A/N: Hi everyone. Today's story is based on a prompt from Kdlivi: Sheldon gets protective when Leah makes friends with a boy.

I hope you enjoy!

Leah's first day with her school's gifted program was a momentous day in the Cooper household. Sheldon insisted on taking pictures of his little girl before they left the house, in front of the school, and in her new classroom. Both he and Amy planned to come into work a little late so they could take her to school and meet with her new teacher. When the bell sounded to alert the students class was starting, they reluctantly left for the university.

All day at work, Sheldon called, texted, and emailed his wife to make comments or ask her opinion on what she thought Leah was doing and if she was being challenged enough. Each time she reassured him their daughter was just fine and they would hear all about her classes when they picked her up.

At 3 o'clock, they watched a flood of children pass through the school's double doors. Within minutes, Cadence and Dylan Hofstadter crawled into the backseat of Penny's car, and the trio waved as they drove off toward their new after school activities.

"Where is she?" Sheldon panicked when the deluge trickled down, and there was still no sign of Leah.

"Maybe she's finishing up some work," Amy suggested. "I remember staying a few minutes after the bell sounded when I was really involved in a project."

He visibly relaxed. "Of course; I felt the same way about school. I'm just so excited to hear all about her classes."

She reached across the console and rested her hand on his thigh. "Me too."

Moments later, the double doors opened once more to reveal their little girl talking animatedly with another child.

Sheldon squinted out the window. "Either my eyesight is failing me, or that looks like a boy with our daughter."

Amy leaned over him and peered through the passenger side window. "It looks like a boy. Sheldon, I think she made a new friend!"

"She made friends with a boy? Why not with a girl?"

"Boy, girl, doesn't matter. I admit I was a little worried she'd feel lost without Cadence. They've always done everything together. Turns out, I was worried for nothing."

Sheldon crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, I don't like it."

"Sheldon relax; she's only nine. It's not like he's her boyfriend."

"Missy wasn't much older than Leah when she became boy crazy. Our daughter has a brilliant mind. I would hate for her to throw away her potential for some boy."

"Except for a slight physical resemblance and their mischievous nature, Leah and Missy are as different as night and day."

"I suppose you're right, but I'm still not happy about this..." He trailed off when the duo stopped next to the car and strained to hear what they were saying.

"Bye, Mason! See you tomorrow."

The boy adjusted his backpack, saluted, then strode down the sidewalk to a black SUV. Before getting into it, he turned around to look at Leah once more, who waved at him enthusiastically. The youngest Cooper was grinning from ear to ear as she settled into the backseat.

Amy pulled away from the curb. "You appear to be in a really good mood. Did you have fun today with your new classmates?"

"Amy, we didn't work so hard with the school district to add a gifted program so the students could have fun."

"I had fun, and I learned a lot."

"I hope the learning superceeded the fun," the physicist muttered.

"I'm sure there was a balance between the two," Amy reassured him, as she stroked his arm.

Leah nodded vigorously. "Mrs. Vaughan made learning even more fun than I thought it could be. My classes are very hands on, so I didn't stare out the window even once today."

"That's a relief," Sheldon sighed.

"We're going to be doing a lot of experiments, so she assigned lab partners. I'm paired with Mason. You probably saw him through the window."

Sheldon grunted noncommittally.

Amy furrowed her brow. "I don't recognize him from any of your previous years' activities."

"That's because he moved here from Wisconsin over the summer. His dad's software company transferred him to Pasadena."

"I can't imagine what it would be like to move your family so far away," Amy murmured.

"It's just Mason and his dad. His mom died last year."

"Oh, that's awful!" Amy exclaimed.

"Yeah. Mason said his dad wasn't sure if he should take the job, but he's hoping a change of scenery will help them cope better."

Sheldon caught his daughter's reflection in the rearview mirror. "You sure know a lot about this boy after only one day of classes together."

"We talked a little while our frost was forming and when..." Leah caught her mother's confused look in the rearview mirror. "What's wrong, Mommy?"

"Your frost?"

"Our first experiment was making frost in a can."

Sheldon threw up his hands. "Oh, dear Lord! That's the best they can do for a gifted class?"

"It was an easy one to start us off and just have a little fun. Anyway, Mason said his dad..."

"Mason. Hmph," Sheldon snorted.

"Daddy, why are you so upset?"

"I'm not upset."

"Then why are your carotid arteries pulsing?"

"Because... because... What about Cadence?" He spluttered.

"Huh? What about her?"

"You two have been best friends practically since birth, and now you're dumping her for some boy."

"I'm not dumping Cadence. We hung out at recess."

"Just the two of you?"

Leah squirmed in her seat. "I invited Mason to join us. He doesn't know anyone else yet."

Sheldon stared out the front window. "I see."

They stopped at a red light, and Amy twisted around in her seat. "I'm very proud of you for being so welcoming to your new friend. It can't be easy moving to a new state and starting a new school with strangers."

"Thanks, Mommy." Leah licked her lips. "Daddy, are you proud of me too?"

"I suppose it was considerate of you to include that boy so he didn't feel left out, but I'm worried that you'll be so focused on him that you'll abandon your studies."

"Mason is just as committed to learning as I am. He's working with me, not taking me away from my work."

"Are you saying this is strictly a platonic relationship, and you won't fall madly in love with him?"

"Fall in love? Daddy, I'm too young for that. Mason is just a boy who's my friend; he's not my boyfriend."

"You're sure about that?"

"Positive. You don't have to worry about any boys coming between me and my schooling. I'm going to study hard all the way through college and get a job before I even think about having a boyfriend."

"Monkey, you don't have to wait that long," Amy assured her.

Sheldon glared at his wife. "Don't give her any ideas. I would be totally fine with her waiting until she's in her 30s. Look how well it worked for us. But enough relationship talk. I want to hear about your classes."

Leah proceeded to tell them all about her day, focusing on the material they covered in her classes. Sheldon unclenched the hands he didn't realize were resting stiffly on his lap. Perhaps he had been a little hasty thinking there was any hanky panky going on with his daughter and her classmate.

Amy pulled into their driveway and cut the engine. Leah was still chatting about her classes as she jumped out of the car and raced up the porch steps. Before they headed inside, Sheldon bent down to his daughter's level and opened his arms wide. Leah flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too."

"Don't worry. I'm going to make you so proud of me."

"You already have." He sniffled and sat back on his heels to look at her. "I'm sorry I gave you a hard time about Mason. I overreacted."

"It's okay, Daddy. I know you did it out of love and concern for me."

"Book smarts and emotional intelligence... you're going to do really great things one day."

Pulling her back in, he held her tight. He was excited for what the future held for his daughter but couldn't help wishing this moment would last forever, though he knew in his heart that she would always be his little girl.