I don't own Nashville or there would have been more of Ilse in season 6.

I have edited this since last week when I published it. There are still probably tense issues though because we all have baggage.

Chapter 1

Feeling a huge sense of self-satisfaction, Ilse De Witt took a step back and cast a final critical eye over the manifestation of her hard work. Finally, she had managed to pack the last of her things into boxes and minus the furniture that came with the house, she was ready to move on Monday.

It had taken her the better part of the week if she saw one more that needed to be in a box, it was going to the bin. How had she had managed to unpack or collect this much in just 8 weeks? There is no doubt that she should have started this sooner but with preparing for the finale she kept putting it off. Now, God was punishing her, she was sure. Nashville's Next had given her a lovely house to stay in, free of cost, and the repayment was now the blood, sweat and tears it took to move back out. She had been hoping for an extra week but with all the talk and gossip surrounding Brad's resignation, they were eager to get her out and act like the television show had never happened.

Maybe it was a good thing that Daphne hadn't won, if the reward was going to be signing up to a record label that just days later would be entirely taken down by the resignation of the boss. Sure, they had tried to keep the true reason quiet, but Ilse knew that would never happen. Although a city, at heart, Nashville would always really be a small town.

She made her way into the kitchen and cracked open a beer in celebration of having finally gotten it done and in commiseration for her next few weeks. Overwhelmed with all that the coaching job entailed looking for a house had fallen to the very bottom of her to do list. Now with still nowhere to go on Monday, Ilse was going to be forced to stay in a hotel until she found somewhere.

As she took the first gulp of the cool liquid she was surprised by the sound of her doorbell. She didn't think that anyone outside of the record label even knew her address. She certainly wasn't dressed for company; she was in her typical 'cleaning' clothes. Her oldest pair of blue acid wash jeans and an old merch t-shirt. With a brief prayer that it wasn't one of his minions or worse Brad himself, Ilse headed for the front door.

She smiles, surprised when she's met with a nervous Daphne Conrad and loitering just behind, Deacon Claybourne. "Daphne, what do I owe for this pleasant surprise?"

"Oh, hi. Umm," Daphne is stuttering and nervous and it's so adorable Ilse wants to smile more. "I meant to come talk to you after the show last week, but I just got pulled into a thousand directions and then I couldn't find yo-"

"Yeah, I left pretty early. I was tired, and Brad kept trying to invite me for a drink, so I thought getting out was a good idea," she laughed. "But what can I do for you?"

"I wanted to thank you. I couldn't have done Nashville Next if I hadn't had you as my coach," Daphne said. A protest and a borderline lecture about believing in herself was on the tip of Ilse's tongue when Daphne stopped her by pulling a small box out of her jacket pocket. "Anyway, I got you something. It's only small but I thought you'd like it."

"You did not need to get me anything Daphne." She didn't want to sound too stern but she wanted Daphne to know that she didn't owe her anything but to always giver best efforts. And she'd done that every single week of the competition. "Hearing you sing each day was more than enough." Ilse meant it as well; it was rare on these talent shows to have someone like Daphne. Too often, pushed forward by overzealous parents, the kids on these shows did little more than perform high quality karaoke. Instead, every week Daphne had written and performed incredibly moving and powerful songs that had gripped Ilse from the very first piano notes. "How about you both come inside so I can open this? I'm pretty empty but I think I have some iced tea to offer?"

Just as Ilse was sure Daphne was about to accept the offer, Deacon interrupted them. "We can't actually. We have Maddie in the car and was just about to head for dinner."

"Why don't you come?" Daphne interjected. As Ilse looked to Deacon, she could tell that she wasn't the only one surprised by the offer. "It'll be nicer than whatever take away you choose. Plus think of poor Deacon. He could do with some company other than just me and Maddie again."

Ilse's stomach grumbles at the mere thought of food, and god, dinner with these people would be nice but she doesn't want to impede on what's clearly a family dinner. "I don't want want to impose, honey."

"You are welcome to come with us Ilse," Deacon offered. "Unless, of course you already have plans."

"No," Ilse said, as she felt the beginning of a small twitch on her face. "I don't have any plans. You know what? Why not? Deacon isn't the only one who needs to get a social life."

"Great. I'll just give this to you at dinner then." Daphne said, a giddy grin plastered across her face as she pocketed the small box. "Ready to go?"

"Yes, yes," Ilsa said, quickly grabbing her denim jacket off the inside hook and shutting the front door behind her. As she followed the teenager to the car she fell into step beside Deacon.

"I hope that I'm not imposing," Ilse asked. It felt nice to be about to spend more time with Daphne and her father. The connection that she had felt with Deacon had been instant and although she knew that he was not an appropriate person for her to have feelings for, it would be nice to be able to talk. It wouldn't do their burgeoning friendship any favours if she was forcing herself on his family though.

