A/N: I've always had a particular canon on what led to Rayna being kicked out of the house, but as I thought about that this time, it occurred to me that the sequence of events might have been different. I went back and watched the conversation she and Deacon had in the hospital in season 1 and noticed she finally had some clarity on why Lamar had kicked her out, after she knew about Watty. So that's what I used to set this up.

Lamar Wyatt got out of the backseat of his car and walked up the steps. He let himself in the house, going immediately to his study.

"Mr. Wyatt, can I take your jacket?"

He turned to see Vernice standing at the doorway. He smiled. "Of course." He shrugged off his suit jacket and handed it to the housekeeper. "I'm not really hungry tonight, Vernice. Some soup would be nice though, maybe around eight."

Vernice nodded. "Yes, sir." Then she scurried off.

He walked over to the side table and poured himself a bourbon. He walked back over to his desk and sat down behind it, leaning back slightly in his chair, sipping on the drink thoughtfully. Albert had called him to let him know Rayna had left again with that ragamuffin Claybourne and they'd ended up at one of the clubs downtown, performing onstage together. He sighed and set down his drink, then got up and walked over to the window, looking out at nothing.

A lot had changed in the past four years, since Virginia had died. He buried himself in his work, after he'd buried her. But she had been running from him when she died and he had struggled with that, struggled with the truth of it. He knew he'd walled himself off, but he had no idea how else to deal with it. Rayna had suffered the most from it and he hadn't known how to comfort her, how to get past his own guilt about what had happened to reach out to his youngest daughter. She'd been lost, he knew that, and she'd eventually turned away from him.

He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again, setting his jaw. She was so like her mother, free-spirited and willful, in her own way. He hadn't wanted to hear the country music she loved to listen to, music that reminded her of her mother. It had made him angry, because that was ultimately what had taken Virginia away from him. That and Watty White. He narrowed his eyes.

He knew Rayna had talent, but he couldn't get past his feelings of betrayal and anger to let her know that. He'd hoped she would get tired of it, that it would be just another passing fancy that a young girl had, but if anything, it had gotten stronger. That's when he'd asked Albert to discreetly follow her, see what she was doing and where she went. Albert was good for things like this. When he'd hired him, fresh out of college, he'd seemed ill-suited for a corporate life. But he had a tenacity and a second sense about him that intrigued Lamar. Eventually Albert became the person he relied upon, to gather intelligence, to handle the darker, sketchier side of Wyatt Industry business dealings.

The phone rang and then, after a minute, Vernice came to the door. "Mr. Wyatt, phone for you," she said.

He smiled. "Thank you, Vernice." He walked over and picked up the phone, waiting to hear it click on the other end when she hung up. "Yes?"

"Mr. Wyatt, it's Albert. I just thought you might like to know that Watty White is here. Talking to your daughter and her…friend."

He felt his face heat up and he clenched his jaw. He took a deep breath. "Thank you, Albert." And he hung up. He felt the anger rise up like bile in his throat. He walked over to the desk, picked up his glass, and downed the alcohol, then walked over and poured another glass. Then he went back to sit down in his chair. To wait.

####

Deacon slid his guitar case behind the seat and then jumped into the truck. He leaned over and gave Rayna a quick kiss, before putting his key in the ignition and starting the truck. He looked back over at her. She had a huge smile on her face. It was really the first time she'd stopped talking since Watty told her he'd gotten her a paying gig. He grinned at her. "You excited, baby?" he asked.

She clapped her hands together. "Oh, my God, Deacon, I can still hardly believe it," she cried. "I feel like I need to pinch myself to make sure it's real." And then she did just that and then laughed.

"I think it's real," he said, as he put the truck in gear and headed out of the parking lot.

She reached over and grabbed his arm. "I kind of feel bad though," she said.

He glanced over at her worried face and frowned. "Why?"

"Well, you know, because it should be you. You came here first."

He shook his head. "That ain't the way it works all the time, Ray. You gotta be a the right place at the right time and you were."

"But you shouldn't give up your dreams for me, Deacon."

He shook his head. "I won't. But I can help you and I want to."

"Well…." She looked unconvinced. "I guess."

