A First Time For Everything

by shvique

Mending a broken friendship can be difficult. But is it impossible? Jenny is determined to find out…

12. First Time-Chapter 12

A First Time For Everything
A MLAATR-Inspired Fanfic
By Shvique

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Chapter 12—A Long Walk Home

The main doors of Tremorton High flung open at the end of another long, grueling school day, and students streamed out in a mad, frantic rush, all eager to get out and away. In the midst of the massive torrent were Jenny and Brad, pushed and pulled along by the flow of the crowd. Once outside, Jenny stepped to one side, out of the path of the departing students, where she turned to face the doorway.

Brad stopped and turned to face her. "Aren't you coming?" he asked.

She shook her head. "You go on ahead," she said with a wave of her hand. "I'm gonna hang back here awhile. I'll catch up with you later. Maybe give you a call this evening. Okay?"

"Um…okay," He flashed her a look of vague suspicion. "You're um… You're gonna have that talk with Sheldon, I take it."

"Yeah," she replied with a nod.

"You're…you're not gonna…" he didn't finish.

She shook her head. "No, I'm not gonna…" Like her friend, she also left the sentence incomplete. "I just want to talk to him, that's all. Just talk."

Brad stared at her for another long moment, then nodded. "Okay. Um…I…I hope you…um…" He trailed off; he felt that there was more to add, and yet he knew that everything he could say had already been said.

"I know," she said, almost as though she'd read his mind. "And thanks."

He nodded. "See you later?"

"Yeah," she replied. "See you."

With that, Brad turned and somewhat reluctantly, headed home, leaving his robotic friend behind to deal with her personal problem in her own way. He only hoped that whatever she had in mind wouldn't somehow lead to more problems for everyone involved—including Jenny herself.

Jenny stood near the entrance, impatiently waiting as more students streamed past her on their way home.

After the last student departed, all was quiet. Curious and now even more impatient, Jenny craned her neck around to look through the glass doors of the entrance, to the hallway beyond, hoping to see some sign of Sheldon. She knew he'd been called by Mr. Bustoff to remain after class for a few minutes, but even so, she thought, it seemed to be taking him an awfully long time to show up.

At last, Sheldon emerged from the doorway. Once outside, he looked around from his right to his left, where he spotted Jenny waiting nearby.

She saw him at the same moment, and doing her best to put aside the unpleasant memories of her afternoon experiences, and adopt a positive, upbeat attitude, she approached him with a somewhat-forced smile. She herself doubted how effective it would be or how sincere it would appear, but…it was better than nothing, she thought.

"Hey, Sheldon." she said, striving for a cheerful tone as she stepped over to him.

"Jenny," he replied simply with an equally-simple nod, his expression guarded and wary. He drew a shallow breath as she approached him, his eyes meeting hers directly and his stance braced, as though he were preparing for something unpleasant to follow.

"Okay, so…I'm here," he said. "What was it you wanted to say to me? Something you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Well, I just…um…" Jenny began, both nervously and awkwardly. "I…I just…thought that maybe we could…walk home together. And talk. We haven't really done that very much in quite a while."

"We haven't talked much?" Sheldon said, his eyebrows raised. "It seems like we talked a lot this morning!" Although the truth was that he really didn't get much of a chance to say much of anything that morning,and they both knew it.

"Well yeah, I know, but…" Jenny hesitated. "But…I mean like we haven't really walked home together very much lately. Not in a long time. Not since…" She trailed off. "Anyway, since your scooter's on the fritz today anyway, I figured maybe we could walk home together. And…you know…maybe talk about some…other stuff along the way…"

"O…kay…" He replied warily, eyeing her narrowly, unsure precisely what she meant by "other stuff."

She motioned with her head, indicating the direction down the block toward their respective homes. "So…shall we go?"

She took a step and after a momentary hesitation, he followed.

"I promise, I won't take up too much time, though," she added hastily. "'Cuz I know you're grounded and everything so you probably have to get home early, and—"

"Actually," Sheldon interrupted. "We don't have to worry about that."

"We don't?" she looked at him quizzically.

"No; my mom actually let me off being grounded early."

"Oh? When did that happen?"

"This morning."

Jenny's bewilderment, mixed with genuine surprise, spilled over onto her face. "Oh…" she said simply. "Well, that was…nice of her…I guess…"

Sheldon noticed her surprised reaction and explained. "I was going to mention it earlier," he said. "But…well, I didn't really get much of a chance. I could barely get a word in—" He hesitated, then added, "I…I mean—"

"Oh… yeah…" Jenny replied in a subdued tone, blushing slightly. "I guess I did get a little carried away with all my yakkety-yak this morning, didn't I?" She smiled sheepishly at him. "Sorry 'bout that. I…I do that sometimes when I get nervous."

"Don't worry about it," he replied. "I sometimes do that, too. You know; talk too much when I get nervous."

"Yeah…" she said with a demure smile, fondly remembering his more loquacious tendencies of the past, usually whenever he was around her.

After a brief moment, a question occurred to him just then and he asked, "What were you nervous about?"

The question caught Jenny somewhat off-guard. "Oh! Well, just…you know…end of school…final exams coming up…and…other stuff…"

"Oh." He replied then fell silent again.

They continued walking in silence, each stealing occasional glances at the other but with neither one saying a word, as Jenny struggled to think of more to say to keep the conversation going.

"So…um…how—how've you been?" She finally asked. It was feeble and awkward and sounded completely lame, she knew, but it was something anyway; a start at least.

"Um…okay…" Sheldon replied evenly.

Fearing another long, uncomfortable silence following, Jenny added, just a little too hastily, "Yeah, same here. Just okay, I mean. It's been kinda quiet lately, though. There haven't been any major catastrophes or emergencies or anything else that requires my usual super-heroics, which feels kinda weird for me. I've never had to go this long without any major emergency-calls, so…I haven't had to do too much these days. Not much, that is, except go to school, come home, and do a whole bunch of intense extra practice-drills after school with my mom. Other than that…" She shrugged. "Not a whole lot going on. Dull, you know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I guess…" he said. After a moment, another question occurred to him, and even though he didn't particularly feel in the mood for conversation, his natural curiosity got the better of him and he asked, "Um…I hope this isn't a dumb question, but…if there isn't much going on, then how come you need to do extra intense practice-drills?"

"Oh, well, mostly it's for the big something that my mom keeps insisting is supposed to happen—"

"The big something?" he asked with a puzzled look.

She nodded. "Yeah; she said it's something she found in one of her cockamamie computer-programs, that makes her think some big, scary, epic catastrophe's gonna hit soon, something big, something really, really, super-unlikely, and highly-improbable."

"Hmm…interesting…" he murmured, his natural scientist's curiosity piqued. "Which computer program was this? Do you know?"

"Oh, this was one of her own designs," Jenny replied, trying to remember the details of the conversation she'd had with her creator about the subject. "Something that's supposed to collect data from all over the world, from sensors up on mountaintops, from others stuck way out in deserts and the polar regions…from others planted deep in underground caverns, and others sunk deep into the ocean floor. Some were even placed on probes blasted millions of miles into outer space. I think she said she even collects data from the Nerva One Deep Space Station, and that thing's like way the heck out there." Jenny gave a sweeping motion with her hand toward the sky, her own very-rough approximation of the vast distance involved.

Sheldon remained silent, but he listened closely with rapt attention, eager to absorb every detail.

"Anyhow, her program takes all this data," Jenny went on. "And runs it all through some kind of—I think she called it a 'probability matrix'—and then plots the results onto these big, elaborate line-charts. She's been going over these charts with a magnifying glass for the past several days now, convinced she's going to find some kind of clues or something there."

"Hmm…sounds fascinating." Sheldon said, nodding, his curiosity growing.

"Yeah, she said it's based on theories by some guy named von Hassled Line or something like that."

"Oh, wait a minute!" Sheldon exclaimed. "You don't mean The Von Hasslein Probability Curves, do you?"

Jenny stared at him, astonished. "Oh, you've heard of it?" she asked.

"Heard of it?" he echoed. "I'll say! I read all about those theories a couple years ago in one of my teen science magazines! It sounds really interesting!" He paused, then added. "Although…I have to admit I—I don't really completely understand it all. The math is just a little too advanced—even for me—and the whole concept is just a little too deep and complex for me to completely wrap my head around. Self-regenerating temporal ripples and eddies…recurring patterns and sequences in time…all of that… But even so…geez! I had no idea your mom was working with those theories! Wow, I'm really impressed!"

"Yeah, well…she is," Jenny replied nonchalantly, as though the matter were no big deal. Figures! She thought with quiet amusement. If there's one kid in all Tremorton who would know about the Von Hasslein thing, it would be Sheldon! But…at least I've got his attention now, so that's something. At least he's interested enough to keep talking to me anyways, which is more than he was giving me before…

"Anyway," she went on. "Yeah, so this big mega-improbability thing that the program predicted is supposed to happen sometime within a couple of weeks, but so far…nothing. Mom keeps saying it's gonna happen, keeps expecting it to happen any day now, and she's really, really on my case to be ready for it, but…so far, nothing. It's like waiting for a ticking bomb to go off. It just…it feels so weird."

"Yeah," Sheldon replied neutrally, his brief interest in the Von Hasslein Theories now diminishing slightly.

Another period of silence followed, and Jenny struggled to think of something more to say.

She glanced skyward and said, "Um… At least the weather's been nice lately. I think we're through with rainy weather for the year, so at least I won't have to worry about getting any rust for a while."

"Mmm…yeah, I imagine that would be a problem," Sheldon replied in a faintly-disinterested tone.

"Most people get colds or flu in rainy weather. Me? I just get rust!" She smiled. "Sometimes I'd almost be willing to trade one for the other."

Sheldon nodded, but said nothing.

Another brief period of silence followed before Jenny spoke again. "By the way," she began haltingly. "I'm…I'm real sorry about…what happened earlier. You know, during lunch. Making such a scene in the cafeteria and everything."

Sheldon looked up at her in surprise. Huh! He thought. I thought for sure she was going to somehow blame me for that!

But he merely shrugged and, trying to downplay it, casually said, "Oh, don't…don't worry about it. It's over; forget about it."

"No, no, I…I really had no right to make such a big stink like that, and—oh, how's your hand, by the way? I hope I didn't hurt you."

"My hand? Oh! It's…it's all right…" Almost without thinking, he raised it and examined it, flexing his fingers and making a fist a couple of times. "No injuries."

"Good, good," Jenny said, with evident relief in her voice. "I'm glad to hear that. 'Cuz I'm really, really sorry about that. I wouldn't ever want to hurt you. You know I'd never deliberately harm you or hurt you or injure you in any way, don't you? Dear Jobs, that's the last thing I want! I mean, you know that, right? You know that I—" she hesitated. "Well…I…I just don't ever want you to…well…feel like you need to be afraid of me."

"Mmm…" Sheldon murmured neutrally with a small nod…and a slight, suspicious frown.

"And believe me, I never would have made such a scene like that in the first place if I had known." she went on.

"Known what?" he asked.

"About…you know… You and that…that Denise girl—or whatever her name is…"

"You mean Bernice?"

"Yeah, her," Jenny said in a slightly-sharpened tone, a faint look of irritation briefly passing over her features. "Anyway, yeah, if I'd known you two were…" she hesitated, then went on with a certain tension in her voice, "You know…going together…then believe me, I never would've barged in on you two and made a big scene the way I did."

