A/N: So I sat down to write a collection of one-shots, but this monster came out instead. It's been brewing for quite a few weeks, and meanwhile I've heard (despite my best efforts) some titbits of information about Season 3 that might make some parts of this seem like a) I've based the story on what I've heard or b) some of this is old news. Neither is intentional and I'm just owned by these two at the moment so had to finish this. Many chapters to come - all written already...;)

This is my take on how it might go down in the early episodes of Season Three. Chapter Three might be a little wishful thinking on my part, but it was fun to write so I left it in.

Renaming The Stars.

Chapter One.

The morning came quickly, so much so that Rayna felt as though she hadn't slept at all. When she had it had been fitful, dreams interweaving with the real events of the last day and a half disorientating her every time she opened her eyes to look at the clock.

She lay amongst the layers of covers on her big bed for a while, too tired to move yet but too wired to attempt to go back to sleep. She knew that as soon as she got up she would have to face the day, and that meant facing what had happened last night. She re-read the last text she'd had from Luke which had vibrated through her phone about thirty seconds after the door had banged shut behind Deacon, making her jump guiltily. The kids and I are having a drink in your honour. Hope that rock isn't weighing you down too much. The kids. His kids. She was supposed to meet his daughter today, and make nice with his son who she knew wasn't her biggest fan.

At six she swung her legs out of the bed and came face to face with Deacon's ring on her dresser. It had been like another person in the room since he had left her holding it. Which he had done in true Deacon style: it was very him to sweep in, deliver a beautiful monologue that stretched straight from his heart to hers, and leave. All without wasting a word. She was kind of terrified of him at times. He wasn't afraid of the truth, no matter how messy. He could get right to the heart of the matter in seconds, for better or worse. He could read her like he could music. He just got it. He had called her out on her cowardice before, being ready to end his relationship with Stacy at the drop of a hat if she wanted him to. Doing it anyway even when she denied her own feelings. She had pretended, and he had seen through her, and he had been right on the money. That thought unnerved her deeply.

As did this ring. It was as familiar to her as the man himself. She had kept it for so long the last time he had given it to her - longer than her actual wedding ring- that it felt like hers already. Then she had kept it treasured away, although she had looked at it more often than she cared to admit, worn it even occasionally, on very bad and private days when she had pined for him and her marriage to Teddy had seemed like a noose around her neck and she had hated herself for thinking that but had been unable to escape from how much she missed him. She would drive out to the river wearing that ring, sit in the car for an hour listening to their songs, and then slink home when she had come out of the fog. She had cherished the thought that if she had an accident she would be found wearing it and that would be kind of karmically appropriate. She had it bad back then.

She placed it next to Luke's ring on the dresser and wondered what was wrong with her that she didn't prefer the huge bespoke Tiffany cut diamond. Which was beautiful. It was also ostentatious. Worn to be looked at. The other was humble, symbolic, unapologetic. That ring spoke to her. It had come back from the dead, kind of, and she felt exposed by it's being there. She was surprised it hadn't found it's way on to her finger while she slept. She left the room, slamming the door on the pair of them. Maybe they would duke it out without her.

Her coffee tasted especially good after so little rest. She stood on the back patio, taking in the crisp clean air of the morning while it was quiet and she could think. Or try to. Her mind raced. She needed to restore some semblance of emotional order before midday. Before Luke's car arrived to collect her. Before she had to decide whether to tell him about Deacon's visit to her house last night.

This time of day was usually so peaceful. It felt like someone had pressed a pause button, and that somehow anything was possible as the day unfolded around her. She hoped that was true. Although she really had no idea what she was rooting for. Could she throw it all up in the air and let the pieces fall where they may? She wasn't sure her long time, full throttle relationship with Deacon would stand for that. It had a habit of making it's own history, regardless of her best laid plans.

She wondered if perhaps she hadn't made herself clear when she had thanked God for "that wonderful man". She had meant Luke, of course. Hadn't she? She knew Luke was all that and more, a great partner, father, lover, friend. She knew that marrying him would make her family safe and her happy. But she had been shocked when he had proposed. It had not felt the way she thought it was supposed to. Although, she reminded herself, her frame of reference was skewed. Teddy's proposal had been more of a conversation, no dramatic presentation of a ring but a quiet admission that he loved her and wanted to look after her. So really she could only compare it to that long ago night in the cabin that she wanted to forget (and he had for a while), and last night.

