6 6) The Grasshopper Experiment (S1)

Sheldon was sitting at his computer working on his paper, it was something that didn't prove anything but it did have his theories on it, he had to turn it in by tomorrow. Though since he had been working on it all week he was exhausted, he really needed a stiff drink too, his time talking to Anna also got cut short because of this.

At the moment it was just him and Leonard in the apartment, for once they didn't need to worry about Howard or Raj being over, well he didn't mind Raj but it seemed Howard followed everywhere he went.

Leonard became a distraction soon so he had to put headphones in so that he didn't need to listen to him move around the place, the guy couldn't do anything quiet. It was raking his nerves, he promised himself after he finished these last couple of pages that he would go ahead and make himself a drink, but he said that three pages ago.

Now all he could do was finish the page, inspiration just seemed to strike him the more he went to set down the paper, well stop typing the paper. Plus Dr. Gablehauser was asking for the paper, he was going to check it and give some notes, something he hasn't done in a while but Sheldon could use a little help.

From his side eye he could see Leonard walk by heading to the door, he didn't need to go check and see to know who it was, it could only be Howard and Raj, Penny seems to just walk in now. With a quick look he saw that he was right, he didn't pay attention to them though, instead he was finishing up the last of the forty thousand word paper he just wrote.

As he wrote the last line he felt a tap on his shoulder taking out the headphones he looked over, "And over here is Sheldon." Raj said with a smile while his parents were currently on the screen looking at him.

"Hi. Nice to meet the two of you." Sheldon said with a polite smile while looking at the two of them.

"Him and Howard are roommates." Raj commented for no reason.

"Oh, that's nice. Like Haroun and Tanweer." Mrs. Koothrappali said with a smile on her face, the screen was still pointed at him as she said it.

"Nope let me stop you there Mrs. Koothrappali, I am a straight male. I am just roommates with him for convenience, plus I sort of have a girlfriend, we haven't really defined that yet. And just to add a point I would totally go after you if you were single." Sheldon said with a flirty wink at the end right to her making her giggle as she saw it.

"Hey that is my wife mister! So are your parents okay with you limited earning potential?" Dr. Koothrappali asked everyone in the room, though Leonard was now standing with them looking panicked from the statement that was said earlier.

"I make a good amount seeing how successful my theories have been actually, my mother couldn't be prouder." Sheldon said with a smile since it was true, she honestly was just happy seeing him do something that he liked rather then being stuck at a job he didn't like.

"Not at all." Leonard said from behind him, Howard also said it since his mother thought he could be doing better.

"Papa, please don't start." Raj said looking embarrassed at the thought of his dad asking them about how much money they made.

"God, it's just a question, he is so sensitive." Dr. Koothrappali said while looking at him, Howard and Leonard.

"And that has been Mrs. and Dr. Koothrappali everyone." Raj said going to close the laptop only to be stopped as his dad was telling him to stop since he had something to tell him.

"Wait, wait. Before you go we have good news. Put the computer down and gather your friends." He said while Raj went to set the computer down on the counter while Sheldon went back to working on his paper writing the last few words of it.

"What is it Papa?" Raj said sounding like a child, but seeing as his dad paid for everything then it seemed that it made sense.

"Friends." He said noticing that none of them followed his son, Sheldon sighed but walked over after hitting save and sending a copy to Dr. Gablehauser so he could look it over.

Sheldon didn't pay attention though as they talked, he looked up but at the same time he was sending a message off to Anna, he was planning a date night for them. It would be their first one so he wanted to set everything right, but at the same time he didn't want to actually go overboard on the first date.

She sent back a positive reply as he looked down at it, she was off Friday this week so they would do it then, he thought of something and just needed to put it all together. He was really hoping it worked out with her she was a nice girl and all, he didn't want to mess anything up with her, though he needed to stomach her sex things.

Sheldon was lost in planning that he didn't notice when Raj left, looking over he asked Howard who was still strangely there, "Where did Raj go?" he asked.

"Oh he said that he was going to find better friends after the whole set up date thing, plus you weren't answering him when he asked you something so he went ahead and took off." Howard said while putting a movie in the DVD player.

Sheldon was to tired for anything else and wished them goodnight before he went to bed, after spending so many days on his paper he wanted to get some real rest.

//////

The next day Howard had come over earlier and was working on something with Leonard, they all got the day off today, most of the scientist at the school did. As they were all just hanging out when Raj walked in, "I thought you were looking for new friends." Sheldon said looking up from his book as he saw him walk in.

