Deacon walked into the house to find Scarlett sitting on the couch writing in her journal.

"You were at Rayna's?" she asked, setting her journal down next to her, but pen tucked in to keep her place.

Deacon dropped his bag to the floor and sat down in the chair. "Yeah, we had to talk to Maddie."

"You told them?" Scarlett asked.

Deacon shook his head. "No, not yet. Something else came up and I...I'm gonna tell them, I just had to get them through this first."

"What's going on?"

He explained about the paternity and Maddie's contract.

"Jeff Fordham," Scarlett muttered. "Good for Rayna, but…"

"I know," Deacon responded. "I mean, part of me is happy to just tell the whole world that legally, in every way that I'm Maddie's father, but I wish it wasn't happening this way."

"So what happens next?" Scarlett asked.

Deacon rubbed his hand across this stubble on his chin. "Well, I gotta go down to the hospital and take a blood test for paternity and then go to court with Rayna. Sounds like they can rush the test results and hopefully we get things wrapped up tomorrow or the next day."

"And then?" Scarlett asked.

Deacon leaned forward, his elbows wresting on his knees. "Well, then I guess I better tell my family what's going on."

"Things look good, Deacon," Dr. Rand said as Deacon slipped his shirt back on. "As you know, we need to keep you on your current regimen, keep checking your levels, monitor the transplant list and…"

"Keep a positive thought?" Deacon added. "Can I bother you for one more thing?"

The doctor looked up from Deacon's chart. "Sure, what can I do for you?"

Deacon handed him the slip of paper. "I need a blood test-a paternity test, with the results rushed, if possible."

The doctor looked down at the slip. "Is this another possible donor?"

Deacon shook his head. "No, it's my daughter. I wasn't initially listed on her birth certificate, but for a bunch of reasons, we need to get that changed now."

The doctor sat back down on the stool across from Deacon. "Is she possibly a donor? I know it's hard after what happened with your sister, but I would encourage you to explore any possibilities that might be out there."

"She's only 15," Deacon replied. "And I couldn't ask that. I couldn't put her in that kind of danger."

The doctor nodded. "No, we wouldn't consider a donor that age, plus her size would really require so much of her organ. So, have you talked with her? With her mother? Scarlett sounded like you were keeping things pretty much to yourself."

"So she said that," Deacon replied, with a quick laugh. "Yeah, I've just been trying to figure out things for myself, hoping I might have some good news to share first, but with this other stuff going on now, I'm thinking it might be time to tell them."

Dr. Rand stood back up and put his hand on Deacon's shoulder. "Well, if I can help in any way, if they have questions or want to talk, I'm happy to do that-with your permission, of course."

Deacon stood up and held his hand out to the doctor. "Thanks. I might take you up on that."

Dr. Rand shook Deacon's hand. "I'll send a tech in to draw that blood and get it up to the lab immediately with a rush order. What do you want me to do with the results?"

"The lawyer's name is on the form. Just have them fax the results over there."

"Should I call you?" the doctor asked.

Deacon shook his head. "Nah, I already know the results."

Deacon sat next to Rayna in the front row of the courtroom. In a sign of impending defeat, Teddy had not shown up. Neither had Jeff Fordham, although he had sent along three attorneys to represent Edgehill Republic.

"Ms. Jaymes, I've received your petition," the judge said from her position on the bench in front of them. "With the supporting paperwork, I am issuing the amended birth certificate and I declare the contract between Maddie Conrad and Edgehill Republic to be void."

She dropped her gavel and Rayna turned to Deacon. "Thank god," she said as she hugged him.

"Ray?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied, pulling back.

"We'd better talk."

The pedestrian bridge across the Cumberland River was largely empty, the tourist crowds sparse on a weekday. They walked about halfway across, stopping at one of the overlooks.

"What is it?" she asked as they both looked out across the river. leaning on the railing of the bridge.

"The other night," he started.

She turned so that she could see him, but his eyes were still locked across the water on the buildings down below on Broadway.

"Yes," she answered.

He looked down, but still wouldn't look at her. "They weren't vitamins."

She put her hand over his. "What is it, Deacon?"

He turned so that now he could see her, her face now covered in concern. "I'm sick. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you sooner, but it's bad and I just didn't have the words right then. I'm sorry about that."

She slid her arms around him and pulled him tight, feeling his breath hitch as he stifled a cry. She couldn't think of another time when he'd cried with her.

"What is it?" she asked, her voice muffled against his shoulder.

He pulled back, raising his hand up to brush away the tear that was trying to escape. "Shoot, I never used to cry. Cried in front of Maddie the other day."

"What is it, Deacon?" she asked again.

He looked down at his feet and then back up again at her. "It's cancer. In my liver."

His liver. Her great unspoken fear. First in the early years it was him driving drunk and cracking up his car, then later the pills and an overdose, but as time had gone on and she was afraid he'd never stop drinking, she had been afraid that his liver would just give up.

And now it had.

"And I know I've gotta tell Maddie, but Ray, it's breaking my heart. I just found her. I can't…" He broke down again.

"But what do they say? What's the treatment? Who's your doctor?" She had so many questions.

"Scarlett's been taking good care of me, but they've got me on a transplant list," Deacon shared. "I guess I was thinking that I'd find a liver and then I'd tell you, when we had good news, but these past few days, the test, going to court-I just realized that I needed to share this with my family."

A sad look crossed Rayna's face. "A transplant?"

Deacon nodded. "It's pretty much the only thing they can do, and maybe that won't work either."

She put her arms around him again and pulled him to her. "It's gonna work, Deacon. We're not ready to lose you. Not now."

Rayna drove back to Belle Meade, not even noticing half the drive. She sat at one light until the car behind her honked. She looked up and saw the light was green. She crossed through the intersection and pulled over. She reached in her purse for her phone and dialed.

"Bucky, it's Rayna. Can you...can you push things on my schedule? I need a couple of days. No, things went fine at court, it's taken care of, but I need the rest of the week. Can we make that happen?"

As Bucky agreed to rearrange her schedule she ended the call, the dialed again.

"Hey, it's me. Yeah...can we go away for a few days?"

With Deacon's agreement on the other line, she made one last call.

"Tandy, can you come stay with the girls for the week?"

Her sister agreed. It was set. All she needed to do now was go home, pack a bag and wait for Deacon to pick her up. A few days. For them. And then they would tell Maddie.

TBC

Author's note: Gosh, thanks for all the lovely reviews. Okay, you convinced me...it was not just a one-shot. Look for more this week.