Chapter 13

Epilogue Sheldon 5

Six Sheldons: Fortuitous Five's Finale

Thanks so much to Shamy4evr for being the best Beta and putting up with my last minute edits!

Here is the recap:

Sheldon One: He is the Sheldon from the Show. This story takes place minutes after the Skype call ended from the Finale.

Sheldon Two: He is from my Big Reversal Theory: The Vixen in 4B story. You just found out he proposed in 2010. He is marred in 2011.

Sheldon Three: He is the Sheldon who had a one night stand with Amy after meeting her in the theater.

Sheldon Four: He broke up with Amy over the Table incident in Season 7 and hasn't been with her since.

Sheldon Five: This is the Sheldon from my Caustic Cohabitation Conundrum. He is the one who met Amy when he was 21 at Harvard. This is 15 years later and he is a proud parent.

Sheldon Six: Non-believer. More of his story will unfold later. We just found out he was raised by his father and helped his sister with her baby when he was only 18. He still thinks this congress of Sheldon's is just a dream and he wants to wake up.

Sheldon Five saw each Sheldon blink out of existence one by one with a sizzle and a hiss. He knew the sound all too well. He had heard it all Spring, every time he had tried to get the machine running. He gave the empty room a smile before he quickly reclaimed his spot on his couch, in his room. The experiment had worked! All too well. It was all the power he could muster out of the small device, but he had never expected to get five in one room.

He rose off the couch with a little skip and walked over to the coveted Death Star sitting on the landing. "I really need to call Henry and thank him for this design. He was such a good TA…"

He pressed a button and the Death Star opened like a cracked egg to reveal a cold fusion machine releasing whiffs of dry ice fog.

"Argumentum ad absurdum indeed!" He let out a snort of haughty mockery "George Bush as President? Good lord we dodged a bullet!" He closed the device just as he heard an adolescent voice call from the doorway.

"THERE YOU ARE!" Sheldon turned to see his son standing in the door way with his hands on hips, unconsciously mimicking his mother.

He was lanky boy, like Sheldon had been when he was young, thin with a strong chin and piercing blue eyes. His russet hair had grown long over the year, but he refused to get it cut despite Sheldon's grousing. He flipped his long bangs off his forehead and strode into the room. "Mom is going to blow a gasket that you haven't called for six hours!"

"I know I know! I should have left a note, but I had things to do. Important, Caltech things…" Sheldon swallowed and looked away before his son saw his twitching eyes.

"Dad! You have the worst tell! This is why you lose at Coup all the time! You're twitching! Now what were you up…" Nic grinned and crossed his arms in confident recognition, "You did it, didn't you?"

Sheldon couldn't contain his elation anymore; he was just too excited not to tell anyone, "I DID! It worked, son! All your calculations worked! I tweaked the design to collapse the field. There were only other five realities, but it worked!"

Nic nearly jumped across the room to his father, "I just can't believe it! Let me see it!"

Sheldon walked over to the white board he had been guarding the whole evening. He turned it to show his son the diagram. The entire back was filled with circuitry and wires. Some of the layout Nic didn't recognize, but the basic design was the same he had drawn out over a year ago for his freshman science fair. He still couldn't believe he had lost to a mushroom log, but the judging committee had been led by his sworn enemy: The boy who had asked his girlfriend out in second grade. He had been robbed of that prize, but if his father got this to work, a Nobel would be much sweeter.

"Tell me everything! Did my idea on the hybrid quantum of the phonton and electron help? Did you use that?"

"Yes. That was key. The phoniton, its all in the notes you wrote, son. The quantum form of vibrations was a brilliant idea as was sending it in a wave. I couldn't get the whole room unless I did that. Vibrations calibrations were critical and I might add, not too far from the collapse of the DC Multiverse!."

Nic was beaming, "Its all there! Just like I dreamed that one night." Nic scanned over the panel retracing the design in his head. Sheldon had recreated all of the original design plus added a few changes that Nic didn't recognize.