He pulled up to a stop sign. There wasn't anyone behind them, so he reached over and put his finger under her chin. She almost looked like she was going to cry. "Listen. It don't matter how it happens. I'm happy for you. Believe me. And I'll get to be there with you when you stand on that stage."

"I'll pay you."

"You don't gotta do that."

"But I want to. You're giving up a night when you could go somewhere and get discovered. It's the least I can do."

He smiled at her. Sure, he wanted to break out, be the one on stage himself. But there were lots of ways to be successful. Working with her was one of them. "Whatever you want, baby. But just know I'm gonna be right there with you." He could see lights coming up behind them, so he eased out into the intersection. "It'll be okay." He could see she was still watching him, but then she sat back, turned her eyes to look out the windshield, and folded her hands in her lap.

He eased up the driveway and stopped in front of the porch. "You want me to walk you up?"

She looked towards the house, then back at him, and shook her head. "Daddy's home, so I think it's best if you don't." She sighed. "He'll just be mad and he'll probably blame you."

He frowned. "I don't want you to have to take that by yourself." He peered past her out the window, as though he expected Lamar to come charging out of the front door. The lights were off in the front of the house, but the dim light from farther back was visible. The only other light was the porch lights.

She shrugged. "It's not a big deal. He'll be all mad and maybe yell a little and then it'll be over. I'll go upstairs and he'll just stew in his study." She smiled, but it didn't seem like a confident smile. "It's what he always does. He'll probably lecture me about" – she lowered her voice – "following the rules, and I'll just listen and then walk away. I suppose he could ground me. But I hope not." She smiled again, and she seemed more sure that time. She leaned over and kissed him. "This was such a great night and I'm glad I got to do it with you."

She started to pull away, but he put his hand on the back of her neck and pulled her back towards him. His lips found hers and he kissed her, slowly and deeply. When he let her go, they were both a little breathless. "I love you, Rayna," he said.

She reached up and laid a hand on his cheek. "I love you, Deacon." She slid over to the door and opened it. "I'll call you tomorrow." She hopped out of the truck and shut the door, then took a few steps back and waved. He felt concerned for a moment and debated whether he should leave or not, but decided she'd be okay. She was both brave and resilient. She had a strong sense of herself and he knew she could stand on her own. He waved back, then turned the car back towards the street.

####

She watched as Deacon's truck headed down the driveway, watching the red taillights until they vanished past the hedges. She stood a moment longer, a chill running down her back, in spite of the warm, sultry summer night. As much as she willed herself to be strong in front of her father, his mercurial nature always made her wary. As she'd gotten older, she had realized how cold and unemotional he could be, about everything. He was cutthroat in business, which is what had made him both powerful and successful. He was an intimidating person, even at home, rarely displaying any warmth or love towards her or her sister. He was always watching, judging, laying down the law, coldly efficient and cutting.

She shivered. You can stay in my house, but you have to live by my rules. How many times had he said that to her? Especially since she'd expressed interest in making a career in the music industry. Her mom had always been so encouraging. It was almost like her father was trying to be the opposite. She knew there'd been trouble in the marriage. She'd been old enough to understand the distance and know that the fighting wasn't just the normal arguing of a married couple. She could see how unhappy her mom was, felt the chasm between her parents. She'd had to grow up a lot in the aftermath of her mother's death. She and Tandy had been mostly on their own, with their father so often not home. It had changed the way she looked at the world.

She sighed and then turned, heading for the steps up to the porch. She put her key in the lock and let herself in. Her father's study was dark and the only light she saw came from the direction of the kitchen. She thought Vernice must have been up late or that maybe she'd left it on for her, thinking she might want a glass of water. She hesitated in the foyer. It wasn't terribly late and she was still wired from both the show and Watty's news. She saw a shadow cross the light and then her father appeared. His face was impassive, but she got that same chill down her back she'd had outside. She swallowed and forced a smile on her face. "Hey, Daddy. I was just going up to bed." She took a couple steps towards the stairs.

"I think you and I need to have a little chat first, Rayna." His voice was deceptively calm and his hands were on his waist.

"What about?"

"Where were you tonight?" His eyes narrowed just a bit.

Her heart started beating hard and her mouth felt dry. "I went with Deacon, to hear him play."

