:Something For Your Tribbles:

Sheldon debated whether or not he should continue down the stairs or head back up to his apartment where he would lock himself in his bathroom with a gallon of sanitizer and a hazmat suit.

"Don't. You. Go. Anywhere!" Penny hissed. "Help me!"

Sheldon whimpered and took a single step forward. He quickly stepped back and shook his head. "I don't think I can," he admitted.

"Sheldon! I need help! You're the only one around! Now man up, and pull these beasts off me!"

Sheldon couldn't prevent the low whine that slipped from his throat as he, once again, took a step forward. He gingerly reached out a hand and touched one of the creatures. It hummed and he jumped back, shaking like a Chihuahua on crack.

"I can't do it!" he cried out. "They move, Penny! They make noise!"

"YOU made them," she yelled. "They're YOUR responsibility! Help me, dammit!"

The lobby door opened and their friends walked in, stared, and then began to snicker.

"Penny? Are you wearing a moldy fur coat?" asked Amy.

Penny shrieked and the coat wiggled. Everyone froze.

"What the hell?" asked Leonard.

Sheldon cleared his throat nervously. "Umm, look, everyone. Tribbles!"

Howard stepped forward and touched a shivering ball of fur. It purred loudly and the ones closest to it moved closer to his hand. His eyes bugged out as he pulled one away from Penny. It purred louder and scurried up his arm. Luckily he didn't squash it when he passed out.

"Whoa," Raj said softly. "That's cool."

"GET THEM OFF ME!" screamed Penny.

Everyone (except Howard and Sheldon, that is) quickly grabbed the fur balls off Penny. All except a tiny white one that scurried onto her shoulder and cried softly, that is. Penny gave a gentle 'ahh' sound and picked it up to cuddle it close to her chest.

"Are you scared?" she asked it. "Poor baby. The others were crushing you, weren't they?"

Leonard rolled his eyes as she baby talked the thing. Then he jumped when a large black and white one crawled up his pants leg and purred loudly. He looked around and noticed that everyone seemed to be holding at least one. Even Howard, as he sat up, cradled the one he had pulled from Penny. At least twenty more milled around their feet. "How did this happen?" he asked.

Sheldon blushed and pet a mid sized grey one. "I was watching Star Trek last week and Penny mentioned how cute the Tribbles were. Then Gabelhauser made me take my vacation and…"

"And you got bored," Leonard finished.

Bernadette giggled as hers jiggled and purred loudly on her shoulder. "You know, they're kinda cute. Can I keep this one?"

Amy studied her tawny one closely. She sniffed it's fur and smiled. "This one smells like honeydew melons."

Penny nodded. "Yeah, they have different smells. Mine's like caramel. I think I'll name you Wicket," she cooed.

"This one smells like apricots," Bernadette said happily.

"Chocolate," Howard said sniffing his. He picked up a second one. "This one's caramel, too."

Leonard sighed and looked around the lobby. "Great. They smell nice. What do we do with them?"

Everyone looked at each other. Penny looked at the creature in her hands and slowly smiled. "I have an idea."

The sign over the store's door was eye-catching.

SOMETHING FOR YOUR TRIBBLES

Home of the World's Cutest Pet

Penny smiled and handed the customer her change before bagging the cans of Tribble food and the new Tribble pet bed. "Thank you ma'am. I hope your little Honey Bun likes the treats."

The plump woman with the gold and white Tribble smiled warmly. "Honey Bun just loves dried shrimp nuggets. Thank you, my dear."

The customer left as Amy walked in from the store room. "Penny, I think Sheldon was wrong about that striped one being a boy. It just gave birth. Three white and another striped."

Penny snickered as she flipped the door sign to Closed. "Well, we were running a bit low on pets anyway. Just keep her separated from the others. Oh, and we need to make more Tribble shampoo. I sold a case to Mrs. Varney."

Leonard walked over with a handful of hair bows. "Penny, they screwed up our order. All of these are clip-ons. I ordered ones with Velcro backs."

"Tell Sheldon," Penny said, cashing out her register. "He's in the back with Howard and Raj doing the accounting. $1904.35. Not bad for the end of the month." Penny placed the money in a bank deposit bag and looked up. "You have to hand it to our mad genius," she said. "He not only understands the world of physics, he's great at making us all rich."

Penny handed Leonard the bag and grabbed her purse and Wicket. "Amy, how about we go grab Bernadette and have a girl's night in?"

Amy nodded and picked up her Tribble, Melon. "I'd love too."

Leonard watched the girls drive off before he locked the door and headed to the back. He had to admit, if only to himself, Sheldon's boredom had turned out to be a good thing.