Everyone spent an hour talking with one another as Penny and Jugg finished packing. Sheldon informed Amy and Raj that they were all ready and packed and the two of them, knowing him FAR longer than they would care to admit, just thanked him. Raj, Amy, Sheldon, and Jugg were at the kitchen island talking about the newest trailers for the upcoming Marvel movies after the two finished their packing. Tabbie took that time to do HER packing and groaned mentally when Penny came to 'help' her.

Penny moved to the couch with a glass of wine and sipped on it as Tabbie cut her off before she could say anything. She growled and whispered harshly, "Before you EVEN START… Yes… yes I made out with him, again… but he started it!"

Penny looked over at her slyly and sipped at her wine, "I didn't say anything…"

Tabbie moaned, "Pen… I don't like it when you play this game!"

Penny pursed her lips and leaned over to put her glass down on the table then looked over at the group in deep discussion then back at her cousin, "Tabs… He blew us off saying that he needed to get some 'work' done and then come to find him in here with you all red faced and out of breath. You know you weren't getting away with that with ME here. I can read sexual frustration like a sign on the back of an airplane. Waving all around but the message is still pretty clear. I'm not going to say 'shame on you' Tabs… I'm… I'm just nosy. I HAVE to know what's going on between you two… you guys are gonna be roommates AND you're at each other's lips like you need them to breath. I… I want you both to be happy and I think…" Penny bowed her head and seemed to be trying to get strength from her inner self before letting out a big sigh and whispering softly, "… and I think you two are moving too fast."

There it was… the thing that had Tabbie nervous from the get-go… her cousin's insight into knowing the both of them was finally out in the open. Tabbie moved and slumped into the couch right beside Penny and she covered her face with her hands. Penny rested her head on her cousin's shoulder as Tabbie whispered softly, "I know… I know we are but… I can't stop it… and what's scaring me is… I… I don't want to."

Penny wrapped her arm around her and rested her head upon Tabbie's. Tabbie uncovered her face with her hands and glanced over at Penny before she sighed and spoke, "I don't know how to tell him without him believing I'm pushing him away or rejecting him… I'm usually the one someone has to tell to chill. Penny… Penny what do I do?"

"Just keep running… and let him keep chasing… soon he'll tire out and that's when you take him." Her cousin's words were juvenile and pedantic but… made so much sense to her in that moment. She had a fear… the fear that if she gave herself fully to her boss that he would find that she wasn't what he wanted and he would let her fall to the ground. She hated the fall but not as much as the impact of hitting the lowest possible moment of her life.

Penny gave her cousin's temple a kiss and she leaned forward and took a sip of her wine, "Tabs… let's go home."

Tabbie let out a sigh through her nose and nodded. They both pushed off the couch and everyone went into action. By the time it was 5pm… they were on the road and headed back to Pasadena… the sun set glowing in their rearview mirror.


Tabbie stared at the opened door of 4B with a very tired look as she held her luggage in one hand and a large bag on her other shoulder. She couldn't believe that in just a few more weeks… she'd be moving in with her boss… the boss who was so damn good at kissing that it made it hard to believe he wasn't some kind of king of sex by now. She was actually scared… HER. What if she moved in and he changed his mind and kicked her to the curb? What if she snapped and smothered him with his Pacman pillow? The What Ifs were the things that were making her more and more hesitant about going into the apartment… HELL… moving period. The fear had numbed her every structure. She felt like she had stared into the eyes of medusa and became a statue. She was shaking and her breathing accelerated… she… she was having a panic attack in the middle of the hallway.

"Tabetha?"

Tabbie jumped and was finally released from her comatose fear. She turned to see a very worried set of blue eyes and she seemed to be able to catch her breath, "Yeah?"

Sheldon placed his bags at his door and slunk awfully close to her and looked down, "You seemed to have been afflicted with a case of dyspnea… are you alright?"

She felt that unbridled fear as he looked down at her and she couldn't stop the tears from swelling in her eyes, "I… I'm fine Doctor Cooper… I'm fine." She spun and took her and her luggage into 4B and closed the door quickly. Sheldon tilted his head and stared for a brief moment before sullenly turning slowly and headed to his own apartment.

