This chapter looks at a moment in their past... I've always thought that Deacon and Rayna would have always been there for each other, regardless of their relationship status.

Deacon had found her huddled in her hotel room bathtub. He had come looking for her after he noticed her missing at the post-concert party. Bucky had a look of worry in his eyes when Deacon asked after her, this had added to his feeling of panic. Bucky normally unflappable, had shaken his head at Deacon, stating the last time he had seen Rayna, she had been sitting on the couch downing shots of bourbon with Terry the sound guy. Bucky had tried to get Rayna to ease up and maybe even head up to her room, but she had yelled at him to stop bugging her. Squeezing Bucky's arm to reassure him that it wasn't his fault, Deacon began pushing his way through the crowd, scanning faces searching for Rayna.

Upon entering her room, he began to think that she hadn't come back here after all. There was no sign that she had been here recently at all. Turning back around to leave, he heard a faint sound. Pausing with his hand on the door, he held his breath and strained to hear it again. Turning his head towards the soft whimpering he paused before snicking the door closed. Walking slowly towards the noise, his mind frantically tried to place the noise. Standing in the door way of the bathroom, his heart stopped beating. Rayna was curled up in the corner of the bath tub. She had wrapped her arms tightly around her knees and her head was resting on them, with her face facing towards the door. She had tears flowing down her face and her breathe was ragged as she struggled to breath.

Grabbing the doorframe to give him strength, Deacon could feel the tears welling in his eyes. In all the years he had been with Rayna, he had never seen her like this. His heart pounded in his chest as he contemplated what news she had received. Praying that Maddie and Daphne were okay, he softly made his way over to her side. Gently whispering her name, he tried to get her to look at him, but her eyes were locked on some vision that only she could see. Brushing her hair off her face, his heart broke all over again when she dragged a deep breath in only to release it in a shuddering sob. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her towards him, kissing the side of her head while calling her name.

Her body convulsed in his arms, as she flailed her arms around pushing back against him. Releasing his grip on her, he fell backwards onto the bathroom floor. Rayna had pushed herself back into the edge of the bath tub and looked wide-eyed at Deacon. Her breath caught in her throat as she cautiously sighed his name. Nodding at her, he pulled himself to a standing position before leaning over to pull her out of the tub. Struggling to lift her legs over the edge, she collapsed against him before sliding to the bathroom floor taking him with her.

Her eyes, still wet with tears, silently questioned his being here, while her fingers hesitantly traced his features. Big silent tears trickled down her face and her bottom lip quivered as she fought to control her emotions. She didn't want him to see her like this. She knew that he would want to know what had happened and she didn't trust herself not to tell him the truth. The weight of carrying around the lie about Maddie's parentage and the promise she made to Teddy was unbelievably heavy, and she would welcome the opportunity to lift that weight off her. Gasping his name, Rayna wound her arms around his neck and crawled onto lap, burrowing her face against his neck, she desperately tried to sink into the comfort he represented.

Rubbing his hands up and down her back, Deacon was powerless to stop the fresh onslaught of tears that Rayna was sobbing against his neck. All he could do was softly whisper her name, while trying to get her to tell him what had happened. Her warm breath against his neck and the sudden relaxation of the tension in her body signified that she had fallen asleep in his arms. Struggling to get to his feet with her in his arms, Deacon tightened his grip on her to prevent her falling before finally standing up right. Rayna nuzzled her lips against his neck whimpering his name. Slowly making his way to her bed, he ignores the knock at the door and tightens his hold on her so that she knows he is there for her.

Hearing his name whispered, he turns his head around to see who called it. Bucky is standing in the doorway looking confused.

"Give me one sec Buck"

Watching as Deacon gently puts Rayna down on the bed, brushing her hair back off her face, Bucky is struck by just how much Deacon still loves her. He has long suspected that both Deacon and Rayna still deeply loved each other, but they were so good at hiding that love from everyone that he rarely got the chance to witness it in such an intimate way. Deacon goes to move away from Rayna but is prevented by her. She has a tight grip on his hand and her sleepy eyes are pleading with him to not leave her. Squatting down next to her, he gives her a soft smile. His fingers stroke her face soothing her, while he whispers to her assuring her that he isn't going anywhere. Kissing her forehead, he is relieved to see she has fallen back asleep.

"Deacon what happened?"

"I don't know, when l came up here to look for her, I found her crying hysterically in the bathtub. She wouldn't tell me what was wrong. I don't know if she got some bad news from home or if it is something else"

"Well its definitely not bad news on the home front. Teddy just called me looking for Rayna as the girls wanted to say goodnight. That's why l came up here. Do you think l should call a Doctor for her?"

Deacon chews on his lip as he looks back at Rayna sleeping peacefully.

"Na, I think now that she is asleep, she will be okay. I'll sit with her for a while just to make sure she is okay."

Nodding, Bucky whispers his thanks and gets Deacon to promise to call if they need anything.

"Deacon?"

Walking back over to her with a worried look on his face, he crouches down until he is face to face with her.

"Yeah Ray"

"What are you doing here?" her voice gravely from crying, was tinged with confusion.

The last time she saw him was at the after party. Seeing him chatting to some young women, fuelled her despair. She wanted to go to him and sink into the comfort that she knew he would bring to her. Grabbing a bottle of bourbon, she hit Terry up as her drinking companion. She knew she needed to forget the mess of her life, the one she had bought on herself due to her lack of courage.

"Well l came looking for you and guess what? I found you!"

