A/N: There is always more than one side to every story. What if there were a dozen sides? Your challenge, if you choose to accept it, will be to write a Valentine's Day weekend for the BBT gang. Now here's the twist. This challenge will have several key elements that must be included. Think of it as multiple universes, where a decision made now changes the choices of tomorrow.
Here are the rules:
No word limit! Yup, none. Just finish by February 28th 2015.
The main story will take place from Friday February 13th (Interesting coincidence huh?) to Sunday February 15th 2015.
Make sure to label your story on with Valentine's Challenge so people can find it.
Your story must follow this outline:
One of the gang is given a trip for four to fly to Aspen, Colorado. They take their SO of course, but have to decide on one other couple to take with them that causes friction. The two couples fly to Aspen just in time to be trapped in the hotel by a blizzard. Unfortunately the hotel they are staying in is hosting some type of conference that gets on most of their nerves.
Back at home, the two remaining couples go to Valentine's dinner, somebody gets tipsy and reminisces over a past romantic partner and jealousy ensues. The couple that didn't have the above situation does the following. Someone goes to the pharmacy, but they bump into some stranger and the bags get switched. That person's SO sees what's in the bag and has a reaction to the contents.
In addition to the above outline, these following things need to happen at any time to any character:
An unexpected kiss between two people you would not expect to kiss.
A minor medical emergency.
Someone is caught singing a song and is embarrassed.
Since everyone who has previously submitted a story can do romance in their sleep, I figured that the ultimate day for romance should be a little more difficult to write about.
The 95 Degrees Destiny
Chapter 1
It was turning out to be another ordinary day at work. Howard was adjusting a screw on a robot in the engineering lab, when Leonard swung by to see if he wanted to go to lunch. Leonard walked into an oppressive wall of heat. "Why is it so warm in here? It's like a sauna."
Howard was perspiring heavily. It was so warm he had even removed his trademark dickey. An oscillating fan turned lazily back and forth, doing not much more than spreading the warm air. "Something is wrong with the thermostat; maintenance has been working on it all morning. I feel like I've lost two pounds of sweat." Tiny Howard didn't look like he could afford to lose two pounds of anything.
Leonard was having a hard time being in the scorching room for more than a few minutes, let alone all morning. He had no idea how Howard could stand it. "What do you say we go to lunch, and I'll buy you a cold drink?"
"Why don't you make it two?" Howard grinned with parched lips.
As they headed towards the cafeteria they met Kripke heading the same way. "You fewwas buy a waffle ticket? They'we dwawing the winning numbews in a few minutes." He waved a blue ticket at them.
"I totally forgot about that. I wonder if they have any left? How much were they?" Leonard turned to Barry.
"Ten dowwars each. Cash onwy. They pwobwey have some weft. But you'ww have to huwwy."
Howard checked his wallet, but he didn't have any cash on him. Then he remembered he had some in his coat all the way back in the furnace that was engineering. "Leonard you go on ahead, I remembered I have my allowance… I mean I have some cash in my coat. I'll catch up in a second." He walked back the way they came.
Leonard and Kripke made it to the cafeteria just in time to hear the last call for raffle ticket purchases. Leonard walked over to the table and took out a $20 bill. "Can I get one?"
The lady smiled at him. "Of course. You are going to be our last sale before the drawing. But since the money is going to charity and you have $20, are you sure you don't want to buy two?"
"That's fine. Howard wanted one anyway." Leonard handed over the $20 and received two tickets.
The ticket lady wasted no time drawing the third and second prize tickets from a big fish bowl. But there was still no sign of Howard. "Our grand prize winner of a Valentine's Day getaway for four, to Aspen with all expenses paid goes to ticket number 87498."
Leonard checked the numbers on the tickets, and found that the second ticket was the winner. He started high fiving Kripke, when Howard finally showed up.
"What's going on? Did you win?" Howard was excited for his friend.
"Technically the ticket I bought for you was the winner." Leonard began.
