Ficlet - Shaken

[cornerofmadness]

Title -- Shaken to the Core
Author-- cornerofmadness
Fandom -- Big Bang Theory
Disclaimer -- I don’t own them.
Rating -- teen
Characters/Pairing -- ensemble, canon ships
Timeline/Spoilers -- no spoilers, current series
Word Count -- 383
Warning -- angst
Summary -- She couldn’t believe such a horrible thing happened
Author’s Note -- This was written in honor of those who were killed or injured in the Colorado theatre shooting. Partially inspired by what George Takei had to say about the tragedy. Shorter version to be found at fanfic_bakeoff

XXXX

Penny leaned against Leonard, her hands shaking. His cape wrinkled under her cheek when she rested it on his shoulder. A few tears leaked around the corners of her eyes. Behind the couch, Sheldon paced with frantic energy, his Bat-cape snapping with each turn he made. Across from her, his Batman mask dangling empty across his shoulders where he’d pushed it off, Howard was as pale as she felt. Sitting at his friend’s feet, Raj’s silence was something deeper than his usual issues with talking if she were around.

“I can’t believe this,” Leonard snarled, his voice filled with anger and sorrow.

“It could have easily been us,” Howard said, his foot thumping up and down, jerking under the energy he didn’t know how to release.

“Those were our people that died,” Sheldon said, quietly. “The midnight showings are always filled with our people, in costume, waiting to be swept away. This is just wrong.”

“I can’t watch any more.” Penny leaned forward and clicked the TV news off. She looked at her four Batmen. She had been the only one of their group not in costume, not for lack of trying on the boys’ part. Amy and Bernadette had been away at conferences, leaving just her to pack into a sold out midnight premiere of the new Batman movie. They had been, as Sheldon said, swept away to Gotham for a night only to come home to news that made the Dark Knight’s world look sane.

Who shot up a packed movie theatre? Howard was right. It could have been them. Penny patted Leonard’s fake-muscled chest. “I need you to take this off and I need not to be alone tonight.”

He pressed a kiss to her lips, getting up. “You won’t be.”

“Howard, Raj, I want you to stay for a little while longer,” she said, even though it was well into the wee hours of the night. “I know we’re all safe, but I just…I need you here.”

No one, not even Sheldon, protested as sheets, pillows and air mattresses were dragged out for an impromptu sleep over. As Howard and Raj traded costumes for some of Leonard’s jogging pants and T-shirts, Penny felt like ice. Her faith in humanity had been shaken. She’d be all right, just not tonight.

Comments

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Perfect choice for today, and so well-done. You got them all (although I miss the other women).

On a much happier note, I heard that Raj will get a girlfriend next season.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

thank you. In the longer version i explain where they are, the girls


oh cool.


eta - oops this is the longer version. Okay the girls were missing since I had hoped to get this done in 300 words and knew they'd automatically put me over...

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's probably better without them--gets to to the heart of it quicker.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

this is also true

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Excellent work, especially considering the situation.

Thank you for writing this.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

thank you. yeah I just needed to work through that grim reality

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

I don't blame you. I didn't really have time to process it before I had to be at work this a.m.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

and I'm off today with nothing but time to process and stew

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

That will do it.

[kiramaru7.livejournal.com]

Wow... They're/you're right, who does something like this? it's freaking crazy... And who needs to be packing that much firepower? Even if you were hunting, you don't need weaponry like that. Last time I looked, Bambi wasn't armed and dangerous. ;p Seriously, I know there's a whole gun culture out there that take owning a gun as a G-d given right, but maybe we need to make some changes there, so hopefully something like this doesn't happen again.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

It would still happen. He had home made bombs all around the house and those require no gun powder at all.

It is all kinds of crazy and probably at the end of this that's what we're going to find, a very disturbed mind. You don't go from neuroscientist to boobytrapping your apartment without something breaking inside.

[kiramaru7.livejournal.com]

*feels sick inside hearing that* That is one disturbed mind. ^^;

Yeah... really, but how did he pass his background check? You don't get that psychotic in a heartbeat. And why don't we check up on these people after a few years? You have to renew your driver's license, why not a gun one? They had to be signs he wasn't mentally stable anymore. *is just sick*

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

now that's an interesting thought, I'd be willing to get a renewal on my gun license. However getting renewed on a driver's license here is just a matter of showing up and taking a picture. And trust me, I'd like to see a few people retested on that point too

[kiramaru7.livejournal.com]

*nods* I don't own a gun, but I'd be willing to do what it took to not only ensure my safety, but everyone else's and if that meant going up for renewal, then so be it. That's true, they shoudl make you make you retake the written & road test every 5 years or even whenever your license comes due again. There are plenty of people here who drive like they're playing "grand theft auto." ^^; It was amazing to watch this car weave in & out of traffic that was barely doing 55 when I came home form the airport, but every time the lane they were in slowed down, they'd flit into another one that was moving "faster." XD I'm surprised they didn't cause an accident, cuz they were cutting off people. Scarey stuff, that. XD

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

I can agree with that. I lived three years in FL. If we're not retesting everyone we should at least be testing the over 65 crowd.

