A/N: Ok, guys, here's the latest chapter. Thank you for all the lovely reviews and please keep them coming, I love hearing from you all! It's finals time here in Graduate Hell, so please bear with me as I hurtle through the last two weeks of the semester. Hopefully, I'll have the next chappie up before the end of that period. Favorites, reviews, and the like, of course encourage me to write faster (shameless plug here, I know :P). Anyway, read on and enjoy!

It was close to midnight when the last movie ended. Penny stretched her arms high over her head, bumping Copper in the shoulder.

"You think it'll be safe for you to go back to your apartment in the morning?"

"I would think so. If not, your couch and I are going to be rather intimately aqquainted for a longer period of time than anticipated. Lord knows what could happen then." Her tone was dry.

Penny chuckled, seemed about to say something and then seemed to think better of it. Copper grinned at her, then rose, stretching her arms high over her head. Her back cracked audibly and she let out a sigh. Damn, that had felt good. Picking up a few empty bags and soda cans, she padded to the kitchen and disposed of the night's trash in the wastebasket. When she looked up, Penny and Leonard were speaking in quiet tones before her friend's green eyes met hers.

"We're going to go across the hall and watch some of the sixth season of 'Sex and The City'. I know you hate it, so Leonard says you can hang around in here and watch tv if you like."

Sheldon's brow furrowed, but he didn't say anything in protest.

Copper blanched, but nodded. "Thanks, Leonard. I'll be sure they play the appropriate dirge for your soul in the morning."

The shorter man gave her a wan smile as he was dragged out the door by a glaring Penny. Copper returned to her spot on the couch, looking over at Sheldon curiously.

"Well, what shall we watch now? Or are you going to sleep?"

Sheldon shook his head slowly. "I'm not tired just yet and I do not have to work in the morning. I'm sure my sleep cycle will not suffer if I indulge myself for one evening, if we are being entertained by the appropriate material."

Copper raised a brow. "Translation: you have something specific in mind that you want to see."

"Yes."

Without another word, Sheldon stood and swapped the discs in the player. He sat down again and hit the play button on the remote. The familair lines of 'Star Trek' rolled out of the speakers and Copper shook her head with a snort. She should have seen that coming. Well, it was his apartment and he was being pretty nice to not kick her into the hallway once the movies had ended. She could appreciate Leonard Nimoy's silky voice for a while before she went to sleep. So, she settled back into the couch and tucked her legs to her right. About halfway through the episode, Copper took the opportunity to study Sheldon's profile discretely. His face was all hard, sharp lines. Not chiseled, like the ruggedly handsome cowboys that had ridden across the sceen in her youth. The curve of his jaw wasn't exactly angular, but then his face was not rounded either. Yet, it wasn't an unpleasant face to look at, just- Sheldon, she reckoned silently to herself.

An explosion broke into her musings and her attention went back to the television. Captain Kirk had just blown something up and Bones had stated the good old 'He's dead, Jim.' Ten more minutes and the universe would be safe once again. The predictability made her chuckle softly under her breath. Perhaps that was a large factor in why Sheldon enjoyed the series so much. It was predicatable and comfortable. You always knew that the day would be saved in thirty minutes or less. It was a certainty that many would find appealing, the lanky physicist included. Copper's gaze slid over to him again. His blue eyes were intently focused and she noticed that his lips were silently moving, mouthing the dialogue. He reminded her of a horse that paced the fence, wearing a dirt track into the ground. It walked the path it knew over and over again, soothed and yet trapped at the same time. The world was narrowed to a single space, a tiny sliver that the horse claimed as his, its comfort and power over that space complete. The one point were everything felt right, it all clicked into place and there was refuge. The horse would not leave its designated world just as Sheldon would not leave his. The thought caused her more sadness than she had thought possible.

It also inspired her. Copper grabbed the remote from off the coffee table as the credits rolled, standing and pausing the DVD. Sheldon turned to her with wide, startled eyes.

"What are you doing? There are four more episodes on the disc."

She smiled at him reassuringly. "I know, I know. I thought, perhaps, that you might be interested in watching something else."

"If I was, I wouldn't have started the 'Star Trek' DVD," his condescending tone was enough to make her grit her teeth, but she otherwise ignored it.

She didn't answer his logic, either, stepping over to the chair that held her overnight bag. Copper stood in front of it for a moment, gathering her nerve. No one had seen her play for a very long time. She turned to face him, crossing her arms loosely across her stomach.

