Em sat in the waiting room at the hospital staring at the forms in front of her. Suddenly it all became frighteningly real. She was having a baby! What was even more scary was how much she didn't know about the father of her baby. She was able to fill in the medical details from her own family but she had absolutely no idea if there was a medical history of heart disease in Sheldon's and as for a history of twins she just hoped fate wasn't that cruel! It did mean she was probably going to have to bite the bullet and contact him though, because as much as she would like to keep her pride in tact, it wasn't just herself she had to consider now. She was lucky she had Carmen with her here today as her friend was helping her keep her nerves under control but when she saw tears in Carmen's eyes as they both saw the baby for the first time on the monitor, Em could not help but wish it was Sheldon with her not her friend.

When the nurse asked if Em wanted to know if she was having a boy or a girl she shock her head no. That may as well be a surprise, seeing as everything else had been!

At work later that afternoon Em told her boss her due date so she could work out her maternity leave and with that date in hand everything became a little more real and a lot more frightening.

As she dialled Sheldons mobile number and waited for it to connect, Em realised her hands were shaking. It had been a few weeks since he had called out of the blue and a few weeks since Steve had filled Carmen in on the information he had gleaned form Sheldon friends. Knowing he had a girlfriend and was a whole lot more than just a teacher did not really change how em felt, but it did mean anything she thought she knew was possibly a lie. Em was amazed how feeling a fluttering in her belly and seeing a swell as the baby grew made Sheldon deceit hurt less. She knew she had someone else to think about before she fretted about her own feelings.

"Hello?" came the tentative voice on the other end of the phone

"Sheldon, its Em. I am sorry to bother you as I am sure you are busy but I need to speak to you and it is important. Would it be possible to meet as it is not really something I feel comfortable talking about over the phone?"

"er … ok.. is everything ok?"

" now isn't the time Sheldon. I finish work at 7. I will be going home, then you can either meet me there or suggest somewhere else?"

"No no your place is fine. I may be a little late but I will see you later." the phone line went dead. Em look at her shaking hands and sighed. No turning back now

~73~73~73~

Sheldon sat staring at his white board after turning off his phone. He had known this was coming and in typical Sheldon fashion had tried to ignore it. After Rajs warning he had guessed Steve had quizzed Penny and knew enough about him and Amy to fill in Em and Carmen, and if he was honest he was surprised it had taken her this long to contact him.

Picking up his office phone Sheldon called Raj.

"I have a problem" he said without even introducing himself.

"let me guess the bird outside your window is mocking you again!" sniggered Raj.

"No Raj, focus! Em has just called me she want s to meet up tonight. What am I going to tell Amy I was meant to be taking her to the cinema tonight."

"Don't tell Amy anything, just call em back and tell her you don't want to see her any more. You have a girlfriend and you have decided to make that you priority. You know. Like you should have done all those months ago! Sheldon ,Amy is very happy with how you have been lately, don't spoil it now!"

"Raj I think we need to have lunch in that bar across the street. I need to tell you something and I need to ensure Leonard, and especially Howard, don't find out."

Raj sighed. "Ok Sheldon, but I have a meeting with Gablehauser this afternoon so I can't be out long."

"I will meet you at your office in half and hour." Sheldon again put down the phone this time he knew he was going to have to face up to the reality of his situation. He just hoped telling Raj wasn't a mistake.

~73~73~73~

"What do you mean she is pregnant" squeaked Raj staring at Sheldon mouth hanging open.

"What do you think I mean. She is going to have my child, and I don't know what to do!"

"er … what you should have done is kept it in your god awful plaid pants! And failing that used contraception! You are the cleverest man I now Sheldon, but right at this moment you are the stupidest!"

"Raj I don't need you to tell me this, what I need is advise. How I am going to tell Amy or my mother! Oh god! my mother!"

Sheldon was nearly in tears and Raj looking at him shook his head.

"I'm sorry Sheldon, but when Penny and Bernadette find out that you have betrayed Amy they will go junior rodeo on your arse! and you wont have to worry about your mother!"

"I've got to see Em, Raj, I can't not go. But what should I say?"

"I'm sorry dude, I really don't know. Maybe you should see what she has to say first."

