Flashback V

"You remember that deal we made after we came back from Ramadi?" Michael says idly, playing with the rim of his can of ginger ale.

"Valerie's pregnant, isn't she?" Sheldon deadpanned after finishing off his own ginger ale. His best friend smiled widely. "Penny's not gonna like this. Congratulations," he toasted his friend with an empty soda can and a grin.

Michael laughed, "Which part, the part where her best friend got pregnant before her or the part where if we get selected she won't see you for nine months?"

"Both."

Michael chuckled, "Well, on the bright side if we get in there's a pretty good chance that by the time we're commissioned, we'll both be parents."

Sheldon cocked his head to the side, "How do you figure that?"

"Oh come on, you don't think after hearing Val's news, Penny won't be eager to get busy? She and Val compete in everything. Remember that story she told you about being super pissed off at Val for taking the Head Cheerleader position from her, she didn't talk to her for six months!"

Sheldon shook his head and ran a hand down his face, "Oh lord…" Michael chuckled.

Leonard climbed the stairs on Friday night in a jovial mood, he had a date with Mandy Chow who worked in Marine Biology. He had been eyeing her for a while now but she was always involved with someone—just like every other woman he had an interest in. Just once, he wanted to be the bird who got the worm and not the scraps. But now he got his chance, he was hoping that Mandy would be the one to permanently take his mind off of Penny. He hadn't committed to anything when his friends recently called him out but he knows they are right, he has no claim and his actions regarding the pair haven't exactly been neighbourly. He hopes that Mandy can change that.

Leonard was just about to step out to head over to Mandy's to pick her up when he heard a girlish shriek of joy in the hall, he ran for the door as quickly as he could. What he saw was both foreign to him and honestly a secret fantasy. Two hot blonde girls, hugging each other, and jumping for joy.

"No way, really?" Penny asked excitedly after they calmed down.

The other blonde nodded frantically, smiling wide. Then the guy Leonard recognised as Sheldon's friend Michael came up behind her.

"You couldn't wait, huh?" Michael laughed.

Penny then slapped Michael on the shoulder, "Oh yes she has! She's been waiting for two years! I'm so happy for you guys!" Penny beams with Sheldon coming up beside her and draping an arm over her.

Leonard felt like he was intruding on a private moment and shut his door signalling his official appearance.

The four other people turned toward him but Penny spoke, "Wow, you look nice, going somewhere?"

"Yeah, I got a date tonight."

Then the quartet realise they were blocking the stairwell. "Oh sorry," they chorus sheepishly. Leonard walks past them with a plastered-on smile.

"Come on, let's get inside before the Cornhusker Marching Band comes marching up these stairs or something," Penny laughingly suggests after Leonard departs. Michael and the blonde nod.

Once inside, Michael went off with Sheldon leaving the women to talk, while Penny dragged her blonde friend over to the couch.

"Okay, so come on Val tell me everything. When did you find out? How far along are you? Is it a boy or a girl? Can I be godmother?" Penny asked excitedly in rapid-fire succession.

Valerie laughed, "Easy there, Penny, I don't know jack other than what a drug store pregnancy test and morning sickness are telling me. And that was because Mike bought me one after I've been throwing up for the last three days. We'll go to the doctor to confirm it on Monday but I just had to tell my best friend first!"

Penny giggled, "When did you get so mature?"

Valerie smiled, "Are you really asking me or is that rhetorical?" She laughed but continued, "Either way it was probably after Mike came back from Iraq the first time, you remember? When he told us that his best friend basically performed field surgery on him with a knife and water? I realised then that the girl I was in high school and throughout our freshman year at Nebraska wasn't the one I wanted to be. I had fallen for someone, me, the Queen Bee of Central High. I couldn't believe it when I realised it. But when Michael told me his last thoughts in Fallujah were of me I knew I wanted to be a better person."

Penny wiped away a tear, "Stop, you're the one that's pregnant and yet I'm the one all emotional," she said her voice slightly watery.

Valerie laughed, "Okay, fair enough. But you asked."

