Sheldon Swifties: XVIII.: "The Twilight Zone, II…"
Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.
Disclaimer: All is Chuck's…
"Not Now!..." cry from pie-soaked faces of the fabulous four in Leonard's apartment…
Returned from Space Rocket Man Howard Wolowitz, staring…Giving it up in utter discouragement...Closing door…
Yep…That kinda night…
Well…Ought to get home and see if Bernie's ok…Though ten minutes ago on the phone she was groggily telling me how good it was, keep go…ZZZZZZ…So I'd say she's fine…But I should…Ole married man…Being there for the missus…The totally unconscious missus…
Not her fault…God knows she tried…Well, why not one quick drink here at the nicest hotel bar in P,CA…And then home to my utterly well-intentioned sleepin' honey…
You never know, someone might have seen me on cable…He went in…
Yep…He nursed his scotch and soda… "Nursed" as in could barely take a sip…But hey, I'm an astronaut and this is what an astronaut should order…He looked round…Very nice place, should bring Bernie if she's up to it later on this week…I know she's got plenty of stuff but I should stop by the CVS and get her something in a nice Dayquil or something...She'll appreciate the thought at least…
"Excuse me…" a familiar voice…A touch of awe in the husky tone… "Are you Howard Wolowitz, the astronaut from the latest ISS mission?...The telescope repair?..."
He blinked at a beaming tall blonde in blouse and skirt, suit on chair…
"I'm Katie Sackhoff…Here for the convention…I hope I'm not bothering you…?" she offered a hand…Grin… "Sorry, I'm usually on the receiving end of that…I mean, God…I hope I'm not being a typical egotistical TV actress airhead and you've never heard of me…Way embarrassment…" nervous look as he hesitated, blinking…
"Ah, ha…Ah…No, no…I mean yes, of course…I've seen you…"
Especially in my dreams…Ok, I'm clearly asleep and maybe trying to get back at Bernie…Not nice, lets wake up…Wake up…
Ow!...He felt the pinch…
"You ok?..." she asked…
"Muscle spasm…From the zero gravity…" he smiled… "Really nice to meet you Ms. Sackhoff, I'm actually a big, big fan…But, how'd you…"
"I follow every ISS mission…I really do like space exploration…Not a total airhead, ya know…" she beamed… "And your mission on the telescope was really cool…How was it up there?...I did zero G once in that airplane, you know…NASA let some of us from the show do a tour…Publicity, of course but I loved it…"
"Oh, I know the Comet all too well, ma'am…" he sighed, grinning…
"Tell me about it…" chuckle… "Can I buy our latest returned astroguy a drink?..." she asked, rather startlingly shyly…
"Uh, sure…"
"Dave…?" she called for the bartender…
"I come by here now and then…Dave makes a mean Sex on the Beach…"
"Sorry…Dave's left for the evening…Daughter's having a birthday…I'm Sydney, the night manager, filling in…But don't worry, I know my stuff…What'll it be?..." the replacement bartender smiled, emerging from the back…
Oh, my…Howard stared at the spitting image of actor George Takei…
Ok, I am either asleep or still on the ISS, raving mad and medicated…
/
"So…When you were out, actually out there, in your suit…" Katie, a bit breathless… "What was it like?..."
"Oh…Well…Incredible, actually…" he grinned… "I mean…The Earth was at my feet…The moon was just off to the side…Clear as a bell…I could see, God, stars scattered like dust…It was just…I can't describe it…"
"Wow…" she sighed… "I always had a secret dream of being an astronaut…It's why I tried so hard to get some scenes outside the vipers and the Galactica, in space, doing the weightless thing…"
"Well, you were terrific…My buddies and I always felt like you were really up and out there…" he set down his drink…
"Another?..." Katie, a bit anxious…
"Oh, no…I should be going…My wife's home sick and was trying to sleep it off, so I thought I'd go see some buds, have a quick drink…Quietly celebrate my return…"
"Oh…Right…" downcast tone… "I did read you were just married…She must be very nice…"
"Wonderful…Her name's Bernadette…Wonderful girl…And I should be heading home…"
"Just one more?...You didn't tell me what the plans are for reactivating the scope and what you'll be targeting…I really would like to hear…" winsome tone…
"Uh…"
"I understand, sorry…Didn't mean to impose…" sigh… "It's just I was really enjoying…Talking…To…Such…A …Nic..nic…nice…" sob…
"Ms. Sackhoff?...Katie?..."