"Of course, son, but don't forget, I told you that an electron excited at those levels, mere milli-electron-volts (meV) in energy, would transits between two levels. I just hijacked that journey so to speak to collapse the field, and hitched it to matter. Makes a weird noise though... Like a crackle..."

"I just can't believe you resolved the power problem. How did you get the power!?"

"The reactor Henry designed last year. I never imagined Henry could make it, but working with me for over two years must have helped his cognitive functions." Sheldon gave his son a smug smile.

Nic was immune his father's ego, "Sure dad.. That was it.. Tell me! Did you get a whole bunch of different people? It had to be the same people who lived here! The space is the same, but just the reality was different."

"I didn't want to take any chances with strangers, so I used my DNA and input a template so to speak. I thought Sheldon Coopers who lived here at Los Robles would not be too far off from me and hopefully not be psychos."

"Some would disagree with statement, dad." Nic loved to tease his father.

Sheldon scoffed taking it all in his stride. "Well, they just don't understand my genius. Anyway, the DNA profile only returned those who were here and alone. I was so pleased none of them had just got out of the shower that could have been unpleasant, not to say embarrassing. Phew."

Nic was still confused by the location, "But you don't even live here anymore, Dad! We moved out when Marie was born!" It took a little convincing for Sheldon and Amy to purchase their lovely craftsman home a few blocks from Caltech, but the two bedroom apartment was too small for a growing family.

Sheldon rolled his eyes at his son questioning him, "I know that, but what's the difference between my science lab and my old apartment!?"

"A big difference, Dad. For one, you call this your secret lair." Nic mirrored his mother's look by glaring at his father, albeit with a smirk.

"Fortress of Solitude. Lairs are evil, son."

"Mom calls it a money pit."

"Well, I took her to Paris, so she can stifle it! Besides, she has the whole side room at home for her quilts and harp and all that monkey junk." Their anniversary trip to Europe was a dream come true for Amy. They went alone since Mary stayed in California and watched the kids. The couple was able to have a proper honeymoon after 12 years of marriage. The Nobel money that Sheldon had just won was a welcome addition to their spending account for the trip. Sheldon spared no expense and lavished Amy with every sight she had ever dreamed of.

"True. Speaking of mom, does she know you took her Nobel?" Nic pointed to the prize on the top shelf. He curled up his mouth and shook his head with tsk tsk on his lips.

Sheldon looked up at the prize and then at his son who was eyeing him, "No… and you won't tell her!"

"Did they know it was Mom's?

"Umm.." Sheldon shifted in his spot and looked away.

Nic crossed his arms, just like his mother and looked over his brow to his father's blushing face, "Showing off, huh?"

"Well, I do have one too ya know!"

Nic couldn't help but roll his eyes, "Everyone knows, dad."

Sheldon cocked his head, "Hey…How do you know that's not mine?"

Nic said quickly, "Because yours is behind plate glass beside your bed, with a huge sign saying, "Break in case of science emergency or apocalypse of ignorance."

"Yes, well, given the group I met tonight, I think some time lines could use my genius."

Nic was bouncing like he was made of springs, "Tell me more! Who did you met? Did they look like you? Did they have kids? What did you talk about? Wait… You didn't tell them my idea, did you?" Nic looked pale thinking someone would steal his idea even if they were from another dimension, but his Dad was as protective of his son's theories as he was of his own.

"No… No way. No science, I insisted. It's funny… we spent the whole time talking about your mom!"

"MOM? You had all those copies of yourself, and you spent your time talking about the one person you see every day?"

Sheldon just smiled with a wistful grin, "We talked about the most important person in the universe. It was amazing. She sounds remarkable in every universe, son. I am a lucky man."

"Well keep that thought; she is on her way up!"

The color drained out of Sheldon's face, "ON HER WAY UP!? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME! HIDE THE PRIZE!" The two scrambled around each other, getting in each other's way as they heard the door open.

