Thank you so much for all of the reviews on the last chapter. It really does mean so much that you are still enjoying my writing!

I just want to say a big thank you to the guest who requested a particular scene in this chapter. This actually gave me a little boost to keep writing so thank you so much!

Here is chapter 4. I hope you all enjoy! xx

Amy really had tried to enjoy the car ride, she loved this time of year, spring. The gentle sun beating down on them as they drove through the quiet little streets, large blossoms trees standing tall in front gardens, giving coverage to the large family homes that stood behind them. The window was open just a fraction allowing a cool breeze to sweep in, even though Sheldon had protested that the air conditioning was more than enough, Amy still needed a supply of fresh air to keep her cool, she blamed the pregnancy. All of the passing scenery was beautiful however, it was hard to revel in its beauty when you had a four year old in the back seat who was coming down from an almighty tantrum and kicking your seat every few minutes.

"Sheldon, just ignore her" Amy told him gently. He wasn't great at dealing with Emily's outbursts, he didn't quite know how to reason with her or how to come up with a compromise that seemed appropriate and still showed her that he was in control. Thankfully, Emily's little tantrums were very few and far between but they had both noticed that since the news of a new baby she had been testing the boundaries. "She'll eventually get bored" Amy explained.

"How do you do it?" Sheldon asked, glancing at his wife in the passenger seat. He couldn't pinpoint what it was, maybe it was how she was wearing her hair today or her bump that now at 24 weeks seemed to be getting bigger each day or maybe it was simply down to the sun shining on her face but today, especially today, she just looked so beautiful.

"Do what?" Amy asked.

"Remain so patient and calm" her ability to do all of those things mentioned when you're against a four year old to him seemed pretty incredible. Just at that moment he took it upon himself to glance in the rear view mirror, catching a glimpse of Emily who was sat in her booster seat, her arms were tightly folded across her chest, her lips pouty and her eyes a little red rimmed from crying. Despite giving them hell just moments ago, Sheldon couldn't deny the fact that she looked so cute mid tantrum and strangely like her mother when she was annoyed at him.

"I guess it's a gift" she joked, glancing over at Sheldon and smirking. She knew the real reason for her patience was him. At the beginning of their relationship, it had taken a lot of patience and understanding on Amy's part. Sheldon was pretty testing, he was a complex character that definitely required a motherly, caring sole. Amy was just that for him and still even after all these years together was still very much that. They brought out the best in each other, they changed each other in the best possible way.

"You're a really great mother Amy" it was those little off the cuff comments, that were simply said just because, that meant the world to her. She had learnt over the years that Sheldon's thoughts and feelings meant the most to her when they were simply expressed without any reason. He wasn't trying to make her feel better, he wasn't trying to sweeten her up because he wanted something, he genuinely meant every word.

"Thank you" she smiled. Amy had always known she was great scientist and that she was the best person out there for Sheldon (plenty of people had told her that fact over the years, even his own mother), but motherhood left her doubtful. It left her questioning every little thing she did, from whether or not she had paid Emily enough attention that day, to whether or not she had made the right decision going back to work and leaving her at daycare, to deciding to have another baby and right now with the up and coming house move, which was undoubtedly the reason for her little outburst. Amy always felt like there was more she could do so getting a little reassurance from her husband who very rarely dished out compliments meant a lot. "You're a great father too" she reached out and placed a hand upon his knee.

"It's the next left isn't it?" Sheldon asked as he indicated to take the next little side road.

"Yep" Amy nodded "I think it's right on the corner"

Today they were viewing what would hopefully become their very first family home. Sure apartment 4B was lovely and it was only really upon reflection that Amy and Sheldon discovered all the memories they had made there. What was just supposed to be a five week experiment, actually turned into the place they returned to as husband and wife, the home that they brought their first baby home to, it was the place where they became parents. Aside from the huge milestones they had faced, Sheldon had many memories of parties Penny used to throw back when the apartment was hers and Amy wasn't even a part of his life, Amy looked back fondly on girls nights and date nights, it was filled with so much that they knew would be hard to let go of but it was very much time for a change.

Of all people it was Sheldon that prompted the move, considering he was the one that was sceptical about living with Amy all those years ago, to now suggesting that they move into a real family home. If back then, you'd have told Amy that one day Sheldon Cooper would suggest moving into a family home, she would have thought you were insane.

The move made sense, the apartment wouldn't house four of them, it simply wasn't big enough and Emily was now getting to an age where it would be lovely to give her a back yard to play in. However, convincing Emily of that was proving difficult.

