"The X-Advisors..."

"The X-Advisors..." Part XXIII...

Disclaimer: All is Chuck's...

Part XXIII...

Living room of Francis Stein's suite at the Pasadena Hilton, early afternoon...

"So Xavier just happened to 'drop by' last night?" Stein seated in chair eyed Susan on couch.

"After he'd been to the hospital to see Dr. Hofstadter and his friends...Meaning to see Amy and Sheldon." She noted.

"What is he up to, Dad?" she eyed him.

"Nothing good, dear heart." Shake of head. Careful stare... "I suppose you put him off the scent or tried to...?"

"I gave a good performance..." she shrugged. "Noble Susan, ready to give up all for her boy's happiness. He was pressing me though...I'm just not sure if it was because he believed me or he didn't."

"I see...I'd imagine Xavier was keeping his options open. After all, he doesn't care so long as you are hurt and I'm hurt through you. What happens to the others involved here is inconsequential to him now." Sigh. "My poor friend's truly lost himself..."

"We share that at least..." Susan, coolly. "Though I suppose I have to at least pretend I care what happens to Sheldon's friends."

"Sue..." Stein sighed.

"That bitch Fowler lied to me, to both of us...Tricked me into giving Sheldon up. Well, now the tables are turned and it's Susan's turn to do whatever it takes to pry him loose...Xavier's actually done me a favor here. If I can make him believe I'm willing to nobly give Sheldon up..."

"Susan, you don't really want the boy any more..."

Cool stare..."I don't even know, Dad...I do know I want that girl to suffer the way I did. She took him from me and made him capable of breaking my heart...I still love that Sheldon, my Sheldon, the one I knew then, I know that. And maybe, if I can get him back..." Glare... "She changed him and she's been changing him. Making him like all the others..." she frowned. "All the ones who hurt me...And Mama...She's going to pay for that. Even if Sheldon has to suffer too."

"And you'll hurt Sheldon just to hurt Fowler? Susan..." Pleading tone.

"I might be saving him..." she shrugged. "We'll see..." she looked at Stein's worried, weary face.

"Don't look like that. I'm obsessed, Dad...Not crazy." She smiled. "After all, we know who my genetic mother was..."

"You know that I could warn Sheldon...And Amy." He eyed Susan.

"You won't though..." shrug. "You know you'd lose me...Like you lost Mama when you betrayed her."

"I never betrayed your mother, Susan." Stein insisted. "I did all I could, all I knew to help her."

"Then prove it, Father...Help me get my sweet boyfriend back, Daddy. Don't leave me trapped in this miserable world with those others..." Winsome look. Glancing look at her wrist...She pulled back the dress sleeve to reveal a faded but definite scar. "Those body sleeves did a nice job the other night at the party...No one noticed." She eyed him.

"Emotional blackmail, Susan? Your mother's game..." he eyed her.

"An effective one, Dad." Smile. "But we're too intelligent to play this sort of game, you're right." She pulled the sleeve back. "I won't kill myself over this, you have my word...Ok?"

Somehow...That fills me with more dread than if she'd threatened to jump out the window here...Stein sighed to himself.

...

"I'm just saying...Until we're official..." Penny, carefully... "After all, we should chaperone Amy and Sheldon, they're not used to a physical relationship. I mean, think of Sheldon's Mom, Leonard...And Meemaw..." High-minded look. "They'll be counting on us..."

"What?!" Leonard stared. "Penny, however you try to package this, I am not living with Sheldon and Amy Fowler-Cooper for the rest of my life."

"Who said anything about the rest of our lives?...Our lives..." Penny noted, shrugging. "Like I said, this is just to help them, poor innocent kids."

Shouldn't be too hard to find adjoining townhouses near the campus...She thought.

"You're scared, I get that..." Leonard sighed. "But I don't need multiple nurses 24/7, Penny. I'll be fine. I am not going to die on you."

"You already did..." she looked at him, tearing.

"What? Jesus, who told you...? Did Sheldon..."

"I knew it." Penny glared. "The ER doc was vague, even when I told him I was Mrs. Hofstadter, but I knew...Leonard, you died..." she wept. "How can you think I can just waltz away from that, whistling a happy tune..." she stared at him, tears running. "I'm no expert on asthma...Yet...And Sheldon, with all his faults is the guy you want around when the security of your airborne environment is paramount."

He stared...

"Geesh...What is he doing to you? Is Amy helping him pump his mind into you or something?"

"Hey. You know I have done ok in community college classes, I take good notes...Especially when it's something I'm passionate about..." she frowned. "Like acting...Or you..." hard stare at end.

"I know. Penny..." he sighed. "It was just a momentary thing...And do you realize how many times I've sat in this room, scared to death you or the crap guy you were with might have an accident, drinking and driving...Or that some version of Kurt might be pounding you senseless...Uh. I mean, with fists..."

"What I said about you being here to save me, Hofstadter..." she smiled. "But you gotta let me be a hero here too, sometimes..." Sigh. "Ok, how's about we compromise?"

"As in, how about I cave in...?" he eyed her.

"That's part of being a hero, Leonard..." sly grin.

"Ok...We stay here till we're official. I am a little worried about Shamy, I admit. But the day after the wedding..."

Double wedding, double honeymoon in Europe...That'll get us through the first month or so...Penny thought. Then we just happen to jointly find the cutest two adjoining townhouses in Pasadena...

"Of course..." she nodded solemnly. "For my part..." grin. "I'll never date a Kurt again..."

"I'll be holding you to that." He eyed her.