So the plan was to finish this story by Season 4, doesn't look like that will happen. I don't want to rush, want the story to progress at its own pace. Hope you are all still enjoying it. If you have any suggestions about what you want to see happen, drop me a line. I appreciate all the lovely reviews.

Rayna threw her bag on to the seat as she sat down and looked out of the window. It was a grey gloomy day which was fine with Rayna, it matched her mood. Ever since Dr Rand had given them the bad news, she had been fighting to escape overwhelming feeling of defeat. She hated feeling like this that everything was on the verge of being lost. Dr Rand with one swing had dealt the final blow. Previously she had been living with the naïve belief that it would all work out. That they had struggled so hard to reach this point with their relationship that surely nothing could possibly separate them again. When Deacon first told her about the cancer, the bottom had dropped out of her world. But bit by bit she had slowly rebuilt her shattered world. While she had appeared to be dealing with what Deacon told her, she had successfully denied the truth to herself. She could no longer deny the truth, Deacon was dying and there was nothing she could do about it. Shaking her head slightly, she grimaced as she thought, "Well there was almost nothing she could do about it."

With renewed determination she picked up her phone and scrolled through the photos she had taken over the weekend away at the cabin. They had had such a fun time together as a family. It had reenergised both of them, given them added fuel to beat the cancer. Rayna knew that she was not ready to let go, they had many years ahead of them. Only when they were both old, full of wrinkles and grey hair would she entertain the idea of death separating them. Until then she was going to do everything in her power to save the man she loved. Her eyes twinkled in amusement as she looked down at the photo she had taken of her family smiling proudly at the camera. They were all sporting sun kissed redness to their faces as they all proudly held the fish they had caught. This is what she was fighting for: for her family. Her, Deacon, Maddie and Daphne that is how it is meant to be.

Deacon walked out of the school with a big grin on his face. Shaking her head, she rolled her eyes at him as she followed him to the car. Judging from his behaviour you would think he had a performance high. Rayna certainly had never felt that way after a parent teacher interview. Deacon leaned across the console and quickly kissed Rayna. Smiling at him, a slight puzzled look on her face,

"What was that for?"

"For giving me that experience. Ray, those girls are amazing. Not one teacher had a bad word to say about them….sure Maddie needs to lift her grades, but…. Our girls are amazing."

Deacon's infectious mood washed over her and she was soon grinning as widely as he was. It had been a long time since she had viewed these events with anything other than dread. It seemed that every time she did attend, there was always tension between her and Teddy. She tried to be at home as often as she could for the girls, and when she wasn't she certainly didn't shy away from her duties as a mother. But Teddy always seemed to resent her attending parent teacher interviews. Whether he thought she shouldn't be there cause it was him that helped with the homework, who did the soccer run and school excursions or whether it was the fact that she had often just returned home after touring with Deacon.

Finishing up touring and settling back into the daily life at home, always took a bit of adjustment. Life on the road was unique and a world away from the married mom life. Being around Deacon all day, every day on tour always brought her feelings for him to the surface. Once she returned home she knew that she was always a tad standoffish with Teddy. She struggled to push those Deacon feelings back down. The fact that Teddy had accused her of having an emotional affair with Deacon throughout their marriage, meant she wasn't as successful as she thought of hiding her feelings.

Deacon kissed her again, "Thank you"

Rayna cupped the side of his face and pressed her lips against his. Caressing his lip with her thumbs, she whispered,

"Well now that you are a Dad, it's in the job description."

Giving him a cheeky grin, she kissed him again before returning her focus to the chaos of parents trying to escape the carpark.

They swung by home to pick the girls up and load the car with supplies for the weekend. They both had decided a weekend away would be good for them all. As the girls chatted excitedly from the back seat, Rayna traced soothing patterns on Deacon's arm as he drove. They were both distracted by the daunting task ahead of them. Late last night, he had finally agreed with Rayna that it was time to tell the girls about the cancer. It had broken her heart seeing him crumble in front of her as he realised that he couldn't shield them any longer.

Telling them also meant that he had to also face the truth himself, he was on borrowed time. Rayna had wrapped herself around him as she laid spooned against him in the dark. He had encased her hand between his, kissing her knuckles as he silently cursed being forced to bring pain to Maddie and Daphne's young lives. She could hear his strong steady heartbeat as she laid her head against his muscular back, her tears silently sliding down her cheeks.