Penny giggled still a bit emotional, "We've come a long way from those catty bitches fighting over who is cheer captain, huh?"

Valerie laughed, "Yeah… I'm still sorry about that, by the way. I know I was named Head Cheerleader our senior year, but you were the one that put in all the work. And now look at us, both married to great guys, and I'm gonna have a baby!"

Penny beams, "I know! It just sucks that you're an hour and a half away."

"That's the other thing I wanted to talk to you about. I don't know how I'm gonna get through this pregnancy alone, so I was hoping… you could help."

Penny looked confused, "Wait, what? Why would you be going through this alone? Don't tell me this baby is just a relationship band-aid and that Mike doesn't really want it?"

Valerie shakes her head and chuckles at her friend's concern, "Oh no, it's nothing like that, we're both committed to this," she places her hands on her still flat stomach, "like you said we've been

trying for two years. It's just," Valerie takes a breath, "Okay, supposedly my husband and yours made some kind of deal during their second stint in Iraq, I don't know why they did it but they did, and now because of this kid I'm gonna have, it has, I don't know started the ball rolling on their deal." She shrugged.

Penny was now even more confused, "Okay Val, what the hell are you talking about? And why are you making it sound like our husbands are going to take over the world or something?"

Valerie sighed, "Okay, so again I don't know why they made this deal or why the trigger for it is a baby. Apparently, it's the reason that Sheldon stayed for so long, now he and Michael don't have to."

Penny put her head in her hands, "I'm getting a headache. What deal?!"

"The deal that states that the first baby means we both submit applications for Officer Candidate School in Virginia," Sheldon says from behind her. Penny turns around and stares at her husband and his best friend.

She rolls her eyes, "You two are idiots," she says affectionately, "What were you going to do if neither of us got pregnant?"

Sheldon and Michael look at each other and shrug, "Continue on doing what we have been?" Michael says, "Look, Penny, I owe Sheldon my life and that is the only reason he has continually denied offers to go to Virginia. He said that if we get a commission we get it together. So, I told him at the confirmation of a kid incoming it means we submit our applications for OCS. And well, Val found out last night, and I told Sheldon today at lunch and… yeah, that's um, basically it."

Penny stands and faces two tall Marines with her hands on her hips, "So, let me get this straight, if either of us got pregnant, you both submit applications for officer school. But if no baby, no school?"

"Yeah," Michael shrugged, a little unnerved by his best friend's wife and her increasingly hostile tone.

"Okay… but I still don't understand why Val would have to do this alone," Penny says.

"Because OCS is a 10-week course to get a commission, followed by a 26-week course at The Basic School. So that means if we are admitted, Val will essentially go through an entire pregnancy while we are in commission training. So she'll need help," Sheldon explained.

Penny nods, finally understanding what the problem is, "I see, so you want Val to move in here until you two come back with commissions and a new rank is that it?"

"If you don't mind," Michael says nervously, giving his best friend's wife a half grin.

"Mind? Mind?!" Her voice got louder, she then relents and beams, "Are you kidding me, I'd love to," and sees the two men breathe a sigh of relief, she then turns to Val, "I better be godmother after this."

The trio laugh nervously and breathe a sigh of relief.

Penny then marches over to Sheldon and hits him in the bicep with a playful pout. "Ow," Sheldon exclaims as he rubs his bicep.

Penny scoffs and rolls her eyes, "Oh don't give me that, Dr. It's Just A Flesh Wound, I know that didn't hurt. So, what were you going to do if I got pregnant instead of Val?"

"Essentially the same thing, just switch the roles," Sheldon said. "And what if we both got pregnant?"

"Called in reinforcements aka the mothers," Michael came to his friend's rescue.

Penny turned her attention toward the man who introduced her to the love of her life, "You idiots thought of everything, didn't you?"

"Well not everything, but we knew that officer school was the way forward because I mean with a kid on the way either of us could use the extra money, and because we're prior-enlistees that gives us extra," Michael says.