Sheldon looked at her in puzzlement for a moment, then replied, "Oh…oh…oh... Well, see we're not really going together," he explained. "I mean, not really. We're just friends, that's all. Just friends. And—and we only had lunch together, that's all. Just this one time." He snorted, "Jeez, I just started talking to her again only a few days ago! How fast do you think I operate, anyway? I mean, let's face it, I'm not exactly a Casanova, you know!"

Now it was Jenny's turn to display an expression of bewilderment. "So you're not going together?" She asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Well, no…no, we're not." Not yet anyway he thought. "Not really. We're just friends. That's all. Just friends." He eyed her cautiously. Why does she want to know? He wondered. Why does she even care?

Jenny continued to stare at him in chilling silence, and he began to feel increasingly uncomfortable, as though he were being scrutinized under a microscope.

"I mean…" he added, strangely feeling the need to elaborate further. "Well…that is, I was sort of thinking about…maybe asking her to go to a movie with me or something, but…" He hesitated, recalling Bernice's expressed lack of interest in Trek Wars, and his own, equal lack of interest in Larry Cotter. "Well…now I don't know. I'm not sure she and I have quite the same interests when it comes to movies."

"So you're not going together," Jenny repeated, as though only now finally ready to accept it as fact.

"Well, no, not really."

Another long moment passed, before Sheldon asked a question of his own. "Why do you want to know?" he asked with a single eyebrow raised in suspicion.

"Oh, no…no reason…" Jenny replied, turning away and trying to sound casual and disinterested. "I just…wondered… That's all.."

They continued walking in silence, Sheldon continuing to shoot occasional sidelong suspicious glances at Jenny, but without saying another word.

Suddenly, Jenny spoke again. "Um…just out of curiosity…" she began, still trying to sound casual, as though she only had a passing interest in the subject. "How in the world did you two happen to meet, anyway?"

Sheldon looked sharply at her. What the…? He thought. Is she for real? What the heck business is it of hers anyway?

She caught the look on his face, rightly guessed its meaning and quickly clarified, "Well, I mean… Since you say you don't have the same interests in movies, I'm kind of curious as to how you two happened to meet and start talking in the first place."

He shrugged and replied, "Oh. Well… I mean, it's no big mystery. We just kinda… Well, the first time we met was a few weeks ago. We just…happened to run into each other outside of school one day. It was right around the time you started doing that whole homeschooling thing with your mom. Remember?"

"Oh yeah…I remember…" she nodded, wincing as she recalled the whole dreary experience.

"And I was feeling…pretty low at the time—never mind why—and…Bernice just happened to come along and…well, be there for me. You know, just be a friend to me when I really needed one. And…" He shrugged. "Well, things kinda went from there."

"Mmm…" Jenny murmured with a nod. She knew exactly what he meant, about the need for a good, supportive friend when one's spirits are low. She had experienced such a need herself many times in her life, and usually that good, supportive friend for her was Brad. And not for the first time, she also realized how difficult it must have been for Sheldon not to have any such close friends to rely on when he needed them.

"So that's it?" she asked, still striving—but failing—to sound casual and disinterested. "That's how you two met? 'Cuz you felt unhappy one day and wanted somebody to talk to? That's all?" Even as she said it, she immediately regretted it; somehow, it just sounded so…petty and insensitiveand dismissive, although she didn't intend it that way at all.

He frowned slightly in response. "Well…yeah, basically," he said in a faintly defensive tone. "There's nothing wrong with that, you know."

"I know, I know, I'm just…" she paused, searching for just the right words to ask without sounding as though she were prying. "I'm just trying to understand, that's all. I'm curious as to what you and she could possibly have in common. I mean, what could a guy like you possibly see in a girl like that?"

Sheldon turned and stared at her, stunned by both the audacity and the tactlessness of both the comment and question. Nevertheless, he met the challenge head-on and without hesitation, he replied, "Well, for one thing, she's kind."

Jenny stared at him, as his simple answer had been wholly unanticipated, and had taken her completely by surprise.

"That's right," Sheldon affirmed with a nod, noting with some satisfaction Jenny's reaction, and knowing that his implicit point had gotten across. "She's been very kind to me. And at a time when I really needed a little kindness." He paused, then added quietly, "There's nothing wrong with that either, you know; a little kindness at the right time often goes a long way."

"Mmm," Jenny murmured uneasily and turned away. And for a moment, Sheldon thought he heard a faint, rough metallic noise, like a set of poorly-lubricated gears grinding together…but he couldn't be sure.

He then recalled the other good points about Bernice that had made talking to her such a pleasant experience for him, and he continued. "And just… I don't know, she just… She seems to like me and accept me for what I am. She doesn't judge me or look down at me or—" he hesitated, glanced furtively at Jenny for a brief moment, then looked away.

"Or…what?"

"Nothing…nothing…forget it."

"No, go on, tell me," Jenny said petulantly. "Tell me what else you think is so great and wonderful about that girl!"

He turned to face her, a defiant frown forming on his face. All right, you asked for it! he thought. "Well, she…" he paused, taking a deep breath and continued, "She doesn't make me feel like a total creep or a 'stalker' whenever I approach her or try to talk to her or try to be friendly with her!"

Jenny's cheeks flashed briefly in a vivid blue blush. "Oh," she replied in a tiny, subdued voice and she averted her eyes.

Another silence followed for approximately half a block before she spoke again.

"Um…by the way," she began, still trying to sound casual and nonchalant, as she tapped a tiny pebble out of her path with her steel toe, sending it clear across the street and down the block. "I've…been thinking a lot about…that stuff you and I talked about…"

"Hmm?" he turned to face her, puzzled. "What stuff?"

"You know. That stuff we talked about that one evening several days ago. When I stopped by your place, and we had that long talk in your garage workshop. Remember?"

"Oh…yeah…that…"

"Yeah. And I…I thought you made a lot of good points…"

"Um…okay…" Sheldon replied, trying to remember the details of the conversation that had apparently made an impression on her.

"I mean, I didn't totally agree with everything you said—not entirely, anyway. But…I do think you made some good points. And you gave me a lot to think about."

"Okay," he repeated, uneasily. Where the heck is she going with this? He wondered.

"And I…" she hesitated. "Well, thinking it over, I…think I can see some areas where I can…" she motioned aimlessly with her hands, as she searched for just the right words. "You know…maybe try to improve myself and…try to be a better person. And…treat other people better." She forced a weak smile onto her face.

"Oh… Okay…" he replied, his guard still up.

"Because you know I really am sorry about—what happened that day out at that compound, the way I acted and everything... I mean, you know how sorry I am about that, don't you?"

Sheldon winced. Clearly, the memory was still fresh in his mind, despite his efforts to put it behind him, and it still pained him to recall it. "Okay…" he repeated guardedly.

"I mean, you know I'm really not cruel," she went on, her voice quiet but strained, as it clearly pained her to utter the word aloud. "And I'm not a…a bully, either. I mean, you know I'm not…right?"

"O…kay…" he repeated uneasily.

"And—and you did say you forgave me. Right? We both apologized for stuff we did, and we both agreed to forgive each other…didn't we?"

"Yeah..." He replied, gradually easing away from her, putting some distance between himself and her. With every step he took, he became more uneasy. Somehow, he just knew that something was coming; he just didn't know what. He tried to brace himself for it, whatever it was.

Jenny looked down at him and studied him closely. Her expression was difficult to read, but it was clear that she wasn't satisfied with his assurances.

Suddenly, without warning, she halted in her tracks. Sheldon overstepped her by a couple of paces, then also came to a full stop and turned to face her.

"What?" he asked.

She stared intently at him in silence for a seeming eternity, her expression grave, and darkening by the moment. Suddenly, she cried, "Sheldon, are you angry at me?!"

Sheldon was so startled by the sudden outburst, that he jumped back several feet. He stared at her, absolutely flabbergasted. Where the heck did that come from? he wondered.

"Wait, what?" he asked, reeling and utterly flustered.

"I said, are you angry at me?!" she asked.

"What?! No!" he cried.

She stared at him for another long, chilling moment, then followed up with another outburst. "Well then, why are you being so mean to me?!" she demanded.

"I'm…I'm what…?" he asked, now completely lost and utterly baffled. "I'm…I'm being mean to you…?! How?! What did I do?! What the heck are you talking about?!"

"I'm talking about the way you've been avoiding me the past several days, that's what!" she cried. "Treating me like I was your worst enemy in the world! Like I was some kind of crummy, rotten bully or something! Either that or you're giving me the cold shoulder! Like you're embarrassed to be seen with me! And I just want to know why!"

Again, her sudden outbursts caused Sheldon to jump and take several steps back. For a brief moment, Jenny was afraid he'd even break and run away entirely.

"Sorry," she said, immediately softening her tone. "I—I didn't mean to yell."

"It's—it's…all right, it's okay," Sheldon replied, taking a deep breath and struggling to regain his composure. "Anyhow, I'm not…I'm not avoiding you." He knew it wasn't entirely true, but under the circumstances, it seemed easier and less problematic than flat-out admitting the truth.

"But you are, though," she contended. "For days now, you've been so…so cold and distant from me! And I just want to know why! I mean, I've been trying to be friendly to you, just like I promised I would. I've been going out of my way to tryto be extra, extra friendly in fact, but in return, you give me nothing! Nothing but—" At that point, she contorted her features to an exaggerated approximation of the grim, dour and sour expression with which Sheldon had greeted her much of the week. Its exaggerated nature almost caused Sheldon to laugh, despite the seriousness of the circumstances.

Jenny returned her features to their normal configuration and went on. "Today in particular. I mean, I tried several times to…you know, talk to you about stuff I thought you'd like, stuff I thought you'd be interested in and wantto talk about, but instead, you mostly just keep giving me the silent treatment, acting like you don't even want to be near me! For a while earlier, I thought you were almost starting to warm up to me and treat me like a friend again, but then…I don't know, something happened to really tick you off, and now it's like you're angry at me all over again! So I just want to know: Are you angry at me or not? And if you are, then why?!"

"Well, I'm…I'm not angry at you…" he said.

"Are you sure?" she asked, eyeing him narrowly.

"Positive," he said.

She continued to stare at him with a cold, withering glare, clearly unwilling to accept his answer.

"What's the matter?" he asked. "Don't you believe me?"

"Well, that's just it!" she cried. I don't know what to believe! I hardly get to see you that much in school anymore, I barely get to talk to you, I don't get to see you outside school anymore, I don't even get to talk to you on the phone! You won't even answer my emails! It's like you don't even—" she abruptly stopped herself short before saying anything further.

He blinked at her in surprise. Was he hearing correctly? Why the heck does she care? He wondered. She never did before! Why's it such a big deal to her now?

"Well…" he began, then paused and cleared his throat. "Like—like I already told you," He reached a hand to the back of his neck, rubbing and scratching it nervously. "Up until today, I was grounded, so I wasn't allowed to go anywhere after school, or have friends over, or talk to anyone on the phone or anything else. It was just straight to school and right back home again. And even then, I've mostly been riding my scooter to school and back. 'Til today, that is, and that's only 'cuz the battery conked out last night..." He paused, then eyed her sharply. "I already told you about that, didn't I?"

Silently, she nodded.

"I thought I did," he said in a mildly irritated tone, and continued. "Anyhow, as for your emails, well, like I also told you this morning, I got them, I saw them in my inbox, I just…didn't get a chance to go through and read them yet. That's all. 'Cuz I had…you know…homework and…other stuff to do."

Jenny looked him over, as though she were sizing him up, weighing the veracity of his words. "Sooooo…you're not angry at me," she said, as though she still needed to hear a final confirmation from him. "You're sure…"

"Positive," he said, his unease now diminishing slightly, replaced by a vague but growing impatience—especially at Jenny's unwillingness to accept his answers. "Really. If I was angry at you, I'd say so."

