Raj noted Leonard was repeatedly lifting his spoon full of soup and letting the contents drip back into the bowl.
"Soup not good?" he asked as he opened his bottled water.
"Just thinking about Saturday," Leonard said before sighing.
"Me too. I wasn't sure if I should bring some Nanaimo bars or an upside down pineapple cake."
Leonard set his spoon down on the lunch tray.
"No, I mean about going. Sheldon's going to be alone," he said.
"Well, we could always just stay for a bit and then go see him," suggested Raj.
"You know, before we met the girls we were the Four Musketeers," said Howard.
"He's right," Leonard said as he straightened in his chair. "One of us is in trouble and we can't just desert him."
"We should put together our man posse and motor," agreed Raj.
"Great," Howard said enthusiastically as he pulled out his phone. "Now let me ask Bernadette." He dialed and waited. "Hello Bernie? ...I'm fine. Listen this weekend the guys were going to stay with Sheldon while Amy's having her party so I ... I wasn't going to 'bail'. It's just that ... Uh huh. ... Uh huh ... But all my friends aren't going! ... Yes, Penny and you are friends too. ... I guess. Love you, too. Bye." He hung up his phone. "Apparently I'm going to be busy going to Amy's party," he said with a grim look.
"Raj?" said Leonard as he looked to the astrophysicist.
"Bro's before ho's," grinned Raj. "Only, can I bring my spinach dip? I don't want it going to waste."
xTBBTx
Penny sat in her kitchen chair picking at her dinner with her fork.
"So," Leonard said slowly as he swallowed his bite of food. "How did the audition go?"
"Not great," she sighed. "I barely got through my lines before they had me out the door."
"Gee, that's too bad," he said sympathetically.
"No 'told ya so?'"
"Of course not," he gasped. "I support you one hundred percent in this."
"Good." Penny took a sip of wine. "Because this isn't the last audition ever. There's plenty more out there for me to do. I have an 'in' with Jackie at a talent agency who tips me off on auditions."
"It helps to have contacts in order to keep your options open," agreed Leonard. "For instance, having the Cheesecake Factory manager's number is helpful."
Penny's death glare was punctuated by a triple knock at the door.
Knock Knock Knock "Leonard."
Knock Knock Knock "Leonard."
Knock Knock Knock "Leonard."
Penny got up and answered the door.
"Greetings neighbor," said Sheldon evenly. "Is Leonard in?" He took in his roommate sitting at Penny's table. "What are you doing?!"
"Eating with my fiancée," Leonard said slowly.
"Tonight's pizza night," Sheldon tsked.
"We didn't feel like pizza."
"What, you think I always feel like pizza?" Sheldon said derisively.
"Then why do we always have it?"
"Because it's pizza night. Leonard, pay attention."
"Sheldon, sweetie, I really can't afford pizza this week," said Penny.
"That's alright. You weren't invited," Sheldon said without looking at her. "Now Leonard I—"
Just then Raj came huffing and puffing up the stairs.
"What's the problem?" gasped Raj to Penny.
"What are you talking about?" she replied, puzzled.
"Sheldon said there was an emergency and that I was to come alone."
"Well there is an emergency," sniffed Sheldon. "It's Thursday and no one's here for pizza."
"That's your emergency?!" Raj said incredulously.
"Raj, we've had pizza on Thursdays for nine years and two months. Get with the program," said Sheldon before crossing over and into his apartment.
Raj turned and went down the stairs. As he came to the third floor landing he ran into a huffing Howard.
"What's going on?" Howard gasped.
"Sheldon's gone crazy," Raj replied as he kept walking.
"Oh," said Howard before he followed Raj down the stairs.
"Well that was weird," said Penny as she closed her door before returning to her seat at the table.
"That's Sheldon," agreed Leonard.
"Guess he isn't handling the breakup very well."
"I don't know. So far he's gotten a tortoise, dragged Raj, Howard and me off to Big Boy and handed me a list of strikes about a mile long."
"At least he doesn't make you do those courses anymore," Penny chuckled before taking a sip of wine. She noted the awkward look on Leonard's face. "You've got to be kidding me."
"It's in the Roommate Agreement," he sighed.
"You're back to that again?"
