Thanks for all the reviews! You guys are the best ever! Thanks soo much! I am having such a great time writing this! I know it's not as happy or funny as the show but I just love writing Sheldon as a daddy Anyway, hope you enjoy the next installment. There will be at least one more chapter after this, but I'm not sure how much more! The story is drawing to a close!
As soon as the door opened to him, it seemed Zoe flew into his arms.
"Come on daddy," she said in a soft whisper, clearly upset. "Let's go…mommy told me to ahead."
Sheldon was surprised when her arms didn't loosen right away. He just turned and carried the little girl toward the car.
He buckled her in, checked to make sure the belt was secure, and then got into the car himself, it was not until then that he asked what was wrong. He assumed they were far enough into their father-daughter relationship for him to inquire after issues of concern.
"They are fighting a lot," she said. "Even more than before, it was so loud. Mommy tried to calm him down but he's so upset at her."
"Why," asked Sheldon calmly.
"Because…he doesn't like that she went to Halo Night. Then she told me to go to my room, I could tell she was getting angry She doesn't like it when I see that. But I could still here them. He was yelling a lot."
Sheldon looked with concern at the house.
"Is she going to be all right?"
He felt guilt for being the course of her current marital strife, and angry at Jake for yelling at her merely for spending time with her friends, as if he owner her. If he knew Penny she wouldn't stand for that, recalling the time Penny and Leonard had a fought about the musician sleeping on Penny's couch.
"I think so," said Zoe. "Of course, I hate that he hurts her feelings , it makes me mad. But she is usually able to calm him down fairly well."
Sheldon did not like the sound of that.
"Does he often fly into fits of jealous rage?"
"The occurrence has been steadily increasing in number over the past week. It doesn't help that he's gone all the time. Don't tell mommy I know, but I assume she thinks he's cheating on her."
Sheldon looked at her in shock. Adultery was an awful heavy topic for a 6-year-old to be speaking of so flippantly.
"Why would you assume that?"
"Just by the way she acts. She's sad, and I can tell she doesn't believe him when he says he's going out with his "guys". She hasn't said anything to me, of course, but I can tell."
Sheldon cleared his throat and nodded.
Poor Penny. Hadn't she been happily married? Hadn't she finally found the life she deserved? What had changed?
…oh yes…him.
He seemed to be making a habit of screwing up Penny's life.
XXX
More than a few people passed Dr. Coopers office and did a double take that day at the university. Sheldon stood by his board, pondering over an equation. This, of course, was not out of the ordinary. What was the little girl sitting in at Dr. Cooper's desk, a beautiful little miniature of him, as anyone could tell by looking, though few would believe it. She was furiously writing, going over equations. While she was not at the level of her father, she could help him by doing smaller equations and figuring out masses of the various particles, saving Sheldon precious time.
"You know father," said Zoe. 'This could be in violation of child labor laws."
"Nonsense," he said, not looking from the board. "I'm not paying you."
Zoe smiled and laughed.
"Oh yes, that's right."
"Dr…Dr. Cooper," interrupted shy, quiet voice. Zoe looked up to see the girl in the doorway, Sheldon didn't even look. This was why he told them he didn't want to be a teacher, students were always pestering you. And right now he was busy. Busy figuring out the secrets of the universe…busy making new discoveries…busy figuring out how to convince his ex-girlfriend and mother of his child to leave her new husband and come back to him. He couldn't be bothered.
"I'm sorry Dr. Cooper, I hate to interrupt, but…"
Sheldon held up a hand to silence her. She let out a squeak and stepped back. Zoe rolled her eyes.
"I'm sorry," said Zoe, to the girl. "He thinks he's about to make a Nobel Prize winning discovery…but maybe I can help you."
Sheldon turned slowly to observe as the student nodded cautiously and took a careful step toward the desk. He watched as Zoe looked over the papers and patiently answered the girl's questions and explained various concepts. It was odd to see these two sides of Zoe in play at the same time. The genius of Sheldon and the caring and patients of Penny, and their seemed to be no inner conflict for Zoe. They worked in tandem so easily…so why hadn't he and Penny been able to manage that?
