A huge thank you for all of the review on the previous chapter. It really does mean the world to me and I am so grateful to each and every one of you that takes the time to leave a review, no matter how big or small, I appreciate it so much!

This chapter is a teeny bit shorter than a few of the others, short but sweet, hopefully.

Here's chapter 10. I hope you all enjoy!

Three

Two

One

"Happy new year!" the four best friends cheered, chorusing together, as they clinked their champagne flutes and exchanged hugs. Almost as soon as the clock struck midnight, signalling a brand new year, fireworks could be heard from outside, the loud bangs of bright colour illuminating the dark now January sky.

"Ooo, lets go and look up on the roof" Penny squealed excitedly, as she reached out for Leonard, pulling him by the arm in the direction of the door. Unsurprisingly, she had had a little too much to drink and was a little excitable and tipsy, Amy couldn't blame her, it was New Years after all, all Amy could think about was how she was amazed that she had managed to stay awake for so long. She was always so tired at the moment, the tiniest, little thing required so much effort and energy.

"I'm going to stay here" Sheldon voiced, haltering the group in their tracks.

"You're not coming?" Penny pouted, lolling her head on Leonard's shoulder, cuddling closer to him.

"No, you go. I'm staying here" he told them rather defiantly this time, as he sank down in to his famous spot on the sofa.

"I think I should probably stay too" Amy muttered. Since arriving back from Texas just five days ago, something had changed within in Sheldon, Amy couldn't quite put her finger on the reason for this but he seemed distant. He was distant.

Somewhat naively, she had assumed that her apartment would have been Sheldon's first stop upon his return however, she couldn't have been more wrong. They had spoken once on the phone and had exchanged a few messages but the little get together tonight was the first time they had seen one another in weeks. The first time since the kiss on the cheek. Amy was worried that that was why Sheldon had been keeping his distance, she wondered if in that moment of pure happiness she had overstepped a mark. She found it odd given that she was currently carrying his child but she knew physical intimacy was still, very much a huge deal for him and even after all that they had been through a gentle kiss on the cheek could potentially be too much.

"Fine. Suit yourself. I'm going to take my keys" Penny smiled a playful smile as she placed her hands into the bowl and pulled out the keys to her apartment. "We'll probably go straight back to my place" she laughed girlishly, kissing Leonard on the lips urgently, her eyes already hinting what the night had in store.

Despite being married now for just over a year Penny and Leonard still spent their time between her place and the apartment that Leonard had shared with Sheldon for many years. Initially, it had been carried out as a way of making the transition easier on Sheldon but as the months passed and they got in to the swing of things, having two separate apartments became part of their everyday life, neither of them were in any rush to move things along and as Penny often told Amy it seemed to be the key to a happy marriage.

The apartment fell silent as the door closed behind Leonard and Penny, the two people who had really kept the conversation flowing for the majority of the evening. They had decided prior to alcohol consumption that Penny and Leonard would spend the night at Penny's place, meaning that Amy could have the bed in their room. As she stood by the door watching Sheldon, she was starting to regret her decision of spending the night here, he had barely spoken to her all evening.

"Well, I guess we can say we're having a baby this year" she spoke. The line was cheesy and not necessarily said with the excitement that she truly felt, but she was looking for anything, clutching at straws to break the ice.

"Yeah" he nodded. It wasn't that he didn't seem interested, he just wasn't present, he wasn't in the moment with Amy, his mind seemed elsewhere.

"Right, what's wrong?" she asked, she knew him better than anyone, maybe even more than he knew himself. When he was like this, whatever it was, it was best just to get straight to the point and sort it out. It was gone midnight after all and she could now really do with getting some sleep.

"Nothing" he shrugged, he didn't want to go into detail or burden her with what he knew was just an irrational fear.

"You expect me to believe that" she asked gently as she sat down beside him, sinking into the fabric of the sofa, the cushions a welcome comfort to her now aching back. "You've barely spoken to me all evening" she wanted to be angry at him, to argue and make him understand how hurt she was, but there was something about his pouty little face, etched with worry that softened her.

"It's just something my mum said about the baby" he explained, learning quite quickly that it was pointless and almost impossible to lie to Amy. She always just knew when there was something wrong, she was very intuitive, a quality he lacked.

'When you realise that that little person is depending on you, that they need you more than anyone in the world.'

The words Mary had said to him, during the early hours of Christmas morning had been ringing round his head ever since, consuming his thoughts and making him panic.

"I was suddenly made to realise what a big deal this is. How we are actually going to be responsible for someone and have to take care of a tiny person" it sounded ridiculous when he said it all out loud, he was an intelligent man, he understood what the eventual outcome of a pregnancy would be but up until that discussion with his mother he wasn't sure the full extent of what was to come had sunk in.

