Reference to: 'The Wheaton Recurrence '; 'The Psychic Vortex'; 'The Good Guy Fluctuation'; 'The Commitment Determination'

xTBBTx

Tracy's fingers were tapping the steering wheel to Nine Inch Nails as she waited in her Camry for Sheldon to come out of his building. New Comic Book Night had kind of become their thing, although she wasn't sure how much longer this was going to last since his friend's comic book store was ready to reopen. Alice had bad memories of the clientele but she did like the original shop and owner so Tracy decided to let the final decision of whether to join Sheldon be up to her.

The front door opened and Sheldon emerged carrying a large item in a canvas bag. He opened the passenger door of the car and got in but left the door open and the object outside as he settled himself.

"Hello," he said with a slight smile and did up his seatbelt. He then took up the reddish brown flat square-ish item and struggled to angle it so that it'd fit onto his lap before closing the door.

"What's that?" asked Tracy as she turned off the stereo.

"A couch cushion."

"Why do you have a couch cushion?" She signaled and pulled into traffic.

"So Leonard can't take it," Sheldon said with a frown.

"Why would Leonard take it?"

"Because his brain has been overridden by his need to fornicate and pair bond," Sheldon growled even as he squeezed the cushion.

"Fair enough," Tracy nodded as she signaled and turned right. "So. This weekend. MWOK?"

"Actually, I was planning on being with Martha," Sheldon said as he glanced nervously at the speedometer.

"A date?" Tracy said hopefully.

"She's a girl slash friend but not my girlfriend," Sheldon amended.

"Doesn't mean you can't collect a smoochie." She glanced at Sheldon, who looked like he was mulling over her words. "So is she into comic books and gaming, too?"

"Comic books. That's actually how we met five and a half years ago. I was carrying a Green Lantern lantern at the university social and—"

"The life-size one with the power ring?"

"The very same. I've amassed an assortment of collectibles over the years."

"Cool. You'll have to show me sometime." She signaled and again turned right. "But anyways, you met Martha at the social?"

"Yes. She knew what I was carrying." A quick smile flickered over his lips. "She was a fascinating person, albeit for a humanities professor."

"Yeah, us liberal arts people can be surprising," Tracy smirked as they came to a stop light. "Still, she must have been a great support when your girlfriend left."

"Actually, I hadn't spoken with Martha in five years and three months until she found me on a dating website ten weeks ago."

"But I thought you said that you found her fascinating?" The light turned green and traffic moved.

"I did. I do."

"O-kay. So why didn't you do anything with her? Or were you not interested?"

Sheldon turned to Tracy.

"Curious you said that. When I met Martha for tea she asked for similar clarification," he said.

"Really?" Tracy smiled. "Well that's a good sign."

"Sign of what?"

"What did she say, exactly?"

"Well, she referred to the last time we saw each other. Raj and Abby were busy sucking face in the living room so Martha came into my bedroom, asking if she could stay."

"And did she?" Tracy breathed.

"Of course. I took Leonard's room."

"Wow," Tracy laughed. "No wonder Martha wanted to clarify things."

"I suppose," Sheldon shrugged. "But it's the weirdest thing: 'So you were interested in me but not interested in me'."

"You do know she means sexually, right?" Tracy said, trying to keep the tone conversational.

Sheldon cocked his head.

"I hadn't thought of that." His mind was a whirr. "Although looking at it from a carnal angle a woman wanting to stay in my bedroom—" Sheldon frowned. "Why didn't she just say she wanted coitus?"

"She was, in her own way."

"Bah," scoffed Sheldon. "And they say the humanities are about the expression of thoughts and ideas."

"Yeah yeah." Tracy turned left and then busied herself looking out for a parking spot. "So as a question, would you have slept with her?"

"Back then I wouldn't have slept with anyone," snorted Sheldon.

"And now?"

"I'd rather not discuss my sex life."

"Lips zipped." Tracy parked the car and turned off the engine. "But you might want to keep in mind that Martha was interested and 'interested' in you and that five and a half years later she took one look at your profile and started up a conversation with you. Now I'm not saying one hundred percent that she's still into you in that way but I do think you ought to figure out for yourself how interested you are in her."

"Is that interested or 'interested'?" Sheldon said sarcastically.

"All up to you, chum. Hey, why don't the two of you come out for MWOK?"

"I'll have to discuss it with Martha but I don't see anything wrong about going."

They exited the vehicle and Tracy went to the trunk.

"Want to leave the cushion?" she asked.

"And risk it being stolen?" Sheldon tsked.

With a smile, Tracy followed him into the comic book shop.

"Hey Julian!" boomed Dragan's loud voice as the pair rounded the corner to the new comic book wall. "What's in the bag?"

"My couch cushion," Sheldon replied.

"Taking it for a walk?" Dragan chuckled. He glanced over at Tracy who shook her head, no. "So how's Howard doing?" he asked without missing a beat.

"He's reconciled with Bernadette."

"That's awesome!"

"Ask Howard if he wants to play MWOK this weekend," said Alice as she came to the group.

"It'll make even numbers for the mini-tournament we're going to run," Tracy nodded.

"Actually, here's the man of the hour now," Dragan said as Howard and Raj came around the corner. "Hey Rocket Man."

"Hey guys," Howard said, happy at the nickname.

"MWOK this weekend?"

"I don't know." Howard looked to Raj.

"I'm out with Emily," Raj said.

"Then I say okay!"

"It'll be a team tournament," said Alice. "We think we've got a plan so Sheldon won't always win."