"I got some feelers out, but forget about that, listen to this." He said as he played the message for them all to listen too.

Sheldon didn't see a problem with it but of course Raj was complaining about not being able to talk to the girl, which actually made sense a little. He couldn't fully remember how Raj got over that besides drinking, he thinks it is because a girl broke his heart or something, but he could be wrong about that.

He went back to the TV as the rest talked more about his date, honestly he was still thinking what to do with Anna, he wanted to control what they did. Knowing her they would end up somewhere for a meal and then he would have to spend that time watching her eat, she actually tried getting him to eat something someone else cooked once.

Her exact words were 'Come on try it, what is the worse that could happen.' All she got in return was a deadpan stare from him which just made he sigh.

"Hi guys!" Penny said coming in with her cheerful experiment as Raj was just complaining about maybe being married off to someone.

"Hey." Sheldon and Leonard said while Howard stared and Raj went quiet at her entering the room.

"I need some Guinea pigs." She said with an excited smile on her face as she looked at all of them.

"For what?" Sheldon asked even though he already knew, for two reason actually, one because he watched the show of course. Two because before she even started asking for the bar shift she had been telling him about it, he actually encouraged her to take it, it would solve some money problems that she had.

"Well I finally convinced the restaurant to give me the bar shift, so I need some practice making drinks." She said while looking at them all with a hopeful look.

"That makes sense, you would need to practice as much as possible so you don't screw up orders when they happen." Sheldon said while nodding knowing her tendency to mess up an order sometimes when she is overwhelmed by something else.

She knew he was in so she turned to the rest, "So Leonard, how about it?"

"Look, Penny, we'd love to help you, but Raj is going through some stuff right now. And besides, he doesn't drink, so," He stops as Raj leans over and begins to whisper in his ear, "Really?" he looks at the man in surprise before turning back to Penny with a surprised expression, "Um, Raj is going through some stuff right now and he'd like to take up drinking."

Penny smiled widely at them all before motioning them to follow her out the apartment, Sheldon was the first since he had already walked over while the rest were talking. He didn't see Raj's problem as a problem, the guy talked about dating all the time, or sleeping with women, if he really wanted to do that he needed to get his confidence up.

As they entered her apartment he saw that the place was already set up for making drinks, there were all kinds of drinks lined up on her island for her to use for mixing them. "Alright Leonard, you are up first what would you like?" She asked as she walked to the other side with a smile.

Leonard was giddy being called on first, "How about a Tequila sunrise."

Penny nodded then got to making the drink, he nodded seeing that she didn't need to think over the drink and just make it, at least she had knowledge in what she was doing. Three minutes later she was handing it over to him, "Okay, here you go, Leonard, one tequila sunrise."

"Thank you. This drink is a wonderful example of how liquids with different specific gravities interact in a cylindrical container." He slowed down seeing her just giving him a bored expression as if she was suppose to understand him, "Thank you."

"Okay Raj, what will it be?" she asked turning to the mute man.

He leaned over whispering in Leonard's ear, "Raj said he will go with whatever you recommend."

"Oh how about a Grasshopper, I make a mean Grasshopper." She said with a smile as she did just that, since he told her to pick she didn't really need his opinion on anything, "Sheldon what are you having?" She asked as she was making that.

"Give me a Long Island Ice Tea." He said already knowing what he wanted to drink, it wasn't like he was about to get drunk or anything, he was only there to help her practice making drinks.

"Coming right up after I am done with this." She said looking up at him with a smile before going back to making the drink that she was already making. "Alright Raj here you go. Alright who is next?" She said handing the man his drink then moving to make Sheldon's.

"I'll have a slippery--- OW!" Howard went to say but a hit to the back of the head stopped that real quick.

"Dude she is becoming a best friend and basically a sister to me. Cut that shit out before you end up with more then just a hit to the back of the head." Sheldon said while glaring at the man.

While he was saying that Penny smile but she did frown hearing the sister part, she sent him a little glare that no one noticed since they were all paying attention to him. Though Leonard did look happy seeing that he wouldn't have Sheldon as competition for Penny's affection, the man took another big drink from his while feeling warm inside.

"Thank you sweetie." Penny said with a smile back in place as they all turned to look back her after Howard was cut off from saying what he was saying.

"No problem Penny, always happy to help you out when you need it." He said while taking his seat and taking the drink she made for him.

