Chapter 39 - Friends and Enemies
The next two days for Sheldon were actually pleasant, because he didn't have to deal with people. The most tedious thing he had to do was sit in the weekly staff meeting with the department head, but even then no one talked to him and he pretty much ignored them. The rest of time he was left alone in his office, which gave him the chance to read his own research papers and discover who this man was he replaced. He also saw that his other self and the Leonard from this timeline where friends, good friends, and with that information along with what happened with Siebert, Sheldon knew he had to thread carefully on how he now treated Leonard in public.
Sheldon was allowed to go about freely in his new job, because of his new status, even the department head seemed to be understand that Sheldon was on his own. So both days Sheldon had lunch with Amy and visited her Lab in the afternoon for a short time too, each of the days. Sheldon's feelings for Amy were changing every day, he found himself being very possessive of her and he knew it was because he was now feeling really married to her, more and more. He couldn't look at her without thinking she was his wife now and with those thoughts, something else was happening, he found himself looking more and more at her with desire.
The last two mornings he woke up spooning her his face buried in her soft clean good smelling hair and to his surprise his hand cupping her breasts. Yesterday he gently removed it, but this morning he just held her, the softness of her making him reluctant to let her go. What made things worse was when she woke up, she didn't seem bothered about where his hand was, like it was normal for him to be touching her on her lady parts. It made him even more confused, because no matter how much he tried to logically dismiss it to himself, he liked touching her and it was starting to feel natural to do it.
One of the better things that was happening though, was that he was establishing a routine, and he needed routines, they grounded him. Amy, who hadn't said anything, seemed to be helping with this routine too, by now driving every day and not even asking him to take the wheel of the car. The forming of a routine also relaxed Sheldon, which was good and bad, good because he was thinking clearly again, but bad because most of these new clear thoughts were about Amy.
Sheldon sat in his office and shook his head, trying to concentrate on something other than Amy and was finally able to devote some of his thoughts on his problem with Leonard and Penny. They had kept him from the machine with that lock, it surprised him when he found out the lock case was titanium and then again when he saw no key hole or other means to unlock it. It was obviously specially made to keep someone like him out, and Sheldon was really confused how Leonard could have gotten something so quickly. This made things more difficult for Sheldon, because with Leonard controlling the machine, he could not use it stop him from ruining this new life he was enjoying and didn't want to end.
The more Sheldon thought about it his whole situation, the more only one answer came to mind, he had to somehow neutralize Leonard from causing any problem for him. What bother him though was not knowing what Leonard was up too, so it made him rationalize that he had to do something quickly too, before Leonard acted against him. Sheldon walked from his desk to the spot on his couch so he could concentrate more on this problem, he always thought best on his spot, so he settled himself in, grabbing the package of red vines, he kept nearby, and thought on the new number one person on his mortal enemies list.
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Thursday, Leonard came home early, with pizza, Howard riding with him, since he drove a scooter to work each day, so he decided to leave it at the university that night. Leonard agreed to drive him home after their game night, and Howard would ride the bus to work the next day, like he did when it rained, to get his scooter. Their arrival, at the house, found Penny nervously moving around the house waiting for her friends to show up. Howard quickly exiting to the living room to set up the game, like Leonard requested, while Leonard tended to an obviously agitated Penny, "Penny, are you okay?" Leonard whispered to her.
"God Leonard, I don't want to mess things up tonight with my friends. Ever since I have been talking to them, I realized now how much I missed them. You are great Sweetie, but sometimes a girl needs another girl to talk about things too, you know." Penny looked at him hoping he understood.
Leonard thought about how easily she acted like he was her husband, "Yeah, I know, it is the same with us guys."
Penny put her hand on his cheek, she wanted to kiss him so bad it hurt. "Thanks for understanding." The doorbell ringing made her jump, as she turned quickly practically running to the door.
Leonard had to chuckle when he heard Penny squeal as she welcomed her two friends, as he made his way to the living room, so when Penny introduced them again, he would be with Howard, like she planned. He now had to tell Howard what was happening and that they would be babysitting that night. "Um Howard, Penny just told me that one of her friends needs to leave her son here tonight, while they go see Penny's show." He hoped Howard now didn't bolt for the door.
Howard looked at him with an expression Leonard couldn't read. "Oh, okay." was all he said.
Leonard was a little surprised, but the girls coming in the living room made him not ponder his friends expression for long. "Sweetie, you remember Cheryl and Bernadette. The little guy is Bernadette's son Joey." Penny introduced the girls to Leonard. "Guys this is Leonard's friend Howard. Bernadette you remember Howard." Penny bit her lip, hoping she wasn't too obvious.
Bernadette looked at Howard for a moment. "Oh yes, now I remember. You all three ate dinner together on Sunday." Bernadette smiled, proud that she remembered, then she kneeled down to her son. "Honey, Mr. Leonard and Mr. Howard are going to watch you tonight, okay." The little boy immediately wrapped his arms around his mother's neck, holding on tight. Bernadette looked at Penny, a torn look on her face, which Penny could recognize was her doubt about now going.
