Deacon looked in the mirror with a strange sense of pride. This was supposed to be a happy day, and it was, Maddie was getting married. His baby girl was about to marry the man that loved her with all his heart and that she did with all of hers. It was a relief to know this man would be the one to take care of her, he was a good, Christian, man that would do anything for Maddie. He had been the calm to balance out all of Maddie's wild, and Deacon knew this man would never break her heart, at such a young age he was already the man it had taken Deacon almost 30 years to become for Maddie's mother.

Rayna. That was why today was so hard. She should be here. It had been about 5 years since Rayna's death, and it still hurt just as much as it had the second he saw her flatline in that hospital room. Deacon believed that everything happened for a reason, that everyone had a time when they would be called Home, he was a Christian man, but it still had hurt. To this day, he didn't understand why such a wonderful, amazing, woman had to die so young. 47, Rayna had been in the prime of her life, and she had been taken from him, from the girls. It didn't seem fair.

Deacon had learned to cope with her death though, only because she would want him to move forward, and because he had to be strong for the girls. Still, he wished Rayna could be here now. It was Maddie's wedding day, and Deacon knew their daughter wished her mother could be here today just as much as he did.

Reaching in the pocket of his suit, Deacon pulled out a small picture, it was of Rayna on their wedding day. Pressing the picture to his lips, a stray tear slid out of his lids. "Ray," he whimpered, his lip quivering, "Oh, baby, I wish you were here right now, you'd be so proud of her."

"Me too." Maddie's voice came from the doorway, and Deacon spun around, wiping the tears beneath his eyes. "But she can see me." Her voice was choked up now too, but she was trying to remain dignified. "It's like that song..."

"Oh, sweetie," Deacon's mouth hung open as he approached her, "you look so beautiful." His hands went to her shoulders, gently squeezing them. Then his brows knit together curiously, "what song is that, honey? Did you write somethin'?"

"I didn't write anything." Maddie shook her head, though her head was tilted down, "but you know the song." Clearing her throat, lifting her head, Maddie took a deep breath before beginning to sing very quietly.

"there's holes in the floor of heaven, and her tears are pourin down.

That's how I know she's watchin, wishing she could be here now.

And sometimes when I'm lonely, I remember she can see,

there's holes in the floor of heaven, and she's watchin over you and me." Maddie stopped, dabbing at her eyes, "I can't sing anymore right now, I don't want to ruin my makeup." Maddie tried to laugh, but it was forced and weak, and Deacon understood.

"Well, my little girl is 22," Deacon smiled as he changed the age from the original lyric to suit Maddie, "I walk her down the aisle,

Its a shame her mom can't be here now, to see her lovely smile.

They throw the rice, I catch her eye, As the rain starts comin down, she takes my hand..." Deacon stopped then, blinking back tears. Maddie smiled, knowing what was next, her hand moving to gently grasp his.

"Daddy, don't be sad, 'cause I know Mama is watchin now… and there's holes in the floor of Heaven..." Maddie needed to stop this, she was going to end up being a mess before she even got to walk down the aisle.

Maddie was so much like Rayna had been, so much stronger then he was, and Deacon couldn't keep a tear from slipping out. Pulling her in closer to him, Deacon hugged her as tight as he could, placing a soft kiss to her cheek. "When did you turn into such a woman?" He asked through a choked voice.

Maddie hugged him back, laughing slightly, "guess I had a pretty great example. I want her to be proud of me, and to know that I love her... I know she's watching over us, dad, but I just... I miss her." Maddie clung to him tighter, and Deacon realized she was starting to cry too.

"Maddie, honey," he pulled back, tilting her chin up to meet his gaze. "She is so proud of you, I know she is, and she knows you love her... She knows. I know she does." Deacon tried to keep his voice firm, strong, but he knew it was cracking. "If your mama had the choice, I know she wouldn't have let those complications take her from you. I know it." His thumb stroked her cheek carefully. "Just like that song says, sweetie, she's watchin' over you, and don't you ever forget that, okay?" Deacon glanced to the clock on the wall, then back to his daughter in her white gown. "Now, I don't think we should keep the groom waitin' much longer, how 'bout we go walk down that aisle now?" Deacon asked after a slight sniffle of his own, everyone was at the church and waiting for them.