Tabbie could hear Penny talking happily to Jugg on the phone in her bathroom as she slammed her back against the front door and lolling her head back while silently letting the tears fall.


Work was torture the next day, but she managed to avoid being in the same room with her boss without having someone there to take his focus. She felt like such a coward just avoiding him, but it was something she was pretty good at. She and Raj had lunch in his office and they talked about the last episode of Face Off on SyFy.

The rest of the week was just like that… she avoided Sheldon and soon her anxieties became nothing more than a distant feeling. Was it really just a crush she had on Sheldon? He didn't seem too hurt or anxious to try and be in her company. That thought both angered her AND rushed her full of relief. Confusion was something she was used to dealing with. She and Raj ate lunch together everyday… talked TV… and she went about her way with paper work, meeting schedules, and phone messages. Nothing happened… NOTHING at all.


Saturday night was not such a good night to try and keep to yourself and maybe catch up on a little sleep. Tabbie sat in the middle of the couch in Penny's apartment and just stared forward with a very great rendition of a Grumpy Cat face. Penny and Amy went out with their 'boys' and Tabbie didn't feel up to doing the club scene so she PASSadena'ed that and told the ladies she had some paperwork to get caught up on. They bought it without so much of a fuss and the two party animals went on their drunken fun.

It would be tomorrow when Penny would be moving into Jugg's apartment and everyone agreed to have a "moving party" for her this morning. They all came and help Penny pack her stuff then they all went out for pizza. Everyone believed Sheldon would not go down without some sort of fight, but he gave in easier than he normally did. He didn't even complain about the pizza place and didn't say a single insulting thing when they got there. Tabbie had done her best to avoid Sheldon, but seeing his dejected face from the far side of the table made her stomach drop to the floor. She couldn't help but blame herself. She let everything run in her mind like a swirl of torture that always seemed to fall back to her. No matter what she tried to think of… Sheldon's wrinkled, hurt face took over.

Penny had told her to slow it down (this coming from a woman who had more than six boyfriends in a single year back in Omaha) and she was actually taking the advice. Tabbie felt sick… not nauseous… but feverish… worthless… like her body was fighting off the plague. Sick of worry… sick of fear… sick of being the woman who couldn't find love because she was so damn afraid that she would get hurt… or even worse… hurt them. She didn't know how to be a good girlfriend… or a good woman for that matter. She was beginning to wonder if she were the right person for such a brilliant and burning hot cluster of stardust that was that crazy bastard. She knew that self pity wasn't attractive and it didn't make the boys come running to the yard, but it was a part of her… another scar on her disfigured back. And as she sat in the darkened room… the thought of being so weak and pathetic made her eyes burn and she buried her face into her hands. She felt as if her insides were being lashed by a thickened slab of leather. It hurt… GOD it hurt…

She sobbed inwardly and it strained her face and popped her ears at the intensity of it all. Suddenly, there was a ghostly rattle pushing through the onslaught of tears and lurching muscles coming from the door. It made her pause and look at the door through blurry eyes as her body shuddered with small whimpers. She listened intently and heard three small raps at the door and her name being whispered ever so softly. She snapped her head over to the microwave and saw it was about 1am Sunday morning and she stood up slowly as she heard the three weak knocks and her name again. Her stomach began its thrashing to try and escape as she quietly moved to the door and unlocked the door with all its deadbolts and chains to see Sheldon wrapped in his green and blue plaid pajamas with black slippers and a white shirt underneath. The sickness hit her as his face went from passive to panic as he looked at her swollen, red face. She felt as if her body was drained of blood then proceeded to set her veins on fire as his swimmingly blue eyes desperately searching her face for harm or for some answer as to her ailment.

She swallowed and gave a loud sniff as she tried to be the 'cool' one of the situation, "Hey… Dr. Cooper. What's up?"

