Two Months Later

Raj looked at the Cara with stunned excitement. "Are you sure?" he asked softly.

Penny released Cara from the tight hug and Cara looked at them both worriedly. She slowly nodded and took a few deep breaths to try and calm down. Penny smiled reassuringly and brushed her hair back from her face. "Sweetie, this is nothing bad," Penny said softly. "This is good. This is wonderful. Please don't worry."

Raj knelt and took Cara's hands in his hands. "A baby," he said with wonder. "We're having a baby!'

Cara looked at him shyly. "You're happy?"

Raj pulled her down into his lap. "I'm more than happy," he whispered to her softly. "I'm ecstatic. I'm euphoric. I'm…" Raj pulled back and cupped her face in his hands. His eyes burned brightly. "I'm in love with you."

Cara gasped. "You love me?" She looked up at Penny who grinned widely.

"Sweetie, it's okay," Penny said. "I've known for over a year and a half that you two love each other. I've just been waiting on you two to realize it."

Raj caressed Cara's cheek and looked up at Penny. "Now what? This… Penny, I don't want to hurt you or Chase."

Penny stood and walked over to the desk. She opened her purse and pulled out a sheaf of papers. She walked back over and sat down again. She handed Raj the papers with a gentle smile. "I suspected Cara was pregnant a couple of weeks ago. So, I went to see Mr. Thomason, our lawyer. I love you both. You're my family. You're Chase's family. I would never stand in the way of you two being together."

Raj read over the papers. Penny had asked their lawyer to draw up divorce papers. According to these, she was claiming it was a no-fault divorce. She wasn't asking for alimony or child support. Raj looked at Penny.

"No," he said firmly. "Not like that. How are you going to afford the rest of school? What about Chase? I'm the only father he knows."

Penny leaned down and kissed him. "I knew you were going to feel that way. These papers are just to get things started, sweetie. Mr. Thomason can help us work out everything. I never married you for your money. And in all the ways that count, you are still Chase's father."

Cara took one of Penny's hands in hers. "Are you sure about this? Nothing has to change. We could continue as we have been."

Raj cringed involuntarily and Penny shook her head. "You are Raj are going to be parents. Your son should have his father's last name."

Cara sighed sadly. "Your son doesn't," she reminded Penny gently.

Penny looked away as pain stabbed at her heart. "That's because he can't. If there had been a way for Chase's father to be in his life, I would have taken it."

Raj paused in the cafeteria doorway and looked at them. Bittersweet memories washed over him and he took a deep breath. How young and foolish they had all been. So wrapped up in stupid things, like clubbing or arguing over the species of a cricket. So clueless about what was really important. So much had changed in three years. He walked through the cafeteria and stopped by Sheldon's side. "Room for one more?"

There were three seconds of complete silence before Howard jumped up and grabbed him. "Raj!"

Raj tightly hugged the man he considered his best friend after Penny. He sat down beside Leonard and looked at Sheldon. There was a flash of guilt, but mostly he saw a true welcome in the Texan's eyes. How had they ever thought he was a robot? He felt things a lot stronger than they had ever known. He looked over at Leonard and sighed. Leonard was the one he least connected with anymore. Howard had gotten married, developed a slightly healthier relationship with his mom once he was out of the house. Sheldon had grown by leaps and bounds once he became a father. Leonard was still the same guy he always was. Seeking validation through sexual conquests. Whenever they chatted on-line or exchanged e-mails, it was always the same bragging about who he was sleeping with now. Of course, for the last year, they really hadn't talked much at all.

"What brings you to Pasadena?" Sheldon asked curiously.

"My research is over," Raj said with a smile. "We're coming home. I met with the board earlier. Funnily enough, they want me back really badly. My value has risen exponentially by having my name attached to this project."

"That's great," Howard said enthusiastically. "Bernie is going to be thrilled! When will Penny and Chase join you?"

"Chase is already here. Penny will be joining us in a couple of weeks. She's in Omaha, helping her mom move," Raj said, glancing at Sheldon. "I'm going to do some house hunting before she gets here."

"The apartment above me is empty," Leonard said after a moment.

"An apartment isn't big enough for kids," Raj said with a shrug. He glanced at his watch and stood quickly. "I have to go. I have an appointment to look at a few places in half an hour. Look, how about we all get together tonight? Let's meet at Giacomo's about 7pm, okay?"

The others agreed and he hurried off. As soon as he was gone, Howard looked at the others with wide eyes. "Did Raj just say 'kids'? Penny's pregnant again!"

Sheldon clenched his tray tightly for a moment. He stood as casually as possible and murmured something about getting back to his theories. He walked swiftly back to his office and stepped inside. He closed the door and froze. Raj was sitting in a chair watching him. He closed the door securely after a second's hesitation.

"Aren't you going to be late?" Sheldon asked.

Raj shrugged. "Actually I may have exaggerated a bit. The appointment is at 3, not 1. I wanted to talk to you away from the others."

Sheldon moved around the desk, struggling to maintain a hold on his emotions. "What about?"

Raj leaned forward and placed a sheaf of papers on Sheldon's desk. Sheldon picked them up and glanced at them. Then he gasped and began re-reading. He looked up at Raj with shock.

"Divorce?" he whispered.

Raj nodded. "Penny and I are separated, technically. Once we are back in California, we are filing for a no fault divorce. I'm remarrying soon after. Her name is Cara Notte. She is the love of my life."

Sheldon's hands clenched in rage. "You bastard," he hissed. "What about Penny? How could you do this to her?"

Raj shook his head. "Penny loves Cara like a sister. She's given us her complete blessing."

Sheldon blinked a couple of times as his rage was lessen by confusion. "What?"