She continued to stare grimly at him, still unwilling and unable to accept his assurances.

"You still don't believe me?" he asked.

"Well, can you blame me?" she asked, scowling. "After all, you have been awfully cold and distant when you're around me lately, you can't deny that!"

He hesitated before responding, then sighed. "Well, if I do," he replied uneasily. "It's probably just…well…I…I've got a lot of things on my mind these days; schoolwork and stuff."

"Well, I notice you're not like this when you're around the gaming guys!" she pointed out. "You're always open and friendly with them! Laughing and joking around and stuff! Just like your old usual self, in fact! Just like you used to be around me!"

Sheldon's mouth dropped open, as he was momentarily stuck speechless by the undeniable accuracy of the observation. It was a fair point, he had to admit.

But before he could respond, Jenny continued. "Yeah! You thought I didn't notice, but I did!" she said. "I did notice! So I can't help but wonder why you're singling me out and treating me differently from your other friends!" She paused and sharpened her look. "You know, just because I'm a robot doesn't mean I don't have feelings! I do!" She spoke softly, but it was obvious from her tone that she was telling the truth, and that those feelings had been hurt. "As a matter of fact, with the way you've been acting around me lately, I sometimes get the feeling that you're more of a robot than I am!"

Ouch! Sheldon thought. That really hurts!

Sheldon drew a deep breath and slowly released it. He hated to admit it, but Jenny had made some fair and valid points, and they deserved to be addressed and answered, though he knew it wouldn't be easy.

"Okay, okay… I get the point…" He began, then paused, choosing his words carefully, deciding that now was the time for full and complete honesty. "Well…I…I guess if I'm more…'distant' toward you lately, it's because…" He sighed. "I…I just don't want to get hurt again." He paused then added, "In any way."

"But…but I promised you that would never happen again!" Jenny exclaimed. "I promised you I'll never, ever hurt you again! And I meant it!" She cocked her head and looked at him. "Don't you believe me?"

He sighed. "Well Jenny, I don't know what to believe anymore. I mean, for most of the past two years now, you weren't very nice to me most of the time—be honest, you really weren't. And now, suddenly, out of the clear blue sky, it's like you're suddenly trying really, really extra-hard to convince me you're my best friend or something. It's all too fast, too sudden, and just a little too hard for me to swallow."

"Oh, well I—"

"And besides…" he continued in a slightly-altered tone, interrupting her. "I…I thought that's what you wanted; that you didn't want me hanging around you all the time and getting in your way when you had superhero business to take care of or whatever. I was just trying to…you know…respect your 'personal space,' like I promised I would." He paused, then eyed her with a raised eyebrow. "Isn't—isn't that what you wanted?"

She looked at him with an expression of both sadness and regret and responded with a simple nod. "Well…yeah, okay, fine, but…" she replied softly. "But…you know, you don't have to avoid me completely, do you? Can't we still just be…you know…friends…? Like we used to be…?"

"Well, sure, Jenny, we can be friends, but…" he hesitated.

"But what?" she asked.

"Well, it's just that…" He paused and sighed. "Well…I don't know what you really want from me anymore," he went on. "I mean, in the past, when I tried to be friendly to you, you said I was being a 'stalker.' You said you wanted me to respect your personal space. Okay, fine. But now that I'm trying to do that, you say I'm avoiding you. And not only that, but today it's almost like…like…" he trailed off.

"Like what?"

"Nothing, nothing…"

"No, come on; like what?"

"Well, just…" He took a breath and sighed. "Well, I don't know, but today it's almost like it's the other way around! Like you're the one who's 'stalking' me!"

Jenny winced and reeled back slightly. "Oh," she said in a tiny, embarrassed voice. "I…I guess it did kinda seem that way…didn't it…?" She lowered her head in embarrassment. "I—I guess I got a little carried away… I do that sometimes, too… Sorry…"

"And then, to top it all off," Sheldon went on, ignoring her reply. "You then turn around and say something about having a…a…" He broke off, the words catching in his throat. "Anyhow…" he went on. "I don't know what to think anymore; I don't know what it is you really want from me!"

"What I want—!" Jenny replied, her volume beginning to rise again, before she quickly caught it and held it in check. "What I want," she restated, but in a softer tone. "Is for things to be nice between us again! Like they used to be!"

Sheldon looked at her, and for a brief moment, he almost thought he detected a different look to her eyes, a certain softness, almost a tenderness in them that he'd never seen before. It was especially noteworthy, in that it marked a significant change from her usual 'tough girl' demeanor.

He looked away, avoiding her eyes. "Well…" he said quietly. "To be honest Jenny, I'm not so sure that things were all that 'nice' between us, frankly. At least…" he hesitated. "Not all the time, anyway."

"Sheldon…!" she began, her tone re-acquiring a sharp, challenging edge.

"Well, let's face it," he went on, turning back to look at her directly. "You have to admit that our…" he hesitated. "Friendship…was always pretty shaky and bumpy, to say the least. Right from the beginning, there was an awful lot of…" he gestured with his hands as he searched for just the right terms. "Conflict and friction between you and me. And yeah, I admit that part of that was my own fault. But some of that was on you, too. Be honest." He paused and shook his head. "And I just don't think I want to go back to all that conflict. I—" He hesitated, then with a heavy sigh, he concluded. "As I said: I just don't want to get hurt again."

Jenny absorbed his words in silence, mulled them over for a long moment, then nodded in acceptance. "Well…okay, yeah, I hear what you're saying… I can understand how you feel," she conceded. "But…but see, that's what I'm saying! Things are…well, things are different now!" she said, in a choice of words both frustratingly vague and painfully inadequate to express her true, inmost feelings. "I mean, I think you and I…well…I think we understand each other a little better now, right? So I'm thinking that now we can be friends, but without all that conflict and friction, and without anybody getting hurt!" She gave him an encouraging smile.

But his expression remained wary, distrustful.

Her smile faded slightly. "Can't we?" she asked.

He scrutinized her closely. There was something in her tone of voice, the expression on her face, a certain look in her eyes that, for a brief moment, almost made him wonder if maybe…just maybe…

But then he quickly turned away again. "I…I don't know…" he said quietly with a simple shrug.

"I just want us to be friends again, that's all." She went on. "Like before, only this time, we can do it right! And I can…" she hesitated. "You know…like we talked about. I can try to be a better friend to you this time. Just like I promised I would."

Slowly, he turned to face her, and he started to open his mouth, as if to respond. But then just as soon as he opened it, he closed it again.

Jenny lowered her head and continued, in a soft, personal tone that she'd almost never used. "I know I made mistakes," she said. "I know I did some things—terrible things…things that…I'm sorry for."

She lifted her head and looked him directly in the eyes. "But is it fair that I should be punished for the rest of my life for them?" she asked. "Can't you be more…forgiving?"

"Jenny, I did forgive you!" he argued. "Don't you remember? That evening in my garage workshop?"

"I mean really forgive, Sheldon," she said. "I don't mean just saying the words, but…you know…I mean really feeling it, and meaning it, on the inside. Can't you forgive me…inside…?"

He looked at her, quietly absorbing her words, reflecting on them and weighing them carefully in his mind. He was frankly somewhat surprised that she even cared whether or not he forgave her. For that matter, he was also surprised to hear that she cared about anything other than herself; he'd sometimes wondered if she was even capable of that.

The unpleasant events of the previous weeks had caused Sheldon to question and even doubt many of his initial basic assumptions about Jenny, and he even began to wonder if perhaps Jenny was nothing more than a machine after all, with no true feelings or emotions whatsoever. But now, with the way she'd been acting around him lately, he now began to re-examine those very same questions all over again.

Was I wrong about her? He wondered as he looked at her. Was my first impression about her right all along? Is she more than just a machine? Does she really have feelings after all? Is there really a nice, caring girl buried somewhere underneath all that steel and circuitry?

Her behavior and demeanor here and now certainly seemed to indicate as much, so it was at least a possibility that he couldn't entirely dismiss.

And yet…he still felt great reluctance to even consider the possibility, not least because he didn't want to set himself up for more disappointment and heartache all over again.

As he silently debated with himself, Jenny studied him closely. She knew he was thinking, and possibly forming his own response, but beyond that, she could tell nothing as to whether or not her words had made any impact upon him.

She gave him another moment, then gently prompted, "All I want is a second chance," she said. "That's all. Just a second chance." She cocked her head to one side and added, "Don't you believe in second chances?"

Finally, he released a resigned sigh. It was another fair point, he had to admit. "I…I guess..." he said. "I…I suppose…"

His tepid response was considerably less than Jenny had hoped for, but it was an opening at least; better than nothing, and she was willing to accept it. At least, for now.

"Well, that's all I'm saying," she replied gently. "If you can just…try to put the past behind somehow…and just…accept the fact that I want to be your friend now."

He lowered his head, unable to meet her gaze. "I'm…I'm trying, Jenny…" he said quietly. "I'm trying real hard... It's not easy…"

"I know, Sheldon; I know…" she replied softly. "It's not easy for me, either. I mean, how would you feel if you knew you hurt one of your friends? I mean really hurt them? Wouldn't you feel terrible about it afterwards? Wouldn't you find it hard to live with yourself? And wouldn't you give just about anything to undo it somehow? To make it up to them, and have them forgive you?"

He looked up and regarded her thoughtfully for a long, quiet moment. It was yet another good point she'd made. "Yeah…yeah…I probably would…" he admitted.

But then almost as quickly, he lowered his eyes again. "But…but that's different!" he said.

"Different how?" she asked with a single raised eyebrow. "And why?"

"Well, it…it just is, that's all."

"But why?" she asked again. "Why is it different? Is it…" she hesitated, then dropped her tone down low. "Is it…because I'm a robot?" She didn't want to believe—or even consider for a moment—that Sheldon was capable of such thinking. And yet…

"It—it's not just…that…" he said, still unable to meet her eyes.

"But it is, though…isn't it? You…you think that because I'm a robot, I can't feel sorry for what I did? Is that what you think?" She paused, scarcely able to even believe her own words. "Sheldon, do you really believe that…? About me?"

He looked up to face her, his mouth open as he tried to answer…but he just couldn't seem to find the words.

She stared at him, aghast. "Sheldon…I'm surprised at you…" she said in a wounded tone. "I thought that you of all people would know better—would know me better! I thought that you of all people would know that…that I'm a person! That I have feelings!" She clasped her hands together as she spoke, placing them against her chest. A great sob welled up inside her and tears began to form in her eyes. "Not only am I surprised at you…I'm also disappointed…! Very disappointed…! And hurt…!" She shook her head sadly at him. "Yes, Sheldon…! I'm really hurt by that…!"

Sheldon looked deep into her eyes and he saw the impact his unspoken response had made upon her and he knew that she was speaking the truth. She did seem to be deeply hurt, and she seemed so sincere, in her facial expression, her tone and her words, and her demeanor and manner seemed so… real, so genuine, so…human, that the longer he looked at her, the more difficult he found it to believe that she wasn't human.

Maybe…maybe I was wrong about her…! he thought. Maybe there is more to her than just microcircuits and digital signals and binary codes after all…!

And the longer he looked at her, the more he knew what he had to say, no matter how difficult or painful it might be.

"All right, I…I'm sorry," he finally conceded, failing to conceal the swelling emotions in his own voice. "I…I didn't mean what I…" He hesitated, then continued along a different path. "I know you're a…a person, even if you are…different. And I know that you have…" he hesitated, then shut his eyes tightly as he forced himself to make the final and most difficult concession of all. "…feelings."

