NB: I'm sooo SORRY for the long delay! It has not been my intention to leave it so long, but that's just how it turned out. I haven't had enough time to give this chapter the attention it deserved until now so I'm hoping that waiting to finish this has paid off and y'all like it. The song in this chapter is 'Learning To Fly - Lady Antebellum' - copyright to the artists. PLEASE KEEP YOUR LOVES/HATES/HOPES/FAVOURITE LINES OR MOMENTS/THOUGHTS/FOLLOWS/FAVORITES and WHATEVER ELSE coming...I won't leave you waiting any longer...enjoy.

CHAPTER FOUR

"What are you sayin?"

"Don't get defensive," Liam smirked, pushing back from the mixing board and spinning his chair around to face her. "You asked for my opinion and all I did was give it to you. What you do with that is completely your call."

"You're talkin' crazy, you know that, right?" Rayna blew, shovelling her fingers through her hair in frustration. She sunk back into the lounge chair opposite him.

"I'm sorry if you hate that I think the song needs a new vocal, really I am…" Liam scratched his cheek and shrugged. "But you're not paying me to tell you what you wanna hear. You hired me because you wanna make a great record, remember?"

Rayna swore.

"Not the answer I was really looking for considering I practically moved the earth to get here this afternoon." Liam goaded, absentmindedly swivelling the chair back and forth.

"I'm sorry, I'm not meanin' to be so damn rude. I know it wasn't easy for you to get here on such short notice and I appreciate that you came, really I do." she mumbled, picking a paper cup up off a coffee table. She held it to her mouth and frowned when she found that it was empty. "I just…I don't know…Layin' down a new vocal on a track that's supposed to be done when I still have an album that needs more songs bothers me."

"You sure that's all that's bothering you?"

"Yeah…Hang on, what on earth is that supposed to mean?"

"Maybe it has something to do with track 5, I don't know." he shrugged, pulling his foot up to rest on his knee. "Just a guess."

"What?!" Rayna's eyes widened and she sat up a little straighter. "Why would-?"

"Bucky might've called me, let me in on what went down in that meeting with Jeff."

"Well," Rayna picked up her cell phone off the lounge next to her. She pretended to be less than interested. Rayna didn't really feel like talking about the fact that Jeff was still set on her recording that duet with Luke Wheeler. She had half a mind to cut the song from the record completely. "That's a story for another day."

"Talking about stories…." Liam fiddled with the levels on the mixing board again. "I never heard about how your talk with Deacon ended up in Louisville. You know, after you were a sobbing mess on the floor outside my hotel room."

"That's because I never told you."

"Oh, I'm aware of that." Liam chuckled, his eyes looking up to meet hers. "I've been patiently waiting for five long weeks to hear about this."

"You've been countin'?"

"Five weeks."

"Seriously, there's nothin' to talk about."

"I'm gonna disagree. You've kept pretty quiet on the whole subject. If I didn't know any better I'd say that the two of you are-"

"Why are we even talkin' about this? We're supposed to concentratin' on an album, not on whose sleepin' in my bed." Rayna chortled, her cheeks suddenly growing very red. She looked anywhere but at him.

Liam cocked his head. "Who said anything about whose sleeping in your bed?"

Rayna froze. "Mmm?"

"You're blushing."

"No! I'm not-"

"You are…" Liam smirked. "And you know, it's ok. You're a sexy woman who clearly isn't wasting any time living in the moment. You're making the most of the single life."

"Alright, alright…enough." Rayna blew heavily. She really wanted to slap him, but she couldn't find fault in his comment. Even if it wasn't true, the world saw her as officially being single, on the market, free. Her divorce had officially been finalised three weeks ago. When she thought about it, she honestly couldn't figure out how she felt. She was raw and numb to everything that had happened. Admittedly, the divorce had been a long time coming, but at the end of it all there was emptiness and a sense of guilt and loss that sat in the pit of her stomach that she found hard to shake.

"Hey…" Liam whistled, waving a hand in front of Rayna's face.

Rayna's eyes shot up in his direction and she forced a smile. "Right now, I'm just…I'm wantin' to work, so could we please just get to workin' on what we came here for."

