A/N- So I've already written the first ten chapters but I'm gonna stagger them a little so I can go over the plot line and make sure its coherent and Nashville-worthy. Thank you for the fantastic response to the first chapter, I'm really looking forward to seeing what y'all think of this one!

"Bye girls, have a good day, mama loves you." Rayna called out to her girls as they ran out of the car into school. She paused for a moment; if she could she'd bottle that innocence. It broke her heart knowing that she might be the one to ruin it, but she couldn't see any other way to happiness. Was she being selfish?

She pulled her sunglasses back over her eyes and pulled away, she didn't have any plans. She was just going to drive.

"A smoking gun is what I found, the dirt I have on you is the ground, ooh I'm buried under" Deacon Claybourne awoke in a cold sweat, his heart was beating like a hummingbirds, he groaned as he recognized the song playing on his radio alarm. He turned it off and rolled over; his head felt like it was pulsating and if he didn't know better he'd think he was hungover.

Rayna's aimless journey had led her down an all too familiar road, suburban, nothing to write home about, but to her it was as important as Music Square. She pulled up outside his house, she'd been here countless times before, and her heart always led her back.

He heard a car pull up outside, he wasn't expecting company. Must be Scarlett, he thought resignedly, ever since she moved to Nashville she was round every other day his sister had probably put her up to it. But as he heard the heels on the pathway his eyes widened, he remembered that sound, it had been years.

She raised her hand to knock, gathering up every ounce of courage she could muster.

He ran down the stairs like a man possessed, not caring that his hair was a total mess and he was wearing nothing but a pair of holey flannel pyjama pants. All but tearing the door from its hinges he came face to face with the woman he'd loved for twenty years. They whispered each other's names at exactly the same moment. Tears began to form in Rayna's eyes, threatening to well over.

"Can I…?" She began.

"Uh, yeah, sorry come in." He stepped aside, running his hand through his hair as she brushed past him. She tried to ignore his half-clothed state but memories came flooding back at the unkempt sight of him making it darn near impossible.

"What's going on Ray?" He asked, trying to act casual, "Do you want coffee?"

"Oh, yeah, thanks." She mumbled, he heard the sadness in her voice but held back from asking, he knew she'd come to him for a reason and he was going to let her take her sweet time.

The pair wandered into the kitchen where Deacon made them the strongest cup of coffee either of them had had in a long time, silence smothered them as they avoided the elephant in the room. Rayna moved to a couch, a couch that brought back even more memories, some that she would like to forget, and some she wished she could make again. This place had hardly changed. The tears that had been threatening to flow since her arrival began silently coursing down her cheeks. Alarmed, Deacon rushed to her side.

"Hey, hey what's going on darlin'?" He whispered as he rocked her, seeing her like this broke his heart.

She paused for a moment, she could lie right now, she could make something up and push Teddy to the back of her mind but there was something about him, something she couldn't deny, that brought down every wall she'd ever built around her, "Oh god, Deac, I think…" She gulped through the tears, "I think…he's cheating on me." A full blown sob escaped her lips. Deacon froze, that bastard, he thought. Venomous anger coursed through his veins, he begrudged that fact that Teddy freaking Conrad was the guy she chose, but he'd always said that if she was happy he wasn't going to stand in her way but if the fucker was cheating on her then god help him.

"Ssh, I've got ya, I'm here." He breathed into her hair. Her scent filled his nose, he savoured it and in a twisted way he savoured her helplessness, because at least she was in his arms.

"Deacon." She murmured, the tears subsiding as she pulled away slightly to face the man she couldn't help but adore. "Thank you."

The world seemed to slow down when she looked in his eyes, their lips met gently at first, almost as if they were both surprised that this was actually happening, but then Rayna intensified the kiss and all Deacon could feel around him was her, it'd been almost thirteen years since they'd shared a moment like this. God knew it wasn't because Deacon hadn't wanted to and it wasn't because Rayna hadn't wanted to either, which only made their lust more powerful and overwhelming. Something kind of otherworldly drove Rayna on, her hands exploring the planes of his body that she'd not felt for so long, she remembered every rise and fall in his form, every scar, every essence of him. She knew it was wrong, she knew she shouldn't, that this was the very reason she was in this predicament in the first place, but she couldn't help it, one taste of him and she was addicted again. They both had their vices, the most controlling and all-consuming one being the person that they could never escape.

"Ray," Deacon put his hands on her shoulders and reluctantly pulled away. Taking in the sight of her, he couldn't think of any other word to describe her than 'hot mess', "I can't, you can't."

She was stunned,"Why? You're not my damn husband, who are you to tell me what I can and cannot do!?" Rayna flew into an instantaneous rage. She pushed Deacon away completely and stood up, facing him, challenging him. He wasn't sure how to react, it threw him how they'd gone from one end of the spectrum to the absolute polar opposite within seconds.

"Yeah, Ray, I know, I know I'm not your husband, and don't you realise how much that kills me? How much it kills me every time I see you with him? How much it kills me to see what he's done to you." Deacon retorted; he stood up in front of her, matching her stance just like they used to.

"Don't you dare put that on me Deacon! You know I waited for you." Her voice broke; the sound of it softened his resolve slightly.

"Well you didn't wait long enough." He spat, he knew he was lying, he couldn't have asked her to wait any longer or go through any more than he already put her through. Instantly he regretted saying it but he knew she'd only get more upset if he tried to take it back.

"Shit, Deacon." She bit her lip as the tears began again. "That's really low. What do you expect me to say? That I love you? Because you know I do. You know I always have."

"Do I, Ray?" He cocked his head slightly.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean, why do you think I kissed you?" Despite the anger she felt at his vicious words she couldn't help but laugh a little. And they were back at the other end of the spectrum, Deacon was amazed how they could do that, fly into a rage one minute and be running through fields of daisies holding hands and singing hymns to each other the next minute.

"Because I'm an irresistible guitar god?" He suggested light-heartedly, trying to repent for what he had said without saying sorry. He hated looking weak, even to her.

"Oh shut-up." She swatted at him, he caught her hand with cat-like reflexes and brought it to his mouth.

"I miss you Ray." He whispered, drawing her in. As their eyes locked they forgot what their argument was about and all they could think about was the eyes they were staring into, "I miss us. I really want to do this tour with you. Seriously, I think you need a break." She nodded, he wasn't wrong; the strain of her home life was beginning to take its toll on her. At this point she could totally see why all those big Hollywood stars went for Botox at her age.

"Come play with me tonight, I've got a spot at the Bluebird, just like old times?" He murmured, she knew her answer before he finished speaking. Even though she was the one with the extensive career and legion of devoted fans she was still in awe of his talents and would take any chance she could to play with him, especially in the Bluebird. Right now she just needed to get away from the whole Rayna Jaymes persona anyway, she wanted to go back to just being his 'Ray' for a little while.

She nodded gently and let herself kiss him again, in simple thanks for the respite his presence offered.