After a beat, Jenny replied. "All right," she said softly, accepting his apology. After another beat, she went on, "And I'm telling you, from the bottom of my cold-fusion reactor, that I'm sorry, too. I'm sorry for the way I treated you in the past, but I really do want to make it up to you now. If you'll only let me, that is…" she hesitated, then with effort, added, "Please…let me be a friend to you now…"

"All right, Jenny…all right..." he said. "I…I believe you…"

An awkward silence passed between them for a moment before Jenny spoke again.

"And…and no hard feelings…okay?" she asked. "No…no grudges or anything…right?"

"No hard feelings," he agreed without hesitation. "And no grudges, either. Grudges are for suckers and losers anyway." He spoke evenly, directly, and with utmost sincerity, leaving no doubt in Jenny's mind that he was speaking the truth. "Okay?" he asked.

"Okay," she replied, finally accepting his response and assurances. Then, after another moment, she tentatively asked, "So…are we…good then? Are we friends again?"

Sheldon replied, "Yeah," he said with a simple nod. "Friends. I…I can settle for that now; I can live with it and accept it."

She blinked. "What do you mean, you can 'settle for that?'" she asked with a puzzled frown.

"Well, I just mean…" he hesitated and released a sigh. "Well, I…I know you only think of me as just a friend and nothing more. But that's okay now. Unlike before, I can live with that now. I'm not going to keep banging my head against a brick wall about it anymore, like I used to. I know when I'm licked, when I'm fighting a losing battle, and I know when to quit. It just…" he sighed again and shrugged. "It just…took me awhile to get used to it and deal with it, that's all. But…" He lifted his head and took a deep breath. "I got over it…and I'm pretty much past it now. So…yeah, that's what I mean when I say I can live with it now."

There was something in his voice, a wistful, faintly regretful undertone, that struck Jenny to the core, and ever-so-subtly, she reacted to it. For despite his denials, it seemed clear to her that there was still some small, tiny, private part of Sheldon deep inside that still longed for her in an unspoken way. She felt it deeply and felt profoundly sorry for him. And for a brief, fleeting moment, she even felt the urge to cry.

For as she looked at him now, she felt a newfound sympathy for him, as well as a whole new understanding of all that he'd put himself through over the years in his seemingly hopeless pursuit of her; the pain of rejections, of being ignored, the associated heartache and the growing feelings of hopeless futility. All were feelings with which she herself had become all too familiar in recent days.

Because although there was a time not so long ago when she would have been perfectly content to settle for and accept a mere friendship with Sheldon, she now realized that was no longer the case. Somehow, a mere 'friendship' was no longer enough; it now felt so frustratingly inadequate, no longer sufficient to her current needs and wants. What she wanted, what she needed, was something more, some indefinable, ineffable something which she couldn't even name or adequately describe or define. But it was there just the same, that much she knew.

What she felt now was a strong need to be close to Sheldon, to really connect with him on a deep, meaningful and personal level. She had caught a brief glimpse of the feeling she sought only once before in her life: On the evening several days earlier, when she had taken him tenderly in her arms and, with tears in her eyes, expressed her deepest, most heartfelt feelings of sorrow and remorse, and received his forgiveness in return. During that one brief moment of closeness with him, she'd felt something unique; something she'd never experienced before or since with anyone. And since that evening, she increasingly realized that she wanted to re-experience that unique feeling of closeness and connection with him all over again.

And yet…as strongly as she felt the need, she also felt just as frustratingly incapable of finding just the right words to express that need out loud.

She looked at him, feeling utterly helpless to convey her thoughts and feelings to him. What could she say? How could she possibly tell him that he wouldn't be 'fighting a losing battle' now? Or be 'beating his head against a brick wall' in pursuing her? The way she felt toward him now, she would gladly welcome him with open arms. She would welcome any interest on his part toward her whatsoever; anything other than the cold, impersonal and impenetrable barrier which still seemed to separate them.

But how could she tell him that?

She just couldn't…

And then there was still that other issue; that big, terrible, unknown issue that hung heavy in the air, that had suddenly and inexplicably turned him against her without warning earlier that day. Was that the cause of his sudden and inexplicable change in attitude? This ongoing, mysterious reluctance on his part to allow her to get close to him? And whatever it was, could she do anything to resolve it?

She didn't know…and yet she had to know…

All of these thoughts were reflected in her facial expression, and for only the briefest of instants. Yet Sheldon noticed it, even though he had no idea what it signified.

"What?" he asked. "Don't you like my answer?"

"It's…it's not that," she replied sadly.

"Well, what then?"

"It's…it's nothing, forget it," she said evasively, averting her eyes.

He sighed. "Well, look. If there's anything else you want to say, you might as well say it now and get it all out in the open. After all, I said my piece; now it's your turn."

She looked at him sorrowfully. He's right! She thought. It's now or never!

"Well, it's just that…" she began tentatively. "What you said about…feeling like you're fighting a losing battle or beating your head against a wall…" she hesitated, then forced herself to continue. "I'm…sorry if I made you feel that way. I…" She shook her head. "Believe me, I never wanted to…you know…make you feel like that; like just giving up."

"Well, you had me fooled," Sheldon replied softly. "'Cuz it sure seemed like that's exactly what you wanted."

Jenny winced; somehow, the conversation was not taking the direction she'd hoped it would.

"Is…is that…why you got so upset earlier?" she asked. "Did I…somehow do something or say something to make you feel like…like just giving up…?"

His brow wrinkled in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about earlier this morning, shortly before lunch." She elaborated. "Remember? We were walking down the hall, talking, just like we've been doing most of the morning. And for a while, I thought we were starting to get along really well again, just like we used to. It seemed like you were just starting to be friendly and nice to me again, just like you always were before. Remember? And then…I don't know, something happened and all of a sudden, it was like you couldn't stand to be around me anymore! Whatever it was, it happened real fast, and it was right after those goons in the hallway were making their usual dumb, stupid lamebrained comments, and then the stupid Crust Cousins had to show up and get in on the act and open their big dumb stupid mouths, and…" She trailed off, wincing at the memory. "I mean, I get why you got angry at them, they're total jerks and they're always saying stupid stuff, but…why did you get angry at me?" She spoke softly, gently, asking not in a threatening or challenging tone, but rather one with genuine concern behind her words. "I mean…was it something I said that ticked you off? Something I did? Or what?"

Sheldon looked at her. A part of him desperately wanted to answer…but he just couldn't.

She saw it in his eyes however, the mysterious, unknown, unspoken answer that lay buried behind them. "Please, Sheldon," she said, her voice feathery soft and thin. "I'd really like to know. Please tell me: What did I do wrong?"

He hesitated, biting his lower lip. "It—it's nothing, it doesn't matter," he lowered his gaze, as though ashamed to look at her directly. "It's…not important."

"It's important to me!" she said, pleading with her eyes.

Still, Sheldon only gave her silence.

"You…you don't think that I agreed with the stupid Crust Creeps, do you?" she asked, with the tiniest trace of fear in her voice. "You—you don't think that I feel that way about you and your other friends…do you?"

"What? No! No, of course not!" He exclaimed. "It's—it's not that. It's not even about the stupid Crust Cousins. To tell you the truth, I didn't even hear much of anything they said."

Jenny blinked, puzzled. "You didn't?" she asked.

"No."

She stared at him, utterly perplexed. Well, now I'm confused! she thought. I thought for sure it was because of the stupid Crust Creeps! But if it's not them, then what…?

"So you didn't hear any of…what I said to them… About…" She trailed off, unable to recount her own words.

"No, I didn't. The moment those two showed their obnoxious faces, I turned right around and walked away."

Jenny shook her head in confusion. "Well…if it wasn't 'cuz of them, then…why did you suddenly get so angry?" she asked. "And why'd you get angry at me?"

He looked at her in silence for a long moment, then slowly lowered his head again, unable to face her. "I…I wasn't angry…" he said quietly.

"No, but you were upset though…weren't you…?" she asked softly. "So what was it that upset you…?"

Still, he couldn't bring himself to reply.

"Sheldon?" she gently prompted.

He swallowed and almost without conscious will, he heard himself saying, in a voice so low that even Jenny could hardly hear it. "It—it was…because of that other thing…" he said. "That thing you said… Just beforethe Crusts even showed up…"

Jenny blinked, now completely lost. "The thing Isaid?" she echoed. "What was that? What 'other thing' did I say?"

"You know…" he swallowed. "That…that other stuff…about…having a…a boyfriend…or something…" He spoke so quietly now that Jenny had to turn the gain on her audio-sensors up to the maximum, just to hear him at all.

She blinked again, utterly stunned. She had almost completely forgotten about the remark. It was just a spur-of-the-moment, almost absentminded, borne-purely-from-frustration remark that just came to her on the spot, just to shut up the mocking crowd. And yet…it had apparently stuck in Sheldon's mind…and soured his mood for the rest of the day.

Is that what this is all about? she wondered. That stupid little nothing remark I made to get those pests off my back? That's what he's so upset about? He somehow missed everything else I said and only heard that? It was hard to believe, and yet…knowing Sheldon as she did, she also realized that it must be true…

In a flash, the mystery vanished before her and she understood everything. Ohhhhhhhh, I think I get it now! She thought as an immediate and enormous wave of relief swept over her. I get it! He's jealous! That's why he's acting like this! He's not angry at me after all! He's just jealous! He's trying real hard not to show it, trying to pretend that he's not…but he totally is! That's what this is all about!

Jenny was so relieved that she almost laughed out loud. It wasn't the first time that Sheldon had ever been jealous of course, but it was the first time in a very long time that he had been. And it was a welcome departure from the cold indifference he'd mostly shown her in recent days.

And to her surprise and delight, Jenny also suddenly realized that she liked Sheldon's jealousy, and was quite tickled by it. Though in the past she'd always found it annoying and was very put off by it, she now found it strangely appealing, almost cute, in fact. And, she realized, it also signified something else.

It means he still cares about me! She thought in delight. Deep down inside, he does still care about me, or he wouldn't be acting like this!

And, she realized, since he did care, even if only a little bit, it also meant that there was still hope for the two of them.

"Oh…oh…oh…" she said with a wide, relieved smile, barely suppressing nervous giggles. "That…"

"Yeah, that!" Sheldon replied petulantly. "Those goons in the hallway were heckling you, and then you went right back at them and said something like, 'What if I do have a boyfriend?' Or something like that." He lifted his head and looked directly at her, no longer ashamed or embarrassed, but rather defiant. "Not…not that it's any of my business, you understand!" he added hastily. "I mean, it's…if you have a new boyfriend or whatever, it doesn't bother me! It's none of my business! So don't think—"

"Oh, oh, oh, well…that was just…" Jenny stammered, utterly flustered, as she tried to think of a semi-plausible explanation. "What I said, that was just…well, it was nothing, really. I—I really didn't mean it, it was just…something I made up. It just came out of nowhere. Literally. I don't even know where it came from. It just…like I said at the time, I was getting sick and tired of all the stupid teasing I was getting from the usual bunch of idiots over the dumb stupid book-report that I goofed up, and I just wanted to say something to shut them up and get them off my back, and…well, that was the first thing that popped into my head. That's all. I—I didn't mean anything by it."

"You didn't?" he eyed her with thinly-veiled suspicion.

"No."

The two stared at each other in silence for a seeming eternity, as though they were holding a staring-contest and each was waiting for the other to be the first to blink.

At last, Sheldon broke the silence. "So you don't—"

Jenny laughed. "No, Sheldon," she said, shaking her head with a smile. "No, I don't have a boyfriend."

