Thanks for the lovely reviews...I decided to write a little more. This takes place between episodes 3x18 and 3x19
"So, did you orchestrate that?" Deacon asked as the girls went upstairs to pick up their backpacks and get ready to go to school.
Rayna smiled. "What? Them asking you to move in? You think I'd be crafty that way?" She bumped her hip up against his.
"Definitely," Deacon replied.
"I did not tell them to do that, but I did ask them what they would think of it. They put 2 and 2 together themselves," Rayna answered.
"You want me to drop them off today?" Deacon asked. "Their school is on my way home-I could head over there and pack up a few things."
Rayna smiled and nodded. "That would be great. I need to go in and meet with Bucky and then Teddy left a message about the fundraiser. He had asked me to sing with the girls. You want to join us?"
Deacon paused. "You think that'd be okay with him? He's been really great, Ray. I don't want to do anything to make him uncomfortable at his event."
"Thanks," Rayna replied. "I really appreciate how you two have been lately-makes it easier for all of us. Let me talk to him and see where he's at, but I know I'd love to have you on the stage with us. I've been missing you up there."
Deacon nodded. "You know, these past couple of years, while we've been figuring stuff out-Ray, I haven't gone so long without making music with you since we met."
Rayna put her arms around him. "And I'm sorry for that, babe-can you ever forgive me?"
Deacon tipped his head down and kissed her. "Nothing to forgive babe, it was just how it was."
"Mom!"
They pulled apart to find Daphne standing there with her backpack on.
"Maddie's already outside. We gotta go, or we're gonna be late."
"Okay, honey. Deacon's gonna drop you today so I can go see Uncle Bucky." She walked over and planted a kiss on Daphne's head. "Have a great day, sweetheart."
Rayna walked into the Highway 65 offices, waving to the staff as she made her way to her office.
"You ready for me?" Bucky asked as she sat down behind the desk.
"Sure, c'mon in," she invited him.
Bucky took the seat across from her and opened up a notebook he had been carrying. "I've just got a few things that are urgent, but then we should probably talk about what's on the horizon."
Rayna nodded. "Yes, we do need to talk about that." She looked up at the staff moving outside the office, stood up and walked over to close the door to her office. "I actually have a couple of things I need to talk to you about."
Bucky watched silently as Rayna told him about Deacon's cancer and prognosis.
"Oh, Ray-I'm sorry," he responded when she finished.
"Thanks, Buck. I know you've been through a lot with me and with Deacon, but we're in as good a place as we can be right now. He's actually at his place getting his stuff and moving in. I just feel like whether we have this short amount of time left or a lifetime, I want him there, with our family."
"Is there anything I can do?" her manager asked.
Rayna shook her head. "Honestly, you've been doing it. Deacon has gotten a little more used to sharing this news, but we haven't told very many people so if you're able to pick up the slack for me, I'd be very grateful."
"Happy to do that, Ray. Whatever you need. Please just let me know."
Thanks, Buck. Okay, what do you have on your list?"
Rayna walked out of the Highway 65 office and slipped her sunglasses on and looked down at her watch. She pulled her phone out and dialed Teddy's number.
"Hey," she said as he answered the phone. "I'm downtown today at the office. Any chance you can meet for lunch?"
Teddy agreed and they made plans to meet up at Puckett's Grocery at noon. She ended the call and dialed Deacon.
"How's the move going?" she asked. "You need me to send over Two Men and a Truck?"
Deacon laughed. "You got somewhere I can put some guitars that somebody will actually play?" he asked.
"I played those guitars in the family room," Rayna responded indignantly. "One time, at least."
"Well, if you don't mind, I'm going to bring a few other favorites," Deacon replied.
"Anything that makes you feel at home," Rayna answered. "So, I'm going to meet Teddy for lunch, but then I'll be home to help."
"Sounds good," Deacon replied, then coughed.
"You feeling okay?" she asked, a look of concern crossing her face.
"I'm fine," he responded. "Don't worry, Ray."
"I'm gonna worry," Rayna answered. "I'm gonna worry until we find the liver and…"
"I'll see you in a bit," he said, cutting her off. "Have a good lunch."
She ended the call and turned to head up Church Street toward the restaurant. Time to break the news to Teddy that Deacon was really, once and for all, back in her life.
"So, you still good with doing a song for the fundraiser," Teddy said as he looked over the menu.
"Of course," Rayna replied. "Of course, I keep performing with the girls and they're gonna expect to go out on the road with me next time."
Teddy looked up and smiled. "You know that you've opened the barn door on that one, don't you?"
Rayna nodded. "So, there's something else I wanted to talk to you about."
Teddy laid down the menu. "Yes?"
She looked at him and took in a breath. "So, Deacon's moving in with us."
Teddy sighed. "I mean, I guess I shouldn't be surprised and with everything going on…"
"Yeah," Rayna answered. "I know we've both moved on... that I was about to marry Luke and you and Peggy, but I can understand that since it's Deacon you might feel different about it."
Teddy reached over and took her hand. "Rayna, I know I never wanted to admit it, but I think I knew before you did that this is how your story would end, that you would be together."
Rayna took another breath, her voice catching. "That's just it. If it's the end…"
He shook his head. "No, that's not what I meant. I mean, that you two would be together again."
Rayna nodded, reaching up to brush away a tear. "I'm sorry, seems like I can keep a handle on it and then it just bubbles up and hear I am crying in public again."
"How are the girls doing?" he asked. "I mean, they seem okay when I see them, but how are they doing?"
Rayna shrugged. "I don't know-okay, I guess?"
"If there's anything...anything at all that I can do, you'll let me know, right?" Teddy asked.
"Of course," Rayna replied, nodding her head to confirm it.
"Hey," Rayna said as she walked in the house to find Deacon sitting on the couch playing the guitar. "You writing something new?"
Deacon looked up. "Just trying to figure out what we might want to play at the fundraiser."
She looked over his shoulder at a list of songs, all crossed out. "Seems like you're working your way through most of our catalog."
"Yeah," Deacon replied. "I mean, we wrote most of them either in love with each other or longing for one another, so that makes it a little harder to sing as a family."
"What about A Life That's Good?" she asked.
Deacon shook his head. "Not sure I could make it through it right now, if that's okay."
Rayna sat down next to him and reached over for his hand. "I get that." She picked up the notepad and looked down it. "So, what about This Time? I mean, yes, it's kind of suggestive, but I could sing the lines that are really bad…"
Deacon considered it and then nodded. "That could work. How was Teddy?"
"Good. Better. So, about this fundraiser…"
"Yes?" Deacon responded.
Rayna linker her arm with his. "You know there's gonna be press there, red carpet, the whole deal."
"And?"
She looked up at him. "So, you ready to take this thing public? Us?"
He leaned in and kissed her. "Absolutely. I'm all in, Rayna Jaymes."