"Yes!" Howard exclaimed. "Bernie is going to be so excited."
"So which lucky couple are you taking with you on your trip?" Leonard asked smiling confidently.
"Well, I do owe Raj for taking us to San Simeon."
Kripke shook his head. "That's cwappy, dude."
"Raj?" Leonard exclaimed. "Don't you think it would be considerate to take the person who bought you the winning ticket, since you weren't even here to buy it?"
"Oh yeah, thanks Leonard." He handed Leonard $10.
"Howard Joel Wolowitz, you are going to do the right thing and let me and Penny go with you on this trip or so help me I'm telling Bernadette!"
Howard looked at his angry friend with wide eyes. He knew Leonard was not bluffing. "What do you say I drive us to the airport Friday morning, Buddy?"
It was the day before Valentine's Day and Sheldon was at his computer, when Leonard wheeled his suitcase into the living room. Sheldon turned to his friend with a higher note than usual to his voice. "Leonard, I don't think this trip is a good idea. There is a severe weather alert for this evening in Wyoming and Colorado. If movies have taught me anything, it is that airplanes, snowstorms and mountains don't mix."
Leonard rolled his eyes. "Sheldon, it will be fine. The flight is only three hours long; we'll be there before any bad weather sets in."
"I bet that's what the rugby team in 'Alive' said." Sheldon remarked, starting to get more agitated.
"Sheldon, if the snowstorm proves to be fatal, you have my permission to say you were right." Leonard saw Sheldon's eyes open wider and his hands clench his shirt bottom, the knuckles turning white. Leonard opened the door and turned to Sheldon, his voice kind. "Sheldon, I promise that nothing bad will happen to us. Now I don't want you calling incessantly this weekend…"
"Leonard. I don't know why you think I would do such a thing. I have my own activities planned with Amy; I don't have time to worry about you being cannibalized on a mountain top by Wolowitz and Bernadette." Sheldon shook his head at him.
"Well that's good to know." Leonard sighed, exasperated by his clingy roommate. Even though Sheldon said he wouldn't obsessively call him, he knew what he was in for. Hourly texts and phone calls until he returned safely from his trip. He then had an idea that might get everyone going to Aspen a much needed break from Sheldon. Leonard crossed his arms and looked at Sheldon, a challenge in his eye. "I don't think you can keep from contacting me, so let's make this interesting. I bet you cannot resist texting or calling to check up on us for the entire trip."
Sheldon looked at Leonard, torn between genuine concern for his friend and the way his friend issued the bet. It was like he was a diaper baby. "Leonard, you are a grown man. Why do you think that I need to keep tabs on you for the entire weekend?"
"Because that's exactly what you do when you presume I'm in danger. What do you say Sheldon?" Leonard raised his eyebrows and smirked.
"What do you suggest for the wager?" Sheldon didn't like this one bit, but was trying to remain calm.
"How about the loser buys the winners comic books for six months? That is unless you don't think you can do it. Because you looooove me!" Leonard smiled. That last bit should seal the deal and buy him a weekend of peace. He knew what would push Sheldon into making the wager.
Sheldon's lips twisted and he snorted. "Deal."
Leonard felt truly free, a feeling he hadn't experienced in years. "Great! We will be back Sunday evening. I shouldn't hear from you till then." Leonard left, bag in hand, the door closing with finality.
Sheldon stared at the door, not sure why he had agreed to the bet, but determined to show Leonard he was not pathologically attached to him. He sat in his spot for ten minutes before he had to get up and pace.
Raj and Emily sat snuggled together on Raj's couch, Cinnamon lying on Raj's thigh. Raj didn't think it could get any better than this, a cozy evening at home with his two favorite girls. Except for maybe what he had planned for tomorrow.
Emily had expected Raj, being who he is, to go a little overboard for their first Valentine's together. But even what little he told her about his plans seemed a little ambitious for him. "Raj, are you sure you don't want to scale down the events planned tomorrow."