"Okay, I don't work for the military so I don't know much about that stuff but when you say extra because you were enlisted first what are we talking about?"

"About a $10,600 difference, between a general officer candidate and a prior-enlisted one," Sheldon cuts in to explain.

Penny nods, "Okay, that's not too bad, so when are you going to submit?" The sudden hand-in-the- cookie-jar faces on her husband and his best friend tell her all she needs to know, "You've already submitted," she concludes and sighs, "Okay, let me rephrase that, when will you know?"

"Before Christmas," Michael answers. "And when would you have to leave?"

"Second week of January," Sheldon supplies.

Penny sighs, then turns to her best friend, "Well Val, I guess come New Year you and me are gonna be roomies, again," she giggles. The other blonde laughs.

Now Michael is confused, "Wait, you two were roommates before? When? At Nebraska?" The women nod. "Please tell me you guys didn't have slumber parties in your dorm room?"

Penny smirks then winks at him, "Wouldn't you like to know."

Michael and Sheldon both groan at the mental image, as their wives laugh.

Valerie rolled her eyes, "Oh, calm down you pervs, we didn't do anything that would make it onto a Girls Gone Wild video," she laughs.

Michael and Sheldon laugh, Penny turns and glares at them, then at her husband, "Don't think you're off the hook just yet. I got a job for you to do later."

Michael turns to his friend and whispers, "See, told ya." Penny focuses her glare on Michael, "What was that?"

Michael shakes his head quickly, giving her a weak smile, "Nothing."

Michael drags Sheldon away into the kitchen where it's safe and looks over to where their wives were sitting, "Cooper, I think I'm more afraid of your wife than Iraqi insurgents," he whispers.

Sheldon chuckles lowly.

Michael and Valerie spend the next couple of hours with Sheldon and Penny before driving back down to Camp Pendleton.

On the drive back, Michael asks his wife, "You think Penny is really okay with this?"

"Of course. She's been my best friend since 8th grade and apart from senior year, we're pretty much two peas in a pod."

Michael chuckles, "I'll say. Both blonde, both former high school cheerleaders, both married to Marines… if I didn't know better I would think you and she were sisters rather than you and Robyn."

Valerie laughs, "I can say the same about you and Sheldon, hubby."

Michael nods, "True, true… but as far as I know Sheldon never TP'd my car because I was head cheerleader instead of him," he laughed.

Valerie sighed, "Good God, I'm never gonna live that down, am I? So Coach named me head cheerleader instead of her, was it the right decision; probably not, did I act mature about it; no. But I've apologised so many times. Why do people keep bringing it up? Hell, we got over it, she was my maid of honour and I was hers!"

Michael snickered, "All right, snippy pants."

Valerie turned and glared at her husband who was driving, "What did you just call me? You realise that I'm the one that's carrying your kid, right?"

Michael laughed again, "And I love you for it."

Valerie rolled her eyes, whether her husband saw it or not is irrelevant, "You know… it's never good to anger a pregnant woman," she deadpanned.

Michael laughs even harder.

On Monday, Michael met up with Sheldon after they both finished a medical evaluation. "When are you going to tell Penny?"

"Tonight probably, I don't think she's going to be too thrilled though. And you?" "Tonight, too. I'm probably gonna get the Riot Act from Val," Michael chuckles. "Rightly so, we just told our wives we'd be gone 36 weeks on Friday, now it's 78." Michael grins, "On the bright side when we do see them the sex will be amazing." "For me maybe, you'll have a 8-month-old."

"Ah, touché," Michael said with a bobbing of his head.

They head out to the field for a run since they were already in their PT uniforms. On the way, Michael quips, "You finally got your wish, Doc."

Sheldon stops short, "Excuse me?"

Michael smiles at his best friend, "It took us six years but you're finally gonna get your wish of jumping out of a plane."

Sheldon shakes his head amused, "I guess I was a little excited during Jump School."

Michael snickers, "Yeah… just like the Grand Canyon is a little hole," he said sarcastically, then took off.

Sheldon takes off after his best friend.

