Penny, Leonard and Elliot arrived with a cab. Before ringing the doorbell, Leonard hesitated. He turned his head to Penny and looked deep in her eyes. «I don't think I can do it» murmured. «Yes you can. He's your best friend in the world: he has to know»
Penny gently placed her hand on Leonard's, and pushed the button with him.
A loud «BAZINGA» broke the silence inside the house, then footsteps approaching.
Amy opened the door just to find herself tackled by her best friend. «AMY!!!»
«SHHHH» cried her, her voice tired but pleased to see them. «Marie is sleeping upstairs» explained.
«Oh... I'm sorry» replied Penny, slowly releasing her friend from that tight hug.
«Is he...?» Asked Amy, looking at the toddler in Leonard's arms.
«He's grown, isn't he?» Said Penny, lovingly glancing at her son.
«My god! He's such a big boy now!!»
«But where is his Godfather?» asked Leonard.
«He's upstairs with Marie: he seems incapable of leaving our daughter alone lately» answered Amy with a wide smile on her lips. «Come inside!»
Sheldon appeared on top of the stairs, his baby, now awake, in his arms: «You're here!» cheered. «Elliott! Have you already learned the π number sequence?»
«Sheldon!!» Amy scolded him.
«Whaaat? He's two! By now I had already learned it!»
«I bet you're regretting letting me choose him for Elliott's godfather, don't you?» whispered Leonard ironically in Penny's ears.
«Shut up!» She countered him sharply.
«Can we see Marie now??» Penny asked in an exasperated manner.
Sheldon carefully walked down the stairs.
«My God! She's beautiful» commented Leonard.
«I don't think God has anything to do with it...» Sheldon responded.
«Speaking about God... Have you spoken to your mother Sheldon?» Asked Penny.
«Yes, of course. She'll meet us in Pasadena as soon as we come back»
«And your parents Amy?»
«My father didn't really talk, if you know what I mean... My mother overreacted, but it was fairly excusable: I may have avoided sharing the information about my pregnancy with them in the first place...»
«AMY!» cried Penny.
«She would have made us come back! And we are just fine!»
«She's right Penny, you can't blame her» joined Leonard
«Shut up you! Your mother only knew about the pregnancy because Sheldon told the whole World live streaming during the Nobel Ceremony!»
«And I still thank him for it» replied Leonard, winking at Sheldon.
«Now now, let's change the subject: are you hungry? Did you have breakfast?» asked Amy.
«I'm staaaarving» answered Penny.
When all the bellies were full, Leonard, after being very quiet for the whole meal, stood up from the table: «Sheldon, I need to talk to you. Can you come with me for a walk?»
Both Sheldon and Amy were really surprised: Leonard had never liked going for a walk. But his expression seemed too serious to try to talk some sense into him.
«Go on Sheldon» Penny encouraged him, her voice slightly trembling. Amy glanced at her, with worry: Penny's eyes were slowly filling up with tears.
«Alright! Alright! I'm coming»
Sheldon stood up to, and, before he could say anything further, they were both on the gravel path that led into the wood.
«May I remind you that we are both parents now, and it is better if we don't die and leave our child orphans all for a stupid walk in the woods?» Sheldon queried.
Out of the blue Leonard started crying. Sheldon froze: he had never seen his best friend cry so much and so desperately.
«What's wrong?» asked Sheldon.
It took him some minutes before Leonard was able to speak: «I... I need... I must...»
«Just tell me» Sheldon was becoming more and more nervous.
«I am dying, Sheldon»
«Don't be overdramatic! I told you not to eat anything on the plane: they put cheese everywhere here, it's only natural that you are experiencing some discomfort now!»
«No Sheldon: you don't get it. I have cancer. The doctors said I have up to six months»
Sheldon went quiet. Wind rushed through the leaves and it made them play a sweet autumn melody. Leonard's red and swollen eyes were fixated on Sheldon's. The cold breeze made him shiver a little. Sheldon stood still, staring blankly at the path ahead of them.
«Sheldon, please say something» Leonard implored him.
«Did you know that a recent study claims that babies born in Autumn statistically have a higher chance of living longer»
«What??»
«You ask me to say something. I said it»
«I mean about what I just told you»
«Everybody dies, there's nothing new or strange in that» Sheldon's face seemed expressionless.
«I knew you would have this reaction! Everytime I convince myself that you are grown, that you have changed... But you are and you will always be a self-centered and heartless jerk» Leonard turned his back to Sheldon and started walking back to the house.
«Wait!» Sheldon shouted, grabbing his shoulder from behind.
«What now?» asked Leonard furiously.
«Leonard...» Sheldon sighed, then he made a long pause, while struggling to find the right words. «My father died when I was 14» He couldn't look Leonard in the eyes.
«I know that» replied Leonard, still mad.
«... But that hole in my life was slowly replaced by something else, someone who made the sorrow become just a white noise in the background... » continued Sheldon, reluctantly.
«That someone was you» Now Sheldon lifted his eyes to meet Leonard's: they were full of burning tears. Leonard had never seen tears in Sheldon's eyes.
«If you die...» Sheldon struggled to finish the sentence. His saliva seemed stuck on his throat. But Leonard didn't let him end it: before Sheldon could realize, his best friend was hugging him tightly.
«Promise me you will take care of Elliott. You are his Godfather: he'll need you» whispered Leonard in Sheldon's ears.
«I promise»
«Well then» said Leonard, sniffing and freeing Sheldon from the hug «It's time we head back. Don't you think?» He smiled gently.
«You go ahead. I need some time» answered Sheldon, his face still tear-stained.
«Are you sure?»
«Yes please»
Leonard gave his friend a last unsure glance before walking back.
YOU ARE READING
After the Bang: the Babies Theory
FanficAfter winning the Nobel Prize, Amy and Sheldon were offered a two year research job for CERN, in Switzerland. The two years are now almost over and Amy and Sheldon's daughter is just born. Penny, Leonard, and their son Elliot came all the way to Gen...
