Lyndsey slept peacefully until one o’clock, when Madi woke up screaming. She got up and walked to her room to see what was wrong.

“What wrong honey? Are you gonna be sick? Does your belly hurt?”

Nick lay in bed, still awake, listening to them in the next room.

“No.”

“What’s wrong then honey?”

“Mama.”

“Mommy’s gonna be here tomorrow night, OK?”

“Mama.”

“You’ll see Mommy in two days, you have to sleep. She wants you to get better.”

“No.”

“Want some orange juice while you’re awake?”

“Dada. O duce.”

“Let me get some quick.” She ran to the kitchen and poured a glass of orange juice with medicine in it.

“Dada!”

Lyndsey walked back in the room and found Madi trying to climb out of her crib. “Here you go Mads, back in the crib.”

“Dada.”

“Daddy’s sleeping.”

Nick rolled out of bed and went to Madi’s room. “No I’m not.”

“Did we wake you up?”

“Dada.” Madi smiled at him.

“I’ve been awake.”

“Drink your juice baby girl.”

”I hate seeing you two like this.” Lyndsey took his hand in hers.

“Me too.”

Madi drank all her juice and held her cup up to show them.

“Good girl.” Lyndsey smiled, taking the cup away.

“Now go to sleep Mads.” Nick said, laying her down.

“Are you sleepy baby?”

“Me or her?”

“I meant her, but either.” she smiled, taking his hand back in hers.

“Dada!” Madi yelled, standing back up.

“I guess she’s not.” He let go of Lyndsey’s hand and picked her up.

“Want me to rock her?”

“I’m going to sleep Madeline, are you going to sleep with me?”

“Seep Dada.” She put her head on his shoulder.

“Alright, I guess you don’t have to rock her.”

“Aww, let’s get you two some rest.”

Nick got comfortable in bed, laying Madi on his chest. Lyndsey lay down next to him, snuggling in close.

Nick turned his head to the side and coughed, his body shaking.

“You’re not going to sleep, are you?”

“Nope.”

“Want me to put music on? Or TV or something?”

“No.”

“OK.” she said quietly.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“OK.”

“I’m wiped, I’m gonna rest. Wake me up if you need me.”

“Uh huh.” Lyndsey closed her eyes and fell asleep almost immediately. “Lyn?” he whispered. “That was quick.”

“Hmmm?” she mumbled, not really awake.

“Nothing.” He sniffled and cleared his throat. He was still for a minute, before shifting his position.

Lyndsey woke up and rolled over, without opening her eyes. “Baby? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Sure?” she asked, opening her eyes. “Why can’t you sleep?”

“Not sure.”

She propped herself up on her elbow and got closer to him. “Talk to me.”

“About what?”

“Whatever’s on your mind.”

There was a pause. “What makes you think something is on my mind?”

“You’re not sleeping.”

“Oh.”

“Oh? I want you to talk to me sweetie.”

“I don’t know what to tell you.”

”Well, let’s just talk about whatever if you can’t sleep. It’ll make the time go by faster.”

He laid Madi down on the bed. “I don’t want to talk.” He stood up and went to the living room, staring out the big window.

Lyndsey waited a few minutes before following him. She stood next to him at the window, silent. He turned his head and looked at her questioningly.

“Just wanted to see what you were doing. I know you well enough to know something’s on your mind. Why won’t you talk?”

“Because.”

“I’m your fiance and that’s the explanation I get?” Nick didn’t answer, instead just shrugged. “I see.” He looked down as she continued. “We share a life Nick. Together forever and you can’t talk to me?”

“Lyndsey...”

“Nick...” She turned to face him.

“I would tell you what’s wrong...but I don’t know.” He started crying softly. “I’m just...I don’t know...”

“I love you.”

“I love you.”

“I’m not pushing, but I want you to be able to talk to me.”

“I just...I guess I’m worried.”

“Do you want to sit?”

