AN: Bucketloads of thanks to each reader and reviewer! I really appreciate it. After seeing that promo picture of Deacon and Rayna from S02E12..I HAD to put up the new chapter today. I mean, come on...you guys were all as excited as me when you saw it, right? PLEASE KEEP your LOVES/DISLIKES/FAVORITE LINES or MOMENTS/HOPES/COMMENTS/FOLLOWS and WHATEVER ELSE COMING...enjoy chapter seven..

CHAPTER SEVEN

"Monopoly or a movie?"

"Or you can just let me go to my room because this is stupid." Maddie shrugged, crossing her arms tightly across her chest as she glared at Teddy.

"Ok, then…Well," Peggy tried, awkwardly holding the board game. "Maybe we could have some dessert instead? I brought chocolate ice-cream. Your dad said it's your favorite-"

"No, thanks. I'm not hungry."

"You hardly ate anything at dinner," Daphne looked at Maddie, scrunching up her nose. "How are you not hungry?"

"Yeah, I did,"

"Well, I'm always up for ice cream!" Daphne piped up, smiling excitedly. "Chocolate is sooo good!"

Maddie shot Daphne a filthy look and the little girl stopped smiling.

"Madelyn..." Teddy warned and Maddie's eyes shot up in his direction. Her parents rarely ever used her full name. She only ever got called that when she'd done something wrong or when she was about to get into serious trouble. This must've been one of those moments.

"What?!" Maddie replied icily. "I'm not hungry."

Teddy and Maddie shared a glare, both doing a lot more talking with their eyes than their mouths.

"Why don't we get some bowls then, hey?" Peggy asked Daphne, gesturing to the kitchen. Daphne glanced between her sister and Peggy, unsure of whether to stay or go. She smiled awkwardly and stood up with Peggy, leaving Teddy and Maddie alone in the living room.

"Can I please be excused?" Maddie asked crossly.

"No, honey, you can't,"

"Why?"

"Because Peggy's here and we're spendin' time gettin' to know each other tonight, that's why." Teddy replied smoothly.

Maddie cocked her head, fury on her face. "I don't want to get to know her! I already know all that I need to know. She's a lying b-"

"Maddie, please!" Teddy exhaled, running his hands over his face. "Enough with this attitude...enough."

Maddie pursed her lips.

"Listen, what you think and what you say is gonna influence sister…so please just think about that before you go gettin' angry like that. Honey, please just give it a chance and try and have some fun. Maybe you and Daphne could get out a guitar and play us a song or some-?"

"I think I'll pass," Maddie scowled, promptly standing and walking out of the living room.

"Where are you goin'?" Teddy asked, frustrated and annoyed as he followed her into the kitchen. "I'm talkin' to-"

Daphne was helping Peggy put equal servings of ice cream into four bowls.

"I'm going to my room to get my phone so I can call mom about tomorrow afternoon," Maddie replied, turning on her heel to face Teddy.

"I thought I was takin' you to that guitar shop?"

"No, mom and Deacon are kinda better at that sorta thing so she's gonna take me-"

"Deacon?!" Daphne exclaimed, accidently sending a scoop of ice cream flying at Peggy because she hadn't been paying attention to the ice cream tub. "Hey, I wanna come Maddie! Dad, can I g-?"

"You can't come..." Maddie shook her head.

"Deacon's goin' with you and your mom?" Teddy asked, trying to keep the bitterness from his tone.

"Yeah," Maddie shrugged, slightly irritated at why Teddy would ask her that. "You know that he knows a lot about guitars…and he's had like a billion years of experience so…"

"You do realize your mom might be busy tomorrow afternoon,"

"She's not. I already checked,"

"Maddie, I wanna come!" Daphne interrupted them. "Let me come! Please ask mom for me, please, please, please!"

"You can't, sorry."

"This sucks!"

- NASHVILLE -

"Did you see this?"

Tandy looked up from her cell phone fleetingly. "No, I mean, yeah…I skimmed it, why?"