Rayna groaned into the pillow, she could hear Maddie and Daphne excitedly chatting in the living room. Reaching her arm out to the side, she could feel the rapidly dissipating heat from where Deacon had been sleeping. Lifting her head slightly, she squinted against the bright light pouring through the window. Flopping back onto the bed she loudly sighed. A scuffing noise behind her alerted her to Deacon's presence.

"Ray"

A moan was the only response he got. Smiling at the sight before him, he made his way over to the prone form of Rayna. She really wasn't a good morning person, but he did love teasing her about it.

"Come on Ray, times a-wasting. There are fish to catch and canoes to paddle." Giving her butt a slap, he stood back out of the reach of her legs. She had a habit of kicking him in the knee when she didn't want to be woken. Turning over she fixed a look towards Deacon that suggested that he shouldn't get too close to her if he valued his life. He smiled widely at her ruffled appearance as his heart swelled with love. He kissed her gently, risking bodily harm.

"Morning sunshine. Pancakes will be ready in about 10 minutes…along with coffee!" Kissing her once more, he headed out into the living area. Rolling over she hugged his pillow against her and breathed in the smell of him. Hearing the excited voices in the kitchen preparing breakfast, she groaned while thinking, "Cheerful people in the morning should be killed."

It was one of those wonderfully unexpected warm winter days that Nashville occasionally produced and Rayna wasn't going to waste an opportunity to soak up the sun. While still too cool to wear summer clothing, she was enjoying the fact she could get away with wearing a light weight cotton shirt with her jeans. Resting her book on her stomach, she looked up from her position lying on a beach towel at the water's edge, to watch Deacon trying to teach Daphne how to paddle a canoe.

Daphne squealed in delight as she accidently splashed Deacon, while he pretended to be angry. Laughing at them both, Rayna looked over at her eldest daughter as she remained engrossed in her book. Maddie had opted out of canoeing, in favour of reading a book next to her mother. Rolling her eyes at her, Rayna could recognise some of the same behaviour she exhibited at the same age. Sighing to herself, she pushed her sunglasses back up her nose as she picked up her own book.

They were both interrupted as Deacon and Daphne flopped down on the towels and excitedly flicked water in their direction. Maddie screeched and laughed before lunging at her sister. Daphne was too quick for her and raced off, with Maddie chasing her across the grass. Smiling with delight at their closeness she watched them chasing each other.

Flicking water to get her attention, Deacon watched in delight as her nose screwed up in annoyance. She really was cute when she was pretending to be angry at him. Smothering a smile, he lent over her and kissed her. Feeling pleased with himself, he smiled as he laid down next to her, his head resting on his arm.

"Awffff", he rubbed his stomach where she had just slapped him.

"What was that for?"

"For wetting my book."

Laughing at her mock anger, Deacon quickly rolled on top of her rubbing his wet hair against her face as she laughingly screamed at him to stop. When he had finally pinned her arms down by her sides, he hovered above her, watching her eyes dance with laughter.

"Ray, did anyone ever tell you that you are a party pooper?"

Screeching in protest, she wiggled against him as she tried to get loose of his restraints. Laughing at her feeble attempts of escape he shook his wet hair spraying her with water. Her laughter was infectious as he released her capturing her lips for a gentle kiss.

Rayna held her breath as she looked up at him. He took her breath away; the hint of wrinkles at the edge of his eyes, his dimples amplifying his smile. Her fingers traced his features, her eyes watching as he's darken with desire. Reaching up she kissed him before pushing him off, giving him an annoyed look dripping with humour. Laying on his side facing her, he tangled their fingers together and nuzzled her throat. Stretching her neck to give him greater access, she gave a throaty laugh as his lips tickled her sensitive skin.

"MOM!"

They both sighed together as reality came crashing back onto them. Deacon flopped onto his back, shielding his eyes from the sun as he watched Maddie and Daphne walking back towards them.

"We're starving, when's lunch?"

The rest of the afternoon passed in much the same way. Deacon taught both girls how to fish, as they squealed in delight catching their first fish. Rayna howled in disgust as all three of them chased after her, wanting to hug her with their fishy hands. Laying at the bottom of the group hug when they finally caught her, she couldn't help the tears that threatened to escaped. It wasn't fair that she finally had everything she had ever wanted only to have it cruelly ripped away. Hugging her family tightly she vowed to do everything in her power to make this right.

