Sorry for the delay, and I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter, but hope you like it.
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This last leg of the tour started out in Austin. Rayna had always loved that city, it felt similar to Nashville with it's music scene and cowboy boots around every corner. As she settled into her hotel room she kicked her shoes off and relaxed on the couch. She just couldn't kick the flu bug she'd picked up and she felt like she was in need of a serious nap.
The flight had been quick, she was hoping that Deacon was going to come with her on the private plane, but he'd decided to fly commercial with the rest of the crew. When she heard a knock on the door she was hoping it was him, but when she opened it, it was Bucky's small frame that walked across the threshold.
"Are you sure you're ready for tonight Rayna? You just don't seem like you're 100% back to yourself."
"I know Bucky, I'm ok, I'm just a little peaked from this flu, but I'll be alright. Remember back in 2008 when I did that whole concert while I had bronchitis?"
"How could I forget, you were on so much cough medicine that I thought you were going to fall right off of your high heels and into the audience."
"But I didn't! I'll be fine, no worries."
Rayna walked back over to the couch and massaged her right foot, if she was going to admit it to herself, it hadn't healed completely since the accident and the high heels were a bit of a stretch.
"OK," Bucky interrupted, "well is Deacon prepped on the new material? The stuff you wrote after he joined Juliette's band."
"Yeah, I gave it to him up at the cabin so he could look it over, plus you know Deacon, he could pick up anything and he's heard my new show a bunch of times."
"Alright, well, why don't you get some rest. Sound check is at 5:00."
Rayna stretched back out on the couch and let sleep overtake her once again.
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Groggily Rayna opened her eyes and looked at the clock 4:45. "Oh crap!" she thought, I'm late.
She'd wanted to talk to Deacon before they were out in front of a live audience, but now she realized she wouldn't have the chance. She threw on some clothes, ran a brush through her almost perfect hair, and sprinted across the street to the stadium.
When she arrived he was already there, guitar slung low around his hips, hair pushed back. God he was so sexy. No matter how difficult things were between them the sex part was never an issue. She wanted him, and she wanted him badly.
"Nice of you to grace us with your presence Miss Jaymes," Deacon joked.
Rayna gave him a little smile. "I'm not that late."
She took the microphone and began to sing. Sound check flew by, and before she knew it she was being pushed into a tight dress, hair teased out and curled, make up being slapped on by her regular crew, and she was out on stage again, but this time for a live audience. She was glad that Deacon was there backing her up, because if she had to admit it to herself, she didn't feel quite right. Maybe it was too soon to have restarted the tour, maybe the accident took more out of her than she'd thought. Right before Wrong Song she stopped to drink some water and felt a little faint. Deacon saw her beginning to fade and grabbed her elbow.
"You alright Darlin'?"
"Yeah, just tired, I'd forgotten how exhausting walking in these high heels all night can be."
"Are you sure? Do you want to cut the set short?"
"Before Wrong Song? Hell no!"
Rayna flashed him her brightest smile and went back on stage, but he was still a little worried about her. He knew how hard it was for himself to be up there again. Not just physically, but mentally too, and he wondered if Rayna was as shaken up as he was.
After the show wrapped he wanted to go up to her, take care of her, but he knew if he did that it would lead to something that they agreed they wouldn't do, also, he just wasn't ready for that yet. Instead he waved goodbye to the band and turned in early, strumming his guitar a bit as he fell asleep.
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Rayna spotted Deacon's quick exit from the arena and felt a little disappointed. Yeah they said they were going to take a break from each other, but did that mean they couldn't even talk? They weren't fighting, but they weren't making love either. This weird limbo was something they had done for years when she was with Teddy, but now it just felt wrong. She went upstairs and went to bed. She had to find time to talk with him tomorrow.
##
Rayna woke up the next morning and ran to the bathroom. She was going to be sick again. "Damn this virus," she thought. As she sat on the bathroom floor she picked up her phone and browsed through the calendar counting how many dates she had before a break. All of a sudden she panicked. Rayna pulled herself together and went downstairs to the drugstore across the street, then she went back to her hotel room. As she waited for the little stick she already knew what it was going to tell her.
"Plus sign, damn. I'm pregnant."