"You saw me play this afternoon." It was a statement, not an accustation.

"Yes." He replied hesitantly.

"Why didn't you say anything when you came in?" Her curiousity was getting the better of her and his reproving stare at her questioning the obvious was proof of that.

"You were neither expecting an audience nor disturbing anyone with your performance. I saw no reason to interrupt you."

"There was no reason for you to linger either." She countered, knowing that she had him on that point.

He didn't respond for a long moment, just watching her warily. He was suspicious of this line of questioning, that she could tell; and he was resentful that she had impeded his continued enjoyment of 'Star Trek'. Copper tilted her head, russet ringlets tumbling over her shoulder at the motion.

"Did you enjoy it?"

His eyes slid from hers then, finding a point on the screen engrossing.

"That is a rather vague question, don't you think?"

Now she was the one who was watchful. Why would he avoid that question? The possible answers were too numerous to consider and she shut them down before they spun into the ridiculous.

"Hardly. You know precisely what I mean based on the context of our conversation."

"And you know that I do not enjoy idle chit-chat, so why do you insist on persuing so insignificant a matter?" The muscle of his jaw was twitching.

"You who speak languages, you are such liars."

He shot her a glare, but she thought that she had probably pressed the issue as far as she was going to get. Instead, she spun on her heel and retrieved the case of her violin. When she straightened, she had it positioned, her bow poised above the strings. Copper gave him another smile, her eyes dancing with mischief.

"Would you like for me to play again? I take requests, you know."

He appeared confounded for a moment, and uncertain. She waited patiently for several heartbeats as he seemed to be arguing with himself. His eyes had become distant, but when she lifted her shoulder in a shrug, they snapped back to her and the present. A powerful melody erupted from the instrument as she manipulated the bow, then she stopped.

"This is one of my favorite pieces of music to play. Do you remember the charge of the Rohirrim for 'Return of the King'?"

He nodded and she began to play again, her fingers steady and sure over the neck of the violin. The corners of her eyes pricked as she closed them, the scene from the movie playing in her mind's eye as clearly as if she was watching it in the theater. She had chosen the song for other reasons than that she simply enjoyed it. It was just familiar enough that Sheldon would be comfortable with the change to his evening, but different enough that perhaps the horse would stray a bit from his self-made track.

Sheldon watched her movements.

Fascinating.

He understood the psychology behind the emotions stirred by music, but it was interesting to watch the process first-hand. When she opened her eyes, they were almost too bright, her expression one of both pleasure and-something painful. It was as if the melody hurt her in some fashion and the notion was one that he had difficulty understanding. Copper had said that it was one of her preferred pieces to play, and yet it obviously caused a range of both positive and negative emotional responses within her. It puzzled him. He asked her about it when she stopped.

"It makes me happy because it evokes nostalgia. It makes me sad for the same reason."

Sheldon furrowed his brow and she laughed softly, shaking her head at his bewilderment. He filed the information away despite its contradiction.

"Now, what would you like for me to play?" She asked him a second time and he thought for several moments before replying.

"Have you ever seen 'Game of Thrones'?"

When she grinned and the theme immediately resonated through the room, he had his answer. She couldn't seem to remain still, however, stepping in time to the sweeping rhythm of the melody. Copper spun, then bent her body backwards in a dazzling display of agility that he found beguiling. She rose seemingly effortlessly, the muscles in her calves flexing at the dexterous performance. There was a bright smile flitting around her lips and when she concluded, he applauded her.

"A spirited and rousing execution! I must say, that was rather pleasant. Have you ever considered playing in an orchestra in a professional capacity? I am certain that you would be more than adequate."

Copper laughed again, an easy smile gracing her features at his compliment. How simple he found it to award her with her due credit, though he attributed that fact to the design of his master plan. He needed to put her at ease, he told himself.

"I had not thought about it seriously. I'm happy in my chosen profession. Here."

She approached the couch and placed the violin in his hands. He held it and the bow awkwardly, almost afraid that he might break the instrument. Usually he had no fear when it came to discovering a new activity or field. He was a genius after all, and rarely needed outside instruction in anything that he set his mind to learn. Copper's violin was an entirely different affair. He had seen first hand that it was precious to her and he was loath to be the cause of its destruction through his lack of experience in handling it.

Copper gestured for him to stand and she held up her hands to him.

