WOAH SORRY I HAVEN'T UPDATED IN NINE AND A HALF YEARS I suck and started gaining other interests like Little Big Town again and started watching Grey's Anatomy again. I hope you like this though because I think it's p good for not watching Nashville in forever or remembering how this flashback went. As much as that flashback didn't make ANY SENSE and I don't like Luke Wheeler, I wanted to stay true to the whole "he's not good enough for you" he kept dropping in the show. Anyway yay sorry but I hope you like :-)

"Still nothing?" Rayna asked her manager frantically.

Watty shook his head. "Nothin'. We looked in the bus, the dressing room, catering. His guitar is still here, but he's not." He sighed. "You tried calling him?"

Rayna nodded slowly. "Four times. It went to voicemail every time." She sighed and looked around the backstage of the venue. "We need to figure something out. Maybe George's guitar played will fill in?"

Watty nodded. "Let me go figure something out." He turned on his heel and walked away from Rayna, who sighed again and grabbed her phone to try to call Deacon again.

The phone rang half a dozen times before Rayna groaned in frustraion and closed the phone forcefully. She blew out a breath and leaned against the wall, trying not to cry.

This has happened too many times. Too many times Deacon has left Rayna high-and-dry backstage, scrambling five minutes before showtime for a filler guitar player. Too many times Rayna hs found Deacon wasted past the point of no return in some sleezy hotel bar, and too many times she has had to drag him out, sobbing uncontrollably as she struggled to figure out whether he was alive or dead.

"Hey, Rayna." A voice behind her pulled her out of her thoughts. "Still can't find him?"

Rayna turned around and came face-to-face with Luke Wheeler, the first opener on George Strait's tour. She shook her head sadly. "No, I've tried calling him four times. I don't know what to do."

Luke sighed. "Well, I'll tell you what. I've seen your set night after night, so I know it cold. How about I stand in for Deacon and I'll help you look for him after?"

Rayna smiled softly and nodded. "Thanks, Luke. I really appreciate it."

Luke nodded once before turning to grab his guitar, and Rayna swallowed the lump in her throat.

She was grateful for Luke, but she prayed that whever Deacon was, he was alive. She couldn't bear to lose him.

XXX

"How many times has he done this, Rayna?" Luke asked as the redhead, who was speed-walking toward the hotel with a frantic look on her face.

Rayna just shook her head as she walked through the huge door of the hotel, immediately looking around for her boyfriend. "Deacon?" She called out but instantly thought twice about it. He was probably so wasted that he couldn't even think, let alone answer her.

Rayna made her way to the elevator down the hall to head up to her room. The safest place to look would be there, and she hoped to God that's where he was.

Her heart was pounding out of her chest as she rode the elevator up to the third floor, where her room was. When the bell chime and the door opened, Rayna took a deep breath and jogged down the hallway to her room.

She blew out a breath as she put the key in the lock, but was worried when she discovered it was still unlocked. She pulled out the key and pushed on the knob, pushing open the door and barging into the room.

She gasped when she saw the scene before her: Deacon was laying face down on the floor in front of the mini-bar, mini bottles of whiskey scattered around him.
Rayna ran up next to him and crouched down, placing her hands on his shoulder to roll him over before she shook him violently.

"Deacon!" She yelled, tears falling down her face as she shook him to try to wake him up. "Deacon, come on, babe. Wake up. Please."

She slapped his face and shook him again, but nothing happened. Rayna stood up and leaned down to grab his arms, trying and failing to drag him to the door. He was wasted, a dead-weight, and Rayna had to do something with him.

Rayna looked down at Luke, who looked scared. "Please call an ambulance. Please. I can't move him. He's a dead-weight." Luke barely nodded as he pulled out his cell phone and stepped out to call 911.

The tiny redhead crouched down next to Deacon again, placing her hands on top of his chest. "Come on, babe; don't do this again. Please, you have to wake up." She leaned down to kiss him, but cringed at the strong smell of alcohol coming off of his body.

Luke walked back into the room, and Rayna looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "The ambulance will be here in fifteen minutes. Let's try to keep him alive until they get here."

Rayna swallowed hard and reached down to grip Deacon's hand, praying to whatever was up there that he'd stay alive.

XXX

Deacon woke up with a dry mouth and confusion as to why he was staring up at a white ceiling. He grunted and looked around the room, and his heart dropped when he saw Rayna next to him, gripping his hand as she laid sleeping on her folded arms.

"Ray?" He choked out, and Rayna shot her head up to look at him.

"Hey, babe. You're awake."

Deacon nodded slightly. "Yeah, I am. I'm so sorry, baby. I know I scared you."

Rayna nodded slowly. "Yeah you did. You have been a lot lately." She swallowed hard as she choked back tears "I almost lost you last night, Deacon."

Deacon swallowed hard. "I know, I'm sorry, baby. It won't happen again, Ray, I promise."

"Like I haven't heard that before." Rayna sighed. "How many times are you going to almost die before you actually do? How many times will I have to keep dragging you out of hotel rooms and take you to flush the alcohol out of your body?"

"Ray, I-"

"Deacon, you need help. This can't keep happening." Rayna reached into her bag and pulled out a stack of papers. "The lady at the desk gave me information about a rehab center three hours from here: Riverside. You'll be there for three months."

"I know you don't want to, and I know you'll hate it, but as long as you want to be with me you're going."

Deacon nodded and swallowed hard, grabbing Rayna's hand with both of his. "I'm so sorry, baby. I'm so sorry."

Rayna nodded slowly. "I know, babe. I know you are."

XXX

"Okay, I'll see you in three months." Rayna said to Deacon, grabbing his hand.

"I can't do this. I can't leave you for three months, I can't-"

Rayna nodded. "Yes, you can. You can, and I'll be here in three months to get you. You'll be better and we'll finally move into that house you love so much." She stood up on her tiptoes and leaned forward to kiss Deacon.

"I love you. I'll see you soon."

Deacon kissed her again. "I love you, baby. I love you so much." He reached down and grabbed his bag before turning on his heel and walking into the treatment center.

We'll be okay. We'll be fine. Rayna thought as she sighed and watched him walk into the building where he'd be for the next three months.

XXX