Raj looked at her as if she had suggested breaking up. "What are you talking about? Tomorrow is going to be perfect. Just let me handle all of the details." He kissed her cheek and nuzzled into her vibrant hair.
"I know you want it to be great because it's our first Valentine's, but I don't want you to be disappointed if something doesn't go smoothly."
"Emily, I have everything planned down to the letter. Don't worry. Any day spent with you will be perfect."
Emily smiled at him, hoping that he was right, but still had a nagging feeling that tomorrow would be far from perfect.
Sheldon looked at the time. He had been unable to sit for longer than a few minutes without feeling the need to stand up and move. After pacing for another ten minutes he went back to his computer and looked at more weather reports. The storm looked like it was going to be even more powerful than the earlier reports had stated. Possibly even turning into a blizzard. By now they were probably in the air. He kept looking at the clock on the computer, estimating where the plane was in relationship to the storm. He fidgeted and worried until he couldn't handle the stress of being alone any longer. He texted Amy.
S- Could you please come over? I'm beside myself and agitated.
She answered almost immediately.
A- What's wrong Sheldon?
S- Leonard left for Aspen and a big storm is heading their way. I'm worried about them.
A- That's sweet Sheldon, but they will be fine. What did you want to do tonight?
S- Something I have been putting off for too long. I'm just sitting here looking at my clock, and it's just getting harder and harder waiting. So I really need you now. I'm depending on you to give me relief.
The last answer took a bit longer to receive. He was almost going to text her again when her reply came.
A- I'll be there as soon as I can!
Amy had sat there looking at Sheldon's last text message with her mouth open and cheeks flaming. She was stunned to say the least, but the more she thought of it, the more excited she became. She told him she would be there as soon as she could, then leapt from the couch and made some decisions.
Should she change? Put on fancy undergarments? Shave? No time, he might change his mind! She grabbed her purse and ran down the stairs, not waiting for the elevator to arrive.
If Amy hadn't been in the middle of a steamy passage of her latest trashy romance novel, "Seduction on the Moors", she would have asked for clarification. But she was not thinking clearly, her thoughts clouded by a strapping Scottish highlander, about to show his ladylove what he had under his kilt.
And if Sheldon were less upset, he might have noticed that his autocorrect feature had removed the letter "l" from the word clock, making his simple innocent statement to his girlfriend a bit less simple and not at all innocent.
The two couples blew into the lobby of the hotel in Aspen, coated in snow and bitterly cold. Leonard's glasses instantly fogged from the temperature differences. He took them off and wiped them on his shirt. "Wow, that was pretty intense! I think we just made it before all Hell broke loose." He put his glasses back on and watched the snow blow sideways, the wind howling.
"Yeah, I don't think we'll be doing many outdoor activities this weekend." Bernie was also cleaning snow off her glasses.
"That doesn't sound so bad to me." Howard leaned over and kissed Bernie on the cheek.
"Well let's check in and get settled. Then I suggest some lunch and Irish coffees to warm us up." Penny rubbed her hands together and blew on them. She should have put her gloves in her purse instead of packing them in her luggage.
Everyone walked to the front desk, where a large sign proclaimed, "Welcome AUA 2015!"
"A conference huh?" Howard looked closer at the board. "American Urological Association. You know who that reminds me of?"
"Dr. Lorvis!" Penny exclaimed eyes wide.
"Exactly. I wonder how that crazy wing nut is doing." Howard's feelings were mixed. He knew the guy was mostly harmless, but he did imprison them to get Penny to go out with him. Even though they really didn't mind being trapped in his basement that badly. Not at all really.
"I'm doing well, how have you been?" Dr. Lorvis said from behind Howard.
A/N: Now you know the rules, now go forth and write a story as well. You can do it! I find the people who read my stories are highly intelligent, creative individuals. Did the flattery work? Are you writing one yet? How about I also say that you are quite good looking as well? Did that change your mind? Well, if not a story, how about a review? Yes you are still good looking, intelligent and creative if you don't write a review.