Amy walked in the living room of her old apartment just in time to see her husband and son nearly dive across the couch to the shelf. Her voice halted the scramble towards the bronze medallion, "So, Dr. Cooper, what have you and your brilliant mind been up to all night?" Amy walked toward the two men who were instinctively backing up to cover the white board.

"Nothing! Just comic book stuff… Nothing you'd care to discuss…No Thor this time…" Sheldon swallowed nervously. Amy knew all about the experiment as Sheldon and Nic had spoken of nothing else over dinner for the past year till finally, she had had to forbid experiment discussions during dinner time. Though she found the idea of alternate universes intriguing, she knew that Sheldon would have no idea what would be brought over from the different dimensions: unknown diseases, or fungus or worse, some psychopath. So she had made Sheldon promise not to involve Nic in any experiment. Though Sheldon had felt and said, that she was a worry wort, he had kept his promise. However he still worried that he was now in trouble.

Amy smirked at Sheldon's twitching and blinking, "And there is the answer to the question, why does Sheldon Cooper lose every poker game."

Nic chimed in, "AND COUP! Dad sucks at that game. Don't forget. Oh and Diplomacy too!"

"Not helping, son.." Sheldon glowered at his offspring, who backed away from him towards his mother. He stood next to his mom with a wide nervous smile and Sheldon thought, "smart boy… I'd switch sides too if it would get me out of trouble."

Amy scanned the scene like a CSI investigator sans luminol. Everything looked the same as it had the last time Amy had stepped into Sheldon's Man Cave. She adored teasing him about keeping 4A, but secretly, she LOVED that he had kept the apartment. It was money well spent to keep all his Toys out of the house, but also she knew that he needed it. Speaking of toys, his large grey Death Star seemed to be smoking, Aha - Amy had literally found the smoking gun.

She sucked in her side cheek, and walked slowly over to the device. "I see… Cold fusion, Death Stars and my stolen Nobel behind your back… You.. my dear sweet baboo, have been up to no good!" Amy winked at him, and glided behind him like a dancer. With a swift motion, she grabbed her Nobel, and gave Sheldon a kiss on the cheek.

"I need to lock this up." She walked over to white board, but her stride was interrupted by Nic's cell phone ringing the tone for his girlfriend. He read the text with a large smile that showed his perfect teeth.

"Oh… It's Emma. See ya!" Nic rushed toward the door.

Sheldon was crest fallen, "Nic! What about what we were talking about? YOU KNOW…" Sheldon tipped his head toward the white board.

"Tell me later dad! Gotta go!" Nic rushed out the door and not waiting for the elevator, he tore off down the stairs.

Sheldon pouted and grumbled to Amy, "Are you sure he's my kid? He seems more like Leonard every day."

Amy smirked, "I assure you, there is no universe where I am with Leonard." Amy walked over and put her one hand on the white board causing Sheldon to wince. The other hand she placed on her hip and then winked at Sheldon, "Speaking of alternate universes… Did it work?"

"You clever minx, you knew I did it, didn't you?" Sheldon sauntered over to Amy and wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her close to him and away from the white board.

"Of course! I mean, why else would you have my Nobel?"

"Um…It reminds me of you?" Sheldon pulled back and flashed a cheesy grin, which caused Amy's eyes to roll.

"Ha! Try again. Anyway, enough of this! You have to tell me everything." Amy gave him a peck on the cheek, disentangled herself and went to the kitchen to fix them some sandwiches and a pot of tea. She was as excited as Sheldon, and knew it was going to be a long story.

As they sat on the couch eating and drinking, Sheldon told Amy every single thing he could remember about the other Sheldon's and what they had said, though he did leave out certain details, like the mutual admiration of Amy's appealing posterior for one. She was as engrossed in the stories as Sheldon, and was amazed at how much of the night had revolved around her and her alternate copies.

