Sheldon Swifties LIX: "X-Advisors…"
Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.
Disclaimer: All is Chuck's…
Part LXI…
Lecture over, "Penelope", young Sheldon beside her, was taking a moment in the nearly empty classroom, Dr. Stein busy with a couple of utterly clueless students trying to vaguely understand what they'd just sat through, to express her displeasure with the eminent visiting scientist, Dr. Barry Kripke.
"Seriously?" she glared, hissing in harsh low tone, at Kripke who shrugged. "An algorithm that took over every computer system in the computer center, searching for attractive blonde women?"
Not that "we" blondes aren't Everyman's quarry, natch…Tossing her (wig) blonde locks back…
"He really was trying to find Susan, Amy…" young Sheldon noted quietly.
"Penelope!" she hissed.
"Yes, sorry. It's just Amy suits you so well, I can't stop myself from using it." He noted fondly.
Oh…She repressed a blissful beam. He always was like this, I knew it.
Damn it…This is it. This is why. He always was like this. How could Susan not fall madly in love with him?
I don't say I'd destroy a universe to get him, per se…But I can almost understand her.
Oh, poor Charlie…My poor sis…The torments she must be going through in France now.
But no way am I giving him up to sisterly affection…
Almost makes one wonder just how far one might go themselves…
Well, best not to explore that dark corner, Fowler.
Besides…I not only got him…I got his younger self. Arch look on face.
"What's with hewr?" Kripke eyed Sheldon.
"One day, Barry…You'll meet a nice girl…And you'll understand." Young Sheldon, rather smugly.
I not only got her…I got her future self.
Though I would never take my beloved for granted…Anxious look.
Note to future self, this timeline…Never take our angel Amy for granted.
That should do it, courtesy eidetic memory. Phew.
"Well…" Amy, recovering. "I know you meant well, in some part, Barry. But now you're kicked off the system just when we need you."
"That's all right, A…Penelope." Sheldon put up a hand. "I or Dr. Stein, can step in there, as required."
"I suppose…Still…Barry, I'm grateful for your help so far, but I have to know we can count on you." She eyed him. "As in not putting more effort into chasing women than saving this, and restoring our, universe."
"I did have a family back home, Fowlewr." Barry frowned. "And someone I lost too…Even if she didn't wrecipwrocate my feelings." Firm stare.
"I'm sorry." Amy sighed. "And I'm sorry regards Lesley…"
He shrugged… "Just wemindewring you I have had my losses too, hewre."
"Excuse me…Pardon the intrusion…" Ashley Smythe had returned from speaking to various classmates.
"We'll try, thank you." Sheldon nodded.
"Young Cooper, comical as never…" Smythe nodded with smile. "Miss Smith? I was wondering if perhaps I might…?"
"I'm afraid Dr. Kripke was just going to escort me to my next class…" Amy, hastily. "I'm so interested to hear of his work…"
"Indeed. As we all are… You know I'm up for a possible Marshall Award myself this year, lead scientist on a Cavendish project on plasma physics." Ashley smiled coolly. "Might I perhaps accompany you both…Sorry, you three? I'd forgot our young Sheldon here."
Not as fast as I'd like to forget you…Sheldon frowned.
Though here comes Menace, in Phantom form…Unknown, even to itself…
"Hey, guys…" Walter had come down the steps from the classroom side door, friendly smile. "Just wanted to apologize again, Penny, for the other guys. Dennis and Harvey are really not that bad, just none of us is very good around pretty girls."
"Clearly." Ashley, cool smile.
"They were fine." Amy, frowning at Smythe. "I understand…I've known a few fellows like them."
"Yes, yes, indeed." Sheldon, hastily. "Very nice of you to explain your poor taste in friends, Walter. See you in two days at Advanced Physics."
With any luck and deft maneuvering, minus my beloved's counterpart…
You'll owe me, counterpart future self.
