A/N: Last one for a while unless we get a reprieve.


Chapter 6B
Pasadena Paintball Park

She was very upset with herself for striking Sheldon but the man was proving to be more of an aggravation than she'd thought possible.

She was so upset that she just sat down on an obstacle and started to cry. She wasn't bawling, just the occasional tear but inside, she was wailing.

'I would be better off with that 61-year old man than being engaged to that – that damned popinjay! I will return to India and submit to the will of my parents. Goodbye Prada purses, dinners at Spago's and – '

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the hot-shot corporate lawyer substituting for that losing buncha eggheads. I don't know whether to laugh at them or buy them a beer. You still the Grade A Bitch, Priya? Still think that pussy of yours is so special?"

She jerked her head up at the voice that she knew. It was the guy she'd dated before Leonard and it hadn't ended well at all. He wanted things that no decent woman would even consider and it had gotten loud and physical and the police had taken him in for the night.

He also had three of his teammates with him and for the first time in a long while Priya felt real fear. She was alone and Brian had promised to get even with her. He'd lost a promotion because of her domestic violence complaint.

"Brian Alder…now my day is complete!" Anything else she might have said was lost in a popping of paintballs all over her tormenter's facemask and chest. Whoever was shooting was being very specific to hit those areas least protected. The final 4 or 5 paintballs stuck him in his unprotected crotch and he went down on his knees.

The other three went into a defensive crouch, firing into the brush and started backing out of the ambush but they were hit from behind by paintballs fired by Raj and Bernadette.

"You fucking bitch!" Alder tore off his facemask and started limping towards her with his fists up but Sheldon stepped out from the brush behind Priya and quietly said, "Don't. I could 'accidentally' blind you if my finger slipped. You lost. Tough for you. Never come near her again. You won't like what happens if you do."

Sheldon reached down and grabbed Priya by the upper arm and stood her up.

"Are you alright, jaanam?" She was trembling and suddenly turned and buried her face in his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I was so afraid. I had him ar – "

"Hush. Raj told me all about it and that was a long time ago. Go back to the shack. There are cold bottles of water and Howard and Raj have some alcohol they think I don't know about. We'll wrap this up shortly."


They were all standing around the shack bragging about their trophy. They had finally one a tournament but Sheldon was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Dr. Dumbass? I want to get a team picture for my blog."

"He called a cab and left." Actually, Raj had called the cab. He wanted Sheldon away from the Paintball Park. He didn't want to risk an altercation if Priya's ex-boyfriend came sniffing around trying to stir up trouble.


Sheldon's apartment

Sheldon paid the cab driver and gave him a hefty tip for having the cleanest cab he'd ever been in since moving to California. It was the least he could do for his fellow man considering how nasty most of the public and for-hire vehicles were.

He dragged himself up the four flights of stairs and ran into Penny who was just unlocking her door. He hoped to avoid her but no such luck. 'She must be cultivating Vulcan hearing'.

Actually she heard his wheezing breath. He had taken the steps two at a time so great was his need to use the bathroom.

"Hey, Sheldon, what's – Jesus, Moon Pie, what happened to your eye?" It was turning black and the gauze he'd paper-taped to his brow had come loose during the match and he hadn't noticed.

"Paint ball hit me just right. Please excuse me, Penny, but I have to use the facilities." He opened the door, slipped inside and she heard the click of the lock being set.

'No paintball did that! You know better than to lie to me, Sheldon Cooper!'

She found the spare key that Leonard had returned at Sheldon's insistence. She had found it shoved under her door with a note in Sheldon's cramped hand that read 'Emergency use. Emergencies do not include requests for tech support, milk, coffee or WiFi passwords.'

Sheldon was hurt. That constituted an emergency in Penny's mind.