"Allow me to show you how to hold it?"

Sheldon hesitated. He despised physical contact of any sort, though he tolerated the touches of his family solely because he had no say in the matter. Copper was not forcing her hands on him, however. They were safely clasped in front of her, her head tilted in a way he had come to understand as her expectant look. She spoke again, in a gentle tone.

"Would you prefer if I demonstrated for you and then gave you the violin back to mimic me?"

He nodded, none too relieved at the suggestion. She plucked her instrument from his hands and held it up.

"Now, your chin is placed on the rest here. Be sure your arm is out and somewhat cradling the back of the violin, but that doesn't mean the two have to touch. You want it to feel like a natural position. You have heard, of course, of the concept of an item being an extension of your arm?"

"Of course."

"You are going to have to stand a bit closer in order to observe properly, Dr. Cooper."

His head snapped up, his mouth opening to retort, but he just as quickly stopped himself. He could detect no mockery in either her tone or her expression. He realized she was attempting to put him in control of the situation, in order to make him feel more at ease. He was the student here, but he was also the one who dictated how the learning experience would be conducted.

"Very well."

Copper was patient, explaining even the minutest detail to him and answering his many questions as thoroughly as possible. When she was satisfied that he had a decent understanding, she gave him the violin to hold once again. He mimed what she had shown him, holding the instrument aloft. It was much shorter for him and he had to bend his arm more than she did. She corrected his stance a bit, then had him grasp the bow as she had taught him. According to her, the motions of playing felt as though the violin played you, not the other way around. It was a part of you and the music created was as innate as speaking one's thoughts verbally.

"That's actually what making music is. You express your ideas through words and actions. Music is the step in between, where your thoughts become notes played across the strings. Words are unneccessary and cumbersome with the violin, useless when attempting to make your reflections tangible. It's a language unto itself, just like mathematics."

"That is an intriguing comparison, but one I could see the logic behind. I believe I am beginning to understand that there are some things one must have experience about in order to master it."

Copper grinned at him, her hands resting on the curves of her hips.

"A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way."

"So it would seem," he hesitated again, unsure how to ask the next question, but it was important, to his plan, of course, that they begin to overcome one of his personal obstacles.

She was standing to his right as he turned his head to met her grey eyes.

"Would you be so kind as to direct my arms so that I might attempt to play?"

Copper felt stunned and she was certain her face showed it. He really wanted her to touch him? She searched his face for an answer and what she saw indicated that he was very serious. The horse wasn't straying from the path, it was galloping across the field. That hadn't been her intention, but he seemed sincere in his request.

"If you're sure."

"I wouldn't have asked if I were not."

Alright, that was more like the Sheldon Cooper she had come to know.

With slow, deliberate movements, she raised her hand and tentatively placed it on his sleeve. He didn't flinch, so she kept it in place and moved to stand directly in front of him. His cobalt gaze followed her every movement and it was making her jittery. Raising his elbow, she showed him how to place the bow lightly against the strings. As she shifted his other arm to allow for their difference in height when holding the violin, she explained how differing pressures against the strings produced varying sounds. His shoulders relaxed as she spoke, letting her immerse him in a world that he had previously not given much thought.

Copper gingerly touched his finger with hers on the neck of the violin, mildly surprised how warm his digits were.

"Now, the placement of your fingers here on the neck have as great an impact on the tones created as that of the bow. It is their work in tandum that produces the music. Like so."

She stood to his left, raising her arm to gently place her smaller fingers beside his, demonstrating a simple position. He copied her, but it wasn't quite right.

"Close. Here, bring your index further down," she adjusted the slender finger, "And seperate these two a bit more. Good. Now, reach with your middle finger to-here. Perfect."

Her cheek brushed against his shoulder as she checked his alignment and she noticed that he jumped slightly at the unexpected contact. It made her want to giggle a bit, but she bit her lip to rein in that urge. What was the point of having a breakthrough if you threw it out the window? Better to take notes and make silent observations. She had to admit, however, as she altered his stance by nudging at his ankles with her foot, it was fun to see what touch cause what kind of reaction.

When she admited that to herself, she paused. Luckily, she had an impregnable poker face, so her thoughts were not revealed on her features. Since when did touching Sheldon have an appeal besides the given irritation it provoked? Copper mentally shrugged the question aside for a more opportune time. Her delay must have been longer than she realized, because she caught him licking his lips nervously out of the corner of her eye.

