A/N: Thank you again for the reviews! :) I did notice that I made some very minor typos, and because I'm actually very Sheldon-like with a lot of things, when I found the typos I totally freaked out and wanted to re-type the entire chapter! (But resisted – somehow!) So I just wanted to clear up that I definitely do not need a Beta or anything; the typos were total accidents, and I can in fact string together a sentence and spell properly haha! :P But again, thank you for your lovely reviews!
..
Sheldon had run down to reception that evening and asked to speak with the hotel manager.
As the manager appeared, Sheldon straightened up.
"How can I help you, sir?" The manager asked.
"Hello. My name is Dr Sheldon Cooper, and I'm in the Mermaid Suite with my wife Amy. I just wanted to ask you if you minded us keeping our new dog in the suite. Now, it's only a small dog, and of course we will clean up after it ourselves…"
"Oh…We had no idea that you even had a dog?" The manager frowned.
"We don't yet." Sheldon replied, "You see, we are trying to find out whether or not we are ready for a child, and we thought that if we could deal with the demands of a dog, then a child would be no problem."
The manager blinked. "Well, that's a very sensible idea, Dr Cooper. We don't normally allow dogs in this hotel, unless they are for the visually impaired…"
"I completely understand that. However…If you could just make this one exception, I will give you…Fourteen dollars and twenty five cents." Sheldon interrupted, rummaging in his wallet for all his loose change, and planting it on the desk. "I would give you more, but I haven't had a chance to withdraw any more yet."
"I was going to say, normally we don't allow dogs in this hotel…However…In this one instance, we'll make an exception, as your wife and yourself are our most esteemed guests in this hotel." The manager said.
It was Sheldon's turn to blink in surprise now. "Oh. I-I'm an esteemed guest? Usually nobody wants me around!"
"Well, Dr Cooper, you and your wife are very well-known names in the science world."
"We are?"
"Yes." The manager turned around and pointed to a picture frame behind him.
Sheldon leaned closer to peer at the frame.
Inside, was a full-page article on Sheldon and Amy staying at the hotel, and going on to explain about their progress in their respective fields.
Sheldon was speechless for a few moments.
He spun around excitedly. "LOOK EVERYONE, I'M IN A NEWSPAPER!"
A few people in the lobby turned to look at him, and a couple even wandered over to read the article.
Sheldon was grinning widely now.
"Oh, and thank you so much for allowing us to keep the dog in our suite!" He said to the manager, and was about to race back to the room, but not before spinning around; "Please keep that money. I don't need it!"
And with that, he had run to the elevator.
..
"I am so excited for our evening with David and Emily." Amy grinned. "David is always kind to me at work; I never met Emily, but I hope we get along."
"I'm sure you will. You're women; you'll be talking about rainbows, unicorns and menstrual cycles all night." Sheldon said, trying to decide what tie to wear.
Amy shot him a withering look. "We do not talk about rainbows and unicorns Sheldon. Not over the age of five, anyway!"
"But you talk about your menses?"
Amy shifted uncomfortably. "Well…We need to check if everything is normal. What better way to do so than talking to your fellow woman?"
Sheldon frowned. "Interesting…Men don't suffer with menses, so what personal issues should we discuss? Penile size comparison?"
Amy looked up with a raised eyebrow, and saw that Sheldon's expression was deadly serious. "No Sheldon, that is not what you should talk about…Besides, that wouldn't be fair anyway; you'd win hands down!"
The physicist gave a small but still smug smile to himself.
"Just talk about normal things." Amy shrugged.
"Okay…What would be considered 'normal'?" Sheldon asked.
"Oh wow. You've been without other men for so long that you have forgotten all of your social convention lessons." Amy sighed.
Sheldon shot her a hurt look, and Amy felt bad. "Okay, well try talking about work or your interests, and try not to be too weird."
"I can do that." Sheldon nodded.
Once the couple were ready, they grabbed their belongings and left the suite.
..
"BEST…NIGHT…EVER!" Sheldon announced loudly, as they returned to their room that night.
"Shh!" Amy hushed him. "It's nearly midnight."
"Thank God tomorrow is Sunday." Sheldon replied.
That evening, David and Emily had found a babysitter for Alicia whilst they met Sheldon and Amy.
The four of them had gotten along so well, that they arranged to meet the next weekend for lunch, too.
David had introduced Sheldon to light beer, and now Amy was regretting that.
"Sheldon, maybe we should go to bed." She suggested.
"Good idea, coitus might sober me up. You're such a clever lady Amy. I love you." He slurred.
"I love you too, Sheldon. But I didn't mean that we should have sex. I meant that you should go to sleep." Amy giggled.
"Where's the fun in that? I'm wide awake!" Sheldon protested, kicking his shoes off and almost hitting the fan in the process.
Amy snorted with laughter, and clamped a hand to her mouth to suppress any more.
"Come on, you!" She laughed.
"You want to do what to me?" Sheldon asked, "You want to come on me? Well okay…"
"SHELDON, NO!" Amy cried out. "That's not what I meant."
"Ohhhh…" He pouted, throwing himself onto the couch, and then falling straight back off.
Rolling her eyes, Amy helped him up.
"Oh there you are!" He said, trying to straighten himself up.
"Sit down." Amy said.
"I tried, but the couch moved."
"How many fingers am I holding up?" Amy asked, holding four fingers up in front of Sheldon.
"Um…eight."
"No; four. You're drunk, Sheldon. You're sleeping on the couch tonight." Amy helped him to lie down, and placed a bucket by his side just in case. She planted a glass of water on the coffee table, as an afterthought.
Sheldon grabbed her hand. "Amy, I'm not that drunk. I want to show you how sober I am. Come, sit-sit on here." He slurred, as he pulled her on top of him and began kissing her.