Raj leaned forward. "I love Penny. She's like a sister to me. These last three years have made the two of us closer than you can ever understand. I want the very best for her. I want her to be happy. There's only one man who can do that. Care to take a guess who that is?"

Sheldon leaned back in his chair and ran a hand down his face. "What are you saying?" he asked cautiously.

"I'm saying not many people get a second chance. Not many people have the opportunity to be truly happy, Sheldon. It's all on you, now. Penny won't come to you, Sheldon. She won't risk her heart like that. Nor will she risk Chase's."

Sheldon looked at him with sudden suspicion.

Raj nodded. "Penny and I have never had sex, Sheldon. Penny has been celibate for a long time. By the time she found out she was pregnant, you were already so enthralled with Sabrina. She couldn't tell you, Sheldon. She couldn't bear to cause you any conflict. Penny is my best friend, Sheldon, and I want her to be happy. I love Chase. In my heart, he is my son. I cannot, will not, give him up. But I can share him. Because he should know his father, and his father should know him. She loves you, Sheldon. She has for a very long time. And I suspect you love her, too. Otherwise you never would have flown to Omaha to see her."

"Penny told you," he stated softly.

Raj nodded. "She called me after you called her. She was worried. Conflicted. I told her that she should be happy. That I wanted for her the same thing I found with Cara. Love, joy, happiness."

Sheldon shook his head sharply. "How did this all get so screwed up?" Sheldon asked harshly. "Three years, Raj! Three god damned years! Do you have any idea what has been going on here? Amy …Amy is sleeping with Leonard. Sabrina …I love my daughter. I can't regret her. But…"

"I understand," Raj said. "Penny and I love Chase more than anything in this world. But having him lost her a lot. She couldn't stay here. She couldn't live so close, watching you and Amy raise your daughter, seeing the life she couldn't have. It would have torn her to pieces, Sheldon. Even now, after so long, it still hurts her so much."

Sheldon was silent for a long time. Finally he looked up at his friend. "What do I do?" he asked softly.

Raj shrugged. "I can't tell you that, Sheldon. All I can do is tell you what I have already said. I don't know what the outcome of this is. I don't really know what is best for you, or Sabrina, or Chase, or Amy, or even Penny. All I know, is that I want it all out in the open. No more secrets. No more hiding. When Penny arrives in two weeks, I want a fresh start for her. She just got her degree in theatrical management. She is a wonderful mom. My best friend. She deserves better than being alone for the rest of her life."

Raj stood and headed to the door. "You deserve better, too." Raj slipped out of the office and closed the door behind him.

It was getting dark outside before Sheldon finally stood and reached for his jacket and messenger bag.

Leonard and Amy were curled up in his bed when there was a knock on the door. Leonard sighed and stood up to put on his robe. Amy stood up and began putting her clothes back on. He wished she would stay, if only once. He was tired of sneaking around. He knew Sheldon knew they were sleeping together, but Amy pretended that he didn't. She wouldn't acknowledge there were problems in her marriage.

He walked into the living room and opened the door. He was stunned to find Sheldon standing there, looking very serious. "Sh..Sheldon? What are you doing here?"

"I would like to speak to you and Amy together, please. May I come in?"

Leonard stepped aside in a daze and Sheldon moved to sit in the arm chair beside the section sofa Leonard had purchased last year. Leonard slowly closed the door and cleared his throat nervously. "Umm, so, what did you want to talk about?"

Sheldon gave a long-suffering sigh. "Please call Amy out of the bedroom. This concerns us all."

Amy appeared in the short hallway. "I'm here," she said defiantly. "Where is Sabrina?"

Sheldon took a moment to compose his thoughts. "She is at ballet practice with you mom. Do you love each other?"

Leonard and Amy looked at him as if he had spouted a second head. "What?" they both asked loudly.

Sheldon looked to Leonard. "I have been doing a lot of thinking. I have come up with a theory and I would like to know if it is accurate. For approximately 16 months, you and Amy have been carrying on an affair. For as long as I have known you, this is the longest relationship you have even maintained. Granted, for the first six months, you also continued to see other people, but you ceased that almost a year ago. I suspect you have done so, because you are in love with Amy. Am I correct?"

Leonard stared at Sheldon guiltily for several seconds, before looking at Amy. "Yes," he said softly. "I love her. More than I thought possible." Leonard closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm not sorry, Sheldon. I know I should be. I betrayed our friendship in the worst way possible. At first, it started because we were both so angry. Amy had seen your journals. We were both jealous. Somewhere along the line, it changed. I don't know how, or even when exactly. But I love her."

He walked over to Amy and cradled her face in his hands. "I love you, Amy. My life revolves around you."

Amy stared at him in wonder. "You love me? I thought you only slept with me because I was convenient."

Leonard shook his head. He gently kissed her lips. "You are smart, funny, lovely, tender, sexy, and you make me want to spend each and every minute of my life in your presence."

Tears formed in Amy's eyes and she wrapped her arms around his waist. "I love you, too," she admitted softly. "I've never felt so safe and cared for as I do when I'm with you."

Leonard pulled Amy into a passionate kiss that lasted much too long for Sheldon's comfort. He had things to say and he had no desire to play witness to their sexual congress. He cleared his throat and they jumped apart guiltily.

"Yes, well, now that that is out in the open there is just one more thing," he said, opening his messenger bag.

Amy looked at him sadly. How had they gotten so messed up? Amy took a few steps toward him. "Sheldon, I am so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you…"

He held up a hand. "I am as much to blame," he said softly. "We did do one thing right, Amy. We have Sabrina. I know you love her as much as I do. We have been blessed with a beautiful girl who combines the best of us both. You and I just aren't meant for each other. I have a solution, though."

"What is it?" Leonard asked, a glimmer of understanding beginning to form.

Sheldon held out a sheaf of papers to Amy. "I want a divorce."