Last night. That had been a hell of a moment, Deacon blasting his way back into her carefully controlled world, threatening to unbalance everything. That's the way it's supposed to be. You know that. He had pinned her to the wall with the force of his emotions. And, he'd kissed her. It was frustrating how easily he could physically manipulate her. As he'd moved in closer to her she was thinking stop but as his hands rested lightly on her waist she started to crumble, and when he actually kissed her she did a pretty poor job of deflecting it. In hindsight, she tried to give herself a break. She hadn't seen it coming. He was determined to say his piece, and she had tried to stop it. But in her heart she knew she hadn't done very well. She had not played that scene like someone who was another man's fiancé. The whole thing had left her shaky and emotional.

Luke's proposal had not felt like that. It had been a very cute moment, though. He had looked up at her with those gorgeous eyes and she'd wished they were somewhere else so she could concentrate on what he was actually saying. She'd caught him saying he loved her, and then something about a trick knee. The public nature of it had also felt a bit like a competition, and that disappointed her mildly. He knew Deacon was watching. Teddy, too. Worse, the girls were, and they were as startled as she was. She had seen Maddie's face, and that hadn't been too much of a surprise. But Daphne. She'd thought her youngest daughter adored Luke. She knew now that however much she did like him it wasn't a deep comfort, not enough to see them as a family. That was something that could easily change, she knew, but right now it felt like a mountain to climb.

That wasn't all that was eating at her though. If she was honest it still smarted a bit that Luke had questioned her motives at Fort Campbell. Yes, she could do business with the best of them when she had to, but he knew she didn't lead with that. She was a heart on legs unless she had to put her game face on, and he should have known better. She had forgiven it, understood it even, but it stuck in her mind. And he was awful to Juliette. He did make that ground back, and some, and she had been surprised at the effort he'd gone to, knowing that their duet would do wonders for Juliette's image. But still. She'd thought him more of a gentleman than that. She'd get over it but she wished that wasn't so fresh in her mind when this ring was so fresh on her finger. And. The big but. He hadn't let her talk to the girls first. That snagged most of all.

But none of the details of the way he'd asked the question should be a deal-breaker over the answer, she knew. He loved her, she loved him, and yes, it was sudden, but logically she saw no good reason why they shouldn't get married. So why couldn't she shake this sinking feeling?

She stood under the shower for a long time, feeling better afterwards. Forcing herself to eat a piece of toast, she called Teddy to make sure the girls were okay. They were staying with him this week because she was here there and everywhere promoting the album. He told her they were fine, if a little quiet, which is what he himself was on the other end of the line.

"Great show last night," he said, borderline sarcastic.

"Thank you."

" I particularly liked the final number."

She sighed. Said nothing.

"Congratulations Rayna. I hope you'll be happy." He didn't sound like he meant it much, but he'd said it, and he didn't have much of a corner to fight from these days.

"Thank you," she said, quietly.

"I wish the girls had known before the entire stadium, but what's done is done."

"I would have liked that too. But I guess there wasn't time. You know that concert was pretty last minute."

"Yeah." His tone left her cold, and angry.

"You know what Teddy, you got remarried about ten seconds after we got divorced, and the girls found out that news from their grandmother's ring around Peggy's neck. So unclench."

"Fine. Do what you have to do." Rayna rolled her eyes, hoping he could hear her.

"I'll pick the girls up at four. I want to see them for an hour. I need to know how they feel about all this."

"Better late than never."

She resisted the urge to throw the phone onto the counter.

She took twice as long as usual to get ready. Discarding outfit after outfit as inappropriate for the occasion. The occasion being meeting Luke's children, she continually reminded herself, not deflecting her brand new fiancé from the fact that her head was all over the place since she had been thoroughly kissed by another man. She'd been engaged roughly twelve hours and already it was in turmoil. That must be some sort of record.

One hour forty minutes to go. How was she supposed to resolve this before then? She sat down again, took a long breath in the silence, and forced herself to imagine the possible outcomes here. She went to lunch and told Luke what had happened and threw Deacon under the bus. She went and told Luke it was over. She went to lunch via Deacon's and told him it was over. She spent the rest of her life trying to ensure the two of them never crossed paths. She held her head as it throbbed a little. That would never work. Other possibilities. Telling them both no. Becoming a nun. Her heart ached. She let out a long breath. This wasn't getting her anywhere. She turned off the lights in the bedroom and made her way to the kitchen. There she poured herself another cup of coffee, leaned against the counter, and made a decision.