"To the letter." He picked up his fork and slowly twisted his rice noodles around it. "By the way, would you mind storing you cream at your place? I can't afford to give up any more room on the condiment shelf and my shelf's full." Penny rolled her eyes.
Over in 4A, Sheldon stood by the counter with the box of pizza. With all having gone quiet in the hall he surmised that the rest of the gang weren't coming over to eat. With a shrug he took out his usual four pieces of pizza from the box before opening his garbage and dumping out the rest. He put the box in the recycling bin before taking up his pizza and proceeding to the couch to watch television.
xTBBTx
"I can't believe you're making me go to this alone," said Penny as she was applying lipstick in her bathroom.
"Yeah, well, as much as I like the nineteenth century I've got to stay with Sheldon," Leonard said in a voice he hoped sounded apologetic. "You know, the break up and what not. Besides, Amy's your 'bestie'."
"Yeah, I'm still not sure how that happened," Penny snorted. She put her lipstick in her purse and went into her bedroom where Leonard was sitting on her bed. "I mean who the hell takes one look at someone and decides in that moment that they're gonna be 'besties' forever?" She took out her regular purse and fished inside for her keys. "Cripes, it's a wonder she didn't ask to marry me. How creepy would that be, marrying your own stalker?"
"Eyah," said Leonard, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. "Well, anyways, gotta go." He kissed her on the cheek and darted from the room.
XXX
"I can't believe you're making me go to this," snapped Howard as he paced in his living room.
"You think I'm going to this party because I have a choice?" Bernadette replied as she put on her jacket.
"So why are you going?"
"Because Amy's my friend. She's been looking forward to this party and I can't let her down because she's going through a hard time since the breakup." Bernadette shook her head. "And she gets a little crazy when she gets enthusiastic about something. Don't need that in my direction."
"Well what about me?" countered Howard. "We know Sheldon's bat-crap crazy and he's going through a tough time too."
"The difference is that Sheldon tries to blow up your head with his mind whereas Amy likes to play live action 'Operation' at the cadaver lab." Bernadette grabbed her purse and went to the door followed by Howard.
"If she's so scary, why are you friends with her?" he asked as he opened the door.
"She's not scary, silly. She's creepy."
"And you're subjecting me to her because I'm your husband," grumped Howard as he locked the door behind them.
"For better or worse," Bernadette squeaked.
"And that overrides self preservation?"
"It's self preservation that's telling you it's better if you came with me," she said sweetly but with a hard smile. "Besides, it could be fun."
"I can't wait," Howard said glumly as they went to the elevator.
XXX
"Go Raj!" yelled Leonard excitedly as he stood near Sheldon and the astrophysicist who were busy making skiing motions in front of the television.
"I'm trying!" gasped Raj.
"You need to pick up speed. Sheldon's killing you at the targets."
"Speaking of which," huffed Sheldon as he ditched the skiing controllers for the pistol one. He moved his ski goggles to his forehead and closed his eyes, practicing Kolinahr breathing techniques to calm his heart rate. After a few seconds he aimed the controller and shot. One after another the targets fell.
"Damn. Five for five again," said Leonard. "Raj, you're going to have to ace the next set of shots if you want even an outside chance of beating him."
Raj came up to the shooting line and traded controllers even while Sheldon slung the imaginary gun across his back and adjusted his ski goggles back over his eyes.
"Yay ghaH vIghajchoH!" growled Sheldon as he began to ski for all he was worth.
Raj aimed the pistol and shot at the target.
"Missed!" groaned Leonard.
"It's not my fault! It's too cold for my fingers!" whined Raj.
Leonard stared incredulously at his two friends. One of them was supposed to be bat-crap crazy.
At the moment it was hard to tell which.
XXX
"Well this is nice," said Penny as she poured herself yet another glass of wine. "You really outdid yourself with the decorations. It really looks like a grandmother's place."
"I pulled out stuff I keep in my Hope Chest," the neurobiologist replied as she took a piece of Nanaimo bar Raj had sent before settling herself down on her couch. "Since there was the prospect of marriage on the horizon I thought to be prepared to create a homey environment."
"Yeah, you've got the homey part," said Bernadette as she looked around at Amy's grandma couch and furnishings. "Kind of reminds me of my Grandfather's nursing home." Amy frowned.