"Geez, Sheldon. Do you think this number Four will be okay? I just want to give him a hug and maybe a sandwich."

"He'll be fine. They all will." Sheldon glowered at her, "And no hugging. You're my Amy and I won't share you or your tasty sandwiches with anyone, not even versions of me." Sheldon leaned over and kissed the top of her head breathing in her heavenly scent. Clementine. She was still as sweet as the day he had met her.

Amy scooted closer to Sheldon and cuddled into his chest. They often spent the evening talking over the day's events with Amy's arms snaked around his body. "I still can't believe it. You say you were the only one with children? Why?"

"Number Two has one on the way. His Amy is 7 months on and he met her in 2007. From what I heard, they had hard time getting pregnant. Not like our first time!" Sheldon raised his brows at Amy, and she blushed and smiled. She wanted to know everything about the copies of her husband, and their Amy's.

"Well, we had our own brand of troubles, but tell me…" Amy smiled, "Was he as nervous as you when I was 7 months." Sheldon was only 22 when Amy was that far along. He fussed on her, treated her like an invalid, and barely let her feet touch the ground. The only thing worse was her second pregnancy when both Sheldon and his mother doted on her like she had a terminal disease.

Sheldon shook his head, "Oh, far worse. I was a pillar of composure compared to that guy. The rest weren't quite ready for children, yet. It seems number One and Four met you in 2010, and number Three only met you a few months ago. I was the only one who met you at Harvard. The only one with children and the only one with a Nobel. It just proves my theory."

Amy sat up and asked, "What theory?"

Sheldon tucked a strand of her long hair that had fallen out of her loose bun behind her ear. Her hair was still as long as the day he had met her and Sheldon loved it. He ran his fingers gently down her soft face savoring her skin. He drew in a breath and sighed out, "I am everything I am today because of you. I saw what life would be like tonight without you, or if I had met you later. The path I was on would have led to me a lonely self-absorbed life. You have supported me, guided me, helped me more than I ever realized. Meeting you, dare I say the providence of it, was the best thing that has ever happened to me."

Amy leaned over and kissed his cheek. He was still as handsome in her eyes, as he had been that first day she had seen him and called him a "hormone raging stud muffin." Over the years, he had filled out a little, and his shoulders had broadened, but he had kept his angelic face, it was as if time had stopped for him. He had been her first friend, her only lover and the person who knew her better than anyone. "Sounds like you saved me from a life of loneliness as well. I would love to have met a room full of Amy's. I know I would be the luckiest of them all."

"A room full of Amy's huh? I like the sound of that…" Sheldon hummed into Amy's neck, but she pushed him away with a glare of her emerald eyes.

"Forget it! You got the best one, and leave it at that."

Sheldon kissed her forehead, "That's for sure!" He looked into her eyes and let out a relieved sigh.

"I'm proud of you, Sheldon." She said softly as she placed her hand on his face, cupping it with a little tap to his temple as she had always done. He got the same touch when he had won his Nobel, became head of the physics department and now for his experiment. He leaned into her tender touch and closed his eyes for a moment to relish the feel.

He popped his eyes open as he realized something, and said, as he bit his bottom lip with a huge grin, "So, does that mean I am not in trouble for doing the experiment?"

Amy drew in a breath and said, "You did what I asked, you didn't involve Nic even though it was his idea, and I know that was hard."

Sheldon let out breath, "It was. I wanted him here, but you said it might be dangerous. I would never risk him."

Amy smiled, but her face still showed worry, "Thank you for that, but you could have been hurt as well. That husky Sheldon sounded so angry at number One!"

"Oh, he was fine. Just jealous of our good fortunes, that's all. I can't blame him." Sheldon shrugged, "Besides, you're way scarier than any ol' muscle bound Sheldon." Sheldon smiled, then noticed Amy wasn't listening and had a thoughtful look on her face.

