CHAPTER TWELVE

Rayna now stood silently in the elevator on her way up to the Mayor's office. Her tears had stopped, replacing themselves with an overwhelming sense of fatigue. Rayna thought back on the last hour as the elevator made the slow climb upward. She had returned to the party in search of Teddy but he was nowhere to be found. He hadn't replied to her messages and she assumed he was still angry with her. Tired of waiting for him to reply she called Tandy hoping she would know where he'd be.

"Have you tried his new office? He could be checking it out?" Tandy offered. "Where are you?"

"I'm at the party. I can't find him anywhere…don't you think it's a little strange that I can't find him at his own congratulatory party?" Rayna replied, spinning in circles.

"Yeah a little…Look, you know you can talk to me about whatever…music, touring, dieting, Teddy…you know that right?"

"I'm afraid you wouldn't want to hear what I have to say right now…but thanks, really…" She replied, avoiding Tandy's attempts to get her to talk about the argument she and Teddy had had earlier.

"If you and Teddy are having prob-" Tandy continued.

"-I really can't talk to you about this…" Rayna interrupted, pressing her hand to her ear so she could hear her better. Tandy went silent on the other end of the line.

"…But thanks for taking the girls away backstage today... Thanks for taking them home after too. I owe you." Rayna spoke softly, hoping that she'd quit being quite and speak.

"That's ok, It's not a problem. They pretty much crashed when we walked in the door…they're good girls Rayna."

Rayna nodded; still spinning she stopped mid step when she saw Liam.

"I know they are…listen I've gotta go. Bye." Rayna replied, hanging up the cell phone as she walked towards him.

"I've got a favour to ask."

"Now you want to play nice?" Liam smiled.

"Shush it. Listen I sent home my driver thinking Teddy would be here…and he's not…and I need to see him…and I can't drive right no-" Rayna explained, slowing as she neared the point of having to ask for his help.

"-You want me to drive you somewhere? What if I'm drunk?" Liam teased, well aware that he hadn't exceeded the alcohol limit yet. When Rayna had stormed out earlier he had spent most of the night shadowing Juliette, pushing her buttons whenever he had the chance. Liam had found that to be more amusing than spending a night alone at the bar.

"Can you drive me or not?" Rayna asked impatiently.

"Touchy…ok I get it…come on let's go." Liam smiled, guiding her out to his car. "Where are we going anyway?"

"The Mayor's office." Rayna replied, opening the door.

"This'll be fun." Liam replied, gleefully rubbing his hands together.

"Oh no." She shook her head in disapproval. "You're not coming in with me. You're just dropping me off and leaving."

"You are seriously using me as your personal car service and you won't let me have any fun? That is rude."

"That's the idea." Rayna giggled.

- NASHVILLE -

Walking up the long, dimly lit corridor Rayna slowed her stride as she rehearsed what she wanted to say to Teddy. There was going to be no easy way to do this, but leaving unsaid unspoken was tearing things further apart. They'd become well versed in how to switch between talking a little less and starting arguments. She didn't care for complicated anymore; it was time to tell him the truth. Deacon had kissed her twice and she had kissed him too. Rayna didn't know what Teddy would say but she couldn't leave this stone unturned any longer.

Her hand shook as she turned the door handle. Looking at her feet, she opened the door. Of all the things Rayna had prepared herself to see, she hadn't been at all prepared for this. Teddy lay pressed against another woman in a passionate embrace. Reality crashing in, her knees fought not to give way as her mind screamed for answers.

"Teddy?...What's goi...Peg…" Rayna said faintly, the sound of her words lost in her confusion.

Speechless she watched as Teddy scrambled to separate himself from Peggy who lay gasping and shirtless on his desk. Fumbling to button his shirt, he backed away.

"Rayna…I can explain."

"This is your idea of space?" She struggled to mock him as she used an earlier arguments reference. Steadying herself, she gripped the doorframe.

