Chapter 2
The next day at Caltech
" May I have everyone's attention please?", President Seibert said as he stood next to Dr. Gablehauser and Mrs. Davis from the Human Resources Department.
" Oh great, another announcement! It's like Dennis Kim all over again!", Sheldon complained as he sat at the cafeteria table with his friends.
" Sheldon shut up! This is probably really important!", Howard said.
" About as important as your need for a Ph. D.", Sheldon pointed out.
" Why do you have to belittle me?!", Howard angrily asked.
" Can it Wolowitz!", Leonard hissed.
" Would you a**hats shut up and listen?!", Raj hissed at his friends.
" Dr. Gablehauser, you have the floor.", President Seibert said.
" Thank you President Seibert. Fellow colleagues, I'm very pleased to announce that we have a new colleague joining us here at Caltech University. She is exceedingly smart with an IQ of 185 and she will be joining us in the Physics department. Please welcome new theoretical physicist, Dr. Leo Fordyce.", Dr. Gablehauser said as everyone in the cafeteria gave Leo a round of applause.
" Thank you.", Leo said with a smile.
" Oh no! What is she doing here?!", Sheldon complained.
" Sheldon don't start, we just met her yesterday!", Leonard interjected.
" Exactly Leonard! We can't seem to catch a break from her! She is starting to be the bane of my existence!", Sheldon interjected back.
" How?! We've only known her for a day Sheldon!", Leonard pointed out.
" Well that's one day too many.", Sheldon said.
" Well Sheldon have you ever considered just getting to know her instead of assuming she's some hooker with a Ph. D that just wants to use you like some sort of sex toy?", Howard asked.
" How is this possible that Bernadette tolerates you?", Sheldon asked narrowing his eyes at his Jewish aerospace engineer friend. Before Howard could say anything, Leo approached their table.
" Hi guys. Just my luck, I'm seeing you guys here too. Oh this is great.", Leo said as she sat down on one end of the table.
" Yes wonderful. Bazinga.", Sheldon said.
" What the hell does that mean?", Leo asked confusely.
" Don't bother asking that.", Leonard said.
" Fair enough Leonard.", Leo said.
Later that evening in Penny's apartment
" Hey Leo congratulations on getting a job at Caltech.", Penny said with a smile as she took a sip of her wine.
" Yeah congratulations.", Bernadette said.
" Thanks. How did you two know about that?", Leo asked.
" I told them shortly before you showed up. I have a tendency to engage in gossip.", Amy said.
" It's true, she does.", Penny said.
" I can tell that.", Leo said.
" So how was your first day there Leo?", Bernadette asked taking a sip of her wine.
" It was good Bernadette except Sheldon was a little uncomfortable with my presence.", Leo said as she took a sip of wine.
" Figures, he's such a whack-a-doodle.", Penny said as she tossed her head back.
" Hey you're talking about the person I love who I'm in a romantic relationship with Penny!", Amy said feeling somewhat offended.
" You're Sheldon's girlfriend?", Leo asked.
" Yes I am Leo.", Amy said taking a sip of her wine.
" What's it like being with him?", Leo asked.
" It's almost like having coitus with a cat. One minute he's sweet and charming and then the next minute he's like an emotionless robot.", Amy said.
" Coitus?", Leo asked in confusion.
" Sex.", Penny said.
" Oh ok I get it now. Really?", Leo said.
" Yeah but you get used to it after a while.", Bernadette said.
" While others just think he's bat-crap crazy and want nothing to do with him.", Penny said.
knock knock knock! " Penny!"
knock knock knock! " I'm not crazy!"
knock knock knock! " My mother had me tested!"
" Damn his Vulcan hearing!", Penny hissed under her breath. Then she interjected, " What do you want Sheldon?!"
" Nothing I just wanted to point that out!", Sheldon said through the door before he walked back across the hall to his own apartment.
" Well that was weird.", Leo said.
" Trust me when I say this. Once you get to really know him, you'll think he's weird.", Penny said. Leo nodded her head as the four women took a sip of their wine.
" Only time will tell that.", Leo said.
" I think we should celebrate.", Bernadette said.
" I brought up a miscellaneous cd from my apartment that we could listen to.", Leo said.
" Well pop that sucker in and let's hear it bi**h!", Penny said.
" Ok.", Leo said as she walked over to the stereo and popped her cd in. The first song that came up was her favorite song Stand Up by the Flobots.
" What the hell is this?", Penny asked.
