Hello lovely readers! So this is my new multi-chapter Nashville story, yay! I was so inspired after the finale last week and it resulted into this huge story idea that I hope you all like.

So like I said, this is based off of the season 3 cliff hanger with Avery and Juliette and my interpretation of how things would go down if Avery did leave with Cadence for good. I know that isn't what is going to happen in the show but it's fun to imagine! Other than that, I hope you all like the first chapter.

I DO NOT OWN NASHVILLE OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS!

Cadence woke up realizing that her alarm didn't go off. It was nine o'clock on a Monday morning, and she could've sworn that she had set her alarm the night before. She sat up in her bed and accidentally kicked her guitar that was resting at the end of her bed.

The teen then remembered she was up late songwriting and didn't set her alarm. "Crap," she mumbled as she stood up and quickly started to get dressed and ready for school.

After the blonde got herself together, she grabbed her backpack and headed downstairs. "Dad I overslept, I'm leaving for school now," Cadence announced. The closer she got downstairs, the stronger of a smell came from the kitchen. Waffles and bacon with a hint of coffee, to be exact.

"There's the birthday girl," said Avery as he assembled a plate for his daughter, complete with her favorite breakfast foods.

Cadence smiled as she entered the kitchen. Today was her sixteenth birthday, but Cadence wasn't one to make a big deal of it. As she got older, she saw her birthday to be less and less special with the absence of her mother.

"I figured I'd let you sleep in today," Avery explained. "It already sucks enough that your birthday is on a Monday this year."

Cadence set her backpack on the floor and took a seat at the kitchen table. Avery approached her with two plates, one for him and one for her. "Thanks Dad," she said with a smile as he pressed a kiss on the top of her head.

"So were you up song writing last night?" he asked.

"Maybe," Cadence said with a smirk before cutting into her waffles and taking a bite of them.

Avery chuckled, "Well I I just hoe you got your homework done before you stayed up so late."

"I did Dad, don't worry."

He nodded and started to eat as well, "Sixteen…wow."

Cadence put her fork down, "Oh Dad please don't get sentimental. You do this every year!"

"Come on," Avery laughed at Cadence's plea. "I'm your dad, I can't reminisce at all today?"

"No," said the now sixteen year old. "I'm not allowing you!" she laughed.

"Fine I'll stop," said Avery.

"Thank you," said Cadence. "So…sixteenth birthday present, what is it?"

"I'm not telling you, it's a surprise."

"Is it a car?"

"What did I just say about it being a surprise?" Avery laughed. "And no it is not a car."

Cadence sighed, usually she finds out her surprises in advance. Christmases and birthday's she was always on top of what her dad hid from her, but this year she couldn't find anything.

"You'll just have to wait and find out tonight."

"Fine," she said as the father and daughter continued to eat their breakfast.

"Dad?" she then asked after a long moment of silence.

"Yeah?"

What she was about to ask, was something she had asked every year around her birthday since she was old enough to understand why her mother wasn't in her life. She hated asking him because it always ended in an argument.

"Can I please see her?"

Avery sighed, knowing the exact her Cadence was referring to, "Cadence we've been through this…"

"I know we have but I'm sixteen now and I think I deserve to get to know her."

"I've told you Cadence, we left your mom because it wasn't safe for you to be around her. She's sick and she didn't want to get better for us."

"What if she is better now? You haven't spoken to her in years!" Cadence said angrily. "I want to get to know her myself instead of…reading magazine articles and things only you have told me."

"The answer is no Cadence, it is what is best for you," Avery said back.

The blonde sighed heavily and tossed her fork on the plate. "I've lost my appetite," said Cadence as she stood up from the table and taking the plate with her.

"Can we please not argue about this on your birthday."

"When can we? Because she is the woman that actually had me sixteen years ago. Bringing her up today is more justified than any other day."

Avery stayed quiet as Cadence tossed the remains of her food in the trash and placed her dish in the sink. "Can you please just take me to school now?"

