A New Kind of Science / Holtzbert

Bubble

A bubble. Each one in their own. Though they both could hear everything going on around them, the sounds were muffled as if they were in a sealed off plastic vessel. Downstairs, obscure voices talked but were unclear to both women in the upstairs lab as everything seemed to be a blur. The noises from outside were that of a busy New York City and they could make out the commotions of fast driving cars and car-horns beeping. Every sonance fused together into a sort of prelude and song. It was almost as if the world had become a concert that the two were unable to interrupt with their own voices. 

Even though both scientists were thinking different thoughts, they could tell the other one was in a panic in her own mind. Erin felt her heart banging against the inside of her chest and Jillian swore she could actually hear the loud beating of the drum that was her own heart itself. The pain in the blonde's chest soon took metamorphosis and turned from ache into warmth and an odd sense of comfort. She hadn't a clue why as she knew what was about to happen was going to hurt like heck.

Gilbert almost felt dizzy, never having heard nor imagined someone falling in love with her. Soon, the symphonies of the street and the actions from downstairs became nothing but loud buzzing in the brunette's mind. She tried her best to swallow, but the sudden lump in her throat prevented it and she tried again. But still failed. She soon found it harder to breathe and was unaware of what to think. This was Holtzmann. What was she supposed to say? It was only a few minutes ago that the off-the-wall inventor had threatened to quit. Erin didn't want that. She was rather fond of the freaky little weirdo. But how would she react to being let down while in love? Erin thought it was just a crush. She had no idea Jillian had actually fallen for her. 

The former scholar remembered when she once thought she was in love with a boy in high school. It was the worst pain she had ever experienced, aside from being the awkward ghost girl she was. The only problem was...this was one of the popular guys and he had never actually spoken to her before. So, why had she fallen in love with him? She didn't even know him? How was it that that was so hard and excruciating for her 16 year old self when they hadn't even spent one minute together? She had felt so rejected by his will to ignore her existence, she could not even imagine how Jillian felt. They actually knew each other. They had talked, they had danced together, they worked together, and they knew each other pretty well. It would make total sense for Jillian to fall for Erin. 

Now Gilbert was the one with the massive pang in her chest and she hated having to do this. Her hand reached up to hold her heart for a second as if she were forcing the pain to disappear. It did not work. "Holtz." She barely whispered and cleared her throat before trying again. "Holtz, you're one of my best friends." Erin felt herself about to cry, but she demanded her tears stay where they were. She opened her mouth to speak again, but she had absolutely no idea what to say in order to let her down gently. Soon, her mouth quickly closed as she had a feeling she'd be sick and finally, Holtzy spoke.

"Say no more." She tried to use one of her laughable voices to make Erin believe she were fine. "I get the picture." Holtzmann internally slapped herself for saying anything in the first place. She knew she should've just kept everything bottled up until she could force herself to fall OUT of love with the pretty brunette. But it was too late now and she beat herself up for going so far as to telling Erin how much she liked her....Scratch that! LOVED her. 

Erin nodded, wanting to say something else, but nothing came to mind. "I, um...I'm not gonna-" She stopped herself, wondering if she should even bring this up.

"What?" Holtz wondered, feeling sick herself.

The former professor shook her head, telling herself she wasn't going to finish her sentence, but for some reason...she did anyway. "I'm not gonna flirt with Kevin anymore." Immediately after speaking, Gilbert let out an annoyed breath of air and she let her head drop with her eyes closed, angry with herself for even talking.

"No, I understand why you would." Jillian DID know that the man was highly attractive and she didn't want Erin changing anything just because of her.

"No. I, uh...I don't think he's interested anyway." The brunette's eyes widened at herself and she was wondering why she hadn't shut up yet.

"Well, um..." Holtzmann didn't want to hurt the woman, but she thought it was about time she knew. "...don't tell Abby, but Patty thinks he's been trying to get HER attention."

"Whose? Patty's?" Jill shook her head with a cute grin and Erin's face lit up with joy as she whispered. "Abby's?" 

"Mhm." Jillian nodded.

Gilbert gasped with an ear to ear smile. "I don't know why I didn't notice it before." She looked down at the table, remembering all the things Kevin had done and she realized he always seemed as though he were trying to impress Abigail. "That makes sense." She nodded before looking back up at Jill who was now leaning both hands against the desk in between them. Suddenly forgetting about her own crush on Kevin, Erin wanted to squeal with excitement for her best friend, but she didn't as she knew it'd be inappropriate in a time like this. "Oh my gosh! I'm so happy for her." She looked away, picturing the two together and secretly hoping Yates would notice soon. "And you know, she's the only one out of all of us who knows how to handle him." She giggled and her words caused Holtzmann to begin laughing as well.

"I know." Jill nodded with a look of amusement.

They both laughed for a couple seconds before remembering their main conversation and letting their smiles slowly fade. Erin sighed and tapped her fingers on the table between them. She tilted her head to the side as she looked at Holtzmann's Nutcracker. She licked her lips before hesitantly reaching over and pushing the button, watching the machine contract, crushing nothing but air. She slightly chuckled and looked back to Holtz who just stared at the Nutcracker herself. It wasn't long before they both stepped back into their own bubbles and everything returned to being muffled and inaudible. All they could hear was the sounds of the other one breathing and Jillian could swear she was about to collapse, but she fought it. 

Erin found herself in a daze as she thought about the dream she had and she felt butterflies when she remembered Holtzmann in that gorgeous blue evening gown. She pictured her long, wavy blonde hair and wished she could see it right now. She felt a wrenching in her gut when she remembered how upset her dream-Jillian was when she was defending Kevin. Soon, a small headache came on and she forced herself out of her thoughts. "Well, I'm, uh...I'm gonna go down and get some work done...or, something." She began to blink excessively and she hadn't a clue why. When Holtzmann didn't respond, she began to walk away, but stopped to ask, "We're good, right?" 

"Yeah. Yeah. We're fine." Jillian waved a hand in front of her face. 

"Good. Good." Erin smiled and she left, in her own bubble.

After the brunette was finally gone, Jillian wanted nothing more than to just sit and cry, but instead, she picked up her ghost pager and some tools and began to work, ignoring her stomach ache and stepping back into her own bubble as well. Though this time, she couldn't hear anything anymore and she pushed her glasses back over her eyes. They were her security blanket and the reason she knew she hadn't gone completely insane yet.