I'm pretty sure this isn't how the writers will choose to tell the story but here's my take anyways. Enjoy!

The tightening feeling in Rayna's chest became more at ease with every mile she put behind her after leaving Luke's ranch. It seemed as though the road was hers today, although there wasn't a lot of traffic on the back roads this time of day on the weekend anyway. It was quite peaceful out in the middle of nowhere besides the sound of her phone buzzing every two minutes. At one point she glanced at the name lit up. Tandy.

Knowing her sister she would beg her to come home and they could smooth everything over but that's not what Rayna wanted or intended to do. She was tired of living on the surface, only doing what was best for everyone around her to keep them all happy when she wasn't happy herself.

In the passenger seat, her phone buzzed again. This time she reached over pushing the lock button and swiping her finger across the screen to shut it off.

The sun was slowly sinking behind the trees after hours of aimlessly driving. She checked the clock on the radio. It was starting to get late. She took a left turn on to the familiar road. With every curve, her hands slightly tipped the steering wheel side to side so effortlessly. Her vehicle had been down this road so many times it was as if it were in autopilot. Dusk started to set in when she pulled her car into park on the side street in East Nashville.

She climbed out of her SUV and stared at the well-lit house. It looked so homey from the outside. She imagined herself pulling up to this very curb every night while her family waited inside. They would be creating a new song, filling the house with music and happiness. A ranch full of horses would not even compare to the simplest sounds of her family welcoming her home.

Rayna smiled as she started for the house. With each step, the cold December air brought her back to reality. It had been a long year and a half keeping him at arms-length and here she was to pull him back into her circus and expect him to forgive her just like that.

As she stepped up onto the porch not knowing what to expect, she gently knocked on the door. She stepped back waiting while she stared at her shoes praying he would answer and not slam the door in her face when he saw it was her. She rocked on her heels with her hands in her pocket. A few seconds later, the door opened and there he was. Her eyes lifted from the ground, staring straight into his. "Hey." She said softly.

He had to have been floored to see her standing there today when he knew damn well she was supposed to be in holy matrimony by now. He gripped the door tighter, holding himself up right. He looked confused and sad. It cut her deep.

Her throat suddenly felt dry when she starts to speak. "I-" She said. "I made a huge mistake." He didn't make a verbal response, just stared at her with that somber look of his. She raised her eyebrows, not expecting him to be this quiet. "I know that I said somethings that I regret now. I told you to move on and then there was the magazine but you were right, that wasn't me, no part of that lifestyle was me. I hurt you and I'm truly sorry for everything."

A couple weeks ago, he wouldn't have even let her continue her apology. He would've grabbed her arm pulling her to him in a fury of passion right there on his porch before fumbling backwards into his house, removing clothing along the way as he slammed the door behind them, leading her to his bedroom and never letting her leave his side ever again. But he knew that wasn't an option anymore. Not with his illness, he couldn't do that to her.

"Deacon?" Her voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Hmm?" He mumbled. She cocked her head to the side, curiously looking at him, wondering if he was going to invite her in. He watched as she shivered standing there on his front porch and read her inner thoughts. He took a step back, nodding his head inside. She walked past him, standing there in his livingroom as he shut the door to face her. She stood there with her face buried in her hands. When she looked up there were no tears. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"I don't know." She said shrugging her shoulders. "When I left Luke's ranch after I told him there would be no wedding, I just drove for hours. It felt so good to finally be free again and then I realized just because I ended it doesn't mean it's going to go away. There's going to be press waiting at my house, it'll be all over the news soon."

Once again, she rubbed her forehead with the tips of her fingers, glancing at the floor as she recalled what a mess she would still have to face.

"Ray I-."

She lifted her eyes to meet his, cutting him off midsentence. "I love you." She blurted out, a small smile creeping up on her face. He frowned, not knowing what to say. "Luke knew the minute I showed up today that I was still in love with you, Deacon. That's why I couldn't do it."

He swallowed hard. This was all so much. So much that he had once hoped for and even dreamed of but with his diagnosis he didn't want to mislead her in case things took a turn for the worse.

"I have loved you ever since I first laid eyes on you." She stares at him with that longing look and he's gone. Before he knows it, she steps forward grabbing his hands, leaning her mouth to his ear and whispers "Eternity."

That word makes him shiver hearing her say it. The pads of his thumbs stroke the backs of her hands. Her skin is warm. Having her close everything feels so right but he can't do it. He doesn't want her crying at his gravesite wondering what she could've done differently to save him. He doesn't want her to have any part in this at all. He steps away with his back to her and runs a hand through his hair. It overcomes him and he curses at the unfortunate circumstances the day has brought him. "Damnit."

