AUTHOR'S NOTE: I don't have cable TV. I haven't for a long time now, and I just caught up on season 10 tonight. I didn't realize how similar my stories were to the show itself. So, I'm sorry. I understand it if you think this story is a waste of time. I kind of feel that way myself. But I started it - so I must finish it.

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"Okay, Danielle Robinson," Sheldon said smugly. "Try...six hundred divided by seventeen, multiply the remainder by one thousand."

The cute brunette child briefly considered. "The remainder is thirty five thousand two hundred ninety-four point one million one hundred seventy-six thousand four hundred seventy one."

Sheldon and Amy looked impressed.

"Yes. Good, Danielle. Now, remember, Mr. Cooper...I'm interviewing you," the agent reminded them.

Sheldon's response was instant, although stiff and formal. "Dr. Cooper."

The agent raised her brows. "Really! So that's why you're so fixated on mathematics. Well, now we're getting somewhere. And you are...?" she asked Amy.

"Dr. Fowler. We're engaged," she explained.

"Congratulations. Now do you have pets?"

Amy locked eyes with her. "I am occasionally allowed to bring home a monkey from the lab, but they're never permanently in my care."

"I see. Now do either of you smoke?"

"No, but Ricky the capuchin does. Don't worry, he's very responsible."

"I see," the agent answered haltingly. "Dr. Cooper, do you smoke?"

"No, ma'am."

The agent scribbled something on her clipboard paper, and Amy took the time to size Danielle up. She was dressed in denim overalls, with a pink T-shirt underneath. Her long hair hung limply over her thin shoulders, and her eyes were barely discernible from beneath the thick veil of long, uneven bangs. She mostly looked down at her oversized socks.

"I'm supposed to ask if you could afford to put the child, or children, you adopt through schooling; but based on your self-acclaimed doctoral degrees, I may not have to. I also recognize you from a conference," the agent told Sheldon.

He smiled and nodded cordially.

"I must say, even when you angered the physicist and he hit you, you never hit back, and that shows good ethics. I like it." The agent leaned forward. "Now...Dr. Cooper, Dr. Fowler. How do you resolve conflict?"

Amy and Sheldon exchanged a faltering glance.

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"Hey, Bernadette, how are you feeling?" Leonard asked.

Bernadette's shrill voice came through over his phone's loudspeaker. "I'm fantastic. My babies are fantastic, and so adorable, and I love them with all my heart."

"Good. Glad to hear it," Leonard told her. "Listen...we need help from you and Howard."

"Sure, anything."

"What's the rent like up there?"

Bernadette was quiet for a moment. "Uh...twelve hundred and up, I guess. This house is fourteen. Why? Are you thinking of moving?"

"Yeah, into a house big enough to raise kids," he informed her.

Penny looked up from the sandwich she was making.

"Really?"

"Yeah, what with you giving birth and Sheldon and Amy adopting, we kind of got baby fever."

"And poor Raj is alone forever!" Raj's voice floated through the loudspeaker.

"I told you, make a date with Cecile. She really likes you; strap on a pair!" Bernadette hissed.

"I don't know. She looks a lot like you, it might be awkward."

"Raj...I'm short. She's tall. I've got blue eyes and she's got brown. Not even you can confuse us."

"...Okay."

Bernadette sighed and then her voice came on louder. "Leonard, I know we're not exactly close. I feel left out a lot of the time. I don't really know you, or Raj...or Sheldon. I'm just one of the girls, just Howard's wife. But having a baby with Penny would be a mistake."

Penny's brows rose in surprise.

"Wh-whatever makes you think that?" Leonard stammered, looking nervously at his wife.

"Are you kidding? She's trying not to drink wine for a week, and she's barely hangin' on. If she couldn't last nine months, she'd harm the baby. I love Penny like a sister, you know that. But pregnancy is just not the way to go with you guys."

"I can hear you," Penny finally said.

The response was soft. "I know, Leonard told me I was on loudspeaker. I hope you know how much I care about you, Penny...But trust me."

Penny slowly put down the knife.

"I have to go," Bernadette said quietly. "Raj wrote me a note and he's waving it in my face."

Then, with a click, she was gone.

-0-0-0-0-

Bernadette lowered the phone, reading the note.

"It's a little late not to tell them, dumbass."

"Hey, hey! No swearing in front of the babies," Raj said, motioning subtly to the crib.