Chapter 04 –

Becky knocked on the door twice before entering.

"'Morning, Sheldon!" she said cheerfully to him, who was apparently, having breakfast.

"Oh, hello, Becky. Why are you up so early?"

"Yeah... Well, actually..." she yawned, "I haven't even gone to bed, yet. But I take I'll prolly go in a few... hours?"

"Why on Earth would you do that?!"

"Um... Because I would be... sleepy?"

Sheldon blinked, confused. Then, he understood and smiled at her, explaining:

"No, no. I meant, why would you not have slept till now, plus plan going to bed 'in a few hours?!' I mean, how many sleeping hours have you already lost?!"

"Um... I don't know... But in my defense, I was totally engaged with the internet. Bought another External HD and started downloading things like a maniac, and I don't even know when I will watch them..." she sighed, hopeful.

"Oh, my, do I understand you!"

"Sounds like you do." she beamed at him. "That's why I bother you so much."

"Would you care for some cereal?" he offered, gently.

"Oh, how sweet, Sheldon! But no, thanks... I never have breakfast."

He was taken aback.

"How come?!"

"Well, I... Let's say, I just don't. Period."

"But... Why? Everybody knows that breakfast is very important. You have no concern for your health at all."

"Yeah, right. What are you, my father now? What is it to you, anyway? Look, I didn't come here to listen to Aesop's Fables, so cut the crap, will you?"

Sheldon was, again, taken aback for a few moments and... fairly impressed.

"Well, you should at least try the low-fiber cereal, then, since it seems you're not used to it."

Becky couldn't do anything but laugh at his comeback. He was so... cute. But she would die before saying that to him, of course. Not to mention, he would hate it.

"So, why are you up so early, anyway?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Doctor Who at 6:30, BBC America."

She considered something.

"But why the heck would you be up at freaking 6 am to watch some shit you could download at The Pirate Bay?! I have."

"Excuse me! The... emotion of watching the... 'real thing' doesn't compare to waiting for the file to download!"

"Hm... I do see your point here... Although I have some issues about 'The Vampire Diaries'. I can only watch the series after I buy them on DVD. Isn't that strange?"

"What is 'strange' is that you watch those series at all."

"Yeah, I knew you would say that. You are so damn predictable."

He gasped.

"I am not!"

"Haha! Knew you would say that too!"

Sheldon was in some kind of intense emotional and mental struggle and Becky, although amused, was starting to feel terrible.

"Sorry, Sheldon. I was joking. Of course I didn't know. I never know what you're gonna do, you're like a freaking Jedi or something."

He seemed satisfied.

"Why, thank you."

She beamed at him, like she meant every word.

"So, um... where's Leonard? Doesn't he get up early as well?"

"No, he doesn't maintain a schedule. He is probably at Penny's, having intercourse, or sleeping, if they have already finished."

"Um... Oh."

She was mildly surprised and amused. Then... another thought occurred.

"Shel... Have you ever had intercourse?"

He turned to look at her as if on cue and she realized her mistake. But what the hell, now it was too late.

"I already told you not to call me that. And if you must know... no."

"Oh." her heart was pounding, so loudly it was a damn miracle his Vulcan hearing wasn't detecting.

"You?" he asked casually, while pouring milk in a bowl.

"Hm? Me, what?"

"Have you ever had intercourse?"

"I... Um... Where're you heading, exactly? Is there any... intention behind your inquiry?"

He stopped serving, abruptly, and stared at her, icy cold.

"No. Of course not. Was there any intention behind yours?"

She was distraught, but God help her if she would let him see that.

"Of... of course not. I was merely curious. Well, I am going to bed, no pun intended. Haha. You go and watch your Doctor Who. Bye."

She left as fast as she could, before she burst into tears in front of him, because she knew better.

Sheldon was left alone, thinking... Something... really odd had just happened and he simply couldn't put his finger on it... (no pun intended). "There is a great disturbance in the force..."

He would leave it alone, for now. 'Doctor Who' was beginning in fifteen minutes.

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Becky woke up with someone massively knocking on her door. She checked her cell phone watch. 8:00 am. Damn.

She would just ignore it.

But the knocking wouldn't stop. And what was worse, it followed a pattern.

A pattern she already knew.

"Knock, knock, knock.

Becky!

Knock, knock, knock.

Becky!

Knock, knock, knock.

Becky!

Knock, knock, knock.

Becky!

Knock, knock, knock.

Becky!

Knock, knock, knock.

Becky!

Knock, knock, knock.

Becky!

Knock, knock, knock.

Becky!

Knock, knock, knock.

Becky!

Knock, knock, knock.

Becky!

Knock, knock, knock.

Becky!

Knock, knock, knock.

Becky!

Knock, knock, knock.

Becky!

Knock, knock, knock.

Becky!

Knock, knock, knock.

Becky!

Knock, knock, knock.

Becky!

Knock, knock, knock.

Becky!

(...)

