The Secret

And now for the trouble. You have been warned.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Marnie."

Knock, knock, knock.

"Marnie."

Knock, knock, knock.

"Mar-"

The door opened up to reveal Penny on the other side. Sheldon's smile dropped a bit at not getting the redheaded neighbor.

"Marnie's not back yet." Penny answered the unasked question.

"Oh...back from where?" Sheldon asked.

"I don't know, she got a phone call like an hour ago." Penny replied, shrugging. Sheldon frowned slightly, wondering what sort of phone call could keep her away for so long. "Want me to send her over when she gets home?"

"Please." Sheldon said, nodding. Penny nodded and watched him turn around to return to his apartment. She was wondering just what Sheldon was wondering as she closed the apartment door and moved around, wondering what to do with herself. She went to the fridge and looked inside before deciding she really did need to go grocery shopping. Making a list and changing her clothes, the blonde was out the door.

*BBT*BBT*BBT*BBT*BBT*

"Sheldon I'm sure it's nothing." Leonard tried to reassure his friend as the taller man paced around the apartment. "It's only been a couple of hours since she left this apartment, you need to relax."

"How Leonard? How do you expect me to relax?" Sheldon asked, stopping his pacing as he looked at Leonard. "Something's wrong I just know it!"

"Is your spidey sense tingling?" Leonard asked. Sheldon glared at him. "Oh come on, just sit down and we'll play something." He gestured over at the game systems and Sheldon paused, looking at them as well. Games did usually help him relax.

"Oh alright." Sheldon agreed.

"Great." Leonard mentally sighed in relief.

They managed to play for about twenty minutes before Howard and Raj came barreling into the apartment, wide eyed and worried.

"What is the matter with...oh look, you made me die!" Sheldon exclaimed.

"Yeah well that's the least of your worries right now." Howard said. "We were just at the comic book store..."

"Without me?" Sheldon stared at his friends.

"That's not the point!" Howard nearly shouted. "Listen Sheldon. Marnie was there." Sheldon paused then frowned slightly.

"Talking to Stewart." Raj added.

"Yeah...and not looking all too happy." Howard said. Sheldon paused then pushed Howard and Raj out of the way before going out of the apartment. The other three stood there, confused. A minute later Sheldon came back and looked at all of them.

"I need a ride." He said.

"Aren't you over reacting just a little?" Leonard asked.

"Stewart is talking to Marnie, Leonard!" Sheldon exclaimed. "Stewart is in league with Will Wheaton! He's going to tell her everything!"

"Marnie's not going to listen to him." Leonard tried to explain.

"I need a ride!" Sheldon repeated, frowning at his friends.

"Hey, what's going on?" Penny asked, walking over.

"Marnie's talking to Stewart." Howard explained.

"Oh boy." Penny said.

"You know don't you." Sheldon stated, crossing his arms.

"Uh...well...yeah." Penny replied meekly.

"Oh great!" Sheldon explained. "So...if Marnie's the only one that doesn't know...oh...she's going to feel so much worse." He looked at all of them as they all looked at each other "Well?"

"Well what?" Leonard asked.

"IS SOMEONE GOING TO GIVE ME A RIDE OR NOT?" Sheldon asked loudly, making all his friends jump.

"Okay okay, calm down, let's go." Leonard said.

"Hey guys, I'm gonna stay here in case Marnie comes back before you catch her." Penny said.

"Good idea." Sheldon agreed, walking out of the apartment.

"We're going to have a lot of damage control to do." Leonard muttered as he followed after his friend, Raj and Howard behind him. Penny sighed and went back to her apartment.

*BBT*BBT*BBT*BBT*BBT*

"Where is she?" Sheldon asked, pushing open the comic book store door and marching straight over to Stewart. Leonard, Howard and Raj walked in slowly behind him.

"Who?" Stewart asked, blinking in surprise.

"Marnie!" Sheldon demanded. "What did you tell her and where did she go?"

"She left." Stewart said. Sheldon's eye twitched as he glared at the other man.

"Stewart, just tell us what you said." Leonard said, sighing.

"I didn't tell her anything guys, I swear." Stewart defended. "I just asked her down here."

"Then where is she?" Sheldon asked.

*BBT*BBT*BBT*BBT*BBT*

"So are you having fun?" Will asked, leaning back in his chair.

"Surprisingly yeah." Marnie answered, sipping her drink. "But honestly, I'm still not liking you for how much you've messed with the boys."

"I didn't except to get complete forgiveness." Will reasoned. "I just wanted to prove that I'm not as bad as everyone says." Marnie just nodded as she watched him sign an autograph for a lady who had just walked over. Picking at what was left of her lunch, she looked around the restaurant at different people. For the most part, they were ignored.

"Well...you're not...overly bad." Marnie stated.

"Thanks." Will said, smiling.

"So really, what was the real reason for this?" Marnie asked. "I honestly don't believe that you just wanted to...hang out and get to know me."

"Maybe I did." Will replied. Marnie raised an eyebrow. "Okay so there's a little more to it then that. I mean you...you're gorgeous. I've never met anyone like you."

"That is such a line." Marnie laughed and shook her head. "So basically you want to date me."

"Is that so bad?" Will asked.

"Well...I'm sorta...not exactly in a position to get into dating." Marnie answered.

"Sheldon?" Will asked, nodding knowingly. Marnie paused and raised an eyebrow. "I didn't think that...well...it seems..."

"What?" Marnie asked, frowning slightly.

"He hasn't told you?" Will asked. Marnie shook her head slightly. "Being with you...is some experiment for him." Marnie paused with the straw of her drink in her mouth.

*BBT*BBT*BBT*BBT*BBT*

"She's not back yet Sheldon." Penny sighed, leaning in the doorway of her apartment.

"Steward said she went with Will Wheaton!" Sheldon exclaimed.

"That doesn't mean anything's going to be said." Penny tried to reason.

"It's Will Wheaton!" Sheldon nearly shouted.

"Okay just calm down." Penny said, holding up her hands. "I'm sure it's all going to be fine."

"What's going to be fine?" Marnie asked, coming off the stairs, one hand on her hip and the other holding her purse. Penny and Sheldon looked at her. She didn't look very happy and they weren't sure what to do. "For the record...I am now completely one hundred percent on your side about Will Wheaton."

"I...what?" Sheldon asked.

"You and me...we have to talk." Marnie said, pointing at Sheldon. "But first...I need to shower." Sheldon blinked and nodded slowly.

"So does that mean you two are going to go out for dinner?" Penny asked.

"Actually I was just going to push Leonard over here to you." Marnie answered, slipping around both of them and tossing her purse onto the table in the apartment. Sheldon didn't know what to do as he stood in the hallway and just watched the red head.

"Umm...okay." Penny said. She looked at Sheldon.

"Then...I will...see you at...six?" Sheldon asked.

"Sure, six sounds good." Marnie replied. Sheldon nodded slowly, unsure how else to respond. He turned and slowly walked back to his own apartment to start wondering how he would explain things.

Well if I didn't have a mean bit in my story, I wouldn't be me lol.