VII. Sunday Afternoon – Epilogue.

"Fuck…" the irritable blonde cursed as she waddled up the staircase, why did they have to live on the fourth floor? What good came out of that? She paused as she reached the top of the staircase, catching her breath, hands on her knees.

It had been six months since they all came back from Paris, and boy did she miss it. Not only did she love the Paris air, and the Paris everything, but she was also only a month and a half pregnant. She didn't have this large belly in front of her like she did now. Disabling her every move.

Nor, did she have a whole human weighing down her bladder, it was completely unfair.

She remembered when she told Sheldon she was pregnant, she thought she broke him to be honest, but he only flexed his fingers and firmly placed his hands against her stomach as if he was trying to feel the child kick. She chanced a look at him and saw the biggest smile on his face, it was enough to bring her to tears. Then, he opened his mouth and she wanted to roll her eyes. He went off talking about how it explained so much, she was moody as ever, and even though he wasn't going to say anything –she was eating a lot more than usual. She almost slapped him for that.

Then, he did the Sheldon thing and started to dictate the next seven and a half months of her pregnancy, doctor appointments and everything. It was endearing, but also neurotic, and that's when she realized she was carrying Sheldon Lee Cooper's child. No one else on the planet could say that, and it made her heart grow in size.

Before she could open the door to 4A it opened for her, Sheldon glared out at her, "And just where the hell were you?" He hissed as he gripped her arm and brought her into their shared apartment.

After Paris, Leonard had immediately moved out and in with Amy, they were off in their own world and the rest of the group barely saw them. There were rumors that they got engaged, but neither she or Sheldon cared. Howard and Bernadette were pregnant as well, just as Bernadette stated, but she was two weeks behind Penny, so they were basically going through their pregnancy together. Though, everyone knew of Bernadette's pregnancy whereas no one knew of Penny's.

Sheldon and she decided to keep it private for as long as they could, but one day Penny woke up and noticed she grew a bump over night at four months. The cat was out of the bag and everyone congratulated the couple. Even at Caltech, people were giving Sheldon congratulations and even gave him newborn gifts. His peers found him to be much more likeable than Leonard. Penny was proud of him. So, so, proud.

She took it upon herself to even visit him at work, she waddled through the halls, her ever growing stomach profound in the white tank-top she wore. It was hot as hell in LA. When everyone saw her, they smiled and sent her well-wishes, and when Sheldon saw her, he was annoyed she made the trip by herself, but grateful to have seen her.

He had been so adamant on her being on bed-rest her into pregnancy, he waited on her every need and want, and it made her heart swell, but he had to know she was independent, and their little girl wasn't going to be any different.

"Girl?"

"Oh…" she covered her face embarrassed, "I'm so sorry, Sheldon…I asked the doctor, I couldn't wait any longer," she looked at his face, "Are you mad?"

There was a pause, Sheldon was frozen, "Mad?" He asked rhetorically, "I'm going to have a little girl, Penny…we're having a little girl." He said in awe.

Penny hadn't loved a man so much in her life.

"I went for a walk while you were sleeping, my back was starting to hurt," Penny yawned as she plopped onto the couch, right in his spot, feet propped up on the coffee table. Sheldon watched her and sat beside her, grabbing her feet and placing them in his lap, leisurely massaging them.

He glanced down at her large belly, "I wish you would've told me. I was worried." Penny frowned, "I thought I'd be back before you woke up, I'm sorry." She leaned over with a struggle and urged him to meet her half way, because Lord knows she couldn't bend anymore. She placed a kiss on his lips, "I had my cellphone though."

He scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Yeah, what's the point in that when you never answer it in the first place?"

She rolled her own eyes and wiggled her toes, "Keep rubbing, Doctor."

It wasn't until Leonard walked by Sheldon's office, he noticed Penny's stomach. He had heard all the rumors, Penny was supposedly pregnant, and despite knowing she and Sheldon were in a relationship he doubted Sheldon actually had a deal. He was asexual for as long as he knew the scientist, so how could he possibly get Penny pregnant?