"Are you having second thoughts?" she asked quietly, almost scared of his answer. She had moments, although few and far between where she wondered if Sheldon's involvement was all too good to be true, was this the day where he would prove her right? Her heart leap at the thought. "Second thoughts about the baby?" she clarified when the look on his face told Amy he needed a clearer explanation.

"Oh no, no. Not at all" he answered quickly, shaking his head and sitting upright, that was the last thing he wanted Amy to think. His instant dismissiveness reassured her greatly and almost somewhat made her feel guilty for briefly doubting him. "It's just that...well, Amy, I'm not sure I've ever taken care of anything before in my life and soon I'm going to be partly responsible for a baby. I don't know what to do with a baby" Amy suddenly found herself smiling at how concerned he seemed.

"That's okay" she reassured him, her voice gentle and soft. "I have no experience with babies either, I'm not even sure I've held one before" she hoped her honest admission would make him feel better about his lack of experience in caring for anyone or thing. "I mean the closest I have got is looking after a monkey" she laughed gently the movement of her body that the laughter caused made the little baby inside her start to move.

The movements had been a regular occurrence since Christmas Eve, the flutters and little wriggles were a welcome reminder that there really was a little person in there. Since that very first movement, Amy was sure they had got stronger, the soft flutters occasionally felt like full on little flips, at times it felt like the baby was doing forward roll after forward roll.

"You know it's thought we share 99% of our dna with monkeys, they're our closest living relatives. A monkey isn't bad practise at all" Amy smiled to herself as Sheldon now tried to reassure her in the only way he knew how, through science.

"That's good to know" she smiled, Amy didn't quite agree, monkeys didn't play havoc with your emotions and hormones, they didn't need diapers changing or leave you suffering from a lack of sleep, but all of that aside she appreciated the effort. "Next time you're worried about anything, talk to me" she was suddenly serious, she didn't want him shutting down whenever he was overwhelmed by the prospect of parenthood. "We need each other to get through this, okay?" she was pretty sure this was the first time she had voiced out loud that she needed him, that they really needed each other. What they were experiencing was huge and right now they were the only two people who knew what that felt like.

"Okay" he nodded. He could do that, he could talk to Amy, he had spent the past five years slowly opening up to her, to know that falling back into that pattern was just as easy as the first time round was a real comfort to him.

Sheldon had been studying Amy carefully for the last few minutes, watching as she shuffled on the sofa, leaning forward and adjusting the cushions behind her, her hands falling to her back or gently resting upon her bump where she was smiling a smile so wide it made her eyes sparkle.

"Amy, are you okay?" Sheldon asked, he wasn't sure how concerned he should be, but over the past few months he had spent enough time with her to know that this was a somewhat new habit.

"Sorry, yeah, I'm fine" she was finally still again, the cushion behind her just in the right position for now and the little one somersaulting in her stomach. "Baby is moving loads tonight" she commented.

"Really?" Sheldon asked, sitting up straighter, his eyes lightening up, his smile warming Amy's heart. "Could I...can I?" his hand hesitantly reached out toward her stomach, hovering it there for a few moments, waiting for Amy to grant him permission. It was only now that she realised that he had never felt her bump before, never taken what she considered was quite an intimate step.

"Yeah, yeah of course. You probably won't feel anything though, Penny has been trying for days and I think I can only feel it on the inside" she explained, not wanting him to feel too disheartened when there was nothing.

"What does it feel like?" he asked as he slowly placed his hand on her stomach, over the fabric of her jumper. She wondered if he felt it too, the sudden rush that flooded her body when he touched her, she knew yet again that her hormones were all over the place and could be partly to blame but she wondered whether she made him feel like that too.

"In the beginning it was just little flutters to the point where I wasn't really sure whether it was a movement or not, but now they feel like someone's doing flips" she explained. "Can you feel anything?"

"I don't think so" he shook his head but kept his hand lingering there, it meant more to him than he thought it ever would to know his son or daughter was growing just beneath his palm, it brought him a comfort that he never quite envisaged.

"Wait until I'm nearly due and then we'll be seeing a foot just rolling around" Amy laughed, she had seen a few videos where you could visibly see a mother's stomach moving as the baby moves, occasionally seeing the imprint of a foot or elbow as the little baby tried to break free. She had never been too sure how she felt about them, they sometimes made her feel a little queasy but now with own child, her own baby, she couldn't wait.

"Oh god" Sheldon blanched at the thought, he wasn't quite where Amy was with her thinking towards seeing actual body parts rolling around inside of her. "Does it hurt?" he asked.

"Not really, it feels strange but I wouldn't say it's painful" they continued to sit for a few moments, the silence between them was calm, peaceful and comforting against the commotion going on outside as passers by and party goers continued their new year celebrations. They were both glad they were here with each other, right now there was no where else they'd rather be.

