Love Is Hell

Chapter 30: Journey Beginning

A/N: Celebrate, because I'm back in business. As to those who've actually noted my faults in time management (literally), I'm just telling you to forget the time it's actually been between Kate and Sheldon and let's say they've been together for almost ten months now, okay? No more reviews about time shit! Just be fucking happy that I'm actually continuing this story, and not hanging it. To those who've kept patience in my come-back, I'm a little rusty, considering it's been a week but it'll get on as time goes by. Enjoy! :D

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Kate showered as quickly as she could in Penny-Leonard's apartment. When she stepped out, she clumsily lifted her leg out and then stumbled across the floor, hitting the door then landing on her naked butt. She muttered a few obscenities, cursing the ground and then herself for her clumsiness, then managed to dress properly without a butt injury.

She opened the bathroom door to exit and found Sheldon there, waiting for her.

"Do you have any idea how long you've been in there?" Sheldon scolded. He pointed to his watch. "Now we have only forty-five minutes to get to the train station before they deport."

"Only forty-five minutes?" repeated Kate, half-smirking. She passed Sheldon wordlessly and entered their apartment, putting her dirty clothes into the hamper.

"What are you doing?" Sheldon inquired in a less than scolding tone. He seemed to hear her obvious skepticism in the bathroom and reverted to inquiring her actions instead.

"Putting my dirty clothes in the hamper. Why?"

"You can just take them with you," Sheldon told her in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Why? So your mother can do them?" asked Kate.

Sheldon stared at her after a pause, saying, "Yes."

"I'm not having your mother do my clothes," Kate stated after a beat. She took her suitcase and Sheldon took his. As they checked a quick scan over their items to make sure they had everything (for the fifth time), they walked out of the apartment; Kate closed and locked the door behind them.

"Why not? She loves doing laundry," Sheldon noted as they walked down the stairs.

"I doubt that."

"She's a woman, Kate."

"Doesn't mean she likes to do laundry."

"You like doing my laundry," Sheldon pointed out.

"No, I don't like doing any laundry," Kate replied. She looked at him as they walked down the staircase. "I hate doing my laundry. Plus, it's the holidays. I doubt your mom wants to do anything but cook dinner."

"You two can make it an activity," said Sheldon.

Kate stopped in mid-step and looked at him. He saw her do this, and he gave her a confusing look.

"Why did you stop walking?" asked Sheldon.

Kate ignored the question; in turn, she stated, "What do you mean by activity?"

"In a matter such as these, a mother and her son's chosen mate regularly bond together over a series of activities, Kate; this can be something simple as laundry, washing dishes, or talking about different cutlery, or as drastic as robbing a semi-national bank." Sheldon told her. He shrugged and said quietly, "If you are attempting the latter, I suggest doing so with my sister; she's more brawny and if you two run into boisterous, rude police officers, she can threaten their existence of their testicles. I should know; it hurts."

Kate stared at him still.

"Why would I do laundry with your mother at all?"

Sheldon sighed tiredly, saying, "You spent a whole half-hour lecturing to me how you would want me to care whether or not my mother and sister like you. To approve my concern for your petty worries, and they are petty because I hardly see the need in doing so, you may attempt to bond closer to my matriarch by joining in an activity she finds mindless and decadent, so as to improve the circumstances with banal chitchat."

Kate rolled her eyes, saying, "I said I wanted you to care about whether your family likes me or not, Sheldon. I didn't ask you to become activities' director."

"I'm just being supportive," said Sheldon lightly. "Be happy you get that much. From my understanding, not all boyfriends try to care about what goes on between their families and their friends."

Kate again rolled her eyes but she was smiling. Sheldon walked after her and they stepped into the Batmobile car. They placed their luggage in the back of the vehicle; Sheldon took the passenger seat and Kate took the driver's seat. He was jumping in his seat with enthusiasm, saying, "I can't wait until we get to the trains. I love trains."

"I know," said Kate.

"I'd hope so," Sheldon noted. He looked at her excitedly, saying, "When we get there, I'll show you where they keep the oxygen masks."

"Oxygen masks?" asked Kate. She started the engine, turning to him. "Why would I need one?"

"You claimed to have experiences of entrapment while riding trains, of course deriving from your fear of tight, enclosed spaces. Should you experience shortness of breath, there are compartments in the train to allow one deprived of oxygen to breath slowly into one and allow lung expansion." Sheldon stated.

"I didn't know they have those."

"They don't," Sheldon stated. "However, I've brought one of Leonard's spare inhalers should something like that happen." He shook his head and said, "The trains would have them if the manufacturers paid any attention to the letters I've sent them. I hardly understand the reason why people try not to listen to what I have to say."

"People don't have to take your word for everything you say, Sheldon," Kate stated, driving down the road.

"Of course not. Free will is an obliged state of action, unfortunately. I'm not saying they have to, but they should." Sheldon told Kate bluntly. "You do."

"That's because I love and respect your opinions," Kate told her.

"They're not opinions, Kate. They're truths."

"That is your opinion," Kate replied smoothly.

"For instance: Evolution is a fact, not an opinion." Sheldon told her.

Kate smiled sympathetically, saying with a soft, gentle voice, "And that is your opinion, Shelly."

Sheldon stared at her curiously and with a soft undertone, he said, "I have a feeling you don't need to bond with my mother to have her like you. You sound just like her." He frowned slightly and then said happily, "Hey, look, they put a wind mill in the putt-putt course!"

Kate chuckled and began the forty-five minute drive to the train station.