"You know what you need?" Liam smiled, taking the headphones off from around his neck to give himself the freedom to move. He stood up and walked over to take a seat on the coffee table in front of Rayna, their knees touching as he sat.

"What?"

"You need to get away, take some time out…regroup, get yourself together."

"Ok," Rayna leant away from him, throwing her hands in the air as she let out a low laugh. "I take it back. Askin' me for a new vocal is nothin' compared to this new idea of yours…You can't seriously think that I can just up and go away. I mean, how the hell would that even? No."

"All you'd have to do is hop on a plane. I'd buy the tickets." Liam smiled, looking her straight in the eye as he reached out to touch her knee.

Rayna's eyes flew from his eyes to his hand on her. "Don't be ridiculous! There's no way we're doin' that-"

"You're honestly saying you don't wanna get away, relax…and unwind…" Liam paused, a smirk creeping across his lips as his fingers brushed across her knees. He knew full well that Rayna would turn the offer down. He wasn't stupid. Even if she wouldn't admit it, Liam knew that Rayna and Deacon were seeing each other. After everything that had gone down in Louisville, Rayna hadn't said one word about Deacon. He'd waited for the fallout but nothing had happened. They had to be together, it was the only logical explanation. He knew better than to push her buttons and watch her squirm, but it'd been a long day and he would've been lying if he said that he was through with waiting for her to tell him the truth.

"Liam-" Rayna started, cheeks flushed as her eyes darted between his eyes and his fingers on her knee.

"Hellooo!" Daphne hollered, bouncing in through a door on the opposite side of the glass. "Mom? Hello?"

Rayna swore under her breath and she promptly tried to put distance between Liam and herself. Liam laughed at the unease that suddenly filled the air. Rayna looked up just in time to see the smile disappear from Deacon's face.

"Hey!" Rayna pushed herself up off the lounge. "What are y'all doin'-?"

"We thought we'd bring you this to make you feel better since you didn't sound so good on the phone…" Maddie grinned and handed Rayna the coffee cup before pushing past her to take a look at all the flashing panels and mixing boards. Daphne jumped on the stool next to Liam and began spinning the stool around in circles.

"Why do I feel like they're only here to see the studio and not me?" Rayna stepped towards Deacon warily when she noticed that his eyes were still fixed on Liam. She tilted her head, hoping to catch his attention. "At least tell me you're here to see me…"

He didn't reply.

"Babe, hello? You're kinda leavin' a girl hangin'-"

Deacon shifted his feet, reluctantly breaking the hold his eyes had on Liam to look at Rayna. He released the breath he didn't realize he was holding and smiled at her. "Darlin', I'm here to do or be whatever you need me to be."

"You are?"

"I thought you might need a lift home too after you're done here too so...thought we'd drop by."

Rayna swayed a little, smile wide as she discreetly reached for his hand. "You're good to me."

"I doubt you'll be sayin' that when those little ladies over there start runnin' a riot in your work space."

"Maybe," she shrugged. "But I think havin' y'all here, havin' you here is kinda what I need right now after all."

"Have y'all got much done?" Deacon asked as he looked over her shoulder at Liam again. "Seemed like y'all were havin' a good ol'-"

"And…there it is," Rayna exhaled, a smile spreading across her face, as she looked him up and down.

Deacon frowned. "There's what?"

"Babe, I chose you…" Rayna rolled her eyes and looked over her shoulder at Liam before turning back to him. Deacon cocked his head. "…No one else, I choose you."

"I don't know what you're talkin' about." Deacon lied, trying to keep a neutral expression. He smirked. "I like the set up y'all have got here. It's nice…"

"Mmhmm, I'm sure that's what you were lookin' at."

Rayna chewed her lip and settled on the fact that he was way too proud to verbalize that he was jealous. She found it all quite amusing, ridiculous even. He didn't have anything to worry about; she knew it and so did he. Rayna looked at the cold stare fixed on his face as he looked over her shoulder and she laughed. She didn't want to admit it, but something about the way he was getting agitated got her all hot and bothered. Rayna cleared her throat as she felt her cheeks flush. She couldn't be thinking about him, or that. At least not right now, not here.

