Amy had taken the next day off work.
During the night she had horrible cramps in her stomach and had been sick in the morning.
Sheldon was working at his laptop, but kept glancing over, frowning.
He had been taking care of Amy all morning, making sure that she was comfortable and had enough liquids and bland food.
He had even rubbed Vapo Rub on her chest just in case.
Now she was resting on the bed, reading.
Sheldon kept darting glances her way.
Negative…What if it was wrong? Why am I hoping it was?
Amy caught him staring, and smiled.
Sheldon smiled back, embarrassed that she'd caught him staring.
He bit his lip, before turning around again. "I think you should take another one." He blurted out.
"I'm not pregnant, honey." She said softly. "Honestly. It's probably food poisoning."
"Honey?"
"Sorry…Term of endearment. I won't say it if you don't like it."
"No, no. It's fine…Darling."
Amy smiled at Sheldon's attempt. She rather liked being called 'darling', especially with that sexy Southern accent of his that made itself apparent when he said it.
"You can't have food poisoning." Sheldon was saying now, "We both had the same thing for dinner."
"So?"
"So if it was that, then I'd be affected, and I feel fine…ish."
Amy frowned. "Ish?"
"I'm worried about you." Sheldon admitted. "I mean, what if the test was wrong and you are with child?"
"With child?" Amy laughed, "Sheldon, this is 2013, not 1900. You are allowed to use modern phrases…Fine. I'll take another one."
Sheldon wrinkled his nose. "Actually…Couldn't we see a doctor? They'll check for other things too, and will be more efficient."
Amy shrugged. "Okay. I'll give them a call now." She rummaged in the drawer next to her for the doctor's number nearby that she and Sheldon had registered at for their time in Florida.
Dialling the number, Amy waited.
"Hi there, my name is Amy Cooper…I registered under the name of Amy Farrah Fowler, but I got married out here, did you get my updated details?...Oh you did? That's great! Anyway, could I make an appointment as soon as possible please?"
She and Sheldon waited silently.
"Yeah, I've been having stomach cramps and I was sick once this morning…I took a pregnancy test but it was negative, only my husband and I think I should take another to be sure…Really? That's great. See you then; thanks." Amy ended the call.
"So what did they say?" Sheldon asked.
"I'm going there at two; they had a cancellation."
Sheldon just nodded in reply.
..
After Amy and Sheldon arrived at the doctor's office that afternoon, they had taken a urine sample, a same-day blood test and had performed an ultrasound scan.
As the results were brought back into the office, the doctor smiled. "Well, you're definitely not pregnant Amy. It's a simple case of heat stroke, by the look of things. Your blood test is totally clear of anything bad, although your iron is a little low."
Amy breathed a sigh of relief.
Sheldon just sat in silence.
"I'll be right back, please excuse me." The doctor said, as he stood up and left the room.
Amy looked to Sheldon. "Thank God for that."
"Hmm yeah. Thank God." Sheldon nodded.
"Are you okay?" Amy frowned.
"I'm fine." Sheldon replied, "Absolutely fine. In fact I'm so fine that I'm going to give you a once-only fist bump."
He held out his hand in a clenched fist, waiting for Amy to bump fists with him.
"Um…Sheldon? I'm your wife. Wouldn't a kiss suffice? Fist-bumping is more a friends-only thing." Amy frowned.
"Oh, of course. Sorry." Sheldon leaned in to kiss Amy. "I'm just, you know, so relieved!"
Amy stared at him. "Really? What's really wrong, Sheldon?"
He knew then that lying to her would get him nowhere; Amy was too smart to believe him.
"Well…I'm not sure. It's the strangest thing…" Sheldon began.
"What is?" Amy pressed.
"Well, I wouldn't rule out the possibility of having a baby with you one day. I know now isn't the right time, but it still disappointed me a little that you're not pregnant…I'm sorry. I know it sounds ridiculous, especially coming from…Well, me." Sheldon confessed. "I mean, we talked about in vitro fertilisation in the beginning of our relationship to produce an intelligent offspring. Not once did I think that I'd actually almost come close to having a progeny with you."
Amy stared at him; she couldn't believe that this was coming out of Sheldon Cooper's mouth!
