HI HI HI HI I can explain! I hadn't written this story in three weeks and then I went to drum major camp the 10-16 and then came home and had no internet but I had this chapter written as soon as I got home but I FINALLY got internet back today so yayay here I am I hope you enjoy even though this is hella sad :-) Also you should know, I time-jumped a little to when Deacon, Rayna, and Vince live together ok yay

"Come on, man, you ain't even drunk! I can't drive and Carmen needs a ride home. Please, man."

Vince looked at Deacon and Rayna, then at Carmen, then back at Deacon and Rayna before shrugging and fishing the keys out of his jeans pocket.

"Let's go, darlin'." He looked at Carmen and gestured toward the car with his head, wrapping his arm around the brunette's shoulders as they walked to the car.

Deacon looked at Rayna and smiled slightly. "I could go for a walk, what about you?" Rayna giggled and nodded her head, grabbing Deacon's hand as they walked back to their condo together.

When Deacon heard the sirens in the distance, he didn't even think twice about it. He just gripped Rayna's hand tighter and kissed her cheek, walking with her to their home.

XXX

The knock on the door pulled the two of them out of each others embrace, and Rayna groaned unhappily.

"Leave it," she whispered, "Vince will find his keys eventually."

Deacon chuckled. "As much as I'd love to do that, he sounds pretty urgent, and I don't want the neighbors to file a noise complaint." He leaned down to kissed her forehead and brush her tousled curls out of her face. "Stay right here, darlin'-we WILL continue."

Deacon winked before rolling out of bed and finding his discarded boxers on the other side of the room. He stepped into them and smiled in Rayna's direction before walking out of their bedroom to answer the door.

"Man, you're gonna cause a noise complaint, again! I'm comin', relax." Deacon huffed as he opened the door, and his eyes widened.

"Evening, officers. How can I help you?"

"Good evening, sir. Is this the home of Vince Jamison?"

Deacon nodded and swallowed hard. "It is. He's not home yet, if you need to speak with him."

"That's actually who we came to talk to you about. Mr. Claybourne, I'm afraid there's been an accident involving your friend. He and his passenger hit a tree. The female passenger is in critical condition, but Mr. Jamison did not survive. I'm sorry."

Deacon felt his chest tighten up and the world around him spun and became fuzzy. He heard Rayna faintly behind him, but he couldn't make out her words. The officer's words just kept replaying over and over in his mind.

"I am very sorry for your loss." The officer said, and the two of them nodded before turning on their heel and walking away from their apartment.

"Babe?" Rayna asked, walking hesitantly toward him. "Babe, what happened?"

"Vince...Vince is dead." Deacon's voice was barely above a whisper as Rayna gasped. "He hit a tree. He's dead."

Rayna came up next to Deacon and grabbed his hand. "Oh babe. I don't even-I'm so sorry..."

Deacon sighed and shook his head, pulling his hand out of her grasp forcefully. "I need to go for a walk." He said faintly, turning to go into the bedroom, leaving Rayna to stand in the living room in shock.

XXX

The days and weeks following Vince's funeral passed by in a haze, and Deacon hardly ever left his bedroom. Without Rayna by his side, these days would've been a hell of a lot worse.

Rayna tried to get him to write with her, but he spent his long days and nights in bed with a bottle of whiskey. It was his fault this happened, so why should he go back to the way things were? His best friend wasn't here to experience all of his and Rayna's accomplishments, so why should he do anything?

He heard Rayna come into their bedroom, and he turned his head to look at her. She came onto the bed next to him and wrapped her arms around him, kissing the side of his head.

"Come on, babe, let's go for a walk or write something. you need to get out of this dark bedroom." Rayna whispered, and Deacon whipped his head around to look at her.

"I'm going to take a shower." Deacon grumbled, sliding out of Rayna's grasp and tumbling out of bed toward the bathroom, bottle of whiskey in hand.

While he waited for the water to heat up, he downed the rest of the whiskey that was in the bottle. He tossed the bottle on the floor and climbed into the shower, letting the heat nearly scald him.

Come on, man! You ain't even drunk!

I'm afraid there's been an accident.

Mr. Jamison did not survive.

"Damnit!" Deacon yelled into the water, his voice echoing throughout the bathroom. "Damnit, damnit, damnit!" His fist met the tile wall, but the pain that shot through his arm went unnoticed.

Vince was gone. His best friend was gone, it was his fault, and all Deacon wanted to do was drink that memory away.

XXX