A/N: Surprise! I am still alive. I am very sorry for the extended wait. As some of you know, these days I am very busy with my thesis and I have very little free time, when typically I am too exhausted for anything. Thankfully Easter has come to the rescue and gave me the change to loosen a bit and find time and energy to finish this. It's a very sweet one, I think (probably even a little cheesy, who knows). I hope you'll enjoy it. I'm not sure when I'll be able to publish again, worst case it will be by late April. Take care, and once again thank you, thank you for your support! You are peaches! Finally, bonus thank you to Boris Yeltsin, who suggested me this prompt (and a few other nice one).


Sheldon and Amy babysit Howard's daughter, getting practice for when they become parents.

"I don't understand why we didn't take your car," Sheldon complains once again. He doesn't really have anything against Howard's van. It's comfortable and efficient, and it has all the latest and most modern safety devices. However, it's not Amy's car, or Leonard's.

Amy checks on Halley through the rear-view mirror. The toddler smiles happily to her teddy bear, before shaking the poor toy around by one leg. Amy grins, and finally speaks to Sheldon.

"It was just easier," she explains, "Howard asks us to babysit Halley only for a few hours, it wasn't worth to move her baby seat for that long. Apparently those things are impossible to install. I would trust an engineer about it."

Sheldon mumbles something. Whatever, he doesn't like it. He turns just slightly to look at Halley too. She's still ruthlessly flapping the bear, and apparently finds this very funny.

He sits back. "Are you sure it was a good idea, anyway?" He asks now, "Howard could have asked it to someone else."

"Bernadette's mother has the flu, Stuart is out of town, Raj drove Bernadette and Michael to the baby doctor," Amy lists to him. She pauses a moment, and her mind comes back to earlier today when Howard has asked her this favor. She'd be lying if she didn't admit she has looked perplexed to her friend at first. It's one thing to play with the little girl when they hang out together, one thing being responsible for her. However, Howard has assured her about how he absolutely trusted her and Sheldon in this, and made an astute observation.

"You always say you want to have children," Amy reminds him, "Consider this a good occasion to get some practice. An experiment," she suggests, echoing Howard's words and definitive point in persuading her to help him.

Sheldon nods. Well, that's a good point, he can't deny it. Halley is not their child, thus she isn't expected to be as exceptional as their offspring is bound to be. Still, she has already proved to be quite perceptive and let's face it, she is just so cute.

"Okay, let's do this," he finally concedes her, "But we need to be extra careful. You gave me such a short notice that I couldn't make our apartment childproof, I don't want Howard and Bernadette to think I would have their daughter killed by the coffee table."

Halley laughs as the poor teddy bear flies across the van. As they finally turn in Los Robles Avenue, Amy catches a glimpse of Sheldon's confused expression about the baby's girl satisfied face. Honestly, the toy seems much more at risk than she is.

They reach their destination, and they are lucky enough to find a parking spot in front of the building. "I'm getting Halley's stuff from the trunk; can you please take her from the seat?" Amy asks as they get out the car.

Sheldon opens the rear door and stares at the baby. She really doesn't seem to care about him, and looks around her still laughing. Sheldon gulps. Okay, he has to unfasten her belt, then what?

"How do I pick her?"

Amy resurfaces from the trunk with two large bags and her own purse, "You just… pick her?" She tells back.

"How?" Sheldon asks again. Maybe he needs to be more specific, "How I have to move so I don't hurt her or drop her?"

"I thought you happened to hold your nephew," she observes.

"Only a few times, and he always landed in my arms from Missy or my mom," Sheldon explains as he starts to study the seatbelt.

Amy smiles. She didn't imagine she needs to explain this to Sheldon, but she willingly does it in order to have the view of him holding a baby.

"Just be gentle as you lift her out the seat, and have your arm holding her from below, pulling to your torso. Use the other arm to secure her. Don't worry, it's easier done than said," she eventually reassures him.

Sheldon nods, and cautiously frees Halley from her baby seat. She points to her previously discarded teddy bear, "Bee - ar?" she asks.

He stretches to retrieve it (praying the car mat is clean enough) and hands it out to her. "Ta!" Halley cheerfully thanks him as she takes it back. Sheldon cracks a smile before proceeding with his operation, "Would you like to come home with me?" He politely asks.

