Wow, so I've gotten so far away from the original premise of this story (and a couple of years further down the road in time), but I'm still enjoying writing it, so I'll continue for a little longer.

##

Deacon stood outside the open bathroom door peering in as Rayna sat on the closed toilet seat in her pajamas. He shifted back and forth on his feet and played with the door handle. "You've got to stop that," Rayna said. "It's driving me crazy."

Deacon immediately stopped what he was doing and stood up straight. "Sorry baby, I'm just nervous. I really feel like this time could be the one that takes."

Deacon and Rayna had been trying for six months to have a baby to no avail. What started off as fun impromptu sex session anywhere and everywhere including the office, the car, and even once in a restaurant bathroom, had turned into scheduled times that were written down in an appointment book like a trip to the dentist. "How much longer?" Deacon asked.

Rayna checked her watch. "Thirty seconds. Come here babe." Rayna reached out her hand to Deacon and he took it standing above her. "Let's look at it together." Thirty seconds later they flipped over the little white stick to reveal a blue negative symbol. "Not pregnant," Rayna sighed. "Maybe it's time to head to the doctor to see if there's something else we could be doing?"

Deacon sat down on the floor next to her and kissed her hand. "Okay, I'll make the appointment."

##

Two weeks later Rayna and Deacon were sitting in Dr. Klein's office flipping through brochures for birthing classes when she walked in. "Deacon, Rayna, so good to see you guys again. We got your results back from the tests we did last week."

"Is everything okay doc?" Deacon asked.

"Well, it's not "not" okay. Things seem to be pretty average for the two of you for your age group. Rayna, at this age you're not producing as many viable eggs as you once were. I'd have to say that there's only about a 5% chance of you getting pregnant on your own now that you're approaching 45. And Deacon, your sperm count is rather low, but you are in your mid-forties, and considering the issues with your liver and all the medications you had to be on, I'm not surprised about that."

"So basically it would take a miracle for us to get pregnant?" Rayna asked.

"Well, not a miracle, but it won't be as easy as it was when you had Maddie."

Deacon reached over and took Rayna's hand in his caressing it with his thumb.

"What can we do to increase our chances?" Deacon asked.

"Well, there's IVF. That usually increases your chance to about 17%, but it's not an easy process. There's injections and invasive procedures."

"Okay, we could do that."

Rayna looked at Deacon with surprise, but didn't say anything in response.

The doctor continued. "And if that doesn't work, a lot of other celebrities have used egg donors."

"Oh no, we wouldn't want that." Rayna and Deacon said together, then Rayna continued. "We already have two girls, if we're not going to have one of our own, it doesn't seem worth it."

"I see. Would you two like a moment alone to discuss your options?"

"Yes, that would be nice." The doctor left and Rayna turned to Deacon. "Are you sure this is what you want babe? You'd have to give me injections, I'd be all hormonal and emotional."

"So, you'd be that way if you were pregnant too." Deacon smiled at Rayna with one of the warmest most loving smiles she'd ever seen. She was unsure if this was a good idea, but she could never deny Deacon anything that he wanted.

"Alright babe, but let's just start with the injections and go from there.."

##

"Ouch!" Rayna yelled as Deacon stuck her with the needle. "I thought you'd be better than this. How can someone so dexterous on the guitar be so bad with giving a simple shot?"

"Sorry baby. I'm trying." Deacon leaned down and kissed Rayna's hip where he had just marred her. Then he moved his mouth around to more sensitive areas. "Oh babe, that feels so good, but remember what the doctor said, we should really be particular about when we have sex."

Deacon sighed and stood up pulling her close. "I know, but I want you right now."

Rayna pulled down her skirt smoothing it, and dangled her arms around Deacon's neck, hovering her mouth near his. "I want you too, but it's not ideal until Thursday."

Deacon released a low growl before letting go of Rayna. "I am going to show you a hell of a good time on Thursday. In fact, I am not going to let you out of bed all day."

Rayna leaned into him giving him a soft kiss. "Now that's all I'm going to be dreaming about for the next few days."

##

The next day Deacon got a call from his label. Now that he was well again they were pushing him to come out with the second album that he'd promised them in his contract. "We finally got some studio time booked for you Deacon. Thursday and Friday, 6:00 am to Midnight. We're just going to bang this album out."

"This Thursday?" Deacon asked.

"Yeah, it's not too soon is it? You said you had a bunch of songs just waiting."

"Yeah, I do, it's not that. It's just that I had plans this Thursday with Rayna and well, she's heading off to California on Friday for a promotional event that's taking her through the weekend."

"Listen, the studio is already booked and we have to get this album out, I know you were sick, but we've put this off way past what you promised. We have to get it done now."

