Chapter 16: The Aftermath

Penny calls Leonard, who tells her everything.Now, how does she break the news to Niki and how does Sheldon's wife react?Leonard seeks help from an unexpected source.

Niki was close to being ready to venture out her front door with Lori and make her way to the Hofstadter residence, when a loud voice stopped her in her tracks. "Niki! I sure hope you're sitting down, girlfriend!"

Niki immediately opened the door and motioned Penny inside, "What's up and why are you yelling like that? Did you win the lottery or something?"

Penny ushered both children into the nursery and made sure they were content to play there for a bit before she answered her friend, "I wish. Look, I just got off the phone with Leonard and he told me something I think you should know."

Niki noticed the intent look on her friend's face and asked her, "What's that?"

Penny sighed, dropped her gaze, and answered her in sad voice, "Sheldon isn't doing so well. According to Leonard, he's in a pretty bad state."

Niki was suddenly on full alert and she demanded in a panicked voice, "What do you mean? Has he been in an accident? Is he sick? What?"

Penny was quick to lay a hand on Niki's shoulder in an effort to calm her down, "No, nothing like that. Relax. Well, not relax, but Sheldon's health is not in any danger."

Niki relaxed a tiny bit and sat down on the couch, she patted the place next to her in an invitation for Penny to join her there. She followed that by asking, "Then what is it? You're face looks white and I know something's up. Tell me."

Penny nodded and began to speak, "Okay, but first, sit down."

Niki looked strangely at her friend and reminded her, "I am sitting. Now tell me."

Penny knew she couldn't put off her news any longer and replied, "Leonard saw Sheldon and that Powers woman making out on the couch."

Niki's eyes went wide in disbelief and she spat out, "I don't believe that! Sheldon would never do that to me. He has his faults, certainly, but he's as loyal a person as they come."

Penny had tears forming in her eyes and she explained, "Nik, I didn't want to believe it at first, either. But Leonard saw it with his own eyes. He said they were kissing and her hands were under his shirt."

Niki looked as if she were in shock, the hurt was plain in her voice as she responded with, "They were kissing?"

Penny nodded and then added, "Well, Leonard says it looked more like she was kissing him, but still."

Niki was somewhat calmed and she once again stared her friend in the eye, "Okay, Leonard saw what may be a perfectly explainable, minor indiscretion on Sheldon's part. But why is he in a bad way?"

Penny didn't answer her question right away, instead, she continued on about the kiss, "Hey, I didn't believe it at first, either."

Niki was beginning to grow impatient and she pressed her friend for more details, "I get that, but what is wrong with Sheldon?"

"Well, Leonard said he kinda yelled at him and then went to his room. It's what happened after that's the problem."

Niki's patience came to an abrupt end and she snapped, "Penny, please. Get to the point! The man's my husband!"

Penny took a deep breath and continued her tale, "Well, Leonard overheard Sheldon tell her that her actions were waaay outta line and then he kicked the bitch out pretty quickly. What's more, she tried to blackmail him after she knew he wasn't having any of what she was offering. And from what Leonard could make out, it was Powers who started it all and Leonard thinks he walked in before Sheldon had a chance to end it."

Niki seemed a bit mollified, but Penny still hadn't completely answered her question. So, she pressed her further for more details, "Okay, so why is my husband in a bad way?"

"Well, Leonard told me that after he made her leave, Sheldon started talking to himself, crying, and taking all the blame for what happened. Leonard waited for a long time to let him work through it and when he came out to the living room to check on him, he found him pretty much out of it and curled up in a ball on the couch."

Niki covered her face with her hands and wailed, "Oh my god! Did Leonard get him to respond?"

Penny shook her head sadly, "Not yet. He's called someone they know from the school and he's helping Leonard deal with this."

Niki's eyes narrowed and her temper took over, even though she knew full well that Penny was merely the messenger, not the cause of the situation, "Why haven't they called a doctor for heaven's sake?"

Penny understood her friend's reaction and explained as kindly as she could, "Sweetie, Leonard wants to keep it quiet. This could hurt Sheldon's career big time if it got out. It seems Sheldon's vitals are fine. He just isn't responding to anyone."

Suddenly, Penny's phone rang and she answered it quickly, "Hello, Leonard? What? Oh, that's good. Okay, I'll tell her."

Niki leaned forward and asked urgently, "What did Leonard say? Was it anything about Sheldon?"

Penny slowly put her phone down and replied softly, "Yeah. He's conscious and responding, but Leonard says he's pretty depressed and down on himself. I think he blames himself for ever talking to the woman."

"If I know Sheldon, he just saw her as another scientist, someone he could talk to. I don't think he had a sexual conquest on his mind at all."

Penny suddenly remembered an important fact and added, "Well, she did try to shake him down for credit on one of his papers."

Niki nodded and explained to her friend, "Knowing Sheldon, that is what probably bothers him the most. From time to time he's always had different women hitting on him. He knows full well how to shut down that action. But a demand to be named as a co-author on one of his papers? That must have really hit him where it hurts."

Penny tried to understand what her friend had said by putting it in her own terms, "I'm not a scientist, but I imagine that must be like another actor saying they starred with me in a movie or play they were never a part of."

