Meemaw is dying. Penny is in labor. Sheldon may just have a heart attack from all the stress and chaos.


Sheldon didn't even make it through the epidural. He fainted and Penny had Howard stay with him when they moved her to the delivery room. Bernadette and Mary went with her. When Amy, Raj and Junior showed up Sheldon was conscious again but twitching like mad. He wanted to be with Penny, but she had left orders for him to go keep an eye on Meemaw.

Amy walked over to him. "Sheldon, Penny is having a baby. There will be blood and amniotic fluid along with a high probability of other bodily fluids. Do you really want to be in that room?"

Sheldon shuddered violently. "I should check on Meemaw," he said weakly. Raj led the way to the elevators after Amy and Howard promised to text him the moment they knew anything.


Penny gripped Mary's hand tighter and pushed like the doctor told her. Bernadette mopped her forehead and she looked at her friend. "I need a favor," she said with a gasp.

Bernadette nodded immediately. Penny had been at it four hours and Abby was being stubborn. "Of course, Penny. You want Sheldon?"

Penny's eyes narrowed. "Hell no! He's the bastard who did this to me! No, you have tiny hands. Get down there and pull her out!"

Mary rubbed Penny's arm soothingly. "Penny, honey, you're doing fine. Just a couple more pushes."

Penny's head whipped around to glare at her mother-in-law. "Your son sucks," she growled.

The doctor cleared his throat lightly. "Mrs. Cooper, you need to push hard now."

Penny muttered threats under her breath and braced herself as another contraction hit. She took a deep breath and bore down as hard as she could.


The door opened slowly and Sheldon peeked around the edge. Penny lifted a weary hand and held it out to him. He smiled softly and hurried over. She shifted over and let him get a good look at their daughter. "Say hello to your daughter, sweetie. 5 lbs, 8 oz and almost 18 inches long. Isn't she beautiful?"

Sheldon's eyes widened and his expression turned confused. "Penny, is she supposed to be so ….wrinkly?"

Penny's eyes narrowed and she clutched Abigail closer. "What?!" she hissed. "She's not wrinkly! She's gorgeous!"

Sheldon looked disbelievingly at Penny. Abby yawned widely and opened her eyes. Sheldon gasped and his expression turned to wonder. Slowly he reached out and picked her up out of Penny's arms. "She's looking at me, Penny. She knows I'm her daddy. Look! She's smiling! She loves me!"

Penny grinned and shook her head. She wasn't about to tell him Abby was just yawning. If it kept him from saying she was wrinkly, Penny would let him think what he wanted.

"She didn't smile at you," he said smugly. "I must be her favorite parent."

Then again, maybe she would burst his bubble, Penny thought grumpily. A soft knock signaled they had visitors. Mary opened the door and their friends walked in. Junior came in backwards, maneuvering a wheelchair into the room. Penny smiled widely at the sight of Meemaw's joyful look.

Junior placed the chair right beside the bed and Meemaw picked up Penny's hand. "How are you, dear?"

Penny nodded to Sheldon, who was trying to explain to Missy that she couldn't hold Abby until she had been decontaminated. "I'm good. So is your namesake. But your grandson is pushing his luck."

Meemaw shook her head with amusement. "Moon Pie!" Everyone turned at the authority in her voice. She paused to catch her breath and beckoned him over. "Give me my great granddaughter, dear."

Sheldon whimpered with resignation. "But I just got her," he muttered to himself. He placed Abby in his Meemaw's arms and hovered close by. Penny yawned widely as she watched her friends and family gather around her daughter. She looked up at her husband who was fussing with the blanket over Abby's feet. She didn't know when she began to fall in love with her husband. She knew when she had realized it, though. And in this moment, she had never loved him more.


Sheldon looked at his phone and sighed. He really didn't want to do this. Only for Penny would he make the effort. He loved her. He had for years. He knew she cared for him, probably cared a great eal, and that was enough. He dialed the number and waited.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"Ma'am, this is Dr. Sheldon Cooper. I thought you might want to know Penny and I have had a daughter. Abigail Elaine Cooper."

There was silence on the other end for several seconds. "Can …can I see her?"

Sheldon released the breath he had been holding. "Of course you can. You are her family."

"Thank you."

Sheldon hung up and returned to the hospital room. It was just him and Penny now. Abby was in the nursery, Meemaw and Mom were on the sixth floor and everyone else had gone to get some sleep. He slipped into the bed beside Penny and wrapped an arm around her waist. She smiled in her sleep and snuggled closer. He placed a kiss on her shoulder and closed his eyes. He wasn't about to sleep alone when she was right here.


Penny looked up from her daughter as the door opened a little bit. The nurse looked in with a smile. "You have visitors. Are you up to it?"

"Of course she is," snapped an annoyed voice behind the nurse. The door opened wider and Penny gaped as her parents and her Aunt Tom walked in. Her mom rushed over and hugged her tight and her dad smiled widely. Aunt Tom moved around the bed and took a seat on the chair. "Well, let me see her."

