After the Dance

"Penny, please don't confuse me with my roommate. My life does not revolve around coitus. Until twenty-four hours ago I was content to live my life much as it has been with my work, my few friends and my family. Since meeting you I've realized that there is an empty space within me that requires filling. I'm not certain, but I think I 'd like to find out if you and Cyndee can fill that space. If this causes you discomfort than I will of course leave and not bother you."

"Sheldon, I have an empty space too and I'd really like to find out if it's Sheldon-sized. But I want us to be careful. And I want both of us to be comfortable. And how Cyndee deals with it is critical. Are you okay with taking things slowly?"

Prologue

Five years later

Raj dropped Sheldon off from work in front of the building. He hurried up the stairs. Penny hadn't responded to any of his phone calls or texts all day. He quickly unlocked and opened the door.

"Penny!"

"Cyndee."

No answer.

He took out his cell and called Penny again. He heard the phone ringing. It was sitting on the kitchen counter. He sat down on the couch and waited.

Three days later

Nora opened the door and walked in.

"Anything?"

"No word. Nothing. I've checked every hospital. I've called everyone that Penny has ever known. Nothing. It's as though they never existed. Did I dream all of this, Nora? Did I dream that I was so happy?"

"No, Sheldon. It wasn't a dream. And she was happy too. I know it."

"Then why?"

"I haven't got a clue. Not a damn clue."

"I'll find them, Nora. If it takes the rest of my life I'll find them. Screw the secrets of the universe. I want the secret of my universe back."

"And I'll be right there with you. We'll find them. We'll put our world back together."

1

Ten years after Penny left

She exited the cab in front of 2311 North Los Robles. It looked somehow smaller than she remembered. She nervously walked in and checked the mailboxes to make sure they were still there. She got into the elevator. She remembered always taking the stairs when she lived there. But that had been so long ago. She got off on the fourth floor. She thought that it was probably a better idea to start there.

Nora was slowly getting ready to go to work. Manny's had been pretty busy the night before. But it was a good kind of busy. It meant lots of money. And since she was now the manager and part owner that was pretty important. When Jeff and Weldon franchised Manny's everyone had done pretty well. Especially her and Penny. When she thought about her long lost friend she got a bit wistful. Then she heard a knock at the door.

Nora opened the door to find a young girl, maybe eighteen, wearing dark glasses and with sky blue hair. Cute and sort of dressed in an east coast hipster outfit. And she had a big knapsack.

"Can I help you?"

"Hi, Nora."

"I'm sorry, do I know you from somewhere?"

The young girl took off her glasses, revealing bright emerald eyes. She smiled.

"Remember me now?"

"Cyndee? Oh my God, Cyndee!"

Nora started bawling and gathered the young girl up in a tight embrace. Then she dragged her over to the couch and stared at her for a minute. Not knowing which of her questions she wanted answered first they all came flooding out.

"Where? Why? What? Oh, Cyndee. I'm so, so happy to see you."

"Okay. I kinda haven't been Cyndee Cooper for a long time. I'm okay if you want to call me Cyndee but I've been using Carli for a while now."

"Did Penny change her name too? I know that Sheldon's been looking the entire time but he hasn't been able to find you guys. Is Penny okay? She's not…"

"No, Mom is still with us. Still the same person…mostly. She's been Rene for about as long as I've been Carli."

"I guess you guys changed your last name too."

"Yeah, kinda surprised that Sheldon didn't ever figure that out."

"Why?

"We're Rene and Carli Spock."

"You're freaking kidding me."

"Nope. When I was old enough I asked her why? She told me that even though she had to leave Sheldon behind she wanted to make sure part of him was always with her."

"Cynd…Carli, why did you guys leave? That was the worst part, not knowing why."

'Uh, Nora. It's not really that easy to talk about and I'd really rather not do it more than I absolutely have to. And I kinda think Sheldon needs to hear it first."

"You're right. Let's go upstairs. He'll be home soon and you should probably see the place before he gets there."

"Why?"

"It's better if you see it. I'd better make a phone call first."

Nora placed a call to her assistant manager.

"Leilah, sorry to do this to you but I'm not coming in tonight. Kind of a family emergency. No, we're all fine. It's a sort of good kind of emergency but I'm sort of stuck here. Thanks. And, do me a favor, call Raj and ask him to come over to Sheldon's as soon as he can."

Fifteen years and two kids later Raj and Leilah's first date still hadn't ended.

Nora grabbed the key from the bowl and they left apartment 4A and went up the stairs to 5A. Nora opened the door.

"Are you ready, sweetie?"

"I guess."

Nothing had changed in Apartment 5A since she and her mother had left. Not a blessed thing. Every picture on the wall was the same. Every piece of furniture was the same and in the same place. Every action figure and statue. The same."

"Can I?"

"Sure."

Carli started walking then ran to her old room and opened the door. It was like time hadn't passed at all. Her toys and stuffed animals were exactly as she'd left them, even the ones that she'd left on the floor. And in the middle of her old bed, exactly where she 'd left him was her most treasured toy of all, the first one that Sheldon had given her, the one she missed more than any other. She grabbed Flash Bear and held it tight and started crying.

Nora came up behind her and draped her arm over the girls shoulder.

"We should probably be out in the living room when he gets home. Nobody's allowed in your room."

Carli let herself be led back out to the living room but she wouldn't let Flash Bear go.

"Would you like a cup of tea? Sheldon's trained me pretty well."

"Sure."

Carli and Nora were sitting down drinking their tea when Sheldon arrived home.

"Hello, Nora. What a pleasant surprise. Who is your friend and excuse me but why do you have Cyndee's Flash Bear? Nora, you know nobody is allowed in Cyndee's room."

Carli stood up and faced Sheldon.

"Hello Moonpie."

Sheldon stood there for a moment and stared and then just started crying big, big tears and sniffling and he just didn't know what to do or say. Carli ran over to him and just hugged him as tightly as she could.