Title: The Butterfly Effect

Author: S J Smith

Rating: K+

Summary: When they return from a time travel trip, the guys find everything's changed.

Disclaimer: If I had any part of this, I wouldn't wonder if I can pay my bills this month.

Notes: Written for the Comment-Fic Prompt: The Big Bang Theory, all, The boys invent a time machine and visit the past. Someone "steps on a butterfly" and when they return to the present, everything is different.

A.N.2: Consider this an alternate reality. Also, takes place post the season six episode, "The Cooper/Kripke Inversion".

"You had to go and do it, didn't you, Raj?" Howard asked as they tumbled out of the booth.

"It's not my fault!" Raj whined. "I did not know the butterfly was there!"

"You weren't supposed to leave the radius!" Sheldon repeated. "I told you, time and again."

Howard and Leonard finished along with him, "Don't leave the radius."

"Howard pushed me!" Raj said.

"Don't blame this one on me," Howard began, stopping abruptly. "Hey."

"What?" Sheldon barely glanced up from where he was checking over the machine itself. "Maybe if we go back, we can stop Raj from tripping over the edge of the radius."

"What?" Leonard squinted at Howard, who was staring at something. "What is it?"

"I think…I see an anomaly."

"Really? What kind? Did I really change the future stepping on a butterfly?" Raj joined Howard, Leonard trailing over to join them.

"I think you must've," Howard said, pointing to the action figure that had always stood on a shelf of Sheldon and Leonard's apartment. "Or Han Solo's had a sex change while we were gone."

"Do you mean we've come back to a future where women are in control?" Raj beamed. "Does that mean my caramel body will have a mistress of its own?"

"What?" Sheldon jerked his head out of the control panel. He rushed over, grabbing the Han Solo figure. "No! Not Han Solo!"

"Um, Sheldon? You probably don't want to see Spock," Leonard said, holding up the Mego action figure of a far more shapelier than normal half-Vulcan science officer.

"She's hot," Howard said appreciatively.

Sheldon snatched Ms. Spock out of Leonard's hand. "No! This can't be happening!" Cradling the figures, he said, "We have to go back. We have to stop Raj from stepping on that butterfly! Don't worry, Mr. Spock. I swear, we'll get you back to your original self! I swear!" He rushed toward the time machine, programming the time into it. "I'll just set this a few seconds before our last visit, and…"

"Do you think we should tell him that you used the RepRap machine to make those action figures?" Raj asked Howard and Leonard.

"Nah, this is too much fun to watch. But when we go back again, just don't step on anything," Leonard said, grinning.

"Or," Howard began.

Raj sighed. "I know, I know, don't leave the radius."

~ end ~