Later that week the friends got together at the Koothrappali's home to ring in the New Year! They celebrated the great strides they all had made in their careers and the expansion of their families. Howard told them all of his last space adventure and how wonderful Bernadette was for allowing him to take it. Penny, Layla, and Amy, all offered to stay with her until he got home, just in case she went in to labor. The gang laughed and talked, each one of them playing with someone else's baby. However, Amy and Sheldon ducked out before the clock struck midnight, to get an "adequate" amount of sleep before her caesarean section the next day. Sheldon was an odd duck and everybody knew it, but they didn't think he would go as far as throwing a fit at the doctors if his twins were not born at the first of the New Year.
Ever since Sheldon discovered that Amy would not be able to deliver the twins vaginally and the surprise of the situation was expelled, he was the most excited person ever! The idea of being able to choose a birthday for his offspring fascinated him and gave him the control he desired. After weeks of careful planning, Sheldon decided that that January first was the perfect birthday for his children. This way they would celebrate all of their holidays in chronological order, the only suitable way to have them. However, their doctor did not think it was the best idea. After his logic being questioned, Sheldon threw a fit, causing a large commotion in the hospital. The doctor finally gave in to appease everyone's favorite whack-a-doodle.
The morning after the New Year's party, everyone got up early to support Amy and Sheldon. It was early when they arrived, the children still slept in their parent's arms and eventually, Peter found his way to his Nee nee, and cuddled up next to her bump.
"Just think, after today, you'll be the only one who's still pregnant," Layla squeezed Bernadette's hand.
"Oh gosh, I guess I will be. I didn't think of that!" Bernadette laughed.
Just then, Sheldon emerged from the hallway, with a look of pure horror on his face.
"They here? How's Amy?" Penny yelled scrambling to him.
"No, they are not here," Sheldon sat down and pulled his laptop out of his bag.
"Then, why are you out here?" Leonard looked to him with exasperation.
"Ooh, that's simple, they're cutting her open. I don't want to be in there." The genius sighed getting back to work.
"Sheldon, you're not going to support Amy, this is major surgery," Howard shared Leonard's tone.
"Not even that," Layla jumped in, "You're going to miss the birth of your children!"
"Your point?" he retorted.
"The point is you are being extremely irrational!" Leonard scolded
A nice young nurse came into the room and walked straight up to Sheldon, who continued to type out equations. "Dr. Cooper, your wife keeps asking for you. She is prepped and ready for surgery."
"Oh I'm not going with her," he stated clearly not even looking up form him work.
"But, Dr. Cooper…" she was interrupted.
"No, buts, just no!" he scolded the young woman.
"Sheldon Lee Cooper!" Bernadette grabbed his ear, "This is from your mother!"
"WHAT?" Sheldon yelped, flabbergasted, until he looked over at Penny who was talking on the phone.
"She says you HAVE to go and support Amy, even if his baby was made from a test tube!" Penny smirked.
"But…but…I don't wanna…" he whined.
"To bad!" Bernadette took him by the ear and to the door.
"March Mister," Penny giggled from across the room as he entered, promptly turning around and sticking his tongue out at them.
After about two hours, several bathroom breaks, and at least three trips to the cafeteria, a nurse finally came in to gather the group. As they entered the room, Amy sat upright holding six pound Perrin, as a wide eyed Sheldon stood, cradling his six pound two ounce junior.
"Guys, they're adorable!" Penny cooed, "Can I hold one?"
As Amy began to willing give her daughter to her best, Sheldon spoke, "No, you cannot, only people with a certain IQ or higher can hold my children. I want them to be brilliant, so again, no you may not. Wolowitz that goes for you too." Howard and Penny gave him an unpleasant stare.
"But, Sheldon, that isn't in The Offspring Agreement," Amy contradicted as everyone else protested in agreement.
"Yes it is," he corrected, "Page 37, section A, paragraph 9, and all who oppose this rule get their holding rights band for 24 hour." He scooped Perrin up from her mother's arms, and laying both in the bassinet.
"Sheldon!" Amy's eyes grew in shock.
"Sorry, Dr. Fowler, you know the rules and repercussions, if said rules are disobeyed" he stated as a nurse walked into the room.
"Oh Good! They're ready to go back the nursery!" she began to push the clear cart.
"Wait…what…they have to stay with me, I'm their father," Sheldon corrected.
"It's ok Dr. Cooper, we'll bring them right back," She scooted out the door.