Another long, silent moment passed, before he finally responded with a simple, understated, "Oh…"

And in the next moments that passed, Sheldon, almost imperceptibly, began to relax by minute increments, the tension that had been simmering just beneath the surface all afternoon dissipating with each passing microsecond.

Finally, Jenny broke the silence, the relieved smile remaining firmly on her face. "Soooo…" she began. "That's what upset you this morning… You thought I had a—"

"Well…" He mumbled evasively, averting his eyes.

"Well, you know, Sheldon," she said, her voice acquiring a faintly sharpened edge. "I did try to talk to you afterward. Cripes, I could've cleared the whole thing up in two seconds if you'd only let me! But for once you didn't give me a chance! You kept saying you weren't interested, it was none of your business, that it didn't concern you, blah, blah, blah, and then you took off, saying you had a meeting with a teacher or something." She paused, looking sharply at him. "Just like you've been doing all week long, by the way!"

He looked up at her. He to admit she did have another fair point; she had made the effort, and he hadn't given her a fair chance.

The last remnants of the guarded and suspicious scowl on his face softened and finally vanished for good, and his overall manner likewise softened and relaxed.

"Oh…" he said in a small, contrite voice. "I—I guess I did do that…didn't I?"

"Yes, you did!" Jenny replied, clearly more hurt than angry. "And then when I tried to talk to you again later on during lunch, I still didn't get a chance! 'Cuz that girl was with you, and—"

"Please!" Sheldon interrupted her with a raised hand, wincing. "Let's—let's not go into it all over again, all right?"

"Sorry," Jenny said. "I didn't mean…" She sighed and tried again. "Look, all I'm saying is, I did try to talk to you. I could've explained everything, and you would have known that I don't have a boyfriend…"

Finally he sighed and nodded. "You're right," he conceded. "I…I should've given you a chance and listened to you. I'm—" He hesitated, then forced himself to speak the difficult but necessary words, "I'm sorry…"

To his surprise however, Sheldon discovered that uttering those simple words helped to dissipate the last, lingering bit of tension he felt inside, and as a result, he immediately began to feel even more relaxed, at ease, and even comfortable around Jenny again.

And almost as quickly as he spoke the words, more occurred to him as well, and he knew he had to voice them. "Oh, and I'm…" he hesitated, then went on. "I'm…sorry about…what happened to you at lunch, too."

She looked at him quizzically.

"You know," he said. "When the stupid Crust Cousins came along and started heckling you again, and then all the rest of their stupid pack joined in, and pretty soon everybody was laughing at you and everything; all because I couldn't join you for lunch today."

"Oh…yeah…" Jenny winced, recalling the humiliating experience.

"Believe me," Sheldon went on. "I didn't want any of that to happen to you. I neverwould've wished that on you in a zillion years. But I just…well, I just couldn't bail on Bernice. Not after she's been so kind to me."

"Mmm…" Jenny murmured tonelessly, her expression utterly blank, save for a microscopic frown of irritation.

"You understand, right?" he said with faint smile and a hopeful nod. "I'm sure you understand."

"Yeah…I understand," Jenny replied neutrally, although truthfully, she really didn't understand. Not entirely, anyway.

Nevertheless, like Sheldon, Jenny also began to feel more relaxed and at ease. This short, simple, informal talk between them had already done so much to clear up the misunderstandings and tension that had built up between them.

She smiled at him. "So…now are we friends again?" she suggested hopefully.

Sheldon looked at her for a long, quiet, thoughtful moment, then easily returned her smile, without hesitation or resistance. "Friends," he said with a simple nod.

The two regarded each other for a warm, quiet moment; then with a little toss of her head, they resumed their walk home.

As they strolled along however, Sheldon looked up her and studied her closely. Although her manner was pleasant and friendly enough, Sheldon nevertheless had the vague feeling that there was still something she'd left unspoken, some other issue that she was concealing and holding back.

"Is…is there anything else?" he asked cautiously. "Anything else on your mind?"

She glanced down at him, surprised, and with an uneasy, vulnerable sort of feeling, as though she'd somehow been found out; as though he'd somehow read her thoughts. It was an eerie sort of feeling that she sometimes experienced when she was with her creator, and it always made her uncomfortable. But she also occasionally experienced it when she was with her friends as well, and at such times it made her even more uncomfortable.

Am I really that transparent? She briefly wondered. Or does he just know me so well?

But for a response, she merely looked away and shook her head.

But Sheldon didn't accept it; just as Jenny suspected, he knew her too well for that. "There is though, isn't there?" he asked. "Something you're not telling me?"

Slowly, she turned to face him, her expression grim. "Well…actually…" She began. "There is… I wasn't going to mention it…but…as long as you're asking…" She hesitated, then pressed on. "I think you should know that I stopped by your house Sunday afternoon. You know, before I knew you were grounded and everything. Anyway, I stopped by to see how you were doing, 'cuz I didn't see you anywhere all weekend, and…well, your mom—" She broke off with a shudder that she hoped Sheldon wouldn't notice. "Well, she…kinda gave me a bit of a hard time about it…" Her voice was soft and quiet, her tone even, but it was obvious that there was still more she wasn't telling.

Sheldon listened carefully. He clearly remembered the afternoon she was talking about, even though he hadn't personally seen or spoken to her. He knew that his mother had however, but he had no idea what they said to each other, beyond what his mother recounted to him afterward.

"Oh…well…" he said. "That was probably just because I'm not supposed to have friends over when I'm grounded. So if she gave you any static, well…it was probably just because of that. That's all." He shrugged. "It's nothing to worry about; that's just the way she is." He forced a weak smile onto his face, intended to reassure her. "After all, you know what parents are like!" he smiled.

But Jenny's face remained grim. "Well…I don't know…" she replied edgily. "I think it goes deeper than that. As a matter of fact," she paused and glanced to her left and right, as if to ensure that there was no one close by to hear. "Just between you and me, Sheldon…your mom scares me!"

"Oh, come on!" he laughed, sure that Jenny must be making some sort of joke. As if Jenny could possibly be scared of anyone! He thought, amused.

"No, no, I mean it!" Jenny insisted. "Your mom's scary!"

Sheldon stifled another laugh, and replied, "Well…however she acted, it probably had nothing to do with you. If anything, she was probably still steamed at me, for cutting school Friday afternoon."

"No, no, I think there's more to it than that!" Jenny said, shaking her head. "I think it's me!" She sighed anxiously. "I don't think your mom likes me, Sheldon. Not at all! As a matter of fact…" She hesitated. "I—I think she hates me!"

"Oh, come on now!" Sheldon exclaimed in a scoffing tone. "Don't exaggerate."

"I'm not!" Jenny insisted. "I'm telling you, she hates me!"

"But she doesn't even know you. How could she possibly hate you?"

"'Cuz she knows about…" she hesitated. "You know…what happened between you and me…out that compound…that day! And she wasn't too happy about it either, needless to say!"

"Oh…" Sheldon winced and looked away. After a long, uncomfortable silence, he turned to face her again and said reassuringly, "Well, even so…I…I wouldn't worry about it if I were you."

"Yeah, well, I am worried about it!" Jenny shot back. "'Cuz she said—" she broke off abruptly.

"Said what?"

Jenny looked at him anxiously, reluctant to repeat the threat.

"Come on," Sheldon prompted. "What did she say? It can't be that bad."

"Well," Jenny began. "She said… Now…remember, these were her words, not mine, okay? But she said, and I quote…that if I ever hurt you again, she'd take me apart, piece by piece, with her own hands!"

Sheldon instantly froze in his tracks as though he'd been poleaxed and stared at Jenny with both eyes and mouth wide open. "Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute…" he cried. "Let me get this straight. Are you seriously telling me that my mom—my mom!—My little five-foot-nothing, ninety-pound mom…threatened to take you apart? Are you serious?"

Jenny nodded.

Sheldon still couldn't believe it. "You gotta be kidding me!" he cried.

"That's what she told me," Jenny replied. "Those were her exact words. And she meant it, too! Or at least, she sure sounded like she did!"

Sheldon continued to stare at her, absolutely stunned.

"Well, I…I…I…" he stammered, struggling to think of something—anything—to offer in response. "Jenny, I…I don't know what to say…" He swallowed. "I mean…if my mom said that to you, then I'm sorry, obviously… I know she can be a little intense sometimes, but still…I never thought…" He shook his head. "I still can't believe it! I mean, I can't imagine her saying such a thing to anyone, let alone to you, of all people."

Jenny reacted with a half-smile—relieved that, among other things, Sheldon was at least back to thinking of her as "people" again. That's one good sign at least! She thought hopefully.

"Yeah, really," she agreed. "I mean, I couldn't believe it either! You could've knocked me over with a feather when I heard it!"

Sheldon continued shaking his head. "Man…that is unreal! My mom…threatening a super-powered robot! Unbelievable!"

"I suppose I can't really blame her though," Jenny went on. "I mean, if I were a mom and somebody hurt my son, I'd probably want to take 'em apart, too!"

Sheldon nodded. "Yeah, I know what you mean," he said. "And it's not just my mom, either; my whole family's like that—my aunt and uncle, my grandfather, my cousins, everybody. And they've been that way for generations, too. Any time any one of us is threatened or attacked in any way, the whole family just pulls together like a hive of bees to fight off the attacker."

Jenny smiled. "Yeah, kind of like me and my sisters!" she said.

"Exactly!" he laughed. "I mean, I don't have any siblings, I'm an only child, but yeah, it's a lot like that."

He turned and resumed walking, Jenny following a half-step behind him.

She released a sigh and went on. "I sure wish you hadn't told your mom about what I did that day, though," she said. "Now she hates me! Cripes, that's the last thing I need! Another enemy against me!"

The short-lived smile that had been on Sheldon's face vanished immediately. He turned to look at her, deeply wounded, as though she'd struck him across the face. "Jenny, I didn't tell her about that!" he protested. "I never said a word about it to her! Or even about my involvement with that creepy agency in the first place! I don't know how she found out about it—she won't even tell me! I don't know if she's got a crystal ball or what! But however she found out about it, she didn't hear it from me! I never said a word about it to her, that's for darned sure!"

"You didn't?" Jenny asked, visibly relieved.

"No. And believe me, she really tried to drag it out of me, too!" Sheldon went on. "At one point, I thought she was gonna put me on the rack and take out the thumbscrews! But I kept my mouth shut and never said a word! Not a word!"

"Well…I'm certainly glad to hear that. I mean," she hastened to clarify. "I mean I'm glad you didn't tell on me, that is."

"Mmm," he murmured with a nod. "Anyhow…I'll have a talk with my mom later on and see if maybe I can cool her down. You know, try to explain things to her…somehow."

"Thanks, I'd sure appreciate it," Jenny said. "Good luck."

"I don't know if I'll get anywhere with her, though…" He admitted with a shrug. "Once her mind's made up about something, nothing will change it, no matter what. I really hate to say it, since she is my mom and all, but…well, sometimes she can be just a little bit stubborn."

Jenny smiled. "Yeah, Parents are like that!" she chuckled. "Pretty set in their ways!" Immediately, she recalled all the numerous times she and her creator had vehemently, even intractably disagreed about some issue or other.

"Mmm," Sheldon murmured with a nod, then turned to face her, his expression grim. "And in my mom's case at least, that's partly because…" he began, then hesitated. "See, you have to understand. My mom didn't exactly have an easy time raising me to begin with. She basically had to do it almost entirely on her own, after my dad walked out on us."