Amy ran her tongue over her lips, "He sounded… so ….strong…. and bold… and… Hoo…"

It was now Sheldon's turn to glare, "Okay, there is no way you are ever meeting him! Or that silver tongued devil number Three! Not with your long goddess hair and alluring bedonkadonk. I forbid it!" He pulled her onto his chest and wrapped his arms around her body sealing her to him.

"Okay, but I forbid you doing this again!" Amy looked up at Sheldon with a teasing twinkle. She knew he hated it when she forbid anything but he had started it. Then she dropped her playfulness and said with deep concern, "Sheldon, please. I won't risk you. No more experiments, please."

Sheldon hesitated, biting his lip as he thought of an out, "Okay… No more in person experiments."

"Sheldon…." Amy lowered tone should have been warning enough, but Sheldon had other ideas.

"Well… what if I can make so that I only see them?"

"Why would you want to do that?"

Amy shifted her weight so she could see Sheldon's eyes. He seemed wistful, with a hint of concern. He had had the same look on his face the first day of Marie's school and when Nic went off to camp.

"Maybe… Mom could say a few words to number Six."

"Your mother would say it was an unholy abomination and go to church for a month."

"Oh, she does that about everything. Besides, I just want to make sure they are all okay. I hope number Four talks to his Amy and number Two has a baby coming. If number One's Amy is a nice as you, maybe he can get over being a callous jerk face."

"You really care about them, don't you?" Amy smiled at her tenderhearted husband.

Sheldon shrugged his shoulders, "Yeah… well… They're me. Not every Sheldon can be as fortunate as I am." Sheldon licked his lips and looked at Amy's moving closer to her. Amy knew the look she was getting very well and couldn't hide her smile.

"Or as handsome." She played with his shirt and outlined the logo of number 73 with her fingers. Her touch was electrifying Sheldon.

"True… they all didn't have my style, or glaring good looks, that is for sure."

"Or as humble…" Amy added with a wink after Sheldon glared at her, "or as witty."

"That's a given." Sheldon drew his fingers along her carotid artery to her clavicle. Amy was shivering. It had been quite a while since he had touched her like this. He had been wrapped up in this latest project and between that and Amy's own duties, the couple had barely seen each other in three weeks. Amy's body tingled with each stroke of his hand.

"Or as adept with that one thing you do with your…" Before Amy could finish, Sheldon's lips were attached to Amy's neck in the same spot he had given her the hickeys so long ago. Sheldon had long discovered Amy's weak spots that could stop any argument, any words. Amy leaned back and arched her neck with a low hum and growl. "Yeah… that…"

Sheldon pulled Amy's tops from her skirt and moved his hands beneath them feeling her smooth skin. His hot breath on her neck and roaming hands were enough to melt her body like hot clay under the noon day sun. Amy shifted her face so she could capture his wandering mouth. They paused for a moment looking at each other and then impatiently started to rip off their clothing.

Amy looked at Sheldon's undershirt as she struggled with her clothes, "I thought that one had a stain?"

"I got it out. Grape juice has no power over me." Sheldon roughly kissed her neck while pulling at her sweater, "…remind to get more grape juice…"

Amy was near purring, "And we need milk too. Oh… oh my word, you have always been better than any vacuum."

"Don't forget it… Now get off this cardigan!" Sheldon pulled at her favorite sweater nearly popping the buttons, but Amy just pulled it over her head and threw in on the floor.

As Sheldon was scrambling to get off his pants, he thought to ask, "Marie?" Sheldon pulled off his socks with a swift tug.

"At Penny's" Amy pulled off her undershirt and started to struggle with her tights trying to pull them off before she had kicked off her shoes as Sheldon was fumbling with her bra.

"Not that stupid Voice show again."

"Yes, Marie is teaching Penny how to sing so she doesn't sound like a dying cat."

"Oh sweet Jesus." Sheldon started to tug at Amy's tights to help, "Its summer for god sake, woman! Can't you wear less than 20 layers of clothes here!?"

