"The Chinese Prisoner…"
Summary: A surprisingly modest Howard has returned to a global hero's welcome after an incredible space feat…But he brought some baggage home…
Disclaimer: All that is Chuck's is Chuck's…
Part XI…
"You really sure about this?" Howard, a bit uncertain…
"Hmm-hmmn, why not?" Lilly shrugged. Opening comic book in hand and posing for his I-phone camera shot… "My folks'll get a kick out of it…" grin…
"Yeah, but…"
"Howie…" she grinned, holding open her copy of "Richie Rich: The Poor Little Rich Boy…", prominently displaying cover…"Haven't you heard? Back home, 'Greed is the new People's Good'."
"Lilly…You don't need to make waves just right now…"
A wave or two sweeping her back home wouldn't be so bad from where I sit…Bernadette thought. Standing by Howard…
"Eh, we'll facebook it later…By then it either won't matter or it can be my epitaph. A finger in the air…" smile.
Bernadette, puzzled. Stare to Howard, who sighed…
Fine…He took shot…
"But later…Much later…?"
"Sure…" Lilly nodded. "Now, lets go see if the latest 'Iron Man' is here yet. God, do I love Tony Stark. There's a real superhero for you. Built himself his powers…Like someone I know…" fond gleam…
"Yeah…" Bernadette…Taking Howard's arm…
"I know exactly what you mean…"
"Got my fingers crossed that Robert Downey Jr. makes it to the ceremonies…" Lilly hastily noted, a grateful Howard's look thanking her for the division of subject.
"Married, for some time now…" Howard noted.
"One can live in hope…" Lilly, faint smile…
"No…Not really…" Bernadette, coldly. "I mean you wouldn't want to break up a happy couple…"
"Bernie…" Howard hissed.
"Never a happy one…" Lilly eyed her, coolly. "Nor cause pain to someone I care for…"
"Then don't…"
"Bernie…" Howard tried again… "You know..."
"I'm not a fool, Howard…" impatient wave… "I know this isn't about…"
"Dr. Peng?" Stuart had come over from his counter. Howard seizing upon the chance rescue…
"Hey, Stuart…Just in time to answer a question from our guest about Robert Downey, Jr/Iron Man Stark."
"Oh? Well, I just wanted to tell you that I got those back issues of 'Green Lantern' and 'The Flash'." he indicated a pile back on his counter…
"That's great…We'll just leave you two to discuss graphic lore…Bernie?" pleading look…
"Yeah, sure…We have to go discuss married things. Cause that's us…Married…" Bernadette noted. A tad archly…
"Sure…I'll catch you…Uh, both. Later, Howie…" Lilly smiled, turning back to a Stuart eagerly anticipating his largest order of the year…
"I can guess what's up, even if he won't tell me the details…" Bernadette had turned back suddenly. "And if anything happens to him…" fierce stare…
"I won't let that happen…" Lilly replied calmly. Bernadette nodding…Rejoining a watching Howard…
"My brothers are gonna love all of this…" Lilly turned back to a puzzled Stuart, beaming at him… "So as to Mr. Downey…?"
…
"We're alone now…" Leonard noted as he and Penny sat at a table watching Sheldon and Amy combing the aisles…
Amy insisting her only intent to assist Sheldon's hunt for uncharted comic territory, though her eyes unmistakably drawn at times to both the "Catwoman" and "Betty and Veronica" series in equal measure…
"This, alone?" Penny, sniffing…
"Sheldon…" Amy hissed.
"I see…" he nodded.
"Lets maneuver in…Don't attract attention, particularly Leonard's…"
"Are we intervention or…?"
"Observation, only…For now…" Amy breathed. "Take us in, close as you can, Mr. Cooper…"
"Aye, aye Ms. Fowler…"
"Penny…" Leonard sighed…
Sheldon carefully slidling in along the row of comics. Amy in tandem along the opposite row…
"Betty and Veronica?" he eyed her.
"Consider it the embodiment of the link to my emotional, girly side which has made our relationship so successfully multidimensional…The key to unlocking my passionate nature, as it were…" calmly.
Hmmn…
"It has worked out for you…" smile…
"True enough, carry on…" he nodded.
"Fine…Look…I'm getting these vibes from you…" Penny began…
"You're interested in Howard since he came back, lets cut the crap…" Leonard frowned.
Surprisingly perceptive…Amy mouthed to Sheldon's glance… "Steady as we go, Mr. Cooper…" They continued to edge down the aisle, reading comics while creeping closer…
"Howard…?" innocent stare from Penny.
"Yes, Howard…Wolowitz…Little guy you once claimed to despise, currently greatest all-American Jewish space hero…"
"Married Howard Wolowitz…" Penny noted. "Hey? Do you think I'd hurt Bernadette? And I won't deny I'm feeling a little differently about him these days…"
"Thanks…No, I don't think you'd hurt Bernadette. And Howard wouldn't let you…I'm afraid I'm selfishly concerned only with my own hurt here…"
"Prya…Lesley…Stephanie…And I'm not planning to try and run off with him. Not even to sleep with him, if that's what's…"
And surprisingly good counter…Sheldon mouthed. Amy nodding.
