Hey y'all! I'm back at it with a longer fic. I was rewatching the end of season 2 and I thought, what if Luke had died in that accident. This goes into Rayna's reactions and how she copes. Thanks to RClaybourne for all the help and suggestons!
Disclaimer: I don't own it... But if I did, who knows….
Months had passed since rayna brought Bucky her songs she'd been working on. Lies of the Lonely was holding steady in the top ten. She was spending a lot of her free time with Deacon, either at her place or his. Tandy was with rayna one afternoon and could tell her little sister was out of it. "Ray... You in there today?"
She sighed, "yeah, sorry. Couldn't sleep last night"
"Too busy with Claybourne?"
"Just... Couldn't sleep"
"Okay. What's wrong?" Tandy asked.
"Nothin. Too much thinkin"
Tandy sighed, "good thinkin? Or bad thinkin?"
"Deacon thinks we should make ourselves official and tell everybody.." She blurted.
Tandy smiled, "you should Rayna, you've been back together for months now"
She sighed, "it's not too soon?"
Tandy shook her head, "because it's Deacon, no."
She just nodded and grabbed her purse, "where are you going?"
"To make things right"
She drove as fast as she could to deacon's and banged on the door. He answered, smiling, "well hey Ray. Come on in"
She stepped into his house and smiled, looking around, "what're you doin?"
"I was writin, until you showed up... But now I'm doin this" he smiled, pulling her in for a kiss.
She smiled, melting into his kiss and forgetting about the things that had been bothering her that morning. She put her hands on his chest, "I want you. I want us, I want everything that comes with being us..."
He smiled, "really Ray?"
She nodded, "I'm ready"
He hugged her, "I'm so happy. Can we tell Tandy and the girls first?"
She agreed and a few days later, the news was out that they were a couple. Bucky could tell that she was happier, and doing a whole lot better. He'd come to tell her even better news. She opened the door to deacon's house when he knocked, "hey buck"
He smiled, "hey, great news Ray."
"What's that?"
"Lies of the Lonely hit number one..." He smiled when a huge smile appeared on her face, "really? Oh my god that's awesome"
Deacon came up behind her, "what's awesome babe?"
"Lies of the lonely is number one!"
He smiled and wrapped her in a hug, "that's great babe!"
Bucky smiled, "congratulations Rayna, I'm proud of you. You two have dinner reservations at your favorite place tonight. Go celebrate"
She smiled, "thanks buck"
He left, and Deacon smiled, pulling her into a hug and kissing her, "congratulations babe"
She deepened the kiss, her hands finding the button on his jeans. He looked at her and smiled, "you want this babe?"
She nodded, sighing internally. Since they'd gotten back together he'd started to ask her each time if she was ready and how far she wanted to go. It was getting old and she just wanted to have sex. "Yeah babe. I want this, you. Us. All of it"
He nodded and led her to the bedroom.
A few hours later he woke up and looked at the clock, he knew about their dinner reservation for that night but Rayna was still sleeping peacefully curled up next to him. He peppered her bare shoulder with kisses, "babe"
She moaned and rolled over to see him, "hey"
"Dinner..." He told her.
A big smile crossed her face, "let's go. I wanna have some fun"
He nodded, smiling and giving her a quick kiss.
They got dressed and he helped her into the truck, turning on the radio. She smiled when a familiar beat came on, "babe!"
He chuckled, turning it up. The song faded a few minutes later, 'that was Rayna Jaymes' first release since the death of her boyfriend Luke Wheeler five months ago. It hit number one this morning. Sounds an awful lot like its about him, don't ya think Travis?' The announcer said, causing her to angrily punch the off button and sit back.
Deacon sighed, squeezing her hand, "it's okay babe. Let's go have fun"
She nodded, "I'm sorry. It's just a stupid radio"
They were stopped at a red light so he looked to her, "don't be sorry. You can't control that."
She smiled at him and he kept driving. They arrived at dinner and were seated at a booth in a back corner that Rayna loved. They laughed and talked through dinner and Deacon smiled as he paid for her meal, "I've got my spot at the bluebird tonight. Come with me"
She nodded, "let's go"
He took her to the bluebird and the bouncer smiled when he saw her with Deacon. She sat backstage with him on a drum case while he warmed up. "What are you playin tonight?" She asked, swinging her feet against the drum case.
He smiled, "a surprise for you"
She smiled, "aw thanks babe"
He leaned in and kissed her, "let's give em a surprise. Whadda ya say?"
He hoped she'd agree, her tour was still on hiatus while she recovered but he was hoping a small, familiar venue would help get her back on track.
She bit her lip, "you think?"
He nodded, "only if you're up for it"
She gave him a hesitant smile, "no one?"
He hugged her, happy she was agreeing to singing live again, "let's do it"
She sat in the front at her usual table and the waiter brought her a drink. Deacon ran up onstage, winking at Rayna. "I wanna start tonight with a new one. It's called Forever and Ever, Amen. Ray, this is for you"
He nodded to the drummer behind him and the steady, happy melody started. Rayna found her foot swinging under the table and could see several people smiling in her direction as the song went on. She was still smiling as he called her up onstage after the song and she hugged him, "do your guys know Louisiana woman?" He laughed, nodding.
The band started the old Loretta Lynn duet and she smiled when he started them off. They were singing out of the same microphone by the second verse and he kissed her as the song ended. "No one?" He whispered in her ear. She smiled and nodded, taking a stool at the side of the stage. He started their duet and she had to wipe a tear by the end. He hugged her and she sat onstage with him while he played two more songs.
He put an arm around her and they ran backstage laughing. She smiled, "that felt good"
He kissed her, "I'm glad babe. You look so happy right now"
She smiled, "I really think I am"
He pulled her in for a hug, "I am too. Where to babe?"
"I wanna take a walk..." She smiled. He nodded, "our spot?"
She smiled, taking his hand as they left the bluebird and he helped her in the car.
He parked on the side of the street that led to their favorite park that was away from the busier streets of Nashville. He took her hand as they walked along the familiar path to their spot. She sat on a rock that was big enough for the two of them and smiled. "I had fun tonight"
"Me too. Today was a good day"
She nodded, "yeah..."
He rubbed her back, "what's on your mind babe?"
"Did you know I came out here with Watty a few months back?"
He looked to her, "no, I didn't"
She sighed, "when I was drinkin. I needed a distraction so he met me out here and we just talked. Haven't been back since"
He looked to her, "you hit a rough patch for a while there babe. But you're doin so much better now"
She nodded, "yeah, I'm gettin there"
He rubbed her back, drawing a gentle pattern, "I know you're tryin babe, I'm here for you"
She leaned on him and he kissed the top of her head. He held her for a few minutes in the silence. She smiled, "do you wanna go back?"
He nodded, "alright, let's go"
He got up and she ran for the truck, him chasing after her. He laughed when he got into the truck, "what's gotten into you tonight. I like this"
She smiled, "I think I'm finally happy"
He kissed her and began to drive home.
Well, sorry it's been so long. The real world has been crazy and a little overwhelming with my new job. But, here's my next chapter. It's not beta read but I really wanted to get this up. I could end this here, and continue in a sequel, which I'm thinking about doing. I do have a few more chapters written, but they're several months after this happens. Let me know what you guys think. ~E.