It was moments like these when Cadence reminded Avery of Juliette, looks aside. His daughter had the same feisty attitude that her mother did, thankfully it was much more manageable than Juliette's. He was just taking Cadence's teen years day by day.

"Yeah let's get you to school."

Once in the car, the father and daughter were silent halfway during the drive until Cadence spoke up. "I hate Ohio."

The random statement made Avery chuckle, "Are you really going to be so negative today?"

"Well it's hard not to think about that I could've been living in Nashville instead of this place where literally nothing happens."

Avery knew Ohio wasn't the best, it was why he left for college in the first place. But when he needed somewhere to go sixteen years ago, he went back home to be near his parents for support. He needed to be surrounded by people that would help him.

Avery pulled up to Cadence's high school and put the car in park. "Listen, I know you hate me and have been mad at me for the past couple of years. But you have to know that I did what I did for you and I will always have your best interest at heart."

Cadence nodded, "But I don't hate you dad. Hate is too strong. I could never hate you."

"Thanks Cade," said Avery with a smile. "Now get in there before there is no point in you even going to class."

"Yeah I better go," she said as she grabbed her backpack and opened the car door to get out. "Bye Dad."

Avery gave her a quick wave before pulling away from the school.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Alright birthday girl, let's get going!" said Peyton.

"Please stop," said Cadence.

"What?"

Peyton was Cadence's best friend, she was a senior in high school and they met when Peyton got a job working at Avery's guitar store. Cadence worked there as well and the two became close over the past couple of years.

"You know how I feel about today."

Peyton rolled her eyes as she unlocked her car and got into the drivers side. Cadence opened the door to the passenger side and got in as well.

"That doesn't stop me every year for trying to make it better for you," said Peyton over the engine starting. "I forgot to ask, but did you try asking your dad again about coming to Florida with me?"

"The other night I did and he said no," Cadence said sadly. "I swear, at this rate I will never be able to meet my mom."

Cadence had planned on heading to Nashville for a week so that she could meet Juliette. She had told her dad that she would be with Peyton's family in the Florida Keys for spring break. Cadence's plan was to spend as much time with Juliette as possible before she had to head back to Ohio and her dad wouldn't know a thing.

Peyton pulled out of the high school parking lot and drove on the road. "Cadence I love you, you're my best friend. And your dad is a great man, but he is also my boss and I hate the idea of lying to him."

"You know what," said Cadence. "We are going to make this work. He can't keep me away from her forever. I have just enough money saved from working at the store. And if this all works out, you are not going to say a word to him," she said sternly.

Peyton sighed, "Fine. And Cadence?"

The blonde turned to her brunette best friend, "Yeah?"

"I really hope you get to meet her and everything works out."

Cadence smiled, "Thanks, I seriously don't know what I'm going to do without you next year."

"Me either, but you'll manage," said Peyton before turning the volume up on the radio.

You're listening to 104.5 Ohio's number one country station. And now here is Juliette Barnes with her celebratory twentieth number one single Cold Hearted.

"This is exactly my point. I can't just keep listening to her on the radio and seeing her on award shows…it's not fair."

Peyton gave her friend a sympathetic look. For years she had been listening to Cadence speak her mind about Juliette and all of the questions she wanted to ask her. It was hard to see Cadence so broken inside.

The rest of the car ride was silent until Peyton pulled up to Cadence's house. "Who's car is in your driveway?" Peyton asked, recognizing Avery's car but not the other.

"That's Molly's car."

Peyton rolled her eyes and so did Cadence, "So is this a family party tonight?"

"Yeah," said Cadence.

"I wish I could be there but my brother is coming home from college tonight and my parents would kill me if I wasn't there."

"I totally get it P, I'll catch you up on all of the details later," said Cadence as she got out of the car.

"Well I hope you have a great birthday, and tell your dad that I said hi," said Peyton.

"I will," Cadence responded.

"And let me know what the big surprise is!" she added before slowly pulling away.

Cadence walked up to the front door and opened it, immediately smelling the aroma of chocolate cake.

"Cadence is that you?" Avery asked aloud.

