A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews and the faves! I know this is really different from a lot of the S/P (or any TBBT) fanfic out there, but I'm glad that you guys like it so far. :D
Chapter 7
"…and the idea of phrenology in the 20th century was misused by numerous parties, like the Nazi's, but that wasn't why it was rejected. In the end, it was all just a bunch of hokum." He graced Penny, who had remained silent during the length of his speech, his look of haughty derision.
"You…are such a whack-a-doodle. I hope you know this." She chuckled softly, slightly leaning against him as they walked.
Sheldon had noticed that, in the duration of their time together, she was very keen on touching him (most of them were subtle, such as brushing her hands against his, all of which left a ghost of a tingle.)
He found that he didn't mind being in such close proximity with this Penny, however. Perhaps because he knew that she, unlike the real Penny, did not harbor harmful bacterium. Yes…that is the most logical explanation.
"You have stated it on numerous occasions, but you have yet to prove it through scientific means, Penny."
His mind had begun formulating a mental diagram on an experiment that would allow Penny to test her hypothesis, but something had made Sheldon suddenly halt.
"Sheldon?" Penny raised her eyebrows questioningly.
"Listen." he whispered.
Behind them, a steady, heavy pat pat pat grew louder. He could not discern the cause of it, but it was getting closer to them.
To say that Sheldon's vast imagination was overflowing with every possible worst-case scenario would be an understatement.
This is it. My passing will happen while in a coma, mauled to death by the legions of cognitive Cybermen, Morlocks, and oh good lord…Tribbles!
"Sheldon, you can't die by tribbles." Penny pointed out, matter-of-factly. He gawked at this. Apparently, she could read his thoughts, but he would question this later.
There were more pressing matters at hand.
"Besides," she mused. "Don't they mew?"
"They mostly purr, but I cannot rule them out because of a lack of incessant purring." The sound echoed vehemently, and he harshly whispered to her, "You know not of their evil, Penny! Even Spock was rendered helpless against those foul, fuzzy demons. They could very well multiply and drown us depending on what their diet has been!"
The patting sound stopped, and Penny suddenly squealed.
"Aw…how cute!" Her gushing reverberated around them.
I knew it…hello, death by Tribble horde…
"Hello, little froggy!"
…Little…froggy?
Sheldon, who had raised his arms over his face as a means of bracing himself for his inevitable doom, cracked an eye open.
Sitting before them was indeed a frog, but it was by no means little. Ceratophrys Ornata, he mused. But it was not your run of the mill horned frog.
Sitting upon its face were thick black spectacles.
"Fascinating." He muttered. Something about its eyes, with its horizontal pupils, was familiar…as if it were suspiciously squinting.
The frog blinked slowly at him and croaked. "Shel-dun." It had such a distinct whine to it, and he grinned. Ah…that was it! Moving his bag aside, he knelt down and acknowledged it with a quick twitch of a nod.
"Leonard."
"Shel-dun"
"Leonard."
"Shel-dun." The Leonard-frog puffed its slime-covered body and, turning, disappeared up a flight of steps that had not been there a moment earlier.
Penny let out a low, amused whistle. "That was cool. Should we follow him?"
He gave her a look that said, 'Really, Penny?' causing her to giggle. He gestured for her to go first, and, with a small curtsey, she ascended the steps with Sheldon following close by.
Leonard heaved another sigh.
Penny had gone to the restroom, and he was finally able to scrutinize his slumbering roommate.
It has now been 2 and a half weeks since the accident, and although there were many improvements physically, Sheldon still could not be roused from his coma.
Even now, he's still stubborn. The thought caused Leonard to smile.
Admittedly, the first few days without Sheldon's routines and his quips had been bliss. Leonard had been given free reign over the apartment, and with Penny at the hospital, no one was around to stop him.
Yet, the exuberance of freedom was short-lived. He couldn't help but miss Sheldon.
Looking around him to see if he was still alone, he quietly called out Sheldon's name.