Halley gives her assent shaking again up and down the bear. Sheldon takes a deep breath, and carefully moves to pick her. Thankfully, he realizes soon he has somehow moved already in a good way, and pops out the car holding the baby in his arms. "Is it right?" he still asks for confirmation.

"Yup. Aw, you are so cute!" She exclaims, moving closer and waving at Halley. Sheldon looks down at the baby, and he can only agree.

"You are cute too, though," Amy adds, stretching on her toes to land a peck on Sheldon's cheek.


"Howard texted me a few suggestions for Halley's dinner," Amy says as they enter the apartment, "Do you prefer to cook, or to look after her?"

Sheldon is still holding Halley, who has focused back on her plushy friend. He stares briefly at her, "I can stay with her," he answers. He sits with her on the couch, "What do you want to do?"

"You could read something together," Amy suggests, "Do we have anything with many figures and little text?"

"Mm… I guess this excludes the Principia by Sir Isaac Newton," Sheldon comments. Halley apparently finds his words sounding fun, and giggles.

"Wait, how I didn't think of it right away."

Sheldon leans on the coffee table, looking for something. He soon returns to Halley and shows her enthusiastically their upcoming read, "What about the Flash?"

Amy burst out giggling from the kitchen. Sheldon looks up and raises an inquiring eyebrow. Amy shrugs, "I am sorry, but I thought you said comics are not for children," she observes.

"They are not," he immediately remarks as he moves Halley on his knees and opens the comic book in front of them. He studies the first pages, "Although I admit there are many figures and little text indeed," he admits, intentionally ignoring the fact that half of the written text actually consists of onomatopoeia.

Amy would laugh again, but her laughs turn soon into a more surprised smile. Sheldon has started telling the story to Halley. Amy hears him making the sounds, and pointing to the key parts in the pictures. Halley at first seems to not care, but eventually Sheldon gains her attention, and she ends up being completely absorbed by the adventures of Flash.

Once the alphabet soup is ready, Amy calls everyone for dinner. When she asks Sheldon if he was okay with having it as well, his happy nod immediately addresses Amy wonder on why Howard was so sure they had such type of pasta.

She takes Halley from Sheldon's arms, tickles what's enough to distract her and put away her teddy bear for a while, and sits down at the dinner table with the toddler on her laps. Sheldon hands her Halley's 'Daddy's star' bib and joins them at the table.

"Just start eating, don't worry," Amy tells him once she realizes he is staring doubtfully at the soup bowl, "I know you don't like it once it's warm."

Sheldon shakes his head, "No. I'll wait for you," he announces.

Too bad for the toddler on her knees, or Amy would kiss him straight away. She can't resist him when he is surprisingly so considerate of her. She smiles at Halley, coming closer with the spoon full of soup, "Chow chow, where is my chow?"

Unfortunately Halley doesn't react as expected, and turns away from the food, "No!" She exclaims.

"What's wrong, little one?" Amy asks her, but it sounds more like a question to herself. She gently brushes Halley's hip when she sees she is now upset, "It's good, why you don't want yummy soup?"

She tries again, but the baby girl just shakes her head, and grumbles something. Amy sighs, and starts looking into the plate for some H's. "Look, I have found the H!" she offers, once she has spotted some, "Like your name, sweetie. Do you want the H's?" Halley answers by just shaking her little head more resolutely.

Sheldon observes the scene quietly, unable to understand as well what the problem is. Isn't she hungry? He definitely is.

Amy meets his hungry stare, and this gives her an idea. "Why Uncle Sheldon doesn't take his soup and shows Halley how good it is?" she proposes.

"But I told you I would have waited for you," Sheldon protests.

"It's okay. It's for a good reason," Amy reassures him, "And if it works, maybe we all eat eventually." Bernadette always brags about Halley's good appetite, why she is refusing food right now? Isn't her soup not good, maybe does it smell funny? It doesn't seem her, but at this point all is possible.

Sheldon meanwhile obeys, and fill his plate with soup. He still throws an unsure look at Amy, and then finally takes the first taste.

"Mm, it is so yummy!" He proclaims while gesturing accordingly. He takes another spoonful, "Yummy!"

Amy observes Halley, and tries to decoder her reactions. As Sheldon keeps eating and underlining his appreciation in an increasingly exaggerate way, Amy follows Halley's eyes on him.