However, Penny and Leonard's jaws dropped when Howard took a couple of steps then kneeled next to the mother and child, smiling at the boy. "Hey Joey, do you want to spend an evening with the guys?" The little boy shook his head. Howard reached back and picked up a controller. "We are going to play video games."
The little boy looked at the controller then at Howard. "Can I play?"
"We were hoping you would, we're not too good." Howard told him.
The little boy let go of his mother and reached for the wireless controller, no sooner than he had it in his hand, looking back at his mother. "Mommy can I play?"
Bernadette gave him a sweet smile, "Of course Honey." she then leaned over and kissed him. Bernadette then looked over at Howard and mouthed 'Thank You'.
Howard smiled back and nodded, then looked at the boy, "Joey so you ready to play?"
Joey smiled. "Yes Sir."
Penny, quickly saw that they could leave and wanted to get Bernadette out before she changed her mind. "Come on guys the limo is waiting." She then herded her friends out to the waiting car. Leonard just standing there a little stunned as Howard and the little boy sat on the couch and Howard showed him how to play.
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It was a little after midnight when the girls came back in the house laughing and carrying on, to find the guys sitting in the living room quietly talking. Bernadette looked at the couch, to see her son sound asleep on it, his head on a pillow and a blanket covering him. She smiled at him and then smiled at the guys. "I hope he wasn't any trouble?"
Leonard shook his head, "No he was fine, he played the video game with Howard for a couple of hours, ate some fruit yogurt and drank some milk, then crashed where he is now. We covered him and he hasn't moved since."
Bernadette smiled more, "Thank you Howard."
Howard smiled, "He's a good kid." Bernadette's smile got larger as she and Howard looked at each other.
Cheryl nudged Penny, "I'm going to go." she said softly.
"Okay, but remember lunch tomorrow. I'll pick you up." Penny reminded her getting a nod from Cheryl. Penny followed Cheryl to the door and hugged her, no sooner closing the door, then hurrying back to the living room. "Bernadette, do you want a cup of coffee, before you go home."
"Well…" Bernadette was hesitant.
"Come on, it will keep you awake driving home." Penny said trying to convince her.
Leonard turned to Howard, "Do you mind if I get a cup before we go." seeing Penny giving him a conspiratorial look.
It was ten minutes later they were all drinking coffee, Howard and Bernadette talking about her son Joey. Penny kept smiling at Leonard from behind her coffee cup, so pleased that they seemed so interested in each other. Leonard getting a kick on how happy and pleased Penny was over the whole situation, it was a shame when the little get together ended 20 minutes later.
"Well, I better get Joey home." Bernadette finally said, then gave Penny a hug, "Thanks for the coffee and the great night, it was nice to get out."
Leonard looked at Howard. "Well I'll drive you home now Howard."
Bernadette looked at Leonard, then Howard. "Where do you live?"
It was only ten minutes later that Penny and Leonard watched, from their doorway, Bernadette's car drive off, Howard in the passenger seat. Penny was practically hopping in place, she was so excited at seeing them go off together. "Oh Leonard, she likes him and I think he likes her."
Leonard chuckled about how happy she seemed, "You think so?"
Penny gave him a look, "I'm a woman Leonard, I know when a girl is into a guy and she immediately got interested when she saw how good he was with her son. She also asked me about him when we talked after the show was done." She told him.
"Who would have thought they would bond over her son." Leonard softly commented.
"Sweetie, she is a single mom, and meets a guy who is nice to her son and seems really nice overall. She definitely wants to know more about him, since right now he seems perfect." She smiled at him.
Leonard nodded, "Well it is late and one of us has to work tomorrow."
Penny smiled more, grabbing his arm. "Come on sleepy head."
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The next day Leonard got home a little early, to shower and get ready for Penny's party. He was just putting his tie on when Penny came in the bedroom dressed in a cocktail dress, that made Leonard stop everything he was doing to stare at her, in awe. Penny stopped when she noticed him staring at her and they stood there for almost a whole minute in awkward silence.
Penny finally looked down at herself, "Is something wrong in the way I look."
Leonard shook his head, "No, you look stunning."
Penny blushed and gave him a shy smile, finally walking towards him. "Let me fix that tie for you."
Leonard stood perfectly still as the most beautiful woman in the world, tied his tie for him, not even trying not to touch him as she did it. Several times just staring at him while she worked on it, him noticing the obvious dilation in her eyes. He was actually surprised when she finished, and disappointed, her touching him and her smell two sensory feelings he didn't want to end.
Penny rested her hands on his chest for a second, her desire trying to take completely over her mind and destroy any willpower she still had. She knew, all he had to do was take her into his arms and she knew she would be his, her will to resist completely gone at the moment. Her eyes kept going from his eyes to his lips and it made Penny now realized if they just stood there that close for a little longer, he wasn't going to have to do a thing to have her, she would just kiss him and give herself to him.
"Penny let me get my jacket and we can go." Leonard knew he had to get them moving before he did something he would regret.
Penny had to actually think about what he said, because she was so captivated by him at the moment, his words seemed to come from a different far away place. She mind though slowly began to understand what he said, so she nodded and took her hands off his chest, "Okay."