"You should go to bed" Sheldon commented when Amy let out a loud yawn. He knew that she had been getting tired again recently and it was now the very early hours of the morning.

"Yeah, I probably should" Amy spoke through yet another yawn, standing up and stretching her limbs. "I'll see you in the morning" Sheldon smiled in response watching as Amy walked away.

"Amy" he called, she stopped just before turning the corner to Leonard and Penny's bedroom. "Happy new year" the words were meaningful and heartfelt.

"Happy new year Sheldon"

—

"Okay, so we're at nineteen weeks and four days" the sonographer announced reading from Amy's notes that were laid out on the clipboard she was holding.

"That's correct" Amy nodded excitedly from where she was sitting on the bed. She had been waiting for this moment for weeks, not only was she going to see her little baby on the monitor again but she was also going to be able to discover whether she was having a little boy or girl.

"Okay, perfect" she smiled, she seemed almost as excited as Amy felt. "How are you feeling?" she asked as she prepped the machine and got herself comfortable on a little stool.

"Okay, I think" Amy nodded. "I don't think I'm feeling anything out of the ordinary. I'm tired a lot of the time and there are occasions when my back really aches" she explained. She had never been pregnant before, she didn't quite know what things to be concerned about but she figured everything she was experiencing right now was all fairly normal and rang true with her research.

"All sounds very normal. Unfortunately, aches and pains are all pretty common in pregnancy" she laughed gently. Amy answered a few more questions about how she was feeling and the baby's movements, it reassured her to know that it was okay not feel the kicks just yet.

The sonographer began to carry out the scan, Amy had carried out her research and knew that this scan would take slightly longer than others. This was an incredibly detailed scan where all of the baby's body parts and organs were throughly checked to identify any problems or concerns. Their sonographer had been keeping the screen facing her for the majority of the scan, jotting down notes and clicking buttons as she carried out the routine checks.

Amy didn't realise how nervous she had been about it all until now however, hearing the gentle, continuous thud of the heartbeat was a welcome distraction keeping her calm.

"Everything looks perfect. Baby is developing and growing exactly as they should be" she informed them to their delight, they both exhaled holding a breath they didn't realise they had been holding. "Here is your little one" she smiled as she turned the screen round so that the expectant parents could see their baby. Instinctively Amy reached for Sheldon's hand, wrapping her fingers around his.

"Oh, they've grown so much" Amy gushed, no other feeling was better than seeing their baby, with each time Amy was able to see a difference and her heart felt so full of love to know that their little baby was happy and healthy.

She felt Sheldon give her hand a little squeeze, she knew that during these hospital appointments and scans he was a little out of his depth, for once, never quite knowing the right thing to do or say but Amy appreciated his presence more than he would ever know.

"Everything is okay?" Sheldon asked wanting even more clarification on the matter, Amy's heart fluttered at how much he cared. As the pregnancy progressed she was seeing a new side to him, viewing him a whole new light and she really did love what she was seeing.

"Everything is great" she smiled. "Now are you two wanting to know the sex?" she asked the question Amy had been waiting weeks to hear the answer to.

"Do you still want to know?" she asked turning her gaze to Sheldon, of course she wanted to jump in and answer yes but the last thing she wanted was for him to feel uncomfortable.

"Yeah, I do" his voice was quiet and a small smile tugged at his lips, his heart was beating so fast he wondered if Amy could hear it.

"Yes please" Amy turned her attention to the sonographer, she felt her apply a little more pressure as she moved the probe around her stomach trying to get a closer look at their baby.

"Well, it looks as if you're having a little girl" she told them. Amy felt her heart leap in her chest and tears instantly spring to her eyes, it was her turn now to squeeze Sheldon's hand. They were having a daughter.

"A girl? Really? You're really sure" Amy asked, her bottom lip quivering as a few tears leaked from her eye.

"Absolutely. Congratulations. I'll go and sort you out some photos" she smiled brightly.

"Amy, why are you crying? Are you sad?" Sheldon asked, his mind worrying that she had secretly been hoping for a boy.

"No, no I'm just so happy" she beamed at him as tears trickled down her cheeks. "We're going to have a little girl Sheldon"

It was in that moment where he suddenly saw it, the future laid out before him. It was no longer just a baby, it was a little girl, with tiny, dainty features, with Amy's dark hair and his blue eyes. She would have their combined intelligence and Amy's kindness and love for life. She would be perfect.

It was suddenly all so clear.

Their future.

Him. Amy and their little girl.

So the newest Cooper is going to be a little girl (I hope that is okay), I was tempted to make the baby a boy but a girl was definitely the the most requested.

Thank you all so much for reading. As always reviews are very much welcome and incredibly appreciated. I love hearing all of your thoughts and opinions.

Lots of love. xx