Chapter 3

"Hey, this is not a costume. It's a choice. It's a style."

- Howard

When I came over to the cheesecake factory to pick up a lunch order. I didn't foresee that Penny would be pointing at a man choking the moment I came in. All my senses went into gear. No, it wasn't surgery but it was saving a person's life. I shoved my purse in her hands.

"Sir? Do you need assistance?" I had to ask because touching a person can backfire rather quickly and land me with assault charges. He nodded his head. "I'm going to help you now, be prepared."

And then quickly getting behind him. With his permission, I Heimlich him until the food popped out. He took a gasping breath of air, turning to me in utter relief. His voice was raspy as he spoke.

"Thank you so much."

The room erupted in cheers. It was entirely unnecessary. My cheeks burning, I ducked my head and went back to Penny who was gaping at me.

"You just flipped into action. How were you so calm about it?"

Rubbing my arms, I was still feeling a bit embarrassed. I peeked at her. "You know why and it's no big deal."

"Well, I think it is. You saved his life." She handed me my food. "I'll see you at home. Sel."

Waving at her, I quickly went back to work in hopes that nobody would notice that I was a few minutes late.

In Apartment 4A, everyone was waiting for me no doubt, I finally accepted an invitation to join them for dinner. Sheldon wore me down on the idea but I made him swear that he would be the one who would have to remember that unlike everyone in the apartment, I didn't eat meat. He couldn't imagine why I wouldn't, even after I explained I hated the texture. That lead to an unflattering joke from Howard that caused Raj to be mad at him for the rest of the day.

You must swing down south if you know what I mean.

I shuddered. Thank God, Raj had the decency to hit him for me. Poor Sheldon didn't understand.

Quickly running a brush through my hair and tossing on a random pun shirt. I glanced down at it, perhaps I shouldn't... But I loved it... My brothers bought it as a joke for all the times I've gotten annoyed with other girls about my favorite series, Star Wars. Eh, they can get over it if it does bother them. Yanking on my converses, I locked up and went down two levels, and knocked on the door. Howard opened it up, letting me inside. I smiled at him thanks before getting settled in the middle of the sofa.

"You'll never guess what happened at work today!" Penny said to no one in particular. They all looked at her.

"What?" Leonard asked.

"You finally got an order right?" Sheldon ask with a snicker before he yelled. "Bazinga! You'll always be a crappie waitress!"

"Hey!" Penny's face fell.

"That's not nice Sheldon," Leonard chastised. Even if Howard and Raj were laughing, obviously agreeing with Sheldon. I lifted my hand to tap Sheldon but paused. He might flinch and I don't want to make him uncomfortable.

"Sheldon?" I whispered, he blinked down at me, curiously.

"Yes, Selene?"

"You know, sometimes we need to keep our opinions to ourselves because it can really hurt others' feelings. Penny is our friend. There are times, to be honest, but there are even more times where we should take a more understanding side. Be comforting, not discouraging." I said earnestly. I held my hand up and hovered it over his arm. His face was blanching. "This makes you uncomfortable, right?"

"Yes, but I don't understand what this has to do with Penny's inadequate waitressing dexterities."

"Sheldon," I said softly as I lowered my hand until it was hardly an inch from touching him. When he flinched, I quickly reassured him. "I promise, I won't touch you. This is just a different approach for you to understand."

"Alright..." He swallowed hard, his gaze pinpointed on my hand and his arm. "I'm listening."

"Look at me please," He did. "This makes you uncomfortable, the same way your words do. When you discourage, you can make others embarrassed. When you tell Penny that she is awful or that she'll never get better, you hurt her feelings which friends aren't supposed to do. That feeling can be very much the same as how you feel when people touch you," at that, I moved my hand away. He looked relieved. "You ought to be a little more tender rather than roasting."

"I think I understand," He mumbled before twisting away from me. I was very unaware that everyone was staring at us intensely.

"How did you do that?!" Howard asked in shock. I glared at him and gave a curt shake of my head.

Sheldon unaware of what he was referring to began talking to Penny politely. "Forgive me, Penny, that was unkind of me. What happened at work today?"

If they were shocked before, they had their socks knocked off with that.

"An old guy was choking at work today and Sel saved his life."

"Penny..." I let out. "It's not that big of a deal."

"Not that big of a deal!" She squealed. "You jumped into action without thought. You knew what to do and Heimlich him in two pumps. It was amazing!"

"I don't understand why was Sel at your job?" Sheldon asked.

"I went there to pick up my lunch."

"And you saved a man's life?" He verified.

"It's not a big deal..." My face went red again. At this, the door opened and two girls walked in talking hastily.