"Take another look," Rayna pressed, pushing the piece of paper across the counter. "What'd you see?"

Reluctantly, Tandy put her cell phone down and picked up the list. She studied it carefully, trying to figure out what Rayna's problem was. After a good minute or so she figured it out and her eyebrows shot up. "Oh…"

"You're damn right, oh!"

"Sweetie, you were askin' for this when you gave her the choice of who does and doesn't get to come."

"How the hell am I supposed to explain to Teddy that his lady friend didn't make the list and Deacon did?"

"I dunno, but the two of you are gonna have to figure it out because this party cannot be about y'all and your issues with each other…It has to be about Maddie-"

"You don't think I don't know that?!" Rayna exclaimed.

Tandy scratched her head. "I don't even know why you're not rejoicin' that Maddie doesn't want Peggy comin' in the first place?"

"Tandy, how-?!"

"Don't bite my head off…" Tandy spoke calmly. "I just think that maybe you should leave it, don't try questionin' her on it…That won't go well if you do."

Rayna's cell phone rang on the kitchen counter, breaking the silence. She picked it up and made a face.

Tandy cocked her head. "Who is it?"

"Maddie."

- NASHVILLE -

"I'm so excited!" Maddie exclaimed, opening the car door as soon as Deacon had put the car in park. "You have no idea how excited I am. Thanks so much for bringing me!"

"And here I was thinkin' that we left the hyper one at home," Rayna whispered, unbuckling her seatbelt as she glanced over at Deacon. "We haven't even gotten into the damn shop yet and she's bouncin' off the walls!"

Deacon chuckled.

Maddie had always been the quieter, more sensitive personality out of her two daughters. She would often take a back seat to Daphne's antics, preferring to be anything but the focus of people's attention. In retrospect, Maddie was actually a lot like Deacon. Rayna smiled at the thought. However, quiet and reserved were the last words Rayna would have used to describe Maddie today. Right now, her eldest seemed to be channelling every loud and excitable characteristic of her youngest child. The more Rayna thought about it, the stranger it seemed.

"Thanks for doin' this," Rayna smiled at Deacon.

"You're welcome," He replied, squeezing her hand.

"Come on, guys!" Maddie chirped.

"We're comin', we're comin'," Deacon and Rayna said in unison, promptly hopping out of the car.

The three of them left the parked car and headed towards the guitar shop.

"You're excited for your birthday, huh?" Deacon asked.

"Yeah, well, I wasn't…" Maddie admitted, tugging at her sleeves. "But I am now."

"It's gonna be some party. You're momma's been doin' a lot of plannin',"

"It'll be nice bein' able to have my friends and stuff over to celebrate. It's cool that you can come, too."

"I wouldn't miss it," Deacon smiled.

Rayna could hear Tandy's voice in her head. Don't try questionin' her on it...That won't go well if you do. Rayna cleared her throat, hesitating before she spoke. "Hon, the list you gave me…is that everyone you're thinkin' of invitin' for your birthday?"

Maddie frowned. "Yeah, why?"

"So, no one else?" Rayna asked slowly.

"Well, maybe one or two more people," Maddie shrugged. "I don't know."

"Who?"

"Mom!" Maddie exclaimed, clearly agitated. "Why are you asking me this? I thought that that list was ok?"

"It is, sweetheart-"

"I mean, there aren't any boys or anything…well, besides dad, Pawpaw, the Mitchell's boys from down the street…oh, and uncle Bucky and…Deacon," Maddie gestured at Deacon. "But, you know what I mean."

Deacon shoved his hands into his pockets and focused on his feet as they walked, somehow hoping to shake the tension in the air.

Rayna took a deep breath and smiled. "Well, I just saw that there's some people that aren't-"

"You mean Peggy?" Maddie interjected.

"Yeah, I do-" Rayna blurted out, immediately regretting it when Maddie's eyes grew wide.

"Mom, you can't be serious?!"