"Yeah it's me," she said, placing her backpack on the floor. She walked further into the house and entered the kitchen seeing her dad with Molly, his girlfriend for almost a year.

"Hey sweet girl," said Molly who was frosting the cake. She quickly stopped what she was doing to give the teen a warm embrace. "Are you excited for your party tonight?"

Cadence looked over at Avery who gave her a smile. "Very excited," she responded. "I'm going to head upstairs and get changed."

"Better hurry, everyone is going to be here soon," said Avery.

Cadence started to make her way up the stairs, "Don't worry I won't be long."

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Did you like your cake?" Molly asked as she approached Cadence later that night during the small get-together. The sixteen year old was on her phone and quickly put it down.

"Yeah it was great, thanks Molly," said Cadence. Her relationship with Molly wasn't exactly solid. Molly had tried her hardest for the past year to build a relationship with Cadence but the blonde always held back. When it came to her dad, she always made it seem that she was okay with him dating Molly. Cadence saw how happy she made him.

"Well your dad and I have a surprise for you when you open your gifts," said Molly.

"So it's from both of you?"

"Oh," said Molly in a surprised tone. "He didn't tell you that?"

"No..well yes, but he made it seem like it was just from him."

"Well it's from both of us," Molly assured her, putting a gentle hand on Cadence's shoulder. "I just can't wait for you to see it."

The sixteen year old smiled and gave her a nod before she left and went to make small talk with the rest of the Barkley family. Cadence pulled her phone out once more before having it taken away from her hands, "Hey!"

"Now that is no way to talk to your favorite aunt."

Cadence laughed, giving her aunt Savannah a hug, "That's because you're my only aunt."

"Everyone has been talking to you all night and I haven't gotten the chance," said Savannah.

"Yeah well Grandma was talking my ear off before, so now I am all yours."

"Well I have been watching you all night and you haven't been yourself," said Savannah, taking a sip of champagne from the glass that she was holding.

"I'm myself," Cadence stated firmly.

"Hmm," Savannah smirked. "What has my little brother done now?"

Cadence sighed, "He won't let me go to the Florida Keys with my best friend for spring break." She was thinking that this could work in her favor. Savannah always came to Cadence's defense on everything.

"Well I'm definitely going to talk to him about that. He needs to let you live a little," said the older brunette.

"He is way too over protective of me."

"I agree. Let me take care of him, okay?"

Cadence nodded, "Thanks Aunt Savannah."

"Of course kiddo," she said before being interrupted by the doorbell ringing.

"I've got it," Sandra announced as she opened the door.

"Hi Sandra," said Scarlett, giving her a hug.

"It's great to see you Scarlett," she replied joyfully.

"Scarlett, Gunnar!" Cadence exclaimed as she made her way to the familiar faces, immediately giving Scarlett a hug. "Dad didn't tell me you guys were coming."

"Well we had a travel day on the tour and we wanted to stop by to wish you a happy sixteenth birthday," said Gunnar, handing her a present.

"Thanks you guys, that's so nice of you," she said, giving him a hug as well.

"Where is your dad anyways?" Scarlett asked, observing the living room and not finding Avery.

"Um, he's here. I'll go…"

"Cadence, are you ready for your surprise?" Molly asked.

"Yeah," she said, heading into the living room again with Scarlett and Gunnar following behind. Everyone had taken a seat and soon Avery entered the room with a Gibson Custom Citation Electric Hollowbody, a guitar that Cadence had been saving up for and something that she really wanted.

"Dad…oh my god, are you serious?"

Avery laughed as he handed the guitar to her, "Yep it's all yours."

Cadence took the guitar and observed it in all of it's glory, "This guitar costs so much money, I told you I was going to save up for it."

"Don't even mention the price," Avery laughed. "I figured since you haven't even taken your driving test yet, not to mention that you're still learning to parallel park; I thought this was a much better gift over a car."

"Well in comparison, it is," said Cadence, holding the guitar in one hand and embracing Avery with the other. "Thank you so much."

"Anything for my baby girl," he said, pressing a kiss on the top of her head. "And thank Molly, she contributed to it too."

