A/N: Thank you nertooold54 for the review. Thank you, to those that are following. And thank you to anyone who was brave enough to take a chance and just read (I know a lot people back away when an OC is mentioned.)

This story has a complete outline and is already written through chapter 10. It is my hope to stay several chapters ahead of readers. Weekly posting won't always be possible, but I hope to never leave the story for long ;).

Don't own or make any money off of The Big Bang Theory.

Chapter 2

Cera rushed down Los Robles towards the highway, her knuckles white on the steering wheel. She felt faint and nauseated. She had too much going to have to deal with this right now. She'd be angry at Wil, feeling he'd intentionally set her up, but he didn't know-nobody knew.

She was still shaking as she tried her best to keep her voice steady as she entered the house.

"Merritt, I'm home." She called as she walked through the garage door. She imagined no one could hear her anyway, this house was just too big. As soon as she found work she would be able to move out of her childhood home. Perhaps a nice apartment, something cozy, just for her and Merritt.

As she walked from the rec room through the main kitchen to the dining hall, she called again, "Hey darlin', have you been good for Connie?"

"Yes, momma, we're up here." She heard from the stairwell.

"Are you watching Despicable Me, again? I hope this means your homework is done." She asked as she entered the theater room, gazing at her dark haired daughter, but not wanting to look her in the eye. She turned to the housekeeper cum babysitter for confirmation.

"Oh, she was just precious, and she finished her homework in record time-I dare say she is as smart as you and your brothers' were." beamed a proud Connie. Cera was happy to share Merritt with Connie, who had been an integral part of Cera's life since her parents had hired her when she was only nine.

"Momma, I need some minions. Anyone that wants to accomplish anything needs laborers to handle the grunt work while they do the important stuff. My homework could been done faster and my room would be clean and they could even take my piano lessons for me..." Merritt babbled on over top of Connie's description of the afternoon events.

"Merritt Lise, it's rude to talk over others, be aware of people and situations around you. So, what would you be doing with your time if all your tasks were done for you?" Cera asked looking her daughter in her baby blues for the first since entering the room.

Merritt cocked an eyebrow and replied with a smirk, "Thinking...planning...you just never know."

Cera found there was no other way to respond than just to laugh. She laughed until she had tears in her eyes and was sure anyone watching would think she was crazy. A crazy that no amount of testing would disprove.

Sheldon laid awake well into the night. He had felt unsettled all evening. He had a headache. And his stomach was rolling. And he was experiencing a tightness in his chest. He was coming down with something, he just knew it. If his symptoms persisted he would call a physician first thing in the morning. If they increased he was going make Leonard take him to the emergency room. Of course Leonard would be forced to comply according to the roommate agreement, even if it was 12:57 AM.

He had tried to carry on with his normal routine and pretend he wasn't agitated. Holding a conversation with Amy over Skype even proved to be difficult. She, being the brilliant woman she was, noticed his preoccupation and questioned his inability to keep up with a simple game of counterfactuals. He began to bring up the odd woman in his apartment and he had a full rant about her lack of proper footwear that someone needed to hear, but he found himself reluctant to disclose that event to her or how it deeply and personally disturbed he now felt.

This whole ludicrous situation was to be contributed to Penny, of course, for bringing in the barefoot, long haired hippie. There was no telling how many pathogens and contaminates she had brought into his apartment. Penny was getting a strike for this. They both were getting a strike for this. Not that he thought the blonde hippie, whose name he now knew to be Cera with a 'K', would return.

Points were given for bearing the name of Supergirl, however the misspelling was unforgivable. Only a hippie could come with a farcical name such as Kara spelled with a 'C'. Great, now he was experiencing heart palpitations. She must have carried in something fatal. Probably on her bare feet or in all of that long blond hair. Probably both. But it was definitely not due to the fact that her shocked, hurt gaze reminded him of…that. Even now it shouldn't enter his mind because he had already allowed it to cause too much disruption and wasted too much of his time.

He finally fell asleep thinking of bare feet and a reminder of a conversation long ago.

"You're going out like that? You don't have on sufficient footwear." Sheldon questioned.

"I'm just going to the mail box." she replied

"But you are barefooted." Pointed out Sheldon as she opened the door.