"A year and a half?! What the hell?" Penny yelled, getting to her feet. Sheldon sighed seated beside her, "Penny, calm down, and let me explain."

Penny sits back down, and took a deep breath, "Okay… try and talk yourself out of this one," she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Michael and I have for the last two months undergone screening to join MARSOC." Penny blew out a breath in annoyance, "English, please."

"Marine Forces Special Operations Command. It was activated in February of last year."

Penny's eyes widened, "Special forces?" Her voice was squeaky. She took in a fortifying breath, "Like the SEALs and Green Berets?"

Sheldon nods.

Penny just sat digesting the news of the last five minutes; she had come home in high spirits, they had a nice dinner, she even got her Scrooge of a husband to agree on a Christmas tree this year, then he sat her down and told her that Val might have to extend her stay longer than originally thought because he and Michael were going to be away for longer than they planned. But right now Penny doesn't know what to think. She knows her husband is a good and highly-decorated Marine and while she knew marrying a military man would be difficult, she didn't know it would be not because she was worried he might die—even though that thought is always in the back of her mind—it is actually more because he insists on putting himself in more dangerous positions. At least being in an expeditionary unit means there's a 50/50 chance he won't be in the line of fire, but special forces mean he'll be the tip of the spear and on call at a moment's notice. She doesn't know if she can cope with the constant fear of losing him.

"Penny?" Sheldon asks warily.

His voice pulls her from her thoughts and Penny looks at him dead-on, "Why?" "I don't understand the question."

"Why are you doing this? What are you trying to prove?" Her voice is shaky.

Sheldon ponders his wife's questions momentarily before answering, "I'm doing this because it's my job."

"Then quit! You are the smartest person I know, you can do anything! Quit and be a lawyer or start

a business or go teach! You have a doctorate in physics, any school would gladly hire you. Anything, but put yourself in more danger," Penny implored on the verge of tears.

Sheldon took his wife into his arms in a tight embrace where she broke down. He just let her cry, knowing that platitudes wouldn't do any good right now. When she stopped, he pulled her back, cupped her now red tear-stained face and wiped away her tears with his thumbs.

"I-I," she sniffled, "I… don't want to lose you, Sheldon! Don't make me a widow until we're old, wrinkly, and grey. I want to be able to tell our children and grandchildren and maybe if we're lucky our great-grandchildren, how smart and awesome their dad and grandpa is. I can't do any of that if you're not here." She sniffled again, "Don't leave me to fight for abstractions like truth, honour, and the American way, please…"

Sheldon surged forward and kissed her. He loves this woman, she is everything to him, but he is doing this for her—for them—to secure their future. But until now didn't know how much she hated seeing him leave. It certainly puts her reaction to him walking on stage and that kiss she gave him at her graduation into perspective. "You'll never lose me, Penny," he told her firmly. After they broke the kiss.

"Then don't do this, don't risk your life any more than you have to," she begged him.

Sheldon pulled her into his side, "There three essential things to my existence," he began softly once Penny was situated, "and they aren't the three that you mentioned although they are up there in the top 10, but I digress. The three most important things to me are you, family, and country. I am doing this to protect all three of the most important things to me. I am doing this so that we have a proper future. Yes, there is danger out there I will admit, and while I wish there wasn't; until a miracle occurs and all evil is wiped away from this world somebody has to be there to defend it. And that's me and my fellow Marines."

Penny sighed, "I've already lost you… to the Marine Corps. You have this beautiful mind that Missy, your mother, and Meemaw all talk about. I've seen more than glimpses of it, but you buried that side of you when you decided to join the Marines, didn't you? So, there's nothing I can do to change your mind, is there?" She said deliberately.

Sheldon shook his head, "Except love and support me. And I promise you, Penny, I will always come back to you. You are my sole reason to return. I will never leave you. I love you."

This time Penny surged up and kissed him, straddling him as well. She put all of her fear, all of her love, and all of her hope for their future into the kiss. When they broke, she pulled back and looked at the only man she ever gave her heart to and whispered, "Make love to me. Right here, right now."