"I think that's a great idea." Maddie giggled, almost girlishly, her finger carefully dabbing the sides of her eyes before looping her arm through her father's and beginning their walk.

"I love you, Maddie." Deacon said with a genuine smile, "both of us do." She'd understand what he meant.

"I love you both too."

The ceremony had been beautiful, Deacon had cried after giving his little girl away, but he was happy for her and the man she would share the rest of her life with. He'd been civil with Teddy and Tandy, and Daphne had been a lovely maid of honor. Maddie and her husband, which felt so weird to say, were so in love, And Deacon could almost see the marriage join the two as the peacher pronounced them husband and wife. They had the same love he and her mother had for one another. In the middle of it, even, Deacon felt Rayna's presence. It was soft and quiet, but it was strong. Rayna was attending their daughter's wedding!

Music had been an easy decision for Maddie's wedding. Deacon, Avery, Juliette, Scarlett, Gunnar, and Daphne would all play at some point. Initially Deacon had said he would just do the whole thing, until it had come to their realization that they would want to have a father-daughter dance, then the others all joined in one by one. It was agreed that Deacon would do the song for the husband and wife's first dance.

Getting his guitar on, Deacon took in a long breath. This was going to be rough, but he had to do it. This was for Maddie. "Alright, " he said into the mic, getting the courage to begin. "That was a beautiful ceremony, wasn't it? I tell ya, I can't believe that my little girl is married now." A variation of responses came from the guests, and Deacon continued, "but today ain't about me, it's about my beautiful daughter and her new husband!" Deacon was easily able to spot, and smile to, Maddie in the big crowd. "I love you, Maddie, and this is for you."

Deacon's fingers skillfully began to play the intro and, with a deep breath, after closing and reopening his eyes, he began to sing. "Sittin' here tonight, by the firelight..."

These lyrics came so naturally to Deacon, but not easily. Sure, this was kind of the family's anthem, and they had always sang it together. However, singing it on Rayna's deathbed had been indelibly carved into his mind. The girls and him had sang it since, on special occasions and when one of them was having a particularly bad day, but it seemed different now. This was a wedding, this was the song he had written for Rayna, that had in many ways brought their family together... This song, though, to Deacon, represented Rayna and everything he had hoped for their future the instant he'd seen her. It seemed so... Wrong... To be doing this at their daughter's wedding when Rayna-

Deacon's eyes were drawn to a far corner of the room, the sunlight streamed through the window so brightly, but that wasn't the stunning thing he saw.

For only a moment, Deacon thought he had seen Rayna! She was standing in the corner, smiling and watching Maddie, in a long and flowing white gown. It was simpler than Maddie's, of course, but Rayna looked just as beautiful as the day he had last seen her. It was a miracle he didn't mess up any of the chords, especially when he saw her move! She was smiling, Rayna was smiling at him, and then she seemed to have blown him a kiss! Oh, maybe a tear leaked out of his eye, but in the blink of an eye, she was gone. It soothed him through, Rayna looked happy, and so much better than she had in the hospital when she died. Sure, living without her was hard and it hurt, but she was with him always. Rayna was watching over him, over their girls, and, one day, Deacon had faith and knew they would all be together again.

With a fresh smile and a burst of creative energy, Deacon continued to strum along, and was able to deliver the next line right on time and without anyone noticing that he had just had such an amazing visit.

"It reminds me, I already have more than I should.

I don't need fame, no one to know my name.

At the end of the day,

Lord I pray,

I have a life that's good.

Two arms around me, heaven to ground me,

and family that always calls me home.

Four wheels to get there, enough love to share,

and a sweet, sweet, sweet song.

At the end of the day,

Lord I pray,

I have a life that's good..."