"Alright," Deacon conceded. "Thursday it is." As he hung up the phone he thought to himself, "Rayna was not going to be happy with this development." He walked down to her home office where she was listening to some new demos. She lit up when she spotted him.

"Hey babe, I think I found someone I like. Give a listen." Deacon walked over to the CD player and hit stop.

"Hey, what did you do that for?" Rayna said sitting up in her chair.

"We have to talk Ray."

"Alright, you sound serious."

"It's not really, it's just, I have to record my new album this week. The label already booked my studio time."

"Alright, that's fine when is it?"

"Thursday. All day from early in the morning till late at night."

"Thursday! Deacon, that's our day."

"I know, but I have to get this done Ray."

"I can't believe you're doing this to me. It was your idea to have the baby in the first place and now you're bailing."

"I'm not bailing Rayna, I just have to work."

"Are you even going to be around when we have a baby, or will I be raising this one on my own?"

"Hey, that's not fair. It's one day Ray, and I'm not the one heading to California."

Rayna sat down and started to cry. "I know, I'm sorry. I've just been so goddamn hormonal with all these shots, and now it feels like it was for nothing."

"We'll do it next month baby. One month isn't going to matter."

Rayna nodded her head and pulled Deacon towards her. He reached down holding her face and wiping the tears from her eyes. "Okay," she said. "Next month."

"Does that mean I can make love to you now?" Deacon asked.

Rayna rubbed her nose against Deacon and moved her hands around to his butt. "Uh huh."

Deacon leaned in kissing Rayna deeply. "See, this didn't turn out so bad after all."

##

A week and a half later Rayna was back from California and Deacon was back to giving her the injections. "I think I'm getting better at this Ray."

"Let me be the judge of that." Rayna felt a twinge as he gave her the shot. "Better?" He looked up at her with those big blue eyes.

"Better." She nodded.

"Mom, dad!" Maddie yelled from downstairs. Rayna went to the door and walked to the top of the stairs. "What's up sweet girl?"

"Is it alright if I go out with Talia and Cara tonight?"

Rayna headed down the stairs. "I thought we were having family night tonight? Your dad was going to make his lasagna and we were talking about playing a board game."

Maddie refused to make eye contact with her mom at first, then she finally looked at her. "I know but…you guys just aren't fun lately. All you ever talk about is getting pregnant. I'm 16, the last thing I want to think about is getting pregnant."

"Well if it involves you, that better be the last thing you're thinking about."

Maddie gave Rayna a typical teenager look that said she was being crazy. "Come on let's sit down." Rayna said in response.

They settled in on the couch and Rayna brushed a piece of Maddie's hair off her face like she did when she was a child. "I know your dad and I didn't really talk to you girls when we decided to have another child, are you not okay with this?"

"No, I'm fine with it, it would be kind of fun to have another little sister or brother, but you guys have been the worst lately. I thought things were going to get better once dad was well again, but it's almost more tense. You're always stressed, you and dad have been fighting all the time, and if these are the mood swings that women have when they're pregnant, then I NEVER want to have a baby."

Rayna laughed. "Well, I can't really do anything about the mood swings, and I know your father and I have been on edge, but I promise this won't last long."

"What if it does? I don't know what I'd do if you and dad got a divorce."

"Hey, your father and I are not getting a divorce Maddie. Married people fight, it happens. It doesn't mean we've stopped loving each other."

"Yeah, but you and my other dad never fought, and you got divorced. You and Deacon yell."

Rayna nodded her head slowly. "Yes sometimes we yell, and Teddy and I didn't really ever yell at each other. I know this might sound weird, but Deacon and I yell at each other because we love each other so much. It's not that I didn't love Teddy, it just wasn't in the same way I love Deacon. Deacon and I yell because we care so much, and because we know that no matter how many fights we get in, or how mad we are at each other we're never walking away. We are not getting a divorce Maddie, okay."

"Alright, but can I still hang out with Talia and Cara tonight?"

Rayna sighed and threw up her hands. "Fine, go."

Maddie jumped up and kissed Rayna on the cheek. "Thanks mom you're the best." She grabbed her purse and ran out as Deacon was walking into the room. "Where's that whirlwind heading?"

"Out with her friends. Apparently we're not fun enough for her anymore."

Deacon walked over and sat down on the couch next to Rayna wrapping his arm around her. "Well the little one is still hanging with us tonight, right?"

"Yeah, she'd never pass up lasagna."

"So what's wrong Ray?"

"Nothing, it's just, the past few months have been kind of hard, especially coming off of the year we had last year."

Deacon pulled Rayna closer to him. "I know, but it will all be worth it when we're holding that little baby in our arms."

Rayna leaned into Deacon resting her head on his chest. "I hope so babe, I hope so."