"Don't! Don't do it Deacon! We are meant to be. You and me remember?" She steps closer to him again. He still has his back to her but he can feel her presence near. "I know I don't deserve your forgiveness but please, please. I don't want to live another day without you."

One day she will have to live without me. He thinks to himself, recalling the doctor's news from earlier. When he doesn't respond, she slowly walks over to the couch, taking a seat on the arm and staring at the floor. He glances over towards her. He can see how hurt she is and he can't take it. "I think you should go." He says eventually before walking into his room and shutting the door. She begins to sob and it just about kills him listening to it from the other side of the door.

Coward. He thinks to himself. How could you just let her sit there and cry like that?

An hour later and he doesn't hear anything. He can no longer hear the sound of her footsteps pacing on the floor in the livingroom or the sound of her sobs that broke his heart in two. He crakes open the door, listening. Nothing.

He makes his way down the hallway and stops in his tracks when he sees she's still there, sitting on his couch. "I thought you left." She shakes her head.

He takes a deep breath as he makes his way to the couch and sits down next to her. He seems a lot calmer now. "Look Rayna, I'm sorry about before. It's just-" he pauses. "I thought you were getting married today and then-"

"I know. I'm sorry. It happened so fast and I know you need some time to process everything."

Time. He didn't know how much of that he had left in his lifetime anymore.

"I miss us, Deacon. I miss the way things used to be. The way we'd just sit for hours and talk. We haven't exactly been in each other's lives lately. There's so much we need to catch up on. So much I want to ask you."

"Like what?"

"Like where is this hand built dresser Maddie told me all about?" She asks glancing around.

He laughs recalling the time he put it together. "Down the hall in her room."

Rayna raises her eyebrows curious where Maddie's room was. She realized she hadn't been around enough to know Maddie even had a room at Deacon's house. He must've saw the curiosity in her eyes as he stood up extending his hand for her. She nearly blushes like a teenage girl as she follows him down the hallway to their daughter's room.

He opens the door, switching the light on. She steps into the room with him and gasps glancing around at the freshly painted walls. She sees Deacon's old guitar collection that he passed onto Maddie and the posters of Meryl Haggard and Loretta Lynn hanging on the wall. "Look at this! No wonder she never wants to come home."

He walks over to the corner where the tiny dresser sets. "Here she is."

"It's a beauty." She says running her hand over the stained wood.

He watches her as she looks at all the pictures and decorations he and Maddie put up to make it feel like home. It's the first time he forgets about trying to push her away and he smiles watching her pick up his EP that he signed for Maddie. "I gave her the first copy I could get my hands on. Figured she wore out A Life That's Good."

Rayna smiled, as she traced her finger over his signature. "She'll treasure this forever."

His smile slowly fades, imagining his daughter playing his records nonstop when he's gone and sobbing each time she remembers things they did together like their fishing trip to the cabin or shopping for that silly looking dresser he built. He catches himself recalling that time Daphne greeted him at the door, grabbing his hand and dragging him through Rayna's house on their first real date together after 14 years. They'd played Ho Hey before Teddy interrupted and made s'mores together as a family.

He catches himself watching Rayna. The way her hair hangs down past her shoulders, the way her face lights up when she looks at a photo of him and Maddie on their fishing trip. He doesn't want to forget a minute of this because he knows his time with them all is limited.

He thinks about Rayna facing the girls and telling them the wedding to Luke is off and the trip to Australia for Christmas as well. He thinks about how badly the press will affect his entire family. He can't stand the thought of reporters waiting outside their house or following them wherever they go. He hates that idea entirely. He just wants to protect them all from the mess as much as he can while he's still able to.

He awkwardly clears his throat, bringing Rayna's attention back to him. "It's getting late. Been a long day." He says standing in the middle of the room. She nods standing up to put the pictures back where she found them. She slides her jacket back on and starts for the doorway. She knows that's her cue to leave.

He has an inner battle with himself, telling himself that the best thing for her to do is leave but he's not ready to let her face the cruel world waiting for her out there with their cameras and microphones. Before he can stop himself he blurts out. "Would you like to stay here?" She turns around to face him, clearly surprised. "I mean in Maddie's room." He adds.

She tries to hide her smile. "Yeah I'd like that."

He nods. "I'll grab you a fresh pillow case and sheets." He says as he starts to exit the room.

"Hey Deacon." She says. He stops and looks at her. She smiles at him. "Thanks."

Hope you enjoyed!