This one takes place a few weeks after Sheldon takes care of Amy and Max when they're sick.

Sheldon and Amy walked down the hallway of her apartment building. As they reached the door of her apartment, Amy turned to Sheldon. "Thank you for walking me to my door. I could have dropped you off. Now you have to take the bus home."

"I don't mind," Sheldon shrugged his shoulders as he spoke. "You mentioned earlier that Max had a bad day. This lets you be home before he's in bed. Maybe his day got better while we were out. Besides, the next bus isn't for nearly twenty minutes, so I've got time."

Amy smiled at her boyfriend, "That's really sweet of you. If you don't mind waiting while I put Max to bed, would you like to come in for tea?"

"Alright," he agreed ass Amy opened the door and let them enter the apartment.

Glancing around the apartment, she noticed the DVD menu was playing on the television and the lights were on in the bathroom and Max's bedroom. Amy made her way down the hallway to find her son, "I'm home," she stated, poking her head in the open bathroom door.

"Hi, pumpkin. We're just finishing Max's bath. I know you said he didn't need one tonight, but he kept asking if he could take one. I figured it wouldn't hurt anything," Larry Fowler explained while helping the four-year-old step over the side of the bathtub before wrapping him in a towel.

"Thank you, daddy. You can head out if you want. I can finish getting him ready for bed," Amy said before turning her attention to her son. "I'll meet you in your room in two minutes. Go pick out some pajamas."

Max pulled the towel tighter around himself. "Did Sheldon come home with you? Can I say hi to him?"

"He did, but you need some pajamas on first. No naked butts running around the apartment." As Max retreated to his bedroom, Amy asked her father, "How was he tonight? His teacher at school mentioned he was kind of grumpy all day, not really interested in doing anything."

"Quiet until he ate, but perked right up when I told him it was spaghetti tonight. We watched a DVD for a little while before he started asking to take a bath. Have a good night. I'll talk to you tomorrow," Larry kissed his daughter on the cheek before letting himself out of the apartment.

Excitedly running up to Amy, Max proudly shouted, "Look, momma! I got my PJs on all by myself. Can I see Sheldon?"

"Did you remember to put on underwear?" She asked, noting the pajamas he selected were mismatched and he only had one sock on.

Lifting the bottom of his shirt, he showed her the waistband peeking out of the top of his pajama bottoms before running down the hallway while yelling, "Hi Sheldon!"

Amy watched Max tell Sheldon about his day for a few minutes before glancing at her watch. "Okay, Max. You've talked to Sheldon, but it's time to get in bed. Let's pick out a book and find your other sock. Sorry for making you wait," Amy apologized to the physicist. Getting Max settled in bed, she selected one of his favorites books from the shelf and read it to him quickly. "Good night. I love you. I'll see you in the morning."

"Wait! Where's Spock?" Max asked, suddenly sitting up in bed and looking around for the monkey Sheldon got him on their first trip to the zoo together.

"It probably just fell on the floor," Amy knelt to look under Max's bed, but didn't find the monkey. "Did you play with it while Grandpa was here? Is it in the living room?"

"It was right here and now it's gone! I can't sleep without him." Tears started to form in the four-year-old's eyes. "What if someone took him?"

Amy rolled her eyes at her son's thought process. "No one took him. I'm sure he's around here somewhere. I'll look in the living room. You double check in here." As Amy entered the living room, she explained to Sheldon, "Max can't find the monkey you got him at the zoo. He had it last night and this morning. Do you mind helping us look for it?"

The couple searched the living room and kitchen for the monkey but had no luck before Max entered the living room, "I remembered the last place I saw him. You said I couldn't take him to school and made me take him out of my backpack. What if he fell out of the car?"

Sheldon and Amy exchanged a look as Sheldon stood from where he had been looking under the couch and coffee table. "Do you want me to go check your car?" Sheldon retrieved Amy's car keys from the hook next to the door and let himself out of the apartment. It was a rather anxiety-filled five minutes until he returned, clutching the stuffed animal in his hand.

"You found him!" Max exclaimed as he rushed to take the beloved toy from Sheldon. He threw his arms around Sheldon's thighs, hugging him, while stating, "Thank you, Sheldon! Now I can go to bed. I love you."

Noticing the look on Sheldon's face, Amy said, "Thank you, Sheldon. Let me put him to bed again. I'll be quick, I promise."

Fifteen minutes later, Amy returned to the living room to find Sheldon in the kitchen, preparing two mugs of tea. "I'm sorry about that. I thought bedtime would be a lot smoother tonight. I completely forgot that I made him take Spock out of his backpack in the car this morning. He probably didn't see it when I picked him up from daycare tonight. If he had, I'm sure he wouldn't have left it."

"It's okay, Amy. I glad we found it and he's in bed now."

The couple enjoyed their tea in comfortable silence until Amy spoke again, "I'll remind Max tomorrow that you don't care for hugs and he should ask first." Ever since watching her son hug her boyfriend, Amy was concerned about Sheldon's reaction to it.

"He was excited I found Spock. I don't mind. I'm taking the bus home, so I'll be showering before bed tonight. Besides, he just got out of the bath; it wasn't as bad as it could have been."

"Sheldon," Amy looked at him, "How do you feel about what Max said as he was hugging you?"

"Oh, that. He's just a little kid. It's not a big deal. I remember Missy saying that to everyone when she was his age. Max knows I care about him, about both of you. Him saying that to me is like saying it to an uncle," explained Sheldon before he noticed the time. "I should head home so I have time to shower before bedtime. Good night, Amy."