Thank you for the reviews. Not sure whether everyone is enjoying this or not? I have another couple of parts but I may just finish on this one. Let me know what you think. Thanks xx

He couldn't take it when she cried. He felt compelled to tell her. He couldn't allow her to believe that he didn't want her. Although he doubted that she would believe his charade of telling her to go anyway. He turned around and lifted her chin so he could look at her.

"No more tears ok?" He told her wiping her eyes with his shirt sleeve.

"I don't know how to tell you?"

"Tell me what Deacon?" She asked. Trying to assess what was going on. He tried but the words wouldn't come out.

"Deacon please just tell me what's wrong. I know something isn't right, please baby. It can't be anything worse than what's running through my mind?" His eye's locked with hers and the love in her eye's compelled him to tell...

"I'm sick Ray. He paused as her eye's grew with fear. "I don't know how sick but it ain't good it's my Liver." He finally said it and it felt bittersweet to tell her. He was glad it wasn't a secret anymore but he knew she would be devastated. Shock was plastered all over her face.

"What? Deacon?" Her eyes searched him as she gripped the front of his shirt.

"How long have you known? Why didn't you tell me?" She asked him feeling annoyed at him.

"I found out yesterday I collapsed when me and Scarlett were down in Memphis." She shook her head feeling a mixture of devastation and fright.

"Why don't you know how sick you are? Have you seen a specialist?" She asked feeling sick.

"I'm going to phone the doctor in the morning." He told her.

"Don't bother I'll phone Buck right now. We will get you an appointment to see the top specialist in the country and you know we'll get you sorted in no time. I'm not taking any chances." She told him reaching for her mobile. He smiled at her no nonsense way of dealing with things.

"Ray?" He said catching her attention taking her mobile away from her ear.

"What? I can't believe you didn't tell me Deacon. I'm really annoyed that you did that. So is that what was stopping you from being with me?" She asked. She could feel the realisation of Deacon's illness seep into her. "Are you scared?" He asked as the colour drained from her face. "How can I be ok until I know that you're going to be ok?" She asked him wrapping her arms around him resting her forehead against his. He took comfort from her and simply nodded his head in answer as they held onto one another.

They let a few tears escape as they felt sorry for themselves and each other. They thought of the time together they had been denied by life before now through miscommunication. Time slipped away from them as they held one another. She felt her own strength come to the fore, she needed to be positive, make him positive but right now she felt like someone had told her the worst possible thing. Her Deacon wasn't well and it was serious and to what extent she didn't know.

"Hey, I love you." She told him as she peppered kisses across his jaw. "And...I know that we are the best medicine for each other. We will take it one day at the time and everything is going to be all right ok?" She told him more confidently than she felt. He nodded his head in agreement. She should feel selfish that within hours of breaking off an engagement to one guy she was back, begging Deacon to forgive her and take her back. But finally she was admitting it to herself she just wanted him. She needed to be with him, close to him. She needed to be with the man she loved.

"You keep saying about loving me. Let me show you babe?"

"Ray?" He began to question as she interrupted him by pressing her finger to his lips. Shushing him as he kissed her finger. She was yearning to be close to him. He had just given his Ray the worst news and she wanted him. Who was he to deny her? He wanted the same thing, he needed to be with the woman he loved. She pulled off her jacket flinging it to the floor.

"Make love to me. I refuse to waste one second with you from now on." She told him feeling bereft and empty as she stood just out of his grasp. He grabbed her and lay her on the couch in front of him. The light caught the golden tones of her hair. The twinkle in her eye that was only for him and it meant one thing and one thing only. He didn't need telling. He swiftly pulled her top off over her head. He began peppering kisses across her collar bone and the top of her breast's. She began to undo his shirt buttons before unlatching his belt and jean zipper. His name seemed so right as it fell out her mouth pleasurably. "Deacon?" He looked up. His name was his favourite word when it left her lips. She smashed her mouth against his. Their hungry hands traced every inch of skin before Deacon easily lifted her onto the fluffy rug on the floor removing the rest of each others clothes. They were both ready just the thought of what was to come was enough. For the first time in over a year they made love to one another slowly relishing every second. It was the first time making love to the mother of his child for Deacon. Rayna he had always loved but he knew she had never been so special to him as she did right now knowing she was the mother of his child. They couldn't help but cry as they connected so passionately and in a deeper way than ever before because they had missed each other. The news that he was ill made her feel helpless because she couldn't do anything about it and it made her feel sick. The fear he could be snatched away from her she couldn't comprehend. She could not lose him now or ever. They rocked together for hours touching, caressing and kissing, remembering every inch of one another.