okay so this has actually been really bothering me and inspired this chapter. I've been really wondering if Bucky knew about Maddie being Deacon's daughter. I feel like it would've been too much of a betrayal to Deacon if even Bucky knew the truth and not him, but I also can't imagine Rayna not telling him especially for business sake. They never really addressed this in the show so I figured I'd do it myself.
"Hey, Ray. How you doin'? How are you feeling?" Bucky asked as they made their way into the living room.
Rayna had gotten out of the hospital a few days ago after finally being cleared by the doctors once she'd come out of the coma. She was under strict orders to take it easy for awhile, but figured a quick strategy meeting with Bucky wouldn't be too much for her to handle.
She knew he'd been to the hospital while she was still unconscious and she'd received his flowers. She also knew that he knew. Tandy had warned her about it, telling her that it was necessary at this point. There was definitely tension and distance in their relationship that had never been there before. Bucky had been through it all with her, he was like her father. She had told him everything. He was her sounding board and she'd trust him with her life.
She couldn't have told him back then. It just felt wrong if too many people knew when Deacon didn't. As if this one small act of integrity really made any difference in light of the betrayal Rayna had already committed to one man in her life. Rayna never thought it would be an issue between them because she was truly convinced that this was going to stay in the past where it belonged.
"Bucky, I'm sorry. We always have been so honest with each other about everything and I feel awful that I've kept this from you. It's just— I didn't have a choice. I made a commitment to Teddy, a commitment that Maddie was his daughter and I had to honor that."
"Rayna, you don't have to explain yourself to me. I'm your manager and I understand that there are somethings that are personal to your life that I'm not a part of."
"Bucky, you are much more than a manager to me. I've looked up to you ever since I was a sixteen year old girl trying to make it in the industry. You're family."
"Thank you, Rayna. I know it must have been incredibly hard for you. All those years keeping that a secret all the time. I just wished I would have know so I could've helped you. And so I could protect you and Maddie in case this ever gets out. If I had known back then, I wouldn't have been so strong to have Deacon come back into the band. Maybe, this wouldn't have happened."
"No one could've seen this coming. No one could've stopped it. Me and Deacon have always had this thing that keeps pulling us back together. In the end, it always ends up near killing us both. This was it, Buck. I'm done. I gotta move on and not look back. I almost was taken from my girls forever and I'm not doing that again."
"So I guess this means we definitely need to find you a new guitar player?" Bucky joked.
Rayna laughed and grimaced at the slight pain it caused in her side.
"Yes, Bucky. I think that's something I can safely bet on."