"Yes, because I don't like being constricted. It has been documented that shoes can cause foot misalignment." She smirked stepping out. "Besides, I have cute feet and like showing them off."

Sheldon grimaced at this obviously poor and unsanitary decision. She did have a point though, her feet were dainty and attractively adorned with whimsical pastel polish and a ring that contradicted the rest of her button up, professional appearance.

Cera settled into bed in tears after hours of holding herself together. She wasn't completely surprised because she knew that he was in the LA area. She had been keeping track for years, knowing she needed to confront him at some point. Sheldon had actually been part of the reason she had moved here. She had to deal with this. Her conscience insisted, as did her family, who were upset by her secrets.

Sheldon had made keeping up with him easy by being so notable in his field. It also helped that since he hated change, he hadn't moved once, since he left Texas. She had even called the university about 18 months ago, again, in the hopes of a resolution, but he was away on field work and didn't call back upon his return. A lot had changed in the sixteen years since she had first met Sheldon, but to see him in what was apparently his natural setting, it appeared as though nothing had.

It had been several lonely days for Cera immediately following the incident. In that time Cera had a successful interview and accepted a new position. She was thankful the unfounded allegations from Jeff, the ex-boyfriend who worked in the collaborating department at her previous position, hadn't had an impact. It had been over a week since Cera had spoken to Penny. She played an intentional game of phone and text tag with Penny, and she also rescheduled lessons and cancelled friendly outings. She didn't want to shut Penny out, but she knew Penny would have questions she wasn't ready to answer. She also knew she needed to get her emotions together and have a plan before talking to Sheldon.

She was finally able to calm down and apply some logic to the situation a week later. She called on the reasoning and peace she had found in the last decade and remembered that he was right and she too held some of the blame even if he wasn't aware of it. Perhaps if she just eased her way around him through Penny it would not feel like he was being hit over the head. With a sledgehammer. A big one. Maybe he would even remember that he liked her once, not that she had given him a concrete reason to before.

Sheldon had spent several day trying to get a hold of his thoughts concerning the events of that afternoon. This led to Sheldon not achieving adequate REM sleep, not having regularly scheduled bowel movements, and being horribly distracted during both work and play. Even his friends and treasured acquaintance begin to notice.

"Dude, what's up with Sheldon? He seems kind of out of it. He sent me out on two breaks today. I never get breaks. Usually I have to beg to pee." Said Raj as he sat down for lunch.

"He's been off for days. Maybe he's upset because Priya's back. You know how Sheldon gets when Leonard's getting some." guessed Howard.

"Hey!" whined Leonard as an indignant Raj yelled "Dude, That's my sister."

"Where is Sheldon anyway?" asked Howard.

"He said 'the time wasted on such a distraction was intolerable and I must rectify the situation.' You don't think he's going to do something to my sister do you?" Replied Raj, suddenly alarmed.

"Come on this Sheldon, if he was plotting something like that, he'd get Leonard, too." Howard shot back.

"Ha, Ha guys. I don't know what it is, but he's definitely stepped up the crazy," replied Leonard, finishing off his diet Cola.

Sheldon finally had some time alone in his office and he was going to figure this out. Scrawling several encrypted equations across his board he began his analysis of what he knew. The equations were comparisons between two women. On the left was one he had thought he knew well-a smart, brunette in glasses; she wore her hair short in what she called a pixie cut and dressed in sophisticated business suits. On the right was the blond hippie- with no shoes.

He had very little data on Cera, so there wasn't much to record. Just a few hard facts-first name, knowledge of physics, appearance, look on her face before she fled. It was the look on her face that had him perplexed. On the left, on the side that Americans start writing, on the side he wrote first, was her and he could hardly bear to think of her, let alone write much. Name, he knew what it was, no need to write it; appearance, once again no need to write it. There really weren't any similarities. The only connection his mind needing to replay the scared, hurt look on her face. That's what had him so concerned.

Typically, Sheldon didn't understand or care for the expressions of others, though the look on her face, was haunting and called forward a memory long suppressed, yet etched on his eidetic memory.

"Hey Wil, what's up?" answered Cera breathing hard from running for the phone.

