Sorry this has taken so long, and that the chapter is so short. Work has consumed me the past few weeks. It also took some time for me to decide on a plausible next direction for the story now that they're together.

##

Deacon rolled over and wrapped his arm around Rayna's waist pressing his lips to her neck and shoulder. "Mornin."

She turned her head to smile back at him as she ran her hand up into his hair. "I didn't hear you come in last night. Must have been late?"

"Yeah," Deacon replied. "I didn't get in until 3:00. Johnny had me singing the chorus of Playing Tricks so many times that I really thought I was losing my mind." He snuggled in closer to her pressing every inch of his body against the back of hers.

"You've been working so much on that album lately. I feel like I never see you. You're barely back on your feet after the attack, and you're always down at the studio."

"I know, but this is my chance baby, and I know if it was you you'd be giving it 110% as well. How many nights were you locked in that studio recording songs until your voice was hoarse?"

"Lots, but you were always with me back then, backing me up on guitar." Rayna turned in Deacon's arms so she was looking up into his baby blues. "I just miss you that's all. I spent over a month waiting for that doctor to give you the all clear, and since then I can count the number of times I've gone to bed in your arms on one hand."

"I'm sorry baby, let me make it up to you." Deacon lowered his head sweeping kisses across her forehead and cheeks before pressing his mouth to hers in a long and lingering one. Rayna let out a moan as the taste of his lips and tongue consumed every inch of her mouth. She wasn't lying, she had missed him so much. It seemed like all she could thing about these days was being in his arms, and the moments were few and far between. They'd told the girls weeks ago that they were together, but since then they hadn't had one family evening with the four of them. Daphne kept asking if he was really her boyfriend, or just her pretend boyfriend like Maddie's friend Brian.

Rayna pushed the troubling thoughts out of her mind as Deacon worked his magic on her body. He expertly relieved her of her shorts and tank top before rolling on top of her. Rayna longed to feel close to him. He began to kiss his way down her chest and stomach, but her need was too great and she pulled his head back to hers. Looking into his eyes she whispered her plea. "I need you Deacon, right now." Never one to deny her he swiftly entered her feeling her tighten around him. "Oh god," he let slip in a breathless moan. "I love you so much Ray." Having him this close to her, it was these moments where she felt like nothing in the world could ever come between them, that they were truly two halves of the same soul. Now if she could just be this confident outside of the bedroom everything would be perfect.

After their heart rates began to get back to normal Rayna was lying in Deacon's arms, and he was tracing circles on her back and arm when he broke the silence. "They want my band to go on the road."

"What? When? What band?"

"Me and Avery, and Gunnar, and that girlfriend of Gunnar's Zoe I think. It would be nice to have a female voice backing me up. After all I'm used to singing with you all the time."

"They're all kids Deacon, why do you have a band filled with kids?"

"That's where I'm at right now Ray. I'm trying to break out on my own. Practiced musicians aren't going to want to be hitting 300 person clubs with me on a tour of the Eastern seaboard, and Avery's played with Juliette, it's not like he's a nobody."

Rayna felt uneasy. She was supportive of Deacon branching out on his own and stepping up to become the front man, but she hadn't thought about what that really meant. The two of them had already done the paying their dues in small nightclubs, a new city every night, endless hours on the road. She was well past those days, hell, she wasn't even sure she wanted to tour the big stadiums anymore. She liked staying at home in Nashville, being the one sending artists like Scarlett out on the road, and she wanted her man there with her. Also, if she had to admit it to herself she was more than a little nervous about Deacon being in all those bars with those twenty-something kids drinking and partying. She trusted him, he'd been so healthy lately, but that just seemed like the opposite of what he needed.

"How long will a tour of the Eastern seaboard take?"

"Well, there's ten cities, two gigs per city, so about three weeks I'd say."

"Three weeks? I'm not going to see you for three weeks?"

Rayna seemed exasperated, but that just made Deacon laugh. "Ray, you've been in this business for 30 years. You know what it's like for a solo artist starting out."

Rayna tried to hide how upset she was over his news. "I know, but you're not just starting out Babe. You're an established musician, people love you, people who are very well respected in the business. You'd think you could skip over all this paying your dues stuff."

Deacon reached down and took Rayna's face in his hands. "Ray, I'm glad you have such confidence in me, but people know me as a guitarist. Sure I could jump on a big tour backin' some superstar up, but without that blockbuster celeb, I'm just a dude with a guitar who sings."

"Well maybe, but always remember that you're my dude with a guitar who sings." Rayna wrapped her arms around Deacon's neck and pulled him towards her. Deacon stopped himself just before his lips met hers hovering over her open mouth. "Nobody else's Ray, not ever." Then he kissed her once again, losing himself in the softness of her body.

##

A week and a half later Rayna, Maddie, and Daphne were waving Deacon goodbye at the airport. He and the band were flying up to Portland then driving a 15-pass van with all their gear from city to city until they flew back from Jacksonville at the end of the month.

Maddie gave him a big hug squeezing a little tighter than necessary. "I can't believe you're going to be gone for three weeks. Who's going to help me with that new song?"

"You're mamma can help you while I'm gone. It's not like she's a famous musician or anything."

Maddie looked at Rayna, then back at Deacon with a smile, "You know she's no good at guitar."

"Hey," Rayna interjected. "I can hold my own on guitar, and I'm much better than him on the piano."

"So let me see," Daphne said. "Portland, Boston, Providence, New York, Philly, Baltimore, Richmond, Raleigh/Durham, Charleston, and Jacksonville right?"

"Right. You know the tour schedule better than I do. Maybe I should take you along as my manager."

"Ooh, I'd be a great tour manager. Can I go mom?"

"No one under the age of 21 on this tour alright." Daphne put a fake disappointed expression on her tiny face. "Fine," she replied, "but I manage the band when they're in Nashville. Deal?"

"Deal." Both Rayna and Deacon said in unison. Rayna slid her arms around Deacon's neck. "I'm not used to being the one left behind. Three weeks seems so long. Maybe next week when the girls are with Teddy I can fly out and see you on the road?"

Deacon pulled her towards him kissing her softly. "I'd love that. Maybe New York or Philly?" "Uh huh, Rayna mumbled against his mouth."

"How bout something to remember you by until then?" Deacon asked.

Rayna got a small devious smile on her face, "I can do that." Then she reached up kissing him more passionately than she should have in front of the children. When she heard them groan behind her she pulled back. "How's that?"

"I'm not going to forget that or you anytime soon."

"Good, till next week."

"Yeah, till next week."

The girls huddled around Rayna as she watched Deacon join Avery, Gunnar, and Zoe as they headed into the airport with their gear. Rayna knew she should be excited for Deacon, but there was a gnawing feeling inside of her. Something just felt wrong.