A/N So I'm back 3 It feels so good. I felt like I was suffocating there for a little while. My apologies for not updating in 5 weeks... was it that long? I was busy with school and went on vacation and I know, I know... excuses, excuses. but I'm back and better than ever because... I have a brand new story for you guys! I have heard the comments begging for the sequel to 'Here We Go Again' and I'm happy to say it is here! I will be updating every 2 weeks until I finish 'Second Chance' which will be updated soon.. I promise. Please remember I do love those comments! MY committed readers will be having their names posted up here every update so please review! I'm so excited for you guys to read my story, so without further ado, I present 'Adjusting'

A quiet mumbled cry flickered into Ricky's dream. He tried to distance himself from the noise by burying his head deeper into his pillow but it was no use. Beside him, his wife Amy, rolled onto her stomach, not even bothering to open her eyes ".Its your turn" She mumbled as she sharply tugged the sheets onto her side of the bed sending a cool draft along Ricky's left leg. He struggled to sit up as the crying got louder. Ricky unconsciously stomped his way across the ' room to a large basinet near the bookshelf and yawned before leaning over its side.

Inside the crib laid Madeline Underwood, Ricky's four-month-old baby girl.

"Hi baby girl!" Ricky whispered as he reached in and cradled his daughter out of her bed

"What's wrong? You wet or hungry?... Or both?"

Ricky held Maddie in his arms. Her head rested on his left bicep and her feet hung on his right arm. Ricky could see her tears shimmer in the moonlight of the apartment as he crept into his eldest son's room to change his daughter's diaper. Ricky carefully placed Maddie on top of the table and undid the bottom of her onesie. He then removed her diaper before tossing it in the bin.

"I wish you could just wait until morning to cry about these things… Mommy and I are very tired and that's because you don't like sleeping on your own." Ricky whispered teasingly, fighting his drooping eyelids. He cradled Maddie back into his arms and headed for the door of the bedroom. Behind him, sheets stirred and a dark figure lifted his head.

"Daddy?" John whispered

"It's okay buddy. Maddie needed to be changed. Go back to sleep"

John did as he was told and let his head drop like a stone. This was Ricky's cue to leave. He entered the kitchen, baby in tow and switched on the light above the stove. Amy rustled more sheets as she pulled the covers over her head to avoid the bright light. Ricky opened the door to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of pre pumped breast milk. Ricky sat the bottle on the counter and brought Maddie back to her crib. He put her inside and crept back into the kitchen, wincing at her wails that called him back.

Ricky poured the milk from the bottle into a measuring cup and heated it in the microwave for 20 seconds. He then poured the milk back into the bottle and tested it on the back of his hand. Ricky walked back over to his daughter and picked her up. The two sat in a rocking chair beside the bed. Ricky held the bottle to his daughter's lips that eagerly sucked the nipple. Ricky leaned back his head and rocked the chair with his legs while Maddie nursed.

"Mommy!" John shouted, shaking his mom awake by her shoulder "Maddie crying!"

Amy stirred from the cold awakening and sat up. She yawned loudly while turning her head to see the time. 6:17 am. Between Maddie's cries and John's early morning wake up call, Amy and Ricky were surviving on a max. Of three hours of sleep a night.

"Morning John" Amy whispered "It took Daddy a very long time to put Maddie back to sleep last night. So we are going to be extra quiet so he can rest okay? Do you want to help me with Maddie?"

John shook his head vigorously, proud to be of assistance. He loved helping out with his sister. Amy climbed out of bed, towards the crib and reached inside.

She picked up her daughter and carefully propped her up against her chest, resting Maddie's unbelievably tiny head on her shoulder. Amy kept her left hand underneath Maddie with her right hand holding Maddie's neck in place. Amy started off towards John's room and told him to follow. Amy laid Maddie on the change table and undid the button of her outfit before realizing there were no diapers on the table. Ricky must have used up the last one's last night and not bothered to replace them in his daze. She hated when he did that.

"Hey John!" Amy called, firmly keeping her right hand on the baby so she wouldn't roll off the table "You want to be a big boy for me? Go get the big pack of diapers from the closet. Open the door and reach inside. The diapers will be on the floor."

"Okay mommy!" John giggled, running out of the room. Amy cooed at her daughter who was busy shoving her fist inside her mouth. Amy kept looking at the door concerned. This was taking John way too long. Suddenly, Amy heard a big noise from the hall, followed by crying. She hastily picked Maddie up in her arms and ran out of the room. She found John on the floor, crying, with the diapers pack ripped open.

"Ricky!" Amy called, her voice cracking from fatigue. He was already out of bed and running over to his son before she could shout his name again.

"What happened?" He screamed over John's moaning

"I don't know! He went to help get the diapers and suddenly I hear him crying!"