His eyes shifted to tired and lifeless as he took a step back and took in a few deep breaths to calm his nerves, "I have been pacing outside your door for 5 minutes and 46 seconds trying to decide what the best course of action was to speak with you. My inexperience with this new situation caused me a bit of worry and I decided against speaking with you until I heard your saddening cry. I hope you don't mind but I find that insomnia has taken a hold of my persons this evening and I feel I must purge myself of this venomous feeling. This… this ache that seems to only occur when your psyche crosses my thought and with Penny moving…"

She slowly let her two different colored green eyes find his numbed blue gaze and interrupted him with a snapping voice she didn't mean to use, "I know, I know… Penny's moving. It's a very abrupt change in your daily schedule… blah blah…" She regretted her tone and her eyes fell to the floor.

His eyes widened and his neck jerked back in shock of the intensity of her voice, "That… that is not the reason for my inability to fall asleep or to stay asleep for as long as I desire… I have long accepted that Penelope would embark upon her journey of duo-hood with James. I…" His body language changed slightly and he seemed to become rather nervous. He took a rather deep breath then looked down at her again, "It is actually YOU who has taken my night's rest from me."

Tabbie gasped in her mind and her eyes went wide as they slowly trailed from the ground to his softened stare, "M… me?"

He nodded twice and licked his lips before looking over his shoulder then back to her, "If you don't mind… could we take this conversation into my apartment… I feel rather… exposed… out here."

Tabbie's heart burst into rhythms she had never experienced within her chest. She nodded and he gave a weak smile and led the way. She closed 4B behind her and followed the plaid covered tall man over to 4A. Everything was the same… everything but three tall stacks of paper neatly separated on the table in front of the couch. She stepped in far enough that Sheldon could close the door in his fastidious way. He moved towards his spot and when he got there he turned to look at her, still standing only feet away from the front door.

He stood with his arms by his side and he swallowed, "You… y-you seemed to have been resorting to fleeing when my presence is within the vicinity of yourself and it has caused me much worrisome stress. Have I done something to warrant such behavior? I really am trying to understand these… emotional states… but I'm afraid I AM still a bit 'rusty' on the subject matter. If I have done anything that has offended you, I want to know that I did not do it to aggrieve you in any way. Please… please accept my apology... though I have no idea what I have done."

She felt her body being drained of blood again as her eyes watered while she watched the desperation in his eyes. He bowed his head and spoke again, "I… I still want you… t-to be my roommate… and I was hoping you would join me i-in going over the Roommate Agreement. Un… unless you do not wish to partake in my offer…"

His little stutters made her heart drop. He was such a little child, but she could see his strained hands ball into shaking fists of stress and she let out a tense sigh and walked over to his side, "Of course I still want to be your roommate. I… I'm sorry for avoiding you Doctor Cooper… I… I owe you an explanation, but I hope you can just accept that… I have emotional issues, too."

His body relaxed as she stood beside him and he looked over at her and his Adam's apple bobbed, "Premise… accepted."

They shared a very deep stare with one another until Tabbie's glance fell down and she turned towards the table and clapped her hands, gave a groaning strain, and then fell to the middle cushion, "Alright… let's get this shit over with."

Sheldon smiled down at her softly then sat down into his spot and began describing the Agreement page by page. He found himself enjoying this for she never complained… never rolled her eyes… never seemed to get discouraged at all. It made his mouth curl into a genuine smile. He would steal glances at her tattooed neck… her tongue as it darted out the left side of her mouth and curled up as she bent over to sign… her pursed lips as she looked at him while he explained everything. He couldn't help himself… he couldn't SAVE himself… he couldn't deny what it was that was filling his chest with so much heat. He was falling… crumbling… capitulating under the beauty of this pixie-cut… heterochromia… horridly fashionable… untamable woman sitting right here beside him. And as she signed the last line of the third stack, she smiled up at him… and he knew he was in love… and no amount of struggle would get him out of it.


Everyone, despite the hard labor of trying to get everything down the four flights of stairs, had a pretty decent time helping Penny move her stuff downstairs. The music was loud enough to attract some neighbors from the fifth floor. A gay couple, whose muscles were almost as big as Jugg's, offered their help and even told some stories along the way. Jim and Todd owned a bar, for 6 years now, not too far out of L.A. and they've seen some very strange things. When they all took a break, Penny shared her wine with the men and they would tell them some of the craziest things they'd ever seen while working at the bar.

