Chapter 4

It was Wednesday night, and the gang was over to eat Chinese and play some video games. Sheldon glanced around the room; everyone was there, except Bernadette. Amy was there, but she had been quite non-communicative this week. Typically they saw each other several times a week, either lunches at work, or she would pop by his office, and he to hers. This week her emails were quite short and to the point, saying that she was quite busy at work and didn't have time to meet. He knew that she was upset about something, but he was a bit puzzled as to what. Well, she came tonight, so that must be a good sign. He sat down in his spot, and glanced over beside him, expecting Amy to sit next to him. She went to the big chair, and squeezed in beside Penny who was texting on her phone. Sheldon frowned.

Amy glanced over at Sheldon. She was having a lot of trouble dealing with what she had overhead in the cafeteria. Sheldon didn't see her as a romantic partner? Why did he ask her to be his girlfriend then? Was it simply a possessive move to keep her from dating someone else, and not because he had feelings for her? Why did they even kiss at the end of their dates? She had thought he had enjoyed it, like she did. Maybe she was wrong. Perhaps she was wrong about a lot of things.

She glanced back over at Sheldon, who was happily eating his Chinese food. Everything about him was annoying her right now. How he spoke, how he was chewing his food, the way he sipped his drink….everything. Ugh…she knew she was just mad, she needed to focus on something else. She glanced over at Penny who was texting some friends at work on her phone. Bernie had not yet arrived from work. She was feeling quite bored.

Suddenly her phone vibrated in her pocket. She pulled it out and looked at it. It was a text from Barry Kripke. She smiled and opened her text program.

Barry: Hey Bio Whore…are you there?

Amy started laughing. Sheldon gave her a questioning look, but she looked back down at her phone. She quickly texted him back.

Amy: Bio Whore! Lol, If you call me that, my mother won't let me talk to you anymore.

Barry: Well we wouldn't want that. What are you up to?

Amy: Watching the guys play some first person shooter game. Bored out of my skull.

Barry: You're not playing also? It's a good way to take out aggression. If Cooper pisses you off, just shoot him.

Amy: Very tempting idea…

Barry: Well the reason I'm texting is that I finished the paper on Light Cone Quantization with the idea I got from you. I was wondering you'd like to read it?

Amy: I'd love to read it. Send it my way.

Barry: Well I'm still tweaking it a bit right now. Why don't you come by my office tomorrow morning? I'll give you your own copy. My office is 118, down the hall from Cooper's.

Amy: Sounds good. Does 10 am work?

Barry: Yup, that's perfect.

Amy stared at Sheldon who was happily playing video games wearing his Superman t-shirt. She felt overcome with a wave of annoyance when she looked at him. How could he sit there all smug, like everything was perfect? When she had told him she was upset, he didn't even really care. He didn't even bother to see her point of view. She grabbed the phone and opened her text to Barry.

Amy: You've called me Red and BioWhore now… I think it's only fair that I give you a nickname.

Barry: Oh really? Well I'm partial to "Sexy Boy" or "The Brad Pitt of Physics" if you need ideas.

Amy burst out laughing. The guys and Penny looked over at her. "Sorry, sorry…I just read something funny". Penny looked at her curiously…she could see that she was texting someone. She leaned over to try to see who Amy was texting, but Amy was shielding the phone away from her. She started typing away.

Amy: Well I wanted to incorporate your name into it, so I think I like "Kripkenite"

Barry: Kripkenite?

Amy: You know like Kryptonite.

Barry: I guess it's cute. I still like my suggestions, but we can go with Kripkenite. I like being the one substance that can cripple Superman.

"Who are you texting" Penny whispered.

Amy slipped her phone back in her pocket. "Oh its just a colleague from work…well Sheldon's work. You know Barry Kripke?" Amy whispered back.

"Ewwhh! Amy! That guy is such a creep. Why are you talking with him?"

"He's not a creep…he just might come off that way if you don't know him well. He's actually quite nice."

"Does Sheldon know that you two are friends? He hates that guy." Penny whispered.

