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 LXIV…
Dr. Stein's office…Department of Physics…
"So…Dr. Kripke." Xavier the younger grinned at the startlingly nervous Kripke, currently looking to Stein and Margaret for support.
"I understand Francis here has won you over to the Dark Side, however sunny here in Texas."
"Hmmn? Oh, yeah…Thwrough negotiations awre still in pwrogwress."
Xavier, merry look to Margaret who gave him a reproving stare…
Ok, Maggie…I'll be good. His innocent grin forcing her to cover a trembling…
God, what happened to you, Xavier?
"Ah, ha…" Xavier wagged a finger at Stein who smiled wryly. "Alls not yet lost for us at Princeton then. Suppose I see if our plasma boys can give you a call in the next few days…Any chance you might hear them out? We might have some attractive proposals."
"Wreally? How attwractive? Natuwrally I'm always willing to leave the doowr ajawr till alls settled." Barry, nodding.
"Excellent…As my near twin Shakespearean on 'Star Trek' likes to say…I'll 'make it so'." Xavier beamed. "Don't worry, Frank." He grinned at Stein. "If we do land him, I won't let it leak out I met him here. Dr. Kripke, seriously…" he returned to Barry. "I'm eager to discuss your last two papers. You have a keen insight on plasma stabilization. Frank?" he turned back to Stein. "Have you discussed this new breakthrough of yours with the good Doctor here? I've always thought plasma stabilization could play a role there if any practical experiments could be tried."
"Not yet, but I intend to." Stein nodded.
"Wonderful…This trip may have been worth a near heart attack." Xavier grinned. "Oh, I had a little practical joke played on me, to get me down here, Doctor…" he addressed Barry's stare. "These two smug idiots are actually children when it comes to such." He beamed fondly at Margaret and Stein. "Though there was a time when our 'Creator' here…" at Stein… "Would've been the last person in the world you'd suspect of a sense of humor, let alone a practical joker's streak."
…
Amy, out in the hallway, pulling young Sheldon who kept staring back at the office door… "C'mon, Sheldon…" she hissed urgently.
"But…" he began.
"It's not the Dr. Francis threatening us…We've got to let Gran and Dr. Stein handle him." She noted, in low voice.
"But why is he here? It's too coincidental, he could be in disguise."
"I know our Dr. Francis, that's not him…As he is now." Amy shook head. "And he's still Dr. Stein's best friend right now, Leonard…" pause. "Leonard always said he and Stein were constantly getting together back…Now. You've met him, he knew you."
"Twice…" Sheldon sighed. "But I guess you're right. But if he's in town, staying at the same hotel Amy was going to visit with Dr. Fowler-Horowitz and Sheldon…?"
"We'll have to reconsider our plan for sure…" Amy sighed. "But for now lets go and not arouse any suspicions. You should have your lunch in any case, aren't you do for your bowel movement at 12:35 today?"
"You are the perfect woman, Amy Farrah Fowler." Young Sheldon, solemnly gazing at her. "And since you know me completely, you know I don't tell that to any of the girls, let alone, all."
"Sheldon…" Amy, slight blush. "You're spoiling me."
"It's only the truth…"
"Yes…But actually, you do need to tone it down. You're advancing much too fast toward the Sheldon it took me years to mold." She noted.
"Sorry." Sigh.
"I just don't want your counterpart to think he'll have significant competition in ten years." She beamed at him. "But suppose you escort Miss Smith to lunch, Master Cooper?" brushing back blonde locks.
"Careful." He noted.
"I'll go easy, Sheldon…" impish grin.
"Yes, thanks but no…I mean your wig is coming loose."
…
Penny's hospital room…
"Hello, Gran…" young Amy had picked up the phone. "Is everything ok? When are you coming to…? Oh, sure… Sheldon? Gran Mag wants to speak to you." She offered phone.
"Right."
"Tell me everything…" young Amy eyed him sternly.
