Not exactly a holiday the group is planning on celebrating, but I couldn't resist using this one.
Sweetest Day (3rd Saturday in October)
Mark was looking over some contracts when his phone rang. "Hello?"
Missy spoke quickly but evenly. "Honey, you need to go get Sheldon. Leonard's phone is off, and Howard and Raj took Mrs. Wolowitz to her doctor's appointment. I can't call Shelly and make him panic, but the doctors are going to start Penny's labor. She's bleeding again."
"On it," he said quickly as he tossed down the papers. That was one of the things he loved about Missy. She was calm under fire. He hung up and rushed the car. One of them would need to be, and he was positive Sheldon was not going to be quite so relaxed.
Sheldon was in the middle of a meeting with President Seibert, Professor Gabelhauser and two visiting professors when Mark knocked on his door and peeked around the corner. He grimaced and offered an apology. "Excuse me. I am very sorry. Sheldon, I need to talk to you."
Sheldon stood, his heart pounding. "What's wrong? Is Penny okay?"
Mark nodded. "The doctors are going to induce her. How soon can you get away?"
Sheldon turned immediately. "Gentlemen, please excuse me, but my wife is in the hospital having our baby and she needs me."
Without waiting for a reply, he grabbed his messenger bag and hurried out the door. Mark grinned and followed the lanky scientist out of the building. As they got into the car he looked over at Sheldon. "Sorry to interrupt your meeting."
Sheldon shrugged as he buckled his seat belt. "Penny needs me." He looked over at Mark. "Thank you for coming to get me."
Mark shrugged. "You guys are my friends. Besides," he grinned mischievously, "Missy would make me sleep on the couch for a week if I didn't."
Sheldon sighed slightly. "I don't want to know about your carnal relationship with my sister. However, I do want to say that I was wrong. Missy has always been fairly content. However, she is much happier than I have ever seen her. That is because of you. I can see her joy when she comes to visit and her sadness when it is time to return home."
Mark smiled. "I care a lot about her. She's so damn vibrant and alive. After my wife died, I lost that. I've been kind of drifting ever since. Missy brought warmth back into my life. I'm falling for her, Sheldon. I should probably warn you now, I'm working up the nerve to ask her to move here. To live with me. Maybe eventually marry me."
Sheldon looked at him, momentarily distracted from his worry over Penny. "I will speak plainly. I love my sister. I still have some concerns about the age difference being so great. The odds are, you will leave her a widow. However," he said softly, "I do believe you will never harm her, and will always do your best for her. I have no objects to you asking Missy to live with you."
Mark grinned as they pulled into the parking lot. He shut off the car and looked over at Sheldon. "I think that's probably the nicest thing I have ever heard you say to me."
Sheldon snorted. "I am not the one who will have to live with her. Don't take it as a compliment until after you eat her cooking."
Mark guffawed all the way to the third floor where they were greeted by a tense Missy and a worried Penny. Dr. Green, the pediatrician, was just explaining to Penny that they were going to go ahead and induce labor. She was bleeding again. Sheldon was hustled off to scrub up and the anesthesiologist was about to administer the epidural.
Mark called the guys, and Missy called the girls. By the time everyone got there, they had wheeled Penny back to the delivery room.
The door to the waiting room opened and Sheldon walked through wearily. The group crowded around and he dragged a hand down his face. He looked at everyone and smiled slowly. "They're okay," he said. "She's 3 lbs, 7 oz and 18 inches long. They are getting her settled in the NICU at the moment, and then we can go see her. They aren't going to allow any of you in, but I can bring her over to the window so you can see her. Penny will have to stay a few more days for observation, and then they will release her. Not that either of us will be going anywhere without our baby."
Sheldon paused and looked a bit thunderstruck. "I'm a father," he said softly. Missy laughed and wrapped him in a big hug. Soon all the others were hugging each other, too.
When the nurse came out to get Sheldon, everyone crowded around the viewing station. It was a bit alarming to see the tube going into Caroline's nose, the wires on her chest, and the monitors around her hands and feet. The nurse helped Sheldon pick her up out of the incubator and he held her close to his chest. Everyone watched the awe spread across his face as he became lost in the wonder of holding his daughter. He completely forgot they were even there. She had a small amount of dark hair on her head, and her tiny body was a dark pink and quite wrinkly. But to the group, who had spent the last two months worrying, and hoping, she was beautiful.
Once Penny was back in her room, they got to see her briefly. She was tired, and still pretty out of it from the anesthesia, but insisted on hearing all about what they thought of Caroline. Once she began to drift off, Sheldon hustled them out the door. He said goodbye to them, then slipped back into the room and settled in beside Penny. She sighed softly and snuggled against his side. Sheldon kissed her forehead and relaxed. He had never felt so at peace.