"Um…" Rayna struggled to find her voice. She couldn't believe that she was asking Maddie this in the first place. Tandy had been right; she should've quit while she was ahead. "Maddie, honey, I just-"

Deacon opened the door to the guitar shop for Rayna and Maddie, still choosing to remain silent.

"You said I got to choose, mom…and I chose." Maddie said finally before walking through the door.

Rayna smiled weakly when Deacon met her gaze. She exhaled, kicking the pavement. "I'm sorry you had to hear that,"

"Hear what?" He smiled reassuringly as he ushered her through the door. "Come on, darlin',"

Rayna chuckled, squeezing his hand quickly before walking after Maddie.

The walls were lined with instruments, big and small, used and new. They wandered around and Deacon pointed out different guitars to Maddie. She would pick up a guitar, play it and then carefully put it back. To Maddie's delight, he shared a story or two about how he owned this or that guitar, and the times he'd played a particular guitar for different headliners. Rayna couldn't help but feel completely overawed with emotion as she watched Deacon and Maddie together. She felt joy, but it was hard to ignore the guilt and shame that sat heavy in the pit of her stomach. Memories of all the things that both Deacon and Maddie have missed as a father and daughter over the last thirteen years came rushing into her mind. Rayna knew that she'd done the right thing for Maddie all those years ago, but that didn't do anything to settle her inner turmoil.

"Can I help you?" someone asked from behind Rayna and she jumped.

"No, it's okay Freddie," Deacon replied, turning around to face the man standing behind Rayna. "I got it covered."

"Deacon Claybourne!" Freddie greeted, smile wide as he brought his hands to his hips. "It's been too long, man." He turned his head and saw Rayna, quickly doing a double take. "And Rayna Jaymes too! What the hell did I do to get both of y'all in here on the same day!"

Deacon and Rayna laughed.

"We're not here for us," Rayna smiled, gesturing to Maddie. "Freddie, you remember Maddie?"

Freddie's mouth dropped. "Oh my, is this your Maddie? Last time I saw her she was a tiny thing runnin' up and down the halls backstage at the Orpy!"

"Yep, that's her!"

"Hi," Maddie said, waving awkwardly as she instinctively stepped closer to Deacon.

"They're guitar shoppin'," Deacon replied. "For Maddie's birthday,"

Freddie smirked. "Rayna shoppin' for a guitar? Please."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Rayna shushed. "You know me and my vast knowledge of these beautiful instruments…" Rayna smirked, jerking a thumb at a wall of guitars. "Don't worry, they're doin' most of the shoppin'…I'm just followin' 'em and keepin' my mouth shut."

"Well," Freddie looked from Maddie to Deacon. "You've got the best person helpin' you out,"

"I know," Maddie nodded proudly.

"If y'all need anythin' I'll be over at the counter." Freddie smiled and walked away.

They continued wandering around and Maddie stopped short in front of a wall at the back of the shop, quietly admiring a Martin guitar.

"That one is so pretty…" Maddie whispered, reaching out to run her fingers over the body of the guitar.

Deacon took the guitar off the wall and handed it to Maddie. "Why don't you give it a try?"

Hesitantly, Maddie gripped the guitar neck a little tighter and ran her fingers over the strings. The sound resonated through the shop and her eyes lit up. She repositioned it in her arms and played a gentle tune.

Deacon nodded approvingly. "Wow, that's got a good cut and a big sound to it."

"Mom?" Maddie cocked her head, looking over Deacon's shoulder.

Rayna smiled, adjusting her handbag. "Yeah, it sounds real pretty,"

"You like this one?" Deacon asked.

"Mmhmm," Maddie nodded, admiring the guitar. Her eyes stopped on the price tag. "But look how much it costs…"

Rayna's eyes softened as she saw the worry fill Maddie's face. Most teenagers wouldn't think twice about checking the price tag on something they wanted. Not Maddie, that was the first thing she thought about. The girls had grown up around expensive things and gone on trips most people only dreamt of. They weren't ignorant of the fact that their family was well off or of their parent's high profile in the eye of the media. However, Teddy and Rayna had always strived to teach them that there was more to life than money, status and material things. Because of that, Rayna was absolutely convinced that that was why she had two very thoughtful, giving and considerate daughters today.