Her father smiled, a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Oh, really? So you didn't get up on stage with him?"

Now she felt a gnawing in the pit of her stomach. It was clear to her that he knew she had, although she had no idea how. "I did." She decided it was better for her to be honest.

"I thought I told you how I felt about that kind of thing, Rayna."

She took a deep breath. "You did, Daddy, but truthfully, I have no idea why you feel that way. I like to do it and I think I'm pretty good at it. It's not like I'm breaking a law or anything."

"But you're disobeying my direct orders, Rayna. Isn't that true?" She was silent. "I've also told you I don't want you seeing that Claybourne boy and yet you continue to defy me on that as well."

She clenched her hands by her side. "I told you he's nice and treats me nicely. You just won't take the time to get to know him."

He waved his hand at her. "He's neither here nor there to me, Rayna," he said, his voice getting louder. "Except that he is enabling you with this folly of yours and pulls you into a life that's beneath you. I'm going to tell you one last time. Don't see him again and don't disobey my rules about going out and singing, or whatever it is you're doing."

That made her mad. "I'm performing, Daddy! People want to see me perform on stage. I get tips for singing on stage. Good tips. And I'm going to be an artist one day, singing on big stages in front of thousands of people. Making records that will be on the radio."

He lifted his hand and shook his finger at her, his face turning red with anger. "You will not do that, young lady! I forbid you to pursue this!"

"Well, it's too late. I'm already doing it. I've already got someone in the music business helping me." She took a step towards him. "In fact, I'm going to be doing a performance next week and getting paid for it. Watty got that for me. And you're not going to stop me from doing it!"

"You still live under my roof, young lady. I can damn well stop you."

"No, you're not!"

He walked towards her, almost menacingly, and she took a step back. "If you think you're going to get up on stage and embarrass this family, the Wyatt name, you are wrong! I know you use your mother's name, and I won't stand for that either!"

"She would want me to do this! She would support me!" She stood her ground. "I'm going to do this, Daddy, whether you like it or not."

His face changed then, from angry to resolute, the thin, sinister smile back. "If that's the case, then you no longer are welcome to live in this house. You can pack your bags and get out."

She was stunned. "What?"

"You heard me, Rayna. If you continue with this, you no longer live here. You have ten minutes to pack your bags and leave."

She couldn't believe he actually meant that, but she also believed he thought she would back down. She glared at him and, without a word, went upstairs to her room. She stood in the middle of the room for a moment, wondering what to do. She could feel herself shaking. Surely he doesn't mean it. She decided to test it. She went to her closet and pulled out two suitcases, filling them up with as much as she could. Then she carried them downstairs to the foyer. Her father wasn't there, but the doors to his study were closed and she saw a thin line of light under them. She felt tears in her eyes, but she blinked them back, straightened her back, and walked up to the door. She took one last look at the study doors, turned and looked around the foyer, at the dining room, the hallway to the den and kitchen, the grand staircase, and the enormous Oriental rug in front of her. She felt an ache in her chest, but she took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. Then she walked out the front door, slamming it shut behind her.

####

He sat there in his study, only the desk lamp providing light. He had a tumbler of whiskey in his hand. He was sure Rayna would come to her senses. She was just sixteen after all. Where would she go? She'd never had to take care of herself before and, he was sure, even if she did decide to be stubborn and walk out, she'd be back. She'd go spend the night with Tandy, think better of her choices, and come back home.

He heard the thump of suitcases on the staircase and then her boots tapping across the floor. He waited. Then he heard the slam of the door. He smiled to himself, taking a sip of whiskey. She'd be back the next day. And then he'd make sure Watty White paid for his involvement in Rayna's life. His smile quickly left his face as he thought about the other man, the man who'd turned his beloved Virginia away from him. His eyes narrowed and his lips formed a thin line.

####

She walked around to where her car was parked and opened the trunk, putting her suitcases inside. She got in the car and started it, backing out and then heading down the driveway. When she came to the street, she stopped. The adrenaline that had gotten her this far seemed to drain away. She thought back to the look on her father's face. If you continue with this, you no longer live here. She felt herself start to shake and her heart hurt. Even though it had been four years since her mom had died, the house had still held her memory inside, and it was hard for Rayna to think about walking away. Plus she had no idea where to go or what she would do.

