A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers.

Chapter 8

Deacon knocked on the door of Rayna's house. He was dressed in his usual motif of flannel and boots. He was there to pick up Maddie for their prearranged date.

"Well, look how handsome you are right now. You went and cleaned up better for our daughter than you ever have for me." Rayna opened the door and sheared some teasing banter with him.

"What can I say? She deserves a little bit more effort. She is the most important woman in my life after all." Deacon didn't bother to hide the smirk on his face.

"The most important woman in your life will be right down. She is really nervous about tonight and has changed outfits four times. I finally had to tell her that fashion isn't somethin' that you care 'bout and you'll love her no matter what she wears. What's your plan for the night?" Rayna knew without a doubt that he wouldn't do anything to hurt their daughter. She was just nervous and being overprotective was the way she let that show.

"I'm takin' her to the Ryman for an Opry show and then after that I'm gonna take her to the Bluebird. I figure that she will love all that and I can get her fed and back home at a reasonable hour." Deacon replied as he slipped his hands in his back pockets.

"You're a damn good daddy. You knew just what she would want to do without me tellin' you. I love that you get her better than anyone else in this world. I will be apologizin' to you for this for a long time, but I'm sorry that I never told you she's yours. The way you two just blend together as one with a lot of the things you think and feel amazes me. I know that if I'd given you the chance before now she would have been a daddy's girl and I hope beyond all hope that the one is my belly is a daddy's boy." She cupped his cheek with her hand.

"I hope he is too. I can think of nothin' more that I'd like better than that." He agreed with her.

"Hi, Deacon, I'm so glad that you're finally here." Maddie came down and greeted her father before her parents could say another word to each other. She was wearing a red sundress and brown boots that went up to her ankles.

"Look at you, you are gorgeous, baby girl. I'm gettin' the best lookin' girl in town on my arm tonight." Deacon smiled and handed her the bouquet of daisies that he'd brought with him.

Maddie smiled and accepted the flowers from him. "Thank you," she handed them to her mother. "I highly doubt that you think I'm the prettiest girl in town. I think you think that's someone else." She looked Rayna up and down.

Rayna blushed. "That's enough of that outta you." She teased her lightly. Part of her couldn't deny that the thought of being the woman who Deacon always thought of as the prettiest woman in the world appealed to her. If the way he'd worshipped her body after their missed therapy appointment was any indication, then he still thought of her that way and he always would. She knew that they had to stop falling into bed together, but it was part of what they did best and she wasn't ready to shut that down no matter how much she knew she should.

"I will always think that your momma is the prettiest woman in the world and I'm not gonna deny that. Nothin' will ever change my mind 'bout that. We ain't talkin' 'bout that now, though. Right now I need to know if you're ready for a night out on the town with your daddy. You ain't ever experienced what I mean by those words." Deacon spoke up. He could see that Rayna was uncomfortable and didn't know what to say to their daughter.

"I know that neither of you want to hear this, but I hope someday a boy feels that way about me." Maddie made an uncomfortable situation even worse. "Deacon, where are we going tonight?" She changed the subject like she hadn't said anything.

"Lord, girl," Rayna laughed and shook her head at her. For as much as she looked like Deacon she was all her in attitude in some ways.

"I just got here don't you go growin' up on me too fast. I don't wanna miss anythin' else." Deacon cautioned her.

"You didn't tell me where we are going yet." Maddie batted her eyelashes at him.

"First we are gonna go get some food at one of my favorite diners. The rest of the night is a surprise for right now. I hope you can handle that." Deacon put his arm around her shoulders.

"Yeah, I can handle that." Maddie didn't back down from the dare in his voice.

"Alright, baby girl, come give me some sugar before you go. I hope you have the best night with your daddy." Rayna opened her arms to her little girl.

Maddie went directly into her arms and gave her a huge hug. "I love you, mom. I hope you don't get too bored tonight."

"I won't. Your baby brother and I have huge plans for the night. I'm about to order some takeout and go park myself on the couch with a couple of movies." Rayna kissed her daughter's cheek and rubbed her growing baby bump.

Deacon put his arm around Maddie's shoulders. "Me and this one are gonna take off. I will have her back at a decent hour."

"That sounds good to me. Y'all have so much fun tonight. There is no rush in you gettin' her back." Rayna smiled at him.

He smiled back at her. "We will," He led Maddie out to his truck.

"Deacon, is it ok if we go into the record store?" Maddie asked as they walked out of the Ryman.

"We have reservations at the Bluebird, but yeah we have some time to go to the record store. I'll take you to my favorite one. I'm sure that between the two of us we can find a thing or two to buy." Deacon put his arm around her shoulders and walked with her. It was easier to leave his truck where it was and come back after they got done at the record store.

"You don't have to buy me anything. Tonight has already been so amazing." Maddie leaned against his side.

