Here's the next chapter for you, lovely readers. Some scenes might seem familiar to you... ;)
Happy reading...
Chapter 5:
The evening ended with a sour reminder for Leonard.
They sat around the coffee table playing cards until a little squabble broke out because Leonard accused Howard of cheating. He steadfastly refused to admit it until Sheldon ended the fight by stating that he was able to count cards and therefore knew for a fact that Howard's been holding cards back.
The guys looked at him perplexed. Howard cleared his throat with a humorless laugh. "So, you're saying you know which cards are in the game and just anticipate the outcome of each round?"
"Yes." Sheldon said soberly. "How else am I supposed to know how to win?"
"But… but that's cheating, too." Leonard complained and Raj silently shook his head in agreement.
"No, it's called math." Sheldon retorted.
All the boys groaned in unison and threw away their hand of cards. "So much for the glory." Howard grumbled.
Only Amy still smiled and looked at Sheldon with a twinkle in her eyes that Leonard came to recognize all too well. "I never knew you were able to count cards." she said, leaning against his side.
"You know about my eidetic memory, Amy." Sheldon lectured. "That's why Missy refused to play card games with me, remember?"
She nuzzled even closer, linking her arm with his and tracing the palm of his hand with her fingers. "Right… still, it's very impressive."
Something in the smoothness of Amy's voice tipped Sheldon off, because he suddenly shifted in his seat and quickly threw glances around to find the guys all listening in. "You think so, huh?" he said quietly.
"Yes. I do." she said and wove her fingers between his, tugging slightly. "Since the game seems to be over, do you want to come downstairs with me now?"
An innocent question heavy with promise. And even though they were single and quite inexperienced, Leonard knew that Howard and Raj could sense it, too.
"Uh… alright." Sheldon mumbled, cheeks turning pink. "Let's go." He unceremoniously stood up with her and let himself be pulled to the apartment door. Halfway there he turned around. "I see you tomorrow at work, gentlemen."
"Yes, see you tomorrow." Amy chimed in with a friendly smile. "It was nice to finally meet you all. Bye."
The guys mumbled something that sounded like a goodbye and the couple left Leonard's apartment. An uneasy sting in his hollow chest left that sour taste in Leonard's mouth. He really, really liked them both, but sometimes he just couldn't help but feel jealous of Sheldon and Amy.
"Lucky dog." Howard grumbled.
"She is fierce and beautiful. I think I love her." said Raj.
Howard scoffed. "A minute ago you were ready to jump onto my lap because you were afraid of her."
"Nonsense. She said she's gonna cure me."
"Guys, let them be. Don't give them reason to turn away from us. They're my friends." said Leonard.
"Don't act as if you're not jealous of all the love Sheldon's getting, Mr. Whiny McLonely." Howard teased.
"What they're doing when we're not around is none of our business." Leonard complained. "Now can we please focus on this ethical dilemma here. Do we participate in this tournament with Sheldon or not?"
After a while the group of five grew closer together. Amy warmed up to the boys, learned to handle Howard's occasional obnoxiousness and was more considerate of Raj's shyness. Sheldon had learned something new, too. He knew now that he could share Amy's kind personality and didn't have to be jealous of everyone – i.e. Howard – all the time.
The young scientists were sitting together for lunch at CalTech every day to discuss various topics of interest varying from news in their respective fields to Star Trek and other dopey space movies as Amy called them. The guys forgave her for her snarky remarks because Amy was able to endure their endless discussions and by the end still saw them as like-minded people and not losers like so many other girls.
Especially Raj and Amy bonded after initial difficulties. He still couldn't talk to her, but Raj grew a lot calmer around Amy. She was nice to him and never forgot him during a conversation even though he couldn't verbally take part as long as she was around. Amy was still convinced that she could help him overcome his mutism and therefore invited him to her lab for neurological tests. Minus the hot needle; Raj insisted very strongly on that.
So often times when the group made plans for after work, it now was a group of three and two. Amy's intuitive nature helped her to understand Raj without words after a while and the two became close friends. Sheldon seemed to be okay with that since Raj couldn't talk to his fiancée. Until now, however, Raj had also hidden his ridiculous infatuation with her from Sheldon.
Leonard could only shake his head at him. Raj had no chance and deep down he must know that. At least Amy didn't feel alone in their group of boys anymore. She seemed happy and tolerated Raj's soppy eyes with patience.
Tonight, Wednesday, was, as always, new comic book night and the guys usually met at Leonard's apartment to browse and discuss the new purchases they previously made at the comic book store. But today was also the day that Leonard finally got funds to buy new equipment so he could test for alternative rocket fuels. He was so excited to show his friends his experiments that he invited them to his apartment for some not really sanctioned private tests.
Sheldon was there, too. He was sitting on the far-left side of the couch, his spot, reading a comic book and purposefully not showing any interest whatsoever in Leonard's experiment.
