Rayna walked out and got in her car. She pulled her phone out of her purse and scrolled down to Deacon's name. After she hit "call", she lifted the phone to her ear. He answered, sounding a little out of breath. "Hey," she said with a tiny frown. "Did I get you in the middle of something?"

"No, it's ok," he responded. "I'm at the Bluebird with Avery, working on some stuff."

"Oh, okay." She tried to push back the fact that she felt relieved she hadn't interrupted him doing…something…with Megan. "I just talked to Teddy."

"Yeah?"

"Well, he wasn't happy about it. But I did get him to agree."

"Wow, that's great, Ray. I kinda thought he'd really dig his heels in."

Rayna looked down in her lap and picked at her skirt. "He did bring up something that I don't think we really talked about much." She breathed in. "The whole idea that people will start talking when they see you and Maddie together. I think we may have to consider that this is going to come out, that you're her father."

Deacon was silent for a moment. "What are you worried about?" he asked finally.

"I just think it's not going to be pleasant," she said. "I worry about Maddie being hurt by things people will say."

"What do you want to do about it?"

Rayna sighed. "I'm not sure. I think I'm going to talk to Bucky and Tandy about it. Which means, I'll have to tell Bucky."

Deacon let out a short laugh. "Come on, Ray. Do you really think he hasn't guessed already? I mean, nobody's been closer to you than him. I'm sure he had his suspicions."

Rayna shrugged. "Maybe. I guess. In any case, I'll see what he says." She put on her sunglasses and started her car. "So, next week. I'll pick Maddie up on Thursday at Teddy's and bring her to your house. And you'll bring her home on Sunday."

Deacon smiled. "Sounds good, Ray. Thanks."

"Sure. I'll see you then." She disconnected the call.

As Rayna headed towards home, she suddenly felt a cold chill run through her. She thought about Juliette Barnes and the PR nightmare that had erupted after her affair with Charlie Wentworth had gone public. It had practically destroyed her career. She could only imagine what would happen when the public at large found out that she'd had Deacon's baby and concealed it from him, passing her off as Teddy's. And then maintained the cover-up for nearly fourteen years. She could think of no way to soften the story, even though both Maddie and Deacon had moved past it.

She felt sick to her stomach. She knew she was being selfish, worrying about the fallout for herself. She had promised Maddie she'd make this right for her. But she was just going to have to push through it. Deep down inside, she knew that there was no way this was going to stay a secret.

When Maddie got home, she came and sat next to Rayna in the den. "Did you talk to him?" she asked eagerly. She knew her mom was meeting Teddy.

Rayna nodded. "I did. And, like I told you, he wasn't happy about it. But I got him to agree."

Maddie threw her arms around her mom. "Thank you, Mom! This is so great!" She sat back and beamed at her mom, who gave her a small smile. She hadn't been sure that Rayna would come through for her, but she had.

"I need to talk to you about something, though." Rayna took Maddie's hand. "If you're going to be spending a whole weekend with Deacon, I know you two will be out and about. And people will see the two of you together and wonder about it."

Maddie looked confused. "So? He's my dad. It would be normal."

"Maddie, you know we haven't said anything about all the details. It could be a really big deal."

Maddie narrowed her eyes. "For you," she said. "This is all about you. I didn't do anything wrong."

Rayna exhaled. She could see this was still a sticky subject. "Yes, that's true. But you'll still hear it."

"I hope you're not going to ask me to pretend my dad isn't my dad."

Rayna looked away. "No, of course not," she said finally. "I just wanted you to know."

Maddie's face was carefully neutral. Rayna was struck by how much she looked like Deacon in that moment. "Well, now you've told me," Maddie said. "It doesn't change anything. I'm not going to lie if people ask." She stood up. "I've got homework," she said and turned and walked off.

Rayna watched her leave, her heart in her throat. Maddie was right. It was about her. But she was running a label now, had sunk everything she had into it. If she lost it all, it could be devastating to all of them, not just her. She needed to be prepared. She picked up her phone and called Bucky. When she got his voice mail, she said, "Buck, we need to talk. I think there's going to be some trouble soon and we need to talk about how to handle it."

Maddie got to her room and threw her book bag down on the bed, then threw herself on it, wrapping her arms around her waist and frowning. She knew her mom was somehow going to ruin this. And she had. Now she was supposed to be all careful and everything so that the "great Rayna Jaymes" didn't suffer. But what about her? She'd missed out on a whole life with her real dad because of her mom's decisions. And now she had to pretend he wasn't her dad. Oh, yeah, she knew her mom said that wasn't the case, but how could it not be? What was she supposed to do? She felt like crying.