"Oh, Howard…I got dumped tonight…" she sobbed… "My boyfriend said he was tired of all the Galactica stuff and the fans always comin' by…And that he hated going to all those conventions with me…Said it was silly and annoying to see people falling all over me for such a trivial part…And he's been seeing someone else…A reallll actress, he said…"
"Six foot plus dumped you?..." he stared… "I mean…" he eyed her stare… "I saw something about you and some guy, a while ago…In a supermarket tabloid…You know…" he shrugged… "You're in line, you want something to look at…"
"He was five-ten…I think it embarrassed him too that I was a little fitter and all…But I didn't mind, I went for him on his charm and brains…He kinda had a neat sense of humor, like yours?...Only nastier, it turned out …Oh…Why can't I meet a nice guy like you?...What's wrong with me, Howard?" sob…
Uh… "Katie, I can assure…99.99999999% of the straight males of the United States regard you as absolutely perfect…And probably a very high percentage of the gay ones…"
"I'm so messed up…Haven't had a really steady job in acting for a while, you know…Though I'm trying to stretch…Ibsen, Chekov…Some Shakespeare…You know…" she frowned… "Sir Patrick Stewart can really be nasty when he thinks you're coastin' on TV fame…But I was prepared…"
"I'm so sorry…" he patted… "But believe me, you'll meet someone…Someone really nice…And sweet and funny…"
"I think I just did…" she eyed him… "Howard, do you really have to go right home?..."
Uh… "Ms. Sackhoff…Katie…Believe me, seven months and…Lets see…Yeah…Eight days ago…I would have been jumping off my chair here…But…"
"I'm sorry…You're a nice guy and you're a good husband…I'm a little tipsy and bein' a jerk…Forgive me?"
"Uh…Sure…" he squeaked as she kissed him…On the lips…
"You tell her she's really…Really…Luc…" she hurried off…Howard watching her in shock as she ran for the ladies room…
"Oh, my…" Sydney had come over… "But you did the right thing…If perhaps, the stupid thing, some might say…"
"Yeah…" sigh… "Uh, no…No, I couldn't do that…"
God, why do you hate me so?
"I'd better go…Would you tell Ms. Sackhoff it was great meeting her, but I had to go?...Give her this note and put the drinks on my card?...Thanks…"
"Actually, it's on me, Astronaut…If I could keep the copy of your receipt signature for my nephew…He's a real space fan…" Sydney smiled…
"Sure…"
He rose and walked out…A spotlight randomly turned on by a computer error in the lighting system catching him…
Theme from the vision of Christ scene in "Ben Hur" playing…
Yes, I have done the right thing…He headed for the hotel lobby and exit…
"He's gone?..." Katie had returned, dabbing…Looking round…
"He said to tell you it was great meeting you…And left you this…" Sydney pushed the note forward…
"To my space pal, Howard…" Oh…Sob…
"I handled that so badly…I always do…He was so nice…"
"Oh…My…There, there…" Sydney gave a pat…
"Thanks…You know, you look just like…" she began…
"Yeah…I get it all the time…" smile…
"Of course…There is one major difference…In this ole fox…" grin…
"Really?..." Katie eyed him… "You know, I've dated older guys, they're always so nice…" she began…Smile through tears…
"Oh, my…" smile…
/
Hmmn…Howard eyed the threatening sky…Best to do a cab…Stop by CVS drive through…Home to my honey…
Yeah…
Oh, I must have been…
"Excuse me…" he gave an apologetic look at the woman by the cab he'd made for… "I wasn't paying attention, it's your…"
"Howard Wolowitz, the astronaut?..." Summer Glau stared at him… "Wow…Uh…We've met?…On a train a while back?...I was really rude…I'm sorry…I was kinda disappointed that friend of yours, the astrophysicist, got bored with me or something and backed off and I was getting tired…I'm really sorry…"
Uhhh…He stared…
"I'm here for the convention in town…Are you just back from space, I saw your mission on cable…Say, do you want to share the ride?..I'm staying with a friend…Who's out for the evening…"
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