"I'm not concerned with that. And we were more or less over with all three of those ladies…Penny? I think I have a right to point out that you showing 'feelings' toward Howard hurts me…Even if you don't act on them…And I believe you don't…" Leonard put up a hand… "I wouldn't be talking this over with you if I didn't."
"I don't want to hurt you…Ever…" she sighed. "Leonard, this is just a passing phase. A little natural response of a human primate female to normal social stimulus…"
That's my bestie…Amy, grin to Sheldon…
"Oh, modest you…" hiss… "To her credit that she managed to retain a bit of your wisdom…"
"So Amy and Sheldon…"
"Crash dive!" hiss, Amy pulling Sheldon down…
"… have been counseling you…" Leonard eyed Penny's…What? look… "Lord, we must be in bad shape…"
"They're friends…She's my best friend. They wanted to help me…And I did it for the love of you…" she replied.
"And don't you tell me you being with those women didn't hurt me…Or that you didn't enjoy hurting me…" she eyed him. Grim tone…
That's us…Altruism Inc…Sheldon eyeing Amy. As they knelt on floor, he peering under the racks…
"Taking the offensive…Wise strategy…" Amy noted.
"Sorry…" Leonard sighed. "You're right, that was mean of me. I know it hurt you."
"Leonard, I don't want to have these feelings…" Penny, pleading. "Oh, Leonard, there must be pretty girls you'd still like to have a night with. You can't say you don't find Lilly attractive. Heck, I still catch you checking Amy's ass out now and then…"
No, no…Amy grabbing quickly… "She's speaking figuratively…!"
"Yes, about your figure…" Sheldon, angry hiss…Struggling to rise…
"But you know I love you…" Leonard noted quietly. "And that I'm not going anywhere…"
"And if I say that…You'll believe me?" she asked, hesitantly…
"I'd know if you meant it, so…Yes…"
"Big of you…"
"I love you. I want to marry you someday. I want you to be the mother of my children, grow old with you, and, if I can manage it, die in your arms. But mainly, and for all that to happen, I want to know if you love me like that. As embarrassing as it has to be to be following Howard Wolowitz's lead… Sheldon, Amy?...Care to come up and have a chair so you can hear better…?" he called… "Guys, I saw you creeping down to us and can see you under the racks…"
Surface…Amy mouthed, reluctantly…
Was getting rather interesting down here…
"We were just cruisin' the racks, roomie…" Sheldon, cleverly affecting a casual tone. A pleased Amy beaming at her beloved's quick wittedness…
"Yes…And making out on the floor…"
Which is, after all, partly….
"Guys…" Penny eyed them… "I can deal here…Thanks for the support."
They eyed each other…
"She can, thanks…It was great of you to be concerned." Leonard noted. "But we need to work things out on our own…"
"Not to say we admit to anything…" Sheldon frowned. "But we will be available at the Flash racks should either of you need counseling advice…"
"Absolutely…Or Pavlovian reinforcement…" Amy noted, cheerily.
"Thanks…" Leonard nodded.
What…? He blinked.
"And Leonard…" slight narrowing of eyes… "Keep those eyes up when viewing my girlfriend's form, mister."
"What?" Leonard stared as Sheldon led Amy off…Amy clearly making effort to keep lower section of said form out of easy view…
"My support team…" Penny beamed.
"I think I liked it better when they were totally indifferent to the feelings of others…" Leonard shook head.
"When you're in love you want everyone to feel happy as you do…" Penny, smiling after them…
"Uh-huh…What was that about Pavlov? Has Sheldon been offering you chocolates again…?"
"I wish…" she rubbed head where electrodes had been attached… "Wait, what did you say just now? About Howard's lead?"
"Yeah? Embarassing to be following his lead, I said…"
"Maybe that's part of it…" she said suddenly. Brightening…
Oh, my God…
"Leonard…It's not just that he's a hero and I'm shallow enough to be impressed by all the adulation…"
Yeah…She eyed his stare… "New word from Sheldon…But the thing is I'm impressed by his willingness to put it all on the line for love of Bernadette. Smokin' right past Sheldon, Raj…Even you… To change enough to be worthy of her. And to really mean it, not trying to fool her or get something out of her…Namely, sex…"
"And you think that's what I do…?"
"Only when you're not sure about me…" she eyed him coolly. "And lets face it, Leonard. You aren't sometimes. I'm beautiful and fun to be with and maternal in all the ways you've never gotten from that twisted mother of yours. But sometimes…And you know it…You don't know if you want a dim, frivolous blonde on your arm at that University dinner. Talking to colleagues, though, on a single date, sure, very much impressive on points…But at every function and conference, as your wife? No, dating Penny might be a status symbol…But Penny Hofstadter might pretty quickly turn into an embarrassment…"
"Can you turn up the volume at all?" Amy hissed. "It's sounding critical…"
"I'm not the doodads person…" Sheldon noted, frowning as he fiddled with a knob on the headset Amy now wore as they stood in the sacred aisles of the Flash's comics… "Howard is the doodads person…When not being a heroic space pioneer…Hmmn…" he paused.
"Do you really think we should be monitoring their private conversation?" he stared at her…
She staring at him…
"Of course, who else would be competent to save them from their own emotional ineptitude, quite right…" he nodded. "We should've put the microphone closer."