Sheldon didn't need to be told twice, closing the distance between their lips and connecting them once more before he showed his wife just how much he loved her.

***

Leonard marched up the stairs disappointed, it was the worst date he's ever had—and that was saying something considering he once went out with a girl that had a hideous neck mole, he thought she just liked turtlenecks. Mandy showed no real interest in him and after dinner and a movie, he just went home without asking about anything beyond tonight. Mainly because midway through the movie she left with her ex-boyfriend—at least he thinks it's her ex unless she regularly kisses strangers like that in darkened cinemas—leaving him to finish the horror movie alone. He had hoped after Friday, Mandy's quick agreement to another date would be the start of something

special, but nope; just like everything else in his life, it all ends in disaster. When he got to the fourth floor, he heard the unmistakable sounds of sex coming from 4A—usually, the apartment next door was dark and quiet by 11:30. He groaned in frustration when he heard Penny's exclamation of ecstasy and her calling out her husband's name. As he headed into his apartment, he wondered why a blue-collar guy like Sheldon got to be happy, when he a white-collar guy was miserable. He made more money than a Marine, his job was safer than a Marine's, and he sure as hell was smarter than any Marine; maybe not the one living next door, but he'd run rings around the rest of them. As he closed his apartment door, he heads over to the fridge and pulls out a beer. Normally, he wouldn't drink on a weekday but between being dumped mid-date and hearing his pretty neighbour orgasm he needs something to drown his sorrows.

Flashback

Omaha 2005

Michael was happy to finally be home, the open fields, and the lingering smell of diesel, even in winter brought him back to a simpler time.

Back in high school, he had not planned for this life, he had planned to go to college, find a nice girl, get married, have kids, and eventually take over the farm. Then his older brother, Kyle, died at 22 because a drunk driver swerved onto the sidewalk and hit him at 78 mph in a 35 zone.

Michael swore off alcohol at his brother's funeral. Michael looked up to his older brother, he was smart and driven—going to Nebraska and studying Computer Science while working toward an officer's commission through the Army ROTC program. Michael wasn't that dedicated, his grades in high school were decent but he was nowhere close to his brother. But he graduated high school at 17 not because he was smart but because his parents put him in early. All the kids in high school marvelled at him, graduating at 17, saying that he must be super smart to graduate a year early, he wasn't. The only thing he was really good at was shooting. In the Midwest that was still a necessity even in the 90s. So he decided to enlist. The drive down to Denton with his mother was the longest and quietest journey he'd ever taken. There he met a boy; tall, and lean but also very naive-looking. They struck up a brief conversation while waiting for their turn with the recruiter and the boy made him laugh, twice. He hadn't laughed much after Kyle died. It was on the trip to Parris Island that

he and Sheldon struck up a friendship of sorts. Michael could tell his new friend was smart just by the way he spoke, but he wouldn't say where he graduated or with what. They talked about family mostly, Sheldon explaining that he decided on the Marine Corps because his dad and grandfather

—both gone now—were Marines. Michael told Sheldon he joined because he was a good shot and that in the Marines, 'every Marine is a rifleman', otherwise at least one member of his family going back to the Civil War was in the Army. He told his new friend he didn't want to follow a ghost— his brother Kyle—which was another reason why he picked the Marines. Sheldon admitted he didn't know what to expect which led to the revelation of his new friend being a doctor, like a genuine doctor, although Sheldon corrected him and a few recruits saying that while he is a doctor he wasn't a Ph.D which is a Doctor of Philosophy, he was an Sc.D which is a Doctor of Science.

That led to someone, Michael thinks it was Roy Granberg to bestow the nickname 'Doc' upon his friend. After that most of the recruits sitting around Sheldon started to call him that, including him.

