Glad everyone is liking this story. Thanks for the reviews! I only hope that it goes somewhere close to this way by mid-season.

##

Deacon sat at the piano scribbling down notes in between the chords he played that were coming out of his head and through his fingers. Pam had showed up an hour ago for a mid-day quicky. He found there was something kind of nice about this casual relationship. No drama, no expectations, just a lot of fun when it was convenient for both of them. Right now she stood behind him in one of his old t-shirts humming along to the melody Deacon was creating.

The phone rang and he leaned over to pick it up. "Hey sweetheart," he answered as soon as he saw "Maddie" on the caller ID.

"Dad, I'm going to get to sing on a tour."

"Wait, what? I thought your mom and I decided you were too young for that. You have to finish school first."

"It's not a whole tour, just a weekend. Mom said I couldn't sign with Edgehill, but she would take me on tour with her this weekend in Philly and let me be one of her opening acts."

"That's amazing. I'm sure you'll be fabulous."

"Will you come?"

"To Philly?"

"Yeah, I know you've been busy with Luke's tour, but you're on hiatus right now, and I thought maybe you could get away?"

"Well, I had this thing on Saturday, but you know what, I'll cancel. I'll be there."

"I'm so glad."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." Deacon hung up the phone with a gigantic grin on his face.

"What?" Pam asked.

"My little girl. She's really growing up. She's playing this weekend up in Philly. I'm going to go book a hotel room."

"I thought we were taking that motorcycle of yours to the Smokies?"

"Yeah, I know, but my daughter only sings at her first tour once. You're not mad are you?"

Pam shook her head and gave him a devilish grin. "I'll find someone else to occupy my time."

##

Two days later Deacon was stepping off of Rayna's private plane with she and Maddie in tow. "Thanks for bringing me along Ray. I really appreciate it."

"Do you think for a second that I'd leave you at home? I would have never heard the end of it from that one." Rayna pointed at an exuberant Maddie who was already running ahead chatting with Sadie who'd also hitched a ride.

"No Teddy?" Deacon asked looking around.

"No, he had a big meeting, plus Daphne had a gymnastics meet this weekend and couldn't come, so it's just our little family." Deacon liked the sound of that much more than he was willing to admit. He gave Rayna a little smile. "What?" She asked smiling back. "Oh nothing, just looking forward to the weekend that's all."

"Good, cause your daughter won't shut up about it."

"It is kind of a big deal Ray. Do you remember the first time we played a stadium?"

"Uh huh, and it sure wasn't when we were 15. I was lucky to get into a honky tonk when I was that age."

"I was playing a beat up old guitar behind the Piggly Wiggly trying to impress Suzie Woodward when I was 15."

"Did it work?"

"It got you didn't it? What do you think?"

Rayna laughed, "I don't want to know."

##

Maddie was out on the stage tuning her guitar during the sound check. Deacon was standing in the corner giving her pointers.

"Make sure your ears are working honey, it gets loud in here and you want to be able to hear yourself."

"I know dad, I've been around while mom has performed. This isn't my first time at the rodeo."

Deacon laughed at her turn of phrase.

"What?' She asked, slightly offended.

"Nothing, it's just good to see you up there. You look just like you belong." Deacon had never been so proud of anyone in his whole life. The closest he could think of was the first time Rayna played a stadium show, but he had been backing her up then. He'd be in the audience for Maddie's show, or at least in the wings. "Where is your mama anyway?"

"Talking to the press. She had an interview scheduled with the local station, but she said it would be okay cause she knew you'd be here with me if I had any questions during sound check."

Deacon smiled, it was nice to know that Rayna trusted him with Maddie, even if it was just for the small stuff. Maddie started in playing her first song, a mid-tempo song she'd written with Deacon called "I Can't Sleep Tonight." It was the one that she'd posted to You Tube so she felt like people would be expecting her to sing it. She couldn't believe that she had to think about these things now. She was trying to be as professional as possible. She'd lamented over her set list even though she was only playing three songs. She was also trying not to feel nervous, but she noticed her hand shaking a bit as she was tuning her guitar in between songs. Deacon noticed and walked up on stage next to her. He leaned in and whispered in her ear. "You're going to be great. You come from a whole family of pros, but your mama and I were nervous the first time we played too."

