Fic: The Crossroads Conundrum, Part 8
Title: The Crossroads Conundrum
Part 8: Sheldon
Author: she_burns1
Pairing: Sheldon/Penny, Leonard/Penny
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 2,032
Summary: Future!fic! Sheldon, Penny, and Leonard all thought they knew exactly what they wanted, but with a big change on the way, all three begin to question themselves, and each of them is lead in a direction they had not anticipated.
Disclaimer: All recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The plot is all mine. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Note: SURPRISE!!!! I bet you all thought this fic was dead, didn't you?! Not that I blame you. Took me ages and ages...in fact, you probably don't even remember this...but if you do and you're happy, well then, not only am I flattered but YAY! And, not to worry! I have this story almost completely finished, so you will not have to linger in wait for the next part! This story will officially be 15 parts, and I am currently finishing up Part 13. I plan on posting each part a bit at a time! So...hope you enjoy?!
Back to: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7
Gravity. It keeps you rooted to the ground. In space, there's not any gravity. You just kind of leave your feet and go floating around. Is that what being in love is like? - Josh Brand
“Read it to me again.”
“I have all ready read it to you more than once and, each time; have expressed not only my displeasure, but my disapproval at doing so. Repetitive tasks such as this are-”
“Please?”
Sheldon let out an aggrieved sigh as he scowled in Ben’s direction. Sheldon had been disconcerted to find he had drifted off earlier, and, upon awakening, had found that one whole side of his body was uncomfortably warm. Peering down he had discovered Ben slumped against him, the small child deeply asleep.
Clearing his throat, Sheldon had nudged the boy slightly, causing him to wake. Sheldon had tried shooing him off on to his mother but Ben was not to be swayed. For some reason, wholly indiscernible to Sheldon, the boy seemed to like spending time with him.
In fact he had only left Sheldon’s side temporarily to secure some of his belongings, one of which was a book that he pestered Sheldon into reading to him over and over again ad nauseum.
Sheldon didn’t know why he continued to do so, past the fact that Ben somehow seemed to have some sort of pull over him and it was more than his eyes, which, even on further inspection, were still the same color and shade of Penny’s.
It was his mannerisms and his facial expressions and little things that just…it was like having a small, little piece of her with him.
Which just made things worse.
“Benjamin, no amount of pleading will persuade me to-”
“But it’s my favorite.” Ben stressed the last word and there was a little steel there. Sheldon felt his lips quirk slightly and wished they wouldn’t. But he couldn’t help it. He almost heard her voice there.
He took in a deep breath, “Very well. But this is the last time.”
Sheldon cleared his throat and started from the beginning, “Once upon a time…”
Sheldon cringed at the beginning as he always did. Once upon a time. What a terrible way to start a story. So many holes right there in the opening. But he continued on, because he had voiced his issues before and Ben was pretty valiant at not only ignoring him but urging him onwards until the story’s reading was complete.
Ben peered over his arm now and then, looking at the pictures in the book intently, as if seeing them for the first time. Sheldon drew nearer to the end of the story, “‘Oh dear me, where am I?” she cried and the Prince answered joyfully, “You are with me,” and he told her what had happened, adding, “Snow White, I love you better than anyone in the whole wide world. Will you come with me to my father’s palace and be my wife?” and Snow White consented and went with him and the marriage was celebrated with great pomp and splendor.”
Sheldon stopped here. It was not the end of the story, but each time he read this passage he found it harder to read through than the last and Ben had to make a loud ‘humph’ sound and elbow him until he came back to himself and finished.
Sheldon pushed the book towards Ben, “There. Done.”
Ben took the book and turned it in his hands a couple of times. He looked intently at Sheldon, before saying, “I like the dwarves.”
“Agreed. Though the story in and of itself is something of a laughable morality tale lecturing about the evils of jealousy.”
Ben blinked.
Sheldon could almost hear an echoed voice saying ‘huh’ and he sighed, explaining, “Most of the story deals with the Queen’s jealousy over Snow White’s looks and, in essence, her issues with vanity.”
“I like Dopey the best.” Ben supplied.
“Not surprising,” Sheldon muttered, but continued the conversation dryly, “Though the story in which I just read you, did not, in point of fact, have the dwarves named. Indeed, the original Brothers’ Grimm tale did not deign to label them with such simplistic names such as ‘Happy’ and ‘Sleepy’ and so on.”
A distinctly familiar female voice remarked, “Is Grumpy your favorite?”
Sheldon blinked and looked at Ben, “I beg your pardon?”