"Hey, Maddie." Maddie turned towards the door and saw Daphne hovering there. She couldn't help but smile. It was hard not to smile around Daphne.

"Hey," she answered. "Come on in."

Daphne's face broke into a smile and she ran over and jumped up on Maddie's bed, sliding over to sit next to her older sister. "I'm glad you're home. Mom's been a downer." She rolled her eyes.

Maddie laughed. "Duh. She's a mom. I think that's her job, or something." She reached around and hugged her sister. "So I'm going to start spending some time with Deacon, like we spend time with Dad."

Daphne scrunched up her face. "You are? When?"

"Well, half of Dad's week."

Daphne's face fell. "I wish you weren't," she said sadly.

Maddie sighed. "I know you don't. But you know, Deacon is my real dad. And I really want to get to know him better."

"Why can't I go too?"

"Because, silly, he's not your dad. Just mine. You'll stay with Dad."

Daphne sighed. "This is really confusing."

Maddie was thoughtful. "Maybe. Not really to me, though. It's really what I want."

"Doesn't Dad care?"

"Yeah, he does. But he's not my real dad. So he kind of had to agree to this."

Daphne rubbed her eyes. "Does this mean you aren't going to be my sister anymore?" she asked, her voice quivering just a little.

Maddie hugged Daphne close to her. "You know I'll always be your sister, Daphne."

"My half-sister," Daphne said sadly, a tear running down her cheek.

Maddie frowned. "Who told you that? You're my whole sister, even if we do have different dads." She brushed Daphne's tears away, then leaned down to her. "It's you and me, against the world." Daphne looked up at her and smiled hesitantly. Maddie hugged her close.

So much had changed in just a few short months. Maddie tried to act like she understood it all and was all grown-up about it, but the truth was that she was still trying to find her own way in this topsy-turvy landscape that had become her life. She'd gone through her own feelings of confusion relative to her sister, because, while the biological relationship was different, the real relationship, the bond they had, hadn't changed at all. But now, through this new lens, everything was upside down. When she looked at Teddy and Daphne together, she saw a bond that she knew she no longer shared. A part of her was sad about that, because it was familiar and all she'd ever known. And it had also made her feel disconnected and unsure of exactly what her place was. So she was excited about being part of Deacon's life.

She had asked her mother one night, when it was just the two of them, if Deacon would ever look at her the way Teddy looked at Daphne. She had wanted to know more, but everything after the accident felt raw and unfocused. She had thought that knowing who her real father was would solve everything, but it hadn't. Finding out that Deacon was an alcoholic, that he'd gotten so drunk that he had caused her mom to get distracted and crash the vehicle they were in, and all that went on in the aftermath of that, had confused her, but it had also been embarrassing. Teddy had always been someone she could count on, who never really disappointed her, and only embarrassed her the way parents normally did. This was different. It was uncharted territory and she had felt so unsure. But then she found herself needing to know more. Which was when she'd started searching the internet and listening to Deacon's music. Trying to figure out where she'd come from.

The pictures had been the real eye-opener. Even as inexperienced as she was about matters of the heart, she could see something between her mom and Deacon that she'd never seen between the parents she'd grown up with. It made her want to know more at the same time that she felt like she'd walked in on something she shouldn't have. That was what love was. Even she could see it. It wasn't anything she'd ever seen between her mom and Teddy. Knowing she'd come from that caused something to change inside her. It made her want to know Deacon better, but it also made her realize that there was a part of her mom she hadn't known.

Maddie had always felt a little like she was in a cage. Like she had to behave a certain way, that she had to control that urge to be more free-spirited. When she'd discovered music, she knew that was going to be her life, but she hadn't really been certain where that desire had come from. She knew some of it came from her mom, but it was more than that. And now she knew where it came from. So she needed to know more. A lot more. And it was taking her away from Teddy and Daphne and she had mixed feelings about that. But when her mom finally understood what she needed and had taken her to see Deacon for the first time, she felt like the puzzle pieces were finally falling into place.