“No.”

“Worried? About what?”

“About Madi. And about her and Ray living here. What’s it going to do to us? I don’t want anything to change.”

“Nothing sweetie. We’ll be just fine. Nothing will change.”

“What if it does?”

“They’re only here for a little while remember. What do you think is going to change?” She waited for a response, but got none. “Nick? Sweetie, what do you think is going to happen to us?”

“I don’t know.”

“Do you think it’s changed us with Madi being here this week?”

“Yes it has. My feelings haven’t changed, but things are different.”

“How are they different?”

“We have different routines now. The way stuff is done, things we can do.”

“Nick, she’s your daughter, that’s just what happens when you have a child.”

“We can’t just wake up and decide we want to go to Orlando. I know it is, but I wasn’t expecting it to change like this.”

“It’s going to be like this when we start a family. Anyway, when Ray gets here we won’t be doing this stuff alone like this week. She’ll do a lot, and after a while they won’t be living here and things can go back to the way they were.”

“I’ll miss her not being here.”

“You can see her whenever you want. And have her stay with us, she’d like that.”

“We haven’t had a night out alone since we got back.”

“We will. Ray will be here Saturday, then we can do whatever we want.”

“This is so stupid.”

“What’s stupid?”

“I’m acting like a child.”

“Nick, having a baby is a lot of work and it’s hard to adjust to! You had no time to prepare, I know exactly how you feel.”

“You do?”

“Yes, I understand. It will get easier. Hey...we’ll do something Saturday night. Just me and you.” she smiled.

“If you understand then maybe you’ll understand when I say maybe I’m not quite ready for another kid yet.”

“Of course I understand. When it’s time for us, it’ll happen.”

“Yeah.” he said, sitting in the recliner.

“Want some company?”

“Sure.”

Lyndsey made herself at home on his lap and rested her head on his shoulder. Nick reclined the chair backwards, going to far, flipping it backwards.

“Oops.” he laughed.

“Owie, my head.”

“You OK?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” she giggled.

“Good. This is actually kind of comfortable.”

“We can stay right here if you want.”

“Works for me.”

“Me too, I’m on you.” she smiled.

“You’re crazy.” he chuckled.

She turned her head and flashed him a cheesy grin. “I love you Nickolas!”

“I love you Nin.”

She smiled and laid her head back down on him. Nick closed his eyes and sighed quietly.

“That a good sigh or bad sigh?”

“Hmm?”

“Are you content right now?”

“Uh huh.”

“Good.” She kissed him softly on the neck.

“You trying to keep me awake?” he smiled.

“If I wanted to keep you awake, you know I could, but I’ll let you sleep.”

“Oh you could, could you?”

“Yes.”

“I see.”

“You do see? Cause...it’s kinda dark in here...”

He flipped over and pinned her under him. “Yes...I do see.”

“What do you see?”

“I see that you’re about to get your ass kicked.”

“You can’t kick my ass, it’s on the floor.”

“You wanna fight?”

“You’ll get hurt!”

“I’m about sure. Bring it on shorty.” he said standing up. Lyndsey followed his lead, standing in front of him. Nick walked to her, backing her against the wall, pinning her with his hands. “Now what are you going to do?”

“I can get away, I don’t want to make you look bad.” she smiled.

“No you can’t, and smiling is not allowed.”

“Who said you get to make all the rules?”

“I did.”

“You’re not playing fair Mr. Carter.”

“Nothing is fair, Miss Littrell.”

“You should be fair.”

“Why should I be fair? Then I won’t get what I want.”

“And what do you want?”

He raised an eyebrow and cracked a crooked smile. “You.”

“You want me?”

“You tell me.” he said moving up against her.

“I think so...”

“You think so?”

“I know so. Why don’t you take me if you want me?”

“I was waiting for permission. But I guess I have it now, don’t I?”

“You always have it.”

He leaned down, his lips softly meeting hers in the dark...