"I want to buy you things, Maddie. You're my baby girl. I wanna give you and your baby brother the world. I'm glad that you enjoyed the show at the Ryman. I know that you've been there before, but I wanted you to experience an Opry show where it started." He replied.

"The Squirrel and I are very lucky to have you as a dad. I'm glad that we got to do that together too." She smiled up at him.

"So, tell me what's new with you? How are you doin'?" He asked. He genuinely wanted to know what was going on in her life.

"Nothing much. School is boring about the only thing I have going for me that I enjoy is guitar lessons with you. Really the only time I'm happy right now is when I'm with you. Teddy is suffocating me trying to hold on to me and not letting me do what makes me happy. And Luke is around the house with mom every time I turn around. The guy won't go away. He acts like he's the one about to have a baby with mom and I hate it." She opened up to him. She felt comfortable with him and like she could tell him anything without being judged.

He took a deep breath to keep himself from saying the first thing that came to his mind. That wouldn't be helpful to her at all. "Spendin' time with you is the best part of my life right now. Teddy he loves you even I can't deny that. He's scared of losin' you and I think he's lashin' out because of that. He wants what's best for you just like your momma and I do, but I think he just wants to feel like he has some sort of control still. As for Luke I don't like him anymore than you do, but I think we just need to let your momma work through whatever it is she's doin' with him right now."

"I love that I can say whatever I want to say to you and you don't judge me for it or try to tell me how I should feel. You just try to help me make sense of what I'm feeling and you really hear what I have to say without treating me like a baby." She smiled again.

"First of all I am your daddy and it is my job to listen to you and make you feel heard. I want you to always feel like you can tell me anythin' and know that I will always be here to support you and that I will love you no matter what it is you say to me. I want you to think of me as your walkin' talkin' journal. What you say to me stays between us unless I think that there is reason for concern and then I will tell your momma. It's our job as your momma and daddy to make this easy on you. I want you to know that I'm your biggest supporter and I will always be here for you. I'll make you a deal right here and now. You tell me the truth, so I can lie for you. It does not matter what you do I will always, always have your back." He spoke to her from the heart.

Her eyes filled up with tears. "Wow, no one has ever said anything to me like that before. No one has ever taken my feelings into account that way. I may actually cry. Mom and Teddy have always said how much they love us, but I've never felt it the way I did just now."

He looked down at her and his eyes had tears in them too. "I think I might cry too. I know that your momma she loves you in the exact same way. If she didn't she wouldn't have protected you from the way that I used to be. I don't ever want you to doubt that she loves you as fiercely as I do."

She buried her face in his chest and wrapped her arms around him tightly. "I love you so much, daddy."

His breath caught in his throat he didn't know how that was going to hit him before he heard it. His throat constricted and a tear rolled down his cheek. He kissed the top of her head. "I love you so much too, Maddie May."

She laughed softly. "You haven't called me that since I was little and you'd play with me on the tour bus."

He put his fingers under her chin and tilted her head up so he could look her in the eyes. "You'll always be my Maddie May. I know that we are both mad at your momma for not tellin' us, but she did give us those little moments together out on tour. I think you could sense who I was to you and that's why you've always been so comfortable with me."

"Come on, let's go start Squirrel's album collection. I want him to have the best ones." She took his hand and drug him to the record store.

"I'm comin', I'm comin'. You don't have to drag me." He laughed happily.

Maddie knocked on the kitchen door to be let into the house. She was holding two bags of food and a drink tray.

Daphne opened the door for her sister. She had just gotten back from the father-daughter dance with Teddy. "Maddie, there you are."

"Yeah, I have food. He bought a lot." Maddie walked in and set the food down on the kitchen counter.

"A little overboard is an understatement. I think he ordered the whole damn menu." Rayna started to sort through the bags. "Where is Deacon?"

"He's coming," Maddie replied.

Deacon came in carrying a changing table that was still in the box.

"What is this?" Rayna asked him.

"Maddie and I were out and we found this really cool changing table and we thought that Squirrel should have it." Deacon replied.

"I love it. I just hope you know that you're gonna have to take a day out of your schedule to come over and put that thing together for me." Rayna smiled at him.

"I'm well aware of that. I thought that I could put these two little girls to work helpin' me with that." Deacon grinned.

"Well, this is for their baby brother. I think it's only right that they help with that." Rayna winked at the three of them.

"I couldn't agree more." Deacon winked back at her.

"Mom, it's so awesome while Deacon and I were out we got some stuff for Squirrel." Maddie gushed.

"You can show me in a minute. Your dad is here you should at least say hi." Rayna spoke up before Maddie could say anything that would hurt Teddy.

Teddy came out of the bathroom at that moment. "Maddie, there you are. You missed a really good time at the club. I hope you had fun tonight."

"I had a really great time tonight." Maddie beamed.

"That's good," Teddy looked around and he saw that Deacon was there. "Well, I better get going."