"Not much, just calling to see how things are going. Can't I call on the little sister I never had? How are your lessons with Penny?"

"Wil, you have a younger sister…things with Penny are…fine. Why do you ask?" answered a suspicious Cera.

"Yea, I have sister, but it's not you so, you are the sister I never had." Explained Wil laughing. "Sooo, if things are just fine I take it you've met them." he said through a chuckle.

"Who?" Cera was pretty sure she knew the answer before she asked.

"Penny's…friends?" Cera could tell Wil was holding in laughter as he spoke.

"And, why do you care if I meet her…friends?"

"Oh, they're crazy...and brilliant...they just seemed like your type of people."

"Crazy and brilliant-that seems like my type of people? I really wouldn't call myself brilliant and the crazy, well, that's just to keep me from going insane."

"Well, I do think you're brilliant. 'Cuz you're killer on guitar and I know when you graduated high school. And I really don't think you're crazy just…an individualist."

Cera laughed at him, "What a diplomatic answer! Individualist." She giggled more. "And I didn't graduate high school, I just…finished learning…at that level."

"See, its stuff like that that makes me think you'd have something in common with them. The guys anyway, I don't know that many of her friends."

"Well, I met the guys briefly a few days ago. All I know of Leonard is what Penny tells me. I don't know if she loves him, hates him, or is suffering from delusions of loneliness. And Sheldon…well…" she couldn't say any more than that.

"Yea well Leonard's…alright. And Sheldon thinks I'm evil incarnate. I'm even on his enemies list." He laughed.

"Oh honey, what did you do?" Cera laughed as Wil explained his interactions with Sheldon, Penny, Leonard and the remaindered of the group that Wil had led her to.

Ten days after Cera's run in with Sheldon, Cera finally answered a call from Penny.

"Hey ya, this is Penny. I haven't talked to you in a while. Are you ok?"

"No, no- I mean yea, I'm ok. Just busy." Cera answer quickly trying to get past the uncomfortable part of the conversation.

"You just seemed kind of, I don't know, shaken up when you ran out the other day. Sheldon usually has that effect on others, but most of the time he has gotten in a few more sentences. Do you know him?" Penny asked trying figure out Cera's absence and odd behavior.

Cera was dismayed hearing a friend of Sheldon speak of him that way. She knew he was intense and brusque, and had always admired that about him, but he wasn't malicious. The only truly mean things he had ever said was what unraveled it all. So she didn't really think he deserved such a jab at his person. Then again, she didn't really know him, not now.

"Dr. Cooper is known by many….." "Something…had just occurred to me and I had to handle it, it…it was urgent." Cera stammered out a vague answer, hoping that was answer enough.

"Oh, uh, ok." Penny said sounding as though she was unsure how to interpret the answer she was given. "So I was hoping you would come by sometime in the next few days. I have an audition! It's just a commercial, but I get to do some humming. You could help with humming, you know help me get the right key, that's musical, right?"

"Uhhh, humming, yea, I could help. If you needed it. But you don't. You just need assurance to know others are hearing what you hear inside, when displaying yourself. Honey, if you aren't certain of you, no one is." Cera, hoped that reassured Penny. She felt bad for her. She second guessed herself at things she should be confident in and strode boldly into scenarios she should show less audacity. She did her best to inspire in a warm manner. That was the way momma would have taught her. 'Ceridwen, if you possess sureness and serenity you should share it.' Momma sounded so flaky sometimes, but it never hurt to follow her advice and be kind.

"Thanks, you really think that? So can you come by anyway, I haven't seen you in a while. There is a funky little boutique pretty close, they carry those cute little barefoot sandals you like." Penny begged, excited by the genuine encouragement she had received.

After a heavy sigh and a moment to steel herself Cera agreed to go over to Penny's "Sure, just tell me when."

After Cera hung up with Penny she decided she need a plan. A plan that worked on gaining the favor of Sheldon. It would need to be subtle, but it needed to get his attention. So her decisions and actions needed to be clever. She really didn't want him angry or indifferent. She wouldn't treat him like a stranger, because that would be a lie, but she didn't want to overwhelm him with familiarity. She also couldn't be who she had been with him, because that would be a lie now, too.