He was mad at him for diverting from their usual Wednesday schedule and 'punished' the guys by going to Comic Central all by himself and then sitting quietly on the couch without correcting Leonard's experimental set-up. Leonard, Howard and Raj grinned at each other, letting Sheldon believe that his silence really was punishment for them.
As much as they enjoyed hanging out together after hours, when it came to their professional work Sheldon couldn't help but show off his superiority at every chance he got. It was insanely tedious.
All the more reason for Leonard to take the chance and gloat over his rocket fuel in front of Howard and Raj. Why Sheldon didn't just read his comic books at his own apartment he would never know. But in retrospect Leonard would realize how lucky he was that Sheldon decided on being stubborn.
"The trick is to mix it into Tovex in order to create a combustible gel that will generate over 8000 kilonewtons of thrust." Leonard said proudly as he poured a clear liquid into his container of fuel that stood on the counter in his kitchen.
"Cool." Raj and Howard grinned giddily.
"Won't work."
The three of them turned to Sheldon who didn't even look up from his comic book to throw in this tidbit of wisdom.
"Excuse me, I've been working on this a long time. Trust me, it'll work." Leonard said dismissively and closed the container.
Now he did put his comic aside and looked sternly at him with his piercing blue eyes. "You really don't see your mistake, do you?"
Leonard was getting angry. Why does he always have to insist on being right? "There's no mistake." he growled, but Sheldon had already moved over and began studying his notes. Leonard hated that. Hated it even more when the genius did find a mistake in his math. But Leonard was confident this time. He double-checked everything twice. There was no mistake.
"This is for a full-scale rocket. Not a model." Sheldon said now, a hint of urgency in his voice that made Leonard nervous, but not enough to convince him to abort his experiment.
"I've adjusted the formula." he insisted.
"Not correctly."
"Okay, I've had it with you!" Leonard snapped. "You might be an expert on theoretical physics and science-fiction programs and where to sit on a freaking couch, but this is applied physics and when it comes to applied physic- Uh-oh…"
Leonard had to end his rant abruptly as he noticed that his container had started to emit fume. Uh... it definitely isn't supposed to do that!
"What's happening?" Howard asked.
"A bad thing. A very bad thing." Leonard squeaked, his voice was getting thin with fear. Damn it, he had miscalculated! A full-scale rocket was what Sheldon had said. Holy crap, where the hell should he put a container full of combustible fuel for a full-freaking-scale rocket!?
Knowing that he still had a small time frame before the gel would explode, Leonard saw no other option as to take the container to a fairly save place away from people. The basement was the first thing that came to his mind, so off he went.
"Get the door!" he called out to the guys and started to carry the explosive mixture as fast and carefully as possible out into the hallway. Leonard's brain wasn't working logically anymore. His heart was beating wildly as he stared at the ticking time-bomb in his hands. Dear lord, it could blow him and all his friends to smithereens in just a few minutes… or was it seconds? Leonard couldn't for the life of him remember his calculations.
He heard Howard call him out for his stupidity of waiting for the elevator when he could just ran down the stairs, but then the doors just opened with a calm, unhurried 'ding' and Leonard went inside.
As he looked at Howard and Raj, who fearfully stared at him from the 5th floor landing, Leonard realized that there was a good chance that he might never see them again if the fuel would explode. At least he would die knowing that he saved them. That was a comforting thought, wasn't it?
Just before the elevator doors closed, however, and Leonard made peace with the conclusion of his life, Sheldon's tall frame appeared between him and his two other friends. With steely determination in his eyes, Sheldon pressed forward, snatched the container from his hands and put it on the floor of the elevator. Forcefully, he pushed Leonard out of the lift and slammed the button that closed the doors.
Distraught and shivering from head to toe, Leonard tried to hold on to a tiny fraction of his pride. "What did you do that for? I had plenty of ti-"
-BANG-
The explosion shook the whole building, rattled the elevator doors and made the entire hallway stink of smoke. The three guys looked at each other, frightened, and then back at Sheldon who stood there like their very own superhero who didn't even break out in sweat.
"You're welcome." he said nonchalantly.
Leonard couldn't believe how calm and collected his friend just reacted. He had saved his life! Saved the life of their friends and probably every other resident of-
"Sheldon?"
Amy's voice sounded from the hallway below and Sheldon's once calm face immediately turned to a frown of worry. She appeared on the staircase around the corner.
"Oh, hi guys. Did you hear that?" Amy questioned in shock. "It sounded like there was an explosion in the building."
Full of guilt, Leonard sank his head.
"There was." said Sheldon, touching her arm. "Are you okay?"