"Berni!" Howard stood and greeted the little blonde girl with enthusiasm. The taller dark hair one with glasses was staring at me then at Sheldon. I stood up to greet them.

"Hi, I'm Selene,"

"Dr. Fowler." She sounded a bit smug. "Neuro-biologist."

I got the sense she was attempting to make me feel like she was superior. I forced a faint smile and greeted the smaller girl. "It's so great to finally meet you, Bernedette."

"You too! Howie and Penny have told me so much about you!"

"Wait, why haven't I heard about her?"

"Amy... I've told you about Selene. Don't you listen?" Sheldon cut in. "She's my new colleague."

I don't know why but having Sheldon talk about me to others... I found it kind of flattering.

"That's my spot," Amy said with irritation. Glaring right at me.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I went to move but Sheldon grabbed my wrist, startling me.

"It's fine Amy, Selene can sit next to me tonight."

"But I'm your girlfriend, Sheldon."

Everyone was quiet.

Jeez...

"It's okay Sheldon, I don't mind sitting on the floor with Raj," I was feeling immensely awkward.

He let my wrist go. I stepped over his legs and around the coffee table to sit with Raj.

"Still not drinking, Raj?" I teased as he cracked open a beer. He took a sip from it and smiled.

"I'm good now," his thick Indian accent filled my ears.

"Good," I shrugged my hoodie off.

"That's hilarious!" Sheldon laughed loudly, pointing at my shirt. "R2D2 isn't in Star Trek."

I pulled the shirt down with a grin. "My brothers had this made for me for that reason."

"Why because you never get it right?" Amy asked bitterly.

"No," I smiled at her. She hates me. "Because it's the number of times I've obsessed over Star Wars and drove them crazy for it. Girls aren't known to love Galaxy's far far away."

"This is foolish," Amy grumbled.

"Who's the more foolish, the fool or the fool who follows him?" I asked seriously.

Sheldon and Leonard gasped together. "She does know it!" Sheldon exclaimed. "That was Obi-Wan Kenobi's quote from A New Hope!"

"What is everyone doing for Halloween?" Amy asked taking charge of changing the topic.

"Stuart is having a costume party at the comic book store," Raj announced. "We were all going as the justice league."

"And I am green lantern. I refuse to be the jackass aqua man again." Raj glared.

"You don't expect me to be wonder woman again?" Penny gave a pointed look to Leonard.

"I told Howie I would go as batgirl since he's Batman. You should go as cat woman Amy."

I looked at her but she seemed very displeased with this idea.

"I think I would rather be something different, I don't want to dress up in a silly hero costume."

Sheldon gasped at her. The others frowned.

"If the couples are dressing together Amy, you should be Jesse Chambers. She is also known as the Flash in number 140 from the 1998 edition. You can match Sheldon." I wasn't sure if my input would help the matters and from the looks, I was being given by her, it was clear she didn't want it.

Sheldon was eyeing me curiously. "I thought you said you liked Starfire."

"I do, but I grew up with Jesse chambers. She was a bit of my hero in high school."

"High school? How old are you?" Leonard abruptly asked.

I realized out of the three months I've lived here, I never actually told them my age.

"She does look really young. Spill, Selene," Penny ordered.

"Well... Like Sheldon, I graduated high school early at 12..." I didn't want to say my age. I currently felt ridiculous.

"Spill!" Bernadette grinned. They were all watching me so intensely.

"25," I mumbled as I played with the fray on my jeans.

"And you have two Ph.D.'s..." Penny couldn't believe it. I don't think any of them could. So I pulled my license out of my purse, giving it to Leonard's outstretched hand. He took a look at it and whistled, passing it around.

"You're younger than me." Penny frowned. "I'm not the baby of the group anymore."

Sheldon was gazing at me, not saying a word. I think he was thinking hard about something, I wasn't too sure.

Raj nudged me, causing me to look at him.

"Yes?"

"I'm 30," he said. "In case you didn't know."

"I knew," I laughed lightly. "Howard is 31, Leonard and Sheldon are 33 and Penny is--"

"Buh-huh!" Penny snapped.

"Then you should go as Jesse Chambers, Selene," Sheldon said just loud enough to cause everyone in the room to immediately go quiet. Amy spluttered.

"We're a couple, Sheldon!"

"I know Amy but Sel said that Jesse Chambers helped her in high school. She was a senior when she was 12, the very same year that issue 140 came out. We all remember how our last year at high school was, rememberly the worse year. If Jesse is important, then Selene should go as The Flash too." Sheldon gave what sort of looked like a smile to me. I was touched by the gesture but as to not hurt Amy's feelings, I wouldn't go.