"If I touch this…what will happ-?" Daphne asked, reaching out to touch a dial on the mixing board.

"Uh uh!" Liam warned, reaching for her hand.

Maddie took two steps backwards.

"What about-?"

Rayna spun around. "Daphne!"

NASHVILLE –

Two hours later

Settled on the lounge chair behind them, Daphne's eyes were glued to Rayna's cell phone and the game she was playing. Rayna didn't usually resort to bribes, but today she'd bribed the little girl with chocolate and games on her phone. It had seemed to work because they hadn't heard a peep out of her for the last twenty minutes. Rayna turned her attention back to the track that had been playing through the speakers. It was a new song she'd been working on and they were in the final stages of pulling it together.

She hadn't planned on playing anything for Deacon; she hadn't planned on playing anything for anyone. But when he had sat down and listened to all of her ideas, frustrations, excitement and insecurities it had brought back a flood of memories and pastimes. They had always shared this part of themselves with each other, and sitting with him like this made it impossible for her not to want to share her new material with him.

Rayna wasn't sure if he knew, but his opinion had always mattered most when it came to this sort of thing. Deacon always knew how to bring out the best in her, especially in her music. Sometimes he'd make suggestions on a lyric or chordal adjustment, other times he would just smile and she'd know what needed to be done. Music and him, they were one and the same. That was one of the many things she had grown to love about him.

Liam hit a button on the mixing desk when the song ended.

"So?" Liam drummed his fingers on his knees as he spun around to face Rayna and Deacon.

Rayna looked at Deacon expectantly.

Deacon scratched his chin and leant forward. "It was…I, it's…I liked it, I did-"

"But…" Rayna interrupted, shifting uneasily in her seat. "There's a but…I can feel it."

"No buts, I just think that maybe the guitar solo was a little bit busy-" Deacon shrugged and crossed his arms as he settled back into the seat.

"I played that guitar solo," Liam frowned.

Deacon chuckled. "Oh, I'm aware of that."

Rayna's eyebrows shot up.

"How would you suggest it be played then?" Liam straightened in his chair, his eyes set on Deacon.

"I dunno, just somethin' a little less like that…"

"Dea-" Rayna started.

"Ray, besides that I think the mix is good, y'all did good. I'm just not feelin' the guitar solo is all."

"You mean you don't like Liam is what you mean…" Rayna mumbled as she twirled a strand of hair in her hair. Deacon didn't seem to catch what she'd said, but Liam did. Rayna immediately cursed herself for opening her mouth.

Liam gave Rayna a knowing look and cleared his throat. "I'm open to suggestions, really-"

A gentle tune tumbled into the control room where they were all seated and the conversation fell silent. Everyone swivelled their chairs in the direction of the sound and their eyes fell on the two girls sitting at the piano on the other side of the glass. Maddie was playing a simple melody while Daphne stood quietly beside her watching. She fumbled in a few places, playing the wrong key here and there, sometimes letting out a quiet cry of frustration. Liam, Rayna and Deacon sat for a good while watching the pair, captivated by the sweet simplicity of what was unfolding before them.

Rayna leant in Deacon's direction and turned her head to speak but he wasn't there. She frowned. Liam nudged her and pointed to the live room. Rayna turned back just in time to see Deacon take a seat on the piano stool beside Maddie.

"That's a pretty song you're playin'," Deacon rubbed his palms on his knees as Maddie continued to play.

"Thanks…" she laughed and looked at him. "But I wouldn't call it pretty,"

"What'd you mean?"

"She means that she sucks at piano," Daphne grinned and leant against the piano.

"I do not…" Maddie glared at her before looking back at Deacon. "My fingers or my hands, or both…just aren't used to playing like this because usually I'm strumming strings and stuff like that."

"It can be a little tricky," Deacon nodded, tentatively playing a key on the piano. "But practicin' can help with that. You ain't as bad as you think darlin'…I mean, what you were playin' just now sounded a lot like a song your Mom and I wrote years ago."

"That's probably because it was," Maddie said shyly, tucking her hair behind her ear.

Deacon raised his eyebrows and looked back through the glass to Rayna. He smiled at her and she smiled back.

