The Alternate Dimension

F O U R

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Sheldon asks his friends while they were having lunch at Caltech's cafeteria one day. He then continues to devour his salad.

Leonard laughs which prompts Sheldon to look at him "We just can't imagine you as a father."

"Well, we didn't imagine him as anything. Didn't imagine him as a lover, a father, or even a human being." Howard chimes in. "I didn't know that anyone from your planet had the ability to procreate."

"Very funny." Sheldon deadpan looks at them. "Getting my wife pregnant is a normal thing between married couples. Howard did it. Leonard did it. I'm not even sure why this is such a surprise."

"Says the one who fainted the moment he learned his wife was pregnant" Leonard adds but Sheldon just glares at him.

"Anyway...." Raj changes the topic "You know if you want advice Howard and Leonard have done it before, Howard even went through it twice"

"Which drives me to the point...." Howard turns to Raj "How about you?"

Raj rolls his eyes "You're such a jerk."

****

"So, how are you feeling?" Penny says as she hands over Amy her tea later that afternoon. Amy is trying to adjust herself on the couch to no avail. She just leans back in defeat.

Amy gives Penny a look of thanks "I feel bloated. I feel heavy. Is this supposed to be heavy? I know I'm in my 5th month but why does it feel like I'm going to pop anytime? My back hurts, my side hurts, everything hurts." She looks over at her friends "Why are you both laughing?"

"Oh, it just amuses us seeing you complain that way." Penny laughs.

Amy turns to Bernadette "Why are you even here? Don't you have work?"

"The right question is, why is Penny here?" Bernadette asks and Penny sighs at her. "Alright, I was missing Halley and Michael...okay, geez I wanted to take a break from work. Like Penny."

"Hey! Well, you're right." Penny turns to Amy "Ames, don't worry too much. Feeling that way is normal. Your back may hurt in the last trimester but since you are carrying twins, it might be twice as hard." Amy glares at her "The point is aren't you happy now that you're starting a family with Sheldon?"

"Yes, with Sheldon????" Bernadette stresses sarcastically.

Amy shakes her head at Bernadette "Don't get me wrong, I'm over the moon. I'm married to the man I love, we both won the Nobel prize, and now I'm carrying his children."

"Then what's wrong?" Penny asks.

Amy sighs and sets her tea down "It's just that, Sheldon has been rather odd lately."

"Really? What strikes you as odd?" Bernadette mockingly asks her and Penny laughs.

"I know I've been wanting Sheldon to pay extra attention to me when were dating and when we got married but this is ridiculous." Amy complains while trying to look for a comfortable spot.

"What do you mean ridiculous? Isn't he wired that way?" Penny says.

"He holds my hand, he tries to learn how to drive, he hugs me often, cuddles with me at night, makes me breakfast...." Amy complains.

Bernadette and Penny look at each other in confusion "What's wrong with that?" Penny asks.

"Exactly. That isn't Sheldon. I think I'm crazy for actually missing the old Sheldon." Amy says.

Bernadette was about to retort when they hear the door open.

"No Sheldon, Caltech will not give you an extra parking slot." Leonard sees the girls in his living room "Oh, are you all on leave?"

"We just wanted to catch up since Amy is kind of on leave." Penny says. "Did you bring dinner?"

"We did." Sheldon shows the bag he's holding and looks at Amy "Why are you even up and about?"

Everyone notices that Amy is sitting in Sheldon's spot and they are all waiting for him to be all territorial like he used to.

"I was bored." Amy complained adjusting the pillow behind her. Sheldon goes over and fluffs it for her which surprises everyone. "And Sheldon, I'm pregnant not an invalid."

"What if you trip and get hurt? Or worse, choke on dinner? Let's just have dinner at home." Sheldon pulls Amy up, picks up their food while holding her hand, and guides her towards their apartment.

Everyone is left dumbfounded with what they saw.

"Did you guys notice that Sheldon didn't go berserk when Amy was sitting in his spot?" Howard notices.

"Really? That's what you got from all of this?" Penny rolls her eyes at Howard.

"Well, let's see if it works..." Raj starts to go towards Sheldon's spot.

"Hey! I've been putting up with Sheldon for a long time, I deserve to sit on that spot." Leonard protests.

Howard glares at Leonard "You already achieved your dream by slapping Sheldon, let us little people get dibs on this."

Penny rolls her eyes at her friends' pettiness and starts to sit on Sheldon's spot.

"That's my spot!" Sheldon's faint voice is heard at the hallway.

"I swear that guy has a Vulcan sense of hearing." Leonard shakes his head.

****

"You want coffee?" Leonard asks Penny early the next morning.

"Yes, please." Penny rubs her eyes and looks over at their living room. "Hey, Leonard?"

"Yeah?"

"Did we have a guest overnight?" Penny says slowly approaching the person under a blanket who was sleeping on their couch.

Leonard walks slowly behind her "Is that a thief? I thought you locked the door last night!"

Penny glares at her husband. "Why are you behind me? Aren't you worried that whoever is under there would attack me?"

"You have experience with those kind of people..."

"Or you're just sCaReeeD..." Penny laughs but stops when the person under the blanket suddenly shifts.

"GAHHHHHHHHHH!" Leonard screams which startles Penny.

Amy shifts and tries to sit but to no avail, Penny helps her up. "Real heroic of you, Leonard" she glares at her husband. She then turns to her best friend. "What are you doing here? Are you alright?"

"Sorry if I had to crash here for the night." Amy shifts and tries to find a comfortable spot in the couch. "I had to escape Sheldon."

"Wow. I never thought I would see the day where you would complain about Sheldon." Leonard laughs.

Amy glares at Leonard "Ever since I got pregnant he got too clingy." Penny was about to protest but she silenced her "....anyway, I wished for him to give me attention since we were dating but this was too much. Last night, he wanted to carry me to bed! I can walk, thank you very much."

"Amy!" Sheldon suddenly barges into Leonard and Penny's apartment. "You left me alone again."

Amy rolls her eyes at her husband while Leonard and Penny could only gape at Sheldon.