Chapter 21
Thanks for all the continued support and comments. Excited about the new promo(s) for the next couple of episodes, just ready for to be off hiatus again!
Deacon groaned as sunlight filtered through the blinds. He could hear Rayna's voice floating through the air in an unfamiliar song. He rubbed his eyes quickly and sat up, still disoriented from waking up. He brushed his teeth quickly, knowing she would complain if he didn't.
He smelt coffee and cinnamon from the kitchen a second before spotting her leaning over the oven pulling something out. He called her name, causing her to turn around and smile. She walked quickly towards him, wrapping his arms around his neck and bringing him for a kiss.
He moaned at the sweet taste melted sugar in her mouth. She pulled her lips away telling him good morning.
"What are you doing here?" he asked happily, while her hands traced over his bare chest. It was in the middle of her week with the girls and while they normally saw each other during the day, she normally didn't come to the cabin.
Rayna smiled, "Marshall called me when I was dropping the girls off from school. He told me that you and Juliette didn't leave the studio til after 4 this morning. Figured you'd be asleep til at least noon and then I know you two are heading back there at 5. And I wanted to see you today."
Deacon smiled to her, grateful he didn't have to do another day without physically seeing her. She busied herself with pulling plates out of the cabinet while they caught up. Teddy was being a particular pain in the ass in the last few days. "He called to tell the girls goodnight last night and practically bit my head off. It was just weird considering how cordial we've managed to be lately."
"Any idea why?"
"I know he had a few meeting with his lawyer about the court case. And I know tomorrow he's supposed to have some closed session with the city council. They all think he should resign. Maybe he's just worried about that?"
Deacon leaned in closely as she sat the glasses down. "Okay I get you for all of three hours before you have to go pick up the girls from school. Enough talking about Teddy."
She gave him a coy smile while her eyes turning a deeper shade of blue. "What did you want to do instead?"
He smiled and leaned in for a longer kiss while his hands came up to cup her face. In between kisses, she told him she made breakfast. He pulled back and gave her a look that nearly made Rayna's knees buckle. He whispered "later" causing her to laugh.
45 minutes later
Deacon ate another bite of the sticky cinnamon bun from Rayna's hand then watched as she put a piece into her own mouth. She sighed in contentment as he took the pads of her finger and licked each one clean of the sugar that still remained on them.
"So tonight you and Juliette are going to finish recording that song you played me last night over the phone?"
Deacon made a confirmation with a moan while his tongue swirled around Rayna's finger. "And then tomorrow morning, Liam and I are going are meeting with Buck and Marshall and the two Vice Presidents. We are doing a straight-through listening."
Deacon's tongue stopped its movement and his eyes flashed with something between regret and hurt. She ran her fingertips along his jaw and made him look at her, "What's wrong?"
Deacon looked at her for a moment, "Nothing really, it just hit me that you've never done a straight-through without me before." She bit her lip to stop smiling. He sounded like a little boy who couldn't have his ice cream.
"You can come if you want."
"It just feels so weird that you're making this record and I don't have any part of it."
Rayna swallowed harshly and brushed her hair out her face. She whispered against his neck that most of the record was about him.
3 days later
Deacon grimaced as the playback ended. It sounded unfinished, undone somehow. But the producer liked it and so did Marshall. Juliette seemed satisfied with it. Glen seemed preoccupied. But it wasn't right, yet. Close but not there. He looked down at his cell phone, smiling when he read the latest text from Ray.
"Seriously, I'm naked. Where are you? " She'd sent that over an hour ago. He rubbed his eyes, suggesting they figure out the rest in the morning. The group quickly packed up their bags and headed for the small parking lot. As he jumped into the SVU, he pulled out his cell and hit call.
"Hey," he smiled.
Her voice sounded strained as she softly said "hey" back. He asked what was wrong but instead he just got silence. She sniffled into the phone and promised she was okay and so were the girls. Deacon turned onto the highway, and squeezed the steering wheel.
"Ray you're scaring me."
He heard her gasp, trying to catch her breath. "Its Teddy. He um…he called a few minutes ago and he's taking the deal. He's going to prison. "
45 minutes later
Deacon walked into the cabin, unsurprised to see Rayna in her shorts and t-shirt pacing near the fireplace. Her hair was pulled up in a pile and she'd been crying.
The second she saw him she started crying. She'd always done that. It use to bother him, at the beginning of the relationship. She'd be fine, holding everything together, and then she'd see him and burst into tears. But over time, he'd realized it was only with him that she could really put her guard down around.
Her body shook as he placed his arms around her back and just let her cry. In between hiccups and cries, he gathered most of the information. Teddy would get a minimum of five months in jail and then put on probation after that. The plea was scheduled for two weeks from yesterday. They were telling the girls this weekend. He slowly backed up to sit down on the couch, gathering Rayna in his lap and she continued to cry.
3 days later
Rayna listened to the door slam upstairs. She was relieved that Daphne had finally gotten angry and stormed away. Maddie had run off nearly an hour ago. But Daphne just kept asking questions: would Daddy wear handcuffs? would he wear stripe suits like those guys did in jail? Would he live in a cell with murders? Did he kill someone too? Is that why they were getting a divorce? Was Mama going to prison next? The questions were non-stop. Then Teddy claimed nothing would change and Daphne yelled at him that he was lying.
She looked at Teddy who was visibly falling apart. He turned around to head upstairs but Rayna told him to stop.
"Not now, Rayna."
"Then when?" she scoffed, "You are going to prison in 10 days. We need to talk about this. We've got plans to make."
Teddy yelled loudly, "Oh is this where you tell me that you want Deacon to move in here?"
Rayna put her hand on her hip, annoyed this was where the conversation was going. "I think we need to talk about bringing the girls to the jail because you keep acting like it's going to happen. You are acting like the girls are going to visit a museum. Teddy we are talking about taking them to a federal prison for visits and I'm not really comfortable…
Teddy yelled back, "Are you kidding me? It is a family visitation, once a week, and I'm not living without seeing them for six damn months."
Rayna reared back, "You made decision after decision that affects this family. You stole money. You lied to me and to the bank for months. Now our daughters are suffering because of your ego was bruised."
The next minutes were a blur of hurtful accusations and raised voices on both sides. She warned him not to bring Deacon into this. He made a snide remark about Deacon about being in the middle. Then for a few minutes, he focused on her career and how unimportant she made him feel. She yelled back, "there is no way you are blaming me for this. You did this. You did this to all of us."
The conversation wrapped around itself several times until the Mansion came up again. "You wanted to keep the house for a temporary solution to trade weekends, but obviously that isn't happening now."
Teddy slammed down the beer down causing the glass to clang against the marble countertop, "Oh here we go. So what? Either you want to sell our home or perhaps you want Deacon and Maddie to spend the next six months having a father-daughter bonding session?"
"You are unbelievable! Deacon has played by your rules since he found out the truth."
Teddy laughed sarcastically and far louder than necessary. "God, you always defend him, don't you? Newsflash Rayna he would have been a shitty father to Maddie and a worse husband back then and guess what, he hasn't changed. No matter how much you two pretend like you're happy right now, you will regret this."
Rayna rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to speak but instead she caught site of both her daughters standing at the edge of the kitchen. Maddie's eyes were wide while Daphne's were swimming in tears.
45 minutes later
Deacon grabbed his phone, hearing the ring. He answered with a "hey, how bad was that?"
Instead of hearing Rayna's voice he heard Teddy's voice, guarded and short. "Deacon, can you come over to the house?"
He asked if Rayna was okay. "Physically, everybody's fine but you should get over here now."