“I said which one is your favorite?” Ben repeated; looking like he had asked no other question and Sheldon frowned. Had he just heard the earlier question or not? No, no, he couldn’t have. He looked around warily. The elderly black woman across from them was still sleeping and Ben’s mother was still sitting to the other far side of the car. No way could someone have asked that.
Troubled but not restrained, Sheldon answered, “Considering my options, I am invariably left with Doc, who, while suffering from an almost debilitating ability to express himself verbally upon occasion, is obviously still the best educated and veritable leader of the group. Not to mention the glasses are a nice touch.”
“My Daddy wears glasses.”
“Does he?”
Ben nodded, “We’re going to see him.”
Sheldon added nothing to this and a simple silence settled in between the two of them. Sheldon looked out the window and saw that several buildings within view were now passing by slowly, indicating that the locomotive was reaching its first stop.
This distracted Sheldon from the fact that Ben had grabbed his journal and a crayon and was now steadily doodling within in it. Once he did notice, he took in such a loud breath it was almost comical, “What are you doing?!”
Ben looked indifferent as he turned Sheldon’s journal towards him so he could see. Ben had written his name and done a simple drawing of three stick figured people. The first was tall and had the name ‘Shelldin’ scribbled beneath it. The second was far shorter than the other two figures and was named ‘Ben’. The third, and last, stick figure was, from the ridiculous circles that could be construed as breasts, a woman. She was labeled ‘Piny’.
Sheldon looked at the picture and then at Ben, frowning, his tone accusatory, “What, exactly, was the point of this graffiti?”
Ben shrugged, exhaling out of his nose as he shifted about in his seat, “’S a present.”
Sheldon’s eyes widened incredulously, “A present?”
Ben nodded and obviously felt there was no further need to elaborate. Sheldon was flabbergasted. Here he had spent all this time with this little hooligan who had demanded re-readings of an inane children’s tale and all he got in return was the defacement of his personal property.
His mouth worked silently, trying to think of the proper rebuttal for such a thing when Ben beat him to the punch, stating calmly, “I like you, Sheldon.”
Sheldon just stared at him, not so much speechless as just, well, struck.
“I hope you get to see Penny soon.”
The train had come to a complete stop and Ben’s mother walked over towards them. She smiled warmly, “Ben, sweetie, we’ve come to our stop. Time to go.”
Ben got to his feet and gathered his items together. Sheldon blinked a few times, still processing and then he dug through his bag. He found one of his comics, a recent issue that he recalled having another copy of at home. At least, he hoped he had another copy, as he grudgingly offered it to the boy, “Here.”
Ben gave him a little smile and took the gift. Ben’s mother also smiled as she poked Ben’s shoulder softly, “What do we say?”
“Thank you, Sheldon.”
“No need for thanks, as I’ve said to others, the foundation of gift giving is reciprocity. I do this more out of requirement than out of preference. I would prefer not to give you anything, but social niceties require that I give you something.”
Ben’s mother frowned, “What?”
“That’s just the way he talks.” Ben offered with a shrug and moved back to the side where he had intitally sat with his mother to make sure he had collected everything.
Ben’s mother merely shook her head, “Sheldon, was it?,” Sheldon nodded and she continued, “I’m Nancy, Ben’s mother. Thanks again for watching him. You’re really good with children.”
Sheldon’s eyebrows drew together in confusion, “In what way?”
Nancy sighed, rolling her eyes and ignoring him as she muttered, “Certainly better than my ex-husband. He’d rather spend time doodling with my ex-best friend than doodling with my son in a coloring book, if you catch my drift.”
“I do not.” Sheldon replied, all ready trying to break down what she had said and then easily putting it aside. What did it matter anyway? She was no one of importance. The statistical likelihood of his seeing her again was almost astronomical. Still, something she had said did hold his attention, even if just in the slightest, “You say your ex-husband…”
Nancy nodded, “Yeah, we just got divorced last year. Turns out he was ‘in love’ with one of my friends and she said she felt the same.”
The term ‘in love’ was accompanied by the gesture that Sheldon had discovered to be ‘air quotes’ and he frowned, “So they’re,” he repeated the gesture, “‘Not in love’.”
“Oh, they very well may be, but I sure would have liked to know that long before he and I got married and had a child.”
“Your friend, the one who fell in love with your husband, would you say the fault of your relationship ending lies with her?”
“Huh?”
“I mean, do you hold her responsible for the ending of your marriage and, if so, do you, at all, understand her point of view in the affair? For example, was it by choice that she became involved with your husband or is it possible that she was suffering from a biological imperative that she was unaware she was afflicted with until she was confronted by it?”