"Teddy, it's up to Rayna, but as far as I'm concerned you're more than welcome to stay. I have plenty of food here." Deacon extended an olive branch.

"Oh, I should really get going." Teddy tried to make his excuses.

"You ain't gotta run off on account of me." Deacon reassured him.

"Hey, why don't you girls go wash up for food?" Rayna sent her girls out of the room.

The girls scurried off to wash their hands.

"Teddy, I think you should stay at least for a minute. These girls of ours need it right now." Rayna spoke up.

"Maddie feels like you're holdin' on to her too tightly and like you don't want her to be happy, Teddy. I did my absolute best to diffuse the situation, but I don't know if it worked. All I want in this world is that little girl's happiness. I don't like you and you don't like me, but she loves both of us. I think a late night junk food session with the family would be great for Maddie and Daphne." Deacon added.

Teddy took a deep breath. "When you put it like that I can't argue with it. I only want Maddie to be happy to and I want her to see that."

Rayna smiled and bumped her hip against Deacon's. "Wow, this little girl and little boy are so lucky to have you for a daddy. Daphne has a damn good daddy too. I'm very lucky to have had babies with two great men."

"You now when he says things like he just said it makes it so much harder to keep hating him." Teddy took his coat off and put it on the back of the chair.

"Neither of you may like it, but you share a daughter. You have to at least be civil for her sake." Rayna looked in between both of them.

"I offered the man food. I don't know what more you want me to do than that. That's how men from the deep south extend an olive branch." Deacon chuckled.

"And I didn't say one thing about her choosing to go out with him tonight rather than to the club with me and Daphne." Teddy pointed out.

Rayna just laughed and rubbed her belly. "Squirrel, you are the only man in my life who doesn't drive me crazy. You just keep bein' that easy on your momma."

"He's a Claybourne. I doubt that he's gonna be that easy on us." Deacon chuckled.

Teddy cleared his throat. He could clearly see the chemistry between his ex and the man she'd loved throughout their marriage. "Have you two thought of any names yet?"

"Henry, Deacon, and Samuel are all on the table. We are also thinking of naming him Jaymes Wyatt." Rayna answered.

"She's thinkin' Jaymes Wyatt anyway. When I hear that name I think of a preppy little kid that will get his ass kicked on the playground." Deacon really didn't want to name his son that.

"Well, if my opinion counts for anything I think you need to have Henry somewhere in his name. you're both country music stars." Teddy gave his opinion on the matter.

"I really want to name his after his daddy, but I want the girls to have some input in it." Rayna told him.

"If he's named after me Henry would be in his name. I just don't know that I wanna saddle him with that. I've already passed down my genes to him and Maddie I don't wanna make that worse." Deacon found that he was just being open and vulnerable tonight.

"For what it's worth we aren't our father's if we were then I would be a messy, embarrassing drunk." Teddy let himself open up.

"Me too. What did your daddy like?" Deacon asked.

"Mine was a scotch man." Teddy answered him.

"Mine didn't like scotch. He liked bourbon." Deacon just shrugged.

"I like to think that we've both proven that the sins of the father don't have to be paid for by the tears of the son. The way you love Maddie and the way you already love this baby they will be just fine." Teddy reassured him.

Deacon bit his lip. "Teddy, look, we don't like each other at all and that is ok, but we have to find a way to make this alright for Maddie. Not just for Maddie, but for Daphne too. We can't keep bein' at each other's throats. You ain't gonna lose Maddie she will love you and I ain't gonna take her away from you. I just want time with my daughter for me to be her daddy. I got here late and I got lost time to make up for. I won't think you for steppin' into my place when it wasn't your place to, but I will thank you for lovin' her so much. That said you can't be tryin' to take her music from her, I will make sure she stays after her studies, but she needs this like she needs the air she breathes."

Teddy nodded now. "I can agree to that. She doesn't have to be Ivy League material she just has to do her best. I would like her to go to college, but I can see how much she wants this even if she thinks I'm against it."

Deacon laced his fingers together. "Father to father she's a lot like her momma was at that age. If you push her and make her think you don't support her you will lose her just as soon as she is able to spread her wings and fly. She will dive head first into the music business and never look back. I'm tryin' here, Teddy. I just need you to not crush her dreams. This is as important to her as you think school is. None of us get to be dismissive of her hopes and dreams. We are supposed to be her biggest supporters. I told her tonight all she has to do is tell me the truth, so I can lie for her."

Rayna fanned her hand in front of her face to fight off the tears that were welling up in her eyes. "Teddy, he's right. I've never heard it worded as beautifully as that before, but it's spot on. Do you think you can be on board with that?"

"Yeah, I can." Teddy agreed.

Deacon bent down and kissed Rayna's belly. "Squirrel, you go easy on your momma. She don't need to be cryin' every time I talk."

The girls rushed back into the room before any of them could speak again. They chose to dig into the food rather than engage in anymore conversation.

A/N: Here is the next chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Until next time please review.