"Of course!" She suddenly understands. Sheldon stares confused, "At her age, babies start to be more autonomous," she explains, "She doesn't get the food from me because she wants to feed herself!"

"Oh!" Sheldon answers impressed, "I have to admit, if that's the reason, this is a great point of merit for her."

"Well, we can check this immediately," Amy says. She empties the spoon and offers it Halley. She doesn't lose time and grabs it quickly. Her babysitters admire proudly how she confidently sinks it into her plate, and brings to her mouth most of its content.

Sheldon prepares Amy her own plate, and while she is still uncertain at first to just let Halley eat on her own, the minimum amount of soup ended on the table and especially the baby satisfied smile convince her to finally eat as well.

When they have done with the soup (and Sheldon has had his time trying to form everyone's name with pasta letters), Sheldon cuts some apple slices for Halley, who proudly shows how she can take care of those as well. He then offers to do the dishes, and Amy remains with her, sharing her apple and playing peek-a-boo.

"She looks tired," Sheldon observes when he joins them back, "How long before they come to pick her up?"

Amy checks the hour, "Howard should be here in about 40 minutes. Maybe we could let her have a nap in the meantime?"

Halley yawns, and rubs one eye with her tiny hand, "Na'?" She mutters.

"I'll take that as a yes," Sheldon comments.

Amy nods, and stands taking Halley in her arms. "Where can we let her sleep?" She asks.

"What about the bed?"

Amy smirks, "Really? You would let someone who is not us sleeping in our bed?"

Sheldon shrugs, "Well, the couch doesn't look safe. Honestly, that's little even for her." They really should think of getting a slightly bigger one, he thinks too.

"And I don't mean in our bed. She can stay over the covers, with this," he then hurries to clarify, showing Amy the patchwork blanket on the couch backrest.

She agrees, and they move to the bedroom. Amy gently lies down Halley in the center of the bed, and Sheldon covers her with the blanket. They both sit on the bed, and the girl sleepily smiles. Sheldon can't resist returning the smile.

"Do you think we should sing her a lullaby to help her fall asleep?" Sheldon asks, "Howard bragged once about how The Walking Dead theme is her favorite."

Amy grimaces, "I won't sing her the theme of that scary show," she complains, "Can't we just try with an actual lullaby first?"

"That's not scary," Sheldon says back, "Well, maybe a little. Anyway, if you don't like it, I can think of something else."

He tries to think of something, while Amy starts brushing Halley's hair. They smell so good, she has never realized before.

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star... How I wonder what you are…"

Amy surprised turns to Sheldon, who has started singing. He smiles at her, then returns his attention back to Halley as he continues the song.

"Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky…"

It doesn't take long for Halley to fall asleep. Amy and Sheldon exchange a look, and carefully they stand to not disturb her. They move to the door, still looking at her.

"I have to admit it, it was nice to spend time with her," he whispers.

"You say that only because she didn't need a diaper change," Amy comments.

"Well… we'll think of that if and when the event occurs," he answers, "I am just saying that it went far better than I expected. I won't oppose if Howard and Bernadette should ask us to babysit her again. Of course, we need to prepare the apartment better next time, or doing it at her home. No, here it is better. Do you think we can squeeze a crib somewhere?"

Amy wonders sometimes too, if a baby could have space to stay, "I'd love to have her with us some other time," she agrees.

"Good," he answers. Amy sees how he is still studying the room to see if a crib could ever fit.

"You really want to have children too, don't you?" She suddenly asks.

"You know I do," Sheldon confirms, "But not now. We are not even married yet."

"We will be soon."

"Yup. Why are you even so surprised?"

"I don't know," Amy admits, "I guess I just didn't realize how you actually like babies."

"This is not true. I don't like babies," he argues, "They are stupid, and needy, and they smell funny. I like Halley, though, and I will like ours."

Then he just randomly leans to peck her on the lips. Amy grins against his mouth, "You just want to change the topic, are you?"

"No," he lies, "it's just that you are pretty."

She tries to suppress a giggle, and returns the kiss before turning back to Halley. A few moments later, Amy realizes Sheldon is right behind her and he is hugging her. He rests his head on her shoulder, and Amy presses her cheek on his.

They remained this way for a while, quietly observing the baby's peaceful sleep.