A/N: This quick update is sort of an apology for the long wait between chapter 27 and 28. Ha! I would like to thank everybody who has reviewed the last chapter, I hope you folks like this as well.

Disclaimer: I don't own The Big Bang Theory.

Parenthood: The Final Frontier

Or Snapshots of the first five years of Isaac Cooper's life

Chapter Twenty-nine: Junior Rodeo

Anger was a foreign feeling to Isaac. In his three years and six months of life he never once felt the need to be angry. He had been sad and irritated and impatient, as most children did but on a whole, Isaac was as far from angry as one could get and another bus ride altogether.

So when the anger did came (deep in his gut, burning and spreading to his limbs) Isaac just sort of blacked out. He would never fully recall it but those around him at that time would never forget it.


It was early October. The sun was out. Isaac's class were at the school's playground but unlike the usual day they did not have the place for themselves. That day they were accompanied by first graders. Isaac sat in his usual sandbox with Jimmy and watched as the 'big kids' roamed around.

Now Northridge while primarily a school for gifted children was also a school for the privileged. Those who did not passed to be a 'prodigy' had to pay twice the amount than those who did. So children like Peter Pevell, youngest son of a senator and nothing much else, was common place.

Peter Pevell and Isaac Cooper could have been contented not to have crossed paths at all and maybe in one of those Multiverse Universe Isaac's father believed in, they would have lived on without knowing each other. Unfortunately, that universe wasn't this.

Their point of intersection was a girl named Susie Hooper. She was three years old, a violin prodigy and a member of Isaac's kindergarten class. She and Isaac striked a quick friendship over Tchaikovsky's and Vivaldi's music and, with her blonde hair and blue eyes, she reminded him of Cassie. They always played together during game time and as her Mommy was a pâtissière, she always have these yummy cookies for recess, which she often shared Isaac and Jimmy.


"Give it back!"

Isaac perked up from the sandbox when he heard the distressed voice of Susie. His head panned over the playground and landed where his friend was surrounded by three boys. First graders, one of whom was holding Susie's bag of cookies over his head. The boys were laughing. Isaac frowned and without thinking stood up and walked towards the group.

"Hey!" Jimmy called, catching up with him. "Where are you going?"

"Those boys are distressing Susie."

Jimmy also frowned when he saw it. The older boys and Susie noticed them as they approached.

"Isaac! Jimmy!" She exclaimed. "They took my cookies!"

"Yes, I saw." Isaac said, throwing a look at the perpetrators. Taking something that didn't belong to oneself was bad. "Please return her cookies."

"Please return her cookies." The boy with Susie's cookies said, in a sing-song voice. P-E-V-E-L-L, the name tag sewn above his jacket pocket spelled. He was a head taller than Isaac with brown eyes. "No these cookies are mine now."

"Give it back or we'll tell the teachers!" Jimmy spat out. He was the shortest one among the boys but he was never one to back down.

The first graders tittered with laughter. "Ohh the baby will tell on us Peter!"

"Too bad the teachers aren't here!" 'Peter Pevell' said, before pushing Jimmy. They roared with laughter when he fell down.

"You big meanie!" Susie cried, flinging her herself to the bully. She was pushed as well, unlike Jimmy though she did not land squarely on her backside, instead awkwardly on her arm. She cried out in pain.

It was there that something snapped inside Isaac. His hands shook and his body felt like it was in fire. Like he was going to explode if he did not move. His Mommy and Gramie told him that ladies should always be treated with respect. Isaac was sure pushing them was not respectful.

His eyes narrowed. Peter Pevell caught his expression.

"What's the matter freak?"

Everything was blurry after that.


Fact.

One does not become a Junior Rodeo Champion by being pretty. Aside from strength, one must have reflexes that even Miyagi-sensei from Karate Kid with his fly catching chopsticks would envy.

Fact.

Green eyes weren't the only thing Isaac inherited from Penny.

Fact.

Adrenaline, quick reflexes and an advance analytical mind are a deadly combination even in a three year old.


This was the part Isaac wouldn't remember.

With blood pounding in Isaac's ears, everything seemed to slow down. Peter Pevell's arm swung to push him but Isaac was already ducking down. Then it was all physics and instinct. The opposition was taller than him and at Isaac's vantage point, squatting, he saw the boy's legs as a target. He lunged at them and soon Pevell was falling down. The grass, the only thing saving him from a concussion. Isaac quickly clambered over sitting on the older boy's stomach he then place a firm hand on his chest, further restricting any movement. Isaac instinctively closed his fist and drew back his arm. Pevell's eyes widened at the incoming attack. But it stopped a few inches between his eyes. He looked up. To the menacing face of a three year old.