She considered that this was likely the exact thing her father expected, that she would be too afraid to really and truly leave home. He probably thought she'd go to Tandy's and then beg to come back. But she wasn't sure she wanted to do that. It would mean giving up her dreams and she still had no idea why he was so hell bent on her doing that. She was at a crossroads and she needed to make a decision. So she took a deep breath and turned out onto the street.

She parked at Tandy's apartment and walked up the steps. She knocked and waited. It was a weekend night, so she could be out on a date or with friends. It was almost eleven, but that was still early for college students. Although a lot of her sister's friends had gone home for the summer break, there were some who stayed, and Rayna knew Tandy had an active social life. She knocked again. Then she sighed and leaned back against the door. She had no idea what to do. She had no idea when, or if, Tandy would be back. She couldn't just stand there all night waiting.

She finally walked back down the walkway and down the steps to the parking lot. She got in her car, thinking about what to do next. Finally she put the key in the ignition, started the car, and headed for the road.

####

He was sitting on his couch, his guitar on his lap, when the knock came at the door. He glanced at the clock and saw that it was just past eleven-thirty. He frowned. It was late for visitors. The knock came again and then he heard, "Deacon?" Rayna. He set aside his guitar and got up, heading for the door. He opened it, surprised to see her standing there.

"Rayna, what are you doing here?" She just looked at him for a moment, then burst into tears. He reached out for her, pulling her into the apartment. "Baby, what happened? What's going on?" He held her close and she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. He let her cry, rubbing her back, until finally she pulled back and looked up at him, her face tear-stained.

"Daddy kicked me out," she said, her voice tiny.

"What?" He was shocked.

"Somehow he found out about us singing tonight and he told me I had to stop. I told him I had a paying gig and he got even madder. He said if I didn't stop, I couldn't live there anymore. And he gave me ten minutes to pack." Her face got all screwed up then and she started to cry again. He took her back in his arms and held her, running his hand over her hair, trying to soothe her. She grabbed his shirt in her hand and took a deep, shaky breath. "I went to Tandy's, but she wasn't home," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. She looked up at him then. "I didn't know where else to go."

He leaned in and kissed her on the forehead. "It's okay. You can stay here." He tried to sound calmer than he felt. He had truly not expected something like this and he was concerned that it wouldn't end well. He felt sure Lamar Wyatt had no intention of allowing his daughter to just leave and go out on her own. She was just sixteen. Almost seventeen, but still, she was a minor, technically not able to make decisions on her own. "You want something to drink?" he asked.

She stepped back and wiped at her face. "Maybe some water?" He nodded, then went to the kitchen and got a glass, filling it with water. He brought it back and she was still standing where he left her, looking a little shell-shocked.

He took her arm. "Let's sit down, baby," he said. She looked up at him, her eyes wide and still a little red from crying, her face blotchy. She let him lead her over to the couch and they sat. Then he handed her the glass. She held it for a moment, then lifted it to her lips and took a tiny sip. She set the glass down and looked around the room, her eyes settling on his guitar.

She looked at him, her eyes sad. "You were working on something," she said. She looked at the notebook on the coffee table and reached out to touch it. "I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "No, no, it's okay. It wasn't working out that great anyway." He gave her a lopsided smile. After a second, she gave him a little smile. He reached out and ran his hand over her hair. "You wanna talk about it?"

She shrugged and looked down at her hands in her lap. "I don't know what else to say. He told me I couldn't live there anymore if I wanted to follow my dream." She looked up at him. "He kicked me out." She sounded like she still could hardly believe it. "Kicked me out of the house. Who does that to their daughter, Deacon? Who just throws away their daughter like that? I mean, if I'd done something terrible, I could understand him not liking it, but all I want to do is sing. What's so terrible about that?" She spread her hands, looking confused.

He shook his head. "I don't know, Ray. Don't seem like the kinda thing you'd get upset about, but didn't you tell me he'd been gone a lot? Maybe he wanted you to stay around when he was home."

She frowned. "I don't think that's it. When he was home he would shut himself up in his study." She looked thoughtful. "He did say something tonight about my mom, that he didn't want me using her name. She was the one who always wanted me to sing and I know she would support me." She sighed. "I think I'm just too tired to think about it anymore."

