This... is completely random. Sorry. Covert Affairs crossover with the Big Bang Theory. Because a scene from 4x07 just reminded me of the Big Bang Theory, and I wanted to make it happen. So there may be spoilers through 4x07, and it sort of takes off as an AU from there.

Also, Hollman has a first name. It is William. I tried using it, and it just felt weird. My research has also told me that Penny has no known last name. Just sharing that, because, I mean, if I'm doing thorough research on random useless things, I might as well share that knowledge, right?


Auggie, Barber and Hollman sat in Auggie's apartment overcome with the mix of emotions from when the satisfaction of completing one task is overshadowed by the realization of what needs to follow. Now was when they would normally consult with the Department of Science and Technology to build the device they needed.

But this was off-book. They had the budget, but they didn't have the normal resources from Langley to create the technology for the next step. It's not that Auggie didn't have people he could call to help out, but something of this magnitude was going to require a team of engineers and scientists. The Tech Ops guys were out of their element without the intelligence and resources of the CIA.

"Hey, Eric, what about that team in Pasadena that you were researching last year?" Auggie suggested.

"Dude, that guy was weird." Eric replied.

"But he knew his stuff, and he had friends that had the skills we need." Hollman suggested.

"They checked out," said Auggie. "The only reason we didn't pull them in for that West Coast operation was that one of the physicists wasn't an American citizen."

"Fine," Eric conceded. "If you guys want to pull them in, I'll make the call."

"I think it's our best option." Auggie replied.

"Okay."

Forty-eight hours later, Barber was at Auggie's door with three physicists, an engineer, and a hot blonde. The blonde was an unexpected surprise, but he wasn't going to turn her away.

"Who is it?" Auggie called from the other side of the door when Barber knocked.

"Eric," he replied.

"You don't have a secret identification process or anything?" The tallest of the physicists, Sheldon, asked. Eric hadn't revealed that anybody involved in this project was with the CIA, but when he called the group and asked them to come help with a super-secret project in Washington, DC, their imagination had gone wild.

"No." Eric replied as Auggie opened the door.

"Come on in." Auggie greeted as he stepped to the side.

The visitors walked in with a chorus of exclamations about the apartment. Along with them was a female voice.

"Wow." She said.

Auggie turned in her direction and raised an eyebrow.

"Whatever sort of geeks you guys are, you are way cooler than these guys." She said, taking in the sleek apartment and the trio of men before her.

"Eric, how about you introduce us?" Auggie prompted.

"Oh, yeah man. So, guys, this is the boss of this operation, Auggie. This is his apartment. Don't move stuff around, it makes him very angry."

Auggie gave a slight smile toward Eric that showed that he wasn't always an angry person, but made it clear that he wasn't disagreeing with the instructions.

"It's a great place," One of the visitors commented.

"Thanks," Auggie replied.

"Are you blind?" One of the men asked, bluntly.

"Yep." Auggie replied.

"Well that's interesting." The same man responded.

"Oh my God, he is blind and he still has a cooler apartment and dresses better than you guys. You officially have no excuse." The woman declared.

"So, Auggie, our inquisitive friend here is Doctor Sheldon Cooper." Eric explained.

"You can call me Sheldon. I don't always need to the Doctor part. I've been told it makes me sound pretentious."

"Okay," Auggie responded with a nod.

"To your right is Howard Wolowitz." Eric instructed.

"Our astronaut." Auggie said with a smile.

"Yeah, I went on one mission with NASA." Howard replied, sheepishly. "Then I retired from space exploration in order to spend more time with my wife. She was sad that she couldn't come out here with us."

Auggie had read Howard's file, and knew that NASA didn't consider him a big loss. Still, he nodded politely.

"And this is Doctor Rajesh Koothrapali," Eric continued.

The nervous man looked at Eric with confusion and didn't say anything.

"Raj, right?" Auggie asked. He put his hand out to shake, even though he hadn't with the other guys.