XXX
Sheldon was loathed to take Zoe home. She clearly did not want to return, but what choice did he have, aside from kidnapping her, which he considered for a moment, but realize unless he could kidnap Penny as well, this would not solve his problem
When they pulled up in front of the house, Zoe looked at Sheldon.
"Daddy," she said. "What if I can't see you anymore?"
The thought clearly pained her, but not as much as it did him, but he didn't consider it.
"Well, first, he doesn't get to decide that," said Sheldon. "You're mother does. And second…I won't allow it."
He had no idea how, he was not in the habit of making groundless claims, but he knew no matter what it took, he would not allow that to happen.
Zoe nodded taking his assurance to heart. It seemed to assuage her fears a git as she began to unbuckle and jump out of the car.
Sheldon followed suit. He took a few steps before he noticed the hand grab his and not let go. Zoe at most would squeeze his hand, but this time she didn't let go. Sometimes it was easy to forget that she was a child, something that he was, at the moment, keenly aware of. It was also easy for him to forget he was just a father, but right now as he battled the urge to throw caution to the wind and hit the road with his daughter in tow, he was keenly aware of that as well.
Sheldon did not even have a chance to knock on the door before it swung open to reveal a disheveled and tired looking Penny. He could see the dark circles under her bloodshot eyes, her nails were bit down short, and he clothes looked unkept and a few sizes too big.
"Mommy," said Zoe sweetly, hugging her around the legs. Sheldon observed the instant effect it had on Penny and she seemed to brighten up a bit, but her smile didn't reach her eyes, so he knew it wasn't completely genuine. Penny caressed Zoe's head sweetly.
"Hi sweety," she said, her voice worn and strained.
"Zoe," said Sheldon, aware that he may be overstepping his boundaries, but he had to say something. "Would you excuse us for a moment?"
She nodded and went into the house without a word of protest. Penny looked at Sheldon when she was gone, he could tell she was already on the defensive.
"What is it Sheldon," she asked. Sheldon considered his words carefully but continued on.
"I don't want to interfere Penny but…"
"Then don't," she said, a little harsher then she intended, but Sheldon knew she was under a lot of pressure and stress at the moment.
"I'm sorry Penny I am just concerned for you current situation. I know I have no right to question you but I am concerned for the well being of both you and Zoe. I understand that there has been some tension…"
"Sheldon," she snapped. "I'm going to stop you right now because you're right, you have no right to discuss this kind of thing with me. Jake and I have just been fighting a little, it's what married people do, it's a part of having a committed relationship." Her words were sharp and pointed and Sheldon could see the look of regret that flickered across her face as soon as she spoke. He didn't blame her, it was all true. But it broke his heart to see the look of defeat come over her face.
"I'm sorry Sheldon," she said, looking down. "Please just..just go…"
Her eyes were shiny with tears. Sheldon wanted to stay, to hug her and hold her, but he didn't. He just nodded.
"As you wish," he said.
"Thank you," she returned stepping back and readying to shut the door. "And she'll call you soon Sheldon," she added, with a nod of assurance. Sheldon felt himself falling more and more for her, here she was, a tired and broken mess because of him, and she was assuring him that he would still see Zoe again.
After she shut the door, Penny watched him walk away through the peep hole, and the tears finally fell as she turned and slid down the door and onto the floor.
"Mommy," came the quiet voice. Penny looked up at quickly wiped away the tears.
"Yeah baby?"
Zoe stepped closer to her and stood next to her, a hand on her shoulder.
"You know, one of the advantages to having a child genius is I can tell that you're upset whether you cry or not…so don't hold back tears on my expense, I know you're upset."
Penny smiled but the tears suddenly were pouring out of her eyes. Zoe moved closer to her and allowed her to be pulled into her mother's tight embrace as she cried silently into her daughter's hair.
XXX
He had dropped Zoe off at home four hours ago, and hadn't left his computer since returning home. The background check on Jake took a few hours, and the rest had been devoted to desperately searching any rights he may have to Zoe.