Realizing that the nurse didn't meet his chosen IQ, he followed her. As the rest of the group conversed with Amy, they heard a loud rumble in the hallway. Despite his efforts to persuade the woman pushing his spawn, he failed. In a panic, Sheldon grabbed the clear bassinet himself, and made a bee line to the elevator. The staff thought he was kidnapping the children so they called security to handle the mess. However, Sheldon did not give up without a fight, and since his obsessive compulsive babble got the best of him they called the psychiatric ward to have him sedated. The moment Sheldon opened his eyes and came back to reality, he saw both Penny and Howard holding one of his twins. He promptly fainted.
On the way back from the hospital, Bernadette and Howard decided to stop at a diner and grab a bite to eat. As they ate food and giggled over the Sheldon situation, a serious look took over Bernie's face.
"Howie, we aren't going to be those crazy parents that don't let other people hold their baby for fear of germs right?"
"Of course not!" Howard laughed, "Kids get sick it happens, but try telling my mother that! Also, since you're still working at the pharmacy, we'll get a tone of cheap meds!"
"About that…Howard you love your job at Caltech right?" Bernadette asked.
"Well, ya, but I don't mind staying home with the baby. You do bring home the not so kosher bacon," he smiled trying to hide his sadness with a joke.
"How would you feel keeping it and maybe just working part time?" his wife asked.
"I would love too, but Bernie, is that really an option for us?" Howard attempted to figure out his wife's thought process.
"Well, we receive our medical benefits through me so, obviously I have to stay in a full time position. However, my mom and dad said they would be more than thrilled to look after their only grandbaby that lives here, at least twice a week," Bernie smiled.
"Really, so I could still be able to see the guys" Howard's eye lit up, "And I'm sure Ma will be begging to babysit the moment our little sweetie arrives in the world so I'm sure she could take a couple days too!"
"That sound's perfect," Bernadette grabbed his hand from across the table.
"Hey, on another note, I've been really stuck on a name," Howard grinned, "I hope you like it as much as I do!"
"What is it?" Bernadette asked with mild curiosity.
"How do you feel about David?" he asked.
"Why don't you tell me the story," she sighed uneasily at the common name.
"Well, David Steinberg was the name of the teacher that basically got me through high school. During those four years Mr. Steinberg would feed me when bullies stole my lunch money, write me passes to classes after they shoved me into lockers, so I wouldn't get detentions, and he even let me play the keyboard for all of the shows he directed. He was the closest thing to a father I had had since mine left. By senior year I ate lunch in his room every day, did all of his yard work, and he even came to my graduation party. Stein really believed in me and his recommendation really helped me get in to MIT. But, then, half way through the middle of my first year of college, he suddenly died. I was heartbroken. It felt like losing my dad all over again. I mean, Bernadette, the man left me the collection of alien pins I wear every day, in his will. David Steinberg was probably the most influential man in my life." Howard sighed after his passionate speech, trying not to let the mist in his eyes get the best of him.
"What was his full name?" Bernadette asked, looking into the air in thought.
"David Anthony Steinberg. Why? What are you thinking about?" Howard spoke, a little hurt by his wife's lack of interest in his moving memories.
"Oh, I was just thinking that if we had a son, how wonderful David Anthony Rostenkowski-Wolowitz sounds," Bernie smiled, taking Howard's hand and placing his palm against her cheek.
"Or just, David Anthony Wolowitz," he gave her a playful wink as he reached over the table to kiss her, "but, in all seriousness, thank you Bernie, you agreeing to this name really means a lot to me."
"I can tell," Bernadette sighed, with a slight giggle, "This baby better be a boy, because we are currently out of luck when it comes to girls names!"
"What are you talking about," he looked at his wife, "David is totally gender neutral!"
Howard could barely keep a straight face before bursting out into laughter along with his wife. That evening as the couple drove home, Howard couldn't help but feel as if he'd come out on top. He wasn't going to have to give in as much as he thought, Bernie didn't even fight him on the last name topic. For once everything seemed content and it was perfect. That night when Howard kissed his wife before jumping into bed for a goodnights sleep, his only thought was seven months down, two to go, and we are ready.
In Memory of the Real David Anthony Steinberg.
Rest in Peace Stein, this one's for you.
A/N: Sorry this is soooo late, the night I was going to post this, I found out my high school teacher, director, and mentor unexpectedly passed away. So I rewrote in to incorporate him. This chapter is in his honor because he encouraged me to peruse whatever made me happy.