December 24, 1999.
Christmas Eve.
With a heart full of "mixed feelings", Adam left the hospital and drove to New Jersey.
Two hours until Christmas.
As usual, Adam planned to "stay up" with Peggy—a cozy tradition filled with sweet moments we don't need to gush about here. 😊
The next day, instead of his usual 4 a.m. hustle back to the Medical Center, Adam stayed in bed, lounging until the sun was high in the sky.
Only then did he roll out, take a stroll around Princeton's campus, and meet up with Leonard as planned.
"Hey, Adam!"
Leonard waved, practically bouncing with excitement.
"Hey, Leonard!"
Adam grinned back. "Merry Christmas! How's it going lately?"
"Not bad."
Leonard flashed a big smile. "Been busy with my undergrad thesis. Next year, I'm starting grad school."
"So tonight's Christmas spotlight's all yours, huh?"
Adam teased.
"I wish."
Leonard gave a wry chuckle. "My sister and brother both had huge wins this year. My thesis? Probably not gonna get much attention."
"But you've still got your dad's paper to lean on."
Adam laughed, tossing him a lifeline. "At least your physics thesis beats out anthropology in your mom's eyes, right?"
"True that!"
Leonard perked up. "In tonight's Christmas paper discussion group, I might actually avoid being the bottom of the barrel for once."
The Hofstadter family? Total genius squad.
Not even mentioning Leonard's mom, Beverly—neuroscientist, psychiatrist, parenting guru.
His dad, Alfred? Anthropologist.
His sister, just 26, was already a biology rockstar, basically the Peggy of her field.
And his brother, Michael? A measly 18, already graduated Harvard, and now tearing it up at Harvard Law. Legal prodigy alert.
Then there's Leonard…
Same age as Sheldon and Peggy—19 now, 20 next year. Graduating college soon, then off to grad school and a PhD.
Barring any surprises, four years from now, at 24, he'll snag a Princeton doctorate in experimental physics and an award for his thesis.
For most people, that's major bragging rights.
But next to his superstar sister and wunderkind brother? He's basically invisible.
And the Hofstadters—being a house full of scientists—don't do holidays like normal folks.
Christmas isn't for celebrating; it's for dissecting the anthropological and psychological vibes of human society.
No gift swaps here—just papers.
Then they break into groups, discuss, critique, and…
Emmm…
"Improve together."
So Leonard, a 19-year-old undergrad-to-be, trots out his soon-to-be-finished thesis.
His only shot? Outshining his equally stressed anthropologist dad for the coveted "second-to-last" spot in the family rankings.
"Adam, wanna come over tonight?"
Leonard grinned, tossing out the invite. "My mom and sister are dying to meet you."
"Because of my clinical research breakthrough?"
Adam caught on quick.
"Yup."
Leonard nodded. "You know my mom's a neuroscientist and my sister's a biologist. They're obsessed with your mind-blowing glioma virus therapy. If you swing by tonight, they'd be over the moon!"
"And you too, huh?"
Adam saw right through him. "Less heat on you, right?"
"Heh heh."
Leonard scratched his head with a sheepish grin.
"Fine, I'll check with Peggy."
Adam mused. "If nothing pops up, we'll stop by for a visit tonight."
"Dr. Adler's coming too?"
Leonard's eyes went wide.
"Yeah."
Adam shot him a look. "But it'll just be a quick drop-in. You know, Christmas and all."
Beverly and Leonard's sister were titans in their fields—perfect for brainstorming advanced neuro-theories or tweaking viruses. Both could seriously level up Adam's project.
A little chat with them? Totally worth it.
"Awesome!"
Leonard whooped. "This'll be the best Christmas ever! I'm telling them now—"
"Hold up."
Adam smirked. "I need a favor first…"
After sorting things with Leonard, Adam headed back to tell Peggy. She was cool either way, so he chuckled, called his assistant Lisa to handle some Christmas gift logistics, and then zipped off to the Medical Center.
---
Medical Center
Christmas vibes were starting to take over.
"Dr. Duncan, Merry Christmas!~"
"Cindy, Merry Christmas!"
"Dr. Duncan, Merry Christmas!~"
"Wanda, Merry Christmas!"
All along the halls, smiling staff greeted him left and right.
A few bold nurses even rolled IV stands decked with mistletoe, trying to ambush him—Adam dodged every one.
In this TV-drama world, mistletoe rules say you can't refuse a kiss under it, and couples who lock lips there are destined for eternal bliss. 😉
"…You have no idea how extra Dr. Dixon was…"
Adam walked in just as Cristina was venting about Dixon.
"Yesterday was more on Dr. Bailey, though."
Adam joined in. "She knows Dixon's got some… unique quirks, but still pitched a new treatment plan to the patient's family without warning her.
Turned the room into a screaming mess, and Dixon had a meltdown.
I hate to say it, but Bailey's been off ever since little George's accident."
"Hmm."
Cristina nodded after a beat. "Bailey's gotten soft. Dixon called her a pediatrician, and honestly? It fits.
Only in peds can you bend the rules like that—things are 'flexible' there.
For someone as hardcore as Bailey used to be, turning into a pediatrician after having a kid?
Kinda sad and scary."
Yesterday, a little girl needed a catheter closure surgery. Dixon was lead, Bailey first assist, Cristina second.
They opened her chest and found her heart was a total wreck—unfixable. She'd need a transplant, but that could take years.
Years stuck in a hospital bed.
Bailey, still raw from her son nearly dying, couldn't handle another kid fading in front of her. She clammed up, bailed on the surgery, and went to hang out with her son at the hospital daycare.
Then she had a lightbulb moment: a backpack drug pump could let the girl live normally while waiting.
Thrilled, she bolted to the patient's room, blurted the idea to the parents—turning their despair into wild hope.
They rushed Dixon, hugging her mid-chaos as she was already losing it from Bailey's yelling and the family's noise.
Dixon, with her Asperger's, totally broke down—flailing, screaming like a lunatic, then bolting from the room.
By the time Bailey tracked her down in an office, Dixon was trembling, begging Bailey to hug her.
She needed heavy pressure to calm her nervous system.
Bailey, baffled, tried—but her squeeze was too weak.
Cristina piled on next, and together they finally settled Dixon down.
Then Dixon explained it with an analogy:
Cows, before slaughter, get shoved into tight chutes. The pressure drops their pulse and metabolism, calming them for tender meat.
Same deal for her—pressure soothes her sympathetic nervous system.
That whole fiasco yesterday? It's why Adam tapped Leonard for a very special Christmas gift for Dixon.
He couldn't wait to see her reaction.
In a way, Dixon and Sheldon were cut from the same cloth. And this gift? Straight from Leonard.
Their Christmas meet-up felt like a weird alternate version of Sheldon and Leonard's first encounter.
In some cosmic way, it proved Leonard was destined to be Sheldon's ultimate BFF.
(Chapter End)