Author Note: Hi! This is my first time writing for Nashville. This takes place after the series finale. I am posting this in honor of Charles Esten being in Ilse de Lange's home country of the Netherlands. So enjoy and review!

"Hey!" Ilse smiled as she walked over to Daphne's family. She was glad that Deacon had only taken notice of her arrival and the girls were in their little world.

"Thank you." Deacon grasped for her hand in thanks or was it that he wanted to be near her.

"Oh, I didn't do anything." Ilse smiled at the touch that lingered for a second but quickly and nervously let go. She missed the contact between her and Deacon.

"Yes, yes you did, so thank you." Deacon leaned in just wanting to be closer because the hand holding would prompt too many questions from the neighboring press. It was the singers night to shine. Not a whole story about two famous people flirting.

"So you going on tour?" Ilse nervously questioned to keep the conversation going because she didn't want to say goodbye just yet. Placing her hands in her pockets that were too small because they were the stupid women's jeans.

"Yeah, I am, I'm pretty excited about it." Deacon smiled as he shifted his feet and broke into a smile of excitement.

"That's Great! So when you get back...ummm...Maybe we can write or something?" She cautiously asked the question she had wanted to ask how she feared that he would say no. Ilse wanted to spend more time in his company since meeting him a few months ago during one of Daphne's first rehearsal when she performed Memories Crash.

"I'd like that." Deacon smiled — another excuse to see Ilse. A fantastic idea, he knew she was a tremendous songwriter because hearing her performance of a song that she wrote called Love Goes On that was about her father's passing.

"I'd like that too." Ilse was excited that he thought it was a good idea. She knew he hadn't co-written many songs since the passing of his late wife, Rayna. She knew she wouldn't match the talents of the two together, but hoped to find something new.

"Okay."

"Alright."

Ilse stood at the back of the audiences with the house managers and ushers as she watched Deacon's last show equally in awe as the crowd was. They had scheduled a little writing session the next day at the house which was planned by flirty texts between them. She was giggling like a teenager when she would read them. Who would have thought? She would be finding love with a widow and his family.

Ilse couldn't wait to see the girls too. It had been a few a months since she last saw them...Scarlett, Maddie, and Daphne. All of the amazing artists and people, she knew they were growing even more and more talented by the second. Ilse was there when Daphne signed to Highway 65. She was so excited to see that girl go places from Nashville Next to being a solo artist. Highway 65 seemed like it would be her home as well.

She was nervous about what Maddie and Daphne would think if she gave it a shot with their dad. Ilse even thought about how Scarlett would feel because she and Deacon were close. Knowing who their sublime mother and aunt were. She felt out of place in their world. Yea, she was famous. But not on the level that Rayna Jaymes brought with her. She wanted to be their friend not a possible mother figure to them...she did not want to replace Rayna in any way or sorts because it wasn't her place too.

But even before thinking about loving Deacon and getting her hopes up. She wanted to focus on their songwriting relationship and friendship. But they both know in their hearts that something is there. A spark. A warmth. A comfort. The concert went swimmingly; she snuck out the door to hopefully catch Deacon. Thankfully, she had some recognition, so the security let her backstage with no fuss.

"Ilse!" Daphne skipped to Ilse with Maddie following behind just as quick.

"Okay, You two just grew in talent since the last time I saw you which was like two months ago." Ilse smiled. "You are going to rob me of a job."

"No, you are too talented and too beautiful to lose your job. Ask dad that. He's been so smitten with his phone waiting for a certain someone." Maddie gave her a wink.

"Oh, that's...lovely." Ilse blushed with rosy cheeks as she noticed the girls look at each other. "What was that look for." Giving an uncomfortable heel rock that didn't go unnoticed by Daphne.

"I don't think my dad is going to be just getting a song out of this." Daphne giggled. "You guys are trying to avoid each other like wildfire." Maddie nodded in agreement.

"So...you are okay if I tried a relationship with your father...I mean Deacon?" Ilse dreaded the fear of rejection.

"We are both okay with it. We like you. Yeah, Jessie was nice, but he doesn't truly light up with her as he does with you. It reminds us of the glow he had with our mother. We like that. We want him to be happy." Maddie spoke up. "We are both growing up, and Deacon needs something to be distracted than worrying."

"Girls, if you ever feel uncomfortable about this relationship or want it to stop. Tell me. You are the priority if I do start a relationship with your father. Your guys' happiness comes before mine, and I don't ever want to step on your toes." Ilse sighed.

"We will let you know if anything comes up. But we honestly probably will love you almost as equally as Deacon. You are someone we like. You helped me become an artist that I was supposed to be. I believe you would be someone my mother would have approved for Deacon if she was alive." Daphne looked at her sister who was in agreement. "There might be some rough patches because we miss our mom, but we want Deacon to be happy. Our mom is no longer with us, and we finally have come to terms with her death and Deacon moving on with a new chapter. He still is young. He deserves to be happy."