"Go put Maddie down, she's freaking out! Come here buddy! What happened?" Ricky asked, picking up his son

Amy left the small hallway and came back a moment later with distant cries begging for her return.

"Momma!" John moaned, reaching out of Ricky's grasp, his tears and saliva, all over his pajamas.

"Come here baby!" Amy said and she took John from Ricky. John threw his hands to the back of his head "He hit his head Ricky, can you get some ice?"

"Yea… sure" Ricky muttered, pulling his eyes away from his son.

Amy walked John into the living room and sat on the bed. He buried himself in her chest and she soothed him by rubbing his back and massaging the small bump forming at the back of his head. Ricky returned and tossed 'Boo Boo man' to Amy. She didn't notice the throw and it hit the couch instead of her. Amy shot him a deadly glare, totally turned off and reached for the ice, which she pressed against John's bump.

"Can you tell me what happened sweetie?" She asked, calmly

"De dipers were stuck! I pull dem out and fell! Momma it huts!" John sniffled, drawing himself out his minor distraction, starting to cry again.

Ricky huffed and walked over to Maddie who was shrieking for human attention. He picked her up and shuffled back to Amy. He sat on the coffee table, facing John who was being rocked by his mother and balanced Maddie on his knee.

"Be careful with her head." Amy ordered

"She's fine" Ricky snapped, "This isn't the first time I've sat her up"

"I know but I don't want any more accidents."

"Accidents are caused by stupidity. What were you doing sending him for diapers anyways? "

"He wanted to help! I didn't know the diapers were stuffed in the closet like that. I didn't put the groceries away. I just got home remember?"

"I remember" Ricky mumbled, mad he had brought this up

"Besides, John wouldn't have needed to get diapers if someone had re filled the table like they were supposed to!"

"Hey!" Ricky boomed, standing up, roughly turning Maddie onto her stomach so he could hold her properly. She coughed a few times and moaned, ready to break out into sobs at any moment. "I was exhausted last night! She woke up like seven times! Excuse me if I didn't bother to refill the change table!"

"I know she woke up seven times! I was up for four of those! You're not the only one who has it hard here Ricky!" Amy watched Ricky roughly jostle their daughter "Would you be careful with her?"

"Oh my- She's fine Amy. Stop freaking out!" Ricky stormed off to the hall and slowly bent down to pick up a diaper. He walked into John's room and slammed the door. John shuttered at the noise and wiped his face with his tiny hands. His bump was still protruding but Amy knew it would go down. She got off from the bed and seated John in his high chair, which he was almost too big for.

"John, what would you like for breakfast?"

"Puncak?"

"I'll have to ask daddy. Wait a second okay? Hold the ice to where it hurts okay?"

John took the pack from his mother and pressed it to his head as best he could. Amy walked into the hall and opened the door to John's room. Ricky was in John's bed with Maddie on his chest, his eyes shut.

"What the hell was that?" Amy yelled, startling Ricky and the baby. Maddie began to cry, which made Ricky curse at Amy, which he hardly ever did.

"Why'd you have to do that for? She was dozing off?"

"She needs to eat. I'm trying to get her on a schedule. What are you doing in here anyways? You're supposed to be helping me with John!"

"You seemed to have things under control."

"Don't go there. He was startled. That's all. It was nothing personal"

"I know. Just forget I brought it up"

"Why do you always do that?"

"Do what? Ricky spit, raising his voice

"Bring stuff up and just drop it?"

"Because I'm tired and don't feel like having these long conversations!"

"Well it's a little late for that! We're talking. Say what you want to say!"

"No"

"Say what you want to say!"

Ricky glared at Amy with so much hatred; he knew he was about to say something he shouldn't. Amy wished he wouldn't say what was on his mind either because she knew it would be hurtful. Instead, Ricky stuck out his arms and handed Maddie over to Amy.

"Here." He muttered "Your daughter's hungry"

Ricky walked out of the room, brushing against Amy's shoulder and opened the door to their armoire. He looked inside for something but swore to himself again when he couldn't find it. He then walked across the room and picked the jeans he had worn yesterday off of the floor and pulled them on over his boxer's.

"Where are you going?" Amy barked, following Ricky throughout the apartment.

"Out!"

"What about breakfast?"

"Make your own dam breakfast!" Ricky sneered as he slammed the door behind him. Maddie started to cry as Amy stared at the door, dumfounded. She carried Maddie into the kitchen, holding her in her left arm.

"Momma!" John called, grabbing his mother's attention.

"What John?" Amy replied, frustrated

"Boo Boo man gone!"

"What do you mean?" Amy walked over to John's chair and closed her eyes in exhaustion. John had thrown the ice onto the floor and with Amy's luck, it had shattered into ten pieces, throwing water and ice pellets all over the kitchen floor. "John! You didn't!"