"Where did my life go, Penny? One day I'm a carefree bachelor, and the next I'm married and driving a minivan to peewee cricket matches in suburban New Delhi." Raj said gaining everyone's attention, Sheldon smiled though knowing this was going to happen. Everyone's else jaw dropped when they heard him speak to her though.

"A-Are you talking to me?" She said looking at him with her eyes big and round.

"Is there another Penny here? I had such plans. I had dreams. I was going to be the Indira Gandhi of particle Astro-physics. But with a penis, of course." Raj said while drinking more getting more comfortable talking to her as he did so.

Sheldon sat there smiling as he went on and on about this date he was going to have, Penny moved him to the couch while trying to calm him down about it all. Then she made him realize that he was indeed talking to her, but they all knew it was because he was drinking, though when she pointed that out she Leonard and Howard were disappointed.

"Yeah, that. Uh, why don't you bring her to my restaurant when I'm tending the bar so I can keep an eye on you?" Penny suggested when he wanted to drink for his date, it was a solid idea since they didn't know how he would react with more drinks. He already wasn't himself with one, so what would happen if he had more then that.

After that they all left, it was just him and Penny in the apartment as the others left, they were going to calm down Raj after his drink. "So are you going to be there like the rest of them for Raj's night?" She asked as she mixed another drink for him, though he wasn't going to drink them, it was just for practice.

".....That sounds like a good idea. I have a date with Anna that night, but I can just take her there. Are you still able to enter the kitchen even if you are tending bar?" He asked as she set down an old fashioned.

She paused a moment hearing that, he looked up when she didn't move for a moment, she seemed to be thinking something over before she nodded, "Yes, I will still be able to go into the kitchen. Go ahead and bring her there, I have your back sweetie, it will be an awesome date." She said with a smile.

He nodded smiling at her, "Alright, well then I will bring her there that night. Thanks Cutie pie." He said winking at her making her blush some.

/////////

It was Friday night and Anna was meeting him at the Cheesecake factory, he offered to pick her up but she didn't agree, she said she would tell him later about it. He didn't think to much about it though, she was a little upset about going to the cheesecake factory though, she wanted to go somewhere else, but he explained it to her.

The guys were also meeting there, though it was Leonard and Howard who were meeting seeing that he was going to be on a date, as was Raj so....

After getting dressed he went straight to the cheesecake factory, he showed up in time to meet Anna at the door, she smiled when she saw him, "Hey there!" She said walking over to him and giving him a strong hug.

He smiled while hugging her back, she was in a way better mood then earlier, "Hey you seem to be in a better mood."

She smiled more as they walked into the restaurant, "Well there is a reason for that, which is also the reason that I had to drive myself here. I am actually on call tonight, I can only be here for maybe thirty minutes before leaving."

He frowned while looking at her, "And what is there to be happy about that? Aren't you suppose to be looking forward to the date night? We haven't seen each other all week."

She smiled wryly at him, "I did look forward to this all week but then this big case came into the hospital and I got put on to it with my Attending. So while this date is something that I am looking forward to, this is a great opportunity for me."

Sheldon didn't know how to take this, yeah he was proud of her, but at the same time he didn't think that she would give up their date together. He was looking forward to it all week, he thought that she was too but she was going to leave him any moment now, which he thought just sucked.

He didn't show it on his face though and nodded as they walked to the bar area, the guys were already there watching Raj as he was on his date, the two of them went to a tall table. Penny smiled as she walked over, she seemed to realize he was in a bad mood though and discretely put her hand on his arm as she stood next to them, "Hey guys, can I get you anything?" she asked.

His good mood of seeing Raj drunk on a date was kind of ruined and all he wanted to do was get drunk himself, "Can I get a Long Island Ice Tea and a burger please, everything on the side."

She nodded then looked at Anna, "How about you?"

Anna gave a sheepish smile, "Hey good to see you penny, just give me a salad I might need to take off soon so I don't need anything that will take to long to make."

Penny didn't react though her hand tightened some on his arm, that was the only indicator that she was mad, "Sure coming right up."

As she walked away Anna let out a sigh and smiled before launching into her story about her patient apparently the man has ALS and they are trying to keep him alive so his family can see him. Sheldon felt sympathy for the man but it didn't mean that he wasn't upset about her leaving, she could have given the case to someone else for the night.

Before Penny could even come back her pager went off, "Shit!" She said looking down at it, "Look I have to go but this was great, we can set up something else when I am free." she said as she quickly kissed him on the cheek before she took off.