Rayna's cell phone rang in her hand and she frowned when she saw the caller ID. Deacon and Maddie looked at her.

"Who is it?" Deacon asked, walking over to Rayna.

"It's Jeff," Rayna grumbled, her thumb hovering over the answer button. She glanced at Maddie and then at Deacon.

"Take it," Deacon shrugged. "We got this covered."

Rayna smiled gratefully and answered the call as she walked out of the shop.

"What do you think I should do?" Maddie asked uncertainly, looking down at the guitar.

"I think…" Deacon replied, absentmindedly running his fingers over a guitar on the wall. "If you really like that one and your momma's willin' to up the budget a little…we might be able to convince Freddie to give us a good-"

"I'm not talking about the guitar, I'm talking about my birthday," Maddie shook her head, gesturing for Deacon to take the guitar off her and hang it back up. "…and you know, Peggy."

"Oh…" Deacon nodded slowly, suddenly feeling under-equipped to be having this conversation. The last thing he wanted to do was say the wrong thing. "Um…"

"I don't want her to come," Maddie said bitterly, crossing her arms as she struggled to stop the tears that were threatening to fall. "She's a liar and cheater. I know she's the reason why my dad left."

Deacon looked at her blankly, neither wanting to confirm or deny what she was saying.

Maddie gave him a knowing look. "Yeah, that's not what mom and dad told Daphne and me…but I know it's the truth."

"Darlin', I think there's a lot there that you need to be talkin' to your momma about. I'm sure if you tell her you wanna talk-"

"I don't get why mom wants me to invite her?!" Maddie shook her head furiously, ignoring Deacon's suggestion to save this conversation for Rayna. "It's like she's forgotten everything that's happened. It's like she doesn't care-"

"Now wait a sec," Deacon pursed his lips, calmly holding up a hand to silence Maddie. "I think that it's because your mom is askin' you somethin' like that…I think it might mean that she does care about people's feelings, don't you?"

"So you're saying I should just invite her?" Maddie cried.

"No," Deacon shook his head, smiling uneasily. "I'm not sayin' that. I think darlin'…you need to make that decision on your own."

"I don't want them to be mad if I don't invite her..."

"Listen, your mom and dad are grown ups. They can handle whatever decision you make. I know they both love you…trust me on that. I'm sure that they'll support whatever you decide."

"…Okay," Maddie said slowly, crossing her arms tightly across her chest as she thought about what Deacon was saying.

Deacon reached out and gently squeezed her shoulder.

"Thanks, it means-"

"Sorry y'all, I-!" Rayna hurried over to them, stopping in her tracks as she saw the two talking. "Is everythin' okay?"

"Yep!" Deacon and Maddie both said in unison, a little too enthusiastically.

Rayna shot Deacon a questioning look.

"Later," he mouthed before pointed at the guitar Maddie had been playing. "I think that maybe she's thinkin' this might be the one, mom!" he said cheerily.

"It is?" Rayna's asked, eyes wide.

"Yeah, but it costs heaps though," Maddie shrugged, brushing her fingers over the body of the guitar again. "Maybe we should just look at something cheaper…"

Before Deacon and Rayna could say anything Maddie had turned on her heel and walked away.

- NASHVILLE -

Two days later

Squinting, Deacon crept around his bedroom, carefully sidestepping the discarded clothing on the floor. He moved slowly, silently hoping that he wouldn't run into anything. Almost on cue, he backed into the bedside table, sending a stack of CD's crashing to the floor.

Deacon swore. His eyes darted towards the bed.

Rayna stirred under the blankets, unconsciously reaching for where he had been lying minutes ago. When she came up empty she twisted and turned, struggling to free herself from the blankets.

"Babe?"

"Shhhh," he murmured, leaning across the bed to give her a quick kiss on the lips. "Baby, go back to sleep…"

"What are you doin'?" she asked groggily as she propped herself up on her elbows.