At first, she got so lost in the kiss that she wanted to oblige, but she mustered all of her strength and sat up. "No Sheldon. You are drunk, okay? I'm sorry."
He pouted again. "But Amyyyyy…" He whined, "Maybe the alcohol in my system will improve my performance."
"Take it from me; it does not need improvement!"
Amy was about to get up when Sheldon spoke again. "I'm sorry. I know I'm a little bit intoxicated but I want to connect with you. I'm sorry that I want to impregnate you with my progeny!"
Amy stood stock still, feeling her heart skip a beat.
That was the first time that Sheldon had actually just said it outright.
Of course, he was drunk, though…
"Sheldon, you know we have a plan." Amy said, gently. "If that plan goes well, then yes. But not right now. You said yourself that we are in great places in our careers, and we have only been married a month, so we need more time to adjust to married life, and to each other. I love you so, so much, but this is too soon. Please be patient. I was always patient with you."
Sheldon looked at her sadly, even in his drunken state. "Whilst you make a good point, I can't help but feel the irony in this."
"What do you mean?" Amy frowned.
"Well…It was always you who wanted our relationship to move forward. Don't get me wrong, I wanted it to as well, but I was afraid and new to all of this…Now it seems the tables have turned. I…I had no idea how much it hurt, and I'm sorry."
Amy stared at him now, shocked by the sincerity of his words, and by the emotions he was showing that were made evident by the single droplet running down one cheek.
Amy swooped down and wrapped him in a hug.
"I made you a promise; I never back out on promises." She said softly, "The last thing I want to do is hurt you. All I'm asking for is some time…Please?"
Sheldon nodded, and Amy kissed him, letting him roll over.
Sheldon fell asleep almost immediately, sleeping off his drunkenness and the horrible new emotion that he felt controlling his body.
..
The next morning, Amy woke up with regret.
She peered over at the couch, and found Sheldon still asleep.
Throwing back the covers, Amy tiptoed to the bathroom to get ready for the day, and then made her way to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.
She made some fresh coffee and cooked the new bacon and eggs that she had purchased the day before, adding some toast.
The smell of food and coffee woke Sheldon up, and he groaned.
"Ow…My head." He complained. "Did…Did I drink last night?"
"Yes, you did." Amy replied, feeling slightly relieved that he had obviously forgotten about last night.
But that was soon to be corrected;
"Amy…I'm truly sorry for my behaviour last night."
"So you remember that part?"
"I was beginning to sober up by then, I think." Sheldon nodded. "Do we have any painkillers? My head is pounding. I managed to avoid any nausea or vomiting though, thank God!"
"Of course." Amy rummaged through one of the cupboards, and pulled out the box of medicine and band aids.
She selected the box of Tylenol tablets, and gave Sheldon two, accompanied with a glass of fresh bottled water.
He swallowed the pills and sighed. "I didn't mean to get so emotional with you. I feel so foolish."
"Don't…I had no idea how much this was really affecting you. I mean, I knew, but not the extent…" Amy replied, as she handed him his breakfast. "I'm sorry Sheldon."
"No, you were right. It's much too soon." He sighed sadly, sitting down to eat. "I don't know what's come over me lately. I think I just need to get over the idea…Still go through with the plan of course, but not treat it like anything will come out of it."
"Don't be like that," Amy said, "The plan was devised for a reason. We need to hold on to the dream; otherwise we will just… have a dog."
"But we will just have a dog."
"I know, but with the thought of having a child in the future in mind, we will work harder at it. Rise to the challenge…Then we will know if we're ready or not."
Sheldon took a deep breath. "No, you know, this whole thing is stupid. I've already had two of my dreams come true; a fourth will just be greedy."
Amy frowned. "You mean third?"
"No; fourth…My third dream is to win the Nobel Prize."
"What were your first and second?"
"To become a Physicist and to marry you." Sheldon said, softly. "They aren't numbered out of preference by the way; only in order of occurrence. Marrying you would have been my first choice, otherwise."
Amy smiled. "Don't take this the wrong way Sheldon, but…I don't see you getting as upset about not winning a Nobel Prize as you are about not having children."
Sheldon gave Amy a look. "Oh come on, we both know I'm going to win one!"
"But before having a child…?"
"Are you saying that my work isn't up to it?"
"No, no! Of course it is!" Amy protested, "I just didn't realize how much all of this meant to you."
"Amy, I've always lived my life by planning carefully, scheduling everything I do…Since I met you, it's kind of gone to hell. But I don't care anymore…I mean, I'll never stop planning to win a Nobel Prize, and taking the time to make my work worthy of the greatest achievement the world has ever known, but…Somewhere amongst my newer plans, are you…and a little Homo Novus 2.0"
"Homo Novus 2.0?"
"A baby…"
"Why 2.0?"
"Because you and I are the existing Homo Novus', and if we procreate, it will be a new generation of Homo Novus." Sheldon explained. "Maybe even better than ours?"
"So…That's really part of your plan?" Amy asked.
"As of 2010, yes." Sheldon nodded.
"Whoa, wait! 2010!?" Amy cried.
"That's when I met you…" Sheldon confirmed, shyly.
Amy gazed at him. "Well…In order to complete your life plan, you need to have another plan to reach the plan that you already planned. Does that make sense?"
"Of course it does. You're talking to me."
"Then I say we continue with the idea of the dog. If, by the end of our time here in Florida, it has gone well, then we can try."
"And not wait a whole year after that, as per our previous agreement?"
"Depending on how long it takes to conceive, absolutely."
Sheldon nodded, thoughtfully. "Okay." He decided, as he finished his breakfast and thanked Amy with a kiss. "Then we'd better get ready. We have a dog to find!"