"Hiller's class…He's good but not Stein level." Walter explained to "Penelope" who nodded. "Well…I'll be going before Harvey falls through the door up there he's listening at. Really nice meeting you, Penny. Sheldon? Take care, buddy. Ashley." Nod, heading off to the door where a moment later Lechtensten could be seen stumbling back a bit.
"Sheldon?" Amy eyed young Sheldon who was looking to see Walter leave. "You were a bit rude to Walter."
"Yes, indeed, young Cooper." Ashley, seeing a chance. "Your innocent and unvarnished view of the world is refreshing but you're in university now and one ought to learn a few of the social graces in the wider world even if one hails from the proverbial boondocks."
"Excuse us." Kripke, cutting in, dryly. "Penelope? Shall we go?" he offered arm.
"See you at the Mawrshall Awawrds…Smith." He smiled at Ashley who glared.
"That's Smythe…"
"And my psychic senses tell me thewre won't be any Smythes thewre, fwriend." Barry grinned, leading Amy/"Penelope" off…Sheldon briefly eyeing Smythe who glared now at him.
"I take it if you were an American, you'd be saying the Biff Tannen line from 'Back to the Future'… 'What you lookin' at, butthead?'." Smile, then hurrying after the others, leaving Ashley fuming.
Oh, there'll be a Smythe there, Kripke, Smythe glared. If there's a God in Heaven and He remains an Englishman…And if I must, in the time-honored fashion of so many great scientists and inventors…Einstein from Poincaire, Gaileo from Lippershey, Watson and Crick from Franklin, Bell from Meucci and Gray, Edison from almost everyone, steal your stuff to do it.
"Butthead?" he pondered. Well, so be it, the term befits the little…
…
"Lets consider Susan contained for the moment…" Margaret noted to the others…"George"/adult Sheldon, young Amy, and Penny, as they sat in Penny's hospital room. "There's still Xavier Francis out and about to consider. And his offer to help…"
"I'd take his offer and…" Penny, grimly.
"He could mean it, Penny." Margaret noted. "He does have an interest in stopping Susan from reversing what he's…Or his quantum triplet's, rather…Done to save his wife in another multiverse."
"I wouldn't trust him. He's trying to stop us, not Susan."
"Perhaps." Margaret nodded. "But his knowledge could still be useful. He offered a means of contact, perhaps we should take him up on it. If nothing else, we might be able to find him and learn his plans."
"You knew him, Grandmother." Young Amy eyed her. "I remember you speaking of him as a fine man, a great scientist…If an experimental doddaler…"
Penny frowning…
These theoreticians…
Hey, in the Hofstadter family we be of the Experimental Faith…
Besides, even I know it's way cooler to have stuff to play with…
"So he was…The change you folks have seen in him is almost incomprehensible except in that as Stein said, he's a dying and bitter man who feels betrayed by everyone."
"I think…" Sheldon began, pausing at Margaret's look.
Penny eyeing him…
Sheldon Cooper? Pausing for anyone?
Stein and Cooper…Truly Margaret Fowler-Horowitz has a unique power over their type…
Indeed…She eyed Amy's arch look her way. Fowler women have unique power over their type…
Hmmn…You know I never drove Leonard nearly so crazy as when I wore those glasses and spouted a few sciency words. Maybe I should take Margaret up on that career in Psychology. Though of course it's gotta be the Physics side of Psychology, for Leonard.
After all, if I'm stuck here for good, I'll have the time…
I could even maybe wind up Leonard's advisor, she thought, beaming.
Well…No, c'mon…Lets be realistic, Mrs. H.
Though there are other ways I could exert a positive influence on his career…Maybe hook some guy with dough and see it gets funneled to a promising young Cal Tech physicist…
Oh my God…She blinked.
"Yes, Sheldon?" Margaret asked.
He always said it was cute the way she giggled just like me after an orgasm…When I asked him why he smiled when I did it.
No way…She was a brunette, he said.
Though I might dye after forty…Or fifty…
"I think Dr. Francis might be sincere about wanting to prevent Susan from unraveling his work. His effort no doubt created, or rather, confirmed many multiverse strings in which she likely will fail. She'll never take that chance." Sheldon noted. "Assuming she's lying or recovers herself."