Personally, Michael had his doubts initially, even though it looked like the tall boy from Texas had the look of a Marine; 6'2", 180-something pounds, close crop head of hair… the boy seemed almost afraid to get dirty, but Michael saw how his friend went through a dramatic 180 change within a week by literally telling the other recruits to haze him and by the time they reached week two of boot camp his friend was as comfortable around dirt and mud as the pigs back on the farm. Michael had never seen anyone willingly invite and allow themselves to be hazed before but what

his friend did during boot camp surprised a lot of people including the guy himself. When they started rifling training and practice, Michael was ahead, but not by much. After the two weeks of rifle training were up, he'd have to say Sheldon was the better marksman—that drove him to be better. He knew then what he was missing with his brother gone—worthy competition. But he found it in Sheldon, so he pushed the boy and himself. When they experienced the gas chamber, he felt like he was on the verge of joining his brother. Sheldon felt worse. He felt like quitting after that. Michael didn't want his friend to quit, his friend had become his new motivation, someone to look up to—he didn't know what to do if his friend quit especially since they were so close. So he said whatever to get his friend to stay and he was glad he did. From then on they were inseparable; Michael was not surprised after they finished advanced training and were assigned that Sheldon was made an E-3. Apart from that first week in Basic his friend was tops or near the top in every course they undertook. When he asked after they had finished School of Infantry East in North Carolina, Sheldon told him he had something like a photographic memory but better—more observable—it was called an eidetic memory; apparently, his friend can recall anything after seeing it or hearing it just once. Michael had to laugh after hearing that and declare, "Your ass is too smart for the Marine Corps." To which Sheldon had replied, "Maybe, but it now falls down to me to keep your asses alive and I can do it better with an eidetic memory."

Michael doesn't know what Sheldon's true motivation for joining the Corps is, apart from following his dad and grandfather, and as noble as that is he thinks it's kind of a waste. Here was the smartest guy Michael knew and there was a good chance he'd be injured or killed in battle when with his smarts his friend could probably cure cancer or something. But he doesn't voice his one concern that Sheldon might be throwing his life away—he's selfish like that, he needs his best friend—and he vows to keep Sheldon alive as long as he was around. He knows just from seeing him operate during the Fall of Kandahar that his friend is going to do great things… if he can stay alive.

Michael was never more thankful for Sheldon than during that first battle in Fallujah in April 2004. His best friend—his brother—saved his life that day; even if it was extremely painful. Michael doesn't know what was more painful; the piece of shrapnel piercing his ribs or his buddy cutting into him with the standard OKC-3S bayonet without any morphine. Seriously, he understands now why women scream so much during childbirth. And even they get drugs, all he had was a warm towel to bite down on. But Michael is forever grateful for Sheldon and his leadership and quick thinking. Because of it, he was back on his feet within three weeks and able to assist in the taking of Fallujah that fall with his best friend. Michael thought he was going to die in Iraq that April, which he thought was both a blessing and a curse; on the one hand, he could be reunited with his brother, on the other he'd be leaving his surrogate brother and a girl he had been dating after he came back from Afghanistan, a cute blonde named Valerie Mossbacher.

His girlfriend was beautiful, perky, and playful, but after he came back from Iraq and Val saw the scar on his ribs, she changed. She was still beautiful, perky, and playful but he had noticed that she wasn't so intent on being the latter two all the time as she had been before he left. There was an air of quiet dignity and sophistication about her now. He welcomed the change but was thankful she was still Valerie—the girl he'd always come back for. He knew she had somewhat of a reputation, but when he met her, she was nothing but warm and had a playful mischievousness that he knew would ground him. She would be the yin to his yang, she could help him learn to laugh again.

Since he was 17, his life had been way too serious and full of death or the thought of it. Valerie was the breath of fresh air he didn't know he was missing; until he found it. He thought his buddy needed a girl like that too, luckily before he left for Afghanistan/Iraq, Valerie told him she thinks she knows the girl that would fit the bill; her best friend, Penny Teller. Penny was in many ways like her, she told him, but she was determined to be more than a pretty face whereas Valerie was okay with being one—at least for him, she had said. Plus, Val told him that after dating, "one dumb

jock after another, Penny is ready to find a smart guy. But all the guys she meets only pretend to be smart, you know to get with her. I think if you can find a smart guy—like a genuinely smart guy who cares for her more than her looks—she'll name you godfather to their first kid or something." He laughed, not knowing how perfect of a match Penny would be for his best friend.