Nancy struggled to answer but could only produce another, “Huh?”
Before the issue could be pursed further, Ben returned to his mother’s side and took her hand, “Mom?”
Nancy shook her head several times, as if trying to dissuade a headache, as she said numbly, “Ben, tell your…friend…goodbye.”
“Good bye, Sheldon, it was nice meeting you.”
“Benjamin.” Sheldon offered simply as Ben and his mother exited the train.
Once they were gone and the locomotive started moving again, Sheldon sighed and settled into what he thought to be a nice, serene silence. He looked out the window once more but found the scenery to be marred by an overcast sky and the falling of night.
He opened his journal and perused the picture Ben had drawn for him. His fingers floated over the stick figure named ‘Piny’. It looked nothing like her. And yet…
“Interesting conversation.”
Sheldon looked up and saw the woman across from him looking at him. Sheldon frowned, “Excuse me?”
“You and the boy talking earlier…about the girl…what was her name…?”
“Penny. And I thought you were sleeping.”
“Oh, that’s the problem when you get to be my age. You close your eyes for a few minutes and people assume you’re either sleeping or dead. So, the girl, Penny, she’s not with you?”
Sheldon ignored the question, “That was a private conversation between Benjamin and myself, so I see in no way that it concerns you. Not to mention that the practice of eavesdropping has been, and always will be, looked down upon.”
“True enough, sugar, and I’m not arguing with you, but facts is facts and I overheard you. Now, we’ve got a long way to go before the next stop. You’re alone and I’m alone, nobody but us in this whole train cab, and there ain’t much to do between here and there. Maybe you could humor an old woman and tell me your story.”
Sheldon opened his mouth to reply but faltered for a moment. The woman gave him something of a humored smile, “Name’s Gloria, by the by.”
He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, “Sheldon.”
“See? Now we know one another.”
Sheldon frowned, finding it strange that she had somehow picked up on thoughts he had just barely formed in his own mind. Maybe he had been wrong in his earlier assumptions about the possibilities of telepathy.
Gloria waited patiently, hands folded on her lap, warm brown eyes intent on his face. Sheldon avoided her eyes as best as possible, face twitching, “Where would you like me to start?”
“Where all good stories start, sugar. At the beginning.”
Sheldon licked his lips, his eyes finally finding comfort by settling on his hands, “All right.”
Part 8: Sheldon
Author: she_burns1
Pairing: Sheldon/Penny, Leonard/Penny
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 2,032
Summary: Future!fic! Sheldon, Penny, and Leonard all thought they knew exactly what they wanted, but with a big change on the way, all three begin to question themselves, and each of them is lead in a direction they had not anticipated.
Disclaimer: All recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The plot is all mine. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Note: SURPRISE!!!! I bet you all thought this fic was dead, didn't you?! Not that I blame you. Took me ages and ages...in fact, you probably don't even remember this...but if you do and you're happy, well then, not only am I flattered but YAY! And, not to worry! I have this story almost completely finished, so you will not have to linger in wait for the next part! This story will officially be 15 parts, and I am currently finishing up Part 13. I plan on posting each part a bit at a time! So...hope you enjoy?!
Back to: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7
Gravity. It keeps you rooted to the ground. In space, there's not any gravity. You just kind of leave your feet and go floating around. Is that what being in love is like? - Josh Brand
“Read it to me again.”
“I have all ready read it to you more than once and, each time; have expressed not only my displeasure, but my disapproval at doing so. Repetitive tasks such as this are-”
“Please?”
Sheldon let out an aggrieved sigh as he scowled in Ben’s direction. Sheldon had been disconcerted to find he had drifted off earlier, and, upon awakening, had found that one whole side of his body was uncomfortably warm. Peering down he had discovered Ben slumped against him, the small child deeply asleep.
Clearing his throat, Sheldon had nudged the boy slightly, causing him to wake. Sheldon had tried shooing him off on to his mother but Ben was not to be swayed. For some reason, wholly indiscernible to Sheldon, the boy seemed to like spending time with him.
In fact he had only left Sheldon’s side temporarily to secure some of his belongings, one of which was a book that he pestered Sheldon into reading to him over and over again ad nauseum.
Sheldon didn’t know why he continued to do so, past the fact that Ben somehow seemed to have some sort of pull over him and it was more than his eyes, which, even on further inspection, were still the same color and shade of Penny’s.
It was his mannerisms and his facial expressions and little things that just…it was like having a small, little piece of her with him.
Which just made things worse.