"I've just gotta go out for a bit. I'll be back soon,"

"Soon? Where are you goin' at this time of the mornin'?" she squinted at the clock on his bedside table.

"I'm just headed over to Juliette's-"

"Wha-? Jul…Babe, why?!" Rayna stuttered, jolting upright as he sat on his side of the bed to put his boots on.

"Whoa!" Deacon smirked, slightly amused by her sudden alertness. "Don't tell me you're jealous?"

"Stop it…" she said agitatedly, gently nudging him with her foot in a bid to get him to look at her. Deacon laughed. "What could you possibly need to do-?"

"I'm just goin' over to check up on her, see how she's holdin' up with her voice and all of that,"

"Really?" Rayna asked, suddenly feeling guilty.

"Yeah, I mean…she's got no one, Ray," he replied thoughtfully, turning to look at her. "And it's probably killin' her that she's been cooped up in that big house of hers with no one to talk to, or yell at…"

They both laughed.

"That's the point, babe," Rayna rolled her eyes. "She's not supposed to be talkin', or yellin'…she's supposed to be lettin' her voice heal."

Deacon picked up his cell phone. "Her message made it sound like the doctors have given her the all clear. But I think what's got her frustrated is that they've warned her to take things slow. You know, easin' back into everythin' slowly and strengthenin' her voice, that kinda thing."

Rayna nodded, pulling the blankets up as she brought her knees to chest. "If that's the case, we'll be out on the road again in another week or two, won't we?"

Deacon nodded.

"Did you want me to come with you?" Rayna asked quietly.

"No darlin', it's fine," he replied too quickly, avoiding her eye contact fleetingly. "Really…"

"Okay, what was that?" Rayna narrowed her eyes as she looked at him.

"What was what?"

Rayna shot him a sceptical look, letting him know that she wasn't in the mood for playing games.

Deacon scratched his chin nervously before finally looking at her. "I wasn't gonna tell you till I'd sorted it out…that's why I was tryin' to sneak out before you woke up," he hesitated, rubbing his palms on his knees.

"What?"

"I am goin' over to Juliette's to see how she's feelin'…but I'm also goin' round to ask her for a favor,"

Rayna frowned. "What kind of favor?"

"I was gonna see if maybe she'd be willin' to come around for a little bit on Saturday for Maddie's birthday party. You know, I thought it'd be a nice surprise for Maddie. I know that she really loves her…" Deacon said quietly, almost feeling embarrassed for saying it out loud.

Rayna swore and buried her head in her hands. "Why didn't I think of that?" she groaned.

"You're not angry?" he asked.

"Angry?" Rayna peeked at him through her fingers. "No, just angry at myself for not thinkin' of that in the first place."

Deacon laughed and climbed up next to her on the bed. He pulled her into his arms. "Baby, you've done a lot of organizin' to make this party special for Maddie. Juliette Barnes or not, I know Maddie's really gonna appreciate it." he smirked, obviously pleased with himself.

"Go away…" Rayna chuckled, freeing herself from his arms and burying herself under the blankets.

"Fine,"

"Just not for too long," Rayna mumbled, glancing up at him as he brushed her messy hair out of her eyes. She rolled onto her stomach. "This bed is already startin' to feel cold without you."

"How cold?" he murmured, snuggling up to her from behind.

"Very cold…babe…okay," she managed to get out between giggles as he left kisses on her neck. He mumbled a string of unintelligible words against her skin, knowing full well that his teasing was setting her body on fire. Rayna shivered and reluctantly pushed him away. "Hon, if you keep that goin' I won't be lettin' you leave here anytime soon…"

Grudgingly, he pulled away only to lean back over and give her a kiss. "Fine. But don't you be goin' anywhere," Deacon smiled against her lips, taking his time to kiss her again.

"Why?" Rayna mumbled against his lips.

"I don't know about you...but I plan on makin' this bed a hell of a lot hotter when I get back."