" It's my favorite song Stand Up by the Flobots. It's the same song I have as my ringtone.", Leo said.
" Is this is some kind of hip hop rap song?", Bernadette asked.
" Yeah that's exactly what it is Bernadette which is why I like it. It's got a good beat.", Leo said.
" This is crazy that we're listening to this.", Amy said.
" Yeah but you know what would be even crazier? We open my apartment door and blast it out in the hallway.", Penny said with a smirk on her face.
" Wouldn't Sheldon just scream at us Penny?", Bernadette asked.
" Yes but to hell with Doctor Whack-a-doodle! So what do you think?", Penny exclaimed.
" Oh my god Penny that's the best idea you've ever had! Let's do it!", Leo exclaimed as she sprinted toward the door. She threw it open and exclaimed, " Alright turn it up turn it up turn it up turn it up!" Penny turned up the stereo as Leo started dancing wildly out in the hallway.
" Yeah! Shake it Dr. Fordyce!", Penny exclaimed.
" Oh don't just stand there Penny get out here!", Leo exclaimed as she continued dancing. The new theoretical physicist was having the time of her life.
" Alright, it's on bitch!", Penny exclaimed as she joined her new friend out in the hallway.
" Move over bestie!", Amy exclaimed as she joined them. Bernadette stood in the doorway exclaiming, " What am I?! Chopped liver?!"
" Oh just get the hell out here you bi**h!", Penny exclaimed.
" Make way for me!", Bernadette exclaimed as she joined her girl friends out in the hallway. As the girls were dancing wildly out in the hallway screaming with excitement outside of 4B, the door to 4A suddenly swung open to reveal Sheldon and Leonard standing in the doorway. Sheldon stood there with an irritated expression on his face as he could feel his head pulsate with every vibration from the music to which he would describe as ' infernal racket' coming from his blonde headed neighbor's apartment across the hall. Leonard was just absolutely confused.
" What the hell?", Leonard said.
" Oh hey Leonard and Sheldon! What's up?!", Penny exclaimed as she was doing the Running Man dance.
" You know very well what's up Penny! What is that infernal racket I'm hearing coming from your apartment?!", Sheldon shouted over the loud music.
" It's just Leo's favorite song! We're listening to one of her cds!", Penny shouted.
" Is this the same song she has as her ringtone?!", Sheldon shouted.
" Yeah it's called Stand Up by the Flobots!", Leo shouted.
" Well regardless if you don't cut that out there will be strikes made against all 4 of you!", Sheldon shouted.
" Sheldon we're not even in your apartment! So it doesn't apply!", Penny shouted.
" It does if you're on my side of the hallway in which this case you are!", Sheldon shouted.
" What kind of crap is that?!", Bernadette shouted.
" The kind of crap that someone tells you when they don't want to listen to something you're listening to! So turn it off or the 4 of you are going to receive a strike! No excuses!", Sheldon shouted as he shut the door.
" What a buzz kill!", Penny exclaimed as the 4 of them walked back into 4B. But then Leo got an idea.
" Wait here a second.", Leo said with a smirk on her face.
" What are you doing?", Amy asked.
" I'll explain in a minute just shut up!", Leo exclaimed as she walked back over to 4A and entered it shutting the door behind her. The three other women listened as they heard the sound of spitting and Sheldon screaming, " Leo!"
" Oh no she didn't!", Penny said with a gasp. The second Leo came running back laughing her head off the song Dance Like Yo Daddy by Meghan Trainor began playing on the stereo. Sheldon came bolting after her batting at his face screaming, " Come back here Dr. Fordyce! You're going to pay for this!" as he chased her down the hallway to Penny's bedroom.
" You don't scare me Dr. Cooper!", Leo's laughing voice shrieked from the bathroom connected to Penny's room.
" We'll just see about that!", Sheldon shouted as he began chasing Leo around the bathroom. The girls were about to interfere thinking Sheldon was going to hurt their new friend for spitting in his face but Leonard shoved past them running down the hallway screaming, " For God sakes Sheldon get back here and leave Leo alone!" The girls listened as Sheldon's voice ranted, " She spit in my face! Who knows if she ...(Slap)Ow! You just slapped me!" Sheldon rubbed the side of his face where his roommate/best friend Leonard slapped him. As Leonard was dragging Sheldon by the ear he said, " You're lucky I did that instead of knocking you out! And believe me, I wish I did!"
