I don't own Nashville and never will. No copyright infringement intended.

The thing is, Deacon can't even blame Rayna for finally giving up on him. He's just surprised she didn't do it sooner. He's always been a fuck-up and that's never going to change. Sure, it hurts that he didn't know the truth about Maddie, but Rayna had the right idea. What could he have offered a child, a wife? Nothing. And he wants to play music again, but he doesn't think it's going to happen. And that's one more thing that's his fault. Why couldn't Rayna have left him to rot in jail where he belonged? Their life would have been so much easier that way. She'd never have to worry about him again. Nor would he have to think about the fact that he had ruined her life.

Scarlett is sick to death of Deacon drowning in self-pity. She understands that he blames himself for the accident, but his behavior is ridiculous. Plus, the misplaced anger is not something she wants to deal with. He's hit rock bottom and she understands of that, but he's reached a point where he needs to pick himself up and do something – maybe go to therapy? Scarlett is pretty close to suggesting it because her uncle clearly needs help.

"Why are you staring at me?" Deacon looked up from the magazine he was pretending to read and glared at his niece.

Scarlett sighed and rolled her eyes. "I just want to know if you're planning on sitting around all day and doing nothing. Like you have been." She wasn't holding back her punches any longer.

"Can you leave me alone for just a little while? I am so sick of you never leaving my side because you think I'm going to fall of the fucking wagon!" He felt bad to be yelling at her, but he needed to get Scarlett away from him before he ruined her too. And he needed to be by himself for longer than ten minutes and not be judged or yelled at all the time. He was doing enough of that on his own.

She shook her head, pissed off at his attitude once more. "Not happening. Sorry, but you're stuck with me. You need me. You may not think you do, but it's true. Now shut up and deal with it." She smiled at him and then decided to head into the kitchen to find something to eat. Scarlett kept a careful eye on her uncle, something he noticed and was annoyed by.

Both were surprised when there was a knock on the door about ten minutes later. Coleman wasn't supposed to visit for a few more hours (although Deacon refused to talk to him) and they weren't expecting anyone. Scarlett was a little shocked when she opened the door to Maddie Conrad.

Maddie waved nervously. "Hi."

Scarlett smiled at her and waved back. "Hi."

"I'm here to see Deacon. I need to talk to him," she explained.

"Your mother probably doesn't want you here to talk to me." Rayna hadn't mentioned it, but she didn't need to. She wanted nothing to do him, so why should Maddie be any different?

"I don't care about that right now. I just want to talk to you for a few minutes," Maddie pleaded.

And that's when he gave in. "Fine. What do you want to know?" Deacon was determined to get her out of there as fast as possible. Rayna was probably going to blame him for this once she found out what Maddie had done.

"I just want to know why you took the blame for the car accident when it wasn't your fault." She was curious about that.

He scoffed. "It was my fault. If I hadn't been drunk, Rayna wouldn't have had to drive me home. We were arguing and I distracted her. That's all there is to it."

Maddie could see how Deacon was blaming himself for that and was angry at him for distracting her mother, but she didn't think it was completely his fault and told him so. It was obvious he didn't believe her. And that's when she went for the big guns. "My mom's a bitch for lying to me all those years."

And now Deacon was pissed at her. "Don't you talk about your mama like that! She loves you and wanted to do what was best for you. Teddy Conrad is a much better father to you than I ever would have been. I don't have it in me to be a parent. You're better off with those two as parents. They want what is best for you and I'm not it." He hated Teddy, but Rayna had chosen him to be their daughter's father for a reason. He had to respect her choice.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to upset you." She honestly hadn't meant to do that. "But I want to have a relationship with you, even though Mom doesn't want me to. I want to get to know you better." She wanted to find out more about the man she thought of as an "uncle" for years.

He closed his eyes. "Sorry, Maddie, but that's not going to happen. Your mother will never allow it. And I would be a horrible father to you. Teddy was been there for all your major milestones and he'll walk you down the aisle when you get married and hold his grandbabies. I don't deserve any of that. Now, please, just go home." He wanted to be cruel to her, but he couldn't. First off, she was a kid, and second of all, she was half him and half Rayna. He was in awe that they had created this little girl together, even though he hadn't raised her.

Maddie didn't want to go, but she figured it was for the best. She'd wear him (and her mom) down eventually. So she left and went to go back home.

Deacon returned to the couch, feeling worse than he had before she had showed up. He has to respect Rayna's wishes, even though it hurts. He'll just have to deal with the fact that he drove away the woman he loves and that she hates him. He deserves it and more.

"You're an idiot," Scarlett informed him.

"Why am I an idiot this time?"

"Because you could have some type of relationship with her and instead you made her leave. You don't deserve to be alone, you know?" She didn't think she was getting through to him, but she was stubborn. She wasn't going to give up.

"I told you before that Rayna was right to do what she did. Now I'm going to bed." He got up and headed to his bedroom.

Deacon had definitely hit rock bottom, but he would pull himself back up eventually. He started going to therapy after Scarlett nagged him about it, and much to his surprise, it helped. He had to work hard to prove to himself and others that he could stay clean, however. And eventually, he regained Rayna's trust and they reconciled. He even got to have a relationship with Maddie. But right now, he was at the lowest point in his life and couldn't see a way out.