Tabbie took that time to move HER stuff next door. Raj and Jugg noticed her and offered their assistance while Amy and Sheldon caught up on their 'sciency talk'. Tabbie didn't have a lot of stuff but Raj and Jugg enjoyed getting away from the loud music, drunken stories, and incomprehensible jibber-jabber.

Tabbie was happy to see that Sheldon gutted out Leonard's old room and left it spot less. She moved her random collection of hoodies and hats into one side of the closet and her 'nicey-nice work clothes' on the other side. Raj and Jugg sat on her newly made up bed (with the sheets and comforter that Sheldon had purchased for her) and were chatting about some Duck, redneck, reality TV show she never heard of as she folded and put her unmentionables, shirts, and other undergarments into her dresser drawer. When she was done, she gave out a sigh of relief and dropped her butt on one of the open edges of her bed.

"Jase lost the ring? In the SWAMP? Oh shit… Missy is gonna be PISSED!"

"I know, Dude… Jase is…"

"Seriously, guys… what the hell are you two talking about?" Tabbie shook her head and looked from one guy to the other.

Jugg laughed, "You can't honestly tell me you've never heard of Duck Dynasty?"

Tabbie arched a brow, "Duck… what?"

Raj and Jugg both rolled their eyes and all of them sat in silence before Raj grinned and patted Tabbie's leg, "So… moving in with Sheldon… this should be fairly interesting. You found a spot to bury his body, yet?"

Tabbie swallowed and fidgeted with her fingers against the bottom of her shorts and shook her head, "Tell you the truth… I'm sort of excited. I mean… I get my own room AND I get to pay about 35% less as I was paying over there. Sheldon… I'm not worried about. He's a nutbag, but… I already know that about him… nothing to do but stretch my legs and give it a go. How about you, Jugg… how you feeling about Penny all up in your space?"

Raj and Tabbie looked over at the handsome fighter who did nothing more than smile, "It'll be nice to finally have some girly-ness take over my man cave. Whenever she came over… she instantly brightened the place up… I… I want that all the time. I want her as close to me as I can get her."

Raj and Tabbie tilted their heads against each other and let out a simultaneous 'Awwww' with their faces scrunched up in a sickening smile and Jugg just shook his head and laughed.


Tabbie stared at the door of 4B as she slowly closed the door of 4A. Sheldon and herself just got back from the comic book shop and she couldn't help but stare at her old apartment door. She had a baggy, bright yellow hoodie that resembled Big Bird's foliage and even had his head as the hood. She threw her hands into the pockets of her dark blue, baggy cargo pants with a yellow string etched into the fabric all the way up the leg. She had smoked her eyes and spiked up her hair with gel. The boys at the comic book store didn't know what to make of her, but Stuart didn't hesitate to tell her how much he loved her hoodie. Sheldon's temperament changed drastically when she actually started to flirt back with the awkward comic store owner. It was funny to see how jealous her boss got when he literally wedged himself in between the two of them at the counter.

It had only been three weeks since Penny had moved and the small little hallway between the two apartments almost seemed an ocean's expanse away. It wasn't like she didn't visit Penny and Jugg on Thursdays, after work, but it wasn't the same as having her right THERE… and she wasn't the only one who missed Penny… She sighed and looked down at her new car keys. She regretted getting her license for California and buying a used red 1992 Jeep Wrangler with black top and caramel leather seats. Ok… maybe she didn't regret it A LOT, but being Sheldon's chauffer was not as fun as it should've been. I mean, was it too much to ask for ol' Shelly Bean to ask her to join him in the back for a little 'breakin' in the car' sex? WAS IT?

In the three weeks of 'getting to know Sheldon'… she didn't learn anything 'New'. The crazy that WAS Sheldon Cooper didn't change. When you actually knew ALL the crazy, living with him was pretty simple. The only thing that really bothered her was that there were no advances upon her. He didn't try to sneak into her room and have his way with her. She had laid on her side and stared at the door just DARING him to come through. She'd gotten herself off a few times with the image of him kicking the door down and banging her like a drum. She stared at him when he was at his laptop all while sitting Indian style on the couch in 'his spot' just daydreaming what it would be like to just rip every layer of clothing off his back and taste the length of his spine. DAMN she needed to get laid!