" Ow! Leonard you're hurting my ear!", Sheldon screamed as Leonard dragged him back to their apartment. Leo came out of Penny's bedroom staring at her new girl friends hissing, " What the hell you guys?! Why didn't you do anything?! Sheldon was about to tear me apart!" The three other women just stood there completely speechless. The 4 of them continued to talk until they all went their separate ways for the night. Once again Leo said good night to her fiancé's picture and kissed it. As she settled into bed she looked at her engagement ring again. She thought about finally taking it off but decided she was still not quite ready to let go. She turned off her bedside table lamp and fell asleep.
4:03 AM
Leo suddenly woke up to sounds and soft footsteps coming from her kitchen.
' Aw crap! An intruder!', Leo hissed in her mind as she threw back the bedspread and climbed out of bed. She went to her closet and pulled out a crowbar that her dad gave her to protect herself from burglars. She then tip-toed out of her bedroom, crowbar raised above her head ready to hit whoever lowlife decided to break in. But much to her complete shock when she turned her head she screamed jumping back a bit on her foot startling the other individual.
" Oh my god!", Leo shrieked as she placed her hand on her chest. Her breathing was racing as well.
" Great Ceasar's Ghost you scared me Leo!", Sheldon screamed leaning against the countertop.
" Sheldon what are you doing in my apartment?! It's after 4 in the morning! You nearly gave me a heart attack!", Leo interjected.
" Well you nearly gave me one as well!", Sheldon stated.
" What are you doing here?!", Leo hissed.
" We're out of tea bags and I was wondering if you had some.", Sheldon said.
" Yes I do but why didn't you just go across your hall and ask Penny?!", Leo snapped.
" I tried to but she slammed the door in my face.", Sheldon pointed out.
" And so you thought it was a good idea to break into MY apartment in the middle of the night for this?!", Leo hissed rolling her eyes.
" I was not breaking in. I merely used the key that you gave us.", Sheldon stated.
" Damn it! I forgot about that!", Leo hissed under her breath. Then she said, " Alright you can have some tea bags but on the condition that you don't enter my apartment in the middle of the night again for any reason what so ever unless you want to get hit in the head with a crowbar. That's just really creepy."
" Were you really going to hit me with that?!", Sheldon shrieked as he pointed at the crowbar in Leo's hand.
" You bet your a** I would have, had you been a burglar.", Leo stated as she pointed it at Sheldon.
" Well I suppose that is a fair request. I am very sorry I disturbed you. Good night Dr. Fordyce.", Sheldon said he grabbed the tea bags and headed to the door.
" Good night Dr. Cooper.", Leo said heading back to her room as Sheldon walked out the door.
2 weeks later...
Leo was in her office at Caltech working on her calculations while listening to a radio that was sitting on top of a filing cabinet in the corner of the room. As she concentrated really hard she was suddenly interrupted by Leslie Winkle. They exchanged a conversation with each other but then Leo lost it when Leslie said something insulting about Sheldon.
" Look Leslie I don't know who you think you are but I don't like what you said about my friend! So you know what, you can just get out of my office!", Leo angrily said.
" Excuse me?!", Leslie exclaimed.
Sheldon pressed his ear against the wall to listen to what was going on in Leo's office. The voices had distracted him at the moment even though Leo's office was one office down the hall from his.
" You heard my words Leslie! Get the hell out before I call campus security! I don't want to hear your crap!", Leo shouted.
" What's your problem Leo?!", Leslie shouted.
" My problem is that you called my friend Sheldon a dumba** and that's not ok with me! I don't like that! That's just disrespectful, insulting and rude!", Leo shouted.
" He's a nutcase!", Leslie shouted.
" I don't give a flipping care about what you and the whole university thinks of him! He's my friend so everyone here needs to leave him alone or we're going to have serious problems! And trust me, I don't want to start a fight with my colleagues over this issue!", Leo shouted.
" Someone should really shove you in a loony bin because you're nuts Leo!", Leslie shouted.
" I am not! Quit being a self-centered bi**h Leslie! And if you tell anyone about this conversation I swear to god on my fiancé Brady's grave I will kick your butt! Do you hear me?!", Leo shouted.
" Whatever I'm out of here! I don't want to listen to this crap!", Leslie shouted as she stormed out of Leo's office.
" Well who needs you?! You're a disrespectful butthole!", Leo shouted as she slammed the door shut. As Leo went back to her work she grabbed her stress ball off her desk and began squeezing it.