"It's okay guys, I don't think I'll go but I appreciate the offer."

"Wait you're not going to come?" Penny scoffed. "Bernadette and I going."

"I'll be Jesse then," Amy confirmed.

I bluntly ignored her. Taking my vegetarian takeout box off the table and opened it up. Everyone followed suit. Splitting the helpings with one another.

"Thank you, Sheldon, for remembering," I said politely, refusing to look at him in case Amy would snap again at him. I worried she was very mean to him.

Which pissed me off quite a bit.

"Of course, Selene. You're like a hippy. I still don't know how you're from Texas and don't eat meat."

I grinned down at my food. Raj nudged me again. "What are you going to do for Halloween then?" He asked quietly.

"I don't know, probably stay in and binge Harry Potter. My brothers and I would always watch them all on Halloween back home." I pushed a dumpling around on my plate. I honestly just wanted to go back to my apartment. Amy put me in a foul mood.

"Well, I want to know if you guys are going to dress up at work for Halloween too?" Bernadette said not directing it to anyone in particular. Each guy nodded.

"How often do you get to wear costumes to work? Of course, we are Berne," Howard kissed her cheek.

"Giant belt buckle and a dickey. I say you're always dressed, Howard." Penny pointed at his outfit with her chopsticks.

"Hey, this is not a costume. It's a choice. It's a style." Howard responded.

"It's a tragedy." Penny snickered with the others.

"What about you Selene? Are you going to dress up?" Bernadette asked.

"Absolutely!" I gave a toothy grin. Before Anyone could ask, "and I refuse to tell anyone what I am dressing as. Being the rare female in Caltech has inspired me."

"What? A slutty hobbit?" Amy asked.

I bit my tongue, taking a very deep breath. Looking at my lap. I didn't speak again. I had no idea why she was being so cunty towards me but it was starting to formulate the nasty desire in me to smack the bitch right out of her face. This was uncalled for. Was this because I was sitting next to Sheldon? I hadn't even done anything wrong.

Thankfully my phone began to buzz in my pocket. I excused myself to the hall to take the phone call.

"Hey, little sis!" Johnathan greeted me before I could say anything.

"Hey, Nathan." I forced some happiness into my voice.

"Ma wanted to know if you were coming home for the holidays? She told me that if you didn't respond to her texts that she would catch a one-way flight to Cali to box your ears."

"Is this why you called?" Pressing a palm to my forehead. I was about to hang up at his silence.

"Selene... Luke sent you a letter."

"What!" I yelled into the phone. "He promised he wouldn't try and contact me!"

The anger rushed forward, unable to control it I was painfully aware I was yelling in the hall and that all the people in 4A would hear me. Hell the entire building could probably hear me.

"Open it now! Fucking open the letter, Johnathan! You tell me what that bastard wants with me now!"

"Alright, alright! Selene, Jesus woman! Chill!" He yelled back.

Fuming, I waited for him to open it. A faint sound of paper being shuffled came through the line. The apartment door opened, and Penny looked at me questionably.

'What's wrong?' She mouthed.

"Luke," I said plainly to her. Not caring who heard me. "That bastard wrote me, Penny."

"Sel?" Johnathan called. "You ready?"

"Yeah, read it." I groaned.

"Selene, I hope you get this letter in time. I wanted to tell you formerly that the non-closure agreement has been approved by the justice system. This will be my last letter to you before you're summoned to court--"

"Are you kidding me! He's taking me to court!" I snapped. My fingers tightened around my phone. The tears burst out and all hell broke loose within me. "Court..." I whispered hoarsely. "Isn't it enough that he took everything from me?"

"Selene..." Johnathan went silent.

I looked at Penny, my vision was blurry. A choked sob broke. I fell to my knees, heaving. I no longer cared that the others in the apartment could hear me. I let Penny hold me as I cried loudly and disgustingly.

"Penny... He's... He's t-taking me t-to court." I stammered.

"Selene?" Sheldon asked carefully. I couldn't even look at him. "Would you like a hot beverage?"

"Sheldon..." Leonard said appearing beside him at the door.

"She's upset Leonard." His voice sounded at loss. I felt bad for weeping in their doorway but I just couldn't reign it in. No matter how much I wanted to.

I shook my head and struggled to my feet. "I'm s-sorry" I rasped. Rushing back to my apartment.

The men stared after her. Penny rubbed her chest. She wanted to comfort Selene but was unsure how to do that. She was a lot like Sheldon, struggling to let people in.

"What happened?" Raj asked when they closed the door.

"Whose taking her to court?" Bernadette implored. Penny had promised Selene, swore she wouldn't say anything.

"Don't ask me!" Penny snapped, storming from the apartment. She was scared she would spill and she couldn't do that.