Seeing her dad on stage at The Bluebird Café had been thrilling. She'd grown up listening to him sing and play and had always thought he was great, but now she felt proud. This was her dad! And he was amazing! And now she was going to get to really be part of his life and he would be part of hers. She looked down at the top of Daphne's head and she felt a little sad that her sister wouldn't share in this. Her sister, who shared everything with her, wasn't part of this at all. It felt heartbreaking at the same time that it felt exhilarating. She smiled to herself. She couldn't wait for the next step.

Scarlett found Deacon standing in the bedroom that would be Maddie's. Even though it had a bed and bedroom furniture in it, he had used it to store his guitars. He'd moved those out and now the room seemed, to him, to be a little bare. "What are you thinking about?" she asked him from the doorway.

He turned, with a confused look on his face. "Should I decorate in here? Or something else?" he asked.

Scarlett smiled. "Why don't we go shopping for a few things? Just to make it look a little cozier in here. I'll go with you."

Deacon looked relieved. "That would be great. Can we go now?"

Scarlett giggled. "Of course. Let's go."

When they got to the store, Deacon looked around, a little bewildered. "I don't know what to get," he said. "What does a fourteen year-old like?"

Scarlett smiled. "Music, clothes, magazines, talking on the phone." She looked at him. "Boys." She watched his face.

He frowned. "Maddie's not into boys, Rayna said. Which is good."

Scarlett laughed. "Only a daddy for six months and already you're gonna make life miserable for any boy that looks at Maddie."

Deacon looked at her and scowled. "She's too young."

Scarlett just looked at him and smiled. She was so glad Rayna had agreed to this. She hadn't seen her uncle this happy in a long time.

As they walked around the store, Deacon felt out of his depth. They walked towards the music section and he asked, "Should I get her a record player? I do know she likes music."

Scarlett gave him a funny look. "A record player? Deacon, I don't think they even make those anymore. A sound dock would be good."

Deacon frowned. "A what?"

Scarlett rolled her eyes. "For her iPod." She peered at him. "You do know what an iPod is, right?"

Deacon scowled. "Yes, I do. I'm not that out of touch."

Scarlett smirked as he picked up what she'd pointed out. In the bedding department, he asked, "Pink stuff? Should we get pink stuff?"

"Deacon, she's not a little girl."

Deacon sighed. "She's my little girl."

Scarlett shook her head. "Just leave it be. We'll let her decide."

He nodded. "Well, what about stuffed animals?"

"Not a little girl, Deacon."

Deacon gave her a look. "I'm getting it anyway." He picked up a fluffy white bear and put it in the cart.

They finally left with what Scarlett thought was right and what Deacon thought was not enough, but he figured they could go back later for more. Back at Deacon's, they fixed up her room so that it was ready for her.

"I hope she likes it," Deacon said, working his lip.

Scarlett reached in and hugged him. "She's gonna love it. Because her daddy did this for her."

Deacon's face got red. "I hope so," he murmured, feeling both anxious and excited.

Rayna drove over to Teddy's to pick up Maddie for her first visit with Deacon. She felt anxious, both for the visit to go well and for all of the unknowns. Bucky and Tandy had tried to calm her fears and had convinced her to wait and see how things went, but she couldn't help but be nervous. She wondered what mood Maddie would be in, whether Teddy would have tried to sway her from doing this. She had gotten about halfway up the walk when the front door opened and Maddie stalked out, her face a thundercloud of anger.

"Thank God, you're here," she said as she headed for Rayna's car.

Rayna stood open-mouthed as she watched Maddie walk past her, get in the car and slam the door. Then Teddy appeared on the porch. She gave him a concerned look. "What happened here?" she asked.

Teddy stopped, hands on his hips, a frown on his face. "I told her she didn't have to do this. That neither one of us would be there to protect her when things went wrong," he said irritably.

Rayna frowned. "Why in the world would you say something like that, Teddy? You're only going to push her away."

Teddy gave her a sarcastic smile. "She's living in a fairy tale world, Rayna, as are you. She thinks they'll sit around playing guitars all day. He has no clue what it means to raise a child and you're just handing her over, to be subjected to God knows what."

Rayna fumed. "Stop it, Teddy. Deacon is her father. He doesn't want to hurt her. He just wants to spend time getting to know her."

"She doesn't have to stay there for that. What if he goes on a bender?"

Rayna clenched her fists and slung them down. "Stop it!" She was furious. "Stop it right now! That's not going to happen. Plus Scarlett is there. It's not like she'll be all alone."

Teddy shook his head. "Well, it's a done deal now. I think we're all going to be very sorry we agreed to this before it's all over. I have a very bad feeling."