She need to be natural, do nothing special, and go with the flow. When the opportunity presented itself she would reintroduce herself and ask for some of his time. This did not seem like much of a plan to Cera, how like her to spend all of her time thinking and planning and come up with a plan that felt like winging it. This either worked or, or she needed to call her lawyer. She really didn't want this to become that sort of issue. Because really, Merritt is not an issue at all. She is a person, not paperwork.

She didn't think Sheldon had recognized her. Not that he should have. She was a far cry from what she was. She wasn't the same person any more. That was possibly for the best. Sheldon could meet Cera, as her true self, not the stripped down hollow version she presented the world for years.

Cera reflected on the first time she had met Sheldon Cooper. He was between college and grad school giving lectures in Germany. He had just received his first doctorate. She would never have met him if hadn't been for Braden. The time leading up to that had been so hard on her older brother that she gave in when he came up with the 'educational field trip.'

Cera was dressed in black, her strait hair dyed black, black nail polish, and round blue sunglasses she rarely took off. She lived somewhere between grief and grunge these days. It had been the strangest four and half month of Cera's sixteen years. Strange in a way where nothing was normal, she wasn't sure anything ever could be again. For now the family was pretending hopping from city to city all over Europe was normal. Usually when their parents were out of the country the kids stayed with relatives in either North Carolina or Alabama. They had travelled internationally before, but it was different this time. This time an emptiness traveled where ever they did.

Cera and Braden had lost a semester of school over this, this loss. But losing school wasn't the real loss. They had lost a sibling, a brother. But that was just the tip of it for Braden. Braden had lost his Galen, his twin. They were identical. And in so many ways they were the same, but at the same time being so different. They joked around and called each other their copy while play arguing who was the original. Now the gigantic force that was her big brothers was a solo guy who was floundering.

It had been a relatively minor accident, they were in town so the speed of both vehicles were traveling fairly slow. All of the kids were in the car; Galen, Braden and Cera-even Elliott was with them. Elliott was Galen's best friend and not really blood, but they always joked he'd been in the family longer than Cera.

The car was T-boned, right where Galen was sitting in the driver's seat. There were no broken bones, just many abrasions and minor head trauma for each. Each spent the night in the hospital, Galen had to stay two nights since he bore the brunt on the impact. Unfortunately, the combination of drugs given to Galen reacted badly in his body. The side effects came on to quickly and he was not able to be spared.

As bad as Cera hurt she knew the pain must be multiplied for her mother who lost the child she had carried, for her father who lost his son, and for her brother that lost his other half. So she steeled herself and did what she could to help her family. Even it meant giving to any trivial activity that gave peace, joy or just plain old distracted them.

So Cera had spent the last few months traveling Europe, because their parents couldn't bear to part from them. She was also catering to Braden's whims, even if that was making their European tour a big educational field trip. It couldn't hurt to go with him and advance herself right along with him. Though they needed the semester off to heal, advancements toward knowledge and graduating did not take a break.

"Since mom and dad are going to be in Frankfurt for almost a week, I think I want to ride down to Heidelberg for a day." Braden said as the strolled down the hall away from their hotel room.

"Why would you want to do that? You really think Momma's gonna let us go-Ohhh, I don't know how far away, after, after everything?" asked Cera.

"Cera, I've got it handled. Heidelberg is an hour from here. I talked to momma and daddy several weeks ago, they said it was ok. There is a physics symposium I want to attend, mom and I have conferenced with my advisor at Duke, I can audit the lecture and they will give me a science credit if I present a full report to Dr. Bass when I go back. If you call and confirm I'm sure that you can get some credit for this too, it's very cutting edge stuff. There are five speakers so it probably going to be several hours" Braden explained smugly, he really was on top of something for the first time in months.

"I told you its Liv now, I'm tired of Cera, Ceridwen, no one can say or spell it right. Besides…I'm not the same anymore." Cera mumbled the last sentence more to herself feeling uncomfortable with the direction this conversation was taking. "So this Heidelberg trip, this was just you telling me you were going, huh? Can I go too? I don't want to stay here by myself with Connie." She said quickly changing the subject.