Maddie looked up at him. "How'd you get past that?"

"You know what, we just concentrated on the music. When you have a passion for the music, everything else just slips away." Maddie leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. Deacon turned a little red then walked back to where he'd been standing. This had been a tough year, but it finally felt like it was beginning to turn around.

##

Before anyone knew what was going on it was a few hours later and the real show was starting. Maddie was all dressed, teenage appropriate make up on her face, and her first pair of really high heels. She was standing on the side of the stage holding her guitar. Deacon and Rayna were standing beside her. "You're going to be fine sweet girl," Rayna said encouraging her.

"I know mom. I'm fine. Deacon already gave me a pep talk." Maddie waved Rayna off as her name was announced and she headed out onto the stage. Deacon stepped forward so he was side by side with Rayna, shoulders practically touching. He could tell that Rayna was breathing a little heavier than normal. "You okay Ray?"

Rayna continued to watch Maddie while she performed in front of the 20,000 fans in the stadium. "I'm fine, it's just…I can't believe our baby is old enough to be out there. Wasn't it just us out there for the first time?"

Deacon reached over and took Rayna's hand in his giving it a little squeeze. The touch of his hand was comforting at a time when everything felt like it was spinning out of control a little. In fact his touch had always been the one thing that would comfort her no matter what. "It was, but now it's her turn Ray. Would you really want to go back to then? We were so young and naïve. I don't know about you, but I'm a lot smarter now."

Rayna looked over and flashed him a smile. "I know there was a lot about that time that was rough, but it was also so exciting. When we thought we didn't need anything but the music and each other."

Deacon breathed in deeply, unsettled a bit by the thought. "Yeah, I remember some of those nights." He let go of Rayna's hand, not wanting to drift too far out of the comfort zone they had created recently. Memories of sweat soaked sex sessions interspersed with sheet music was a little too dangerous for his liking.

As Maddie exited the stage, Rayna and Deacon could tell that she'd caught the bug, and that she'd never lose that desire to perform. It was in her eyes and written all over her face, but they guessed that they should have expected that since it was also in her blood. "That was so amazing!" Maddie gushed. Deacon took her into his arms giving her a bear hug. "Your mama's got to go on stage for her show, but why don't you come down front with me and we can watch from there. "Actually dad a couple of members of the other opening band are hanging out a bit before the after party, I told them I'd hang out with them. I've seen mom sing a thousand time."

Deacon was a little disappointed, but he realized that Maddie was growing up and he needed to let her go out on her own a bit. "Okay, but I'll catch you later at the after party. Your mom and I have a gift for you."

Maddie ran off down the hall. "Great, see you then."

##

An hour and a half later Deacon was heading over to the hotel where the after party was happening. He looked around for Maddie but didn't see her at first. Rayna was still over at the stadium changing and chatting with some radio execs who wanted to talk about Highway 65 air time. He found one of the members of the other band chatting with a reporter from Country Weekly. "Hey, have you seen Maddie anywhere?"

The girl looked over at Deacon pausing her conversation. "You mean the girl who went on after us?"

"Yeah, that's her."

"I think she went up to her room, I saw her leave a while ago with Tom."

This unnerved Deacon a bit, he didn't like the idea of Maddie going off with strange guys named Tom. "Tom, who's Tom?"

"He's a friend of Jim's."

Deacon raised his eyebrows a little and rubbed his face in frustration. "And Jim would be?"

"Our drummer. I think they're in the room over there." The girl pointed to a side room off of the ballroom where they were standing. Deacon walked over and looked inside. It was a small, slightly dark room with large glass windows that had a beautiful view of downtown Philadelphia. The room was mostly empty expect for a couple that was making out. Never the one for what was or wasn't appropriate Deacon walked over and tapped the guy on the shoulder. "Hey!"

Slightly annoyed the guy stopped kissing the girl who was practically on his lap and looked up at Deacon. "Hey man, can't you tell we're busy here?"

"Are you Jim?"

"Yeah, I'm Jim."

"Have you seen Maddie? I think she went somewhere with Tom."

"Oh yeah, the brunette chick with the pretty voice. They left a couple of minutes ago, Tom was taking her back to his room to lie down. She wasn't feeling too well."

"To his room?!" Deacon's heart started to beat faster. "What number?"

"Um, 304 I think."