"No, it'll be nice to have you along," Deacon assured her, playfully nudging her side with a smile. "Plus, she is sadly not wrong that I've been a bit of a recluse lately. A lot of spending time with the girls and a lot of the guitar."

Ilse laughed, finally allowing herself to just relax and enjoy the night. "That sounds like the dream."

By the time they caught up to the black SUV parked on the street, Daphne had already climbed into the front seat beside her sister and was scrolling through radio stations. Deacon wanted to tell Daphne to offer it to Isle but the blonde was already opening the back door.

"What took you so long?" Maddie complained. "I was about to-"

Maddie stopped for a second as she saw Daphne's coach slide into the backseat; what ever happened to just dropping off a present and then they would head to dinner? She tried to catch Daphne's eye but either her sister was avoiding it or just not paying attention. She started the engine and decided that she would just bring it up later.

"Oh please, we were like a few minutes," Daphne replied, turning up the radio when she heard the first notes of Emmylou. "Oh, I love this song."

Deacon rolled his eyes as both girls joined in with radio in perfect, unpracticed harmonies. It was so typical that they could just figure it out with each other; their way of communicating in music was unparalleled.

"Sorry, for the band up the front. It's always a sing along when Maddie and Daphne get in control of the radio." In his experience a quiet car ride with either Conrad sister was never the marker of anything good. Especially since their teenage years, where it was usually accompanied by hormones and their surly side.

"Don't be silly." If there was anything that Ilse didn't mind hearing it was the sound of those girls singing. "You should be proud. It's incredible listening to them together."

Ilse was enchanted by the melodic tones of the two girls. They were each so talented when they just sang on their own but together as a duet it was clear that they had each been raised with a guitar in their hands. Sometimes Ilse wished that one of her sibling shared her passion like that. It would have been a comfort to have someone by her side the way that the Conrad sisters do.

"I couldn't be prouder," Deacon admitted before he raised his voice just enough, that Ilse knew it was meant just for the girls."The only thing that I would prefer more was if the girls up the front actually had a conversation with our dinner guest."

"Oh, come on Dad." Daphne turned down the radio a notch as she turned around to the backseat. "We are all musicians here. This is our love language."

Deacon watched as Ilse laughed and he knew that he couldn't do more than just shake his head. If Rayna was here, she'd probably tell them watch it with that smile she always gave when they started to push the line. He was never very good at that though, and he supposed as long as Ilse was fine then there was nothing more for him to do than just shake his head. "So kind of you then. So very noble."

"Well, I was going to offer that we could take a request from you but with that attitude I'm not too sure," Daphne said as she poked her tongue out at him. "Ilse can pick though, she's alright."

"I'm honoured Daph but you can sing whatever you want. As long as some other time I hear another one yours."

As Deacon watch the two women interact, his stomach rolled by the way that Daphne preened at her obvious and easy affection. He'd known for a while now, ever since he'd first seen the two interact, that Daphne needed more women intimately in her life. Juliette had really taken Maddie under her wing and Deacon too often worried that Daphne was being left behind.

But Ilse had been so kind and supportive in the way she had guided Daphne during the show while pushing back at Brad. She had given space and room for the 14-year-old to blossom right in front of them. Relief washed over him when it seemed like she was keen to keep that going in at least some capacity.

"You've got a deal," Daphne said blushing and smiling as she went back to the front seat and joined her sister in a rendition of Jolene.

When he could tell that the girls were distracted, he turned to Ilse and gently caught her hand mouthing a thank you. She squeezed his hand and flashed him a broad smile before joining in with the girls.

It was only when Maddie pulled into a car park that Deacon took stock of exactly where they were.

"Oh, come on girls," he complained. "I thought we'd be going somewhere nice." He'd at least hoped for something a bit better than the arcade bar and grill that they now were parked out the front of.

"I leave on Monday too, Dad. You said I could choose," Maddie reminded him. "Daph and I are so close to beating our scores. We won't get a chance for weeks after this."

Deacon was all too aware of the fact that Maddie was leaving for two weeks to go on her own mini tour on Monday. It was almost at the top of his list for reasons that he was really considering dropping his own tour. And he knew that there was almost nothing more important than giving those two girls time to be not just sisters, but friends. However, he wasn't sold on the fact that this meant there was no other place that they could possibly have dinner.

"When we invited Ilse, I did not realise that this was the plan," Deacon said. It was meant more as an apology to the woman next to him, than the unconcerned teenagers who were already halfway out of the car, discussing the merit of onion rings over fries.

Ilse laughed and brushed him off. "No, no I don't mind. As long as I can get a burger then I'm a happy woman."

