NB: There is a song that Deacon and Rayna sing in this chapter that belongs to two very gifted artists by the names of Greg Laswell & Ingrid Michaelson. The song is called 'The Light In Me'. I really liked the idea of Deacon and Rayna singing together in a personal setting and this song fits them well, so that is why I put it in here. Check it out!

CHAPTER THREE

"No... you can't use that...it's too…" Rayna made a face as she stared at squiggles on different pieces of paper.

"You're not even giving it a chance." Deacon laughed as he leant over his guitar.

"I'm not giving it a chance because it's stupid."

Deacon hadn't asked any questions when she had called. He wasn't quite sure what had changed her mind when she asked him to meet her at the studio, but he listened to the excuses she gave as she attempted to convince him to join her. He heard the desperation in her voice and knew that regardless of how frustrated he was with her, he would give in and agree to go. Within half an hour they were both pulling out guitars and notepads, occasionally looking up to offer a smile.

"Do you know how rude that is?! My work is hardly stupid."

Rayna rolled her eyes "It's called co-writing for a reason. We can't keep everything you want to keep. It just isn't happening."

"Fine. If I can't keep that, then I say we get rid of yours." Deacon picked up a pen and scribbled out lyrics she had been working on.

They were the only ones left in the studio. Everyone else seemed to have called it a night well over 2 hours ago. Sitting on the floor they had argued over lyric after lyric, occasionally stopping to grab a caffeine hit or stretch their legs.

After the night she had endured, writing music with Deacon was exactly where she wanted to be. She knew it was the worst idea she had had in a long while. Nevertheless, it was the only one she had. She needed to clear her head. He had been the first person that had come to mind once she'd stormed out. Rayna hadn't hesitated to call but she had been worried he would reject her. Surprisingly, he had answered and it was as if their earlier argument had been forgotten. Either that or he was saving what he wanted to say for later. It didn't matter because when she hung up he had agreed to meet her.

Giving up, she fell backwards and lay on the floor covering her face with her hands to hide her eyes from the light, and Deacon. She peaked at the clock on the wall. 1:34am. Teddy was going to kill her. She hadn't left him any messages letting him know where she'd gone. He'd had the sense not to call, leaving her a little relieved but uncertain as to what she could expect when she got home.

"Hey! Get up! Stay awake. I don't wanna be doing this all by myself." Deacon tapped her foot with his knee trying to get her attention.

"Hmm…leave me alone."

"Fine, I'll add this line...the one you love so much...as half of this song writing team I am making an executive decision to put it in." He teased, hoping to provoke her.

"No don't…its total rubbish." She sat up immediately.

They both laughed.

"I've got an idea. Since you don't like my lyrical choices right now…I have this song I've been working on and I wanted to hear your thoughts." He suggested as he began to play a melody unfamiliar to her ear. Rayna nodded and sat patiently. Seconds later he began to sing.

"I've tried my hand at silence but it seems I should come clean. When it comes to you and me girl I've avoided saying one thing. It's been there for a while now, this liar will now sing, till your mine I'll sing."

Instinctively, she cut in on him and sung a spontaneous response.

"Oh baby, my baby, you've helped me through many broken hearts. And maybe, just maybe you can fix all my broken parts."

This made them both smile. Writing together came so easily. It was second nature, comfortable and familiar, a safe place to be. Deacon motioned to scrawl on some paper, indicating for her to follow his lead. They sung together.

"And you took me by surprise when you took my hand." Rayna reached out and squeezed his knee, comfortably singing a harmony "And you with your dark brown eyes. You see the light that I can't see. You see the light in me."

He played a resolve chord and smiled at her.

"Not half bad." He teased.

"Not half bad?" She pushed him off balance.

By reflex he grabbed her wrist and they stopped laughing. He carefully let go of her arm and moved to push a loose strand of hair out of her eyes. Rayna didn't move as his fingers brushed over her cheek, running down her arm. She shivered. Deacon was grateful she hadn't pulled away, but he knew that whatever this was, it wasn't supposed to be happening.

Moving closer, he reached out for her hand, pulling her to him. She guardedly let herself fall into his arms and he steadied her. Rayna felt the heat of his chest against her palms and her breathing became shallow. Deacon wrapped his arms around her and rested his forehead against hers. Rayna smiled at the reawakened connection.

Suddenly she scrambled to her feet, leaving Deacon a little confused. They hadn't realised that her phone had been buzzing.

"My phone! Where is it?!" she exclaimed as she followed the sound until she found it. Backing away from Deacon, she rubbed her sweaty palms on her pants and nervously focused on answering it.

"Hey babe." She answered with false enthusiasm. Deacon cringed.

"I'm not angry. Pissed off, but not angry." She kicked her foot as she was listening him. "Why would I be mad at you?"

Discreetly, Deacon began to pack up their things, taking this phone call to mean they would be calling it a night. Arms folded she looked back over her shoulder at Deacon as he motioned that he was going to leave. Rayna held up her hand with a pleading look convincing him to wait for her.

"Yeah, I'll be home in 20. I was just writing some new material, possibly tour worthy." Rayna smiled up at Deacon. He simply shook his head.

"You too. Ok. Bye." She hung up.

Pointing to the phone she spoke.

"Teddy. Wanting to know when I was coming home. Dinner didn't end so well."

"You don't have to explain anything."

"Yes I do."

"No, you really don't." Deacon pushed the front doors open for them as they walked to the parking lot.

"Deacon!?" She spun, stepping in front him.

"Rayna!?" He matched her tone, avoiding her eyes.

"Look at me." Rayna pleaded, searching his face.

Deacon closed his eyes, breathing heavy as the cold began to creep up on them. He stepped past her and headed towards his car.

"Please don't do this." She walked after him.

"I can't do this." He gestured between them both.

"Whatever this is…is not my fault. I'm not the one walking away right now!" She crossed her arms.

"Don't do that…you know exactly what I mean Rayna."

"What do you mean Deacon?"

"Hell Rayna…the Bluebird, ignoring my calls, blowing me off, you firing me, then there's what happened…in there…what ever the hell that was" He pointed to the studio "…and you don't see what I mean!" he slammed his back door shut after hurling his guitar on the seat.

"We could also bring up Teddy, but there's no point in doing that because you put me in rehab and married the guy…so I'm kind of bias as to what I think about that whole situation. It's total bull by the way!" He slammed the side of his car with his hand.

Rayna froze. She didn't want to admit it but she knew he was right; she had just desperately tried to avoid having this conversation, or any kind of confrontation for that matter.

"Deacon." She nervously tugged at her hair.

"You can lie but I know that you feel it too." He pointed at her.

Rayna stepped closer to him, where they stood inches apart.

"I don't know what you want from me." She whispered, lying unconvincingly.

"We both know you settled for him."

Retreating, Deacon shook the mood; shoving his hands into his pockets to prevent anything he'd later regret doing.

"We're both going on separate tours in a few days. Let's just forget this… Or maybe I'm only talking to myself because you have a tendency to always leave me out of your picture."

Rayna ran her hands through her hair.

"That's not fair Dea-" She choked.

"-Go home Rayna… your husband is waiting." He added bitterly before storming around to his driver door.

Hurt and angry, Rayna crossed her arms to hug herself, carefully hiding her face from Deacon's view as he pulled out of the parking lot.