"She was playing the flying song." Daphne piped up.

"The flying song?" Deacon chuckled.

"Yeah, the flying one."

"I don't know that I've heard a song called that…" he teased the nine-year-old.

"Yes, you have!"

"Mmmmm-"

"You have!" Daphne giggled. "You wrote it, it's on one of Mom's albums!"

"Well," Deacon began to play the piano softly. "I don't know that I know that one…But I know one that goes a little like this…"

Deacon faltered as his fingers quickly remembered the chords to the old song and the lyrics that would follow. Both girls looked at him expectantly and he gestured to Maddie to follow along. Maddie bit her lip and lifted her right hand to the keys and carefully followed his lead. Daphne swayed back and forth as she watched them play. They fell into a steady rhythm, laughing and mumbling nonsense as they went. No one seemed to notice Rayna sneak into the room as they kept playing.

"Well some say life will beat you down," Deacon sang, his fingers finding the right chords as he smiled at the girls. "Break your heart…"

"It'll steal your crown." Maddie sang shyly and Deacon nodded encouragingly.

"So I've started out," they sang together, Maddie taking the melody and Deacon and Daphne taking harmonies. "For God knows where. I guess I'll know when I get there."

Deacon shot Daphne a cheeky grin. "I'm learnin' to fly…"

"Learning to fly…" Maddie and Daphne echoed him.

"But I ain't got wings." Rayna sang, stepping into their vision as she walked around the piano to stand behind Daphne. Deacon looked at Rayna lovingly and she returned the smile as she wrapped her arms around Daphne.

"Comin' down," Deacon sang and the all three girls echoed him. "Is the hardest thing, hardest thing…yeah."

Rayna swayed Daphne as she sang softly. "I'm learnin' to fly, learnin' to fly."

They all looked at each other and Deacon played the final chord before they all sang together. "Learning…to fly."

Daphne clapped gleefully and Rayna pulled her closer into her arms and kissed the top of her head as she watched Deacon share a word of encouragement with Maddie. They burst into fits of laughter and Deacon nudged Maddie playfully with his shoulder.

"I'm starving…" Daphne sighed.

Rayna looked up at the clock. "We better be gettin' y'all home so you can get some food into you."

"So Deacon's coming too?" Daphne asked.

"Huh?"

"You said we…So is he?"

"Sweetheart-"

"Tonight's pizza night Deacon-" Daphne scratched her cheek.

"He might already have plans," Rayna tried, meeting his gaze to try and let him know that there was no pressure to do what the little girl wanted.

Deacon bit his tongue to hide his smile.

"He might not even wanna hang out with you…" Maddie teased. She jumped when she accidently knocked a key with her elbow.

"He wants to hang out with Mom though, duh." Daphne shook her head.

"What?" Rayna made a face.

"You know, because…" Daphne started before turning around in Rayna's arms to look up at her. "He's your boyfriend."

Rayna's eyes grew wide and she tried to keep a straight face. "Ok, baby-"

"I'd love me some pizza," Deacon interjected, sensing that Rayna had no idea where she was going to go with that sentence. "If y'all would have me that is."

"Yes!" Daphne exclaimed.

"Uhuh, Mom please." Maddie nodded.

Rayna sighed. "Pizza it is!"

- NASHVILLE -

"I want pepperoni-!"

"Ew, gross!" Maddie groaned.

"If y'all don't stop fightin' I'm gonna decide what we order," Rayna warned and they immediately went quiet.

"Do I get a say in what we order?" Deacon teased as he pulled the car into her driveway.

Rayna chuckled and looked down at her cell phone. "Only if you behave,"

"Umm, didn't know you were expectin' company tonight," Deacon said slowly.

"What? No. I'm not." Rayna looked up as the headlights cast light on a car parked at the front steps. She clutched her phone tightly and felt her whole body go cold.

"What?" Maddie looked confused.

"Dad, that's Dad's car! Dad's here!" Daphne bounced in her seat, grabbing the headrest of the chair in front of her.

"Mmhmm," Rayna agreed, her eyes darting in Deacon's direction as he pulled the handbrake on. "That's your Dad's car."