"Oh, Penny…hi," he spoke to her back and smirked as he stepped into Sheldon's office, but his smirk was quickly wiped off once she turned to face him, her stomach protruding through the fabric of her shirt. "You're…"

Sheldon smiled with pride, Leonard had betrayed him deeply, but despite all of that he couldn't bear to hold any negativity in his heart for the man. Leonard helped him find his soulmate, helped him find his purpose in life. It wasn't a Nobel Prize, it wasn't proving string theory, it was finding Penny and making her his. Sheldon stood behind Penny and placed one large hand on her stomach, it almost covered the entire surface, "Yes, Leonard, Penny is carrying our child…our first child," he beamed, "A girl."

Leonard sputtered, what the absolute fuck? "But you…what the hell?" He quickly turned his shock into anger and bitterness, "Well," he folded his arms, "I'm not too surprised, I always saw you as the type to get pregnant before marriage." He thought he got her right in her heart, but Penny just shrugged and turned the other cheek.

"I wish you well, Leonard." Was all she spared for him, and it left him fuming, so now she was too much of a lady to argue?

However, Sheldon wasn't. Sheldon stood in front of Penny angrily, he was like a tall protective shield for her and despite him not being the most muscular man she'd known, he was the only one that made her feel safe. "Leonard, the last four months of my life have been peaceful and without conflict, why? Because you were not in it. Howard, Raj, Bernadette, Penny, and I, we've been happy because you nor Amy Farrah Fowler were nowhere near us. No more negative energy tearing us apart and holding us back, we're all growing up and moving forward. Yet, it seems like you cannot do so, you're stuck in the same ugly place you've been for months because you're miserable and insecure. I suggest you figure out where you're going in life and do it fast," he said simple, but he knew his words cut.

His face turned thunderous now, "And I refuse to let you stand in my own office and try to shame Penny, when she has absolutely nothing to do with you. That is not your child she is carrying, it's mine, don't be bitter because you couldn't do what I have. I received the Nobel Prize, not you, I've been honored with the chance to have Penny, not you, and I was blessed enough to start a family with her, not you." He saw Leonard about to speak but raised a hand, silencing him.

"I suggest you leave my office and never return, enjoy your life with Amy and leave me and my family alone. If I see you sniffing around here or her ever again, I will make it a point to inform Siebert of what really happened in the Arctic and make sure you can't even sign your name without it being analyzed for error. I will ruin your career just as you tried to ruin mine. I am a forgiving man, Leonard, but try me or my wife again, and I'll see to it your name holds no credibility within these four walls." He seethed.

Penny stood in shock at what Sheldon said, but also turned on. He made science-y stuff sound so hot. Leonard glared between the two of them and noticed Sheldon said 'wife'. He glanced at their fingers and saw two glistening bands on the correct finger. He glared. How dare Sheldon do better than him? He called dibs, he was the one who deserved this life. He stormed out of the office for the last time.

Penny winced, "What's wrong?" Sheldon's voice filled her ears. She shook her head, "She's just kicking, I swear she'll be a soccer player."

Sheldon refrained from telling her that their child will be a physics prodigy, not a flimsy athlete. He watched as Penny touched the center of her stomach and then grabbed his own hand, guiding it to the spot their daughter was abusing. "Does it hurt?"

She smiled at his innocence, sometimes she forgot he was a genius, "No," she kissed his cheek. It wasn't the first time he felt her kick, but it amazed him every single time. He was going to be a father, and at one point in his life he felt like he wasn't ready, how do you even prepare to be a father? But he knew with Penny by his side, the woman he loved, he could do it.

She held his hand over the spot, and caressed his knuckles with her thumb, "You feel it?" He just nodded and looked at their intertwined fingers. At one point he would never allow this to happen, germs terrified him, he hated to be touched. But he let Penny in, and she broke down every wall he built up and he loved it. He looked from their fingers and to her eyes, she smiled up at him.

It was in that moment, Sheldon knew that if she tried to let go, he would not have let her.

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