"Please refrain from ever doing that again." Isaac said.

Pevell nodded frantically.

Satisfied, Isaac plucked the bag of cookies, where it fell in the ground. He got off Pevell and walked to Jimmy and Susie, both of whom have shocked wide-eyed expressions. "Let's go,guys."

Everything happened so fast Peter Pevell's cronies did not have anytime to react.

They weren't a few steps away, with Jimmy exclaiming the coolness of it all, when Isaac wavered in his steps and lost consciousness.


The call from Northridge had startled Sheldon into a frenzy. Penny was the primary contact in case of emergencies but the school had a policy of calling both parents in really pressing situations. When he was told to come straight to the infirmary, it was like his breath was stolen from him. It made him remember that time when Isaac had a bad reaction to his vaccines. He did not have to ride an airplane this time but he did ride a bus.

Penny, with Cassie comfortably perched on her hip, was there when he arrived. Mrs. Holly, Isaac's teacher was also there. He let out a relieved sigh when he saw his son sleeping peacefully, seemingly unharmed, on one of the beds. He kissed Penny's worried face from her before facing Mrs. Holly.

"What happened?" He asked/demanded.

He was then told of the events that unfolded at the playground. Of Peter Pevell and Susan Hooper's cookies. Of how Isaac somehow managing to subdue a boy twice his age and weight. Of his sudden lost of consciousness at the end of the confrontation.

"Will he get in trouble for this?" Penny asked, in a tone that said that their son better not.

"Oh no Mrs. Cooper. Peter Pevell is a notorious problem child since the start of the school year. We have been talking to his parents and doing everything we can to remedy it but to no avail."

Penny nodded. "Can we take him home? The Doctor said he is fine, right?"

"Yes, it seemed that his body was exhausted after the adrenaline rush. He just needs to sleep it off."

Sheldon nodded at that. He then carefully lifted Isaac up from the bed. The young boy snuggled against his neck as he shifted him to a comfortable position. In the car, it had been decided that it was prudent to explain to Isaac the situation when he woke up.


When Isaac woke up, he was surprised that he was in his bedroom. He felt tired. Very tired. He did not remember going home. In fact the last thing he recalls was being in the school's playground, with Peter Pevell pushing Jimmy and Susie. Oh no. He thought. Were they alright? It was all fuzzy after that.

His Mickey Mouse clock said it was five thirty in the afternoon. He was about to slide out of his bed when his door opened. It was his Daddy, carrying a large mug.

"Daddy." Isaac greeted, with a smile.

"Isaac." He replied, sitting at the edge of the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired."

Daddy nodded. "Do you remember what happened?"

"A little bit. But it was all fuzzy."

So Daddy told him about the altercation in the playground. Isaac almost didn't believe it when Daddy said that he subdued Peter Pevell but Daddy never lies. He did not recall doing that.

"I didn't mean to hurt him." Isaac said, in a small voice. "It's just he took Susie's cookies and he pushed Jimmy and her and Mommy and Gramie always said to treat ladies respectfully and Susie is a lady, a small one but a lady and my body just got so hot Daddy!" Tears began falling from his eyes. "I thought I was going to burst!"

Daddy placed the mug he was holding on the side table, then he drew Isaac closer, wrapping him in a hug. He rubbed circles on the boy's back. "There, there. It's okay, Isaac."

This led to more tears. Isaac felt horrible. He didn't like it when somebody was hurt.

Daddy cupped Isaac's face and gently lifted his chin up so they were eye to eye. "Listen, listen to Daddy. It isn't your fault. That Pevell boy is a bully and what you did was admirable."

He wiped Isaac's tears with the pads of his thumbs.

"But as much as I am proud of what you did, violence is never the first option in those type of situations. The next time something like this happen you must go straight to a teacher or you can tell your Mommy or me. And when you feel like you're going to burst, I want to you take a deep breath, then count slowly one to ten and then do it backwards. Do you understand, Isaac?"

Isaac sniffed and nodded his head. "I understand."

"Good." Daddy let go of his face and reached for the mug again. "How about some hot beverage?"

Hot chocolate never tasted as good to Isaac as it did in that moment.