"Great, thanks." Deacon beelined for the elevator. When it wouldn't come fast enough, he headed for the stairwell and bounded the concrete steps two at a time. When he reached the third floor he ran out down the hall. Just as he rounded the corner he saw them. Tom was trying to get the key to his room out of his pocket but he was having a little difficulty because he was also trying to hold Maddie up at the same time. The second Deacon saw her he recognized the telltale signs. She was drunk. "Maddie Conrad! What are you doing?"

Maddie could barely walk, but she half-heartedly looked up when she heard her father's voice. "Hey man," Tom said. "I was just trying to get her to sleep it off. She your daughter?"

"Yeah, and I'll handle this from here." Deacon walked over to Maddie and wrapped her arm around his shoulders so he was supporting her weight. "Hi dad. I don't feel well."

"Yeah, I could tell. Do you have your room key sweetie?"

Maddie fumbled around in her back pocket. She patted it when she felt the key card. "Yep."

"Penthouse 2 right?" Maddie nodded her head in response.

Deacon got her into the elevator and pressed the button for the top floor. When they go there he slipped the key card out of her back pocket and let the two of them into the suite. The moment he got her in the door Maddie leaned over. "I think I'm going to be sick." She took a deep breath and ran for the bathroom. Deacon pulled out his phone and hit the speed dial for Rayna.

"Hey," Rayna answered. "Where are you guys?"

"Up in your suite."

"What are you guys doing up there, I thought we were going to celebrate at the party."

"Well let's just say Maddie started doing some celebrating without us."

"What does that mean?"

"She's drunk Ray."

"I'll be right there." Rayna hung up the phone and sprinted to the elevator and back to her room. When she got there she found Maddie still in the bathroom and Deacon holding her hair back as she vomited.

"Oh boy young lady, you are so going to get it tomorrow when you feel better."

"Who are you kidding Ray, it's going to be a couple of days before she feels better."

"Well she better feel well by tomorrow cause she's performing tomorrow night whether she feels good or not. That's what it means to be a professional."

"Come on mom," Maddie got out between communes with the toilet. "Don't yell so loud." Rayna took a deep breath and sat down on the edge of the tub. She gave Deacon a look that said she couldn't believe she was having to go through this kind of thing again…of course this time it was with their daughter instead of him. She wasn't sure which was worse.

"I think that's the last of it for her. Come on sweetie, let's get you cleaned up and into bed." Deacon washed Maddie's face off for her, then he lifted her up and carried her into her bedroom. "Your mom and I will be in the other room if you need us okay?" Maddie nodded her head ok then promptly passed out on the pillow. Deacon kissed her forehead then softly closed the door behind him. When he came out a distraught and exhausted looking Rayna was standing there. "She's going to be alright Ray, and we'll have the talk with her in the morning, but right now we need to get some sleep."

Deacon started heading for the door of the suite. Rayna grabbed his arm. "Will you stay? I want you to be here when she wakes up. Plus I think I need some support if anything happens during the night."

Deacon nodded his head. "I can bunk on the couch."

"No need. It's a small couch. There's plenty of room in the bed." Deacon paused for a second unsure this was a good idea, but then he acquiesced. The duo walked into the second bedroom and kicked off their shoes, then they laid down on opposite sides of the bed. They both turned so they were facing inward towards each other. "I know you seem calm, but I can see it in your eyes babe, don't worry, she'll be fine."

"I know, at least tonight she will be, but what if..." Deacon trailed off.

"Getting drunk once when you're 15 with friends doesn't make you an alcoholic Deacon. We have to tell each other that. We can't treat her like she's been through what you have."

"I know, it just worries me that's all."

"Me too, but all we can do right now is hope for the best and be her support system so she doesn't feel like alcohol is an option she wants to choose."

Deacon smiled at Rayna. "I'm glad you're here Ray. I'm glad we're going through this together."

"Me too Deacon. There isn't anyone else I'd rather be going through this with than you."

Deacon leaned over and kissed her forehead lightly. "We should get some sleep. We're going to need to be well rested when we talk to her tomorrow."

Rayna reached over and turned off the lights, then she rolled over and snuggled into Deacon. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in close tucking her head underneath his chin. As the clock hit 1:00am they both drifted off. Despite the harrowing night, it was the best sleep either one had gotten in months.