The four of them were back in the living room. The scene felt like déjà vu from the last episode. Missy and Penny had already gone back to Penny's apartment.
Howard looked at Leonard, who was standing next to him, "Oh, sure, we could ask for Sheldon's opinion," he said, mimicking Leonard's voice. "Because everyone knows asking for his opinion always fixes everything, right?"
Leonard sighed, exasperated. "Okay, it was a bad idea, but nobody stopped me… Let's just move on. Turn the page."
Sheldon, who was nearby, interrupted, "I truly don't understand why Missy got so… exacerbated."
"Gee, I wonder why," Raj said sarcastically.
Sheldon, completely oblivious to the sarcasm, nodded in agreement. "Exactly, that's what I'd like to know!"
Leonard took a deep breath, "Sheldon, sometimes people get… uh… bothered when you're just… being yourself."
Sheldon frowned. "But that doesn't make sense. I'm always consistently me. If there was a change, that would be a reason for concern."
Leonard finally stood up. "Alright, enough. We need to go over there and apologize. What we did wasn't cool."
Raj stood up and walked towards the door. "Maybe we could just blame Sheldon. 'Sorry, Missy, Sheldon was being… consistently Sheldon!'"
Howard chimed in, "Yeah, that could work…"
Sheldon stood up from the couch, "So, in that case, the apology would serve as an attempt to restore her emotional equilibrium, generating a positive feedback loop?"
Leonard blinked, processing. "Yes, Sheldon, that's called an apology."
Sheldon nodded, thoughtful. "Interesting… it's like an emotional transaction. Debit and credit, but instead of money, we're using remorse."
Raj: "And if we don't pay on time, the emotional bank charges interest."
***
They walked to Penny's door. Leonard hesitated for a moment before knocking. The door opened, revealing Penny, who glanced at the group of nerds crowded outside.
"Missy! It's for you!" Penny called inside, unable to hide a smirk.
Leonard turned to the others, clearly nervous. "Okay… who's gonna speak?"
Silence fell over the group. No one volunteered. Howard then cleared his throat and said, "There's only one way… we settle this like real men."
They all exchanged glances for a second, then nodded in agreement.
"Rock, paper, scissors," Sheldon declared, already positioning his hands.
With no other option, they started the game. Their hands moved in sync as they murmured "Rock, paper, scissors" with precision. The game went on until Raj lost the final round.
"Ugh, of course I lose," Raj grumbled, crossing his arms. "But if we were in India, we'd settle this with a game of Kabaddi. Much fairer."
Before anyone could ask what Kabaddi was, Missy appeared at the door.
Raj took a deep breath, adjusting the collar of his jacket, and began his apology. His gaze met Missy's.
"Missy," he started, "we… I… realized that what happened earlier wasn't exactly our best moment." He paused. "And I know it might not seem like we understand, but… well, understanding strong women like you is a challenge. A beautiful challenge, of course."
Missy raised an eyebrow, intrigued, but said nothing, waiting for Raj to continue.
"You're the kind of woman who doesn't settle for less than she deserves, and that's one of the most amazing things about you."
"And, well, we… I… would like to apologize for not recognizing that sooner."
"I know this might seem sudden, but when we mess up, the least we can do is acknowledge it and try to be better. And you definitely deserve better."
Missy blinked, clearly surprised by the level of sincerity. She crossed her arms, but the smile forming on her face made it clear she liked what she was hearing.
"Besides," Raj continued, "I've never met a woman as… intriguing as you. You make us want to be better versions of ourselves, which is… well, rare."
At this point, Leonard, Howard, and Sheldon stood completely still, watching the interaction with their mouths slightly open.
"So, Missy… the truth is, we're genuinely sorry. And if there's anything we can do to make it up to you… I'm at your service."
Missy stared at him for a few more seconds, the silent tension between them palpable. Then, she let out a soft laugh.
"Raj," she said, shaking her head in amusement, "you really are sweet. How could I stay mad at you?"
Howard nudged Leonard, muttering under his breath, "I should've gone. How did he make that look so easy?"
Leonard shook his head, still in shock. "I have no idea, but I think he's on another level now."
As soon as Missy went back inside Penny's apartment, Raj let out a sigh of relief and turned to the group. "It's settled."
Leonard and Howard were still in shock, processing what had just happened. Leonard was the first to break the silence.
"That was… way too easy," he murmured, still trying to comprehend how Raj had smoothed things over with no apparent effort.
Howard shook his head, clearly frustrated. "If I'd known it was like that, I would've gone myself. How did you make that seem so effortless?"
Raj just shrugged. "Ah, it was nothing… How about a little Halo to relax?"
Sheldon glanced at the watch on his wrist, completely uninterested in the social drama.
"Well, we still have two hours before my bedtime," he said. "That gives us enough time for at least two Halo matches."
Without a second thought, Sheldon started walking alongside Raj towards the apartment, leaving Howard and Leonard standing at Penny's door, clearly still trying to understand how everything had been resolved so easily.
POV Missy.
Missy closed the door to Penny's apartment behind her. She still had a smile on her face, one she hadn't even realized was there. Raj's apology had been surprisingly… good. Maybe even charming.
"Okay, what's this about?" Penny suddenly asked, pointing directly at Missy's satisfied grin.
Missy, pretending to be clueless, asked, "What?"
"This!" Penny repeated, dramatically gesturing toward Missy's face. "You've got this big ol' smile on, and don't tell me it's nothing."
Missy laughed, "Oh, come on. It's not what you think."
Penny grinned. "Don't tell me… Raj?"
Missy rolled her eyes. "No, it's nothing like that!" She flopped down on the couch, crossing her legs. "It's just that… I liked what I heard, you know? Try living with two brothers your whole life—neither of them knows how to talk to a lady."
Penny chuckled and sat beside her, relaxing as she flipped her hair back. "So, Raj knows how to talk to a lady, huh?"
Missy shrugged, still with that serene air. "He knows how to express himself. It was… genuine, you know? It just felt… honest, he's got a way with words."
Penny blinked and smirked mischievously. "A way with words, huh? Like… charming?"
Missy threw a pillow at Penny. "Oh, for God's sake, Penny! That's not it! You always jump to conclusions."
Penny, laughing, caught the pillow and threw it back. "That's what I do best, sweetie! But seriously… if he's that good at expressing himself, maybe you should consider it, huh?"
In her thoughts, she was murmuring something like: 'Raj… Raj, you're gonna owe me one for this.'
Missy laughed again, tossing the pillow aside. "I'm going to ignore you now."
.
.
.
A/N: The next chapter will be based on episode 16 of the first season. I must confess that I felt sorry for Leonard in that episode, so I'll do things differently.