Okay, here's the ending. I've loved writing this one and its prequel and I wanted to continue it, but I felt like this was where the story wanted to end as to not drag on past the point of having a purpose. Now I'm throwing all my focus to The Parental Ambition.

I own Benny. That is all.

Amy jumped off of the bus and Benny gave a short shriek as she landed awkwardly. "It's fine, baby boy, Benny with a B, Benny Benny," she repeated, rubbing his back to calm him down. The easy going boy he was, Benny began giggling. "For the love of God," Amy said as she jogged toward the hospital door. "Everything is not funny!"

"Amy," Sheldon said, doing his running walk in an effort to not fall more than his current fifteen feet behind her. "Penny thinks you are on your way to see your mother, she will not hold it against any of us if we walk."

"I'll hold it against myself," Amy said, turning around to face him. "We put her through this, Sheldon."

Sheldon rolled his eyes in the way only Sheldon Cooper could. "No, we didn't. I have never bought that woman alcohol in my life."

"She gave us Benny," Amy told him. "And we've just gone about our routine not realizing how it's affecting her."

"Oh please," Sheldon said. "Like Penny's anywhere near the creature of habit that we are."

"You know how she gets attached," Amy said. "And Benny depended on her for survival for almost two years."

"Amy?"

"Yes?"

"It occurs to me that we've stopped moving while having this conversation, now if reaching Penny is as important as you say, then…wait, where are you going?"

"I'm going to Penny," Amy said over her shoulder. "Listening to you, if you think about it."

Sheldon started following her again upon the realization that she was right.

Amy stopped cold upon reaching Penny's room, and then she smiled. "Well, well, well!"

Leonard was sitting on the edge of the bed, his arm around Penny's shoulders, the two of them holding both sets of hands. Amy was too pleased by this to be terribly alarmed at the presence of an oxygen tube under Penny's nose. So. She'd wondered often what it would look like, and finally she got to see exactly what Penny and Leonard was. And it made her smile.

"Bestie," Amy said, catching Penny's eye."

"Penny," Sheldon said, coming up behind Amy and giving a stiff nod.

Benny started laughing.

Penny smiled and Leonard laughed a bit, looking down at her and then back at the trio standing in the door way. "Hey, guys," he said.

"What happened to you?" Amy said, walking over to the bed with concern.

"I just drank too much," Penny said. "I'm okay." She sighed, smiling. "How's little Benny boy?"

"Benny bee," Benny said, looking from Penny to his mother.

"Yes," Amy told him. "Benny with a B."

"At least he isn't laughing at that," Sheldon said, reaching out to awkwardly pat his son's head. "Penny, I trust this alcohol was not a problem while you were feeding the little Homo novus."

She shook her head. "No. I was just having a hard time dealing with…with not doing that anymore." She waved her hand. "It's confusing, I know," she said.

"If I may say so, Penny, your life seems to be quite confusing," Sheldon said.

She smiled at Leonard. "Well…not so much anymore."

"Aw!"

Penny and Leonard looked over at Amy, who cleared her throat. "Ahem. Sorry."

"Ayah," Benny said, drawing the adult's attention to the door, where Howard, Bernadette, and Raj stood. "How did you guys...?" Amy asked, looking surprised.

"I called them," Leonard told her.

"Penny, what happened?" the microbiologist asked, coming over to the bed and grabbing the hand that Penny made free for her. "Was it the drinking?"

"I'm okay," Penny said. Amy walked over and handed her Benny, and Penny cradled him, glancing around the room. "This looks familiar,"

The group looked around in confusion for a moment, and then, one by one, it dawned on them what Penny referred to. "Benny's a lot bigger," Howard offered.

Penny laughed. "And thank God. Despite the caesarian."

Benny planted his hands on Penny's collarbone and pushed himself up grinning at her. "Awub oo," he said.

"I'm sure," Howard said, and Raj and Leonard smirked.

Amy cocked her head, fairly certain what Benny has said, becoming more positive when Penny's eyes welled up, just a little bit. And then Benny tried again. "A luw yoo."

"I love you too, Benny – boy," Penny said sticking her chin out and rubbing her nose against his in an eskimo kiss. Benny giggled and then cuddled back up to her, and when Sheldon moved over to Amy, the boy reached a chubby hand out to ward his father. Sheldon hesitated then held out a finger and tickled Benny's fingers by wiggling his own against them. Satisfied, Benny retracted his arm. Amy ruffled his hair.

Leonard kissed Penny's head. And Penny smiled one of the most natural smiles she'd produced in what felt like forever.

"Carry on, my wayward son. There'll be peace when you are done. Lay your weary head to rest; don't you cry no more." - Kansas