Smiling at his lame attempt at a joke, Rayna's eyes track across his face looking for clues. Her heart ached for him and she could feel tears welling in her eyes. She was emotionally drained and was sick of fighting against the knowledge that he could give her the comfort and safety she craved.

"Can you stay a while... until l fall asleep?" her voice heavy with uncertainty, reminded him of Maddie when she was afraid to ask for help.

Running his hand over her head, his large hand cupped the back of his head as he gently kissed her cheek.

"Yeah I can stay Ray"

Standing he went to move over to the nearby chair but was halted by Rayna demanding he sit down on the bed next to her.

As he moved around to the other side of the bed, Rayna scooted under the covers and turned to face him. Once he was comfortable, she laid her head on his chest and wrapped her arm around him. Deacon rubbed her back willing her to back to sleep.

The dull ringing pierced his slumber as he forced his eyes open. The unfamiliar but familiar weight on top of him stirred momentarily before stilling once more. Looking down the length of his body, his eyes smiled at the sight of Rayna wrapped around him. Her arm was draped across his chest while her face was snug against his neck. Her leg, hampered by the bedding, was flushed against his. The dull ringing commenced again, dragging his attention away from the sleeping form of Rayna. Her soft groan of protest at the ringing resulted in her nuzzling further into the cavity between his shoulder and neck. Closing his eyes, he relished the feel of her in his arms once again. Her knew this moment wouldn't last much longer once she realised that it was her phone ringing. Glancing at the clock, he could see it was 730, and it wouldn't look good if he answered it, especially if the person on the other end was Teddy.

"Ray?"

"Hmmmm"

"Ray, wake up. Your phone is ringing"

"Hu? What?"

Finally hearing the ringing phone, she blindly reaches over trying to locate the source of the noise.

"Shit"

Swallowing a smile, Deacon wonders for a moment if the curse was the result of her realising, she had woken up wrapped around him or at the frustration of not being able to locate the phone. Unfurling herself from him, she tentatively picks up the phone but not before throwing him a 'I'm sorry smile'.

Giving her some privacy, Deacon walks over to the window and takes in the view below. Watching the people below slowly making their way to their various jobs, he wonders what it would be like to work a 'normal' 9 to 5 job. One way or another, all his jobs have rotated around the music industry. Whether it be him working behind a bar, or performing at dive clubs, he knows no other way to live.

"Okay, bye"

Hearing her put the phone down, he turns back around.

Rayna gives him a sheepish smile, "so, ummmm thank you"

"Rayna, you don't have to thank me."

"No, I do. I don't know what happened last night but...I know having you by my side last night helped. You have always been able to calm me down, well providing it wasn't you who made me angry"

Her smile showed that she was joking, but he wasn't going to let her off that easily. Something had upset her last night. He had never seen her so distraught. Even when he was at his worse and she had to drive around town searching behind dumpsters and in ditches to see if someone had beaten him so bad that he was dead, she had never even come close to the level of hysteria as last night.

"Ray, you know I will always be there when you need me no matter what. But babe, I have never seen you so upset. What happened? What was it that got you so upset?"

Chewing on her lip, Rayna allowed herself to look in Deacon's eyes for a moment before glancing away. The concerned look he gave her almost broke her. She longed to tell him the truth but knew it would break him besides she promised Teddy she would never break their pact regarding Maddie's paternity.

Shaking her head, she gave him a lopsided smile and shrugged her shoulders.

"You know what? Think I'm just exhausted. What with this tour seemingly going on forever, hell I couldn't even tell you what city we are in and having to leave my baby girls again. Think it just got too much for me."

"Rayna, come on?"

"What Deacon? I don't know what you want to hear, but that is the truth. I'm tired. I'm a working mother trying to juggle a demanding homelife while making sure my career doesn't tank. Sorry if that isn't an exotic enough reason for you"

"I know you are tired Rayna and I know that you are doing your best with juggling everything but there is NO WAY THAT LAST NIGHT IS THE RESULT OF TIREDNESS. THIS IS ME, I HAVE SEEN YOU SO EXHAUSTED THAT YOU HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP WHILE EATING!"

"YOU KNOW WHAT DEACON...YOU HAVE NO IDEA. YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW HARD IT IS TO LEAVE MY GIRLS BEHIND. YOU HAVE NO IDEA THE PRESSURE I AM UNDER TO ENSURE THIS TOUR IS A SUCCESS... YOU HAVE NO FRIGIN IDEA"

"Ray, I know. I know exactly how much pressure you are under. I see it on your face every day. I hear it in your voice when you say goodbye to your girls. I do know. I also know you are keeping something from me and that something is what got you so upset last night."

Moving closer to her, Deacon cupped her cheek and gently exclaimed,

"You don't have to tell me, but I can tell it's killing you. I have never seen you like that...and I'll tell you one thing Ray, it scared me."

Embracing the warmth of his hand cupping her cheek, Rayna looked up at him, her eyes moist with tears.

"I wish I could tell you something different, but I am just plain boringly exhausted"

Quickly averting her eyes before he saw the lie, she was struggling to keep, she threaded her fingers with his as she squeezed his hand attempting to reassure him.

"Well, guess I should attempt to make myself presentable, especially since Bucky has lined up a procession of interviews for me."

Walking away from him, she stops at the entrance to the bathroom, and without looking back, whispers softly,

"Thank you for being there for me, you have no idea how much I needed you"

"Sorry Ray?" Deacon asks, unable to hear what she has just said.

Losing her courage, she quickly responses

"I'll catch you down stairs for coffee, if you are free?"

*** phew! Don't worry the next chapter is a little bit lighter.