"Rayna, it's not what it looks lik-" Teddy scrambled, desperately trying to get her to look at him.

"-Oh no, it's not getting caught screwing her" Rayna angrily motioned in Peggy's direction before letting venom creep into her voice. "On your desk…no it's not that at all."

Silence fell across the room, Rayna couldn't see straight anymore. The surprise alone had left her blind and reeling, unable to recall the things she had earlier wanted to say or why she was here at all. Slowly she released the doorframe from her hold, leaning against the wall closest to the door instead.

"It was a mistake." Teddy spoke, feeling for words that would defuse the situation.

"This is not a mistake." Rayna corrected him, fire in her eyes.

"You're right, it wasn't a mistake." Peggy said carelessly, intent on further wounding Rayna as she cautiously slipped off the desk to pick up her shirt. Teddy shot her an angry look.

"Why are you even talking?!" Rayna exclaimed irritably, ignoring Peggy's cold stare as she let her gaze return to Teddy. Peggy began to button up her shirt, looking away from them. Her thoughtlessness in remaining put astounded Rayna; she willed Peggy to leave.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that." Teddy answered.

"You're right you shouldn't have said that."

"I didn't mean for this to happen I swear. It just…she was there when I needed…she was there…it just happened." He answered poorly.

"I don't believe this. You accuse me of fooling around and not taking us seriously... why don't you take a look at yourself Teddy!" She yelled.

"I had a valid reason for saying the things I did." He replied, throwing his hands up in the air. "And you know exactly why."

"Why don't you tell me why?" She asked, crossing her arms.

"I can't believe…" He mumbled, before matching her volume. "Don't be getting all self righteous Rayna. You've decided we were over for a long time. You just never saw the need to share that with me. I see it in your eyes. I keep waiting waiting for you to love me…but I'm never good enough. You said you want to make it work and then leave me here and go out on tour with him. So forgive me for not believing you when you say you're taking us seriously!"

"I told you I didn't know he was coming! He's not even in my band Teddy!"

"You stopped cold in you're tracks when I asked you what you and Deacon had been doing that day in LA when I flew out with the girls."

"Don't turn this around on me Teddy! I wasn't the one caught with my pants down."

"Stop pretending you care!" He fumed, angry that she wouldn't admit he was right.

"Do not blame me for this." She waved her hand in the air.

"Why?" Peggy chirped, pushing herself into the argument.

"Seriously, why are you still here? I do not have to justify myself...or my marriage to anyone…especially you of all people." Rayna spat, pushing herself off the wall as she filled with anger.

"You brought this on yourself Rayna." Peggy continued.

"You're a piece of work you know that?" Rayna shook her head, raising her hands to her hips as she took a step in her direction. Teddy backed down, too scared to interfere as he watched Peggy shrug off Rayna's comment.

"Get…out." Rayna breathed evenly.

"Did you think he'd wait forever? Seriously?" Peggy countered, welcoming the way Rayna squirmed as she talked about Teddy. "You haven't bothered to put him first for a long time…you have more concern for you're guitarist than you're husband…. hang on, you fired Deacon right?...How's he taking it?"

Rayna's cheeks flushed as her eyes moved to Teddy's. Silently she begged him to get Peggy to stop. She swallowed hard when he sharply looked away, remaining wordless still.

"Don't talk about Deacon like you know him." Rayna shot, recomposing herself. "Hell, don't talk about me like you know me either, because you don't. You don't know anything."

Peggy and Rayna now stood metres away from one another, both determined not to back down.

"I know that you never deserved Tedd-" She taunted Rayna, stepping closing.

"-Go to hell!" Rayna yelled, stopping Peggy mid sentence as she slapped her across the face. Peggy went to return an equal blow but Teddy caught her hand just in time.

"Ok enough!" Teddy interjected firmly as he restrained the feisty woman, gently leading her towards the door.

"Get out!" Rayna screamed, following Peggy with her eyes as she heard Teddy telling her to calm down.

