Nick wasn't sure just how long his mouth had been open, but it was starting to feel dry. He couldn't help it, though – Carl was, in a word, amazing with the baby assignment. Nick had only heard the thing cry for seconds each time before Carl figured out the problem and solved it.

"So, what are we naming him?" Carl finally said after he finished changing the diaper that had caused the latest bout of fussiness. Nick finally shut his mouth.

"I don't know, dude. Just nothing dorky.."

"Ok, he looks like a Thurston to me..."

"No. Gonna veto that one. I said nothing dorky." Nick leaned back in his chair and let his feet rest on the table. He had agreed to go to the Wheezer house, despite how uncool it was, because it was easier than going to his own place. And he figured the less arguing over the assignment, the better.

"Brad?" Carl suggested after a moment of consideration. Nick shrugged his consent. "Ok, little Braddie! It's time to go for walkies!"

"Walkies? Dude, could you be any more lame?!"

"Could you get your feet off the table? I just cleaned there!" Carl pushed Nick's feet down and glared at him. "I stayed home with the baby all day, I'm tired, and you just can't help, can you? Always thinking of yourself! Maybe I want a divorce!"

"Chill. This is not real. We should probably start the questionnaire. We already got the name and you just said you were the one who mainly stays with the baby – which I've got no issue with, believe me. Third question, 'How are you socializing your baby'? What? Our kid's gonna be too cool to have to socialize."

"But proper social skills are important! That's why I've set up a Mommy and Baby class with Libby and Cindy for this afternoon."

"I am not going to that."

"Of course not. You're not the mommy."

Cindy knocked at the entrance to Jimmy's lab and braced herself as the mat fell away to drop her in. "Seriously, Neutron, either put down a pillow or just let me in the same way you let the guys in."

"Sorry. Force of habit," Jimmy shrugged and pulled Cindy to her feet. "Where's the baby?"

"Eric is with Ultra Dork. Yours?"

Jimmy jerked a thumb over his shoulder where the baby was in Goddard's usual resting spot. Goddard was regarding the doll curiously, letting out short barks occasionally. "Goddard's trying to figure out some of the parameters for how it functions."

"Didn't Miss Fowl tell you no modifications?"

"I'm not modifying it. I'm just scanning it...for now," Jimmy added the last part in a whisper. "I'm glad to hear you're letting Sheen spend time with the baby, though. You finally starting to trust him?"

"No way. But we've got a contract drawn up that explicitly states we will share responsibilities fifty fifty. I have a Mommy thing with Libby and Carl later today."

"Yeah, Libby told me about th—Carl? Carl is going to be there?"

"It was his idea, actually," Cindy shrugged. "When's the last time you fed your kid?"

"I don't know."

"Well, when was ...his or her last changing?"

"Her name is Hedy. And I don't know, probably when Libby last did it."

Cindy rolled her eyes. "And have you picked it up at all since she left Hedy with you?" her tone was disgusted. "Are you really just going to make Libby do all the work?"

"I have important things to do, Cindy. Playing with dolls is not one of them. Hydroquantum energy? Important. Changing a fake diaper? Not important."

"I can't believe you. This is practice for the real world. Is this how you're going to treat your kids? 'I'd love to play with you, kids'," Cindy deepened her voice to imitate Jimmy, "'but daddy is too busy trying to prove that electrons are what makes you fat!'"

"That is ridiculous!"

"Oh?"

"Electrons can't make people fat, Vortex, that doesn't even make sense."

"Neutron, are you seriously not going to put any work into this? It's a school assignment, don't you at least care about that?"

"It is the most ridiculous assignment we've had – and that includes the time Carl convinced Miss Fowl to make us all do reports on various types of llamas. Libby knows what she's doing and I can write the report. That's still half and half, so it's being more than fair."

"This is a kid. You have to be involved or it's not fair at all," As though sensing the sudden frustration in the room, the doll started crying. Cindy picked it up and started rocking it until the cries subsided. "I'm going to go ahead and take her back to Libby for you. You can get back to your 'more important' work." Cindy exited the lab through the front door. Jimmy looked at Goddard.

"I get an odd feeling she's not upset about the assignment. Why can't girls just say what they mean? We'd been doing pretty well about not fighting lately. I guess I could take this more seriously. But I mean, it's just a toy."

Goddard whined and cocked his head at Jimmy. "What? She's not really working with Sheen all that hard." Jimmy suddenly softened. "But I guess they are at least splitting the work. I'm not taking this seriously enough. All right, I'll meet up with Libby after that Mommy thing..."

After dropping off Hedy with Libby, Cindy headed over to the Estevez's house. Sheen answered the door before Cindy could even knock. "What have you been doing all day, Ultra Dork?"

"Eric and I watched three episodes of Ultra Lord and then worked on our battle skills."

"Battle skills?!"

"Yeah. He's not very good at it, though. Couldn't hold the sword right. Well...not actually a sword. It was supposed to be an energy sword – as seen in episode 487, Clash of the Mitans – but it was really just a broom. I couldn't figure out how to position his arms so the broom wouldn't slip."

"You are a complete bonehead," Cindy said with disgust, pushing her way past him. The doll was propped up in front of the couch, an Ultra Lord mask on its face. Cindy grimaced before taking the mask off.

"I fed him and changed him. Be careful, I gave him beans for lunch."

Cindy immediately checked the doll's mouth. There was just a simple key that was popped into the mouth to simulate feeding, but she wouldn't put it past Sheen to have actually attempted to spoon feed beans into the mouth instead. But, to her surprise, it appeared clean.

"Actually, I pretended it was beans. I figure a key doesn't taste that good."

"You were actually taking care of him."

"Wasn't that the assignment?"

"Yes," Cindy said slowly, "But you actually...you did a good job. I mean you did a good job." she considered her words momentarily. "All right. You're not a complete loser. And I'm sorry for what I've said before. You're ...you're more than trying here, you're actually a good father."

"I had a good example. I'm just trying to be like my dad. Oh, and I read to him. He likes Little Bunny Hop Along. I don't think he liked Goodnight, Lune."

For once, Cindy was actually seeing Sheen as a person. She'd put up with him before for Libby and Jimmy's sake, but she'd never considered the possibility that he was someone who was worth her friendship. I must be going out of my mind, she thought. "Um. I'll bring him back tomorrow so we can do more of the questionnaire."

Sheen shrugged. "Whatever."

Cindy grabbed the doll and hurried out, almost slamming the door behind her. "Maybe he's not so bad," she told the doll. From inside the house, there came a loud scream.

"AWW, MAN, YOU CAN'T INTERRUPT ULTRA LORD FOR NEWS, I DON'T CARE HOW BREAKING IT IS! SHUT UP ABOUT THE FIRE AND GET BACK TO THE SHOW!"

Cindy sighed. "Then again..."