Sheldon nodded and realised there was nothing else he could do. Sighing he put some money down for there drinks and stood up.

"Will you tell Gablehauser I felt ill and have gone home please. I need to focus on this now. I have to work out what I am going to say to Em. It has been so long since I have seen her, I don't know how she will react, or me for that matter. I'll see you tomorrow Raj. Thank you for being my friend."

Raj watched his big gangly friend walk away, head down, dejected and beaten. Who would have guessed the great Sheldon Cooper would fall victim to his baser urges and get a girl pregnant. Howard you could imagine, even Leonard maybe but Sheldon never! Shaking his head Raj walked back to Caltech.

~73~73~73~

Standing outside Em's door Sheldon realised how drunk he had been every other time he had been here. In the cold light of day he could see how much care Em had taken to keep the place neat and tidy. As he knocked Sheldon realised he did not know what he was going to say.

"Hi" smiled Em in a far more congenial tone than Sheldon had been expecting.

" Hi" he nodded back.

"Sheldon come in I'm not going to bite"

Em open the door wider and moved to let Sheldon pass. He glanced around the room, surprised that it looked different form his memory. Then he realised that piled in the corner was a load of baby paraphernalia and as he glance from Em's face down her body he saw the evidence of his child in the bump in front of her. He felt the blood drain from his face.

"Oh dear" he muttered as he passed out cold.

Em stood looking down at the lanky form lying prone on the floor. "Yep, lot of good he will do me" she thought as she slapped the side of his face, probably harder than needed, but who could blame her!

"Sheldon wake up!" she called, and as he refocused on her face, she helped him to his feet and moved him to the sofa.

"Before you start with any more lies or excuses I want you to know I know you have a girlfriend, I know you are some kind of genius, but I have my doubts about that! I also know you intended to ignore this mess we have found ourselves in. But Sheldon you need to face facts as you have noticed "she placed her hand on her bump "we are having a baby. I have a scan picture to show you and can get you a copy if you want one, but I really needed to see you as I have some questions I need answers too."

Still very pale and looking into her eyes so he could avoid the bump, Sheldon nodded."ok"

"I need to know if there is any medical history I should tell the hospital, heart disease for example, history of twins is another" Sheldon went, if possible even whiter.

"oh god, oh god" he mumbled.

"Please don't tell me you are a twin" muttered Em.

Sheldon nodded " oh Jesus will this not stop getting better!"

Em moved to the kitchen and poured Sheldon a large whisky and herself a large glass of milk. Retuning to the sofa they sat staring at each other.

"Well I guess it is too late to do much about it now," sighed Em trying to remain calm. "hopefully the hospital would have seen on the scan if there were twins and they didn't say anything so lets hope all our nasty surprises are over!".

Sheldon nodded still looking at Ems face, still in shock. He didn't react when Em took his hand and moved it to her belly. It was the small movement under his fingers that caused him to move his eyes down . Em smiled at him shyly.

"your son ,or daughter, is saying hello" she grinned.

Sheldon jumped up from the sofa ran to the bathroom and promptly lost his lunch and breakfast.

"That went well" muttered Em shaking her head. "Sheldon are you ok?" She called through the door. Sheldon emerged shaking his head.

"Em I have a girlfriend. I have friends and a mother who think I don't drink and have never had sex. How can I suddenly present them with this." He pointed at her stomach.

Em was suddenly angrier than she had been before this whole mess had kicked off.

"Well pardon me Dr Cooper. But I am not exactly having a picnic here myself! I haven't asked anything from you, other than information, and yet you still manage to make me feel bad. Sheldon I want you to leave and unless you can get a grip of yourself and this situation don't bother coming back..

Em sank down again onto the sofa hand across her stomach protectively, and felt the tears run down her face. She felt Sheldon move next to her, felt his hands tilt her head and pull her slowly to her feet. He held her in his arms running his long fingers down her back then up to stroke her hair. Just holding her as she cried.

They stood like that for a long time neither speaking just holding and comforting each other. Em couldn't say who moved first, her or Sheldon, but suddenly the holding had turned to kissing and Sheldons hand were gently tracing her swollen breasts.

"Sheldon, we shouldn't be doing this" gasped Em.

~73~73~73~