Gran Mag...

Parts XX, XXI...

"Gran Mag…"

Summary: Utterly for fun…Sheldon is in deep, deep trouble…From certain povs…When Amy's older sister blows…Into town…For Halloween and their engagement party…

Helps if you look up the wondrous Charlotte Gainsbourg…And one of the better pics of the equally wondrous Maggie Hamilton…

Disclaimer: BBT is all Chuck's…

Part XX…

"It seems you were right, Charlotte…" Amy noted quietly as she and Penny stood facing the group in my apartment…A puzzled Raj and Howard, a troubled Bernadette, a bemused Leonard, and, as Penny had hoped, a rather content…That her sister was seeing the light, of my inadequacy, of course…Charlotte…

"Penny was contacted by Sheldon last night…Though not in any collusion…He simply wanted her to let him know how I was…It seems we both owe Penny an apology…Though you seem to have been right about Sheldon…He is trying to find a way out of this commitment…"

(I trust my actions to date have bellied the accuracy of this statement, a ruse of course…Thank you…)

"I'm so sorry, Amy…" Charlotte, moving in for the…er, to comfort… "And I apologize, Penny…I lost my temper and it was uncalled for…I only hope you understand it reflected how much Amy means to me…"

"Sure…No…Problem…" Penny, smiling…Of the shit-eating midwestern variety…Her own take on Charlotte's rather more elegantly French style…But quite effective in its own way…Both in deceiving the clueless and sending a message to one's opponent…

Girl is rather good at this at that…Bit worrisome, really…

"Yes…" Amy sighed… "I suppose I asked too much of him and he couldn't bear it…"

"What did he say to Penny?...Did you talk to him yet?..." Leonard…

Charlotte watching carefully…Uncertain but naturally suspicious…And now rather suspecting her tool/victim Penny might be a bit more formidable than she'd realized…

"Just that he couldn't speak to Amy…He couldn't tell her about what he needed to tell her…Something like that…You know Sheldon…" Penny shrugged…

"Apparently I didn't…As well as I thought…" Amy sighed again…

"There, there…" Charlotte patted her… "You always get your hopes raised too high my dearest…I keep telling you you'll inevitably face disappointment and disillusion…"

"So true…I guess…" Penny shook her head…

"Wait…Does this mean the wedding's off?..." Howard, eyeing Amy, Penny…

"I can't marry without a groom …Or another someone, at least…" Amy noted…Weeping…Penny extending a hand for a gentle pat…

"Lets not be too hasty…" Charlotte, carefully… "We may yet be able to get Sheldon to see he's making a foolish mistake in abandoning you…" smile to Amy's now teary face…Amy rubbing cheeks with paper towel Penny fetched from the kitchen…

"You think so, Charlotte?..." Amy, hopeful tone…

"Well, if I could just speak to him…" Charlotte pondered… "Penny, do you know where he is now?..."

"Not really, Charlotte…I can only guess and he still won't answer his cell…But I don't think he's managed to leave Pasadena…"

"Maybe if I called him…" Leonard suggested… "I can get through to him sometimes…"

Howard, glance to Bernadette…Who indicated cluelessness…Then Penny….Who gave a careful stare for the briefest moment…

Given there's no t a realistic chance in Hell that Penny would check me out…Howard thought…