"OK, O'LIV'ia you actually think changing your name is going to make you feel better?" After a beat Braden added "You can always stay and study so you aren't so far behind from missing this semester. But really, Mom and Dad already said you could go if I watched out for you. Arrangements have been made for you as well. School is being very accommodating right now, after the holidays though, we're back into it with both feet."

"Wow you are on it. So, what's it about? Is it in English or do I need to recall what little I remember from Opa's German?"

Cera, was glad to learn the lectures were in English. She didn't think she could deal with hours of monotonous German, even if she could understand. She wasn't as excited about the ride to get there. Braden and Cera's mother certainly was not letting them drive or ride with an unauthorized stranger so the trip was going to be by train. Much to her surprise Cera ended up enjoying the hour long train trip, even if they did have to change trains in Mannheim.

The small lecture hall was surprising to Cera. There probably wasn't even forty people here. This definitely wasn't the Festhall back in Frankfurt. She felt self-conscious for both her and Braden. They were the only teenagers in the room and many of the others looked like they could be their grandparents.

Cera was even more surprised when one of the speakers came to the podium to speak. He couldn't be any older than her! He looked nervous, and uncomfortable in his suit and tie. And when he open his mouth to speak she immediately picked up a district twang informing her that he was an American. A southern American.

Afterwards Braden wanted to approach the keynote speaker. He was hoping for a few pointers on breaking into physics at a young age. This is how Cera came to be standing in front of this skinny Texan who was only a little taller than her. He was gangly, awkward and already taking off his tie, but he did have pretty eyes, Cera noticed.

"Hello, I'm Braden Tollman and this is my sister-" Braden introduced himself and stuck his hand out for a shake. "LIV, Liv Tollman." Cera called out before Braden introduced her by a name she did not want to be called. She noticed Sheldon never offered to shake his hand, but stared at it in affronted manner.

"Any relation to Richard Tolman the physicist who was a leader in statistical mechanics. The dean of California Institute of Technology from 1935-1946?"

"As interesting as that would be, no, we're not, different spelling." replied Braden.

They fell into an easy conversation about Sheldon's groundbreaking work and how inspiring it had been to Braden. Cera hadn't seen Braden look this at ease in months so she remained quiet interjecting questions or comments on occasion, just to remind them she was there. They agreed to walk a few blocks from campus to a nearby café to extend their conversation.

It was good for Braden to speak to someone who didn't know of their tragedy. Neither would ever admit it but the constant looks of sympathy, the 'how are you holding up's, and the pats on the shoulders were making them feel worse, not better. So to have a conversation that didn't revolve around pity, felt good.

Sheldon had been a little surprised by the presence of this guy's sister. She seemed oddly out of place-all black and flannel, not like someone that would care to hang out with a sibling or at a physics lecture. His own sister, Missy, would never have attended such a thing with him, she wouldn't have the understanding of the topic as well as this girl, or the patience to sit through it. Missy certainly would not want to 'hang out' with him. Though he didn't think the girl was a genius, definitely not like him, she did occasionally offer on point questions that he was sure exceeded her age, even if her frequent checking of her watch indicated boredom.

"Do the mysteries of the universe bore you?" Sheldon was accustom to his peers being disinterested in his life's passion so he really wasn't surprised. "I supposed you would be better suited to discussing the guitar riffs of Pearl Jam."

"Why would I want to do that?" asked Cera looking bewildered.

"Typically when one purchases an article of clothing emblazoned with the effigies of an element or person it is an indication of fanaticism. Perhaps that's a level of conversation you are more comfortable with." Sheldon asked, not in a rude manner but merely curious what would interest someone who held some understanding, but chose not to tap into his fount of information.

"And sometimes a shirt is just a shirt- the band, they're alright, you're a fan?" Cera wondered why he was concerned for her interest…and her shirt.

"No, no my older brother, George Jr., I recall him listening to them. Your actions indicate your disinterest even if your line of questions indicate advance knowledge for a typical girl of our age."

"Oh, um…" She murmured standing as if to leave. She didn't want to discuss not being typical, Pearl Jam, or physics any longer.