"Sheldon doesn't dictate who I can or cannot be friends with." Amy said tensely. "Besides, we are just friends, nothing more."

Penny laughed. "Of course, I know that. I've never met anyone more devoted to their boyfriend than you." Penny went back to texting her friends on the phone.

Amy felt a twinge of pain run through her body. She was devoted to Sheldon, but right now she was not happy. Was Sheldon devoted to her like she is to him? She sighed. She felt overcome with the feeling, that he just didn't really care all that much. She had just become part of his routine, like Chinese takeout and vintage video game night. Date night was just one of those things he did because he was now comfortable with it. She wanted to feel important…she wanted to feel special. She pulled the phone back out of her pocket.

Amy: Goodnight Kypkenite.

Her phone buzzed right away.

Barry: Goodnight BioWhore. Take it easy on Cooper tonight. I need his brain functioning properly tomorrow.

Amy stared at her phone confused. What was that about?

Amy walked down the hall in the Physics Building at Caltech towards Barry Kripke's office. It felt strange to be in the building and not to be going to Sheldon's office. But, Barry had kindly offered for her to visit his office, and she was super interested in reading the paper. She stopped in front of room 118….this must be it. She could hear music softly playing in the background. She knocked on his door.

"Come in" Barry's voice called.

Amy walked into his office, and her eyes went wide. Although Barry's office was almost the exact same size and shape as Sheldon's office, it could not be more different. She felt like she was in sensory overload looking around. The walls were covered in posters and pictures. The posters were mainly science related, with pictures taken of the universe and various Hubble images; there were photos cut out from calendars of beautiful space photography. There were also a ton of framed photos of Barry with various groups of people littered around the room.

"Hey Amy, come on in. I'm just finishing up this email, I'll be right with you." Barry said.

"Oh no problem, I'll just look around" Amy said as she walked around his office.

Amy found the room fascinating. Sheldon's office was so organized and neat. It had a serene calmness to it. This office was the complete opposite. It wasn't messy, but it was completely busy. She continued walking around looking at things. There was a small robot that looked like it had a razor claw on it. There were three whiteboards full of equations. A stereo, that was softly playing Janet Jackson of all things. On the side of his filing cabinet, he had some movie stars pictures from magazines taped up. One was of Megan Fox, the other of Danica McKellar.

Amy started snickering at the magazine cut outs. Barry looked up at her and smiled.

"What are you laughing at Fowler? Those are my dream girlfriends."

"And why these two in particular?" Amy asked.

"Well Megan Fox is hot as hell. No further explanation needed. And Danica McKellar? Well she is just my dream woman."

"Isn't she Winnie – "

"-from the Wonder Years! Yes! I mean, what guy didn't have a crush on Winnie. Did you know she has a math degree from UCLA, and has her own math theorem. It's called the Chayes-McKellar-Winn Theorem. She also wrote four math texts geared towards girls and younger kids. They are just great. See?" Barry pointed to the four math texts on his bookshelf.

"You actually bought them?" Amy laughed. "That math is a bit basic for you isn't it?"

"Well, what can I say, I'm a fan" Barry chuckled. "You know I have a thing for girls who know math."

"I thought I read that she recently remarried." Amy stated.

Barry sighed and looked wistfully at Amy. "Yes, well it seems like all the good ones are always taken."

Amy and Barry looked awkwardly at each other. Amy cleared her throat. "So the paper?"

"Yes! I have your copy here. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. I'm going to publish it on pre-print server tomorrow. I can't wait to see the reaction on this idea. Again, Amy, I can't thank you enough." Barry said happily.

"You're welcome, but really it was all you on this idea. I just gave you a little push. I'm looking forward to reading this."

Amy looked around the room at all the photos and posters. "You know Barry, I really like your office. It feels pretty cozy in here." She spied a very small framed old photo of a young woman holding a baby. It had been tucked inconspicuously beside his computer but behind a stack of papers.

"Well, I figure, I spend most of my time here, might as well make it a home away from home. What's your lab like Amy?"

"Oh, well it's a typical biology lab. Nothing too crazy in there. Just a lot of test tubes and beakers…and a container full of brains. You know, run of the mill stuff." Amy said.