"Don't worry about it. She probably did something horrible," Amy shrugged. Sheldon stared at her.

"Amy... You've just met her. You don't know if she's done something bad." He said slowly. Then he turned to Leonard. "Leonard? I am at a loss here. Is Penny upset too?"

"I don't know." He shrugged. He was in the same boat. He too was at a loss.

Howard held his hand up. "Remember when I found the article? Maybe it has something to do with that."

"What article?" Bernadette demanded an answer. Howard pulled his phone out and pulled it up, giving his phone to her. "I knew she looked familiar! Howie! She was the discussion topic all summer! My colleagues at work wouldn't shut up about this."

"Do you know what she did?" Leonard asked, becoming insanely curious. "None of us had the guts to ask her about it. Figured she was disappointed in herself that's why she never told any of us."

"I would imagine she is. She botched a surgery on an important government arrestee. A man from South Africa. He apparently falsified a ton of documents that made him millions. Stole from hundreds of Americans. He needed a simple operation, there was no risk of death that's why he was permitted it but Selene botched it. Slip of the knife, the man bled out on the operation table. His heart busted. It was a mess." She explained.

"Poor Sel," Raj frowned.

"Yeah but that's the thing though Raj, the surgery shouldn't have caused a death at all. Nobody gets it. She's a prominent Surgeon in her craft. How does the head of Cardiology botch a simple surgery as a valve repair? Something is missing from the story."

Nobody spoke for a few moments. Bernadette looked right at Leonard in all seriousness. "You know she's a hero to a lot of people right?"

"She botched a surgery. How could she be a hero?" Amy laughed.

Bernadette scowled. "Because she stood up to the chair board of governors. Told them all; to suck a giant cock and take a leap off a bridge.

"That's nothing to be a hero about," Amy derided.

"Didn't know you had a dirty mouth, Berne," Howard teased, trying to lighten the mood. She turned on him.

"It's not my words Howie and!" She gave a pointed look to Raj and Sheldon. "The words were directed to the very same men who are against letting women take charge in their fields. To be paid equally and to matter more than an old fashion object. Selene demanded discrepancy and acknowledgment to a community of individuals who had been wronged in both the science and medical fields. If it wasn't for her nobody would have batted an eye for doctors and scientists that have disorders. Like you Raj and even Sheldon!"

"Can you clarify that?" Howard asked timidly. Bernadette crossed her arms.

"Disorders that don't impair someone's ability to achieve have been discriminated against for a long time. If you're different, you don't belong. Selene doesn't believe in that. She had made this argument just one week before her botched surgery. It smells fishy to me."

I wouldn't leave my apartment all week. Called in work sick and even refused to answer my door. Penny and Leonard came around trying to coax me out but it just wouldn't work. I needed a lawyer. A good one. Preferably one that didn't try and tell me to play to a woman's strengths... Weeping.

That was highly sexist. I didn't need that again. Johnathan called me three times a day, an hour-long for each call. My pa was trying to get another campaign going and I needed to call the courthouse in Houston where the court would be in session. Just like a dirty game of volleyball. The ball is served but piked right to the nose, leaving something broken.

If anyone knows about revenge... It's Texas. And the system there is all for wrongful revenge.

Knock, knock

"Selene?"

Knock, knock

"Selene?"

Knock, knock

"Selene?"

I sat up on my loveseat, gazing at my door. Was that Sheldon?

"Selene? I know you're in there. I can smell the bleach from out here. You've been cleaning."

It is Sheldon...

I pulled the chain off and opened the door. "Hey?"

"Hello..." He greeted. His gaze remained on mine. Looking earnest. "I've come to check up on you. I found I've been missing your company at work. The others don't get me as you do."

I smiled at him, faintly and it hurt. "Come on Sheldon, you've lived your life without me before."

"Yes but... I don't like it." He confessed. "I've grown used to your receptive conversation and... I was worried about you when you left so abruptly."

There go my heartstrings.

"I enjoy our conversations as well Sheldon. And I'm okay."

"Really? Because your eyes are puffy and your nose is red. Signs that you've been crying. Normally when one cries it is because one is sad. For example, I cry because others are stupid, and that makes me sad."

I stuffed a laugh down and packed it inside. He really was something else. "Trust me, I am okay. Thank you for checking in on me."

"Will you come to dinner tonight? It's vintage game night. I thought perhaps you would enjoy them as I do."

"Vintage as in games from the '80s or '90s?"

Sheldon got a twinkle in his eyes. "Both. Will you join us?"

I didn't want to... But I have been in this apartment for over a week. I needed the change in scenery. "Sure. Why not."