"Thanks Molly," she said, still standing by her dad's side.

"You're welcome."

"Let me see that gorgeous thing," said Gunnar interjecting. Cadence carefully handed it to him to look at and strum.

Scarlett approached Avery and gave him a hug, "It's so good to see you."

"It's good to see you too, thanks for coming," said Avery. "I know how busy y'all are with touring."

"It's no problem. Plus we haven't seen Cadence in a while, so it was a good excuse."

Before Avery could continue his conversation with Scarlett, Molly approached the two friends, "Sorry Scarlett, but I hope you don't mind me pulling Avery aside for a moment."

"No not at all," said Scarlett. "Gunnar is pretty much in love with Cadence's guitar so I'm going to go chat with Savannah."

After Scarlett left to talk with Avery's sister, Molly linked arms with Avery and pulled him aside. "When are we going to make the announcement?"

"I don't know if we should tell my family tonight."

"Everyone is here, well I mean aside from your dad who I wish could be here," said Molly, speaking of Carl Barkley who passed away just a few months prior.

Avery looked away and over at Cadence who was talking with his mom. He was worried about her response, he felt confident in the relationship Cadence and Molly had but with bringing up Juliette recently, he didn't know how Cadence would feel about an engagement.

"I'm just worried about Cadence," Avery whispered. "I don't know if she's ready fo.."

"Honey, she's sixteen now. She can handle her daddy getting engaged."

"Alright," Avery sighed, leaning in to press a kiss on her cheek.

"Hey everyone," Avery then announced, getting his family's undivided attention. "Since everyone is here tonight, aside from Molly's family. We just wanted to take this moment to tell you all that we are engaged."

Gasps, claps, and "congratulations!" filled the room, Sandra immediately going up to her son and new daughter-in-law and congratulating them personally. Gunnar and Scarlett went over to them as well, "This is great man, congrats," said Gunnar, giving Avery a hug. "I'll tell Zoey as soon as I can."

"Thanks man," said Avery.

Savannah looked over at Cadence and saw the disappointment in her face. Her arms were crossed and her head was hung low as she approached her dad. "Congratulations…I'm so happy for both of you," said Cadence, looking up at her dad with tears forming in her eyes.

Avery was about to say something before Cadence started to leave. "Excuse me," she said before she started to cry harder in front of everyone.

"Cadence…" said Avery trying to stop her from going upstairs.

"Do you want me to talk to her?" Savannah asked.

"No, I should," Avery insisted. He gave Molly a look before going upstairs to talk to his daughter. He followed Cadence to her bedroom and knocked on the closed door.

"Cadence it's me," said Avery. "Can we please talk about this?"

Suddenly the door opened and revealed Cadence with tear stained cheeks. "How long have you guys been engaged?"

Avery sighed heavily, "About a week."

Cadence turned away, leaving the door open for Avery to come in. "So you guys planned to tell me this on my birthday? Was the guitar just a bribe for me to accept this? Because if it is, you can take it back," said Cadence, taking a seat in front of her bed and leaning her back against it.

"The guitar was not a bribe. I have been planning on getting you that guitar ever since you showed it to me," Avery explained, sitting next to his daughter.

"Okay maybe it wasn't for you…but for her being apart of it? It comes across that way."

"Cadence, I thought you liked Molly. I wouldn't have been okay with this if you two didn't get along."

"I like her, she makes you so happy Dad," said Cadence, tears brimming her eyes once more. "But…"

"But what?" Avery asked, taking his daughter's hand and holding it.

"I don't need a new mom. I already have one. How can I build a new relationship with Molly when I don't even have a relationship with the one I already have?" Cadence said as her breath shook.

"You're right," said Avery. "Sweetheart, you don't know how much I wanted you to have a relationship with your mama. She just wasn't willing to get better for the both of us."

The young blonde sighed and leaned her head on her dad's shoulder. "Do you hate her? Juliette?"

"Well…like you said earlier hate is too strong of a word," said Avery, making Cadence slightly chuckle.