She let out a juvenile little sigh that squeaked out of her mouth as she spun and closed the door. Sheldon was making his way down the hall towards the kitchen from putting his new possessions into his room and paused curiously as she moaned and closed the door. One of his sharpened brows shot up as he looked at the back of her form curiously. He spoke and saw her jerk a little from surprise, "What is the matter?"

Tabbie spun with wide eyes then practically lied between her teeth, "I… miss Penny."

Sheldon's face dropped for only a split second. Anyone who didn't know this man might have missed it, but Tabbie, who had learned through years of observing the ocean to notice any and all changes in the environment, didn't. Sheldon quickly nodded and continued to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water before moving towards his laptop, "It is understandable that you would miss her. She is, afterall, family."

Tabbie rolled her eyes and moved to the hall and spoke as she did, "Oh PuLEASE… you miss her so much more than I do. Which is also understandable since you saw her naked and had sex with her."

Sheldon's body went rigid and he spun around to have a few words with the spiky haired blonde, but he found that she had already disappeared down the hall. He clenched his hands into fists and swallowed deeply as his eyes fell to the spot where he and Penny had engaged in a very strange round of coitus and shut his eyes tight trying his best to push out the images... the smell of her apple scented hair… her husky voice of encouragement… the hunger that he didn't even know he had for the woman.

Tabbie came back down the hall in red and black plaid flannel pants with white, dripping hand prints and skulls on them and a tight fitting red shirt with the Star Fleet Academy emblem over the heart and graffiti of a black skull and two bones crossed underneath with the emblem being one of the eyes of the skull. On the back, across the shoulders, it had smeared black lettering that said, "Red Shirts do not live long and prosperous." She paused within the darkness of the hall and could see Sheldon tensed up with his eyes shut tight. She moved slowly down the hall and felt a burning in her chest. She made him remember that night and by the look on his face… he had been struggling to keep it from invading his thoughts. She felt like a real idiot.

One of her steps creaked the boards and his eyes shot wide open in her direction. He cleared his throat and unclenched his fists, "Right… well. Do not forget that tonight is Halo night. It seems that it's just you and I playing since everyone decided that they needed to go on a double date tonight, even though they know that Wednesday nights are New Comic book and Halo night." He had his back to her as he pretended to be rearranging papers on his desk. His heart was heavy, not because of the ruined Halo night, but that she caught him 'remembering'. He heard her move and turned to see her heading to the kitchen.

Tabbie opened the fridge and reached into the back where her Coke Zeros were and took one. She swallowed and closed the fridge, "So… Halo night, huh? Which one are we playing?"

He looked at her with confusion as if he was trying to decipher the universe within her eyes but a smile slowly crept on his face. He cleared his throat and turned towards the TV and began to unplug the Playstation and began plugging in the X-Box 360 while he spoke with a small smile on his face, "We're playing the newest Halo… Halo 4." What was this feeling he was having at this moment? He felt… relieved… no… no, it was happy. Happy to have someone. He used to have Leonard, but it wasn't the same. Tabbie was different. She was like Penny AND Leonard mixed in one. It sounded very weird, but… it was a great combination for him.

Sheldon took the two controllers and began to sync them as a noise made him turn. She had moved the coffee table to the side and she was sitting in front of the couch at the far side from his spot with her back against the front of it. He furrowed his brow but tossed her the controller then moved to his spot.

They played the Co-Op 2 play campaign and slowly found a team rhythm. Sheldon was relieved to not be shot from behind every few moments and soon they were melting through missions until it was nearly 1am. Tabbie was screaming at the game as Sheldon was supposed to planting the grenade. It was then that Sheldon watched Tabbie's profile as Master Chief and Contana did their sad back and forth and he felt a twinge in his heart as he watched her hold back tears. As everything began to fall around Master Chief… Sheldon's fingers twitched on the controller and he felt the urge to drop it and wrap them into her hair. Before he knew it, the game's credits were rolling and Tabbie was up and moving the table back in front of the couch. He swallowed deeply and moved towards the consol to turn it off. He stared down at the controller in his hand and closed his eyes for a moment.

