Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, etc through 53rd cycle. Now cycle 54!

This is a double shift day. There will be one more upload today: Siren Call, chapter 1.

"The Fair Collaboration"
Glee/The Big Bang Theory crossover #3
(sequel to "The Troubletone Incursion")

1. The Grade Solution

Lima, Ohio

She generally just hated getting called in to a teacher's office. It would be the same thing time and time again, they'd tell her she wasn't doing well, and she had to put more effort, and she was never going to pass at this rate… Sometimes she thought they all just used the same speech every time, only changing the class subject in question. It wasn't all teachers that were like that for her though. There was Mr. Schuester, of course, but then there was Miss Brinkley, her science teacher. She used to think she was just old, a bit odd, but then in the past months, she had taken a liking to her and her classes. She still didn't understand most of it, but she liked the teacher, and she'd try…

So when Miss Brinkley had called her into her office, she wasn't sure what to make of it. Would she sit there and give her the same old speech, just like the others, or… Brittany went and sat across from her desk, where the teacher appeared in the middle of assembling a model of some sort.

"It's not quite finished yet," Miss Brinkley told her with that kindly old smile of hers.

"I like it… It looks like an octopus house," Brittany looked the structure over, and Miss Brinkley tilted her head, looking back at it.

"Yes, well… Brittany, I've called you in here to talk to you about two things, both having to do with your progress this year."

"I've made some?" she asked.

"W… Some," the woman hesitated, then smiled. "There is still a lot to do, I'm afraid. You're just not grasping it, but I can feel you trying, and that's good," Miss Brinkley promised, which made Brittany happy. "That's one thing. The other…" she reached for a folder on her desk and handed it to her student. "I think this might help to move things in your favor." Brittany opened the folder, reading the first page.

"The science fair?"

"Yes," Miss Brinkley pulled her chair closer, indicating the sheets. "I've put together all the instructions, the rules, and some ideas of topics you might like to explore. It's a bit last minute, I realize, but you've still got some time, so if you put yourself to it, I think you might have a shot. You probably won't win, but your participation, and whatever you come up with, they could count for something," she explained. "Do you think you could do that?"

"Sure," Brittany smiled, and the teacher smiled back.

"Wonderful. If you need help with anything, you know where my office is."

"I might get lost, but I'll keep looking," Brittany assured her, and Miss Brinkley blinked, unsure what she meant, but again she smiled.

After leaving the office, folder in hand, Brittany walked along, reading through the list of potential topics. Some of it seemed funny, some more odd, and some kind of dangerous. She wasn't sure which one she was going to do yet, but she knew she wanted to do well, do Miss Brinkley proud, and maybe someone else, too… probably the reason for her sudden curiosity in science class.

X

Pasadena, California – Later that day

Sheldon had just gotten off the phone with who he honestly hoped would not be involved in the actual preparation of the take-out order he had called in. He was expecting the others to arrive at any moment, which gave him precious little time to enjoy the peace and quiet. It gave his mind the needed respite to sort through the clutter of the day, perhaps to find an idea that might have slipped by.

When the phone rang, he was imagining the man from the restaurant calling back to further strip him of any sort of faith that he would not find himself with an unfortunate stomach bug in the middle of the night. But instead he was met with the sweetly cheerful voice of his friend from Ohio. "Brittany, well this is a surprise," he sat up. "Penny's not here," he started, thinking she might have been looking for her.

"That's okay, I wanted to ask you something," Brittany told him.

"Ask away," Sheldon bowed his head.

"Okay, well my science teacher, Miss Brinkley, she wants me to participate in the science fair to help my grade," she revealed.

"Oh, I do like a good science fair," Sheldon sounded almost nostalgic. "They're so rare a find these days, it's all flash and bang and how can I mangle a household item in the oddest way and I die a little inside…" he sighed.

"Right…" Brittany paused.

"So you're going to do it?"

"Yes," she confirmed. "I haven't chosen a topic yet, but I was wondering if maybe you could help me."

"Well, now, I hope by help you mean that I will assist you, and not do it all for you. As ground breaking of a presentation as that would be, I do believe it is only fair that you do it yourself," he stated.

"No, I know," she replied.

"Then I would be happy to assist," he told her.

"Great," she sounded relieved.

"I have some time tomorrow afternoon, we can talk then. I can send you some very manageable but entirely promising subject ideas," he nodded, already standing to go to his computer.

"My teacher gave me a list, too, but okay," Brittany told him.

"Alright, then, we'll talk tomorrow. Bye, Brittany."

"Bye, Sheldon," she answered as always, and they hung up. He pulled up an empty document and began to type. By the time the others would arrive, he already had an extensive list compiled. As much as it would pain him, he trimmed some the subjects away, building Brittany a more concise list of options. Once it was settled, he had sent it off to her. Soon dinner would arrive. He hadn't told any of the others about Brittany's call. He didn't need all of them to start filling her head with whatever ideas they might come up with. As far as he was concerned, his list was as far as she needed to look.

TO BE CONTINUED (NEXT FRIDAY)