"Oh, yes…cause we all just have brains sitting around our offices" Barry laughed. "So, no pictures of half naked men on your walls?" Barry teased. He took a swig of his coffee that was sitting on his desk.

"Oh I don't need photos of half naked men on my wall. I've seen enough fully naked men. Approximately 400 of them." Amy stated matter of factly.

Barry spit out his coffee. "400! Geez Amy! Maybe Bio-Whore was a good nickname for you" he laughed.

"Huh? Oh my God…no! That's not what I meant. I meant cadavers! I've seen 400 male cadavers. Not live breathing men" Amy said flustered.

Barry smiled at Amy. She looked so cute when she was embarrassed. Her face had flushed all red. Her eyes went wide and she was shifting around in her chair.

"Don't worry Amy, I'm only teasing. From what I hear, Cooper keeps you busy enough to be thinking about other guys" Barry muttered.

"What?" Amy said puzzled.

"Oh never mind…not important. But, I wouldn't mind seeing your lab sometime. I'd like to meet your blissed out starfish… if you are willing?"

"That would be nice. Drop by anytime" Amy said happily. "Well I should probably get back to work. I'll let you know what I think of the paper."

"Yes, please do. And be harsh Amy….I can take the criticism." Barry smiled at her.

"Gloves are off. I'll let you know." Amy snickered.

Barry watched her as she exited his office. He sighed… it was true…why are the good ones always taken? Cooper sure was a lucky guy.

Sheldon was in his office working on his latest derivation. He couldn't concentrate because his "fight" with Amy was still on his mind. He couldn't believe that she was still being cold to him. He had explained his feelings about the train, like she requested. He even admitted that he missed her when she was away. What more was she looking for? She said that this wasn't about coitus, but knowing her it probably was. This was Penny's influence on her, he was sure. She had been so quiet during games night. She had just sat on the chair on her phone barely saying a word.

Knock, Knock.

"Come in." Sheldon called out.

Leonard, Raj and Howard strolled in, excitedly. They surrounded him at his desk.

"Hey Sheldon, did you read Kripke's latest paper on the pre-print server on Light Cone Quantization? It's pretty incredible stuff." Leonard said.

"Kripke? I highly doubt anything he could produce would be of much value."

"Oh, I don't know….I think you should really give this one a read." Leonard said.

Sheldon sat down at his desk, and went to the website and pulled up the paper. He started skimming the first couple of paragraphs when Howard interrupted him.

"The buzz around the physics department, is that a certain someone helped him with the idea." Howard grinned.

"Well that figures. Kripke doesn't seem capable of original thought. Who helped him?" Sheldon asked.

"Oh, one Miss Amy Farrah Fowler… She had some mathematical modeling idea that was really unique, and Barry used it in his paper." Raj stated.

Sheldon stopped reading dead in his tracks. Amy? Amy had helped Barry? He couldn't believe it. Was she so petty, that when she was angry with him, she'd help out his professional rival?

"Trouble in paradise Sheldon? Why is Amy helping out Kripke? You both are working in string theory, why didn't she share that idea with you?" Howard asked.

"Oh she did." Sheldon said tensely. He got up from his chair. "Gentlemen, sorry I don't have time to waste on this drivel right now, I have an important meeting I need to prepare for."

Leonard looked at his friend. He could tell he was upset, he face was all flushed and he was cracking his knuckles nervously.

"Hey guys, let's go. Sheldon we'll catch up with you at lunch?"

"Yes, I will see you there" he replied. He closed the door and went back to his desk. He pulled the paper up, and read the entire thing carefully. Kripke's paper was good…more than good, it was ground breaking. Amy's mathematical modeling technique was thought provoking. But that was not the point…where was her loyalty? She was his girlfriend. She should not be helping someone she knows is his professional rival. The more and more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He grabbed his wallet and keys….he was going to give one Miss Amy Farrah Fowler a piece of his mind.

A/N: Oh oh….Looks like Amy and Sheldon are heading towards a fight. How will Kripke play into this?