Hey y'all. So I've been really busy with school, but I really appreciated all of the positive comments on this story. I decided to write a second chapter because so many of you asked for one. I want to apologize because I wrote this story feeling like it was finished and not necessarily a cliffhanger but just a little one shot. So hopefully this second chapter will leave y'all feeling more of a conclusion.

I want to say in advance...again... that this is a BRISTEN story so if you do not like these types of stories you should stop reading right now! I am not writing this story to offend anyone! Nor do I think this happened in real life. This is fan fiction and it is purely truly just an idea I had one day standing in line for coffee!

I sit in my chair, starring at my phone in disbelief of the words I see appearing on my screen. So I decided to bring the coffee to you. I click on the picture, zooming in on the ticket first looking at the date, but then I move from the ticket to his face. He looks good from a distance his facial hair is grown out a little more than usual but his eyes are what give how he's really doing away. To anyone else they would think he looks good, but for me I can see the truth behind his eyes. There is a hint of sadness hidden behind the captivating blue color, the reason I notice right away is because they remind me of my own eyes. I click out of the image and move my eyes back to the nine words that have caused my breath to hitch and my heart to start pumping so fast and hard I can see the up and down movement slightly above my left breast. I am reading those words over and over again in my head with my fingers hovered over the screen when

"Hey Connie, we need you back on set."

I turn and smile their direction giving them a slight nod encouraging them to leave me and that I would be right there. I let out an even steady breath, in an effort to slow my heart. I press my fingers down to the screen and type out my address, click send and return to work.

I filmed until almost 3 o'clock in the afternoon and in the moment I was grateful. Work was a good distraction from constantly watching the clock. But now on my drive home, exhaustion outweighing everything and my eyes are getting too heavy to keep open and I feel like I'm driving in autopilot. Yoby's nanny was getting him from his guitar lesson after school so I am on my way to the house hoping to take a quick nap before I have to start dinner and homework.

I slide my key into the front door keyhole and push open the door. I toss my keys onto the side table basket, but after they hit the bottom of the bowl I hear a faint laugh coming from the kitchen. Yoby shouldn't be home yet, "Yoby?" I call as I turn into the kitchen. The scene in front of me stops me dead in my tracks and all of the air from my lungs disappears. Yoby is sitting on the kitchen counter smiling at me and Chip is standing right beside him. There are ingredients for some kind of dinner sprawled out all over the counter around them as well as Yoby's homework and backpack. "Mom look who's here!" I'm still stunned trying to form words when Chip says, "I got him from school a little early, and we were just about to start on the spaghetti dinner for you." He stays standing next to Yoby, giving me his apology eyes and grinning because he knows I'm still completely shocked he's standing with my son in my kitchen right now.

"Thank you, I was just going to order take out." I work my way into the kitchen to the other side of Yoby, grabbing him into a hug and kissing him on his cheek. "Have you done your homework little man?" He looks at me and then back and Chip as if Chip was suppose to save him. "Welllllllll…Uncle Chip said he would help me with my homework after we made you dinner." I look at him and then over to Chip, "Did he?" Yoby grins up at the both of us because he knows I'm going to give in. "Oh come onnn Con, I need my co-chief if this dinner is going to be even close to edible." I look down at Yoby and know there is just no point in even trying, "Fine, but now you have two co-chiefs. Maybe we can finish faster and actually get this one to bed on time."

I get Yoby down off of the counter to take him to wash his hands. Once we are done we begin to make the sausage balls as Chip starts boiling the water and gathering everything for the marinara sauce. The whole time Yoby would not stop smiling at Chip. I realize in that moment I haven't been the only one in this house who's been missing Chip. They play off of each other, joking back and forth and Chip shows him how to test whether or not noodles are done by throwing them onto the fridge. Before I knew it I was tossing the salad and they were setting the table for us.