"Hey"

"Hey, how did everything go this morning, did the girls get to school ok?

"Oh they got school today?"

Smiling at his response, Rayna fired back "Smart arse"

Deacon grinned back at her, "Got everything under control on the home front alright, don't you worry. You just go get that new distribution deal"

"Ye l know, l just hate having to leave you….you know after everything going on"

"Well you have a label to run alright. I'm going to be real upset if I feel like you are neglecting it cause of me"

"Well hone, l just love you that's all. Think we're gonna land soon."

"Good luck in New York"

"Thanks."

Rayna put her phone away, buckling her belt as they started the decent. Chewing on her lips, she thought back over the moment they told the girls about Deacon's cancer. She would forever remember the look on the girls faces as they told them about the cancer. The heartbreak on their faces twined around her heart, squeezing it until she thought it would stop beating. They were devastated. Maddie's face drained of all colour as she crumbled to the ground inconsolable. Poor Daphne instantly burst into tears, looking from Deacon to Rayna for reassurance that it was going to be alright. Seeing both of crying just as hard as she was, she crawled onto Deacon's lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. Deacon hugged her to him, burying his face into hair.

Rayna wrapped herself around Maddie, trying to assure her it was going to be alright. Maddie, eyes red from crying looked up at her mother with a voice heavy with accusation,

"This is all your fault. If you hadn't keep me hidden away from him I would have had a lifetime of memories with my Dad before I lost him."

Pushing her mother's arms away from her, Maddie ran out of the house slamming the door as she left. Large tears fell from Rayna's eyes as she watched Maddie leave. Gasping for breath, she wrapped her arms around herself, falling to the floor. Deacon had never seen Rayna so distraught. She was struggling to breathe while crying so violently that her whole body was shuddering. Daphne, eyes wide in terror as she watched her mother, tightened her grasp around Deacon's neck as he tried to move towards Rayna. Stroking her hair, he whispered reassurances to her gradually feeling her lessen her grip on him.

Deacon quickly moved to Rayna, picking her up so he cradled her on his lap. Her arms latched around him, tightening painfully on him. She was crying her heart out, gasping to breath. Deacon rubbed her back, soothing her and encouraging her to slow her breathing down. He was worried she was on the verge of hyperventilating.

Her body had stopped shaking and her breathing had slowed. In between drawing in large lungful of air, she stammered out,

"She is…..right….if I hadn't…. been a coward….you both….could have…..had so much….time…together"

She buried her face in his neck as she clung tightly to him.

"Ray. Oh sweetheart, you did the right thing. You were protecting our beautiful girl. You have nothing to feel guilty about."

Running his hands through her hair, he managed to get her to look at him. His hands cup the side of her face, the pads of his thumbs wiping her tears away. Kissing her wet eyes, his heart breaking with her.

"Oh Ray…"

"Mom?"

Rayna looked over at Daphne standing alone looking scared.

"Oh baby."

She opened her arms and folded Daphne into her embrace. Deacon wrapped his arms around them both, offering his strength as they both silently cried. Lifting his gaze towards the door, his eyes filled with tears seeing Maddie standing there looking utterly devastated. Deacon gestured to her and she hesitantly walked over to them. As the loving arms of her family wrapped around her, she sobbed loudly, as they all cried together.

Rayna wiped the residue of tears away. She was sick and tired of crying. It was exhausting. Calling on a strength she didn't realise she had left, she walked off the private jet to the waiting car. She watched the city life flash pass, giving way to the tranquillity of the countryside. She never thought she would return to Natchez but she wasn't above begging Beverly to help Deacon. She knew that his sister was the only hope she had left to save him.

The failed transplant so quickly on the heels of telling the girls about the cancer, had crushed them all. News of the transplant had given them all hope, but being told that it wasn't a viable option had completely shattered any hope they had for the future. Deacon continued to put on an optimistic face for the girls, but Rayna knew that he was struggling. Both girls seemed reside to the fact that Deacon was dying. Maddie was acting out and Daphne had retreated into herself.

Rayna slowed the car as she entered the city limits. She wasn't ready to let go of the one remaining hope she had to save the man she loved. She was going to get Beverly to agree to donate her liver, failing to do so was just not an option she was willing to contemplate.