While he respected Penny, and trusted her, if Zoe's home life was taking any significant negative toll on Zoe he wanted desperately to be able to do something. But he found that there was nothing he could do. He had screwed himself out of the perfect life, with the perfect woman and the perfect daughter….screwed himself right into the wall.
He kept trying to distract himself with science but he couldn't. Every time he closed his eyes to think, he saw Zoe and Penny. Zoe clinging to his hand, not wanting to go home ,wanting to stay with him, just like her mother had. And he saw Penny, her sad, broken look. She was clearly unhappy, and he couldn't believe that he had once been the source of that look, and he couldn't have cared less. He had been a robot…everyone had been right.
But things had changed. He was different. So different that he didn't care that his equation remained unfinished on his board as he desperately searched for some legal right he had to intervene.
Days passed this way. Sheldon didn't leave his apartment, and he never turned his phone off. He didn't want to miss a call. He was constantly checking his phone, turning it on and off again, making sure he still had a signal. He didn't like not hearing from Zoe, especially the way they had parted ways, with her being so scared that she would not see him again. He didn't answer the several calls from Leonard asking why he had missed Thai food night, vintage game nigh and pizza night. He was busy, and on the verge of driving over there and demanding to see her, and likely have an officer escort him off the premises.
His nightmare routine had also been thrown off. It was almost midnight and he hadn't even begun his nighttime rituals yet. He was busy, and everyone knew that when Sheldon set his mind to something it consumed his entire being. So much so that he nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard an urgent knocking on the door, to urgent and paniced to belong to just anyone.
He got up and without even looking through the peep hole (goodness, he was sleep deprived) threw open the door.
Penny stood in front of him, holding a shaking and tearful Zoe close to her. Both were dressed in night clothes.
"Sheldon," she said, out of breathe. "I'm so…sorry…we need a place to stay tonight."
Sheldon could see her battling to keep it together as she held her child to her. But it was impossible for her to hide her distress or the tears threatening to surface.
Without a word, he moved out of her way and cleared a path for her to enter. She didn't even look at him again for a while. She went straight to his room and shut the door. He could hear Zoe crying and it provoked a deep and primal feeling of anger within him. He supposed that was a biological necessity to feel when one's offspring was upset. But that scientific fact did not decrease the effects of the emotion.
He waited patiently for what felt like hours for Penny to work her motherly magic. He heard Penny's gentle, soothing voice whispering to Zoe. Then he heard Penny singing to her.
"Warm Kitty, soft kitty little ball of fur…"
Zoe's voice joined in at that point and the finished in a round. Zoe had said that was hers and Penny's song…he supposed he could lend it to them.
When the song finished, he could hear shuffling inside his room and then the door opened. Penny didn't say anything at first, just closed the door and joined him on the couch. She sat in silence for a moment. Sheldon opened his mouth to speak but then Penny's voice bit through.
"That son of a bitch," she said through gritted teeth. "That goddamned asshole…."
Sheldon could see her digging her fingers into the couch.
"Penny what…"
"He came home tonight...drunk off his ass, reeking of beer and perfume that wasn't mine, complimented well with the red lipstick on his collar."
"Penny," he said. "I'm sorry…"
"That's fine! I don't even give a shit about that right now. He started screaming at me that I've been cheating on him and that I needed to realize how lucky I was to have found someone who would take me and Zoe because most men "won't touch a woman with a kid."
"That's absurd," said Sheldon. "For one…"
"I don't even care about that," spat Penny. "The bastard then continued to accuse me of trying to keep Zoe from him by letting her spend time with you and that she belonged to him, that we belonged to him. He went bat-shit crazy and started screaming that he wouldn't let me steal his daughter from him…" She looked at him, eyes brilliant and firey, clouded with tears of anger and heartbreak for her child. "He scared her Sheldon. I've never seen Zoe so scared, she's never needed to be. He stormed into her room and woke her up. He grabbed her and said that he was leaving with his kid…that she belonged to him…son of a bitch was going to take her."