"There you girls are!" Deacon approaches not noticing Ilse. " Ready to go?" He looks up to finally notice Ilse.

"Hey. I can't wait for tomorrow. Songwriting it's going to be a ball!" Deacon gave his famous goofy grin.

"I too. I should rest up." Ilse tucked a strand of hair from her face. "See you tomorrow. It was nice seeing you, Maddie and Daphne." She waved goodbye.

Deacon nervously looked at the recording studio. It had never seemed cleaner. He wasn't sure to leave Rayna's records on the wall. To have his first wife staring at her through the time of writing music and possibly falling in love again.

Deacon displayed some takeout places amongst the coffee tables. Daphne was over at Maddie's new home. It was a perfect place, and he felt ready to move on. He moved on from Rayna too fast with Jessie, and he felt so sorry for doing that to Jessie. But at least she had her son. He closed his eyes and thought about what happened this morning...

A few hours before.

"Hey, Ray." Deacon walked up to her headstone. He reached the stone, cleaning it up and dropping off fresh flowers. "So, I know I dated someone between us and this. But this feels different. I also feel that there is something like we had and still do."

"The girls are great, and they both love this woman. She was Daphne's mentor on Nashville's Next. You would like her too. If you were alive, I think you would be friends."

"I'll see you later. I love you." Deacon departed the headstone. He loved his weekly visits to the cemetery. "I promise to introduce you to her when it's right." As he looked up into the sky to search for Rayna's acceptance.

His thoughts were interrupted as the phone rang. "Scarlett." He picked up his phone.

"You ready...for your date?" She giggled.

"It's not a date. We're just going to brainstorm on some tunes." Deacon tried to cover up his nervous excitement.

"Totally if I understood what Maddie was texting me. I don't think this hang out session will end with just a hug." Scarlett teased her uncle.

"Scarlett, I gotta go." Deacon attempted to get her off the phone. "I think Ilse is calling me."

"Oooh. Have fun you two." As the phone clicked signaling she had hung up.

"Ilse?" Deacon answered his next call.

" Hi, Deacon!" Ilse sweetly said. "I'm at the gate."

"I'll buzz you in." Deacon nervously buzzed the gate and took one last look at his outfit.

He heard the knock at the kitchen door as he took a deep breath before opening the door that revealed a casual Ilse wearing high waisted jeans that complemented with a tucked in blouse that was a shade of light navy with yellow wildflowers. This whole outfit was paired with a light brown heel boot and matching jacket since there was a summer breeze. He was in awe.

"Do you not like my outfit?" She asked nervously because she had spent two hours on the look.

"No. It just took me a minute to take in the beautiful sight before me." He smiled taking her guitar out of her hand.

Ilse blushed as she followed him down the hallway to the recording studio.

Some time has passed since the start of their writing session.

Ilse's shoes were off, and her feet were resting on Deacon's thigh. She was playing with lyrics and Deacon had come up with a melody.

"Hey Deacon, what about this?" Ilse sang the lyrics to his melody.

"I like it, but what this word instead of that?" He scribbled onto her pad of paper. She sang the tune again with the change.

"Deacon, you are just magic with music as she leaned in to hug him, but their lips ended closer to each other, and they were breathing in the warm breath of each other. Not being able to resist their lips crash onto each other. Her hand lands naturally on to his pectoral. They both gasped for air at the same time at that moment Ilse opened her eyes to meet the eyes of one of Rayna's album cover. She pushed him away from getting another taste of her lips."

"What's wrong?" Deacon looked at her worriedly. "You didn't like the kiss." He hadn't taken a drink in years so that it couldn't be his breath.

"Nothing. It's nothing. I just connected with that vinyl of Rayna's face.." Ilse weakly smiled in embarrassment.

"I should have taken them down. Having your passed wife staring at someone you are interested in..." Deacon placed his hands in his face in shame.

"No...you don't need to take them down because of me. She's a part of your history. She's the mother of your children. Leave them be. I just stopped because I don't want to cross the line because of her memory. I know I got the girls permission. But she died only a year and a half ago, and I know you already were in a relationship right after her death. I don't want to rush this. I want it to be slow and something meaningful." Ilse spoke as she placed her hand on his bicep and squeezed it.

"How did I meet someone so understanding?" He smiled with his famous grin."Also, how did you know about Jessie?"

"Your girls are very chatty. Also, Daphne and I are buddies. She wanted to talk to a daughter who lost a parent." She looked at him with a concerned face.

"Thank You. So let's take this slowly?" He looked at her with hope. Ilse nodded as she curled her body into him and tucked her head onto his shoulder. Deacon smiled and rested his chin on her head placing his arms around her.

TBC