We sat down to begin eating our dinner and Yoby did all of the talking. He went on and on about his new school, guitar lessons, and the few friends he's made so far. It made me smile and a little happy to hear him talking to Chip about all of the new things going on in his life. Because up until tonight I had no idea how he was really adjusting to Los Angeles. I've been so busy with the new show and the other projects I'm trying to start that I've lost touch with him a little bit.

"Okay, honey time for homework, bath and bed." I get up from the table gathering all of their dirty dishes and set them into the sink. "I'll do those after I finish his homework with him Con, don't worry about them. Go take a shower and relax, you've had a long day. I got this." I look at him and back to my son who is gathering his backpack and decide to leave them to have some alone time. "Ok. Thanks." He grins at me and nods as Yoby pulls him towards the study. I turn towards the stairs and head up to my bedroom.

I take my time enjoying the alone time I thought I wouldn't be getting today. I get out of the shower and spend an even longer amount of time on my night routine and eventually come out of the bathroom feeling refreshed but still extremely exhausted. My bed looks so inviting so I decide to crawl in and take a 30 minute nap, which would give the boys a little extra time without me.

I roll over grabbing my extra pillow to cover my face. Why are my lights still on? I never leave them on? Oh shit! I jump up and look over at the clock on my side table it's 9:30 p.m. I jump up and walk down the hall to Yoby's bedroom. Please be asleep. Please be asleep. Pleaseeeee. I crack open the door and poke my head in just a little, he's sprawled out on his bed, blankets on the floor and lightly snoring. Oh thank god! "He's been out about 45 minutes. 3 songs and 2 stories and he was out like a light. I just finished putting all the dishes away." I close the door behind me and turn around to face him. "Thank you. I didn't mean to fall asleep. But I'm impressed, tonight's the first night in over a week he's asleep before midnight."

I nod my heads towards the stairs asking him to follow me downstairs. "No problem. I'm glad I could have a little extra one on one time with him. I've really missed him…and you." I grab a bottle of wine and a glass for myself and a glass for him. I poured him some pushing his glass to him and then I poured myself one. I chugged my first one not looking at him and half filled my next one.

"How have you been Chip?" It feels weird to ask such a surfaced questions, but I realized I really didn't know the answer. "I've been ok, busy with the show. It hasn't been the same since you left. I've tried to fill the void the best I know how to but I'm just not you." "You shouldn't try to be me. You bring your own unique caring personality. Everyone loves you, and you know it. You're always going out of your way to make people laugh, dancing when you probably shouldn't. Y'all will be fine, I've always said they will kill me before they killed you." He made a sarcastic cough before saying,"Yeah. Well. You made sure that happened." It got quiet and I chugged another glass of wine. I don't know how to respond to that.

"I uhm I see you've moved on."

"What?!"

"The blonde. What name did the writers give her? I think it starts with a J."

"You've been watching?"

"I tried not to, but I don't sleep much these days so…"

"Her names Jessie in the show but the actress is Kaitlin Doubleday. She's great, but I don't know. I think the writers are rushing Deacon, and I think it's because everyone knows next season is going to be our last. I asked the writers to not write in a new love interest but they disagreed, pretty strongly. I think he needs to be left alone to mourn losing the love of his life. I mean I can't even imagine how he feels, I mean you've only been gone a few months and I'm…" My breath hitches the same way it did earlier today, but he continues not even aware of what his half cut off sentence has done to me. "I think they are devaluing the love Rayna and Deacon had for one another by bring Kaitlin in so early. I mean he waited 15 years for the life he got to live for less than a year. No one recovers from that, not truly. But, since you've been watching what do you think?"

"I think you are right. I think they could have really expanded upon Deacon's grief. Showed him struggling to live in her house, struggling to be a full time dad and business owner, him struggling with his music. I mean every song he ever wrote came back to Rayna in some way. When you lose not only your best friend, your wife, but your music inspiration that really destroys a person. They could have also worked in your addiction struggles. So story wise I agree with you, but I what about Kaitlin?"

"What about her?"

