A/N: Thank you for all the reviews and follows! Italics are the past.

I don't own The Big Bang Theory or make any money from playing with it.

Let me know what you think.

Chapter 6

Sheldon slumped against his door and heaved a sigh. Why did that, that bohemian have this effect on him? Sure she was increasingly…fascinating every time he ran into her, but she was so…disruptive. He had been curious about her depths into Star Trek fandom, but now he ran the risk of being late for presorting his laundry.

Cera weighed heavily on his mind as he made his way to his room. He couldn't imagine what they could have to discuss, and then she had the audacity to expect him to make time for her. Although aside from dismissing times that obviously were inconvenient for her she was amendable to the times that he set. So really it wasn't so bad.

What was so bad was that he was finding her attractive. Oh yes, Sheldon noticed when a woman was aesthetically pleasing. He was a man and he was not blind. To him it was more than just aesthetics that made a woman attractive, intelligence and vitality were necessary. Sheldon had met many beautiful women. He knew what looked pleasing, especially what was pleasing to him. However those who were merely pretty held his attentions for no more than a few seconds, their beauty faded quickly, never to be noticed again. He enjoyed intellectual discourse with intelligent females, but they often lacked appreciation for his hobbies and whimsy. Those with laid-back, confident personalities seemed to be easy to be around, but lacked motivation. It seemed without all of those traits together, women just fell short, and very quickly. With the lack of desire to even have such company, Sheldon never bothered to search for a woman that had all these attributes.

Cera seemed to possess each of these things in some manner. Her beauty was unquestionable even if she did display it in the most uninhibited way possible. He didn't know the extent of her knowledge, but she hadn't yet proven herself ignorant and her reference to elegant equations certainly had him intrigued. She had spirit in droves, never seemed malicious, and though she seemed to be an insubstantial beatnik, there was a wisdom to her statements.

He had not taken this much notice of anyone since Olivia and it was hard not to compare the two. Cera obviously wasn't as sharp and tailored as Olivia, but she carried herself with a similar natural beauty that used few artificial enhancements. Olivia seemed more refined and elegant while Cera was a free, relaxed beauty. As he had observed Cera interacting with Howard and Raj she had even resembled Olivia. Not in style or coloring, but in habits. Like when she bit her bottom lip and gave a half smile. However those familiar habits disappeared when she spoke to him almost like she intentionally kept a passive face. He many not pay attention to many facial expression and understood even less, but it didn't take much to read a blank slate.

The music from Penny's was loud as Sheldon stepped out into the hall with his laundry basket. He shook his head in aversion. Why Penny thought the entire building wanted to be entertained by her music he would never understand. He stomped down the stairs trying to avert his mind to who else was also behind that door.

Loading the washers in the laundry room Sheldon's thought wandered back to Cera. He had already spent time trying to contrast Cera and Olivia. Now he began to consider the ways they were similar. At first glance they seemed so different, but on the most basic level there were likenesses. Cera and Olivia both had bright blue eyes. They both the same height when barefooted. Both had clear peaches and cream complexions. Cera looked as though she might spend more time in the sun, but she was not what he would call tan. Olivia didn't dress whimsically, but she did seem to like bright colors and being barefooted, nearly as much as Cera. Actually the more he thought about it he began to think that Cera was the Bizarro version of Olivia. And like the Bizzaro Superman, she was not to be trusted.

Arriving back on the fourth floor with his basket, Sheldon could still hear Penny's music. Recognizing the tune he lingered in the hall.

'Embers to ashes/that's how it should be.

You'd think by now my heart would know/ that it could set you free.

The things I've tried, the tears I've cried/ I guess there's no doubt'

George Strait, he should have known. He stomped to his apartment and straight to his room tossing his basket aside and shutting the door, thankful Leonard wasn't home. He slumped on his bed without putting his clothes away as his eidetic memory provided him with remainder of the chorus. Because of his compulsive need for closure he was unable to help himself against finish out the tune.

'You'll always be a fire I can't put out.'

Getting Sheldon into this restaurant that he hadn't "thoroughly investigated" had been easier than she thought. She had to provide him with every bit of information she had on the places sanitation grade, wait staff conduct, fork type. Cera had to 'take full responsibility for any adverse repercussions' and promise full medical treatment if he became ill from eating in this questionable establishment. She would have preferred to sit out on the patio, but knew that asking Sheldon to sit in the sun would be a step to far. This behavior might bug her if she hadn't grown up with a mother who was actually more eccentric them him.

"Olivia, how you talked me into eating in this establishment I will never know." Sheldon murmured as he held the door open for Cera. He walked into a bright room with two pool tables to his left, a massive wood bar on the right that could easily sit sixteen patrons. There were two more pool tables running parallel to the left of the bar. Cera walked beyond the pool tables and bar were several tables sat. Eight tall bar tables against the wall and sixteen more standard tables in the center of the floor.

"Well I didn't exactly talk you into it. I said I was going and would like your company. When you declined, I said I was going anyway, and you could can stay home if you'd like. Of course after I told you I had several long shifts this week and that you probably won't see or hear from me for a while you seemed eager. You'll be lost without me." Cera winked at him as they wandered over to a tall bar table along the wall.

"Are you insinuating I would miss you? Because that is not at all what I had intended in my agreement. I merely meant that as the only person that can provide me with intelligent conversation and appreciate the things I enjoy, your lack of presence may be noticed." Sheldon stated with a huff. The thought of missing her was just ridiculous on the face of it. She made it sound as if he had formed an emotional attachment to her.

"Oh is that all?" Cera said playfully "Well as the only person I know here. Your absence will be noticed too."