Knock, knock, knock.

Becky!"

It actually took that long because she was brushing her teeth. The best she could, in her comatose-like status.

She suddenly opened the door.

"What the hell, Sheldon! It's 8:00 am! Damn it!"

"No." he checked his watch, "It's 8:09."

"Thank you. But I happen to have a clock. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go and get some sleep."

She was about to shut the door on his face, but he put his arm to prevent it.

"You didn't answer my question."

She opened the door, again, against her better judgment, and asked:

"Huh?!"

"The question, when we were in my apartment—"

"Oh." she realized. 'Whatever. Let's finish this farce, it isn't going anywhere, anyway...', she thought, " The question about whether I am a virgin, or not?" she snapped at him.

She was staring at him, with the most sarcastic and bitter of looks... and by God, did it seem genuine...

But he wouldn't give in. He got ahold of himself and simply replied:

"Well... Yes."

"Okay. Yes, Sheldon, I am. Satisfied?"

"But why would I be 'satisfied'? I don't think the adjective applies here."

"I don't know, Sheldon, you tell me. You were the one who knocked at my door at 8 in the morning and yes, I checked my damn clock, to ask me about my virginity! For all intents and purposes, I do hope you are satisfied! Now, would you leave me alone, please? Go away? Now?"

But he didn't. He just... stood there.

"Okay. Bye." she was shutting the door, when:

"Wait." he entered her apartment, suddenly.

"Shel- Sheldon! Get out—"

"You're angry, aren't you? Why are you angry?" he asked.

"I—Sheldon! I am not angry. Just... go."

"Okay. Bye."

He was leaving. He was actually leaving!

"Wait!" she yelled, sounding more desperate and high-pitched than she intended.

He stopped in the middle of the process of opening the door, looking thoroughly confused.

"Why... Why are you doing this?!" she asked, frantic.

"You... You told me to leave."

She was now crying and sobbing, everything she had been holding these past few weeks, especially so as not to demonstrate in front of him, all the control, gone to hell.

"There, there." he startled her, by patting her on the shoulders.

She looked right into his wide blue eyes, with her swollen-red from crying and he said:

"Well, what do I know. Your eyes are green now."

"What?"

"Your eyes. They're green, now."

"Oh. Thank you." she sobbed, breaking eye-contact and drying her tears with the back of her hands.

"You're welcome."

And now, an awkward silence reigned. Maybe she should have let him go away when he wanted to.

"Um... Okay, thanks for coming... So, um... Yeah, I guess, it's all for now, bye." she said.

"Are you all right, Becky?"

"Yes, I'm fine, as you can see. Never better. Oh, and thanks, by the way."

"You are really thankful today." he observed. "I was merely asking because I am worried about you."

"Worried about me?!" she was indignant, now. "Worried?! But why would you be 'worried' about me, pray? Tell me, why?"

Now. That was a very objective question, to which Sheldon didn't know what to answer, or even how to respond to.

"I don't know. And that's strange. I don't know!"

Becky was suddenly feeling warmer, now. This was getting somewhere.

"Okay, then. I guess... I might have an answer for you? I only... Please, just forgive me if I precipitate myself, all right?"

"Answer? What answer?"

"The answer, Sheldon. About... Um... About the... question, prior to Doctor Who."

"Oh."

"So. Um. You might not have had an intention. But... I did have one."

Silence. And since it seemed the silence would stretch for the eternity, she proceeded:

"And my intention was... well... I don't want to sound like your friend Wolowitz, but... Oh my God! How hard can that be! I don't know what to say, now! I've been practicing this speech for days! Okay, now, um... What I mean to say, is... Damn it! Okay, Sheldon. Get out of here, bye!"

Sheldon was now, utterly confused and frustrated.

"But this... this didn't make any sense! And now, I do want to hear the end of the so-called 'speech you've been practicing for days'!"

Becky was overly flustered.

"Why are you torturing me! You damn well know what you were gonna hear! Yeah, now, take that smug smirk off your face, mister!"

They were so close to each other and none of them knew how that had happened. Even Sheldon was aware of Becky's warm breath so near his mouth. Thank God she had brushed her teeth...

And then, she did it. She kissed him, full on the lips. She kissed him and his lips were as soft as they always seemed to be.

He made no motion to stop her, but he was holding her two arms ever so hard, like he depended on it not to fall. He might be skinny, but he was certainly breaking her humerus... She wouldn't dare to make a sound of protest, though, not until he had had enough, or until he had crushed her arms to uselessness.

And then, he parted the kiss, opened his blue eyes and stared at her.

"Shel, I... I hope this doesn't change anything between us... I- I don't wanna lose you."

"It cannot be. This will change everything."

She looked despaired and now, didn't try to hide it. But what he did next, surprised her.

He touched her face, ever so gently and whispered "good night", left and closed the door almost without a sound. She resisted the urge to go after him and beg to be his right at that moment, and went to bed to listen to music and think about no one but him.