your day job.” He paused for breath as Penny’s jaw silently dropped.
“Finally, you are not a failure. You are smart, beautiful and kind, and much too adept at Halo. I have grave concerns about you singing anything but Soft Kitty, however, I will not hold this against you, but musical theatre may be out of the question for you. Furthermore, you are... unique and... interesting - most of the time - and almost always annoying and disruptive, and I have a feeling you are sitting in my spot every time you go over to our place,” he paused briefly to glare at her with narrowed eyes, “but... that is what makes you... you. I sometimes even find that I miss your company...,” his voice trailed off in surprise, and he gave a quick shake of his head. “What I mean to say is that we would miss you if you returned to Omaha, all in our own way, and if there is something any of us can do to prevent this from happening, then we would do it. It just so happens that you got... me.”
“I got you,” she repeated inanely.
“The emails were successfully delivered. Please peruse them at your earliest convenience and respond with any questions or concerns you may have.” He instructed her crisply. “Alternatively, I could also call you back - two nights hence, same time as last night. Would that be preferable?”
“Yes, I would rather talk to you than email you!”
“Excellent. Raj and I are on outdoor duty right now, and I’m fairly certain the storm has wrecked havoc with our data recorders. Good night, Penny.”
“Er... good night, I mean, good morning... Sheldon. Thank you! And be careful out there!”
Penny fell back on her pillows as Sheldon’s face disappeared from her laptop screen. What the frack had that been about? Holy guacamole - would she ever understand this man? Her fingers flew over the keyboard as she logged into her email account. Sure enough, there were Sheldon’s emails. One by one, she read them. Then she read them again. After the contents of the emails had sunk in, and her annoyance at his bossy attitude faded away, she felt something she had not felt in a long time, something she had - in her darkest moments - thought she would never feel again.
It was hope - and apparently it went by the name of Sheldon Cooper.