Chapter 5:

Hi everyone! I wanted to give a quick apology for the wait from the last chapter. There's been a ton going on on my end. But please though, enjoy.

When Sheldon appeared in the year of 2012, he wasn't the slightest bit surprised when he appeared in the alley behind the Cheesecake Factory. He was finding that he it was becoming increasingly difficult to decipher which things he should be surprised by. Plus, Sheldon was on a mission.

Racing around the alley, Sheldon ducked into the Cheesecake Factory. Instantly, he eyed himself sitting at the bar, gulping down a series of Long Island teas. A shiver went down Sheldon's spine as he remembered the thorough vomiting that would ensue a few hours from then, how his mouth tasted like alcohol the next day, despite brushing his teeth numerous times.

"Can I get you a table?" The hostess asked, breaking Sheldon's train of thought.

"Um, sure. Can I sit over there?" Sheldon asked, pointing at the vacant section of booths that was separate from the rest of the mass of tables.

"That section is closed." the hostess said coolly.

"I'm the customer though, I'm always right." Sheldon replied smugly. "Plus, I'm not ordering anything. I'm just keeping an eye on a friend."

The hostess shrugged. "Do whatever you want." With that, the waitress rolled her eyes and walked away.

Sheldon walked over to the empty set of booths and sat down, hoping no one would see him. "I just hope that the hostess has as bad of a memory as Penny does." Sheldon thought.

Moving closer, Sheldon sat where he could hear the conversation he was having with Penny.

"You might want to pace yourself." Penny stated as she watched Sheldon gulp down a Long Island tea. Sheldon nodded in agreement. There were so few moments in which Penny was right about something and he had wished that he had the forethought to think it was possible.

"I drink tea all the time. I think I know what I'm doing." His former self replied.

"Look, Sheldon, your problem is not Wil Wheaton, okay? It's the way you treated Amy."

"My problem is that I'm out of tea."

"Come on, someone insulted your girlfriend and you just let him do it. I thought you Texas guys stood up for your womenfolk."

"Penny, please, I think I've evolved beyond my simple, rustic upbringing."

"Sorry." As Sheldon looked at Penny, he could see the frustrating building in her face.

"On the other hand, that low-down polecat done wronged my woman." Past Sheldon stated.

"Welcome to Long Island Tex." Penny said with a chuckle.

"Amy deserves better. You know, when we buy the Planter's deluxe mix, she eats all of the Brazil nuts so I don't have to look at them. She's a unique blend of saint and squirrel."

Penny looked at Sheldon curiously. "Yeah, that she is. Here you go," she said, handing him another Long Island tea.

"I'm a callous egomaniac. She's going to leave me," his now drunken self replied.

"No, she won't" Penny replied soothingly.

"No, she won't. I'm great." Sheldon said.

Sheldon turned away from the scene, for he knew what would happen shortly. In the next 10 minutes he would continue to joke with Penny before gathering the courage to leave to go beat up Wil Wheaton. "I need to get out of here." Sheldon thought, gathering his jacket and ducking back outside. Shortly, his past self walked out of the Cheesecake Factory.

"Hey!" Sheldon called to him, and his past self turned around.

"I don't understand what is going on." Past Sheldon instantly stated.

"Come with me," Sheldon replied, gesturing towards the alley way.

"I don't understand how this is possible though."

"This," Sheldon said, as they rounded the corner to where the time machine was.

"D-did you do this?" Past Sheldon stuttered.

"I did, with Leonard. Look, I'm here for a reason though." Sheldon stated but his drunk self was not paying any attention to him. He was looking giddily at the machinery. "It's about Amy!" Sheldon exclaimed.

Sheldon looked up from the machinery and at his future self. "What about her?" He asked.

"You need to get your act together." He answered.

"You get your act together. Why should I change?"

"Because you actually do lose her." Sheldon replied, trying to keep his emotions under control. Having to communicate with this drunken form of himself was irritating him to the point that he never wanted to have a drink again.

"What?"

"You lose Amy because you're callous and an egomaniac who doesn't pay enough attention to her." His voice started strong, but his emotions started to catch up to him quickly. "It's the worst thing we have gone through thus far."

Former Sheldon looked at his future self, noticing the pain that started to flood his eyes. "Do you get back together?"

"Yes, and we're happy now. Look, I know this is uncomfortable. Surely, I know better than anyone. It is hard for us to show how we truly feel, but so much of this could have been avoided if we tried more." Sheldon answered.

"Does it start with me beating up Wil Wheaton?" His former self wondered?

Sheldon shook his head. "This is pointless," he thought. "Yes, it starts with you beating up Wil Wheaton."

"Well good." And he turned to leave. And with that, Sheldon turned to leave.

"Don't tell anyone I was here!" Sheldon exclaimed and his past self turned around, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he gave Sheldon a funny look, as if trying to decide whether Sheldon and his time machine were real. After a few moments, he turned around and walked away.

For the first time since Sheldon began his time travelling, he had no clue what to do. Climbing back into the time machine, he sat there deep in thought before typing in a date and disappearing once more.