This idea came to me randomly, i have no idea why. Imagine Rayna and Deacon in their old age...how cute. I can picture them still the exact same, just wrinkly and a bit stiffer. I choose to believe that they both are, right now, living their best life, and one day will reach old age TOGETHER. You all should too, its far better than what the show did. Reviews are always appreciated. thank you!

The year is 2050. Rayna is 80 years old. She has long grey hair, wrinkles, shes more fragile, but certainly dosen't need a walking stick or any type of helping hand with anything. She had retired from the music industry back when she was 70, but she still wrote with her husband deacon whenever they felt like it. Nobody but them would hear the songs though. They were secret. That was up until 1 year ago to the day.

It had been a calm relaxing day, they'd been chilling at Deacons house which they moved into after they sold her Belle Meade mansion once the girls moved out. They had been living in his little house ever since - the cabin was their escape. They had been writing half the day, singing in their now quieter more aged voices, but Deacon had been saying how he hadn't been feeling well that afternoon, so Rayna made him food, hoping that would help, but it didn't. They went to bed early hoping that in the morning he'd be feeling better.

The next morning she sat up, reaching over to her bedside table, grabbing her glasses. She hadn't really felt a lot of movement from Deacon in the night, but it didn't worry her. He was quite a heavy sleeper, especially since he had gotten older. "Deacon." she whispered, placing her hand on his bony shoulder. He was 82 and over the past few months had been feeling more unwell than he ever had, but he'd been to the doctor and they said it was just old age kicking in. She ran her hand over his shoulder, waiting for him to stir like he usually did, but nothing. "Deacon?" she said again, this time an octave louder. Still nothing. Her brow furrowed and she had a gut feeling that something wasn't quite right. She felt for a pulse - nothing. He had died. He had passed away right next to her as she was sleeping. Her heart in that moment completely shattered. She had never felt so broken in her entire life. His body was still warm so she knew he had to of passed on recently.

"No, no..." she cried as she wrapped her arms around his body, holding him as tightly as she could. "You cant leave me!" her whole body was shaking. She looked down at his face which was partly covered by the duvet, taking in how peaceful he looked. In that moment she had a vision of when he was younger. He looked the same, except now his hair was grey, his body bonier and his skin wrinklier. Nothing in Deacons personality had changed, he was still the same. Ever since she passed on Highway 65 to their daughters 10 years ago, she bad barely spent a day apart from him. They had always been inseparable, but the last 10 years they were just living in the little house, with his guitars, her song writing books and that's it. That's all they needed. Every Friday they would go out to one of the more quiet music bars in Nashville just to make sure they didn't lose the connection with the city and the music. The last time they went was 2 days ago. Now here she was lying with Deacons body in the bed they had shared for over 30 years.

Now here one year later she was alone in the house. Deacons favourite guitar was still on its stand in the corner of the living room. She hadn't touched it since he placed it there that final night - she never would. In the past year not much had happened besides her own health had started to deteriorate. She knew it was probably down to a broken heart, because that's all she had felt this past year. It had never gotten easier, no matter how many days passed. Her sister Tandy and her daughters had all tried to comfort her, tried to get her out more, even write music with her, but she didn't want to. Music had always been her self place - her happy place. Now it was just painful. She had always done music with Deacon for as long as she could remember and now all she could see every time she even thought about writing, was his song writing book sitting on the coffee table with his unfinished song he had been writing on his final night.

Today was one year since his passing, and she just wanted to be alone. She already had numerous texts from Daphne this morning asking how she was. She had replied saying shes struggling but she'll be fine, even though she knew in her heart she wasn't fine and never would be again. She grabbed her car keys, hopped in her truck and headed up to the cabin. She had only been up there a few times over the past year. The first few months she couldn't bring herself too, but now she found it more comforting than anything. It was always weird going up there without Deacon, but it was one of the places she knew his spirit would always be.

A short while later she arrived at the beautiful white cabin, their rocking chairs still perched on the porch..nothing had changed from all those years ago. The only difference being the cabin looked a little more worn down. There was a light breeze which created ripples across the water, much to her satisfaction. She made her way over to the rocking chairs, sitting down, taking in the view. This was her favourite place on the planet, the only thing missing was him. She could still feel his presence out here, it felt like he was never gone. He was buried at a cemetery not far from the cabin, but she had never been - not since the funeral. She couldn't bring herself too, but today she felt like it was necessary. She wasn't sure if she should, but it was something that she felt like she needed to do to try and connect with him again. She walked around to the garden at the back of the cabin, to a little flower bed that had some beautiful white Madonna Lilys that they had planted many years ago together. She plucked a few from the dirt, bundled them into her bony hands and placed them on the passenger seat of her truck. Coming up to the cabin today of all days had made her realise that she had to go see Deacon. She had to go talk to him, even if he wasn't able to respond.

Rayna had been sitting under a big tree in her truck for the past hour at the entrance to the cemetery. She watched other people, of all ages, placing flowers down at plots, some coming out with tears in their eyes, some not. She knew when she comes out, shell have tears dripping off her face. The cemetery will probably be flooded with her tears. She reached over, picked up the flowers from the passenger seat and grabbed her glasses from the middle compartment. That's when she noticed a little piece of crumpled paper in the bottom. She picked it up, and read it.

/

Remember when I was young and so were you
And time stood still and love was all we knew
You were the first, so was I
We made love and then you cried
Remember when

Remember when we vowed the vows and walked the walk
Gave our hearts, made the start, it was hard
We lived and learned, life threw curves
There was joy, there was hurt
Remember when...