"Okay, I think this is it" Sheldon announced as he pulled up outside the home that was positioned on the corner. "What do you think Em?" he asked. "This could be your new home" she made some noise from the back seat that was an inaudible grunt, clearly unimpressed, he was sure she hadn't even attempted to move and take a look.

"She's thrilled, of course" Amy laughed as Sheldon unclipped his seatbelt and exited the car, he was round at the side of Emily's door in record time. Amy had just hauled herself from the car (she blamed her slowness on the rather large little human she was carrying around) to hear Sheldon begin what would become round two with Emily.

"Emily you need to put your shoes on and get out of the car" Sheldon told her as sternly as he could muster. They hadn't even realised that on the drive here she had managed to kick off her shoes.

"No!" she huffed folding her arms across her chest. "I hate this house!"

"Emily, put your shoes on" Sheldon told her, reaching down for the tiny little shoes that she had kicked off her feet. He figured if she wasn't going to put them on, he would just do it for her however, he had underestimated her ability to wriggle. As soon as his hand took hold of her foot, she began moving and kicking her legs, doing absolutely everything in her power to not have the shoes on her feet.

"I don't want to" she yelled.

Quickly, she undid her seatbelt, clambered out of her booster seat and moved to the other side of the car, her little feet slipping from Sheldon's grip. In her head, the kid logic hadn't quite figured out that there was another door right by where she was now sat, giving her parents, if they pursued, easy access to her.

"I give up" Sheldon sighed throwing his arms up in the air and letting them slap down by his side, he looked to Amy who was stood beside him, his eyes telling her how helpless he felt.

"Hey" Amy gently placed her hand upon his arm. "Why don't you go and head in and I'll see if I can work my magic on little miss" she smiled. The last thing she wanted was for them to be late for their viewing, she could already see the car of their estate agent parked across the street, she knew from the photos that this home had to be theirs.

"Are you sure?" Sheldon asked, to which Amy nodded her head. "Okay, just please be careful. She started kicking me and she can't be kicking you" he warned, his eye flickering down to her bump.

"We'll be okay, she knows to be careful" Amy assured him. "For now, we'll just have to divide and conquer" she smiled, rising up on to her tiptoes to place a gentle kiss to his cheek. He too reciprocated her smile and soon headed off in the direction of the house. "Okay, it's just me and you, are you going to come and talk to me?" Amy asked, poking her head into the car to talk to Emily. "I think I might be too big to squeeze into the back with you but there's a little bench down the street, we could sit there and have a little chat. Maybe you can tell me what's got you so upset" she was trying a gentler approach, hoping that that would at least get her out of the car.

Amy waited patiently by the side of the car, she was able to keep herself calm by reminding herself that flying off the handle wouldn't be beneficial to anyone nor would it resolve the situation. She tried to relax and relish in the sunshine, she wanted to convey to Emily that she had all the time in the world to wait for her.

It was a few moments later when Amy noticed that Emily had slowly made her way towards her booster seat and was placing her shoes back on to her feet. Amy smiled to herself, it always made her feel like she had succeeded when Emily came forward on her own. Whether or not Emily decided to talk to her it was a step in the right direction, the shoes were now on her feet and regardless of what else happened she had to chalk this up as a win.

"You ready to talk?" Amy asked, looking down at her little girl who suddenly seemed so small as she gazed up at her mother. Emily nodded her head and Amy reached for her hand and led her to the nearby bench. "What's caused all the tears?" Amy asked as Emily snuggled into her mother's side.

"I don't want to move house" she mumbled. Amy and Sheldon had to admit that they had kind of jumped into this move head first without really, fully considering and understanding how it would make Emily feel. She was a sensitive little thing that felt all kinds of emotions greatly, it made perfect sense that this would have an impact on her.

"Okay" Amy nodded, her hand moving up and down her daughters back. "Why don't you want to move house?" Amy asked, hoping that she could unpick whatever was worrying Emily.

"I like our house too much" Amy had never really envisaged a four year old having some form of emotional attachment to a house, but clearly Emily was different. "I don't want to move away from auntie Penny and uncle Leonard too" she admitted, causing Amy's heart to melt. Emily had loved growing up just across the hall from Leonard and Penny.

Again, the memories that they had shared with their friends just across the hallway came flooding back. Like the time when Emily had first started walking, they had tested this out across the hallway, gradually increasing the distance until, on slightly unstable legs she was able to walk from one apartment to the other, where her mother or Penny were waiting to excitedly scoop her up in their arms.

"I'm going to miss them" Emily added, cuddling in closer to her mother.