[kiramaru7.livejournal.com]

*nods* I was just there, visiting my grandparents. My Granny's still pretty good behind the wheel, but my step-granddad...^^; he's a lil scarey. The poor thing is getting frail and I wonder if he sees as well as we think he does. ^^;

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

yes I know that fear (was stuck behind one yesterday doing 20 in a 50 mph construction zone in a sports car)

[kiramaru7.livejournal.com]

XD At least he does the sped limit, but still, sometimes you need to know when to quit. ^^;

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

fears one day I'll be the one who won't know when to quit

[kiramaru7.livejournal.com]

Yeah... I do too... and who knows what we'll be driving then. XD We often talk about "seasoned drivers" in defensive driving & how to get an older person to stop driving when they're no longer able to, but think they still can. ^^;

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

I used to deal with it all the time with my patients back in the day. of course with my diabetes I'm likely to stop driving way before i'm too old

[kiramaru7.livejournal.com]

Yeah? XD

But you never know, they might find a cure for it before you get too old. *huggles*

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

oh yeah, my practice was mostly geriatric

thanks. that would be nice.

[kiramaru7.livejournal.com]

My Granny's cousin is a geriatric nurse. :D

You're welcome! :D

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

I kinda feel sorry for her. Mom always used to yell at me for being short tempered with old people but now she's visiting assisted living (granny is there) and she's like I GET IT NOW

[kiramaru7.livejournal.com]

Don't, my granny says she's always liked it form the time when she was younger & was a volunteer at the hospital, to learning to become a nurse, that's what she always wanted to do & where she felt the happiest.

Aaah...

I think it takes a special person to be a nurse or even a doctor in a hospital, especially those that work in a hospice, or even a home, you get to know these people & they often aren't with you for very long before they move on to a higher place.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

it does. My cousin owns a hospice company (she's a nurse). I liked seeing patients but I'm impatient. I'm no less impatient now that I teach. (i am patient with them but whine and moan in private)

[kiramaru7.livejournal.com]

*nods*

Yeah?

It's got to be hard teaching, everyone wants As for just showing up. XD

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

yeah they do. They are so in for disappointment in my summer class right now. seriously.

[kiramaru7.livejournal.com]

*nods*

XD I can just imagine the levels of disappointment. ^^; Just cuz it's summer, doesn't mean you can't work if you signed up for the class. XD

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

they are in totaly shock that I expect them to do 15 weeks worth of material in 5. My dear students 1 day = 1 week of normal class. Yes, you're doing ALL of it. If not, then shouldn't everyone do summer courses and miss out on half the material for an easy grade. I've lost half the class already. they seriously did not believe they'd have to work

[kiramaru7.livejournal.com]

Unbelievable! They should know that even though it's a shortened semester, it's still the same amount of work! It's probably better you did, at least those that are left know they need to work. If they didn't want to work that hard, then they should have taken an art class where all you do is draw/paint fruit. ;p

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

and the sad reality here is that this is the equivalent of what I did in 7th grade science. Seriously.

[kiramaru7.livejournal.com]

Really?! Then it should be easy to get through with no problem!!

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

you'd think that but these are the people that tell me that babies are delievered via the butt hole and that sugars and fats are identical chemicals. whee

[kiramaru7.livejournal.com]

o.0 Sounds like they've been reading too much MPREG/yaoi ficcage. ;p

That is just scarey stupid... ^^; I don't know how you do it. My brain hurts just trying to comprehend that level of stupidity. ^^;

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

no kidding.

I've looked for other teaching jobs but it's tough. This area sort of sucks.

Hey I went ahead and added you to the flist since I think you write in more than one fandom I like, if you don't mind.

[kiramaru7.livejournal.com]

*nods*

Awe... that's too bad. Hopefully next semester they'll be a lil smarter. :D

Thanks! I just added you too after reading that. Yeah, I think we do have a few fandoms in common. I'll pretty much read anything, even if I don't know the fandom. :D

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

they will be if for no reason I teach a senior level course to nurses who are already working and going for advanced degrees.

oh cool. that works.

[kiramaru7.livejournal.com]

That's good. At least they know where babies really come from. ;p

:D

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

god i hope so

[kiramaru7.livejournal.com]

me too... XD