"Do you think you could handle them alone" Amy asked as she helped Marie put on her shirt.
"I think so. It's just the zoo. And plus if we ever get separated we're all wearing the same shirt he said pointing at their flash shirts."
"I wish I could come with you guys" she said resting a hand on her belly
"I know. But even if you weren't on bed-rest, I don't want you walking around so late in your pregnancy."
"I know. Just remember to hold their hands especially Stephen, you know he likes to wander."
"Yes, I know Amy. Say bye to mommy guys" he said lifting the twins off the bed
"Okay, lets go over one thing" Sheldon said squatting at the twin's level, "You guys are not to let go of my hand. This is a big place and I can't find you easily here" they nodded their heads in agreement. "Good, let's go" he said standing back up.
They walked around for about an hour and a half before Marie saw an ice cream cart, "Daddy Ice cream?" she said tugging on his shirt. Sheldon couldn't tell her no; it was a hot day they could all do with some ice cream. He bought it and sat them down on a nearby bench to eat it. A couple minutes later Marie was showing him her sticky hands. He reached around in the backpack Amy made him carry with wipes, to look for some to wipe her hands. He turned around to see if Stephen's hands were clean, and he was gone. "Stephen?! Where are you?"
"Venny?!" Marie shouted
"Oh dear Lord" Sheldon said picking up Marie. He frantically looked for his son, while Marie continued to shout "Venny!"
He felt his phone vibrating and looked to see Amy's name. He knew he had to answer. "Amy?"
"I know I should have told you before you left, but I think I'm in labor. I thought you would be home by now"
At that time Marie screamed out for Stephen again
"Sheldon why is Marie shouting for Stephen?"
"Ummm just a small problem"
"Sheldon tell me you didn't lose Stephen" she said before groaning in pain.
"He's not technically lost. He was next to me and I turned for a minute. Don't panic okay, its not good for the baby."
"Don't panic? Sheldon you lost him in the zoo!"
A woman tapped Sheldon on the shoulder. "You looking for a little boy wearing a flash shirt?"
"Yes. Do you know where he went?"
"He's over there by the balloons" she said pointing along the path. Sheldon looked in the direction and saw Stephen trying to grab a balloon from the man. "Amy I found him. I'll be home in 20 minutes. I love you" he said before hanging up the phone.
He ran forward and grabbed Stephen before he could go anywhere else, "Stephen why would you run off like that? What did daddy say to do?"
"Hold hands"
"You were supposed to stay next to me and your sister"
"Balloon daddy"
"I would buy you all the balloons if you promise not to run off again." He gripped both of their hands tightly, "We have to go home now okay? Mommy needs us"
*4 years later*
Amy was sitting at the table trying to grade some midterm papers. She still kept teaching undergrads and at times graduate students. She felt like she was having a greater impact when she could directly pass on knowledge. She was almost done grading when she heard sniffling behind her. "Yes?' she said without looking up.
"They did it again momma"
She turned around to see Stephen's tear stained face, "What did they do baby?"
"Ree and Lia messed up my room again"
Amy sighed and rubbed her forehead, "Marie Leigh and Amelia Farrah Cooper, get here right now!" she shouted. She heard footsteps softly approaching and was greeted by the sight of her two daughters, the only two people in the world to make her believe in human cloning. Marie was a Cooper through and through, tall and thin, with straight brown hair and thin lips, the only thing she had for Amy were her green eyes. Amelia on the other hand looked exactly like Amy, almost to the point that it was scary. They walked the same, talked the same, had the same likes and dislikes, they even both had an allergy to avocado. It had been a joke by Penny to name her Amy Jr. but Sheldon decided to make a few tweaks to the name.
"What did you two do to your brother's room?"
"We only played in there" Amelia said
"Don't you have your own rooms to play in?"
"Yes. But Stephen has trains and other dolls" Marie said
"They're action figures"
"I understand Stephen has other things but did you ask before you went barging in?" The girls lowered their heads. "You have to apologize to Stephen"
"sorry Venny" they said together. "Its Stephen" he huffed. He hated when they called him Venny yet he refused to call them by their full names.
"You girls are on a time out until daddy gets home. This was your third strike this week alone and you know that means you get a punishment."
"But momma" Marie started
"No buts. That's what the contract you signed with me and daddy said" Sheldon insisted that they all sign contracts when they turned 4, it was mostly helpful in situations like this. "Sit on those chairs and do not move until I finished help Stephen fix his room."
She followed Stephen to his room and she really felt sorry for him. His sheets and pillows were hanging haphazardly off the bed. Most of his action figures were off the shelf and lying around the room. His perfectly set up train tracks, now had parts of the train missing. But Stephen was only interested in his bookshelf, "They touched my books" he cried, "Red is suppose to be next to read not green and the blue can't be there momma"
She ran her hands through his hair, an action that she realized helped calm him, "We can fix it baby" Stephen picked up on a lot of Sheldon hobbies and OCD quirks. He didn't look as much as Sheldon like Marie did, but he had a few things. He was tall and thin, blue eyes and Sheldon's lips, but, he had Amy's wavy hair, nose and chin.
Sheldon came home to a quiet house which was very unusual. He walked into the dining room to see Marie and Amelia sitting on chairs quietly and Stephen sitting on Amy's lap while she finished grading papers. "What's going on here?" he asked
"Daddy" Amelia cried as her green eyes filled with tears "we're sorry"
"Let me talk to daddy first" Amy said, putting Stephen on a chair and pulling Sheldon out of the kid's earshot. " They reached their three-strike limit and I'm not punishing them again. So its your turn, and don't let it be no hugs before bed time"
"But that was a punishment Amy"
She raised an eyebrow, "For them or you?"
"Fine" he sighed, "I'll think of something"
If someone had said years ago that, Sheldon Cooper would become a big softie with his kids, he probably would have laughed in their face.