"You don't deserve him!" Peggy yelled, struggling to loosen Teddy's grip.

"Peggy stop!" Teddy pleaded, tightening his grip. "You need to leave. Now."

Rayna swore at how she had reacted in the heat of the moment. She ran her hands through her hair, pacing back and forth as she watched Teddy quietly shut the door behind him after walking Peggy to the elevator.

"Don't look at me like that." Rayna's bottom lip quivered. "How else was I supposed to react?...finding you like this…and she…she's just a" Rayna whispered, cutting herself off when he refused to acknowledge her reasoning.

Teddy made his way silently over to a chair, motioning for her to sit down. They sat soundlessly, each grasping for words that sounded right. With no underlying expectations, they regretfully prepared themselves for the things they had desperately tiptoed around wanting to hear. Rayna knew the end had been sneaking in for sometime, relentlessly tugging at her insides whenever she thought about we're their future was headed. The sting that came with finding Teddy wrapped up in another woman's arms was enough of a reminder. It reminded her that she was fooling herself into thinking that they were ever going to make it back to where they had once been.

"I'm sorry." Teddy whispered before rushing into what he said next. "I shouldn't have said those things to you…you trusted me and I threw that in you're face…again. Please forgive me…Rayna please give me another chance to make it up t-"

Avoiding his eye's she shook her head. Guilt and defeat overtook Rayna as she began to shake, thinking about why she had initially sought out his company tonight. Suddenly it didn't feel nearly as impossible as she had thought it would to speak her mind.

"I kissed him." She said flatly as she interrupted him, shame creeping into her voice. Teddy froze.

"You kissed him." Teddy repeated, running his hands over his face to hide his frustration.

"I kissed him…more than once." She replied, nodding her head as she digested the words coming out of her mouth for the second time. Rashly, Teddy reached out for her hand and squeezed.

"What is happening to us?" He asked, picking apart what she had said. Rayna let go of his hand.

"The difference is that I didn't sleep with Deacon."

"There's no difference in what either of us did. We both did something stupid."

"No difference? Are you serious? It is a hell of a lot different Teddy." Rayna argued, eyes wide at what he had said.

"Rayna please don't do this." Teddy started, anticipating where Rayna was headed with this conversation. "Think about the girls...our family…you can'-"

"-I am thinking about the girls!" Rayna cried, throwing her hands up in the air. "You didn't have to do this. You had a choice, the moment you started unbuttoning her shirt and you…you had a choice."

"Rayna please." He tried again, reaching out for her knee. Flinching, she pulled away and stood. She didn't want to hear anymore. Dazed and shattered, Rayna began to walk backwards.

"I thought…I thought…" She choked. Teddy gracelessly stood, hesitantly following her. "…I was the only one who was too proud to admit this wasn't working, the only one who felt like this…I couldn't live with myself for lying about what I really wanted…but the truth is…you are just like me because you were lying too."

"Rayna."

"You slept with her Teddy. You've made it clear where you stand."

"You kissed Deacon."

"I know I hurt you, but you hurt me too." Rayna answered, choking on the last word.

"I thought we…you said if we both wanted it, we could make it work? I want this to work." He strained, his eyes searching hers desperately.

"You just gave me a reason to leave." She breathed, holding back tears as she swung the door open.

"Go on then, run to Deacon!" He replied resentfully, bitterness heavy on his face. Rayna stood tight-lipped as she bit her tongue.

"That's where you're going isn't it?" Teddy continued, holding her gaze as he waited for an answer.

Rayna spun on her heel, letting the slam of the door ring through the corridor as she left him standing alone.

Impatiently hammering the button for the elevator, Rayna kept nervously looking over her shoulder expecting Teddy to appear. Unconsciously, she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and began to sift through her contacts. Letting her fingers linger over Deacon's number she fought with her better judgement. The elevator doors creaked open pulling her from her inner emotional tug-of-war. Rayna swore, shoving her cell phone back into her pocket as she stepped inside.