Rayna glared at him and turned to walk back to her car, without saying another word. When she got in the car, Maddie was sitting with her head down. Rayna reached for her hand and Maddie looked up at her, her eyes red from crying. "Mom, why does he have to be like this?" she wailed.

Rayna sighed. "He's afraid he's losing you, Maddie. He's just scared. He's been your dad your whole life and he loves you so much."

"But acting like this isn't helping," she cried. "I just need him to understand that it doesn't have anything to do with him. It's about Deacon and me." She swiped at her eyes, then looked down again. "Can we just go to Deacon's?" she asked.

Rayna nodded. "Yes, we can." She backed out of the driveway, noticing that Teddy had apparently gone back inside. Maddie was quiet during the ride to East Nashville and Rayna decided to let her be. When they arrived, Maddie opened the door, grabbed her things and ran up the steps, Rayna trailing behind.

Deacon opened the door with a big smile on his face. "Hey, Maddie!" he called out and she went running into his arms. She buried her face in his chest and he looked up at Rayna with confusion.

Rayna shook her head and frowned. "It got a little emotional, that's all."

Deacon frowned. "Rayna, if…"

Rayna waved her hand and rolled her eyes. "It's okay. It'll be okay. I'll handle it."

Just then Scarlett appeared at the door. Rayna caught her eye and smiled at her. Deacon turned slightly. "Maddie, you remember Scarlett, right?"

Maddie smiled and went over to hug Scarlett. "Yeah, I remember. She works with my mom."

Scarlett hugged her tight. "I'm so glad you're here, Maddie," she said. "We've got everything ready for you."

Maddie looked back at Deacon. He ran his hand over his face and smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, we tried fixing up your room, but you can always change things around if you want."

Maddie beamed. "I have my own room?"

"Well, of course, you do," Deacon replied. "Do you want to see it?"

"Yes!"

Deacon picked up her overnight bag and followed her and Scarlett in the house. Then he turned back. Rayna was still standing on the porch. "Come on in and take a look. I gave her the, uh, guitar room."

Rayna raised her eyebrows and then nodded slightly. Of course, every room in this house had some kind of memories associated with it and that one was no different. She walked in and followed them up the stairs. Maddie was already in the room with Scarlett and she turned as her mom and dad walked in together.

"I love it!" she said with a big smile. "It's perfect!"

Deacon set her bag down. "Well, if there's anything you think you need, we can get it. I didn't know what colors you liked, so we left it like it is for now." He nodded towards Scarlett. "Scarlett helped me pick out things we thought you'd like."

"It's great." She looked at her mom. "Mom, isn't it great?"

Rayna smiled and nodded her head. "It's awesome, Maddie." She looked around the room. Some things had changed over the years – Deacon had painted it and pulled up the carpet that had been in it before. The furniture was still the same. The bed was the single bed that he'd had in his apartment when she moved in. The bed they'd slept in together, not caring that it was small because they were happy to snuggle tightly together. And the dresser, the chair…. She had to look away. Somehow she hadn't considered that Maddie would be living in the midst of all her and Deacon's shared history.

"Did you live here, Mom?" Maddie asked.

Rayna looked back at her, then at Deacon, then back at Maddie. She nodded her head. "I did," she said, with a hitch in her voice. She took a deep breath. "Your dad and I bought this house together after I headlined my first tour."

Maddie looked at Deacon. "That's neat that you kept it," she said.

Deacon nodded, aware that this was uncomfortable for Rayna. "It's a great house," he said.

Rayna smiled at Maddie then and walked over to hug her daughter. "Listen, I need to get going. But you have a great weekend. And I'll see you Sunday. I'll be looking forward to hearing all about it."

Maddie smiled up at her. "Thanks, Mom."

Rayna let her go and then turned to walk out. She was surprised at the emotions she was feeling. It wasn't that she hadn't been in Deacon's house since she'd moved out, because, of course, she had. But seeing Maddie here had been more painful than she had imagined it would be. It made her wonder what could have been. She didn't realize Deacon had followed her until she got to the front door and he reached out to open it for her. She looked at him, his eyes full of compassion and gratitude.

"Thanks for doing this, Ray," he said softly.

She nodded and started out the door. Then she stopped and turned back for a moment. "Just be careful with her. I know you want this to work out well, but just remember you have plenty of time. You don't have to do everything in one weekend. Just take it slow." He nodded at her and she turned and walked briskly down the steps and out to her car.