Even after the confession of love, the sex, the marriage…She never once thought that Sheldon was truly that serious about her, as she was with him.
Amy blinked. "Wow…" She whispered. "I-I don't know what to say…"
"I want more time with you before we consider even trying for a child." Sheldon added. "But…As you know, I hate when things are incomplete or unfinished; and it seemed for a while that it was possible that you were in fact pregnant, and now it's definite that you're not, it feels strange. That something that was never even there could have such a huge effect on me and now it's gone and I'm left feeling…"
Amy, who was still in shock over her husband's words, swallowed. "Feeling what?"
Sheldon looked up, looking genuinely confused. "I guess…Incomplete."
Amy wrapped him in a hug then. "I had no idea." She said, "I really had no idea that you would ever want this."
"Honestly, neither did I."
Amy held Sheldon tighter, and that was how the doctor found them when he returned with some anti-emetic tablets for Amy's heat stroke, and the iron tablets to regulate her iron levels.
..
The next day, Amy was feeling much better, and had gone back to work.
Sheldon still felt strange and was struggling on an equation.
His Skype tone sounded, and he looked up to see 'Leonard is calling you' on the screen.
Feeling a sudden need to talk, Sheldon accepted and waited for Skype to connect.
"Hey Sheldon!" Leonard smiled through the screen. "How are you?"
"Hello Leonard…Oh, not bad. You?"
"I'm great! We had a Mexican themed night at Raj's again. He made us some amazing food!" Leonard replied.
"Oh no. Don't tell me that evil Priya is back?"
"No, no…Just Raj. Although he got drunk and his parents Skyped him."
"Oh dear. I bet that was awkward?" Sheldon made a face.
"For him yes. For us, it was hilarious!" Leonard grinned. "We're missing Florida, and you guys…Wow I never thought I'd say that!"
Sheldon rolled his eyes. "I suppose we miss yours and Penny's presence too."
"Really?" Leonard frowned. "What's the matter?"
Sheldon explained everything, and Leonard looked genuinely shocked.
"Wow! Who would have thought it? Sheldon Cooper wants to be a daddy!" He said.
"Not right now, obviously." Sheldon replied, "And I am not certain yet, but I wouldn't rule out the idea of making a baby with Amy."
"Ew." Leonard grimaced, "Could you not just say having a baby?!"
"I could, but we both know that the best part would be the actual conception." Sheldon said in reply.
Leonard laughed. "That's something I never thought I'd hear from you!"
Sheldon shrugged.
"Hmm…But I see your point. It must be hard." Leonard sympathised.
"A little, I suppose." Sheldon nodded. "It's such a strange feeling. I mean, having a child is a huge thing, and I'm busy with my physics, and Amy's busy with her neurobiology…We're in crucial points of our careers at the moment and a baby would complicate things, but maybe a year or two down the line…I wouldn't totally object to it. What is happening to me?!"
"You're in love Sheldon." Leonard answered, simply. "Love does crazy things to people."
"I'm surprised that it hasn't affected my work!" Sheldon commented. "If anything, that was what I was most afraid of…That I'd become stupid like Penny."
"Hey!" Was Penny's voice in the background of Leonard's window.
"Oh, no offense Penny. But you're just not a genius like Leonard and myself." Sheldon called out.
He heard Penny sigh and mutter in the background, and was pretty sure that he heard her call him an ass under her breath.
"Penny heard our conversation?!" Sheldon hissed over the microphone.
"Uh…Not all of it." Leonard replied. "She came in just as you called her stupid."
"Oh…Good." Sheldon breathed.
Leonard frowned at this.
He knew what Sheldon meant, but there was no point in correcting him, so he stayed quiet.
"Well, I'm glad you're being a big boy now." Leonard said, "When the time is right, you'll know. I have to go now Sheldon; I'm taking Penny out for the day. Have a nice day!"
"You too. Thanks for the advice." Sheldon replied as he ended the call.
He returned to his work with Leonard's words swimming around in his head.
When the time is right, you'll know…
"Well when will that be!?" Sheldon muttered.
His eyes widened in shock.
He needed to stop thinking about this!
He saved his work and grabbed his card key, phone, wallet and some water before getting ready and heading out of the hotel room and outside.
Sheldon needed a long walk by the sea to gather his thoughts!