"Shh… get these damn boxers off before I rip them open!"

Finally they were both naked, bound together in a moaning mass writhing in a rippling motion within a minute of the first kiss. From memory alone, they knew all their partner's sensitive spots, the taste of their skin, but each time they made love, it felt as new as the first time in that old castle like dorm room. Sheldon knew every moan she made, and what caused them, but still after 15 years, she could surprise him.

Amy flipped Sheldon over and straddled him. Sheldon growled as she positioned herself with ease to surround him. He held onto her handle like hips and slid into her deeper. Amy had a steady slow rhythm, but Sheldon knew what she really liked. Slow at first, and fast and furious at the end. He obliged her, grasping her hips and pulsing into her with every ounce of strength he could muster. Amy arched back with purr, her hair had fallen out the loose bun she had it bound in, and now her long brown locks cascaded down her back and around her hips. The glory of her pushed Sheldon over the edge as she let out squeal, a shudder, a few seconds of silence with wide eyes, then a low whimpering moan and collapsed on his chest.

As the couple lay together on the leather couch, gently stroking each other's skin, Sheldon thought back to their first meeting at Harvard so long ago. How things could have been different if he had never been forced to go to there. He had had 15 more years with what some people would call his soul mate. Lucky was too flaccid a word to describe how Sheldon felt.

Eventually, not needing to ask, they headed towards the shower together. As the couple washed each other, they exchanged ideas on how to go forward with producing the results of the experiment. Though Sheldon had wanted to work on the paper with Nic as co-author, as soon as they had picked him up from his girlfriend's, Amy had persuaded him to let Nic have a little bit of his summer to spend with his friends, and Sheldon reluctantly agreed.

Sheldon and Amy finished their shower and after they dressed, Penny called to say Marie and she were going shopping and not to expect their daughter for a few days.

"Why can't they have their own kid? It's not like she and Leonard don't have enough coitus to pop out a soccer team! We never get to see Marie on the weekends anymore thanks to Penny and this obsession with America's Voice Talent show!"

"Oh, you ol fuddy duddy! Let them be. Marie is helping Penny with all the new medical terminology for her job by putting it all to a song. It's been good for them!"

Sheldon whined, "Fine, but it would be nice to see my own kid a bit more! We never get to go Kite flying anymore! I want to win back my battle Kitra of Doom!"

With a condescending grin, Amy tapped Sheldon's shoulder, "Honey, I don't think that will happen, but Marie said you could try and win it back if you could beat her in Chinese Boggle."

Sheldon slumped down, "I'll never get back my kite…"

Sheldon put the white board, the Death Star away in the closet with a hint of regret. It was the only working device in the world. It would be three more years before it was brought out again.

As they left the apartment, Sheldon gave one more look to the room that had changed his life forever, with a melancholy smile.

Amy shook her head, and nudged him to close the door, "Come on Professor, it will still be here for your Star Wars marathon with the guys next week. Though I have to say, I think two Star Wars weekends in one month is a little much."

Sheldon locked the door, and headed to the elevator, "Oh Amy, May the Fourth is a holiday, so that doesn't count. Although, I might change next week to Firefly weekend."

"WOW, Sheldon! Changing plans? That is so unlike you."

"A change in plans is what has made our lives so great. But I still like routine. Speaking of which, isn't tonight spaghetti with little hot dogs night?" Sheldon virtually skipped out of the building and held the car door open for Amy as she approached.

"Yeah… But I am really craving Palak Paneer!" Amy smiled, tapped his face with her hand, and got in the car. Sheldon closed the door slowly and when she was out of ear shot let out a breath.

"Oh dear lordy! I need to find that Baby Bjorn Sling!"

A/N: All the science stuff is completely made up, folks But hey, we can dream.. I got the idea from an article entitled: Theorists propose an experiment to observe a "phoniton," a novel hybrid of an electron and a quantum of vibration in a crystal lattice.

Next up... What happened with FOUR?!