"Copper? Is this correct?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes, it's perfect. I'm sorry, a thought crossed my mind. Here, let's give it a go."

She stood behind him then, close enough to smell the scent of his laundry detergent. Copper peeked around his shoulder.

"Alright there?" he nodded and she continued, "Good. Now, I'm going to put one hand here and the other here."

Reaching one hand to his shoulder to keep him still and the other to guide his elbow as he moved the bow across the strings. It was off-key, but not the screech that she had prepared herself for. Copper directed his arm back again, bringing out a different note.

"That's wonderful for a first try!"

"Did you truly doubt me?"

She smirked behind his back and then once again moved to stand in front of him as he lowered his arms.

"And what if I did?" she challenged, a playful glint in her eye.

"Then you clearly have still not learned to appreciate true genius when you see it."

Copper stepped closer to him, knowingly invading his personal bubble. She was much too close, but she was enjoying herself too much to care at this juncture. His eyes widened a fraction, but he didn't back up, which intrigued her. There was something going on in that self-proclaimed brilliant mind, she could see it in the way he watched her; like a prize fighter sizing up his opponent.

Her fingers wrapped around his on the neck of the violin at his side, applying just enough pressure for him to bend close enough to be eye level with her.

"I reiterate the question in a different form, Dr. Cooper. Your point is?"

He was so close that she could feel his body's warmth seeping into the front of her t-shirt, could make out the flecks of lighter blue amidst the cobalt in his eyes. That gaze was intensely searching hers, as if looking for the answer in her own grey depths. Copper shifted a hair's breadth closer, testing the limits of his tolerance.

"I'm waiting."

Copper really couldn't say at that moment, however, what exactly she was waiting for.

Sheldon could feel his heart rate increase slightly as soon as her warm fingers had wrapped around his. Her words had barely registered, as he found her lips forming the words much more interesting than the actual question she posed.

Fascinating.

His quick mind was nearly too consumed with processing his biological reactions to her proximity than to answering her. What was causing these sensations? Why was it that she was the first person to elicit such responses? When she spoke again, he actually felt her soft breath against his lips and cheek, sending another rush of that something right down his spine. The same thing that he had felt when he had watched her dance earlier that day.

Before he could answer her question, however, the door banged open, Wolowitz bursting in and his arms flailing wildly. The sound caused them to leap away from one another and he noticed that Copper's features flushed deeply. Then her hair fell forward and covered her face.

"You guys will not believe the chick Raj picked up tonight! She had a rack that-" he stopped, looking between the two other people in the room, "Am-I interrupting something?"

"Just a music lesson, Howard, what's going on with Raj?" Copper deflected fluidly and Wolowitz seemed all too happy to gush about the 'hottie' Raj had hooked up with at the old fashioned arcade down the street.

Sheldon took a breath, carefully storing Copper's violin back into its case. He also took the opportunity to collect his scattered thoughts. Feeling adequately composed once more, he turned to see Copper shooing Howard towards the door.

"Howard, go home and call Bernadette. Tell her all about it. I have to get some sleep and you know how Sheldon gets when he doesn't get the proper amount."

That had the little man dashing down the stairs. Sheldon frowned, not appreciative of the implications, but he dismissed the resentment as the intriguing redhead practically scurried across the room and grabbed the handles of her bag. Sheldon whirled in place, trying to keep up with her flurry of movement. When she got back to the door, she turned around to regard him with an expression he couldn't decipher.

"Sheldon," she began, but stopped.

"Yes?"

She parted her lips to say something, but then shook her head.

"Nothing."

"Wait, Copper?" He strode towards her, shoving his hands in his pockets as she turned the knob. She paused, looking back at him with her head tilted.

He bowed his head a moment, searching for the right words for this situation. He had no previous experience to draw upon and found himself uncertain just how to proceed. She needed to be at ease around him, in order to further his plan. So, he just said what came to mind at that moment.

"I enjoyed this evening with you. I hope that you are willing to give me further lessons in playing your remarkable instrument." He tried to meet her eyes as he spoke.

When she smiled at him, he was pleased to see his instincts had been correct.

"Me too, Sheldon."

Quicker than he could react, she had reached up on her tiptoes, placed a very light kiss to his cheek and closed the door behind her. Sheldon blinked, the sensation of her lips lingering on his skin.

Intriguing.