A/N: Oh. Here you go.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Big Bang Theory

Parenthood: The Final Frontier

Or Snapshots of the first five years of Isaac Cooper's life

Chapter Ten: Distress Signal

The nightmare ended as the night gave way to a pale autumn morning. Doctor Watson stood before them both and said the magic words:

"He will be fine."

Penny collapsed on his arms and cried in relief. Sheldon felt like he could finally breathe again.

For Penny it all started yesterday morning. Two days after Sheldon and Leonard had made their way via train to Boston for a three day Physics Symposium. Isaac was running a fever, had been the whole morning, and his temperature did not go down even though she had given him medicine. He was restless, not really his usual enthusiastic self. He was breathing unevenly and with difficulty.

Half-panicked, she called their pediatrician, who asked them to come over to the hospital. Penny did not remember any moment in her life when she was as scared as that moment. Her baby was on her arms, cooing and saying 'mama' over and over, his skin growing warmer and warmer by the minute. She felt helpless.

Doctor Watson diagnosed him with pneumonia.

"He may have had a bad reaction to the vaccine we gave him a yesterday." she said. "I'll look into it while we medicate him."

Isaac was to be confined and it was then that Penny found a moment to call Sheldon.

Sheldon would never forget that day. He had been in high spirits. The start of the symposium had been remarkable and he was looking forward for more. He and Leonard had been on their way out when he received Penny's call.

He knew immediately that she was in distress. The whole call was ten minutes long between shaky breaths and sniffs he was able to learn that their baby was sick, Penny was scared and he needed to come home quick. His instincts kicked in and he was packing his bags.

"Sheldon! What are you doing?" Leonard asked, surprised.

"Book a flight home Leonard, the earliest possible."

"Flight?"

"Yes. Is your auditory canal damaged?" He quipped. "My son is sick. My wife is panicking, I don't have time for stupid questions."

Leonard jumped to action. Fifteen minutes later they were on a plane home. Sheldon did not even say anything about getting the window seat or the cramped space.

Penny watched as her normally laughing baby boy, cried in pain and fear. He kept on reaching out to her, kept on asking 'mama up, mama up pwease.' and she could not do it because of the IV attached to his arm. She stayed beside him, rubbing his hair and telling him to be brave, and everything will be fine. She felt horrible, like she was telling him a lie. She held his hand till he fell into an uneasy sleep.

Her husband arrived at the hospital around five in the afternoon. He was jumpy and twitchy and as he wrapped his arms around her, Penny felt a heavy weight lifted from her shoulder. Sheldon is here. Everything will be okay.

"How is he?" He croaked, looking over her shoulder at their sleeping son.

"Better. He's better. He just fell asleep again a few minutes ago"

She wanted to cry. Really. But she knew it would not help at all with Sheldon or Isaac, so she just hugged her husband tighter.

Sheldon took a moment to discuss with Doctor Watson Isaac's reaction to the vaccine. For a moment he blamed himself for insisting that his son have all that medication, but as the doctor said it was totally unexpected and he was just thankful it did not worsened. He spent most of the evening watching over his son, who was returning to his usual healthy complexion, and coaxing Penny to eat and to catch some sleep.

Isaac woke up about midnight. Penny was dozing off at the narrow couch in the room, covered in his jacket. The baby stretched his small hand which Sheldon caught in his much larger hand.

"Dada." Isaac said, softly.

"Yes, Isaac?"

"Stowy, pwease."

He smoothed out his son's hair. "It is in ancient Greece where our story began. It is a warm summer evening circa 600 BC..."

Next time: Thanksgiving. Isaac meets Meemaw for the first time.