"The Visitor Complex: The Double-Blonde Effect"
Chapter 2 of 6

The next day, returning from work, Sheldon – with Leonard, Raj, and Howard in tow – was in a somewhat lesser mood than the previous day. The comic books had been read, and now they were no longer new, simply part of his collection… It was a normal day for a normal Sheldon now, leaving him trapped in yet another debate… They would say debate. He'd say correction. Now they just needed to get home so he could fish out the proof, hold it in Wolowitz' face, and then have his correctness once again established.

Leonard carried their dinner, the various orders laid out in the half box, and it was at the third pass where Sheldon could see them that he realized he had indeed counted right – six Styrofoam containers.

"Is Bernadette joining us?" he asked Howard.

"No, she's still working late this week. I don't get to see her, and when I do, she… she yells," he stiffened up. "It's stress," he promised, though he still looked freaked. Sheldon didn't take notice, more interested to resolve the mystery of the sixth container.

"Amy's in New York, and Leonard hasn't seen Raj's sister since…"

"It's for Penny's friend, alright?" Leonard cut him off. "She called me and asked if I'd get her something, too."

"Which friend is that?" Sheldon asked.

"I don't know, I think she said her name was Brittany."

"Another one of her 'gal pals' from the Cheesecake Factory?"

"Was that an in…" Howard muttered to Leonard, who interrupted him with a cough and a firm shake of the head – don't encourage him. Sheldon was the first at the door and opened it to find… two blondes sitting and watching television.

"Oh good, you're here, I'm starving…" Penny groaned anxiously. Sheldon wasn't paying attention, having spotted the girl from the day before, apparently not their neighbor's relative.

"Penny, a word?" Sheldon moved to the kitchen, turning to look at her, as he waited for her to join him.

"But… dinner…" she begged, looking to the food containers with hunger. He wasn't budging; she sighed and got up. "Raj, you want a beer?" The mute man looked to the stranger on the couch with a bit of a smile.

"Underage…" Leonard coughed into his hand. Raj's face tried to maintain its expression though shifting away from wherever it was heading to a moment ago. He sat back and waved Penny off as though to say 'thank you, but no.' At this point, being unable to speak to the girl might save him some troubles. At this point, Howard slipped by and sat at her side.

"Brittany, is it?" he asked, and she nodded. "Howard Wolowitz," he offered his hand and she shook it.

"Uh, Howard?" Leonard spoke up.

"Relax, will you? I'm engaged," he reminded his nosy friend.

"Oh, congratulations!" Brittany looked to Howard and Raj with a smile. The two men shared an uncomfortable look.

"Why? Every time…" Howard frowned. "No, no," he turned to the girl. "My fiancée Bernadette, who is a woman, couldn't make it tonight," he explained.

"Sorry," Brittany apologized.

"Happens all the time," Leonard assured her, sounding very amused, ignoring the glares he got from Howard or Raj. Meanwhile, Penny had to deal with whatever had made the little bells in Sheldon's head go 'danger!'

"Look, she was bored at her aunt's, we started talking, and then she wanted to watch television…"

"Why not at your place?" he suggested.

"Haven't paid my cable bill," she sighed.

"Doesn't her aunt have a television?"

"Doesn't have cable…" she revealed, and they both quietly shook their heads at that. "Now can we eat, I'm starving…"

"Fine…" he consented. "But this isn't over…"

"When is it ever?" she rolled her eyes as they joined the others. Penny sat on the ground, while Sheldon found himself sitting side by side with the Brittany girl, and it took all his will power to ignore how she had something about herself that told him she'd have a talent for infuriating him.

Once the various containers had been handed out to the six, they were free to dig in. "Won't your aunt miss you?" Leonard asked the girl; she shrugged.

"She works nights and sleeps most of the day… It's like a hotel, but free."

"So, I rescued her," Penny spoke proudly and Brittany beamed . "Took her to work with me…"

"I filled shakers… had a burger… cheesecake…" Brittany's eyes glazed over for a moment. "Best day ever…"

"What on earth do people do in Lima if that's a good day?" Sheldon spoke to no one in particular as he rearranged his dinner.

"I'm a cheerleader… Well, I was… And I'm in Glee Club… but we lost…" she bowed her head. "So we kind of mope right now in Lima."

"Well, allow California to turn that frown upside down," Howard gave her a smirk.

"Howard…" Leonard warned.

"Engaged…" he reminded.

"Really, they're not together?" Brittany asked Penny, who nearly choked on her drink when Raj threw out his arms in desperation and Howard got out his phone, pulling up his album of Bernadette photos.

"This is her, see? She's tiny, and adorable, and… Oh…" he stopped scrolling through the photos and smacked the phone down in to his lap when he came upon one picture she'd let him take on his last birthday.

"She's hot…" Brittany complimented. Raj eyed the phone like he had to find a way to get his hands on it.

"Yes, she is… and I love her," Howard hoped she'd made it clear. As dinner progressed though, while Brittany may have abandoned that query, something else came to her attention.

"Why isn't he saying anything?" she asked Penny.

"He… has this thing about being unable to speak to attractive women," Penny explained, twirling her fork around. Brittany looked to Raj, who gave an awkward smile.

"Oh… Thank you…" she smiled back. Sheldon had a face like he was very close to bursting, especially the further he heard of the Pride of Lima, Ohio and her adventures in high school failure. Leonard could see the twitch building up like a volcano… and the lava was boiling fast to the top.

"H-hey, how about we all go out tonight and show Brittany around town," he suggested, then, "That is, if Sheldon isn't too busy…"

"Oh, I'm sorry, it's really unfortunate, I can't go with you," he sprang into fake sympathy. "But you kids have fun, good night." He remained seated, waiting for them to leave. After a pause, they slowly got up and headed out. Brittany turned at the door.

"Bye, Sheldon." He smiled. "See you later." He frowned.

TO BE CONTINUED (TOMORROW)