"Doc, I think it's time you come and meet the girl of your dreams," Michael called and told his best friend. A day later, his friend showed up in an old red Ford F-150. If it weren't for the license plates and the white-walled tyres he could have sworn it was Kyle's old truck. He wondered then if Sheldon was the reincarnation of his brother and that's why they got along so well.

"Nice truck, yours?" Michael said in greeting.

"Now it is, but it was my old man's," Sheldon said climbing out. "She's a beaut."

Sheldon smiled, "Thanks, my brother helped me rebuild the engine after we got back from Afghanistan."

Michael nodded. The pair lingered outside talking about Sheldon's truck and Michael's family farm. This was apparently Sheldon's first time to a proper Nebraskan farm, but if all goes well it won't be his last. Michael is counting on that.

"Do you mind if I go and say hello to your folks, I want to see how your dad's doing?"

Michael nods, "Then prepare yourself for a whole host of hugs and thank you's. Val wanted a proper explanation for my scar and when she said the magic word the whole family wanted the story too."

"Maybe I should just go over to Penny's then, I don't want to make a big fuss."

Michael shook his head in amusement, "Don't wimp out on me now, Doc. Besides, you can't, you don't know the way." Then threw an arm over Sheldon's shoulder and led him inside. "Come on, hero, time to meet your adoring public," Michael grinned.

"Everybody!" Michael shouted once in the hallway. And immediately he and Sheldon were beset by a family of six, which included his father, Shelby; his mother, Patricia; and his older sisters, Alexandra and Gwen; Alex's husband, Travis; and Gwen's fiancé, Craig. Michael saw them gather around Sheldon like a school of sharks leading him into the living room. Once there, his mom and sisters bear-hugged his best friend to the point where he thinks Sheldon wishes he had on a flak jacket. Michael watched as they thanked Sheldon profusely for saving his life. Michael then saw his dad, a man who has been through so much, shake his best friend's hand and tell the man who saved his life, "Sheldon, you are now an honorary member of the Clarke clan, my boy." Michael sees the emotion in Sheldon's eyes at those words, and Michael knows why; Sheldon lost his dad pretty early. And while Sheldon won't ever replace his actual brother he's glad his dad said it, even if it's just in passing.

After the family finish thanking Sheldon and Sheldon finishes checking up on his dad, Michael ushers his best friend out the door, they still had an hour's drive to Nebraska.

In a dorm room at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Valerie Mossbacher and Penny Teller sit on their beds and go through the motions of studying but it was a Saturday.

Since Michael came home Val had made several trips back home to see him. Penny is happy her friend is finally sticking to one guy and she seems really happy and serious about this guy too.

Penny had met Michael a few times and she had to admit her best friend knew how to pick 'em. The guy was a real looker. And a Marine to boot. Penny secretly wishes she could find a guy like that; not just cute or brave but also smart. She added that to her list of must-haves after her last boyfriend Donnie tried to make biofuel by mixing pig poop with a little water and pumping it into his mom's Camry. Not only did that ruin his mom's car it also stunk up the block while he was 'harvesting' his fuel.

"You are gonna love this guy, Penny," Valerie beamed, excitedly. "How can you be sure? You've never even met him." Penny retorted.

Valerie nods, "Yeah, fair enough. But the guy saved Mike's life. I know I'm gonna," she beams. "I don't know, Val…" Penny said sceptically.

"Look, just meet him, talk, and if you don't gel then no harm done. But I know you're gonna love him. I guarantee it."

Penny snorts, "You sound like the Men's Warehouse guy."

Valerie laughs. "Trust me, Penny. You're gonna be thanking me by making me your maid of honour in no time flat."

"Is this you trying to make up for senior year?"

Valerie rolls her eyes, "Oh my God, how many times do I have to apologise for that?" "Until it stops being funny," Penny grins.

