Week One
Day 1
They kiss the girls goodbye and climb into the towncar that races off towards the airport. Rayna hates leaving them alone, especially now that Teddy is in prison. Deacon reminds her that Tandy took six months off of work to stay with the girls while they're on tour, so they're not really alone. He also admits that he already misses them.
##
They board the plane followed by Bucky, and then Scarlett and Gunnar who will be opening for them. It's a far cry from where they started when they first did this type of tour 25 years ago. Old beat up busses, and days spent cramped in tiny beds that could barely sleep one, have turned into a quick two hour flight in their Highway 65 private jet. Rayna leans her head against Deacon's shoulder and reminds him of all the fun they had tangled up in those tiny beds. Deacon slips his hand under her skirt and in between her thighs and whispers how he wishes they were in one of those beds right now.
##
They check into the hotel in Chicago. They have the top floor penthouse. It's two floors with a gigantic crystal chandelier hanging from the center of the room. Rayna likes how it sparkles and creates designs on the tile floor below. Deacon thinks it's gaudy and draws the curtains so the only thing he can see is the outline of Rayna's womanly frame as she unpacks their bags.
There was a cocktail party thrown in their honor to launch the tour, but they didn't seem to make it. They assured each other that Scarlett and Gunnar, and Bucky, poor Bucky, could handle the press without them. They tried to make it, they really did, but then Rayna needed help zipping up the sexy silver dress she'd bought especially for nights like these, and halfway zipped up turned into unzipped and on the floor the moment she asked Deacon for help.
##
She stirs in her sleep. No matter how long she's been doing this it always takes her a few nights to get used to sleeping on the road. When she wakes up in a different hotel room every couple of days, remembering where she is can be hard. They all have high thread count sheets and beautiful silk pillows, but none of them are home. It's not the comforter that Daphne threw up on when she got the flu, or the bedside table with a purple spot on it from when Maddie decided she wanted to be an interior decorator. She's trying to get used to the feel of the crisp white linens when she feels Deacon pull her into his body. He casually throws his left leg over her hip, as he draws her in with his strong arm and nuzzles her neck. It's been nearly 16 years since she's shared a bed with someone while on tour. Right away she feels at home, and she drifts off into peaceful sleep.
Day 2
Rayna is having a diva dip. Her ears aren't right, and the light that's on her is too bright and distracting. Deacon can see it's just nerves. She's worried about doing a stripped down show like they used to do. She was nervous about it three years ago when Watty first brought up the idea of she and Deacon going out on the road together, but she's even more nervous now that she hasn't been touring for over a year while she was taking care of him, and it's her label that's on the line. She's screaming at the lighting people that "we ain't in no prison yard y'all, so the light doesn't need to be that bright," when Deacon reaches over and places his hand on her knee. She stops and looks up into his eyes, and all of a sudden she's forgotten what was bothering her so much.
##
Scarlett and Gunnar go on first. Deacon and Rayna stand in the wings holding hands. People keep comparing the new duo to the older couple, and Rayna and Deacon understand why, but they can see that the similarities are only on the surface. Scarlett and Gunnar make beautiful music together on stage. Rayna and Deacon make beautiful music together wherever life takes them.
##
It's not their first time out on stage together in three years, but it's the first time in a venue this big. Funny, they used to play to audiences three times the size of this when they were doing arena tours with the band back in the day, but this is just the two of them. They're pouring their hearts out to each other again. They're letting people see a part of them that they kept carefully hidden for decades, sometimes even from each other. As soon as the song starts though they've both forgotten the audience. There is no one there but each other. Rayna reaches out and rubs Deacon's arm. Deacon entwines his large fingers with her slender ones. They are connected: physically, emotionally, spiritually. They are entranced by the music, and so is the audience. They barely hear the audience erupt in applause, but then they do, and it's all they hear. They turn away from each other toward the audience, but they are still connected.
Day 5
It's their day off, but the phone rings at 7:30am. Deacon grumbles and says "you answer it, it's your phone." Rayna replies, "I would but it's on your side of the bed. Remember, you threw my jeans in the corner last night, and it was in the pocket." Deacon flashes his most wicked smile to no one in particular since his head is still under the pillow, then he reaches down on the floor until he finds first Rayna's jeans, and then the phone.
