Chapter 3

The car ride home was awkwardly silent even after Sheldon and Leonard picked up Penny from the hospital who had come out with a sling on her left arm and her right leg in a cast resting on a scooter. She wanted to ask Max what happened to her but was too exhausted to talk so she didn't say anything about it. While Leonard went across the hallway to get Penny settled, Sheldon took Max into his and Leonard's apartment. He gently walked her to the center of the couch and said, " Sit here one moment, I'll be right back."

" Ok.", Max cried as Sheldon helped her sit down before heading to the bathroom. He came back moments later with his first aid kit and set it on the coffee table in front of the couch. He then opened it and took out some latex gloves, disinfectant wipes, cotton balls and a small bottle of hydrogen peroxide. He also took out some adhesive medical gauze and some bandages.

" What's all that stuff for?", Max sniffled.

" This is to treat your injuries.", Sheldon said as he pulled on the gloves.

" Are you sure you know what you're doing?", Max sniffled.

" Of course I know what I'm doing. I may be a theoretical physicist but I can treat minor abrasions and injuries.", Sheldon said as he gently wiped blood of off Max's lips and underneath her nose using a disinfectant wipe. While he was doing so he asked, " So, if you don't mind me asking, who was that man that assulted you Max?"

" My jerk of a boyfriend Andre Brix. He's actually now my ex.", Max sniffled.

" Well good Lord is that man in a gang or something?! His language is very displeasing!", Sheldon asked as he opened the bottle of peroxide and dipped a cotton ball in it.

" Yeah, he's in this gang called Red Dead 7. It's a very violent street gang. They go around town mugging and robbing people and then they resell the things they stole to get drugs.", Max sniffled as Sheldon gently dabbed the cotton ball under her nose. She squinted her eyes shut clenching her teeth in pain as the peroxide made contact with her wounds.

" Ow, that stings!", Max exclaimed as tears continued to fall from her face.

" Oh sorry, I forgot to mention that. This is so that it doesn't become infected.", Sheldon said as he continued dabbing her wounds. Then he took the adhesive gauze and gently wrapped it around her nose.

" Thank you.", Max cried.

" My pleasure. Let me see your wrist for a moment.", Sheldon said. Max gently lifted her hand off her thigh and Sheldon looked at her hand and wrist. It was black and swollen with some bruising but not so bad to the point of needing it amputated at a hospital. Sheldon gently wrapped some bandages around Max's hand and wrist before sliding the pillow in his spot against the arm of the couch. As he helped her lie down he said, " Wait here."

" Ok.", Max softly said. Sheldon disposed of the gloves he was wearing and put his first aid kit away. Then he went into the kitchen and grabbed an ice pack out of the freezer wrapping it with paper towels before walking back over to Max. He gently placed the ice pack over her bandaged wrist and covered her with a blanket.

" Why am I laying here now?", Max softly asked.

" Well, situation protocol calls for that one must rest if they fall ill or in your case become injured.", Sheldon said.

" I'm fine Sheldon, it's just a broken nose and a manhandled wrist. Besides, I'm not even tired.", Max softly said but then she yawned.

" I'm sorry but that is non-optional. Get some rest. I'll be sitting here at my desk if you need me.", Sheldon said as he sat down at his desk. Max acknowledged what he said before she drifted off to sleep. A soft smile began to spread across her face as she slept. The act of kindness and gentle care that she received from Sheldon made her feel comfortable. She now felt like she was safe even though he was a complete stranger that she had yet to get to know.

" Hey Sheldon I'm back! I just got Penny settled…", Leonard suddenly said as he walked in but was quickly silenced by Sheldon.

" Shhhh! Max is sleeping!", Sheldon whispered as he pointed at Max who was sleeping soundly on the couch. Leonard acknowledged this.

" Ok. I'm just going to go to my room for a few hours.", Leonard whispered as he quietly set his keys in the bowl before he quietly made his way through the apartment and down the hallway to his bedroom. Sheldon nodded his head at this before he turned back to his laptop. As he continued working on his laptop he couldn't help the feelings that were suddenly emerging knowing that his secret crush was laying on his couch just a few feet away. Knowing that Max was now single also made an impact on Sheldon's feelings as in it increased them even though he didn't know her yet.

' Oh what fresh hell is this?! Why am I still thinking about Max?! I have more important things to think about and yet this woman seems to be continuously invading my thoughts! I'm a Homo Novus! Why would I waste my time persuing a relationship with this woman instead of focusing on the things that really matter to me?! I barely know this woman and more importantly what would Amy think about this?! We may be broken up with each other but we're still friends and I would certainly not want to ulter our friendship paradiagm because of this! I must deal with this somehow but the question is however shall I do it?!', Sheldon thought as he looked over his shoulder at Max. She shifted slightly as she continued sleeping. A few hours later when she woke up and before Sheldon and Leonard took her home, she left a note sitting on their kitchen counter which was addressed to Sheldon. In the note, she thanked him for taking care of her and for punching her ex-boyfriend in the face before leaving her cell phone number at the bottom, telling him that he can call or text her anytime except for when she's working unless it's an emergency. This gave Sheldon mixed feelings when he read it because he still wasn't sure of what to do. Part of him wanted her so badly but the other part was telling him that this was all nonsense and that he should just forget about Max.

" You ok buddy?", Leonard asked as he stared at Sheldon who was deep in thought.

" Oh… yes, I'm fine.", Sheldon said as he snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of his best friend's voice.

" Were you thinking about Max?", Leonard asked.

" I… no Leonard! Why are you so obsessed with what I'm thinking about all of a sudden?! Didn't I just tell you, Howard, and Raj that I have more important things to think about?!", Sheldon adamantly denied as one of his eyebrows twitched in frustration.

" Oh please Sheldon, you couldn't tell a lie to save your own life! Whatever the hell this is that you're doing or thinking about you're clearly not doing a good enough job of hiding it!", Leonard shot back as he narrowed his eyes at him.

" Leonard I would greatly appreciate it if you would just drop the subject! I don't need this incessant catterwauling from you or from anyone else!", Sheldon hissed.

" What the hell is that supposed to mean?!", Leonard shot back.

" naDevvo' yIghoS!", Sheldon shouted in Klingon before he stormed off to his bedroom with the note Max had left and slammed the door shut.

To be continued…