Jenny stared wide-eyed at him, stunned by the sudden and unexpected revelation. It was the first time Sheldon had ever even mentioned the subject of his father, let alone his absence. "I…I didn't know that," she said, suddenly realizing for the first time that on all the occasions when she'd stopped by Sheldon's house for a visit, she'd never once seen his father around. Now she knew why.

"Oh yeah, didn't I ever tell you about that?" he asked. Though he tried to sound blasé and nonchalant about it, the truth was he was almost as surprised as Jenny was to hear himself reveal such a painful detail about his personal life.

Jenny slowly shook her head without a word.

Sheldon shrugged and continued. "Yeah…well…he did. A long time ago. Left us both flat when I was about two, and never came back. And we never heard a word from him since, either. We only hear occasional rumors about him every now and then. I don't even know where he is now. Last rumor I heard was about a year ago, when he was supposedly involved in some sleazy short-trade commodities deals in Bulgravia or something. Other than that, though…nothing." Despite his efforts to sound objective and impersonal about the subject, there was clearly some very real pain and embarrassment behind his words.

"Wow…" Jenny whispered. "Sheldon, I had no idea…"

"Yeah," he replied with a shrug and went on. "So…anyway, Mom basically had to raise me pretty much on her own, with almost no help from anyone, no one to rely on, and all while holding down a full-time job as a resident surgeon at Tremorton General. Long, irregular hours, little sleep, little free time... She's basically on-call most of the time, so she gets called in on a lot of trauma cases in the middle of the night. Then she has to rush right down to the ER, after which she'll be stuck in there for hours at a time, and after that, she's lucky if she can maybe sneak in a few hours' sleep here and there, whenever and wherever she can. And even when she is home, she's downright exhausted a lot of the time. I hardly ever see her or get a chance to really talk to her…about anything." He shook his head. "It's no picnic, believe me. For either of us."

Jenny listened intently, suddenly realizing why, like Sheldon's father, his mother never seemed to be around, either. Except for the one unpleasant encounter on that one Sunday afternoon, she had never actually met the woman face to face before.

"Cripes… That must be really rough, I'll bet…" Jenny said sympathetically. "For both of you."

"It is…" he confirmed with a nod.

"Didn't she…" Jenny asked tentatively. "I mean, weren't there any family-members or somebody like that who could help out?"

"Well…when I was real little," Sheldon replied. "You know, when I was a baby, and then later when I was a toddler, my Aunt Mitsui would sometimes stop by and help out with babysitting and stuff, but..."

"Your Aunt Mitsui?" Jenny asked.

Sheldon nodded with a smile. "Yeah; my mom's kid-sister. I don't think you ever met her. It's hard to believe they're related. I mean, they look a lot alike, even though they're about five years apart, but personality-wise, they're total opposites, like night and day. You know how my mom's all serious and stern and everything? Well, my Aunt Mitsui is the total opposite of that. She's all upbeat and bouncy and cheerful to everyone, always ready with the jokes, always ready with a big smile for everybody, and she's got a real quirky sense of humor. Best of all, she's a real nut on anime and manga! Even more than me!" He grinned. "Yeah, she's real fun to be with; I bet you'd really like her if you met her."

Jenny returned his smile. "I bet I would," she replied, then asked, "Were there any other family-members who helped out when you were little?"

"Well…when I was old enough to start school, my grandparents would sometimes take care of me for a few days out of the week, but…then my grandfather retired and moved to Hawaii a few years ago, so now I don't get to see him that much anymore. And I have an uncle Rob, but he and his family live in New York State, so I only get to see him on holidays and sometimes on my birthday. So… that's basically it." He shrugged. "Ever since I started junior high, it's been just me and my mom, against the world."

"Yeah, I know how that feels," Jenny nodded, suddenly realizing something else she had in common with Sheldon: They both lived in single-parent homes, and like Sheldon and his mother, Jenny and her creator often felt as though they were all alone, facing the world.

"So…yeah, it's pretty rough, all right." Sheldon went on. "Especially since Mom was named chief surgeon at Tremorton General a couple years ago. Ever since then, it's been even harder for her; her free time's even more limited than ever." He shrugged. "I see even less of her now than I ever did. I'm pretty much alone most of the time."

"Cripes…that must be…" Jenny began, then broke off. She shook her head, as she found herself momentarily at a loss for words. "I can't even imagine what that must be like for you," she went on. "I mean, my mom's a single parent too, but at least she mostly works from home. Except for once in a great while that is, when she has to go out of town to attend a science seminar or conference or symposium or something like that. But…to be alone so much of the time…the way you are…" She shook her head again, unable to bear the thought. "I—I don't think I could stand it. I think I'd go out of my mind if I didn't at least have my mom around, to…well, to be with and talk to once in a while."

"Yeah," he replied quietly, then lapsed into an uneasy silence.

She looked on at him sympathetically, and suddenly realized yet-another reason for what she had once referred to as his 'clinginess:' it was in fact nothing more than a perfectly understandable—though admittedly excessive—need and desire for friendship and companionship, borne from the intense loneliness of his home life. And now that she understood the reasons for it, she felt even greater compassion for him than she ever had before.

They walked in an uncomfortable silence for nearly a full block before Jenny, anxious to revive the conversation, chose to change the subject to something she hoped Sheldon might find easier to talk about.

"So…um…" she began, somewhat awkwardly. "Your…your mom was really angry at you for cutting school that Friday afternoon, huh?"

Sheldon snorted humorlessly. "Boy, I'll say she was!" he said. "She was so steamed that, for a moment, I thought she was gonna pick up her Samurai sword and slice and dice me into little bitsy pieces with it!"

"Your mom owns a Samurai sword?" Jenny cried with an incredulous laugh.

"Sure. You've seen it," he replied. "It's that old family heirloom over the mantelpiece, the one that's been in her family for generations, dating all the way back to the time of the Shogun and all that."

"Oh…yeah…I think I remember you telling me about that…once…" From the back files of Jenny's memory-banks came the vague and nearly-forgotten recollection of Sheldon briefly talking about his family-ancestry on one occasion. It was another in a seemingly endless series of occasions in which she'd only been half-listening to him at the time, only to later regret not paying closer attention when she'd had the chance.

"But cripes, I didn't know your mom was so strict on school attendance," she said. "But…on the other hand, after meeting her and talking to her, I'm kind of not surprised, actually…"

"And it's not just school attendance either, but grades, too. It's…" Sheldon sighed and raised his hands, as if in a half-hearted gesture of surrender. "It's…complicated. It's partly cultural and partly family-tradition. See, my mom's not the only doctor in the family; so was my grandfather. My Uncle Rob, too; he's even got his own practice somewhere in upstate New York; Poughkeepsie, I think. And for a while, my grandfather even taught at Johns Hopkins a long time ago."

"Wow, that is impressive!" Jenny exclaimed. "How 'bout your Aunt Mitsui? Is she a doctor, too?"

Sheldon turned to face her with a smile. "No, she's the only one to buck the trend. She's always been kind of a rebel, so instead of going to med school, she went to law school!" he chuckled and added, "Got a law degree, passed the bar and everything. But even then, she doesn't practice; instead, she owns and operates a comic-book store!" He finished with a laugh, to which Jenny responded with an understanding smile.

"So…yeah, coming from a family like that," Sheldon went on, his tone turning serious again. "And with me being mom's only offspring, and with my dad being out of the picture…well…like I said, it all adds up to a lot of pressure on me to perform academically."

"Yeah, I'll bet," Jenny replied. "That must be an awfully heavy responsibility to live up to. I mean, even for a smart guy like you."

He nodded. "Yeah, it is…" he acknowledged. "Especially with my mom constantly being on my case the way she is, always after me, like, 'It's a dog-eat-dog world, Sheldon, nobody will give you a break or a free ride in this life!' And 'You're gonna have to be ten times smarter than the next guy, just to have an even chance or you're gonna get stepped on!' And 'I had to work my head off for everything I got in life, and it's not gonna be any easier for you either, young man!' And 'You'd better be prepared to work your head off too, if you want to get anywhere in this life!' And—Oh! Best of all: 'The only thing you've got going for you, Sheldon, is your mind, so you had darned well better learn to use it, or you're gonna get eaten alive!' And on and on and on. I mean, she just never lets up!"

"Yeesh, that does sound pretty harsh," Jenny said, grimacing in sympathy, as she could easily imagine Sheldon's mother delivering such blistering harangues to him on a regular, constant and ongoing basis. Suddenly, her own intense and arduous practice-sessions with her creator didn't seem so bad by comparison.

Sheldon looked up at her, noted with some satisfaction her sympathetic reaction, and realized that, for the first time since he could recall, Jenny seemed to be actually, actively listening to him, with genuine interest. He couldn't remember that ever happening before. At most, she would regard him with only polite tolerance, but nothing more. But now…she seemed to genuinely care about what he had to say.

He also realized that, for the first time in weeks, he felt truly comfortable in talking to her again, thoroughly at ease, and no longer feeling the need to constantly keep his guard up. They were speaking to each other as friends again, something that, only a short time earlier, he seriously doubted would ever happen again.

And not only that, but just talking to Jenny in this relaxed, casual, even friendly manner felt…good; comforting and soothing to him in a strange, familiar and yet unfamiliar way that he couldn't quite describe. In fact, he almost forgot that she was a robot superhero; instead, he simply thought of her as just an ordinary girl, just as he always had before.

"Well, the thing of it is," he went on, shifting his focus back to the subject under discussion. "I'm a good student, I get good grades, and normally I have good attendance, so I don't know why she's gotta get so stressed-out about it all the time. But on the rare occasion when I get anything less than straight-As, like even an A-minus or something in a stupid Social Studies class or some other dumb, stupid subject I couldn't care less about anyway, then oh, brother! Then she really goes ballistic on me!"

"Crikey…" Jenny said, realizing yet-again how difficult and stressful Sheldon's life must be sometimes. "It really does sound like your mom ought to cut you some slack. I mean, if you're already getting good grades anyway, then…why all the drama?"

"I know, right?" Sheldon agreed. "See, you're lucky, Jenny; your mom's great, she never yells at you or gets angry with you."

Jenny stopped and stared at him, both her and eyes mouth agape. "Sheldon, are you kidding me?!" she half-laughed, half-cried. "'My Mom never gets angry at me'?! Sheldon, my mom gives me grief all the time! Over every little mistake I make and every stupid little thing I do! Or don't do! Cripes, the last time I messed up, she got so angry at me, I thought she was gonna take me apart with a lug-wrench!"

"Oh, come on!" Sheldon said in a scoffing tone. "You're exaggerating again!"

"No, I'm not!" Jenny countered. "I'm totally serious! Matter of fact, she got so angry that I think she was even going to…" She shuddered and broke off, then rephrased her thought, understating it by a considerable margin. "Well…let's just say she was not happy!"

"What did you do to make her so mad?" Sheldon asked, even though he was almost afraid to hear the answer.

Jenny hesitated, and the blue LEDs beneath her cheeks flared in a vivid, embarrassed blush. "Oh…well, it was for…you know…" she hemmed and hawed. "My…conduct at that stupid secret-agent compound…that day …" She shuddered and her voice broke, clearly still ashamed of her behavior on the day in question.

"Oh…" Sheldon replied, wincing anew at the reminder of the incident. He swallowed, and after a moment's thought, he looked sharply at her and added, "Um…in case you're wondering, I didn't tell your mom about that, either. So if you're maybe thinking that I—"

"Oh, no, no…" Jenny hastily replied. "I know you didn't tell her 'bout that."

"Oh. Well then in that case, I don't know how she found out about it."

"Oh, well, I…" Jenny hesitated as her blush deepened. "I…told her about it…myself."

"You told her?" he blinked in surprise.