"Did…uhm, how…do…"

"Do I have feelings for her?" I couldn't look at him. I wanted to chug the rest of my drink but I've already had too much.

"You think…seriously?"

"I don't know what to think. I know I left, I am the one that ended things but I can't help it. I mean come on Chip, that's how we started right? Late nights, long conversations, sex scenes, it all led to that season 1 wrap party night. She's pretty, and blonde, that's your type. You've had a few tension filled scenes, it could've happened."

He sets his glass down on the counter and turns away from me. He's angry and trying not to punch a hole in my kitchen wall. After saying it out loud I know he would never cross that line again, it's just not who he is. He didn't even want to cross it the first time. I know it's just me, being jealous and trying to push him away, but I can't take it back now.

"Connie, I'm going to say this, but I am only going to say it once and I want you to listen very carefully. I remember the moment I met you. I can tell you exactly what you were wearing, down to how many rings you had stacked up on every single one of your fingers. The moment I stepped foot in the same room as you I no longer felt like I was in control of any of my decisions anymore. It's like we were these two particles who lived two completely different and separate lives only to collide in that very moment. You were charismatic, breath-takingly gorgeous, and the instant your eyes met mine everything else around you became blurred. And when you smiled…God when you smiled I knew my purpose for the rest of my life was to make sure that smile never left your face. I became torn every second I spent with you between being the man I knew I was suppose to be and being the man my heart needed me to be. I fell in love with you. I loved you, I could never…I will never…I loved you. And that's something I can not apologize for. If I could save us from all of the pain loving you has put us through I would, but I can't, I've tried."

"I wish that love was enough."

I left him in the kitchen, taking the wine bottle with me to the living room. I sit with my legs pulled up under me. Tears are rolling down my cheeks and I slowly bring the bottle up to my lips taking a few long gulps. Why is he here? What does saying any of that change? How does any of what he just said make it any easier for me to let him go?

He eventually makes his way back into the room, sitting on the opposite side of the couch with his own bottle of whiskey. I guess that was the noise I heard coming from the kitchen.

"So what about you?

"What about me Chip?"

"Your new love interest, Oliver? Yes, I watch the show."

"Uhm, he's great. Everyone on the cast is great, and working with Ryan again has been amazing. But no, I haven't been seeing anyone, including Oliver. Who has a girlfriend by the way."

"So you aren't seeing anyone because you are so ugly no one wants you." I punch him in the arm and laugh, "Shut up!"

"But seriously Connie."

"Honestly?"

"Honestly."

I sit up straight but I can't look at him as I say what I am about to say so I play with the bottle a little before I say, "I made a choice a long time ago, that night, at Nashville's first wrap party. You were wearing a simple button down and jeans, but you just you'd given me this feeling I'd never had before. You gave me goosebumps all over my body and I got this tingling feeling in my lips. I'd been drinking a while and when you came over to me and asked me to dance yes came out without me even thinking. I made the first move, I pulled you in real close to me. I moved my hips real slow up against yours. I ran my fingers up and down the back of your neck pulling ever so slightly at the base of your hair. And then I…"

"And then you whispered in my ear take me home." He finished my sentence for me and as he did my head shot up from the bottle and found his. Looking into his eyes I continued by saying, "I chose to cross that line, we crossed that line together. I fell in love with you too. And I…I can't imagine having any of those kinds of moments with anyone else, I can't love anyone else the way that I love you. But I also know that I can't ask you to choose me."

"Connie I"

"Stop. As much as I loved seeing how happy it made Yoby to have you here tonight, and as much as I want to beg you to stay. Tomorrow I need you to leave, it's just too hard."

He's quiet but nods his head yes. I get up from the couch, leaving the bottle on the center coffee table and reach my hand out to him. "Come to bed with me." He grabs my head and I lead him up to my bedroom. Again, I make the first move by pushing him up against my wall, running my fingers under his shirt, and kissing him. But we both know this is the last time I make the first move.