“Benjamin, no amount of pleading will persuade me to-”
“But it’s my favorite.” Ben stressed the last word and there was a little steel there. Sheldon felt his lips quirk slightly and wished they wouldn’t. But he couldn’t help it. He almost heard her voice there.
He took in a deep breath, “Very well. But this is the last time.”
Sheldon cleared his throat and started from the beginning, “Once upon a time…”
Sheldon cringed at the beginning as he always did. Once upon a time. What a terrible way to start a story. So many holes right there in the opening. But he continued on, because he had voiced his issues before and Ben was pretty valiant at not only ignoring him but urging him onwards until the story’s reading was complete.
Ben peered over his arm now and then, looking at the pictures in the book intently, as if seeing them for the first time. Sheldon drew nearer to the end of the story, “‘Oh dear me, where am I?” she cried and the Prince answered joyfully, “You are with me,” and he told her what had happened, adding, “Snow White, I love you better than anyone in the whole wide world. Will you come with me to my father’s palace and be my wife?” and Snow White consented and went with him and the marriage was celebrated with great pomp and splendor.”
Sheldon stopped here. It was not the end of the story, but each time he read this passage he found it harder to read through than the last and Ben had to make a loud ‘humph’ sound and elbow him until he came back to himself and finished.
Sheldon pushed the book towards Ben, “There. Done.”
Ben took the book and turned it in his hands a couple of times. He looked intently at Sheldon, before saying, “I like the dwarves.”
“Agreed. Though the story in and of itself is something of a laughable morality tale lecturing about the evils of jealousy.”
Ben blinked.
Sheldon could almost hear an echoed voice saying ‘huh’ and he sighed, explaining, “Most of the story deals with the Queen’s jealousy over Snow White’s looks and, in essence, her issues with vanity.”
“I like Dopey the best.” Ben supplied.
“Not surprising,” Sheldon muttered, but continued the conversation dryly, “Though the story in which I just read you, did not, in point of fact, have the dwarves named. Indeed, the original Brothers’ Grimm tale did not deign to label them with such simplistic names such as ‘Happy’ and ‘Sleepy’ and so on.”
A distinctly familiar female voice remarked, “Is Grumpy your favorite?”
Sheldon blinked and looked at Ben, “I beg your pardon?”
“I said which one is your favorite?” Ben repeated; looking like he had asked no other question and Sheldon frowned. Had he just heard the earlier question or not? No, no, he couldn’t have. He looked around warily. The elderly black woman across from them was still sleeping and Ben’s mother was still sitting to the other far side of the car. No way could someone have asked that.
Troubled but not restrained, Sheldon answered, “Considering my options, I am invariably left with Doc, who, while suffering from an almost debilitating ability to express himself verbally upon occasion, is obviously still the best educated and veritable leader of the group. Not to mention the glasses are a nice touch.”
“My Daddy wears glasses.”
“Does he?”
Ben nodded, “We’re going to see him.”
Sheldon added nothing to this and a simple silence settled in between the two of them. Sheldon looked out the window and saw that several buildings within view were now passing by slowly, indicating that the locomotive was reaching its first stop.
This distracted Sheldon from the fact that Ben had grabbed his journal and a crayon and was now steadily doodling within in it. Once he did notice, he took in such a loud breath it was almost comical, “What are you doing?!”
Ben looked indifferent as he turned Sheldon’s journal towards him so he could see. Ben had written his name and done a simple drawing of three stick figured people. The first was tall and had the name ‘Shelldin’ scribbled beneath it. The second was far shorter than the other two figures and was named ‘Ben’. The third, and last, stick figure was, from the ridiculous circles that could be construed as breasts, a woman. She was labeled ‘Piny’.
Sheldon looked at the picture and then at Ben, frowning, his tone accusatory, “What, exactly, was the point of this graffiti?”
Ben shrugged, exhaling out of his nose as he shifted about in his seat, “’S a present.”
Sheldon’s eyes widened incredulously, “A present?”
Ben nodded and obviously felt there was no further need to elaborate. Sheldon was flabbergasted. Here he had spent all this time with this little hooligan who had demanded re-readings of an inane children’s tale and all he got in return was the defacement of his personal property.
His mouth worked silently, trying to think of the proper rebuttal for such a thing when Ben beat him to the punch, stating calmly, “I like you, Sheldon.”
Sheldon just stared at him, not so much speechless as just, well, struck.
“I hope you get to see Penny soon.”
The train had come to a complete stop and Ben’s mother walked over towards them. She smiled warmly, “Ben, sweetie, we’ve come to our stop. Time to go.”