In Cera's 'display of disinterest' she had actually been wondering about the teenage Physicist. It must have been lonely to be in another country alone, to have a mind beyond those that surround you. She wondered about his family, he had at least an older brother. Does he miss them? Do they miss him? Was this all his life consisted of?

"This can't be all you do-what's fun to you?" Cera suddenly blurted out.

"Do you not find the cutting edge discoveries of the universe entertaining?" Sheldon asked incredulously.

"I most certainly do, however, some days need to be more outstanding. And to stand out-you need to do something out of the ordinary." Said Cera hopping up enthusiastically.

"Well there is a comic book store I frequent, not far from the University. I typically go on Thursday, when they receive their new shipment."

"Well great! Let's go do that." Cera said pulling on her brother trying to sway him to the trip as well.

"I was just there on Thursday, today is Monday. Except for any comic swaps, I doubt they have any new comic books, especially in English."

"Well you'll be with us this time so it will seem new."

"I can't see how the presence of others will change my reaction to things I've already seen." replied Sheldon quizzically.

"The offer was more about company that comics. Something to break through all this foreign-ness. Just a couple of kids hanging out in comic book store, that sounds-homey." Cera pushed.

"Oh, like comrades? Well why you didn't just say that. It does sound reminiscent of home, though I never did have comrades accompany me then either." replied Sheldon

"Well then, Whada ya say?" Cera trying to get something out of him.

"I suppose. What's life without a little whimsy?" replied Sheldon, giving in to this odd girl, but it was only because of the promise of comic books.

The trio were light hearted three hours later as the exited the comic book store. They had discussed many things, both light hearted and serious. The guys both had a love for comics with many of their interest overlapping. Sheldon was surprised by Cera's knowledge on comics. Even if most of it was learned from her brother, and predominantly revolved around Marvel. She genuinely liked X-Men in her own right, as well as the cartoon they had begun airing a few years earlier, despite its obvious deviation from cannon. Sheldon spoke on his quest for the Nobel Prize. Sheldon encouraged Braden's pursuit of physics. Cera asked about Sheldon's family and he had little to say on the matter other than, he missed MeeMaw.

"As this has been an impromptu meeting and I have other things to do, I think it is time we part ways." Sheldon said.

"We need to catch the train back soon anyhow. It was good to meet you." Braden stated.

"It was surprisingly fun, so I suppose it was good to meet the two of you as well." stated Sheldon as he turned to leave.

"Sheldon wait," called Cera. "Would you, could you take a picture with us." She asked shyly.

"For what purpose?" Sheldon asked wondering why this girl could possibly want to have a picture taken with him.

"You know, to remember this." Cera mutter self-consciously.

"As I have an eidetic memory, I'm sure I will recall this meeting." Sheldon replied secretly flattered that a girl would want to commemorate meeting him, even if her older brother did push her to meeting him.

"Liv takes pictures of everything. She feels the need to capture moments into something concrete and tangible because you never know…" Braden trailed off trying to help his sister out with her query, even if he wasn't certain of her motives.

"Yea well, my memory isn't quiet that good so maybe I need it. Besides maybe I want proof that I met a Nobel Prize winner." Cera said with a smirk.

"Oh well then, of course." Sheldon acquiesced to her request having had his ego stroked.

After a few shots had been taken. The group split to go in difference directions yet again and again Cera called out, "Hey Sheldon, do you think I could write you? I could send you one these pictures you don't really need." Cera met many people but due to the constant movement of her family she rarely was able to keep friends very long.

"You want to correspond with me through mail?" Sheldon asked curiously. He couldn't fathom why this girl wanted extended contact with him or why part of him thought that was a good idea. "I think that is acceptable."

After exchanging addresses Cera grabbed Sheldon around the waist hugging his stiff, flailing frame tight. "I know you don't like touchy stuff, but you need some affection all the way over here by yourself." She then darted off after Braden, not waiting for Sheldon's rebuke.

All Sheldon could do was give a stunned "Huh," as he blushed and wondered if the ambient temperature had risen.

"Good Bye Sheldon!" Cera called over her shoulder from half a block away. All Sheldon could do was wave absently and say "Goodbye Liv Tollman."

Cera tucked the photo back into the small lock box.