Sheldon flinched at the sound of his friend's office door slamming shut. As he went back to work he began thinking about what Leo had said. Even though he still found her annoying, he surprisingly appreciated the fact that Leo stood up for him. He never had many people doing that throughout the course of his life before and it made him feel good.
' Maybe she's not a bad friend after all.', Sheldon thought as a smile spread across his face.
Later that evening Sheldon showed up at Amy's apartment for date night.
" Hello Sheldon.", Amy said.
" Hello Amy.", Sheldon said.
" Dinner's almost ready. Come on in.", Amy said opening the door.
" Thank you.", Sheldon said as he walked in and shut the door behind him. As they sat down at the table eating dinner, Sheldon broke the silence by asking, " So you said in your email to me that you wanted to conduct an experiment?"
" Yes.", Amy said.
" Interesting. And what would this involve?", Sheldon said.
" Your emotions and brain activity.", Amy said.
" You want to study my emotions from my brain?", Sheldon asked.
" Yes, I'm doing a study on how human emotions effect the neurons in the brain.", Amy said.
" Very well, that seems like an easy task that we shall accomplish together.", Sheldon said.
" Great!", Amy said.
After dinner they sat side by side on the couch. Amy's laptop was sitting on the coffee table as she connected the electrodes into it before attaching them to Sheldon's head. She began testing his emotions to analyze how the neurons in his brain would react to the different types of stimulus that she was exposing him to. After Amy got some satisfying results the two of them decided to watch a movie. It was during this that Sheldon's mind began trailing back to what Leo had said to Leslie earlier that day at work. He was beginning to develop some strange feelings but mentally stopped himself by saying, ' Wait a minute, what the heck am I doing?! I'm with Amy! I shouldn't be thinking things about another woman, or nonetheless Dr. Fordyce! This is all very weird!' Sheldon's mind continued to trail off until Amy asked, " Sheldon are you ok?"
" Wha...? Oh yeah, I'm fine.", Sheldon said.
" Are you sure?", Amy asked.
" Amy I said I'm fine! Can we please drop the subject?!", Sheldon said in an angry-like tone.
" Fair enough.", Amy said. Once the movie was over the time had hit 8:57 pm. Date night was over. As the two of them shared a good night kiss, Sheldon's subconscious began playing tricks on him and contorted an image that suddenly freaked him out. Instead of seeing Amy in front of him, he saw Leo!
" Oh good Lord!", Sheldon screamed as he backed away from Amy and jumped off the couch.
" What?! What's wrong?! Are you alright?!", Amy exclaimed with a look of worry on her face as she stared at her boyfriend. Sheldon just stood there frozen like a deer caught in headlights.
" Sheldon, talk to me! Say something!", Amy said as she continued to stare at him.
" I'm sorry Amy but I got to go! Good night!", Sheldon exclaimed as he bolted from the apartment. His heart pounded through his chest as his anxiety began to rise.
" Sheldon!", Amy screamed after him, completely stunned and shocked by her boyfriend's sudden unusual behavior. This was something that she had never seen him do before.
As Sheldon came running through the door of his and Leonard's shared apartment, Leonard, who was sitting at his desk on his laptop turned around and said, " Hey buddy, how was your date night with Amy?"
" I don't want to talk about it Leonard! Good night!", Sheldon exclaimed at his roommate before running down the hallway to his room slamming the door behind him.
" Ookay.", Leonard said scratching his head before returning to his work.
As Sheldon pressed his back against his door his heart still felt like it was pounding out of his chest. His anxiety continued to skyrocket and he wasn't sure why.
' What is wrong with me?! Why am I having these feelings?! Am I falling in love with Leo?! No, I couldn't be! That's preposterous! I'm in love with Amy! Unless, maybe this is a sign that maybe we aren't meant to be together?! Wait, no! Why am I even having feelings for another woman anyway?! I'm a Homo Novus for god sake!', Sheldon thought as he got himself dressed for bed. As he threw himself into his bed he rolled over onto his side and hugged his knees into his chest. He was so confused about his feelings that he didn't realize that he was starting to cry. Sheldon cried himself to sleep that night unsure if he was experiencing anxiety or sadness.
That's a wrap for chapter 2! What do you think will happen in chapter 3?! Will Sheldon be able to sort out his feelings between Amy and Leo or will he crack and shut down?! Let me know in the comment but please do not under any circumstances think that Sheldon is going to be cheating on Amy because he is not! My sincere apologies go out to all the Shamy fans if this scene offended you in any way! To be continued...