I promise some Rayna and Deacon interaction is coming soon! Hope you enjoy!

One song. One stupid love song was all it took to make Scarlett change her mind about her future. Out in the livingroom her bags still laid by the door all packed and ready to go but she wasn't. Not yet anyways.

"I don't think you should go." Those words echoed in her head since Gunner had said to her at the Bluebird. What did that even mean? She wondered. As far as she was concerned he was with Zoey and they seemed pretty happy so why was he writing this beautiful song for her?

Taking a seat at the breakfast table with her cup of coffee, she tilted her head slightly when she saw a picture of Rayna and Luke on the front page of the newspaper. Before she knew it she had picked it up to study it.

Luke was down on one knee, his cowboy hat sitting beside him on the stage and Rayna was leaning over him to seal the deal with a kiss. The King and Queen of Country. It sure looked like a fairytale but maybe things weren't exactly what they seemed.

Engrossed in the newspaper article, she hardly noticed him enter the room. "Mornin'." Her eyes grew wide when she recognized Deacon's voice. She quickly folded the paper and laid it on the table. "Mornin'." She replied casually before faking a smile and hiding the paper under her elbows. He looked at her confused for a moment then just shook his head and went to pour himself a cup of coffee.

He opened the silverware drawer, picking out a spoon to add sugar to his coffee with. "Well what's on your agenda today?" He asked as he stirred in his sugar and milk. "Thought I'd start apartment hunting since it looks like I'll be sticking around here after all."

A year ago when Scarlett decided to move in with him, they both agreed not to pry in each other's personal lives because as Deacon would say 'that's none of your damn business' but he couldn't help but wonder what caused the sudden change in her lately.

He looked over at his frail blonde niece with concern. The bags under her eyes indicated to him how exhausted she was. Cautiously, he sat down across from her. "Is that what you want? To stick around? Just last week you were rambling about how much you wanted to go back to Old Miss."

Her tired eyes drifted to the floor as she brought her right knee up and tucked it under her chin. "I guess I changed my mind." She wasn't about to tell him how complicated things were between Zoey, Gunner and herself. He nodded, deciding to let it go.

It had always been in her nature to take care of people and before he knew it she stood to put a piece of toast in the toaster for him. "You can stay here a little longer you know?"

She nodded as she turned around to open the fridge, pulling out the eggs. "Thanks but I think it's time to have my own place again." Maneuvering around the kitchen, she placed the frying pan on the stove, turning the burner on medium. "'Sides Maddie needs her own room when she stays on the weekends and I think I finally have enough saved up from working at the Bluebird and touring for Rayn-" Scarlett paused as she let the cracked egg slide into the frying pan.

Her eyes darted towards him, cursing under her breath. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring her up."

She was a nervous wreck, afraid she might've just sent him over the edge but he seemed to be in control, not even bothered by her comment. "Who? Rayna?" The casual tone of his voice surprised her, leaving her speechless. "Is that why you hid the paper? Cause of the engagement announcement?"

'Nothing gets by him.' She thought to herself but instead looked up at him, a curious look on her face wondering how in the world he knew about the announcement. It was as if he read her mind when he picked up the paper and waved it in the air. "It was in the weekend edition too and on Good Morning America and let's not forget the fourteen, no fifteen times they played Ball and Chain on the radio yesterday." Without any effort, he tossed the paper back onto the table.

"Hard to escape I guess." Scarlett said as she scooped the eggs and toast onto a plate, carrying them over to him. He just smirked. "Darlin' you can say that again. Oh and did I mention I'm scheduled to tour with Luke next month?" He picked up his fork, stabbing at the eggs and lifting it to his mouth.

After she refilled her cup of coffee, she joined him at the table. "How do you do it? I mean how do you not wonder what it would've been like if things had been different?" She always wondered how things would've been if she accepted Gunner's proposal.

'Damn.' He thought, wondering where Scarlett had been the past fourteen years when he laid awake wondering if Rayna was doing the same thing, when she touched his arm to congratulate him after a successful show nearly making his skin burn because he wanting her so badly. All those longing looks he shot Rayna's way when he wondered what it would've been like if he was her husband instead of Teddy. To Scarlett, he must've made it look easy to go on without Rayna all these years.

"I used to ask myself that question every day" She sat up straight eager to hear any advice he had to throw her way. "but then I learned living in the past isn't good for anyone."

Boy was that the truth. Just the other night, before he went over to Rayna's he knew he was ready to leave his dark past behind him. If he could just have her and show her that he was ready to start a future with her, he would never touch a drink again.

Something about the way he kissed her and she didn't pull away made him confident she would be his very soon. He took a sip of his coffee, placing the mug on the table when a big grin lit up on his face. "Sometimes you have to save yourself and in the end things will be exactly the way they're supposed to be."