"But no, despite everything I don't hate her. I can't because she gave me you."

Avery turned to his daughter and saw her smiling, "I don't know if I ever told you this but, you have her smile. When you smile that big smile of yours, it reminds me of her."

"That's a good thing I assume?"

Avery put his arm around her, "It is a very good thing."

The father and daughter sat together in the quiet bedroom before Avery spoke up again, "Molly and I…we don't have to get married if you don't approve of it. You're happiness is the most important in this."

"No, it's okay," said Cadence. "I never said I didn't like Molly."

"Okay," said Avery. "I also think you should go with Peyton and her family to Florida."

Cadence sat up and turned to her dad, "Wait, really?"

"Yeah, I think you need a little vacation," said Avery.

"You sound like I am a workaholic," Cadence laughed.

"No it's just, you need to get out of Ohio for a bit. I'm not getting rid of you at all, I just want you to have fun."

"Did Aunt Savannah talk to you? Because the other day you were totally opposed to this."

"Maybe," Avery laughed. "But she's right, and is very convincing."

"Thank you so much!" Cadence said as she pulled him in for a hug. Inside, she felt horrible for lying to him. But she knew the outcome of going to Nashville to meet her mom would be for the best.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"So tomorrow you have your CMT interview as well as a tour meeting with Rayna," said Emily, going over the schedule she made for Juliette. "Glenn and I will be over here in the morning at eight thirty."

"Great, thanks Em. You can go home," said Juliette as she poured herself a glass of wine. Sixteen years ago, Juliette had screwed everything up due to not treating her postpartum depression. It had taken begging, forgiveness, and patching up relationships to get back to where she is now. She went back to Highway 65, realizing Jeff didn't have her best interests at heart, as well as getting Glenn back as her manager. The only thing that she couldn't fix in the past sixteen years was the fact that Avery left with Cadence.

Emily started to grab her things before turning to face Juliette, "Today is her birthday you know."

"I know when her birthday is," Juliette snapped. "I am her mother."

"I know I just…you've been so busy these past few months with the tour coming up and all."

"I didn't get better and start therapy for nothing Emily," said Juliette, sipping her wine. "She's sixteen."

Emily nodded, seeing that the conversation was going nowhere. "Goodnight Juliette."

Without another word, Emily left the home, leaving Juliette alone with her glass of red wine. She finished it quickly, putting in the glass in the sink before leaving the spacious kitchen and living room and heading down the hallway.

She approached the door that lead into Cadence's old bedroom. The older blonde opened it as she slowly walked into the old nursery. Juliette never had the heart to go through all of the baby items and pack them up. Everything was the same as it was sixteen years ago. Nothing was removed or changed.

After years of doctors appointments, medication, and therapy, Juliette had recovered from her severe postpartum depression. Now that she understood it all, she regretted not getting help sooner and listening to Avery. Years later, she didn't see the point in trying to reach out to Avery and Cadence. Especially when she had received divorce papers in the mail from Avery a couple of years into the separation. She had signed them. The damage had been done and what happened couldn't be fixed in Juliette's eyes.

She took a seat in the chair Avery insisted on putting in the house when he first moved in, the one that had been placed in Cadence's room. Juliette looked up at the framed picture hung on the wall across from her. The one she had thrown the snow globe at. It still had the broken glass from the incident. The memory of that moment made Juliette feel uneasy. She felt a chill go through her body, so many emotions and memories filling her head. Questions about her daughter consuming her thoughts.

Being in the nursery and sitting in the chair resulted in tears falling down Juliette's cheeks. Another birthday she missed. Another year without her daughter.

So sad, UGH! I hope you all liked it though, seeing where this story is going. I really enjoyed writing for Cadence and creating her personality as well as writing for the Barkley family, especially Savannah!

Next chapter: Cadence leaves for Nashville and finally meets Juliette! Things may not be as easy as Cadence had hoped for when meeting her mother.

If you liked this first chapter please review and let me know what was good, what wasn't, and all of that fun stuff. I really appreciate it!