"Oh I'm going to miss them too" Amy sympathised, she felt all of that too. She had had her best friend just across the hall for the past eight years and even though now she would just be a ten minute drive round the corner it was still a tough adjustment. "But you know they can come over or we can go and visit them whenever you like" Amy explained, hoping that that would reassure her. "I know that there are so many things changing right now, you're doing such a good job" she could only imagine how difficult things must be for her little mind to process and apart from the incident just a few moments ago, she really had taken everything in her stride.

"I don't think I like change very much mumma" just with that simple sentence, she was instantly her fathers daughter.

"I know darling. I know change can be difficult and scary but it can also be really exciting"

"Still don't like it" she felt Emily shake her head against her.

"You are so much like you daddy, do you know that?" Amy smiled as she lowered her head to kiss the top to Emily's.

"You always say that" Emily sighed. She knew without even looking at her that Emily would be rolling her eyes.

"That's because it's true. Your daddy didn't like the thought of moving either" she looked up at her mother with her big blue eyes, if he didn't want to move, then why were they doing it, it made no sense to her. "A long time ago" Amy added. "When auntie Penny and uncle Leonard were discussing living together, your dad hated the idea so much that he went off on a train to clear his head" she didn't really go into the whole detail of the story, she didn't want to scare or worry her by telling her that her father ran away, travelled the country alone for four whole months.

"Really?" Emily laughed.

"Yep" Amy nodded.

"I won't leave you though mummy" she squeezed Amy tighter, without muttering a word it was as if she knew the full extent of the story. As if she knew that Amy had been heartbroken and left wondering if he would ever return.

"Good, because I love you too much" Amy reciprocated the squeeze back. "Plus, if you were to leave me, I'd be stuck with boys" they both looked at each other and pulled a face. "Do you think you're up for going to see your new room?" Amy asked, an excited twinkle in her eye that for a few moments she saw gazing back at her in Emily's.

—

"Okay, how does this look?" Sheldon asked as he tied a knot in the end of the thin, red piece of material. Emily looked up at him, her eyes shimmering with excitement as he held up the tiny bracelet they had made together. The pinks, oranges and purples as well as few glittery hearts she had insisted on adding shone in the sunlight as Sheldon held it up, showing off Emily's handy work.

"It's so pretty" Emily whispered, the smile on her face was huge and although, initially Sheldon found her suggestion to make bracelets together rather tedious, that smile to him meant everything, made it all the more worthwhile. After her little tantrum in the car and now with Amy taking a nap, something that he noticed was happening much more often during this pregnancy, Sheldon figured this was the perfect opportunity for some father/daughter time that he was sure once their little boy arrived, for a while at least, would be rather rare.

"Shall we put it on?"

"Okay" Emily nodded her head in excitement and thrust her balled up fist towards her father.

"Okay, stay really still for me and let me know if it's too tight" he explained as he laid the bracelet out on her wrist and carefully tied it round, he wanted it to be tight so that it stayed on whilst she played but loose enough so that she could easily slip it on and off. The last thing he wanted to be doing was tying and untying the bracelet every five minutes. Emily watched her father carefully, her eyes soaking in his every move, her little tongue poking out as she concentrated on what he was doing.

"Did you used to do this with your daddy?" Emily asked as Sheldon finished tying the bracelet and Emily admired the garment on her wrist. The question was so incredibly sweet and innocent, to her this is simply what fathers did.

"No, not really" Sheldon answered as he reached out to the coffee table and began clearing the beads away, placing everything back into the little kit. The slight mess they had made was making him feel rather twitchy.

"Have I ever seen your dad?" Emily asked, titling her head to one side, unable to recall a meeting of some kind.

"No, darling you haven't" Sheldon spoke as he snapped the box shut. He and Amy had never really engaged in conversation with her before about the absence of his father. Emily was aware of their family situation, her father had a mother and a few siblings and Amy of course had her mother and father. This had really been the first time Emily had brought up the subject of George Cooper and it was one that left Sheldon wondering whether to delve deeper.

"Does he not want to see me?" she asked as she fiddled with the bracelet on her wrist. She didn't seem sad by the notion, if anything it was said rather flippantly, simply in the way that children do when they ask questions or make simple statements. However, Sheldon hated the thought of her thinking that someone didn't want to be around her, especially when he knew how much his father would have adored her.

"No, he's..." Sheldon trailed off, for the first time in probably a very long time he had to think very carefully about his words. The last thing he wanted to do was say the wrong thing, put it far too bluntly or inappropriately that it scared or upset her. "Come and sit here" he patted a space on his knee for Emily to come and sit. "Okay, you know sometimes people get really sick that even really clever nurses and doctors can't make them better?" he asked, he was rather pleased at his choice of words so far.

