"The X-Advisors..."

"The X-Advisors..." Part XXVI...

Disclaimer: All is Chuck's...

Part XXVI...

Pasadena Hilton...Susan Stein's hotel bedroom...

"Susan?" call from the door. "Care for breakfast, dear? I thought we might look at a few furniture stores today. We've a large house to fill, you know."

"Sure, Dad." Calm call, then humming... "Sheldon...Is the face in the misty light (tune of "Laura", from the 1944 film)...

Footsteps that you hear down the hall...

The awkward laugh that floats on a summer night

That you can never quite recall

And you see...Sheldon on a train that is passing through

Those eyes how familiar they seem

He gave your very first kiss to you

That was Sheldon but he's only a dream..." Susan intoned, staring into the bedroom mirror. Eyeing the miniature photo of Sheldon in open locket taken from round her neck. His gift to her... "Sheldon...

He gave your very first kiss to you

That was Sheldon...Just give me ten, Dad!

And he's not just a dream..."

Well, it would have been his gift if he'd stayed with her long enough to include gift-giving among his gradually acquired social skills, she noted to herself. She'd merely anticipated what would have been his gift. And it was just what she would wanted him to give her.

"Right then...I'll be waiting in the lobby." Stein's voice. Calm but clearly hopeful that his daughter might have found something else to focus on besides Sheldon Cooper...

Unlike a certain greedy, grasping neurobiologist who'd needed a tiara to set her heart aflame...The lil' diamond digger...Susan gave grim look at herself.

Call me a porn star...I shaked it for Art, lady. And to learn how, for Sheldon...And no one else.

But it was alright, okay...Susan was here now to set things right. Put affairs back in order, whatever it took, she smiled at herself in the mirror.

Oooh, and mustn't forget I need to get a few things, including about 5000 feet of copper wire. Sadly Cal Tech gets fussy about some requests, even with superstars like Francis Stein and daughter.

But soon all will be set to rights as Dad would say...

And if it took a few lies, broken hearts, a ruined career or two, a few quiet and well-concealed murders...And maybe a universe-altering cataclysm?...Well, alls fair, right? And as for keeping my hand concealed, hey...I was a better actress as a porn star than that "bestie" of hers ever was...Anne Frank over a bowling alley indeed.

Right, you gold-diggin', love-of-my-life-stealin' tramp? She eyed the image of Amy Farrah Fowler on stage with the band the other night, in her begowned glory, Sheldon playing at her side.

Heck, I can sing...And a damned better version of "Soft Kitty" than that abomination you warbled through...

But it's ok...It's fine...I'm in no hurry. I've time. Plenty of time to put things right.

Soon all the time in the world...

Anyway really should go with Dad for the new house's stuff, he has no sense of style whatever...I supply that.

See...She told the photo, closing the locket and replacing it on her neck. She adds to your problems, I balance them out.

Oh, and don't forget the ton of industrial diamonds...Can't run short of them...