"Oh, yeah. Nice to meet you." He took Auggie's hand in a weak shake. He was only speaking because he drank in the Los Angeles airport before they left, and a little more on the plane. It would have been a long flight without speaking, and Penny was with the group.

"To your left is Doctor Leonard Hofstadter." Eric continued.

"Just Leonard, of course." A slightly nasal voice responded. "And this is Penny."

"I'm not one of the geek squad here, but I have never been to Washington so I wanted to come along. I hope that's okay?"

"Fine by me." Auggie responded. What was one more person when his apartment was already overflowing?

"May I ask a question?" Sheldon asked.

"Sure," Auggie replied.

"How do you pick out your clothes?"

"Dude, not cool." Eric responded.

"I'm just curious." Sheldon defended.

"Braille labels on the tags." Auggie explained quickly. "Now, thanks for coming. The first thing we need to talk about is that this little project is a secret. Your final creation is not going back to California, you aren't going to take any pictures of it, and you most definitely won't be able to write about it in any publications. Is that clear?"

With a shy voice, Howard asked "But how will you know if-"

"I will know." Auggie interrupted. His square shoulders and stern voice was convincing and intimidating. "If you are all okay with those conditions, look at the monitor on the credenza there, you can see why we asked for your help."

"Whoa."

"Wow."

"How did you?"

"I have no idea what I'm looking at." Penny's reaction was obviously different.

"You are looking at the code for the development of a very powerful instrument. One that needs to be made into reality very quickly." Auggie explained.

"Like, a violin?" Penny responded.

"Why are you here?" Auggie asked. His tone was slightly sympathetic, but frustrated.

"I wanted to see DC." Penny replied, slightly hurt.

"Well there are no monuments in my living room." He replied. "Why don't you take a couple of hours and go explore, while we figure out what we are doing here? I'm sure there is something you can help with once we get going."

"Fine." Penny said. She walked to the door, but stopped when there was a strange knock. Two taps and a pause, followed by two more taps and another pause, and a single tap.

Auggie walked over and slid the door open while Raj leaned to Eric and whispered "Was that a secret knock?"

Eric rolled his eyes instead of answering.

"Whoa!" Howard said, a little too loud, when he saw Annie in the doorway.

Annie stepped past Auggie into the room, dressed casually in blue jeans and a t-shirt but still looking like a supermodel. "Annie, these are the guys from California, and Penny." He motioned to the room.

"I was just being banished from the clubhouse." Penny stated. She gave Annie a look that suggested she would understand.

"I was just stopping in, myself, to see if you guys needed anything."

Penny wasn't a spy, but she couldn't miss the fact that Auggie was suddenly more relaxed with Annie in the room.

"I could use a warm beverage." Sheldon announced. The other guys were still stunned silent by Annie's entry.

Auggie rolled his eyes. "Coffee will be ready in a few minutes."

Annie pulled Auggie toward her for as private of a conversation as they could manage. "You want me to stay?" She asked.

"I'll be fine," he replied. He leaned close to her ear and whispered "Just keep you phone handy in case I need an extraction."

She smiled. Knowing all the eyes of the room were on her, she gave him quick kiss on the lips before he pulled away.

"I knew it!" Eric shouted.

"He is definitely making all of you look bad." Penny said toward the guys from California. "Except you, Leonard." She added with a smile.

"Eric didn't know?" Annie asked Auggie.

"We'll talk about it later." He said with a grin.

"Are you staying for this geekfest, or can I hang out with you today?" Penny asked Annie.

"I, um. I actually have some plans, but I can get you started at the Smithsonian, if you want." Annie replied.

"Great! Have fun with your instruments, fellas." Penny called to the room as she walked into the hallway with Annie.

Auggie slid the door shut behind the women and turned to the room. "Penny's here because she's super-hot, right?"

"Oh yeah." Eric replied.

"May I have my warm beverage now?"


This actually turned out to be super-hard to write. I planned for it to go much further, but this is all you get for now. I'm sure I'll need to write more light and fluffy stuff and come back to it later.