"Perfect," Daphne said, turning mid conversation from Maddie. "See Dad, you are out voted. This is a great place for dinner."

He followed them into the restaurant and just made them promise him that they wouldn't ditch right away.

"Chill out Deacon," Daphne said, rolling her eyes. "I invited Ilse, remember?"

"Yes, yes," Deacon said, secretly enjoying the sass of the teenagers. Although sometimes they drove him round the bend with the rolled eyes and the endless sarcasm, he wouldn't change a single thing about them. How could he when they were the exact image and attitude of their mother at the same age? "How about Maddie and I go and get us some menus and some drinks?"

He took drink order and then he and Maddie were up and making their way over to the bar counter. it was only then that Daphne pulled the small box for Ilse from her pocket. "Here, while they do that, I'll give you this." Daphne slid the box across to her mentor.

Ilse opened the box and felt tears poke the corner of her eyes when she saw what was in it. Sitting on the red velvet laid a mini golden harmonica attached to a necklace chain with the words Team Ilse for life inscribed on it.

"I love it," she told the young girl, as a relieved smile spread across Daphne's face. "This is absolutely incredible."

"It works too," Daphne told her. "I mean it's tiny so its use is probably a bit limited, but you can play it."

"It just gets better and better," Ilse told her. "Help me put it on?"

The blonde turned from Daphne and pulled her blonde curls away from her neck so that the young teen could fasten the golden necklace around her neck. "Perfect," Ilse said as Daphne finished and the harmonica sat across her chest.

"I just wanted to find a way to thank you for helping me. There was really no way that I was going to be able to do that show without you," Daphne told her.

"I don't think that's true," Ilse disagreed. "I meant it when I said that you are strong and brave and talented enough to have done without me. But it was my absolute honour to help and I hope that we can be friends even though Nashville's Next is over."

Daphne, overcome with gratitude for her coach, just nodded her head as they were rejoined by her father and sister.

It didn't take long for the group of four to order and while Ilse and Deacon took their time with their food, Maddie and Daphne swallowed their burgers so quickly it seemed like they were in some sort of competition.

"Okay, we are going to play the Dance Steps game. We are so close to beating the highest score," Maddie said as she ate her last chip.

"Yeah, if we can just get the last bit of footwork down in Spice Up Your Life then I think we have it in the bag," Daphne said downing the last of her root beer float. Both girls quickly got up from their seat and made their way over to the game leaving the two adults alone at the table.

"There are times when those girls seem so mature for their age, and then there are times like this when I am reminded that they are just 14 and newly 18," Deacon laughed.

"It's good that they still want to do these things together," Ilse told him. "A lot of siblings aren't like that."

Deacon knew that it was good that the girls were still friends and hoped that it wouldn't ever change. He knew that he would do whatever it took to stop them from following the same path that he'd gone down with Beverly.

"Are you excited for the tour?" Ilse asked him. "I'd love to see one of your shows."

"I'd love to invite you but I'm not so sure that I am going anymore,' he told her. "As you heard, Maddie is going to be away a bit and I just don't want Daphne on her own so much. She's struggled over the last year and I don't think that I could sleep not knowing if she was okay."

While it was a dream of his to go on a solo tour, his biggest priorities were his daughters and making sure they were both okay. He'd find another time to go on tour and if Scarlet was right and the opportunity no longer existed then he would just be happy playing his songs at The Bluebird.

"Daphne being okay is obviously the number one priority but if she keeps saying that she'll be okay maybe it's worth considering going," Ilse suggested. She loved Deacon's music and believed that the world deserved to hear it too.

"Before Nashville's Nex,t Daphne was diagnosed with depression," Deacon told Ilse. "It took months for her to go back to school after her Mum and even then she didn't do any work. She would suddenly be so angry and then there would be days where she wouldn't get out of bed and she wouldn't eat. The psychologist said it was probably triggered by her mother's death and I just struggle to think of leaving her. Even with Scarlett, if she backslides I need to be there."

Ilse reached out to hold his hand but before she could say anything to comfort him or provide advice for his dilemma, she saw the two teenagers return. As quickly as she moved her hand, as soon as Daphne and Maddie sat back down at the table, they could tell that they had interrupted something.

"Do you want us to go back to the games?" Daphne asked awkwardly, looking between the adults and then to her sister. "We beat the score but we pretend we didn't and do another lap."

"Don't be silly. I was just telling Ilse that I'm not sure that I'm going on tour anymore," Deacon told her. The teeangers each climbed into their seats; Daphne beside Ilse and Maddie across from her.

"Of course, you're going," Daphne said rolling her eyes and she perused the dessert section of the menu. "Even if this wasn't like an amazing opportunity you can't pull out days beforehand."