"I'll sleep on the couch. You take the bed."

She shook her head, holding her hand up. "Deacon, no. I'm not gonna let you do that again."

He stood up and she looked up at him. "It's settled." He put his hands on his hips. "You got a suitcase or something?" She nodded. "Is it in your car?" She nodded again. "Gimme your keys. I'll get it."

She got up then and walked over to where she'd dropped her purse and pulled out her keys. She turned and handed them to him. "Here," she said. He reached for the keys but she didn't let go immediately. She looked up into his eyes. "Thank you."

He breathed in, then put his hand on the back of her neck and pulled her to him, kissing the top of her head. "I'm glad you came." He slid the keys from her hand and stepped over to the door. "I'll be right back." He walked out onto the walkway, closing the door behind him. He stood at the rail, looking down at the parking lot, at her car. He breathed in and out slowly. He didn't know what this meant, if she'd end up going back home or what. His heart was beating hard and he knew having her stay the night would be hard, like it had been the last time, and probably not a good idea. She was in a fragile state. He loved her so much, but he didn't want to scare her. He smiled a little, thinking to himself that she was a pretty feisty girl, but he knew she was naïve in some ways and he felt protective. He breathed in again and then headed for the stairs to get her suitcase.

####

She started to shake again. She couldn't decide if she was scared or hurt or just angry. It was probably a bit of all three. She wouldn't go back. She'd decided that in the car on the way to Tandy's. Not on her own. Probably not even if her father apologized. She needed to do this for herself and she had come to realize that, living her comfortable life, she hadn't been tested enough. She hadn't lived a life. This was her chance. She still wasn't sure what to do the next day, but she would think about that then. On this night, she felt wrung out, and she needed to sleep.

She looked up when the door opened. Deacon came in carrying both of her suitcases. She jumped up. "Oh, they're so heavy, I know," she said.

He shook his head. "Not really." He set them down over against the wall opposite his bed. "I figured I'd bring 'em both in, since I didn't know what you'd need."

She smiled gratefully. "Thank you. And thank you for letting me stay. I promise I'll leave in the morning."

"You don't got to. You can stay as long as you need to."

She shook her head. "I know you don't have a lot of space." She could feel herself blush. "And I should probably stay with Tandy anyway. I just didn't want to wait, you know, in the dark." It occurred to her then that if he hadn't been at his apartment, she wouldn't have known what to do next or where to go, so she was just grateful he was there.

He smiled. "I'm glad you came." He looked at the couch. "Look, I gotta work in the morning, so I'm gonna sleep out here and I'll be as quiet as I can in the morning. Sleep as long as you want."

She suddenly felt a rush of anxiety, thinking again about the circumstances that had brought her here. She clasped her hands together. "Will you…will you sleep with me?" she asked, hesitantly.

He looked taken aback. "What? No, baby, I ain't gonna take advantage…."

She shook her head. "No, I don't mean that. I mean just maybe hold me?" She was embarrassed that tears started to roll down her cheeks again. "I just feel…." She didn't know how to explain how alone she felt and started to cry again.

He walked over to her and took her in his arms. "Yeah, okay. If it'll help you sleep." She looked up at him and nodded.

The bed was small, just a single, so he was pressed tight against her back, his arm around her waist. She couldn't help but think about how his body felt, curved against her own, and how his breath felt against the back of her neck. But she also felt the most safe and protected she'd felt all night. She fell asleep surprisingly quickly and when she woke up the next morning, he was gone. She rolled over and got up from the bed. Then sun was shining, she could see through the blinds. He'd left a note on the kitchen counter. There's coffee made and some cereal if you want it. Let me know what you decide to do. Love, Deacon.

She put the note down and smiled to herself. She decided not to have cereal and turned off the coffeemaker. She took her suitcases down to her car, one by one. Then she left him a note at the bottom of his. I'm going to Tandy's. I'll call you. Thank you for everything. Love, Rayna. She made up the bed, then picked up her purse and headed for the door. She looked around the tiny apartment, thinking it had been, for the second time, a port in a storm for her. She couldn't help but wonder if maybe it would be again. She opened the door, turning the lock on the inside, and then left.