No way…Hmmn? Penny caught the last of Sheldon's remarks…
"Oh, lets be nice and assume she'd have to recover…And really help her out by preventing that." She noted, grimly.
Still, returning to her reverie…If I am stuck here. And assuming I can't cut the mustard in Physics-Psychology stuff. Becoming Ms. Moneybags and handing Leonard grants right and left…For sex?
Yeah…Beam. Way. I could do that.
Only till current me gets her head together and realizes he's the love of her life, natch.
Good grief…Maybe it really was me?
And if it was…Then…I guess Sheldon's and Dr. Stein's theories on the multiverse really are…
Say? Did I just do Physics?
Young Amy staring at her strange smile…Penny?
"It might be worthwhile to make contact, at least, as you say, Doctor…" Sheldon nodded to Margaret… "…with the idea of finding out what he's up to and if he's still in contact with Susan."
"I agree." Amy nodded. "Penny?"
Hmmn? Penny came out of a quick fantasy… "You'd be missing out on a great time, Dr. Hofstadter." Her older, brunette, Jessica Walterish self smiling at Leonard… "I'm that good."
"Oh…Yeah…Agreed. But what?"
"Contacting Dr. Francis via the drop box at the hotel." Amy eyed her.
"Oh…To find out what he's up to?"
"Exactly." Sheldon nodded. "I'll do it tomorrow."
"Shouldn't we have someone else, someone he doesn't know? Namely, me." Amy suggested.
"If I won't let you encounter an incapacitated Susan Stein who seems to have no idea who Sheldon is…" Margaret frowned. "There's no way in Hell or Maine…"
"An expression we use in Maine…During the winters, mostly." Amy explained.
"…Yes…I'd let you anywheres near that madman." Margaret shook head, eyeing Amy. "Yes, in this case I'm using a term we should never use for the mentally ill, dang it."
"But you or Sheldon…You, of course…" Amy eyed Sheldon…
No way am I risking my lil' honey…Much as I also love you, my bigger honey.
"…and maybe Kripke? Could be there." She suggested. "If he appeared and knew who I was, you'd be ready."
"He'll be expecting a trap." Margaret pondered. "Still…You might be able to leave the note with the least chance of him catching on. Then it would hopefully just be a matter of watching and waiting."
"Could you just wait there, without Amy taking chances?" Penny, anxious now. "He'll have to check in."
"He won't be foolish enough to appear to check his box…" Margaret shook head. "He's already told Stein he'd have it monitored. No, only a real communication might lure him out…Or allow us a chance to trace it back to him."
"I'll be just fine. I'll just leave a note and come back to you. It's a hotel lobby, even if he's there and realizes who I am, he won't try anything." Amy noted firmly.
"Susan might." Penny, eyeing them all. "If they're still in cahoots, he might be trying to draw Amy out for her. All her amnesia bit and his offer of a deal might be just for that…Draw Amy, maybe Sheldon as well, out."
"She had the chance with me." Sheldon pointed out.
"It was a hospital ward, with security." Margaret pondered. "Still, she'd have as much trouble in a hotel lobby…It's more likely Amy would be her target. In fact, Amy must be…You, I mean." She eyed young Amy. "She's determined to prevent you and Sheldon, not merely separating your adult counterparts…Which I understand she failed at in your world in any case."
"Naturally." Amy, proudly. "Absotootingroutely…" Penny agreed.
"But…" sigh. "I'd say we have no alternative if we're to deal with Xavier. And if she is still Susan, she'd simply find another way to locate you." Eyeing Amy. "In fact, child, I fear, for your own safety, we must use you as bait for both of them. But we must be there, me, Sheldon, Dr. Kripke…"
"While I watch the bitch, my dear 'sis'." Penny cut in. "Time for her to meet more 'family'."
"With help." Margaret, insistent. "I imagine young Cooper will do for a young brother, while Francis would make an especially fine father, considering…"
