Disclaimer: All is Chuck's...
Part XI...
Meanwhile the carefully positioned Howard had found himself documentary witness to an interesting scene...Susan Stein, on closing phone, approached by Dr. Francis...She, away from the glare of Siebert's cavalcade, clearly not eager to renew acquaintance, though very much aware of several males...And females...Trying to casually catch a glimpse of her alone in the corridor.
"Susan...Sorry we've not had the chance to speak together tonight." Francis, beaming congeniality.
"Xavier..." coolly. "I don't really think we have anything to say to each other."
"Now, Sue..." slyly reproving tone... "We're all going to be together here again for at least six months...We should be on speaking terms, after all."
"I said hello. I shook your hand and smiled. Dad asked me to and I did. I don't see any need for us to be chummy, Xavier." She frowned.
Howard, fascinated...Maintaining zoom with occasional glances round to see if the focus of his attention had been noted. Nothing like being able to soup up your camera phone with a micro Sound Cannon 5000...
"Susan...For what's passed between us, I accept my share of the blame..." Xavier sighed, earnest expression.
"Fine. Thanks. I'm leaving now, after I say goodnight to Dad. I'll probably see you next week."
"Not waiting for Francis...?"
"He needs to do the full leave-taking thing...I don't and I'm tired." She turned.
"I'd almost think you had a rendezvous scheduled, Susan." Xavier, the slightest edge of mockery. "Sheldon Cooper, by any chance?" call as she passed him...
Say what...? Howard blinked as Dr. Stein froze, eyeing Dr. Francis.
"Go to hell, Xavier..." she grimly muttered and continued on, pasting a smile as she emerged from the corridor.
"Get anything good, Wolowitz?" Kripke's voice suddenly caused Howard to jump a bit in his concealed corner. "I got some excellwent pics of hwer...Maybe we could pwool our rwesources, eh? A video with appwropwriate backgwround music fwrom hwer films?"
"Barry, go away..." Howard sighed. "I'm just taking a few shots of the party for Bernie before we leave."
"Suwre, suwre...I've got nothing against thwreesomes...Fantasy or othewrwise..." leer.
"Don't make me break this over your head." Howard glared. "Bernie really wanted some pictures from tonight."
"Whatever, Wolowitz..." Kripke, heading off in pursuit of Susan, she now pausing to exchange a word with a faculty member and peering round, presumably for her father. After a moment, she turned and headed for the main entrance, exiting...
Now what the hell was that? Howard pondered...
"Quite a beauty, isn't she? Pity she seems in a rush to leave us..." He turned to see Dr. Francis smiling at him.
"Uh..."
"I'd've taken a few pictures myself...I really must come into the 21st century and get one of those things." He nodded at Howard's phone.
"Well, just taking a few of the party...My wife asked..."
"You're a friend of Leonard Hofstadter's aren't you? I saw him with you this evening...And you with his fiancée and that very charming microbiologist."
"Yes, my wife, Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz...I'm Howard Wolowitz, nice to meet you, sir."
"I understand Dr. Cooper became ill and Leonard took him home earlier...Fine fellow, young Hofstadter. I look forward to working with him again. A brilliant student back at Princeton."
"I'm sure he's glad you think so, Doctor. He's been talking about you quite a bit." Howard, smiling.
"Yes, well...Nice to know he remembers me so fondly. It seems Susan has rather fond memories of Cooper as well."
Ummn?...Howard stared...
"So what is your field, Dr. Wolowitz? Do you work with Hofstadter and Cooper?"
"Well, I'm an engineer here..."
"Ah...Well, I suppose some of us have to be..." Francis nodded pleasantly. "Excuse me." He continued on, back toward Siebert's slowly diminishing group as a nonplused Howard stared after him. Amy, Bernadette, and Penny coming through from the crowd, Dr. Francis nodding to them as he passed.
"Howie..." Bernadette, pleased to see him alone...Femalewise...
"Howard, where is the skank?" Amy, curtly. "I mean, our guest of honor...?" at Penny's look.
"She just headed out..." Howard began.
"Out?!" Amy stared.
Penny sighing...Uh-boy.
"Where is 'out'?!"
"I don't know...She told Dr. Francis she was tired and heading out, then a minute later she went out the door, to wherever she and Frankenstein have the new castle, I guess."
"Sheldon?" Amy had pulled phone... "Sheldon...Sheldon...Sheldon...I know you can hear me, I hear Leonard's wheezy breathing..."
Penny immediately pulling her phone...Dialing...
Bernadette, glance to Howard, rolling eyes...
"Leonard?" Penny, anxiously. "Are you all right? Amy says you're wheezing. Honey, use your inhaler. Well, why don't you...? Well, go and... Whadaya mean, Sheldon tricked you and you can't find your glasses?" she frowned.
"Sheldon, tell me the truth? Is Susan Stein coming over? I know she's not there now because Leonard would be the one on the phone trying to make some silly evasion..."
"Hey?!" Penny glared at Amy. "You tell that scheming skinny fiancée of yours to get my honey's inhaler and his glasses, now!"
"What do you mean...Scheming?" Amy fumed. "Sheldon doesn't scheme...Like some fiancées I could name."
"Oh, really?!" Penny, sarcastically... "How about the time he and his little partner in schemin', namely you, schemed that poor Priya with his 'self-destruct' email?"
"That was my scheme...I admit, for a novice, I was good." Amy nodded. "But my Sheldon doesn't scheme...In spite of Leonard's balefully scheming influence..."
"Leonard's what?" Penny, angrily. "The only reason you're on the damned phone now is because you think Sheldon's gone and made a date with Susie the porn physicist..."
Oh...Amy trembling...Silent...Her lip quivering...Tearing...
Uh...
"Amy..." Penny, gasping... "I'm sorry...I was upset about Leonard. I didn't mean it."
"Oh..." sobbing sound from Amy's phone... "Amy...Amy...I'm sorry..." Sheldon's voice...
Amy looking at phone, then Penny, then phone...Stunned silent, a long moment as Sheldon's sobs continued audibly.
"No. I guess you were right." She finally said, woodenly. "Sheldon. Get Leonard his inhaler and his glasses, please. Have a nice time with Dr. Stein." She closed phone.
"Amy...Amy, no..." Penny, anxious...Glance to tearful Bernadette, stunned Howard.
"I'm sure he didn't...He wouldn't...Call him back."
"He was crying...I caught him in a lie and he was crying and trying to...She's off to see him." Amy looked at her, voice flat. Deep sigh...Dull look, all the life of the evening gone from her...
"Well...I should be getting home. Howard? I'm sorry to make you leave early..."
"Amy, let me take you..." Penny, tears running now... "Please, you can't...We should talk...We have to talk..."
"No, it's fine..." flat voice... "Sheldon's free to do as he wishes. I was pressing him...After all, she was first, I guess..." pause. "Uh...Bernadette, I'm sorry if you wanted to..."
"No...It's fine..." Bernadette gently. "The party's over anyway." Howard uncertainly nodding...
"Yeah...Quite a night..." Amy nodded, sadly... "Well, at least I can take these damned things off now..." she kicked the heels off. Glancing over to a clock on the far wall... "It's after midnight now anyway...And the magic's over..." Weeping...Penny embracing her...
"Amy, Amy..." rocking her...