All Sheldon did was watch her leave, he didn't call out to her or anything seeing that she really wanted to go do this, he wasn't going to stand in her way. Though he was seriously reconsidering their relationship, this isn't the type of relationship he was hoping for.

He didn't want his first relationship for her to only have to worry about being called in, seeing as she was a resident it would only get worse since she would need to do more. Sighing he looked over to Raj, who at this point was making a really big fool of himself with the woman, it put a smile on his face.

"Hey where is Anna?" Penny asked while setting their plates down on the table.

Sheldon sighed, "She took off. She got called in for an emergency so now it is just me for the rest of the night, drinking to be exact."

She looked at him sadly while wrapping her arms around his neck, "Awe Sweetie! Don't worry you can stay here and hang with me tonight, plus we can watch the end of this disastrous date that Raj is having, after it is over we can talk all you want, okay?"

He smiled kissing her cheek, "Thanks Penny, you know just how to cheer a guy up. Some alone time with you just hanging out sounds awesome."

She smiled shyly while kissing his cheek and walking off with a small blush, Leonard asked her what happen the moment she was behind the bar again while Howard walked over. "What was that all about? You and Penny got something going on the rest of us should know about?"

Sheldon rolled his eyes at that, "No we don't. Anna got busy at the hospital tonight so I am alone here, Penny offered to hang out so that I could get over it."

Howard looked at him for a moment before shaking his head, "I really don't see how you don't see it."

Sheldon sighed, "I know what you are talking about, don't bring it up. Penny is nothing more then a friend, more like a sister. Nothing like that will happen between us."

Howard just shook his head as they went to paying attention to Raj again, since Sheldon didn't want to mess it up for the guy he didn't say anything about that princess book. He wanted Raj to get a girlfriend, the girl was cute too so she was a good match for him, unlucky for him the guy was a narcissist and an ass as a drunk so it wasn't going to work.

All he could do was work with the man, he could talk while drinking but he also knew that he would also do it if he had fake beer not knowing it was real. So after this he would try more to get Raj a girl, hopefully before the year was up he was in some sort of relationship, even if it wasn't going to go anywhere.

"He isn't doing to well is he?" Penny asked them as they were all standing at the bar, they all just shook their heads as an answer when Raj tried to claim that she was already his woman.

It got worse the more he talked before she couldn't take it anymore before she took off, not without slapping him first, it was worse then what he remembered it being. They all sat around after that drinking, Raj cried a little at how bad he blew it, Howard ended up having to drive the guy home before he could get worse.

While Leonard went to the bathroom Sheldon walked up to the stage and sat down at the piano, he started to hum while playing the tune of 'Thinking Out Loud' By Ed Sheeran. People stopped talking and started to listen as he sang the first words, Penny didn't need to serve people anymore since they were listening so she also leaned on the bar to listen.

"So honey now, Take me into your loving arms, Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars, Place your head on my beating heart, I'm thinking out loud, Maybe we found love right where we are.....When my hair's all but gone and my memory fades, And the crowds don't remember my name, When my hands don't play the strings the same way, mm, I know you will still love me the same" Sheldon sang while send a wink over to Penny who smiled brightly.

The whole restaurant was swinging to the motion of the song, that is what Leonard walked back into as he looked to the stage with his jaw dropping, "Leonard, why didn't you tell me that Sheldon could sing?" Penny asked him as he went back over to their seats.

"I didn't know. Hell it looks like he has had more drinks then he usually does, it must be making him do something he usually does in private." Leonard said a little jealous as he saw how Penny was looking at Sheldon.

As the song ended Sheldon took a bow and walked over to the two of them, "Sweetie that was awesome!" Penny gushed as she pulled him tightly into a hug.

"Thanks Penny, guess I have had a few otherwise I wouldn't have done that." He said with a smile while taking a seat again.

"Umm can I get a drink down here." A man shouted now out of the trance of the music.

"Oops, see you guys in a moment I am going to take care of that." Penny said in embarrassment as she walked away.

Leonard sighed next to him, "What is it?" Sheldon asked looking over to the guy.

"I am going to marry that girl on day." Leonard said while looking at Penny with a goofy smile as he watched her walk away.

Sheldon just shook his head as he took another drink of his long island, he looked over to aforementioned girl and had to admit she was the perfect wife, well in some ways. Others not so much but she was someone that he would always want in his corner.