AUTHOR'S NOTE: The sixth chapter has been replaced. I didn't really think the original version fit with the story, and negative reviews made me certain. I hope this adaptation is an improvement.

-0-0-0-0-

"I cannot believe Shamy got engaged," Penny said, as she and Leonard walked up the stairs.

"I can't believe they're out right now looking to adopt," Leonard muttered. "Those poor kids won't stand a chance." They climbed quietly for a moment, and then Leonard asked, "You ever think about having kids?"

In the silence that followed he felt the urge to add, "With me?"

"Every time we have sex," she answered bluntly. "That's why I take the pill."

"So you don't want kids."

"The timing's not right. I'm a pharmaceutical sales rep, you're a scientist - "

"Yeah, we should really wait until we're out of work," Leonard answered.

"Well, neither of us can do our job if we're looking after a baby!"

"So we hire a nanny, like Howard and Bernadette. You know we could afford it."

"Yeah, well, we could also afford to move into a house with a free-to-use laundry room and maybe one flight of stairs; yet here we are!" Penny answered.

Leonard stopped in front of the elevator, looking quizzically at her. "You want to move?"

"Leonard, come on. Sheldon would still have a fiancee and a kid as roommates. There's no responsibility tying you down. Don't you think it's time you lived your life the way you want?"

Leonard was quiet for a moment. "I...never really thought about it. I've never had this much freedom before. It's kind of overwhelming."

"Well, give it some thought." Penny unlocked her door and walked into the apartment, and Leonard slowly followed. "We could park in the garage, instead of in a parking lot; we could paint the walls; and Sheldon doesn't have to know our address!"

"That's true."

"We could have pets...bonfires...Play music as loud as we want." Penny sat on the couch. "This could be good for us. We're young enough, we make good money. If you want a baby, it's the first step."

"Plenty of people who have babies live in apartments."

"Yes, and none of those babies' mothers are named Penny."

"Why not?"

"I just don't want there to be any accidents!"

"What accidents?"

Penny stared at him and realized she couldn't ever have this conversation. So instead, she said, "You know why I don't like the X-Men? Wolverine's shirt heals. Like, what, is it some kind of magic material?"

Leonard stared intensely at her.

"What about Professor X? He's shot in the back as a young man and he's crippled, right, but in a different movie he's an old man and he's walking."

"Don't goad me into this conversation."

"Why not?"

"Because my only argument is that you SHOULD drink wine, and I really don't want you to do that." Leonard's voice began to rise, "Why do you feel the need to drink so much anyway? Am I so horrible to be around when you're sober?"

"No, sweetie, of course not. You're thinking of Sheldon."

"He's not here half the time you drink! He wasn't at the restaurant, he wasn't at at dinner, he wasn't at the movies or my mom's lecture..."

"So I drink! Big deal. Maybe I just need to be drunk to face people like Sheldon or your mom. You know, they're kind of...bitter, and boring, and impassive. But once I grow a wine spine, I'm good to go!"

"A wine spine."

"Yeah! You know, a sense of bravery until the hangover passes. Honestly, I'm surprised you don't drink more."

Leonard stared at her.

She tilted her head and looked at him askance. "What's wrong? I said it's not you; didn't you hear me?"

Leonard didn't look satisfied. "My wife can't stand my friends," he said. "I never thought I'd be this guy."

"You've been that guy since Day One! Leonard, sweetie, I've been drinking a loooong time. Let me put it to you this way; I was drinking before my first date. Your friends didn't cause my drinking, they just...made me drink more."

"Well, that's good to know," Leonard said sarcastically.

"You want to know what I'm hoping for?"

"What?"

"I'm hoping we move into a house, and Sheldon and Amy adopt and adopt and adopt until there's no more Sheldon left. You know? He'll have all this responsibility, and he'll finally know how we felt all these years, and he'll change."

Leonard sighed and sat next to her. "You know, the last time you wished you could get a break from Sheldon, it came true."

Penny nodded.

"You know, fate clearly likes you. Make a wish that I get taller," Leonard requested, and she grinned.