Penny suddenly stood to her feet, her anger pulsing through her giving her adrenaline.
"I need a drink," she said standing and going over to the fridge.
"I'm afraid I have no alcohol but I would be happy to…"
His eyes suddenly got sight of the back of her head and he was on his feet and standing behind her in a moment. Her hair was matted with blood.
"Penny you're injured," he said. She looked up at him confused and then felt the back of her head, she looked down at her fingers to see they were now crimson.
"Hmmm…will you look at that?"
Sheldon felt that surge of anger again.
"Come along," he said, leading her into the bathroom. He could feel his eyes on her as he moved around. First he took out his phone.
"Turn," he said sternly, though no harshly. She obeyed. He gently brushed the hair to reveal a gash in her head. He realized that it wasn't as bad as it looked, rationally he knew that head injuries bled more, she wasn't hurt that badly, but he was seeing red, and it wasn't her blood.
He drew a breathe forcing himself to stay calm as he took pictures of the injury. He would use this later, whether Penny wanted him to or not. He didn't want either of them to return to Jake, but he would not allow Zoe to, whether he had to break the law or not. He took several photos then proceeded to doctor the wound.
"Now,' he said as he dabbed gently at the wound trying to clean her scalp. "What happened that caused this?"
"Well like I said, he was taking her and about to leave with her. I tried to stop him but he pushed me away hard and I hit my head on our coffee table," she said this flippantly, it clearly did not bother her too much, her motherly instinct to protect her child took precedent.
"How did you stop him," he asked.
"I couldn't think straight," she said. "I could hear her screaming and fighting and crying and I just…I took out a bat and…"
"Went all Nebraska on his ass," finished Sheldon with a drawl.
She smiled slightly despite the circumstances.
"Yeah…yeah, I hit him once, took Zoe and left, pretty sure he was alive, he was swearing and yelling at me from the house.
"Good. I'm glad you hit him."
Sheldon pulled her gently to her feet and squatted next to the tub pulling her down with him. He ran the water, running his hands under the flow making sure it was an appropriate temperature. When he was satisfied he instructed her to lean forward so that she was looking down in the tub her wound facing Sheldon. He gently began to wash her hair.
Penny felt a lump form in her throat as his gently fingers massaged her scalp and washed away the blood. It didn't matter that she was getting the tub dirty, it didn't matter that it was late and his routine had been disrupted. He was helping her without a word of protest. It overwhelmed her.
"There," he said, checking his work. "It looks better."
Penny nodded and stood to her feet. Sheldon handed her a towel.
"Be careful not to disturb the bandages…I'll leave you for a moment."
He assumed she would want some time alone, to breathe, wash her face, whatever she wanted. The first thing he did was to pick up the phone. He didn't care what Penny thought on this matter, he was calling the police and reporting him.
Penny had no problem with this. In fact, she seemed to appreciate the initiative. What she did not appreciate was waiting up for officers to arrive so that she could make a statement and file a complaint. Sheldon drew their attention to her head and showed them pictures of the gash before he mended it. By the time they had finished and he had made Penny about 15 cups of coffee, the kitchen was a mess. After the task of speaking to the police was completed, he started to clean. It was then that he noticed he was shaking. When he heard the story again from Penny, he had nothing to be distracted with and the anger had been growing ever since.
"Honey…"
He spun around, dropping the coffee grounds onto the floor.
"Oh…I'm sorry," she said going onto her knees to begin cleaning.
"Penny," he said.
She remained on the floor desperately trying to gather up the coffee grounds.
"Penny," he repeated. "It's fine. Don't concern yourself with it"
Penny looked up at the man towering over her, her lip was trembling. She had been scared too, she looked terrified, and, worst of all guilty.
"Shit," she said throwing down the grounds she had gathered and leaning back against the counter, silent sobs racking her body. "How could I be so stupid," she said.
Sheldon assumed it was a rhetorical question, and then slowly sat down on his dirty floor next to her, germs and coffee grounds be damned.