"Like biscuit?" she asked. Biscuit had been the name of the rabbit that the children looked after at Emily's daycare who had recently passed away. The children had aptly named him Biscuit simply because he was the same colour as the biscuits they had with their milk at snack time.

"Yeah exactly like Biscuit" Sheldon was grateful that they at least had a reference point that Emily could understand. "You see, Biscuit got sick and couldn't be made better" Emily nodded. "Well that's what happened to my dad" he could feel a lump forming in his throat, talking about his father never normally upset him, sure he had his days where it got to him more than others but having to explain it all to his own child, well that hurt.

"Oh" her eyes that were just like his own fell. "That's really sad" she let her body fall against his chest, sensing that her father needed a cuddle.

"It is" he wrapped his arms around her and held her close, rubbing her back.

"Do you miss him?" she asked, whenever people asked him about his dad they never really asked him how he felt about it all and yet here Emily was the most intuitive little person he had ever met. He really didn't have a clue where she got it from. "Because I'd really miss you if you weren't here" and just like that his heart sank, the little four year old had the ability to move him to tears like no other human being had managed to before. He instantly felt himself hug her tighter.

"Some days I miss him" he admitted, he wasn't sure whether he'd said that out loud before, whether he'd ever admitted it to himself. "Some days are okay"

They stayed in the same position for a few moments, Emily sat on her fathers lap, curled up against his chest just like she did when she was a tiny newborn baby. He couldn't quite believe how quickly time had gone by, that she was no longer a baby and instead a very bright, sweet and kind little girl. Sheldon removed his arms from around her when he felt her shuffle in his grasp, she climbed off of him and kneeled on the couch at his side, she stretched up placing her hand on his shoulders to give herself a little more leverage, once level with his face she placed a gentle kiss to his cheek.

"I love you daddy" never did he ever imagine how much that would mean to him but right now it was the best thing he had ever heard.

"I love you too" this time he reached for her, pulling into his side and squeezing her tightly, he wasn't sure he had the words to express how much she meant to him, how much he truly loved her so much that it scared him but he hoped his gesture would be enough. "I'm really lucky to have you" he told her placing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Why?" she titled her head up to look at him.

"Because you make everything better" it was the absolute truth. When he and Amy decided to start trying for a baby, he really was only doing it to satisfy Amy's need and desire to be a mother, never in his life did he think he would feel like this about anyone. Even though at times it was hard work, she was without a single doubt the best thing that had ever happened to him.

"And my mummy and baby brother" it made Sheldon smile that she already considered the little baby growing inside of Amy part of their family.

"And your mummy and baby brother" Sheldon repeated with a smile.

—

"Hey, you doing okay?" Sheldon asked, after he carefully opened the bedroom door, cautious of disturbing Amy from her sleep. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that she was lying on her side wide awake, judging by the heaviness of her eyes, she had only just woken up from what had been a fairly long nap.

"Yeah" she gave him a weary smile as she pushed herself up on the bed. "I feel like I've slept forever. I just suddenly became so tired" she had well and truly forgotten how tiring pregnancy could be. It was a tiredness like no other, one that once it hit her she couldn't control.

"It has been a couple of hours" Sheldon told her as he perched himself on the edge of the bed. "Are you hungry? I was thinking of ordering Chinese for dinner"

"At the moment, I'm always hungry" she laughed. "Chinese sounds good. What's Em up?" she asked noticing that it was strangely and unusual quiet.

"She's playing in her room. We've just made an endless amount of bracelets, I never want to see another bracelet again" he laughed. "She said she was going to put them on her dolls"

"She's so cute" Amy knew she was biased and everyone thought their own child was the best, but their little Emily really was the cutest thing.

"She really is" Sheldon smiled. "I...um...I told her about my dad today" he wasn't entirely sure how Amy would react to him breaking that kind of news to Emily. It was a big thing for a four year old to process.

"You did" she reached forward for his hand, of course her reaction was nothing but one of love and understanding. After all it was his story to tell.

He nodded. "Yeah, she was asking questions about why she had never met him. It just felt like the right time"

"Was she okay?" Amy asked.

"I think she was" he nodded. "You know she was amazing, she's four and she just knew what to do and say" he really didn't know where she got that ability from, it definitely wasn't from him. "We made something pretty special there, Amy"

"That's good because we're about to do it all over again" Amy smiled placing their interlocked hands upon her bump.

Thank you so much for reading. As always reviews are always welcome and so very much appreciated!

I'm unsure whether to leave this story here or continue with a few more chapters. Please let me know if you would like more and what you would like to see happen.

I'm also thinking of opening prompt requests again soon. I need some inspiration :)

Stay safe. Lots of love. xx