Valerie sticks her tongue out at her best friend and checks her watch. "We should head down to the quad in 20 minutes Michael said he and his friend will be here by four."

***

Twenty minutes later, Penny and Valerie are in red and white Nebraska hoodies and outer coats and gloves respectively in the quad when Val is swept off her feet by Michael peppering her with kisses, causing Penny to roll her eyes, "You'd think they've been apart for years rather than a few hours," Penny said to the man standing next to her.

Sheldon chuckles. "Tends to happen I think when a significant other is on the verge of death." Penny noticed the man then and blushed. "H-Hi, I'm Penny Teller."

Sheldon smiled, "Sheldon Cooper." He then notices Penny's physics textbook. "Is that for an intro class?" He points to the textbook.

Penny nods, "Yeah, stupid intro to physics. I was never good at science in high school so I back- ended all my science classes to the last possible moment. Now I'm regretting it. I sometimes wonder why I need this anyway, I'm a drama major, not a science one. I think I'm just gonna drop out and try acting the old-fashioned way, going to auditions while waiting tables. Plenty of people have done it." Her eyes suddenly go wide, "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry I didn't mean to go on about my problems like that," her blush deepened.

Sheldon smiles, "That's all right. May I see what you're having trouble with?" Penny opens the textbook, and points. Sheldon nods.

"I see. May I see your notebook?"

Penny hands over her notebook and a pen and watches in astonishment as the man seated next to her proceeds to fill up one page and the next within minutes.

"What you're struggling with is quantum physics, so let me explain…" And he did, Penny listened as he explained his two pages worth of physics notes as if he were explaining how a 6-4-3 double play in baseball is executed. Penny thought if all of her professors explained science like Sheldon did, she'd ace their class in no time.

Penny pulled her hair back behind her ear, "I totally understood that. Are you sure you're a Marine, you're way too smart to be one. No offence."

Sheldon laughed, maybe the old version of him would have taken offence, but he finds being in this woman's presence to be intoxicating. There's something about her that he can't resist, "None taken. But yes I am. However, before joining, I did complete my doctorate at the University of Heidelberg."

Penny smiles wryly, "Awfully young to be a doctor, aren't you? Unless… you're like, one of those, beautiful mind genius guys."

Sheldon blushes, "Yeah."

Penny looks over at Valerie preoccupied with Michael, then turns back, "So… do you wanna grab some coffee at the Knoll, Sheldon?"

He smiles, "Lead the way, Penny."

As Penny and Sheldon walk off, Valerie looks at the pair and quips in Michael's arms, "I should start a match-making service, I'd make a killing."

***

After getting coffee, they stuck to safe topics: sports, the weather, and favourite movies, at which point Penny asked Sheldon what he thought of acting.

"I have nothing against the profession per se. I enjoy seeing my favourite movies and television shows well acted. And while I don't doubt your acting abilities despite never having seen it, it's the stability of the job that worries me about the job. You mentioned earlier a secondary job of waiting tables should you decide to drop out. Do you know why they wait tables? To make connections and network. That is the most important secondary part of a college education. The fraternity that you join. You know out in the real world, they say it's not what you know but who you know. Well, going to the same college no matter how distant your graduation year is both a great icebreaker and a potential deal sealer. Because most actors are typecast and are done by 50, more so for women. And finally, I know it might be weird to take acting career advice from a guy whose job is to shoot people but, I think there's far more job security behind the camera than in front of it. Behind it, you can learn production, screenplay, direction, and a lot more. You can be the boss and see your vision come true rather than be someone else's vision."

Penny giggled, "You just have all the answers, don't cha?" She took a sip of her coffee.

"Not all of them, just the practical ones." He blushed.

"Okay, so why don't we leave work and school behind us and get to know each other on a more practical level," Penny suggested.

"With you, I'm game for anything," Sheldon replied taking a sip of his coffee.

Penny smiled at the guy seated across from her. Cute, check; tall, check; brave, check; mature, check; smart, double check. Penny doesn't want to get ahead of herself but just 20 minutes with him and she can already envision wedding bells.