/

They were the lyrics to a song he had been writing many, many years ago. It wasn't a song they would ever release, it was one he had planned on singing to Rayna only, and he had many times. This wrinkled piece of paper was his first written draft of the song. It was one of her favourite ones he had ever written, and still to this day even reading the lyrics brings tears to her eyes. She bundled the paper up in her opposite hand to the flowers and hopped out of the truck. It was nice and sunny and she knew if Deacon was here right now he would be creating some silly little song for her about it. As she started to walk across to where she remembered his plot was, she hesitated. She knew that if she did this, there was no going back. She continued on though, she had too.

She saw his headstone over by a big oak tree. It was a guitar shape, and she quietly laughed to herself. She remembered how in his will he had specifically stated that's what he wanted. He wrote that 15 years ago.

"I want a guitar headstone." he looked up at Rayna from his glasses. "I think that would be fitting."

"What?" Rayna raised her eyebrows. "Babe do they even do that?"

Deacon nodded, giving her a cheeky smile. He had decided when he was 65 that it was time to write his will, because he had no idea when his time was up, and he wanted to have it all sorted so he didn't have to worry when he was older and unable to make his own decisions.

"You're such an idiot." she laughed.

Today, standing beside his headstone, he had gotten exactly what he wanted. His guitar headstone. It had a picture of Deacon in a little circle plaque smack bang on the front. It was one Rayna had taken on a family weekend up at the cabin when the girls were still young. Daphne was 13 and Maddie was 17. He had the biggest smile on his face - he was happy.

Tears filled Rayna's eyes at the sight of his beautiful face. She could sense his spirit in the air, and in a weird way she actually felt safe - protected. She knew it would be Deacon wrapping his angel wings around her for comfort. She bent down slowly to her knees, struggling slightly with her fragile and stiffening bones. She used her hands to dig a little hole at the front of his headstone, placing the flowers down into the dirt, making sure to pat down the roots so they're secure. She also dug a separate hole and placed in the piece of paper with the song lyrics on. She wanted those to be with him forever, because he was incredibly proud of it.

Once she had sorted it all out, she looked up at Deacons picture and his smiling face. "I miss you, honey." her voice breaking. Rayna kissed the tips of her fingers and ran them over his picture. "You have no idea how much."

She wasn't sure if she wanted to stay any longer and torture herself with the pain, but today was one year since he left her and she could sense him telling her to stay put. She wanted to say so much to him, tell him what had been happening since he gained his wings, she wanted to just simply talk to him again. She got herself in a comfier position - on her butt. She knew her backside would be covered in dirt after but she didn't care. She already had tears beginning to roll down her cheeks, her hand quickly swiping at them.

"God, Deacon. You really have no idea. Its been hell on earth without you. Without your love, your smile, your laugh...your guitar skills, your voice..." she cried. "Nothing feels right anymore."

Rayna took a moment to wipe away her tears, composing herself. She knew this was gonna be hard, but it was excruciating. Truly excruciating.

"I'm not gonna lie, Deacon, i truly feel like you took my soul with you. I don't really even feel human anymore. I lay in bed at night and i still feel your body next to me and then i wake up in the morning to realise all over again that you're gone. No good morning kisses - nothing. Id do anything to bring you back, anything at all. I just want to be in your arms again." she dipped her head, letting her tears fall onto the dry dirt beneath her. "I don't write music anymore, or sing it. I haven't been able too. Its too painful. I know you would probably be telling me right now to try, but i cant. I cant do it without you."

She was glad that right now she had the cemetery to herself because she was an absolute wreck.

"I haven't been back to our bar either, you know that little place we would go every Friday?" she asked, almost expecting him to answer. Of course he didn't, though. She sighed. "Well yeah, anyway, life just isn't the same. I've been feeling my health deteriorate too, honey. I don't think i'll be far off reuniting with you. Then we can continue on, together." she smiled at the thought of being back with him.

"Ill be seeing you again, Deacon. I promise you that. If i'm honest, id rather be with you than here anyway. Id be much happier, so i cant wait." she ran her fingers across his face on the headstone, before slowly standing up. She stood staring at his picture for longer than was necessary, but it comforted her. For the first time since his death, she felt okay. Telling him aloud that she would see him again and that she would be reuniting with him one of these days brung her a feeling of warmth and love. Something she hadn't experienced for a whole entire year. She felt at peace knowing that he can expect her arrival in heaven one of these days. Rayna looked up at the big tree that was giving shade to the area before looking back down at his face. "See you soon, Deacon."

She swiped at her eyes, ridding herself of the tears. She didn't look back, she couldn't. She went straight to the truck, got in, and drove. For 80 years old, she was still very agile and able to do everything. Her heart was beating faster than it had in so long, part of that was nerves and adrenaline, but mainly the fact that she could feel Deacon back in there. He was helping her heart beat faster again - beat with love. She could feel him against her, soothing her - comforting her. In a way she wished she had done this so much sooner, but she was also glad she had done it now, on the one year anniversary. It made it more special and meaningful.

She drove back home, parked the truck, made her way inside, and for the first time in a year she picked up a pen and put it to paper. She finally felt like she could do it. She knew this is what Deacon would want. He wouldn't want her spending her last days, months, or even years moping around and not doing what she was best at - music. Deacon, like always, had helped her. He always had, and he clearly always will.

One day they'll reunite, but for now, Rayna will do what had always helped her, and that is putting her thoughts and feelings onto paper. "This is for you, babe." she held her pen towards the sky, before focusing back on the writing.

The song featured in this story is 'Remember When' by Alan Jackson in case anyone was wondering. Its such a Deyna song. Also i almost cried writing this. The thought of either of them without the other is so sad and painful.