"While I had assumed that the lack of my presence would leave a vacancy for you, your statement is not entirely true. You do, in fact know my family."

Cera giggled at his need for accuracy before ordering her food. They settled into a companionable silence after they ordered and as they ate, only occasionally offering small comments. During this time Sheldon looked around and began to notice that she had been right. The patrons of this place did look like business people on their lunch. He had been concerned about eating in an establishment with pool tables, but she had assured him this place was safe, especially for lunch on a weekday.

The soft sound of humming reached his ears. It took Sheldon a moment to realize that it was Cera humming along to the country music over the speakers. Humming was not a practice he had ever heard her indulge in before. The fact that she was spot on with the song told him she was familiar with the song and that she could hold a tune-at least while humming. The only music he'd ever heard her listen to was jazz, and even that was seldom and only in the car.

"I would not have thought you a fan of George Strait."

"Huh, oh…uh" Cera said blushing, having been caught with an interest and ability she had been suppressing for quiet sometime. "Why is that?"

"George Strait just seems incongruent with the Pearl Jam t-shirt."

"Oh well, that was…four years ago. That was the stylings of an angsty teenager so, you really shouldn't make much of that. What about you? You seem to have some knowledge of George Strait."

"Country music isn't exactly a rare occurrence in Texas." After taking a sip of lemonade he added, "My father played quite a bit of country when I was a child. If the radio was on it was either news or George Strait, Garth Brooks, Clint Black. If he was of a certain mood he put on an album of Merle Haggard or George Jones. "

"Oh, that sounds…neat." Cera replied softly noticing the tightness of his jaw as he explained his father. He hadn't really spoken of him before she was curious about the situation, but knew better than to ask.

"It wasn't. My childhood was not neat…Daddy drank, he was angry, he was loud. It was not neat when I was at home and my family worked under the assumption that "That boy ain't right." And it was not neat when I finally left for college and despite finally being near intellectual peers for the first time I was cosseted and unable to break into things based on my age. No, not neat."

"I'm sorry… for your home life. I understand aversions to thing because it reminds you of family. I'm much the same way. I'm doing everything I can, not to mimic them…Nothing can make you as crazy as your family."

"I'm not crazy-." Sheldon started.

"I know you aren't, but you do possess some dysfunctional coping habits because of them. Everybody does, especially myself. And I too have hit the age ceiling as though not as hard as you I'm sure. And I know both of us are still trying to crack through it. But I hope…things are neater now."

"You have no need to apologize. You did not cause any of those hardships….I suppose….yes things are neater, now."

Cera giggled. It seem the somber tone had finally gotten to her. "This is why I always just want to live in the present, dredging up the past has cast a bit of shadow on my burger." she took a long sip of her water with lime.

Sheldon's response was a bewildered look, followed by a shrug and returning to his own food, silence falling over them again. He spent time considering what they had spoken about. He had not heard the term age ceiling before, but really that is what it was. He was hoping that when he went for his next doctorate in the coming fall such a thing would no longer exist. He had finally decided which school he would attend. Many schools had extended invitations to tour their campuses and perks should he chose them. He had been able to do a great deal of research while he was abroad. Since he was listed as a visiting professor and not just a student he was able to bring it with him and many schools found that to be a great reason to court him. He was going over the different possible schools feeling satisfied with his choice when his attention was called away by Cera.

"Have you even been listening to me?"

"Uhh, listening and understanding are two different things…perhaps you should phase that more clearly." Sheldon stated, not wanting to admit his distraction.

"What was difficult about 'Do you play billiards?'" She was both amused and curious about his preoccupation, but wrote it off as just another Sheldon thing.

"I have. Billiard balls and their movement have been frequently used to illustrate principles of physics." Sheldon explained proudly.

"Would you care to play?" Cera asked

"Oh, I don't know. Do you know how many individuals have handled those cues or what their state of health may have been?"

"I…don't know about the germs, but I have some Flu-Armour medical grade sanitizing wipes in my purse that should take care of any bacteria or virus on them."

After a heavy sigh Sheldon said "Very well Olivia, if I must."

"Sheldon, it's a game, not a death sentence. If you don't want to play, we won't. It has never been my intent to force you into things. To me, part of being friends is respecting each other and I respect your wish to decline playing pool."

"You think we are friends?...And you did push me to go to the comic book store in Germany." Sheldon pointed out wondering if indeed this was a friendship, what made it a friendship, and when she began to think so.

"I strongly suggested. I did not manipulate, coerce, or use brute force. You were uptight and needed to relax. And once again-that was years ago."

"So I could play if I chose, but it's not a requirement?"

"Correct."

"Ok."

"Ok? Ok what?" Cera asked as Sheldon got up from his seat.

"OK I will play. If you still so desire."

"Of course." She said with a grin as she followed Sheldon to the tables. Sheldon spent the next few hours proving his proficiency at pool, darts and listening to Cera hum along to the country music coming from the speakers.

Sheldon tossed and turned again that night trying to make sense of all of his thoughts and…feelings. He detested feelings taking up his mental capacity. They caused one to act illogical and rashly. At one point he had used logic and science to explain Olivia. For a time he was successful in that endeavor. She was logical and they had a neatly organized…affiliation. There was a rationale to all of their interactions. At some point the intellect in their exchanges began to be overridden by feelings and instinct-hers. She had begun to express her emotions like a hippie and she tried make him yield to them as well, and that was something he just couldn't abide.

The Bizzaro Olivia had seemed like an emotional hurricane since she stormed out of his apartment that first day. Sheldon had since had to address that the sharpness of the feelings coming off of this woman cut him deep and exposed all that he counted as weakness. If he was going to be continually plagued with these sleep disrupting thoughts, it was going to be a long week.