What if the Leonard/Penny and Howard/Bernadette double date in 3.5 didn't go as well?
A different slant on what happens in season 3 after we first meet Bernadette. Everything belongs to Chuck Lorre and friends.
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Examination Day!
After 3 hours the chief examiner said.
"Thank you Miss Rostenkowski. That is enough questioning from us, unless you have any more questions for us could you please leave the room for a few minutes whilst we deliberate..."
Later that evening, Bernadette burst into Leonard and Sheldon's apartment.
"Good evening doctors, I passed, I passed!"
Sheldon allowed Bernadette to hug him "Congratulations Dr. Rostenkowski." Then Bernadette went up to Leonard, before he could say anything Bernadette started kissing him and kept kissing him for several minutes!
"Wow, congratulations Dr. Rostenkowski."
"Thank you Dr. Hofstadter, I couldn't have done it without you."
Raj, Howard and Amy came over as soon they heard the news. Bernadette gave them all a big hug. Raj managed to say "Congratulations" in a rather high pitched voice after he was hugged.
"Well thank you Dr. Koothrappali, very nice to hear you say it." Howard said "well done doctor, I am the only one without a Ph.D again."
Then Amy said "So Dr. Rostenkowski, what's next?"
"Well Dr. Fowler I am going to put in the corrections tomorrow and resubmit the thesis. Then next Tuesday I have a job interview with Zangen. Tonight, let's all go out and celebrate."
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Tuesday at Zangen
"Congratulations on your Ph.D Dr. Rostenkowski."
"Well thank you for waiting for me."
"We have had our eye on you for some time. The plan for today is that you give a short talk on your thesis work and then we ask you some questions. Then we will give you a tour of the pharmaceutical research laboratory and we can discuss the project. It should take a couple of hours. Please follow me to the seminar room."
Two hours later.
"Well Dr. Rostenkowski I think that we have seen enough, when do you want to start working here?..."
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Later that evening Leonard met Bernadette at the Cheesecake Factory.
Leonard met up with Bernadette with a hug and a kiss.
"Here I am Bernadette, you wanted to meet me here?"
"That's right my dear Leonard. Zangen offered me the job today, I have just quit the Cheesecake Factory."
"That's wonderful, congratulations."
"So I want to discuss something with you that has been on my mind for some time. I have been so busy with the thesis and Zangen but now everything is settled."
"I am all ears."
"Penny's leaving note asked you to find a smart woman with a Ph.D."
"Yes she did."
"I am a smart woman with a Ph.D..."