"Yes. Just jumped a mile high from the sudden noise, but I'm fine." she said. "I just came home and wanted to take the elevator upstairs, but then there was this loud bang and smoke came out of the shaft so I took the stairs." Amy paused as she noticed how the guys' eyes widened upon her story. Unsure of the reason, she turned to Sheldon again. "W-What's going on?"
But Sheldon wasn't listening to her anymore. His eyes trained fiercely on Leonard, he exclaimed, "Look what your dalliance in physics almost caused! You endangered my fiancée's life!"
"What?" said Amy.
"Hold on to him, woman," interrupted Howard. "He's a life saver." he said to her while Raj, as always, nodded along vigorously.
"Technically," Leonard finally chimed in. "You were the one who left the container in the elevator."
That caused Sheldon's eyes to gleam dangerously and seconds later the hallway was filled with noisy chatter and harsh accusations.
"Okay… okay!" Amy exclaimed, trying to make herself heard between the group of guys. "One at a time!" she ordered and then chose Leonard to explain the whole situation. By the end she stood noticeably closer to Sheldon, squeezing his hand. "You used the elevator shaft to detonate his experimental mixture of fuel?! My goodness, Sheldon, do you have any idea how dangerous this was?" she then lectured worriedly.
"Of course, I knew. Or else I'd have stopped him sooner." Sheldon assured her. "It was merely a matter of precise calculation!" he emphasized, piercing Leonard with a glare again.
Leonard wanted to raise his voice in protest but when Amy followed her fiancé's glance and eyed him sternly, too, he sheepishly swallowed his words.
"I will get back to you on just how irresponsible your behavior was!" Amy stressed angrily. "I mean taking your equipment home with you for private tests. Really?!"
Leonard didn't dare to raise his head. "Sorry." he mumbled.
Amy huffed, obviously trying to calm her nerves. "Anyway," she said quietly to Sheldon, taking both of his hands and turning a little away from everyone else. "Are you sure you're okay? Maybe you're just in shock because you were too scared in the moment itself. I would be."
"I'm fine, Amy. Promise." Sheldon said to her equally quiet.
Leonard saw how he stroked his thumbs over the back of her hands, trying to sooth her. Amy hugged Sheldon quick and tightly and he saw the diamond ring on her finger and, all of a sudden, realized the full, grave extend of his stupid mistake. He could've separated them forever if the timing of either of them would have been only slightly off. If Sheldon had miscalculated, too. If Amy had decided to take the elevator despite the smoke.
Leonard felt utterly sick as he thought about it.
He didn't think that it was possible to feel any worse, but then his stomach completely bottomed out as they all heard the distinct sound of police sirens coming closer. Everyone looked back at Leonard with varying degrees of shock.
"Oh, god. Oh, god, I'm dead." he mumbled hectically. Sweat broke out all over his body, cooled instantly and made him shiver. He felt how his last meal threatened to resurface and how his breathing shortened drastically. "They're coming for me. I know it. Oh, god, I won't survive in prison." Every sentence was accompanied by a sharp gasp.
"Leonard, calm down." That was Amy's voice. Soft and without resentment once more, but Leonard couldn't concentrate. "Use your inhaler." she said.
Oh, yes. Brilliant idea. Why haven't I thought of that?
Leonard fumbled in his pockets and took a few deep drags of his inhaler. He waited a few seconds until the black spots in front of his eyes cleared. Seeing the worried faces of his friends and remembering why they were looking at him like that made Leonard wish that he'd blacked out, however. He swallowed and straightened his shoulders, accepting his fate. "Well, that's it, guys. You should probably go. I don't want you to get in trouble, too."
Raj looked scared. Leonard thought he even heard him whimper. Sheldon also stared wide-eyed at him. Not angry anymore, but not really scared, either. Just somehow shocked as he seemed to understand for the first time what could await Leonard now.
"Crap. I'm so sorry, buddy." Howard mumbled, subdued for once.
"Come on, Leonard. Don't paint it all black." said Amy, attempting to lift his spirits. But when she then struggled to find more honest words of comfort, Leonard knew that he was doomed.
"No, it's okay." he said, making an effort to sound brave. "It's my fault. Sheldon's right." Said person, who usually always relished in hearing those exact words, dropped his gaze to the ground as if in shame. "I shouldn't have brought the fuel home with me. I endangered all of you and for that I have to pay the prize." Leonard felt his stomach turn again and his hands fidgeted and shivered nervously as his mind filled with horrific scenarios he'd seen in a dozen action movies. Maybe he could be a super villain one day. That wasn't his plan but what else did he have left?
"Leonard?" Sheldon suddenly spoke up.
"Yeah?"
"Do you really think you'll lose your job and go to prison for this?"
The innocence of his question baffled Leonard. "Yes." he said in a thin voice and had to clear his throat. "I'm afraid that's what will happen."
The friends all looked at each other somberly. The sirens were getting much closer now. At least Raj and Amy had to hold back tears.
