How far would you go to save the one person who made your world a better place?
"I think you should call his mother, Leonard," said Raj. "It's like being around a zombie who's a vegetarian, scary but you know he's not going to eat you."
"You call her. It's not like she was his girlfriend. I think he's just messed up because of the disruption to his schedule. He's working again. In fact, other than sleeping here, all he does is work."
"Dude, it's not like she was your girlfriend, either, y'know?" Raj pointed out. He and Penny had broken up months before and Leonard was currently dallying with Leslie Winkle.
"Well, she was and we would have gotten back together again, eventually."
"These materials are expensive, Sheldon. Are you sure you want to spend this kind of money on something that probably won't work?" asked Howard.
"It will work. I've done the math. You're the only one I know and trust who has the skills to build what I need. Will you help me?"
"So what's in it for me? I'm going to have to give up a lot of – "
"My entire comic book collection is yours for building it. Once I am successful, my collectible action figures as well." He hadn't made eye contact with the engineer but Howard knew that Sheldon Cooper never went back on his word.
"Sheldon," he said softly, almost gently, "you can't bring her back. Penny Queen is dead and buried in Nebraska."
"Of course she is. I was there. I saw her coffin lowered into that frozen ground – "
"Then what's the point of 'Project Resurrection'?" Both he and Bernadette were worried for their friend's sanity. He hadn't shed a single tear nor had he even done more than gone through the motions of grieving their friend's untimely death.
"To ensure that she never goes to the bank that day. By stopping her from going to the bank, she won't be standing in the teller line to cash her check. She won't be shot in the cross fire between the bank guard and the robber. She won't be dead. My precious Penny will still be alive."
Howard sputtered, unable to put together a sentence for a few moments and then blurted out, "Holy crap! This is a Time Machine?"
"Not really a Time Machine, Howard, rather a Tachyon Displacement Engine. Note the booth-like structure in the center of the focal conductors? That's where I'll stand and be translated into our past's time stream. I'll prevent her from going to the bank. None of this will have happened. Homeostasis will be restored. All will be right in my world again."
It took Howard three months to secure the necessary components for the 'Temporal Displacement Unit' as Sheldon amended its name to be more descriptive. It took him another month to assemble the nightmare, for that was his name for it, 'Cooper's Nightmare'. The longer it took, the more distant Sheldon became. He lost weight, skipped work to oversee construction, borrowed huge sums of money to finance the project but never nagged at Howard even once to hurry and complete the machine.
After all, if it worked, Sheldon Cooper had all the time in the world to change history.
"Ready, Sheldon?" Howard was nervous. He'd gone over every component, every connection, every angle, the minutest detail had been scrutinized many times and yet he was terrified of failure. Failure would destroy his friend. Would success do the same?
He clicked his mouse and programs began running, sparks flew and light bulbs blew out and when he looked up, Sheldon Cooper was gone.
"Sheldon! You scared the crap out of me. Jesus, don't sneak up on a pers – "
"Don't go to the bank. Don't cash that check, Penny. Please – "
"Moon Pie, I have to get it cashed and give the super last month's rent or I'm out on my ass. Now, outta my way. If the bank closes before I get the money – "
He popped back into the booth and Howard ran up and opened the door and dragged him out into a hug. "Did it work? I can't believe we've built a Time Machine!"
"No. She pushed me away and ran down the stairs before I could stop her. I'm back and we're here so, no, Howard, it did not work!"
"Ready, Sheldon?" Howard was nervous. He'd gone over every component, every connection, every angle, the minutest detail had been scrutinized many times and yet he was terrified of failure. Failure would destroy his friend. Would success do the same?
He clicked his mouse and programs began running, sparks flew and light bulbs blew out and when he looked up, Sheldon Cooper was gone.
"Sheldon! You scared the crap out of me. Jesus, don't sneak up on a pers – "
"Don't go to the bank. Don't cash that check, Penny. Please – "
"Moon Pie, I have to get it cashed and give the super last month's rent or I'm out on my ass. Now, outta my way. If the bank closes before I get the money – "
Sheldon snatched the check from her hand. "I have already paid the landlord for your back rent. You can pay me back as you can. Now, I will go into the bank and deposit your check if you will be so kind as to drive me."
"Sheldon, I – " Blue eyes burned into green and she wilted under the glare and slight madness she saw in his eyes. In truth, she was frightened to say 'no'. "Okay, Sheldon, you win," she sighed. "I'll drive you to my bank and you can stand in line to deposit my check in my account."
He turned and walked past her but heard her mutter, "damned whackadoodle" under her breath but he just smiled and walked down to her car.
The group stood quietly at the graveside. "Why did he do that? Why did he insist on depositing my check?" Penny had cried for the past 5 days after the shooting. 'Wrong place at the wrong time,' everyone had said but she knew it was more than that. It just had to be.
"Ready, Penny?" Howard was nervous. He'd gone over every component, every connection, every angle, the minutest detail had been scrutinized many times and yet he was terrified of failure. Failure would destroy his friend as surely as her grief was.
They'd found notes in Sheldon's handwriting and diagrams of something he'd labeled the 'Temporal Displacement Unit' and an insurance policy for $1 million dollars with Penny the named beneficiary.
He clicked his mouse and programs began running, sparks flew and light bulbs blew out and when he looked up, Penny Queen was gone to save her Moon Pie just as he'd saved her.
Except she'd save them both.