Niki rose from the couch and headed for the kitchen, "Honestly Penny, it's something like that, but worse. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of hours that go into the research of a major scientific paper, like ours on gravity nullification. To have someone black mail another scientist into putting their name on a work they never lifted a finger towards, well, that's just the worst breach of ethics I can imagine."

"Worse than cheating on your spouse?"

Niki stopped and gave her friend a small grin, "Okay, not worse, but on the same level. I can see why Sheldon is upset with himself, but honestly, how was he to know what she had up her sleeve?"

Penny decided to join her friend in the kitchen, so she left her seat and made her way across the room, asking, "Will this hurt his reputation?"

Niki shook her head and answered, "Not as long as Leonard and other scientists back him up in his story. You said yourself she is well known as a skank and opportunist, so I think his rep in the scientific community will be okay."

"Unless someone spreads a rumor that he went to Germany because you guys were having marital problems."

Niki opened the refrigerator door, then stopped, turned to Penny and asked her, "Who would do that?"

"Dr. Powers and any of her slimy friends, that's who."

Niki reluctantly agreed with her, "You're right, as usual. Let me think on this a bit, Penny. Did Leonard say I should contact Sheldon?"

Penny let out a long sigh and once more laid a hand on Niki's shoulder, "He told me that Sheldon's kind of emotionally fragile right now. I'd wait a day or two. But I can tell Leonard to tell Sheldon that you believe him and aren't mad at him."

"But Penny, I am kind of mad at him. He treated me like crap and then went and hung out with this tramp and talked with her like he should have been talking to me. I don't believe Sheldon had cheating on his mind, and I know it wouldn't have gone that far, but it's the way he sought her out to talk that hurts."

Penny's hand stayed where it was and she gave Niki's shoulder a gentle squeeze as she told her, "Maybe you should give it a day or two. You've got a lot to think about, girlfriend."

Nik finally pulled a bottle of water from the refrigerator and gave a resigned sigh, "Yes, I do. When I figure out what I'm going to do, you'll be the first to know. For now, give me a little space and time to digest all of this. But do tell Leonard to tell Sheldon that I don't believe he intended to cheat on me. That I know."

"Okay. I'll start with that. Do you still want to do breakfast?"

Niki nodded, "Well, Lori is looking forward to it, so yeah. But you've got to promise me that we won't talk about this at all with the kids around."

Penny hugged her and gave a reassuring reply, "Of course not! That's Lori's father and Blake's Godfather we're talking about. No, I can promise you I won't say a word about this in front of Blake or Lori."

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When Leonard found Sheldon comatose on the couch, his first reaction was pure panic. What was he going to do? He didn't want to call for help because he didn't want to destroy Sheldon's reputation in either academia or science. Still, he couldn't just leave him in the state he was in. How do you explain to people the inert man laying curled up on your couch? Furthermore, how would he explain Sheldon's absence at his lectures, the next one scheduled to begin in less the twenty-four hours?

Leonard began to pace and his mind slowly began to think rationally. Who did they know that had a level head on their shoulders and no grudge against, or expectations of, Dr. Sheldon Cooper? Who among the few people they knew at this institution had nothing to either gain nor lose with the information that an esteemed member of their guest faculty was in an almost infantile state and totally unable to function in his usual manner? Suddenly, Leonard's face brightened and he put in a call to their quasi-colleague who had helped them both assimilate to Germany. Without giving himself time to give in to any self-doubts, Leonard placed a call to Helmut Hoffman.

The man answered his phone with his usual detachment, Good afternoon, Helmut Hoffman here.May I ask who is calling?

Helmut, it's Leonard, Leonard Hofstadter.I have a little situation going on here that I hope you can help me solve.

Let me guess, does this 'situation' involve your irritating partner, Dr. Cooper?

Wow, you're good.Yes, yes it does.

I know I'm going to regret asking this, but what seems to be the problem and how can I help you?

Let's just say I caught Sheldon in what I thought was a compromising position with someone.I kinda went off on him and he responded by curling up on my couch and turning into a deaf mute.He isn't responding to either me or any form of external stimuli I have used.

I see.Is the object of the compromising encounter still in your apartment?

No.Sheldon threw her out.

May I ask an indelicate question?Who was he supposedly dallying with?

Someone named Dr. Heather Powers.

Leonard, I know that woman.She is a total beast and man-eater.I will be right over.Let's just say this is now a personal vendetta for me.

You're familiar with how this woman operates?

Unfortunately, yes.She attempted to set me up in the same way she did Sheldon. I'm not as well known in the physics world, but I know some people who are, and that is why she targeted me. Fortunately, I am not quite as naïve as your friend and I saw through her little act before the damage was done.As you Americans say, hang tight.I'll be right over.

Thanks a lot.I really appreciate this.

As I told you before, this is now personal.I will be more than happy to help you.Now, good day and I will see you shortly.

Both men simultaneously ended the call and Leonard sat down next to his out-of-it friend to await the arrival of one Helmut Hoffman.

Will Helmut be able to help our boys?What will he ask in return?Finally, how do you think Niki will ultimately handle this situation?Read on and find out.