Tabbie grabbed the controller off the couch and moved to where Sheldon was standing. She moved to his side and caught him with his eyes closed again. She tilted her head, "Hey… you ok?"

He opened his eyes and moved to place the controller in its rightful spot before looking over at her with his stoic face and taking the controller, "I am satisfactory… just a little bit later than I would have liked to play. Thank you for participating in Halo Night with me." He put the second controller in its place and kept his eyes on it for a moment. Tabbie smiled and shook her head. She rubbed the tall man's forearm, "It was my pleasure…" She leaned forward to kiss him on the cheek, but he turned his head quickly and was rewarded with a slow, regrettable kiss on the side of his mouth.

Tabbie back stepped a few feet. Her hormones just switched to forth gear and every muscle in her body went tense. What in the hell was happening to her? One point, she wanted to rip his clothes off and the next, she was running like a chicken being chased by a gang of foxes. She averted her eyes and began to stutter, "I-I am s-so sorry… I was a-aiming for your cheek."

Sheldon turned to square up to her but she barely let out a 'G-Goodnight' before zipping down the hallway to her room. She shut the door and leaned against it and put her hand on her chest ready to catch her heart if it happened to pop out of her chest. She gave a stupid smile and laughed sarcastically at herself before sliding down the length of it until her bottom hit the floor all while her smile faded to grief. She felt like a fucking bipolar teenager… and the way she ran to her room to giggle to herself then cry for a few hours… she might as well have BEEN one. She rested her head in her hands and closed her eyes tight as her groan was muffled into her palms.


Tabbie gave a devilish smile as she held his cock in her hands. He wanted to regain control… but even down on her knees before him… she still had him begging and whimpering for her to continue and to not stop. He hated her for it, but he had never been more eager for someone to best him. He reached over and slipped his fingers in her hair as her mouth engulfed his penis like a Popsicle. Her tongue traced the veins of his shaft as her teeth barely scraped against the head. Sheldon Lee Cooper was not a screamer, but he couldn't stop the crackling moan from escaping his throat as he leaned his head back with his eyes plastered shut.

Her hands encased the around the base of his shaft as her mouth went up and down and increased in suction. His hand that snaked in her spiky blonde hair was flexing in encouragement while his other hand gripped the fabric of his bedspread. Her mouth popped off the head, wet and loud, as one of her hands continued working the dampened shaft as her lips found the loosened skin of his testicles. She sucked in the skin until one of the balls was drawn into her mouth where she put an insanely delightful pressure while still tweaking his cock. When she took in the lone testicle and gave it equal joy, he felt the burning of his stomach and the lurching of his loins. As if she could sense it, she released his ball and encased his spongy head in her mouth to let him release in her mouth.

Sheldon shot up in his bed with his chest heaving and his breathing erratic and loud. He felt the all knowing tightness in his lower abdomen and looked down to see that the front of his pajama pants were cold and becoming a bit crusty and he kicked his legs over the side of his bed and put his head in his hands as he tried to catch his breath. He hadn't had a wet dream since he was 17 years old… but never had one been THAT vivid. He could smell the 'sex' in that room… he could feel her tongue… her delicate finger tips… her smile against his shaft as he moaned from pleasure… it was… that… that was… "…fascinating…" he let out in the silence of the room. He looked at his alarm and saw that he was only 2 minutes from it going off. He swallowed and moved off the bed to turn it off and gathered all the necessary garments to adorn after his well needed shower.

Under the water's warm pressure, he closed his eyes and could picture every last moment within the dream and he regretted it as he grew stiff, again. What was he turning into? He was actually craving sexual intercourse… he had no one to blame but himself (and PENNY). He looked down at his arousal and shook his head. Despite him hating the yearning he was feeling… he found that he wouldn't mind at all if Tabetha came into the bathroom and crawled into the shower with him. His eyes popped open as a fantasy began to spin in his head, "DRAT!" he bellowed and it echoed within the bathroom's acoustics. He let out a dreary sigh and took his penis in his hand and relieved himself with Tabbie fresh in his mind… this woman was going to be the death of him; he just knew it.