"Yeah, well I didn't know that Maddie was going to be gone when I told them that. I don't think you should be alone so much. I know Nashville's Next really helped but with it over, I can't risk that you backslide and."

Daphne's head snapped up and her eyes flashed. "Geez, thanks Dad. Is this what you've been talking about? Gossiping away about my shitty mental health."

"I wasn't tr-" Deacon tried.

"Anything else you want to tell Ilse about? You chat about my Dad being in prison too or was already covered? I'm sure there is more I can think of if you need some material."

"Daph, stop," Maddie told her quietly.

Ilse placed her hand on the young girl's arm. "It's okay Daph. It just came from a place of concern and it's just me." Daphne smiled as Ilse but didn't say anything.

"There is nothing just about you," Daphne whispered, her eyes on the table. She took a deep breath and tried to let out the anger. Her psychologist had talked to her about this, about not letting the anger she'd felt since her mother's death swallow her up in moments that felt overwhelming.

Maddie could feel the change in her sister, and trying to diffuse the awkwardness turned to Ilse and started to ask her any question that she could. Nashville seemed like as good of a topic as anything else.

"I haven't been able to do much so far, I'll be honest." Ilse told her. "I used to live here when I was younger though so it's all a bit different but familiar too."

"How do you like where you're living?" Maddie asked.

"It was nice but I leave on Monday."

The answer caused both Deacon and Daphne to snap their heads up and look at the blonde.

"Just to somewhere else in Nashville. That house was paid for by the production team and Brad is hustling me out of there. Need to be gone by Monday."

"What a damn jerk," Deacon said as a familiar anger flashed through him.

"Well, I think he's gotten his comeuppance," Ilse said, smiling at Deacon. It was clear that she knew who exactly was behind the sudden ousting at the competing recording label and thankfully, she didn't seem overly upset about it.

"Where are you going to live now?" Daphne asked her coach and now hopefully friend.

"Urgh, a hotel," Ilse moaned. "I was so busy working and trying to get everything for the competition done that I didn't even think about what I was going to do after. Now, I have to be gone in 48 hours and at this rate I'll be going to a hotel."

"Surely you can find somewhere," Daphne said. Her mother had really hated hotels. Rayna had always complained that at any of the nice ones they never liked it when she played her guitar late at night. "Mum preferred the tour bus to living in hotels."

"No, because even if I could find a single place available, I really want to find somewhere that I can call home and I can't do that in a day," Ilse complained. She too was none too keen on the idea of staying in a hotel where her guitar hours would be limited. The guitar was her comfort, it was her thing. She didn't have a necklace passed down from a grandmother, or a lucky coin from her late Dad. She did however have the same guitar that she had used for years. She just wanted to be somewhere so that at 3am when she missed her home, her Holland, she could write her music and not get a $500 noise complaint. "On the bright side, I'm going to be spending tomorrow looking for a recording space, so the goal is to barely be there. I'll either be looking for a place or writing music."

"Well, feel free to come over to ours whenever," Daphne offered. "Mum converted the basement into a recording studio and with Dad and Maddie on tour it'll be not getting so much use."

"That would be lovely, Daphne," Ilse smiled. "I was hoping we could write together so maybe I could come over next week once I'm settled in a hotel?"

"You want to write with me?" Daphne asked her coach, surprised at the offer to write with an internationally award-winning musician.

"Unless someone else wrote Memories Crash or Without Warning?" Ilse asked, teasing. "I wasn't lying when I said that you are incredibly talented, lieveling."

Deacon smiled as Daphne blushed and smiled and nodded her head eagerly. He was so pleased that his daughter had found someone that she could connect with on this level. It seemed as the older sister, Maddie had no shortage of mentors and people wanting to help Rayna Jaymes' daughter but so far no one had been that way with Daph.

"It's still early," Deacon noted. "We could get dessert to go and have Ilse come back now for a bit of a jam."

Both girls looked up at each other contemplating their father's suggestion. They both liked and respected Isle, albeit at different levels, but it was clear that for their dad there were different types of sparks flying and they were both happy to encourage it.

"Sounds like a great plan, Dad," Maddie said with a knowing smile, as she sucked up the last of her milkshake. She'd let her Dad pretend for now that this invitation was just for Daphne. "But for the record, no one says jam anymore. This isn't 1989."

Let me know if there is interest in me continuing this. I have most of the second chapter written so that can be uploaded pretty soon but I just want to gauge actual interest. This will be Deacon/Ilse coupling eventually but with a lot of family stuff and Daphne/Ilse friendship. I haven't totally planned it out yet so if you ideas that you wanna see that PM button is pretty and loves to be pushed.