Jenny nodded.

"Why?" he couldn't help but ask.

"Well, 'cuz I…" She paused. "Well…to tell you the truth, my…conscience was really bothering me about it. For days afterward. Ever since…since it happened. I had horrible nightmares and everything. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore, and I just came clean and spilled the beans; told my mom everything." She shuddered at the recollection. "It was really eating me up inside, believe me!"

Sheldon stared at her, stunned at her admission. From her demeanor, the grave expression on her face and her somber tone of voice, it was clear that she was telling the truth about that.

And yet…it also came as something of a surprise to Sheldon to learn that Jenny even had a conscience; he sometimes wondered about that—particularly in recent weeks. And it came as an even greater surprise to hear that her conscience bothered her over something she'd done to him. He neverexpected that to happen, either.

"Really…" he said softly. "I…I didn't know…"

"Yeah…" Jenny replied. "So…anyway, like I said, my mom was not happy about how I acted that day. At one point, I thought she was gonna de-activate me, dismantle me and ground me for a hundred zillion years or something! She even said she was thinking about doing something worse than grounding me, but she wouldn't say what." She paused. "I…I don't even wanna think about what that could've been!"

"Wow!" Sheldon exclaimed, then after pausing for a beat, he asked, "So…what did she do? Did she end up grounding you then or what?"

"Well…um..." Jenny hesitated. "No, she didn't. As a matter of fact, she ended up not doing anything at all."

"She didn't do anything?!" Sheldon cried, his eyebrows raised to their maximum altitude. "At all?!" All at once, he began to get annoyed with her all over again. That figures! He thought peevishly. Once again, Jenny gets away with it and doesn't have to face any consequences for anything she does!

"Well, after my mom finally finished getting hysterical and crying and yelling at me and everything,"Jenny explained. "She eventually cooled down and we had a real long talk about it, and I finally convinced her how sorry I am, and…well, the bottom line was, she agreed not to ground me; she said I'd been punished enough."

"Oh. I see." Sheldon's face hardened, and his entire manner turned ice-cold and hostile again. "So basically you got off scot-free for the whole thing, is that it?" he added, with a faintly sneering tone.

"Well, I wouldn't exactly say that," Jenny shot back, irritated by his tone, his assessment and his sudden change in attitude. "Believe me, two solid weeks of sleepless nights and nightmares like you wouldn't believe isn't exactly 'getting off scot-free.' It was more than enough punishment, believe me!" She shook her head, as though to dispel the unpleasant memory. "Trust me, I don't ever want to go through that again!"

"Mmm," Sheldon murmured neutrally with a small nod, as though willing to accept her answer—or at least not willing to press the matter any further.

"Anyhow…" Jenny went on. "The point is, my mom still gets on my case a lot, and she's grounded me lots of times! And when I say 'grounded,' I don't just mean the usual kind, either! I mean the literal kind! Like when I really foul up big time and she gets really steamed; then she'll sometimes even withhold my jet-fuel supply, so I can't even fly!"

Sheldon blinked and looked at her aghast. "Yeesh!" he exclaimed. "That is pretty drastic!" he admitted.

"Yeah!" She said, noting with some satisfaction his reaction. "So you see what I mean! Or take another example. Remember the time when I was trying to out-fashion the Crust Cousins and I talked you into removing all my weaponry and stuff, to make me slimmer and more slender? Remember?"

"Oh yeah, I remember that," he nodded.

"Well, do you remember how mad my mom got at both of us when she found out what we'd done?"

He shuddered at the recollection. "Oooo…!" he said, wincing. "I…I forgot about that part."

"Cripes, she was so angry at us, I thought she was gonna take us both apart with a lug-wrench!" Jenny exclaimed, causing Sheldon to laugh in spite of himself, though he knew she wasn't exaggerating by much.

"But even when she doesn't yell at me or ground me or anything," Jenny went on. "I still end up getting a lot of static of some kind from somebody or other along the line. You think you're under a lot of pressure? Try being a robot superhero sometime! I mean, if you foul up, you only have your mom to deal with, but if I foul up, not only do I have my mom, but I also have the police, the fire-department, the city and state governments, and Skyway Patrol, all getting on my case! And then there's fines, lawsuits, endless claims for damages to both municipal and private property, endless paperwork and red-tape for all of it… And then as if all that's not enough, there's also the flak I get every day from teachers and school officials! There's just no end to it!" She shook her head in disgust. "Sometimes, I wonder why I even bother!"

"Yeah…yeah…" Sheldon acknowledged with a sympathetic nod. "That must get pretty discouraging sometimes, huh?"

"Yeah, it does," she admitted. "I mean, don't get me wrong. I have a job to do, and I'm good at it and I love doing it. But sometimes it seems like anytime I try to do it, I only get in trouble and take flak for it from somebody! It's like a no-win situation for me! Take all those times I had to fight off attempted Cluster invasions at school, for example. Did anyone ever thank me for them? Did anyone ever pat me on the back and say, "Nice job, Jenny! We'd have been in real trouble if it weren't for you!' No! Instead, both the teachers and the other kids all get on my case for knocking holes in the roof! Or the walls! Or for knocking down an entire wall! Or something stupid like that! Some silly little mistake that can happen to anyone!"

"Yeah, I remember that," Sheldon agreed, nodding. "I thought it was pretty stupid for everybody to blame you for those Cluster invasions. I mean, it's not as if you just invited them over to drop by for an afternoon visit or anything."

"I know, but try telling the idiots at school that!" Jenny exclaimed. "Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that, even though my mom doesn't hassle me over the same stuff that your mom hassles you over, I still have to deal with her because of one thing or another. And I also have my own set of dues that I have to pay to somebody somewhere down the line, too." She flashed him a crooked half-grin. "After all…at least you don't get yelled at for accidentally caving in a building or knocking over a water-tower or blowing out the city power-grid or whatever!"

"Well now, that's true!" Sheldon laughed in spite of himself. He couldn't help but recall his own similar experiences when he'd taken Silver Shell out for his first few test-flights, and had accidentally torn down power-lines, damaged public buildings, cracked several city streets and sidewalks, and caused other breakage to city-property. Though the incidents hardly seemed amusing at the time, recalling them now brought a private little smile to Sheldon's face, and he wished he could share those memories with Jenny…if only he could…

He sighed forlornly. If only he could…!

They continued walking for only a short distance more before Sheldon suddenly looked up and realized they were approaching his house. "Well," he said as he came to a stop at the front walkway. "This is where I get off, so…" He started to turn toward the front door. "I'll—I'll see you."

"Oh, um—Sheldon?" Jenny said, reaching a hand out to him.

"Yeah?" he said, turning back to face her.

"Um…I was just thinking," she began hesitantly, lowering her eyes. "Since you're through being grounded and everything, if you feel in the mood for doing something fun again, I was just thinking that maybe…if you want…" She paused. "I mean, I know you've got a lot of things to do, the usual end-of-the-school-year stuff, final exams coming up and everything, and…" she hesitated. "And…I know a lot of stuff has happened between you and me, and…I know you probably don't feel the exact same way about me that you used to, but maybe…maybe sometime you might like to…to…" she trailed off, as though afraid to voice the idea currently taking shape in her mind.

To…do what…? Sheldon silently wondered with mild impatience, having virtually no idea where her train of thought could possibly be leading to. Is she gonna ask another favor of me? He wondered. Is that it? Something she wants me to fix on her? Or maybe some silly body-modification or other?

"That is, I was just thinking that maybe if you'd still like to…to…" she began again, continuing to hem and haw, nervously clasping and unclasping her hands, interlocking and relaxing her fingers with every other word. "Sometime…if you'd like…if you'd maybe still like to…to…maybe…" She hesitated once more, then bracing herself, pressed ahead. "That is…if you'd like to…to…" After hesitating one final time, she concluded, "Ask me out sometime… You know… On a date… I…I just wanted to say that…that…it's all right."

Sheldon blinked and stared at her in absolute, utter astonishment. "A date?!" he echoed the words, his eyebrows raised nearly to his hairline.

"Yeah." Jenny smiled reassuringly with a nod. "You know. A date. An actual, real date… Like—like you always wanted…" She paused, then added quietly, "You know…just to…just to show there's no hard feelings or anything."

Sheldon continued to stare at her, still unable to believe he'd heard correctly. Is this a joke?! He wondered, all of his old suspicions, defenses and resentments instantly rearing their ugly heads again and rushing back to the surface. She can't be serious! He thought. She can't be! She's gotta be joking! And if it's a joke, then it's a really lousy, rotten one! But it has to be! 'Cuz it doesn't make sense otherwise! He then began to frown, as nearly-abandoned dark, suspicious, embittered thoughts re-emerged from the corners of his subconscious and began coursing their way through his mind at a feverish pace, as he began to get the uneasy feeling that he was being set up for some sort of cruel prank or practical joke.

"A—a…date…" he repeated again. "With me…" He spoke the words in a near-monotone, as though still unable to believe them or even comprehend their meaning.

"Yeah. A date. An actual date." Jenny looked at him in puzzlement. Come on, Sheldon! She thought. Come on! What's with you? You're not usually this slow on the uptake! Normally, you're a lot quicker than this! But now you're acting like you just got hit in the face with a brick!

She continued, elaborating in a gentle tone. "So…like I said, since you're through being grounded anyway, I thought…I thought that maybe you and I could do something nice, something fun… Like maybe dinner and a movie. Even though I don't eat, I thought…it might be fun to go to a nice restaurant anyway, just for the experience. You know, just to make it a real date." She paused with an encouraging smile, hoping to elicit a similar reaction from Sheldon.

But none was forthcoming; instead, he continued to stare at her in total, stunned silence, his face utterly devoid of expression.

Jenny tried again. "And—and I even know a good movie we could see, too!" she went on. "How about that new Galactic Seven movie that's out now? Ian McCauley's in it. So's Alan Gondorf. And Chuck Buchinski. I saw some commercials for it and I heard it's supposed to be really good! A real action-packed, rousing science-fiction adventure movie! Just the kind you like!" She paused. "So I thought…maybe…we could go see that…?" she offered, her eyebrows raised hopefully.

She waited several seconds longer, waiting for some kind of a response. Instead, Sheldon continued to stare blankly at her, as though he still couldn't quite grasp her meaning.

Come on, come on, come on…! She thought impatiently. Please say 'yes!' Please, please, please say 'yes!' Say something! Say anything! But don't just stare at me like that!

"Well?" she finally prompted, making her utmost effort to maintain an encouraging smile. "What do you say?"

Sheldon continued to stare at her, still trying to discern some hidden, ulterior motive or purpose behind her proposal. Little by little however, the reality gradually sank in that Jenny wasn't joking, she wasn't trying to set him up for some sort of prank or practical joke. She was serious; completely, totally serious, truthful, and sincere, honestly suggesting that they go on a date. It was quite literally the last thing he ever expected to hear from her under any circumstances.

And yet…here it was, actually happening. As hard as it was to believe, the very thing for which he'd hoped and wished and struggled and sacrificed for so long was apparently coming true: Jenny was willing to go on a date with him!

The problem was, however, that now that it was at last becoming a reality…Sheldon was no longer certain he even wanted it all that much anymore. At one time, he'd have jumped at the chance of a date with Jenny without hesitation. But no more. Somehow, it no longer seemed that important to him. After all that had happened between them over the past two years, and over the past few weeks in particular, he now felt virtually no enthusiasm whatsoever for the prospect of a date with her, a realization which quite surprised him.

