Chapter 2

Everyone had to sit to take this all in. There was another universe, with another Leonard and Penny, another Howard and Bernadette, another Raj and Amy. Another…

No, that's not another Sheldon. He's not insane enough. Howard thought as he watched the laptop screen again. The Raj on that screen had also dropped his Cow and Chicken Love Scene sandwich, later than their Raj, and that other Sheldon barely took notice. Howard was sure something was up, but when Kripke took his laptop around the apartment and the scene on the laptop followed them exactly, as well as actions done on the screen by their counterparts that they knew they never did (most of them because of the differences between their Sheldons), there were no more questions, save one: What the hell's going on.?

Kripke explained what he was doing and offered his theories while the others said what of Kripke's hypothesis they agreed or disagreed with. Well, all except Penny. The "sciency talk" always put her to sleep.

"Get off my computer, Cooper!" Kripke shouted, waking Penny from a nice dream where Sheldon waited on her hand and foot.

"Give me a minute." Sheldon said, tapping the keys and mouthing an equation to himself.

"Sheldon, Kripke obviously doesn't need your help so get off before you lose something he needs." Leonard said, although he was temporarily distracted by the onscreen Sheldon hugging Penny goodbye as she and the other Leonard left the apartment. The other Sheldon then headed to the bathroom.

"Leonard, please." Sheldon said. "Everyone can use my help. Besides, I want to try an experiment myself."

"Fowget it, Cooper." Kripke shouted. "Anyone else would be find, but I don't want to shawe my awads with…"

A bluish-light purple vortex of clouds suddenly appeared in the middle of the room, surprising everyone but Sheldon, who gave his laugh.

"Nice security camera Kripke, but it's no use if no one can enter anyway." Sheldon said as got up and walked towards the vortex. "C'mon Kripke." Try to imagine how shocked everyone was to hear this.

"You'd be willing to share credit with me?" Kripke asked, also surprising since Sheldon used Kripke's discovery to open the doorway. Gotta give it where it's due. Kripke thought. Especially the way this loser's career's going.

"No, it's two separate events." Sheldon said. "You'll be remembered for finding the universe and I'll be remembered for the much more important bridging the gap and opening ways to see other universes."

Well, Kripke thought. Better than his usual way.

However, Amy stood between the two men and the vortex, staring at Sheldon and trying not to cry.

"Sheldon, I don't want you to go." Amy said softly. "You don't know what could happen and if something did I…" Amy couldn't finish her sentence. Leonard's next actions refuted the need for her to do so.

"I'm with Amy." Leonard said. "Just because that universe looks like ours doesn't mean squat. How do you know the atmosphere is heavy enough or the air is breathable?"

"I'll find out once I'm in and can report." Sheldon said, not getting Leonard or Amy's problem with him going in.

"I agree." Howard said, stepping between the Sheldon and Kripke. "However, I think Sheldon should go first. He shouldn't have to share anything with Kripke here."

Kripke should've been furious at Howard for putting that thought in Sheldon's head, but he knew Howard wasn't trying to jip him. If the other universe was dangerous and only Sheldon entered… well, it'd be a red letter day. Too bad Amy knew exactly what Howard meant too.

"Amy, what was that for? Howard made an excellent point." Sheldon said after Amy punched Howard in the gut.

Soon, an argument was escalating whether someone should go into the universe. Penny had no part in it and just watched the screen. She saw that a vortex exactly the same as the one just a few feet away from her was in the other universe's living room, a sight the other Sheldon saw as he came from the bathroom. Penny got worried as the onscreen Sheldon went closer to the vortex.

"HEY!" Penny shouted, getting everyone's attention, not a minute too soon as Kripke had Howard in a headlock while in a headlock from Bernadette as Amy clung to Sheldon's leg. Raj just drank his soda while they all looked at her. "What would happen if that Sheldon came into our universe?"

"Who knows?" Leonard said. "We're not sure what'll happen to our Sheldon."

"Yeah, well, we're about to find out." Penny said as she watched the screen.

"What are you talking about?" Raj asked.

"I assume she's talking about me." Sheldon said. Not the Sheldon who had Amy around his present legs. No, it was the Sheldon whose head was poking out of the vortex.