"Well, that's unacceptable. We have to stop this." Sheldon spoke up again with the same kind of no-nonsense determination he had when he saved Leonard's life.
"W-What do you mean?" asked Leonard. "How can we possibly stop this?"
"It's easy." decided Sheldon. "You just have to keep your mouth shut and don't say a word. They can't incarcerate you without any proof or witnesses."
Leonard raised his brows. "Sheldon-"
"We should probably get rid of these two, though." Sheldon said, pointing at Howard and Raj. "They're weak."
"Hey, who do you call weak, beanpole!" Howard complained in a huff.
"Well, apparently, you're ready to set your friend off to prison." argued Sheldon. "And I doubt that Raj has enough luck to encounter solely female police officers, so… off you go." he shooed. "Before you're seen here."
They all stared at Sheldon as if he'd completely lost his mind. Even Amy seemed wary. But his face told them unmistakably that he was absolutely serious about this. With one last glance at Leonard, Howard pulled at Raj's sleeve and the two hurried down the stairs since the elevator shaft was still smoking ominously.
Leonard watched them go, not really comprehending what Sheldon was trying to do. The wheels in his mind turned incredibly slow, as if someone filled his brain with chewing gum. "And what now?" he asked stupefied.
"As I said," Sheldon repeated. "You don't say a word. You haven't seen or heard anything."
"But, Sheldon, I can't!" Leonard whined, wringing his hands and hopping from one foot to the other. "This is the police. Real police! I will cave and tell them everything. I'll lose my job and my life w-will be o-over." He had to take a drag of his inhaler again as confusion made room for panic.
"No, it won't. It will be fine." Sheldon assured him stoically.
"Sheldon, I'm not quite sure if we can pull this off." Amy voiced carefully now, too.
"We can." he said to her and then turned back to Leonard. "We have to work together and form a united front."
"Sheldon—"
"Good lord, be a man, Leonard!" Sheldon snapped, which involuntarily caused Leonard to abruptly shut his mouth and stand a bit straighter. Then he continued with patience, his blue eyes insistingly gazing into Leonard's. "You can do this. I'm sure of it. And I won't say a thing if you won't."
Amy stared up at her fiancé in awe. Leonard's jaw slackened. Where did this confidence in him suddenly come from? "Do you really mean that?" he had to ask.
Sheldon nodded strongly. "Of course." he glanced at Amy for a second as if he remembered something. "I've learned… very early on... that friends are there for each other. They support each other no matter what. Well…" he said, watching Leonard again. "That's what you are to me. A good friend. And I don't want to see you in prison." he said unwavering. "I have your back."
There were booming voices downstairs, calling out to people, asking if everyone was okay. Someone in the building must have called the police about the explosion but yet there was no one except Sheldon, Amy and Leonard in the hallway. It was their luck.
Still baffled by Sheldon's earnest confession of loyalty, Leonard slowly nodded his head. Heck, if Sheldon could be strong for him then he could damn well be strong, too. "Okay." he said quietly. "Okay, we got this. No one says a word." He looked at Amy. She had been pretty quiet during all of this, but now she smiled with courage and nodded back at Leonard.
"A united front." she whispered and the three of them went downstairs to face the authorities.
Leonard liked to think back on this day as if it was some kind of very realistic role-playing game. Because there was no way that he, Leonard Hofstadter, managed to endure all this questioning by the local police and the feds – the freaking FBI, for god's sake! – without breaking down and confessing everything.
No, he imagined he'd taken on a though-as-nails persona who could withstand that insane level of stress and intimidation. He was sure that to an outsider his interviews still must have sounded very pathetic, but in the end, Sheldon's plan worked.
The police remained very suspicious, but they didn't imprison Leonard for the explosion and the broken elevator. Surely only because - luckily - no one got hurt.
As scary as this whole ordeal was, to Leonard there was something completely different that stood out to him and would continue to impress him:
Sheldon held his word.
He didn't rat him out to the police and neither did Amy. For Leonard, who grew up in a family where everyone constantly had to fend for himself and which granted him no comfort or compassion at all, that was a completely new experience.
He not only had friends one encounters several times throughout ones life; friends who came and went. No, Leonard knew that he had friends – that Sheldon, especially, was a friend – he could trust with his life. No matter how annoying he could be, how pedantic and arrogant, Sheldon proved to be loyal to him like no one ever was before.
The group of friends continued to walk up and down the stairs of the Los Robles apartment building, never complaining about the strain. The landlord swore he won't fix the elevator until the guilty party came forward. But Leonard, Sheldon, Amy, Howard and Raj had easily accepted this as the new status quo and never said a word.
To them it was clear now that a deeper bond and a friendship for the very long haul has formed.
Just because Leonard and Sheldon had broken the elevator.
There's only one more chapter left. I bet you can guess what happens next... ;)
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