"How could I let a man who would do that into my life, into my child's life? I thought he was good," she said, her voice breaking and her head slumping forward in despair. "I really did Sheldon. He seemed to love Zoe and me so much, he didn't care that I had a kid, and then he…I didn't know he would do this."
She turned her head and it rested on his shoulder. He didn't recoil of pull away but rather lifted his arm and draped it over her shoulder and nudged her closer. This was the only encouragement she needed before she was practically sitting in his lap, her face buried in his neck, her hot tears scorching his skin.
He had wanted her back, but he didn't want this. He didn't want her to blame herself, to feel guilt, or pain, or hurt, or to be afraid, or to question her ability to trust after the second man she loved had betrayed her.
"There, there," he said, his voice low and his hand held against the side of her face, his thumb stroking her cheek. "It's okay. Sheldon's here."
XXX
The next morning Sheldon awoke on the couch, Penny's head in his lap. They had fallen asleep that way. When she had worn herself out from crying, he practically dragged her to the couch where she the two of them had fallen asleep. He stood up, careful not to disrupt her and began the task of cleaning his kitchen. In the moment he didn't care about the coffee grounds all over his floor, but now it was bothering him greatly. He set out to diligently sweep every last coffee ground when, once again, he was interrupted by the sound of loud knocking.
Sheldon rolled his eyes and walked over to the door. He looked through the peep hole to see an angry Jake looking at him. This man must really be an idiot. This was not going to help his case to the police. He wasn't even frightened, more than anything, he was angry.
He opened the door and starred down Jake.
"What are you doing here," Sheldon asked, voice clearly indicative of his mood.
"Are Penny and my daughter here?"
"Penny is here and her daughter Zoe is here, yes."
"And did that bitch really call the police, " he asked, his voice raising. Sheldon looked back quickly to make sure that Penny was still asleep before stepping forward and all but pushing Jake into the hall and closing the door quietly behind him. He knew he had very little physical strength, but Jake did not, furthermore he was aware of the effects of anger and adrenaline on a person's physical capabilities.
"No," said Sheldon angrily. "I actually did, and I assume you posted bail, what a shame."
"Listen Shelly if you think that I am going to just let that happen after all I did for that woman, I was the only man that would have anything to do with that single mother and…
Sheldon let out a scoffing laugh.
"You are neither a man nor did you do anything for her. You were incredibly lucky that she allowed you to be in her life, it is not the opposite. But…" he said stepping closer. "You never cared for her did you? You picked her because you assumed a single mother such as her would be needy and dependent upon you, the perfect woman for you to take advantage of. You didn't love her, you owned her, and she never saw it before because she never gave you a reason. But you are nothing more than a sad, pathetic, jealous little boy."
Jake looked at him angrily but said nothing in return.
"And furthermore," continued Sheldon, who was on a roll at this point. "If you lay another hand on Penny or ever dream of laying a hand on Zoe, I swear to the God to whom my mother puts so much faith in, that you will regret it."
"Really," said Jake. "What's that supposed to mean string bean?"
"It means that I am a physicist, and have an understanding of things you could never dream of understanding. I know what acids are most corrosive, which poisons are undetectable, how to make many things look like accidents…I spent many hours daydreaming ways to exact vengeance on childhood bullies and there is nothing I would like more then to put one into practice."
Jake couldn't hide the slight flicker of fear in his eyes which he tried to cover with a sneer.
"Whatever," he said with a sneer. "Tell Penny this isn't over…freak…" he turned and walked down the hall. Sheldon narrowed his eyes and pressed his fingers to his temples but Jake turned the corner with his head intact.
"Damn," he muttered. He turned to open the door but it opened on his own. Penny was standing the doorway, a smile on her face.
"You're um…husband was here, I told him that you didn't want to see him…I'm sorry that he woke you."
Penny's smile grew wider and then with sudden impulse that reminded him very much of Zoe and of old Penny she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, laughing softly in his ear. He found his hands found her waist easier than they ever had before.