"Uh…Right…Hello, Gran…Dr. Fowler-Horowitz. Oh, you were teasing…Yes, Gran Mag. What? Oh, my…" Sheldon blinked at the others. Penny and young Amy eyeing each other.
"Everything, Sheldon." Amy, firmly.
"What my counterpart bestie said…" Penny, nodding firmly.
"Yes, I agree. Well, should Amy and I…?"
"Yes." Amy, sternly, pulling at him. "We should."
"One moment, Amy." He eyed her.
"Sorry…" she released him.
"Ok, that might be best. See you shortly. Yes, we'll do nothing till you get here. All right. Good bye." He hung up.
"What's happened?" young Amy asked. "Sheldon?" Penny stared, sitting up in her bed.
"Dr. Francis' current counterpart has made an appearance here, in Dr. Stein's very office." Sheldon shook head. "Gran Mag thinks we'll need to alter the plan for today, since he's staying at the same hotel our Dr. Francis has his box."
"Whoa…" Penny blinked. "It's a trick. It's the real…Well, our Francis."
"No, neither Gran Mag nor Dr. Stein thinks so. He seems to be the real thing. In fact, he's here due to your run in with our Dr. Francis, Penny. Seems his lawyer and bank contacted him at Princeton. Though they've got him to believe it was a practical joke on their part. Seems they do that a lot." He noted, rather bemused.
"Why would two distinguished scientists do that?" he stared. "I mean, yes, Leonard and Howard and Raj did it all the time but their careers are dead-ended, so one can understand why they would seek distraction…"
Penny, anguished peep… "Sheldon?! Who the hell do you think you are?! You stupid, smug little…I'm sick and tired of you and your…Get outta here!" she rose in bed.
Amy staring…
"Penny…" Sheldon, anxiously. "I'm so sorry. I forgot, for just a minute. I'm so, so sorry, Penny."
"My husband's worth a thousand of you…You and your Susan, you son of a bitch!" she raged. "You! I wish to God I'd never seen you! Leonard had never seen you!" reddening.
"Penny…" Amy, distressed.
"I wish so too, Penny." Sheldon nodded. "I wish I'd lived the lonely, sad life I was intended to…Or one trapped with Susan…Anything that would have saved the finest man and the best friends I ever knew or will know."
"Oh…Sheldon…" she wept. "Oh, God, Sheldon…What am I gonna do?!" weeping…Reaching out hand to him which he took.
"We're going to put this right. Somehow. I don't know how but somehow." He insisted. "Just, please, forgive me…"
"It's ok…" sigh. "It's nice you can forget, even just a moment." She shook head. "I can't."
"No…" he shook head. "Forgive me for coming into your lives, for ruining them. Penny, I'm so ashamed." He wept now.
"No, Sheldon…No…Amy?" Penny turned to the girl who was weeping herself now.
"You've found Leonard and been happy…" he shook head. "Howard and Bernadette and the children would be safe and happy…Raj…Well, hard to say."
"Yeah…" Penny agreed. "It's not your fault, Sheldon. I'm sorry I lost it. It's just so hard to know I'll probably never see him again, until I die. I wish…"
"No." Sheldon, firmly. "You don't wish that. Never. You have to take up Leonard's career, with considerable help from me and do the things, whatever nonsense it was, he was intended to do."
She blinked at him… "Really? You honestly think, with a little help from you? I could be 'Leonard'?"
"I said 'considerable'." He eyed her.
"Ok, I'll take it." She grinned through tears. "Junior bestie?" turning to Amy. "My glasses."
Amy turned to the table by the hospital bed and pulled open a drawer, removing said glasses and handing them to her.
"Penelope Leonarda Hofstadter…Dr. to be Penelope Leonarda Hofstadter is born." Penny, firmly setting glasses.
"Molecules." Firmly.
"I already feel lactose intolerant." She noted proudly. "Sheldon? Begin the training for your…Padawan." Arch look to both.
Sheldon, blinking…Young Amy, stunned look.
"'It was a warm summer night in Greece'…C'mon." she eyed him.
…