It's Maddie. She's rambling on about how Daphne borrowed her favorite top and she spilled juice on it, and so in return she took Daphne's ukulele, and now Daphne purposefully embarrassed her in front of this new boy that she likes. Deacon doesn't respond. He just hands the phone to Rayna and says "it's for you." Five minutes later Deacon can still hear Maddie going on about the shirt and the boy as Rayna just nods her head and responds as if she's more interested in this than anything else in her life. He's amazed how she can do this. He loves being a dad, but this he hasn't mastered yet. He pushes the pillow aside and sits up rubbing her shoulders in appreciation. In this family they each have their roles and they know it.
##
It's noon and they're still in bed. There was a walk to the door to get the room service about two hours ago, but that was it. Rayna lies with her head on Deacon's chest and her hair splayed out so it tickles his chin. She's lightly tracing his scar with her finger. First she does the tale part of the Y, then she moves down first to the left branch, then back to the center, and down the right leg. "Does it hurt?" she asks. Deacon replies with a soft moan. "No, feels good wherever you touch me." Rayna picks up the signal and moves her fingers down lower until they are wrapped around his manhood. Deacon moans louder and they both realize they're never going to see the sun today.
##
The sun is setting over Philadelphia and it's a ball of fire in the sky. Hot pinks and oranges stream in through the openings in the silk curtains. It's magic hour, both for the light and for writing music. Deacon has his guitar out as they both play with lyrics. Our love burns like an evening sun on fire, can't stop the flames of our desire. They both nod at each other that they like the line and it's committed to paper, soon to be sung by thousands of fans that hear it at their show the next night, and then buy the single when it comes out on Itunes 8 months later. But for right now, it's just a feeling between a man and a woman who are constantly aware that days like this may have eluded them forever if they hadn't been so lucky.
Day 7
Deacon's throat is soar. It's a side effect of some of the medicine he's on to keep his new liver running properly. He's nervous he's going to let Rayna down so he's acting out. He's yelling that she's taking too long in the shower and they'll be late for their press conference. She knows he doesn't really care how late she is, he's been living with it for nearly 30 years. She leans out, soap in hair. "Well if you're so worried about being late, we'll save time if we shower together." Deacon joins her in the shower even though he knows that will make them even later. He gently washes the soap out of her hair as he kisses her shoulders and collarbone. Then he pushes her up against the shower wall and makes her scream until her throat is soar too.
##
Rayna and Deacon sit on the counter in their dressing room. She holds his hand and brings it to her mouth kissing the back of it. When he opens his mouth a scratchy whisper comes out despite all the tea and honey he consumed today. She can see that he's frustrated and she's hoping her actions are soothing him, but she can also see in his eyes that he feels like he's let her down. "It's fine babe, we'll just drop the duets and you can just play guitar while I sing."
"This show is about the duets," Deacon croaks. "It's what they've paid to see." Rayna reaches up and runs her hand over Deacon's scruff. "They've paid to see Deacon Claybourne and Rayna Jaymes on stage together and that's what they're going to get. They're going to love us."
##
They do love them, especially when they do a love song, and Deacon's wordless chords on his guitar are so sweet and melancholy that he has the whole audience crying by the bridge. They're honest with the audience and tell them the reason behind Deacon's silence. Rayna had said to him that this was his truth, and he had nothing to be ashamed of, and he had realized she was right. These weren't the days of him passing out drunk in some honkey tonk bar a mile away from the venue. As long as he's showing up sober, he isn't letting her down.
##
It's midnight. The crowds have all left and the clean up crew is making its way through the theater. Rayna and Deacon stand up in the cheap seats looking down at the stage. "I thought we did this before a show?" Rayna asks, wondering why Deacon has pulled her up here at this hour. He wraps his arms around her from behind and rests his chin on her shoulder. "Right there Ray." He reaches out pointing at a spot on the stage. "Right in that spot 25 years ago. That's when I knew I wanted to marry you."
"What?" She asks turning to look at him without pulling out of his warm embrace. "You had your bangs up to here, and a bunch of tacky rhinestones on your jean jacket and you were belting out a song, and I knew, right at that moment that I would die with the name Rayna Jaymes on my lips."
Rayna smiles and turns back to the stage, which is why she doesn't notice at first when Deacon pulls out a ring and slips it on her left ring finger. She doesn't say anything, she just looks down at the solitary diamond on her finger, a ring that's only been there for seconds, but she knows she'll wear for the rest of her days. She pulls Deacon's arms around her tighter as he kisses her neck. "I love you Ray." "I love you too babe."