Okay, I figured there needed to at least be an epilogue with some sort of bliss. It's highly unlikely this would ever happen on TV, but I could be wrong. There's plenty of (good) drama that could come with it and I know I'd watch. Deacon deserves a good life when he gets his second chance. :) Thanks to everyone for the reviews and bless you all for reading.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, allowing the chill of the crisp November air to inflate his lungs.

He looked up at the East Nashville sky, watching as the deep purple slowly gave way to bright blue with a tiny bursts of orange here and there. The stars were pale, but still visible. Deacon Claybourne loved this time of morning—the quiet, the chill—but it was no secret he always loved it more at the lake house.

He sighed, knowing it would be another two weeks or so before he was cleared to travel more than 30 minutes away from the hospital. It'd been four weeks since he was wheeled into an OR with no promise of coming out; four weeks since he said goodbye to his daughter without the assurance that he'd ever look on her beautiful face again; four weeks since he and Rayna went against all rules of romance and got engaged in a sick smelling hospital room while he was hooked up to about 80 machines.

He grinned to himself and took a sip of his decaf.

Life had arguably dealt him some pretty crummy cards, but it looked like everything was finally starting to gear up and fall into place. All he needed now was the clearance to get back to everything he loved—including regular coffee.

"Bet you can't wait to get back to the real stuff."

He glanced upward at the sound of Rayna's voice, smiling as she wrapped her fleece house coat tighter around her body and sank into the Adirondack chair next to his, clutching her own cup of coffee.

"What are you doing up?"

She shrugged.

"Just seeing what you're doing."

He shrugged back.

"Figured I'd better get a head start on another day of doing absolutely nothing with no caffeine. Sorry I woke you."

She smirked and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Just a couple more weeks, babe."

"Yeah, I know. The girls still asleep?"

Rayna nodded, gripping her cup tighter to warm her hands. He sighed, looking back on the whirlwind that had been the last nine months.

She had quickly helped him find the words to tell Maddie about his diagnosis, and the three of them plus Daphne had fallen into a pattern of enjoying each other to the utmost, albeit with more and more unspoken sadness with each day that passed without a phone call for a heart.

He grinned, remembering the day Rayna finally got him to let his guard down where the two of them were concerned. She had been all he wanted for basically the whole of his life, and he was inching closer and closer to a point where a physical manifestation of what he felt for her was going to be all but impossible for him. It was just like her, it seemed, to use that in her argument that particular day.

They'd been at the lake house, of course, and from that point on it was as if nothing was wrong—even if everything was wrong.

Roughly six weeks after that, he'd gotten the phone call. It had woken them in the dead of night and he could hardly breathe just walking to the car, but it was no matter—he was home now. With her, and with the girls. She'd sold her Belle Meade home with the blessing of the girls, determined that her failed lives with Teddy and Luke were embedded too deeply in the foundation for the four of them to return there as a family.

He blinked.

"I know it's cramped here with all of us, Ray, but as soon as I can—"

She shook her head.

"Babe, we're fine. Stop worrying. We'll start looking for a place as soon as you're cleared for the insane stress that comes with me house shopping."

He smirked at her and shook his head.

"I knew you were trying to kill me."

"I resent that."

He chuckled, reaching out his hand to hers. They sat in silence for what felt like forever, just basking in each other and watching the sun come up above their heads.

"Hey," he nudged her, grinning when she brought her blue eyes to his. "You're gorgeous."

She grinned back and blushed as she looked down to her sequined house boots, subconsciously taking notice of a small tear in the toe. It came as no surprise—she'd basically worn them out since Maddie insisted they get matching pairs on a random school supply shopping trip at Target.

She lifted her eyes back to him, blinking sleepily.

"Well, you're amazing."

"Amazing enough to get a sip of that?"

He gestured his head towards her cup.

She cocked her eyebrow, confused. It then dawned on her that he was referring to what he thought was the regular coffee she was apparently drinking.

She chuckled nervously, pulling her hand away from his and grasping her cup protectively.

"No, babe. Not today."

He sighed and leaned his head back against the chair.

"Rayna, come on. I've done every little damn thing those doctors have told me to do and I think I can handle one sip of regular coffee. Please?"

"Deacon, no. Just two more weeks. That's all you gotta wait. You've gone this long."

He sighed again.

"Thanks for your help."

Rayna rolled her eyes and look down at her feet, focusing again on the menacing hole threatening the toe of her slipper. She suddenly found herself stressed; struggling underneath the weight of the secret she'd been keeping from him since his surgery.

She told herself she'd tell him after he was cleared, as she wanted to be absolutely certain she didn't put any undue stress on him.

Would he really be stressed out, though?

They'd both come away from his diagnosis and prognosis and now his surgery with a new lease on their own lives, as well as their life together. The news of her secret had certainly scared her at first, but only because she wasn't 100% sure he was going to be there matching her step for step. Now that it was apparent he would be, the fears subsided little by little each day. Perhaps this wasn't such a bad moment… they were alone, together, watching the sunrise. That in itself was an embodiment of perfection she was thankful for.

She let out a shaky breath, continuing to stare at her feet.

"Um, this isn't regular coffee."

He smirked, bitterly lifting his cup to his mouth.

"You didn't make a pot?"

"No. Figured I'd just drink what was already there."

He looked over at her, confused by her sudden stiffness and reluctance to look anywhere but the ground.

"You okay?"

She looked up at him and grinned shyly.

"I'm fine."

"You're getting really weird over a damn pot of coffee."

She sighed and shook her head, nervously placing a hand over his.

"I'm not. I mean, I am, but… it's not about the coffee, babe."

He shivered.

"There's something I've been needing to tell you… I found out while you were in surgery and then we had to get you home to take care of you and I really wanted to wait until they cleared you for everything before I said anything because I didn't want you to get anxious or stressed or anything but then now just seems like a good time 'cause we're out here and—"

He put his hand over hers, cutting her off.

"You not spitting it out is what's making me anxious, Ray."

She chuckled nervously and bit her lip.

"Right. Um… I'm pregnant."

She immediately turned her eyes downward, letting out a breath.

She could feel his eyes burning into her, as they always had and always would.

He took in every imperfect hair sticking out of her messy bun; every line on her face as she avoided his gaze. He watched her shiver slightly against the chilly air, and almost instinctively, his eyes wandered towards her midsection. There was nothing to be seen underneath her bulky house coat and pajamas, though he'd remember forever how later in the day he would notice that she looked like she may have eaten just a bit too much.

He squeezed her hand hard, running his shaky fingers over the band that finally rested there after so many years.

"Hey, look at me."

She lifted her face to his, tears welling in her eyes as she awaited his response.

He said nothing, just leaned across and grabbed her face, pulling her lips to his like he hadn't done so in decades. She ran her fingers through his hair, drinking all of him in.

He broke away slowly, reluctant to move too far away from her.

A subtle grin crept over his mouth as he ran his thumb across her tear stained cheek.

"Seriously?"

She nodded.

"Seriously."

"Perfect."