"Well it's not like your place with the 3-D dolls and other toys strewn about," Amy countered.
"They're not toys, they're collectables," Howard replied as he shifted his weight on the wooden dining room chair. "And Leonard and Sheldon have a lot more than I do."
"Oh, I dunno about that, rocket man," said Penny as she thought about Howard's bedroom at his mother's house.
"Very true," mused Amy. "After all, that would imply that Howard got all his play stuff from his mother's house." Penny winced.
Bernadette gave a grim smile. "Well, my husband might have dolls but it's not like he made a rice doll of—"
"More wine?" Penny asked loudly before drinking half her glass. "Because I could sure use some." She began to pour some into her glass.
"They're not dolls they're collectibles," Howard asserted.
"Get over it," Bernadette snapped at her husband.
"Anyways, bestie, since my wedding plans are delayed if you need two hundred cloth napkins and commemorative tiny tea cups for your wedding you're welcome to them," said Amy before taking a sip of wine.
"Oh, believe me, being engaged is light years away from having a wedding," Penny blurted. "I mean, wedding? Come on."
"I sense a flight risk," Bernadette stage whispered.
"I'm not gonna bail on Leonard. I proposed, remember?" Penny replied crisply.
"Was that before or after you were drinking and declared your acting career dead in the water?" Amy asked innocently.
"I just had a bad day. Besides, at least I didn't have a five year plan for wearing someone down to get a marriage proposal."
"Now I could really use some wine," Bernadette said brightly as she poured herself another glass.
"Shouldn't we go?" asked Howard as he noted the death glares between Amy and Penny.
All three women turned to him and asked, "Why?"
"I don't know," Howard eased out. "Maybe because it's starting to feel a little awkward here?"
"Who's feeling awkward?" asked Amy.
"Howie's just not used to spending his time with a room full of girls," Bernadette teased. "Which is surprising given the number of nights he's spent alone with his mother watching Wheel of Fortune." Amy and Penny laughed. "Yeah, he's a real lady killer," Bernadette winked.
Howard gave a stiff smile as he reached for a piece of date square, hoping to God it had peanuts in it.
XXX
Sheldon came down the hall with his laundry basket.
"Sheldon, you're up soon," said Leonard as Raj jived his way on the Dance, Dance Revolution game mat.
"It's eight fifteen," Sheldon said as way of an explanation.
Raj jumped off the mat, breathing hard but not overly so. Obviously his aerobics classes were paying off.
"Let me get a bottled water and I'll join you," he said.
"No need. I always do my laundry alone," replied Sheldon as he opened the apartment door.
"But we're here to hang out with you," Raj pointed out.
"Ah."
"I can bring down the Klingon Boggle," said Leonard.
"Do what you want," Sheldon said impatiently. "I have to get the laundry started." He turned and dashed down the stairs.
"Is it just me or is Sheldon a little more—robotic?" asked Raj as he went to the refrigerator for a bottled water.
"Things are most definitely regimented again," sighed Leonard as he went to the closet for the boggle set. "The Roommate Agreement is back with a vengeance. I'm spending more time over at Penny's because I'm tired of filling out her overnight occupancy paperwork."
"Sounds rough." Raj took a sip of water. "It's funny that we always tease Sheldon for being so stiff and unemotional but when you think about it he might be the most sensitive of the lot."
"Could have fooled me," said Leonard as the pair made their way out of the apartment.
"Think about it. He freaks out whenever anyone argues."
"Unless it's with him. He loves to argue," said Leonard as they went down the stairs.
"Exactly. Because he's in control of the situation," said Raj. "But when things aren't, what does he do? He retreats back to routines where everything makes sense and he has control."
"So he's pulling back to the time before he knew Amy," mused Leonard. "The only thing is that I'm going to be moving out at some point. Who's going to put up with bat-crap crazy Sheldon?"
"One step at a time. Let's get him through this thing with Amy and then we'll see where we're at."
"So no moving out until Sheldon's grounded? That could take years," snorted Leonard.
"Maybe you might want to photocopy Penny's paperwork so all you have to do is add the date and signature," chuckled Raj.
xTBBTx
Yay ghaH vIghajchoH!: Klingon for 'Victory is mine!'