I own nothing. Hail Bill, Chuck and Warner's.
A/N: As promised, this isn't really a plot intensive story. There will be smut in the next chapter. But this was just a little plot Bunny that came to me and demanded to be written… I love it when Amy interacts with everyone in the group… Here is Howard's Amy scene.
Infinite Love Play List
Penny's Pasadena Brain Trust (as Wil Wheaton had dubbed them) was a society with a favor based economy. They used money… with outsiders, but internally it was all about favors, both given and received.
While Amy's car was being serviced (Sheldon told them so! He whined to Bernadette. It would have been the perfect gift. She told him to shut his pie hole.) Howard had agreed to take her to run some errands, in exchange, she would by him lunch and assist him with making Christmas a bigger splash than Hanukkah had turned out to be.
"I think she thought it would be more exciting." Howard groused over his lunch. "Eight nights of presents."
"Christmas is a little flashier." Amy conceded, "What did you get her."
"Mom bought her a menorah for first night and I made her a dreidel. You know, for night one, it is a family tradition. Then you play with it every night. She liked that, I painted in blue with little white hearts on it."
"Sweet. Thoughtful." Amy encouraged, with a smile. "I take it this is where the story takes a downward turn."
"Yes, with the traditional second night gift of socks."
"Does Bernadette wear socks?"
"No." Howard said, flatly.
"I see."
"Third night, traditional pencil set." Howard continued, as Amy winced. "It was a nice pencil set! It was mechanical! Anyway, fourth night, is underwear night. That should have gone better. I got a blue and silver bra and panty set."
"And she opened them in front of your mother?" Amy asked.
"What are you? A Psychic?" Howard frowned.
"No. I have just have a really strong sense of how this story is shaking out." Amy took a bit of her salad, "Night 5?"
"Israeli Candy night."
"Oh. Is Israeli Candy different?"
"Oh, yeah." Howard sighed, "I got her a cute gift basket, though. And she liked the Turkish Delight…"
"Because it was in Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe?"
"Quit reading my damn mind!" Howard cried out, waving his napkin at her defensively. "Night 6: that is the night that we host my extended family. And the gift that night is a White Elephant."
"Is that traditional?" Amy asked, finally looking like she'd heard something she hadn't expected.
"In my family, it is. And honestly, by night 6, everybody is just thrilled to be mildly surprised. Even if you wind up with a Hello Kitty picture frame, at least, it's like, "Hey, I didn't see that one coming…"" he paused, "She enjoyed that. I think Gentiles do that kind of thing, right?"
"Oh yeah." Amy rolled her eyes upward. "How do you think I got my harp?"
"Night 7: we are really running on fumes. We give the gift of Hostess Snack cakes."
"That's sad."
"Yeah, I know. Mom thinks Little Debbie is an evil Shiska. I don't know what we are going to do next year." He stabbed his food with is fork. "And Bernadette is all like "Seriously?""
"Not good."
"No." Howard sighed.
"What happened last night?"
"The big gift." Howard said dryly.
"I am suddenly wishing we had this conversation last week. So I could have prevented what you are about to tell me from happening." Amy stated.
"You and me both, sister."
"Maybe it isn't that bad. You've given her sweet gifts before. She loves her star necklace and her laptop."
"I got her a closet organizer."
Amy hissed and threw her napkin in his face.
"Let me explain." Howard caught it, "You know we are sharing a closet? Well, we need to organize it…"
"I have no words."
"Neither did she." Howard said, pushing his food away.
"So clearly, you will need to step things up for Christmas." Amy folded her arms over her chest.
"How?" Howard pleaded, "She makes a buttload of money and she has no problem buying what she wants and needs… Help me! I've tired asking Penny and Raj, but they just want to throw money at the problem."
"The star necklace was a success because it was a thoughtful idea and because it was the right size. When she wears bigger jewelry she looks like a fancy 5 year old." Amy mused, clearly she was going to help. "She needs a new iPod. That second generation Nano is just sad."
"She got it when she was accepted to graduate school. Her grandfather took her to Target and told her to buy whatever she wanted."
"Which Grandpa?" Amy asked.
"Grandpa O'Conneran."
Amy laughed, "Let me put this into perspective. During the wedding planning, I took Grandpa OC to buy a type writer ribbon. And carbon paper. He will never know."
"But how is that better than a closet organizer? Howard asked, "If she wanted it, she'd buy it for herself."
"You aren't just giving her a top of the line iPod. You are also filling it with music." Amy smiled, dreamily.
Howard's eyes widened. "I'll need help." He stated, "You'll help me?"
"Make it really special." Amy became excited. "Have everyone in the circle, make up a ten song playlist! Along with the songs you pick…"
Howard stood up, kissed Amy on the forehead, "Next year. We have lunch before Hanukkah."