Penny quirked an eye at her aunt. She loved her dearly, but she had learned early in life that the only way to deal with her crotchety relative was to stand her ground. "Hello, Aunt Tom. It's good to see you, too. What was that? Why yes, I am doing fine. Thanks for asking."

Penny's aunt narrowed her eyes. "Don't be cheeky, missy."

Sheldon walked in, pushing his Meemaw's wheelchair. He paused at the scene before him for a moment before moving over to the bed. He put Meemaw beside Aunt Tom and then walked over to say hello to his in-laws.

"Penny, how are you this morning?" Meemaw asked, wheezing slightly. Penny was alarmed by the paleness of Meemaw's face.

"I'm okay. How about you?" she asked with concern.

Meemaw waved away her concern. "Same as yesterday. Stop your fussing, dear. You and I both know I have little time left. Now, how's that little angel this morning?"

Penny picked up Abby and handed her to her aunt so the two women could see her. She looked over at her husband worriedly. He was talking to her dad, but his eyes kept straying back to Meemaw. She could see the knowledge in his eyes that Meemaw wasn't going to be with them many more days.

Elaine sat down on the edge of the bed and took Penny's hand in hers. She looked at the older woman and smiled. "You must be Meemaw. Penny has told me so much about you."

Meemaw smiled widely. "She has told me much about you all, also. She's a lovely woman, inside and out. She has made my Moon Pie very happy."

"Moon Pie?" Aunt Tom asked.

"That's my nickname for Sheldon. Cause he's nummy nummy, like a moon pie," Meemaw explained.

"Well, I don't know if he's nummy, but he's not the worst Penny could have done," Aunt Tom conceded gruffly. Penny looked at her daughter and marveled at how someone so tiny could melt even the hardest heart.


Penny woke to the sound of rough sobs. She knew instinctively what had happened. She pulled him against her tightly and began singing Soft Kitty. Her heart broke for her husband who had just lost the most important part of his childhood. By the time he drifted off to sleep, her voice was ragged and sore from hours of whispered lyrics. Penny looked at the rising sun out her window. Today she and Abby were leaving the hospital. Despite being a few weeks early, their daughter was the picture of health.

She wondered how the other Coopers were doing. Mary and Missy were strong women, but Junior and Sheldon were emotionally more fragile. She suspected that was why Junior acted so tough. It was definitely why Sheldon retreated behind his intelligence so much.

Slowly she slipped from the bed and went to take a shower. Her body was still tender and having Sheldon squeeze so tight had made her stiff. She washed up quickly and dressed in the clothes Amy had brought her. She was just pulling her hair up into a ponytail when a soft tap on the door drew her attention.

Aunt Tom was there with a small bag. She glanced at Sheldon's sleeping form before hugging Penny. "Your mother-in-law called last night. I am sorry about Abigail, dear. I could see you cared about her."

Penny nodded against her aunt's shoulder. "I can't believe she's gone so fast," Penny whispered. "Especially now, with Abby just getting here."

Aunt Tom set Penny back. "Dear, be glad she got to spend three days with her. Abigail was delighted to get to hold her great grandchild. She lived a wonderful life filled with love and family. Abby was the greatest gift you could have given her in her final days."

Penny wiped her eyes and nodded. She took a steadying breath and looked at the bag. "What do you have in there?"

Aunt Tom sighed with resignation. "It's for your ..husband," she said with a grimace. "I never would have expected him to call me and let me know about the baby. He has made an effort to keep me involved in your life, even after everything I said before. I suppose he can't be all bad."

Penny laughed and hugged her aunt close. "Thank you," she whispered.

They looked over as they heard the bed creak. Sheldon was sitting up, rubbing his eyes. Aunt Tom sighed and walked over to him. She held out the bag. "Here. Think of it as a peace offering, if you like."

Sheldon's eyebrows shot up and he gingerly took the bag. He glanced at Penny before opening the bag. Slowly he reached inside and pulled out what looked like a teddy bear in a shirt. He studied it for a moment and then excitement filled his eyes.

Aunt Tom grimaced when he looked at her. "Elaine said you would appreciate this more than a check."

Sheldon stood and clutched the stuffed toy close. "Thank you, Mrs. Reece. I do not want or need your money. I would, however, like your continued presence in Penny and Abby's life."

Aunt Tom stared at him a moment and nodded. "Okay then. We have an understanding. Now, if you will excuse me, I believe I will go see if I can be of any assistance to your mother." Without another word she left the room.

Penny walked over and wrapped her arms around his waist. "What is it?" she asked curiously.

Sheldon held out the bear and tears sprang to her eyes. The bear was wearing a lab coat over a white shirt. The shirt read "My Daddy Is A Genius". She reached up and placed a kiss on his jaw. Sheldon hugged her close and found solace in her embrace.