Ben got to his feet and gathered his items together. Sheldon blinked a few times, still processing and then he dug through his bag. He found one of his comics, a recent issue that he recalled having another copy of at home. At least, he hoped he had another copy, as he grudgingly offered it to the boy, “Here.”
Ben gave him a little smile and took the gift. Ben’s mother also smiled as she poked Ben’s shoulder softly, “What do we say?”
“Thank you, Sheldon.”
“No need for thanks, as I’ve said to others, the foundation of gift giving is reciprocity. I do this more out of requirement than out of preference. I would prefer not to give you anything, but social niceties require that I give you something.”
Ben’s mother frowned, “What?”
“That’s just the way he talks.” Ben offered with a shrug and moved back to the side where he had intitally sat with his mother to make sure he had collected everything.
Ben’s mother merely shook her head, “Sheldon, was it?,” Sheldon nodded and she continued, “I’m Nancy, Ben’s mother. Thanks again for watching him. You’re really good with children.”
Sheldon’s eyebrows drew together in confusion, “In what way?”
Nancy sighed, rolling her eyes and ignoring him as she muttered, “Certainly better than my ex-husband. He’d rather spend time doodling with my ex-best friend than doodling with my son in a coloring book, if you catch my drift.”
“I do not.” Sheldon replied, all ready trying to break down what she had said and then easily putting it aside. What did it matter anyway? She was no one of importance. The statistical likelihood of his seeing her again was almost astronomical. Still, something she had said did hold his attention, even if just in the slightest, “You say your ex-husband…”
Nancy nodded, “Yeah, we just got divorced last year. Turns out he was ‘in love’ with one of my friends and she said she felt the same.”
The term ‘in love’ was accompanied by the gesture that Sheldon had discovered to be ‘air quotes’ and he frowned, “So they’re,” he repeated the gesture, “‘Not in love’.”
“Oh, they very well may be, but I sure would have liked to know that long before he and I got married and had a child.”
“Your friend, the one who fell in love with your husband, would you say the fault of your relationship ending lies with her?”
“Huh?”
“I mean, do you hold her responsible for the ending of your marriage and, if so, do you, at all, understand her point of view in the affair? For example, was it by choice that she became involved with your husband or is it possible that she was suffering from a biological imperative that she was unaware she was afflicted with until she was confronted by it?”
Nancy struggled to answer but could only produce another, “Huh?”
Before the issue could be pursed further, Ben returned to his mother’s side and took her hand, “Mom?”
Nancy shook her head several times, as if trying to dissuade a headache, as she said numbly, “Ben, tell your…friend…goodbye.”
“Good bye, Sheldon, it was nice meeting you.”
“Benjamin.” Sheldon offered simply as Ben and his mother exited the train.
Once they were gone and the locomotive started moving again, Sheldon sighed and settled into what he thought to be a nice, serene silence. He looked out the window once more but found the scenery to be marred by an overcast sky and the falling of night.
He opened his journal and perused the picture Ben had drawn for him. His fingers floated over the stick figure named ‘Piny’. It looked nothing like her. And yet…
“Interesting conversation.”
Sheldon looked up and saw the woman across from him looking at him. Sheldon frowned, “Excuse me?”
“You and the boy talking earlier…about the girl…what was her name…?”
“Penny. And I thought you were sleeping.”
“Oh, that’s the problem when you get to be my age. You close your eyes for a few minutes and people assume you’re either sleeping or dead. So, the girl, Penny, she’s not with you?”
Sheldon ignored the question, “That was a private conversation between Benjamin and myself, so I see in no way that it concerns you. Not to mention that the practice of eavesdropping has been, and always will be, looked down upon.”
“True enough, sugar, and I’m not arguing with you, but facts is facts and I overheard you. Now, we’ve got a long way to go before the next stop. You’re alone and I’m alone, nobody but us in this whole train cab, and there ain’t much to do between here and there. Maybe you could humor an old woman and tell me your story.”
Sheldon opened his mouth to reply but faltered for a moment. The woman gave him something of a humored smile, “Name’s Gloria, by the by.”
He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, “Sheldon.”
“See? Now we know one another.”
Sheldon frowned, finding it strange that she had somehow picked up on thoughts he had just barely formed in his own mind. Maybe he had been wrong in his earlier assumptions about the possibilities of telepathy.
Gloria waited patiently, hands folded on her lap, warm brown eyes intent on his face. Sheldon avoided her eyes as best as possible, face twitching, “Where would you like me to start?”
“Where all good stories start, sugar. At the beginning.”
Sheldon licked his lips, his eyes finally finding comfort by settling on his hands, “All right.”