"You could always try the dead Meemaw trick," snorted Raj. Sheldon turned to him and glared.

"Dead Meemaw?" asked Tracy.

"We were playing Wil Wheaton in the finals at a tournament and Sheldon was about to crush him when Wil came out with this story about how his grandmother had died." Raj shook his head. "Sheldon folded like an origami swan and Wil won. He then said that his grandmother was alive and well."

"Yeah, that sounds like Wil," snorted Dragan. "Saw him at a tournament a couple of years ago. A sore loser but an even worse winner."

Leonard came around the corner and stopped for a moment to take a breath before proceeding forward to the group.

"Hey Sheldon," he said overenthusiastically. "I was looking for you."

"It's new comic book night," Sheldon replied even as his grip on the handle of his cushion bag tightened. "Where else would I be?"

"Yeah, but I could have given you a ride." Leonard flashed a nervous smile at Alice. "Hey," he said meekly.

"Troll," Alice snorted and walked off. Dragan glared at Leonard before he tromped off in his big boots to the comic bins.

"Sheldon, let's finish up with the comic books so we can go," said Tracy evenly. He nodded and went to the shelves. "MWOK on Saturday," she reminded Howard. "Six o'clock at Dragan's. We'll order Chinese later."

"Sounds good to me," Howard said with a slight bow. Tracy smiled and left while Howard went to get his new comic books.

"I don't get why Sheldon's friends are snubbing me," snapped Leonard. Raj gave him a 'duh' look. "I mean I get why but it's not like I went all the way with Alice."

"Dude, you're talking about my sister again," Raj warned.

"Look, Priya cheated on me."

"So that means you get to cheat on her?"

"There's cheating and then there's cheating. I stopped before anything happened."

"Tell that to Alice," said Raj before he went to get his comic books.

Leonard stood there in thought, looking back and forth between the comic books and Alice. Alice was the obstacle between Leonard and having fun with Sheldon's friends. Surely she couldn't still be mad at him for what happened. Hell, he did a lot of stupid things and Penny always forgave him. And Leonard was truly sorry. Normally he was the good guy so it was atypical for him to do something like this. He winced as immediately the thought of drunk lips, cigarette breath and the roll of the ocean beneath his feet came to mind.

"Well, atypical didn't mean impossible," he murmured as he went over to where Alice was. She looked at him before returning her attention to the comic book wall.

"Hey again," Leonard said slowly. "Look, I just wanted to apologize to you for what happened. I—"

"Save it," she said coldly.

"I don't know why I did it," Leonard continued in a whiny voice. "I'm really a nice guy," he pleaded. Alice turned to him.

"No, you think you're a nice guy. That's what makes you toxic," she said.

"Well I have a fiancée that would say otherwise," he said defensively.

"The girl you cheated on?"

"No. But she knew about what happened and she doesn't judge me."

"Then it sounds like you're a matched pair."

"Everything okay here?" asked Dragan as he came to stand behind Alice.

"Yeah," she replied. "Troll here was just leaving."

Dragan glared menacingly at Leonard and the physicist took the hint and moved away.

XXX

Tracy pulled up at Sheldon's apartment building.

"Goodbye, Meister Bond," she said in a German accent.

Sheldon made a sucking sound as he slurped up some of his Icee in his straw.

"Thanks for taking me," he said.

"Any time."

He turned to her. "I don't think Alice was too happy," he said.

"Nope."

"I have my Green Lantern lantern upstairs if you'd like to see it," he offered.

"Not really my scene," Tracy said diplomatically. "Maybe you could bring it this weekend?" He nodded and exited the vehicle. "Call me if you need a ride."

With his comic books and cushion in one hand and his Icee in the other Sheldon struggled his way into the building and then lugged his way up the stairs. Up to Leonard.

It had been over ten years since Leonard had knocked on his door. After they had worked out the bugs Leonard had proved to be an amenable roommate and friend. Secret agent laser obstacle chess. Paintball. Renaissance fairs.

And then Penny came and everything changed.

Sheldon frowned. No, this wasn't Penny's fault Leonard became a...what? Leonard was his best friend.

Wasn't he?

All the mocking, the teasing and sarcasm that Leonard thought Sheldon didn't get. And to be fair at first he didn't, but after years of eye-rolling and that little smirk Leonard did when he thought Sheldon wasn't looking...

The electric can opener.

How Leonard had laughed at his national radio humiliation thanks to Kripke.

As he rounded the corner and continued to climb, Sheldon thought about Tracy and her gang. There were no scientists in the midst and yet they kept him entertained. They had fun—and not at each other's expense. There was teasing—Sheldon wondered if Dragan would ever call him by his real name—but it wasn't hurtful.

For the past ten years Sheldon had hung out with scientists. And Penny. Penny who taught him sarcasm and blackmail and The Favor. Things without scientific value and yet made his life easier. Leonard wasn't the only one Penny opened up.

That's why this was going to be difficult.

Sheldon came to his door and opened it. He entered the room to find Leonard and Penny on the sofa. Leonard had put another cushion in Sheldon's spot and was sitting on it. Under Sheldon's watchful gaze Leonard and Penny moved the cushions back and sat.

"Good," sniffed Sheldon. "I'm glad you're both here. I've given it some thought and I've decided that it's time for Leonard to move out."

"You sure, Sheldon?" Leonard gasped.

"Very. As soon as possible if you can manage." Sheldon stepped across the room to the hall.

"Penny's place is too small. We'll have to look at another building," Leonard warned.

Sheldon stopped and glanced over his shoulder.

"Whatever works," he said before swinging around the corner and into his room.