"I'm sorry!" He pouted, starting to whimper

"No John please don't! It's fine. Mommy will clean it up. I'm going to put Maddie in her swing okay. Stay in your chair and I'll be back in a minute."

Amy walked Maddie over to her swing, which was the only thing that kept her docile when she was hungry other than Ricky. She set the pace to 2 and walked back to the kitchen. She poured John a bowl of cheerios and threw some banana slices into the mix.

"Eat as much as you can okay honey? I'm going to clean the floor while you eat."

John nodded his head and dove into his breakfast. He was used to eating right when he woke up and when he didn't, his appetite improved. Amy picked the shards of plastic off the floor first and threw them into the garbage on the inside of the cupboard under the sink. She then pulled a sponge from the hallway closet and soaked up the water. The few remaining ice chips were tossed into the sink to melt. John was still busy eating and Maddie was sucking on her thumb. Amy felt guilty for making her daughter wait but knew she had a few more minutes to clean up the hall before all hell broke loose.

Once she was done, Amy helped John out of his chair and cleaned off his tray. He went to watch TV as Amy pulled her phone from her purse that was left on the kitchen counter. She turned it on, ignoring the annoying texts from her mother. She clicked new message and sent a text to Ricky.

To Ricky From Amy

Hey. Whenever you decide to come home, stop by a store and buy another boo boo man. John broke his this morning.

Once the message sent, Amy closed her phone and went to feed Maddie. Since Amy had been in the hospital for so long, John was used to seeing Amy nurse. She didn't bother using a bib to feed unless people were over. Amy sat down in the rocking chair, facing John's direction so she could watch him and pulled up her shirt. Maddie took hold of the right nipple aggressively, which made Amy tense in pain.

The day went by very slowly, Amy hardly got any rest except for the hour in-between Dino Dan and Diego when both kids had fallen asleep. Much to Amy's despise, Maddie was up the next hour for another feeding and then needed a bath after vomiting all over herself. By 6, Amy was exhausted and John wasn't making it easier even though he desperately wanted to. Just as Amy had begun to pace Maddie around the room in hopes of putting her down before 7, Amy heard a click at the door and Ricky walked in.

"There he is." Amy growled "The man of the hour. Where the hell have you been?"

"I'm sorry. I just had to get away"

"You didn't think I had to get away? I was stuck inside ALL DAY caring for both kids. It's not just John anymore Ricky. It is two kids. TWO! And one of them hasn't slept the entire day and just got out of the hospital."

"I know Amy. I'm sorry"

"What kind of man deserts his family just because he feels a little pressured? A coward. An ass hole! That's who!"

"Will you keep your voice down? She's falling asleep!"

"Don't tell me what to do Ricky!" Amy whispered, fighting tears. "After what you did today, you don't get to say how I care for my daughter"

"I picked up another Boo Boo man for John. And some Chinese food from down the road. It's still hot. Why don't you give the kids to me for the rest of the night and enjoy your supper."

"I just don't understand why you got so mad, or why you couldn't have just called and let me know you were okay"

"So you were worried about me?" Ricky asked, touched, setting down the groceries as he took off his jacket

"Of course I was. I love you"

"And I love you" Ricky said, leaning into Amy and his daughter

"But not when you act like this"

"Sshh. It's okay. I know Amy and I feel terrible"

"Where were you anyways" Amy asked, laying her head on Ricky's shoulder, Maddie squirming in-between her and Ricky's chest

"I went to my parent's house and slept on the couch till about 4 then went out to pick up the ice for John. How's his head"

"Fine. It wasn't something you needed to freak out over in the first place"

"I know. Now come on. I'm wide-awake and you haven't had any rest all day long. Let me put Maddie down while you go shower then come out, eat your food, and go to bed"

Amy nodded her head and handed the whimpering baby off to Ricky who smiled at the sight of her, carefully wrapping her in his big strong arms. She immediately settled down and began to coo. Amy walked off towards the bathroom and took a wonderful hot 20-minute shower, washing away the smell of baby and tears. When Amy got out of the shower, she changed into her warm fleece pajamas she so loved wearing after stressful days and walked into the living room combing her hair to find Ricky preparing her dinner in the kitchen.

"Hey" he greeted, cheerfully "Feeling better?"

"Mhhm" Amy smiled back before breaking into a yawn

"John is in his room reading a book and Maddie is out cold. Hopefully she'll sleep a couple hours and re charge"

"That's great" Amy replied, tiredly

"I'm just finishing up here, your dinner will be ready at any mo –" but a knock at the door cut Ricky off before he could finish his sentence

"Who could that be?" Amy pondered out loud

"I don't know. I wasn't expecting anyone. Would you mind getting it? My hands are greasy"

Amy forced herself away from the smell of the delicious meal and headed towards the door. She opened it slowly, lost at the thought of who was at the other end but felt her jaw crash to the floor at the sight of who it was.

"Amy?"