I decided to join in the fun of writing what's to come (or rather what I'd like to see happen) with Rayna and Deacon when the show returns. (How many more weeks is that again?) :( I'm not really sure in which direction I'm going to take this but I'm open to suggestions! Hope you enjoy!
"Are you sure about this Ray?" Deacon asked uncertain looking over at her in the passenger seat. She stared out the window. Without moving her eyes from the window, she simply nodded. A tear escaped her eye. He reached over and gently stroked her arm. It broke his heart seeing her like this.
At his sincere gesture, she turned to face him. "I just need to get out of Nashville." She replied. He took a deep breath and offered her a half smile, understanding her pain.
"What about the girls?" He asked still unsure of this plan she had in mind. "They're with Teddy." She replied, wiping the tears that continued to escape her eyes. "Don't you think they're going to be worried about you after everything that happened?" He asked trying to reason with her. "I just can't face them right now. I can't-" She started to say before breaking down.
A few minutes later, she pulled herself together and looked back over at Deacon. "Are you going to drive or not?" She asked. He struggled to give her a straight answer. She grabbed the door handle. "Fine." She pushed the door open a crack. "I will get out and walk if I have to." She threatened.
He grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "Ray, stop. I'll take you there." He said softly.
She took her hand off the door handle and settled back in her seat, shutting the door. She watched him fascine his seatbelt and turn the key in the ignition. She quickly fascines her seatbelt and off they drove.
Earlier that afternoon:
Rayna looked around at the familiar faces surrounded her at the grave site. Tandy stepped up and placed her rose on the casket. Rayna walked as her hand stroked the oak wood surface. Tandy took a step back, standing next to Rayna, reaching for her sister's hand. Rayna pulled her hand away, not wanting anything to do with her.
Daphne stepped up and placed her rose on the casket then looked up to the sky wondering if what they told her was true, that her Pawpaw was really looking down on her.
Rayna was the last to place her rose on the casket. She stood in front of the casket for a long time sobbing. They all decided to give her a minute after the graveside service was over.
Teddy had come up behind her and slung his arm around her shoulder. He kissed the top of her head. "Rayna let me take care of you please. I can move back in the house." He offered resting his chin on her head. She shifted her weight to put some distance between them. The last thing she wanted was to give their daughters the wrong idea. "Just take care of our children okay?" She asked. He nodded. "Of course but what about you? You were there for me when Peggy died. Let me be there for you." He turned to face her, reaching his hands up to her face and wiping the tears away.
Deacon had stood a distance away, talking to Juliette and Maddie. He looked over at the moment Teddy and Rayna were sharing. "Is she going to be alright?" Maddie asked catching where Deacon's eyes were staring.
Deacon looked to Juliette for answers. "Yeah, she will. You have a strong mama but she's going to need your help through this. It's tough losing a parent." Juliette advised. Maddie nodded watching Tandy and Daphne walk over to them. Tandy tried her best to hold back her tears as she fidgeted with Daphne's hair. She bent down and hugged both the girls. "Oh my babies!" She squeezed them tight. "I'm going to head out but if you need anything you call me okay?" Both the girls nodded. Tandy hugged them one more time. "I love you guys!" Tandy said. "Love you too." Both girls said in unison. Tandy walked away.
Rayna grabbed Teddy's wrists pulling them away from her face. "I'll be fine." She said. "Please just take the girls home. They've been through enough today." She pleaded. Teddy nodded and walked over to the girls, Deacon and Juliette. Juliette got the sense that Teddy needed a moment alone with Deacon. "Come on girls, let's go over here for a minute." Juliette said excusing them all.
Teddy and Deacon both shoved their hands in their pocket not saying a word. They both watched Rayna bend over the grave. "She had a fight with him just before he died, did she tell you that?" Teddy asked looking over at Deacon. Deacon shook his head. "No." He replied, his voice barely above a whisper.
Teddy kicked the ground in anger. "That son of a bitch took my wife." He said through his gritted teeth. "Hey hey." Deacon said touching Teddy's shoulder to calm him down. Teddy adjusted his tie and looked around. "Rayna asked me to take the girls home." Teddy said after calming down. Deacon nodded. "Okay, is there anything I can do?" Deacon offered. Teddy nodded towards Rayna. "Watch her. Make sure she gets home." Teddy said as he walked away.
Everyone had left but Deacon. He still stood back a ways observing her. She hadn't really moved. He decided to approach slowly. She had her head hung low as she sobbed. He bent down on the ground beside her and cradled her in his arms. "Why?" She yelled through her sobs. He pulled her tighter into his arms.
A few minutes later, she was sitting beside him without touching. She stared at the ground, her tears were frozen to her face and her eyes still watered. "He admitted to taking my mother's life. He was a murderer." She said without glancing up. "Ray-" Deacon startled to say.
"He said he loved her but he drove her off the road, he watched her die and then just walked away. He lied about it, my whole life, he lied." She said hurt. Deacon just listened, not knowing what to say. "And I'm just like him." She said bursting into tears again.
"What?" Deacon asked. "He stole my mother away from me just like I stole Maddie away from you." Rayna sobbed. Deacon grabbed her arm and shook her lightly. "Listen to me, you did not steal anything from me. You did what was best for Maddie. I understand that." Deacon said softly. "How can you forgive me? I lied." Rayna said.
"Let me ask you something." He said. Rayna looked up from the ground at his tone. "Was Maddie a happy child growing up?" He asked. Rayna nodded. "Did she have a good home?" He asked. Rayna nodded again. "That's all that matters. To know my child was taken care of and happy, that's what parenthood is about right?" He asked.
She nodded again. "And she had the best Uncle Deacon. What else could a child ask for?" He said lightening the tension. Rayna smiled. "Thank you." She said.
"You ready to get out of here?" He asked. "I guess so." She replied bringing her attention back to the headstone. He watched her trace the letters in the stone of her mother's name. "Do you want me to give you a minute alone?" He asked. She looked up and nodded. "Yeah I'll be right there." She replied. He nodded and walked back to his truck.
Soon Rayna joined him. "We better get you home." Deacon said. "I'm not going home." She replied looking out the window. "What do you mean you're not going home?" Deacon asked. "It's so toxic there. Teddy lies. Tandy lies. I can't be around that anymore." Rayna says. "Rayna where are you going to go?" He asked concerned. She hestitated a moment. "I-I've been thinking-" She started to say. "Where are you going to go?" He repeated. "The cabin." She said simply. "The cabin?" He repeated. "All you have to do is drop me off. I'll hide out up there for a while." She said trying to reason with him. "Please Deacon." She pleaded as tears returned to her eyes.