Moreover, he knew full well that Jenny didn't really want to go on a date with him; not really. Even though it was she who suggested it, Sheldon knew that she probably only did so because she maybe felt sorry for him, or perhaps because she felt some lingering guilt over the past. Either way, it was still technically only a 'pity date,' nothing more, and not even Sheldon was willing to settle for a 'pity date' from anyone; not even from Jenny.

And last but not least, his lack of enthusiasm was also influenced to some degree by thoughts of the new friend he'd recently made…and his hopes to make his first date be with her instead…

Finally, he spoke. "Oh, I—I don't know, Jenny…" he said, shaking his head. "I—I mean…you don't have to do that. I know you don't really want to go on a date with me, so—"

"No, no, I do," Jenny insisted. "I really, really want to—"

"—and I know you're only saying that 'cuz…well, 'cuz maybe you feel sorry for me or whatever, and…well, I'm sure there are probably other guys you'd much rather go on a date with than me…" At this point a mental picture flashed through his mind, of the numerous occasions when Jenny and Brad always seemed to be together, everywhere.

"No, no, Sheldon, I mean it," Jenny stated emphatically, trying to assuage whatever lingering doubts he might have. "I really, really mean it. I want to go on a date with you. I want to spend more time with you from now on, and…do fun things together with you."

She paused for a beat, then continued in a slightly altered tone. "I know we didn't…" she hesitated. "I know I wasn't always very nice to you in the past, and I'm sorry about that, but…well, like I said before, I really want to make up for it now." She finished her statement and waited, allowing Sheldon to absorb her words, her smile gradually diminishing at the utter lack of response she received.

Still, his expression remained unchanged: cold, distant, and unresponsive.

I don't get it! Jenny thought as her mood slowly sank. I know we've had our problems and everything, but…still, I really thought he'd be happier than this! I offered to go on a date with him, and instead of being happy, he looks like he's gonna go in to have his teeth drilled!

Nevertheless, by minute increments, Sheldon's expression did begin to change, albeit very subtly, and Jenny couldn't tell what it signified. He still seemed wary and suspicious of her, and of her possible motives, but…there seemed to be somethingdifferent about him as well; if not exactly enthusiasm, then at least a faint glimmer of the former interest that he had once displayed so frequently toward her in the past.

A new thought occurred to her and she added, "I bet I know what you're thinking: That I always said 'no' before whenever you ever asked me for a date. Right?"

"Well…yeah, now that you mention it…" he admitted edgily.

"I know, I know," she replied, nodding. "But…"

"But…what?" Sheldon prompted, eying her with a single raised eyebrow.

"Well…that was then…and this is now…" she said. "And…it's…oh, it's different now! 'Cuz I feel different now."

Sheldon looked at her, puzzled. She seemed sincere in both her tone and manner…and yet her words were so completely at-odds with her past statements and attitude, which had been expressed to him both frequently and vehemently. Consequently, he didn't know what to make of her now. Part of him wanted to believe her, and yet…what she was now proposing seemed so utterly preposterous; not even remotely likely, or even possible.

A date…? With me…? He continued to ponder the thought, still unable to accept it even as a possibility. No, no, it can't be! There's got to be some other explanation, there has to be!

His lingering, persistent doubts continued to vex him, eventually registering on his face as a suspicious frown, which did not go unnoticed by Jenny. Slowly, the remainder of her smile dwindled away until it vanished entirely, and her formerly-happy and hopeful mood melted away with it. Much to her surprise—and profound disappointment—it became increasingly clear that Sheldon was none too thrilled at the prospect of a date with her at all. Although she'd expected him to be deliriously happy at the suggestion—and at one time, he would have been without hesitation—his reaction now was anything but.

As microseconds ticked eternally by, and there appeared to be no response of any kind forthcoming from Sheldon, Jenny's spirits continued to plunge. Ohhhhhhh, cripes! She thought in growing dismay. This was a mistake! A huge mistake! I never should've suggested this! I never should have mentioned it! Nothing's changed... Nothing's changed at all! The situation's still just as hopeless as it ever was! He still doesn't trust me, and he's still afraid of me! And he still hasn't forgiven me, either! And he never will! No matter what I say or do! Ohhhhhhh, I feel like such an idiot! Why did I do it? Why?! Why?! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! For one brief moment of supreme embarrassment and humiliation, she once again felt a strong temptation to transform herself and withdraw into her turtle-shell configuration.

But instead, she merely gave a feeble, pitiful shrug and said, in a tiny, defeated voice, "Well…that's what I was thinking anyway…" Slowly, sadly, she started to turn away.

But just as she started to turn, Sheldon spoke up—to the surprise of them both. "Well," he began, speaking very, very softly. "I—I would like to see that movie…now that you mention it..."

Immediately, Jenny spun on her heed, turning back to face him, and the first indications of a hopeful smile began to reappear on her face.

"And it would be kind of nice to eat out in a restaurant again, too. Especially after being cooped up in the house for so long, eating nothing but warmed-over leftovers. I mean, we probably don't want to go to Mezmer's, since we go there all the time, but…well, maybe someplace else, someplace nice and different."

Jenny's smile returned in full and her cheeks glowed with a faint blue blush. "Yeah, yeah!" she said, nodding. "That's exactly what I was thinking! Dinner in a nice restaurant, followed by a good movie!" She paused and cocked her head to one side coquettishly. "So, um…" she continued hesitantly, almost timidly, her voice tiny and subdued. "Does that mean…you'd like to…um…go out with me…?"

After one final hesitation, Sheldon audibly swallowed, took a deep breath, and bracing himself, said, "Yes, Jenny… I…I would…" He swallowed again, and with beads of perspiration forming on his upper lip and forehead, he continued. "So, um…if you're really sure you'd like to see The Galactic Seven, and—and if you're really, really sure you wouldn't feel too uncomfortable or embarrassed to see it with…with me, then…then…" his voice wavered and diminished in volume as he spoke, almost as if in fear of formally uttering the words that had resulted in so many humiliating rejections in the past. He half-expected yet-another such rejection now, but he pressed onward just the same. "Then…will you…that is, would you…really like to go on a…a date…with me…?" He winced painfully at each subdued word, as if expecting another explosive, even thermonuclear, refusal, just as he'd so often received in the past whenever he'd made the exact same request.

"Yes!" Jenny exclaimed as she broke into a huge, beaming smile and propelled herself several feet off the ground, her hands clasped joyfully together. She hovered and bobbed in mid-air for a full minute, held aloft by short, controlled bursts of her ponytail-jets, before gently settling back down onto the ground, landing just as lightly as a feather.

"So when do you think we can go?" she asked, her face still beaming radiantly.

"Um, well, I haven't really—"

"Well, how 'bout this Saturday night?" she suggested.

Sheldon thought it over for a moment, then replied. "Um…well, yeah, sure…okay…Saturday night's all right, I guess…" he paused and added, "I…I mean, I'd have to ask—" He paused again, and after another moment, he cleared his throat, and with a determined look on his face and speaking, in a firm, clear voice, he declared, "No…no, Saturday night will be just fine," punctuating his words with a decisive nod of his head.

"Super!" Jenny cried, twirling jubilantly in a circle. "It's all set then! You can just stop by my house and pick me up around six! Or better yet, let's make it five! Is five okay with you? Yeah, five O'clock's even better! 'Cuz that way we'll have even more time to spend together!"

"Um…well, okay, five O'clock then…"

"Great! It's a date!" She turned and, with a final wave of her hand, blasted off and soared high into the sky. "See you!" She called down to him on the ground far below.

"See you," he called back, waving to her.

Jenny soared higher and higher, streaking towards the stratosphere like a skyrocket, a huge, glowing smile of absolute sheer delight on her face. As she soared higher, all the accumulated stresses, aggravations, woes, cares, worries and anxieties of the previous days seemed to drop off and fall away from her one by one like so much dead weight, allowing her spirits to soar along with her physical form. Her exhilaration continued to grow as she gained altitude, and as she ascended, her spirits reached increasing levels of absolute pure, ecstatic joy.

For she now knew that the last remaining obstacle to winning back Sheldon's trust and confidence had at last been overcome. The path ahead for them both was now clear, and they could finally put their past troubles behind them and move forward.

Sure, they'd had their difficulties, and overcoming those difficulties had not been easy—for either of them. And, she knew, they would probably have other quarrels in the future as well; that was to be expected. But that didn't matter. Through her perseverance and persistent efforts, she'd managed to get Sheldon talking to her at least and start thinking of her as a friend again; and that in itself felt like a major accomplishment.

I did it! She thought as she rocketed through the skies in her ecstasy. I asked him! I asked him! I asked him! And he said 'yes'! And now we're going on a date! An actual date! It's really going to happen! For real! I never, ever thought it would…but it totally is! And I just know everything's going to be all right from now on! I just know it is!

And after Saturday night? She briefly wondered. What then? Maybe another date after that…? And another one after that…? And after that…?

No…no…! She hastily told herself. Let's not get ahead of ourselves! One thing at a time! For now, let's just concentrate on this date for now, and making it the very best date ever! For both of us! And after that…? Well…we'll just see what happens…and go from there…

At last, after zooming past the uppermost portions of clouds at their highest levels, Jenny reached the very apex of her flight-path, where she then executed a graceful loop-the-loop. Then another and another, a whole series of midair loops in a sudden caprice of delight. She then turned a few quick barrel-rolls, and finished off with a graceful, prolonged mid-air hypersonic pirouette of pure, ecstatic joy, spinning faster and faster, the accumulated friction with the surrounding atmosphere causing her enameled-steel surface to heat up until it faintly began to glow.

Ohhh, it's almost too good to be true! She thought. I only hope this doesn't turn out to be another stupid dream!

She quickly banished the momentary worry from her thoughts and continued with her joyous mid-air ballet for countless minutes longer, thoroughly oblivious to the puzzled stares of spectators watching from the ground far below, who all wondered what on earth could possibly be ailing the poor robot-girl now. They watched in utter bewilderment, as she seemed to be engaged in some sort of frantic, solitary, mid-air electric boogaloo, to a private tune which only she could hear.

At last, the exaltation of the moment diminishing only slightly, Jenny reluctantly curtailed her mid-air terpsichorean aerobatics and altered her flight-path to begin the inevitable return-trip back home. She still had an afternoon of intense practice drills awaiting her after all, and she knew that her creator would not be pleased if she'd arrived late for them. But what did that matter? In the mood she was in now, she felt confident that she could handle any problem and take on every conceivable threat that the entire universe—or even her creator's holodeck-simulator—could throw at her. That being the case, she could certainly handle a mild reprimand from her creator without too much difficulty.

She arrived home shortly thereafter, her joy undiminished even as she stepped through the front-door, only to be confronted by the scowling countenance and scolding tones of her creator, who, as expected, proceeded to rebuke her over the lateness of the hour.

Who cares? Jenny thought, the sweet, satisfied smile remaining on her face throughout the reprimand. I just made a date with Sheldon!

---

Sheldon remained rooted to spot where he stood, completely immobile, staring at the tiny, gleaming blue-and-white speck in the vast cerulean expanse of sky, the last remaining visual trace of Jenny, until it streaked away and vanished entirely from sight over the horizon. He remained standing for another long moment, still utterly baffled by what had just transpired between himself and Jenny. Then, slowly, he turned and started toward his front door when he again froze in his tracks with a sudden jolt.

Wait a minute! He thought. I just made a date with Jenny! An actual date! Just like I've been trying to do for over two years now, and failing miserably at it! And yet…somehow it just happened! And I didn't even do anything! How the heck did that happen?

And just as this question raced through his mind, another question, equally unexpected and even more disquieting, occurred to him as well:

And how the heck do I get out of it?

---

End Chapter 12