Thanks everyone for the nice reviews. I started this story before I heard any season 2 spoilers, so I was trying to stay optimistic as the story progressed. I love reading the angsty stories, but too much of it without any happiness depresses me. Hopefully the show writers feel the same way.

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When Deacon woke up the next morning after returning from the tour he wandered into his kitchen and opened the fridge. He pulled out a container of milk and smelled it, then promptly poured it down the drain.

"Great, nothing. I need someone to do my shopping while I'm away."

He pulled on jeans and a t-shirt and hopped in the 1994 Toyota pick-up truck he'd bought for $2000 right after he'd gotten out of the hospital. As he got in he thought he'd probably have to be upgrading sooner than he thought, especially if there was going to be a baby on the way. He didn't even know what type of car to get. He wasn't a mini-van type of guy, hell, he didn't even know how those car seat thingies fit into one.

As he walked through the cereal aisle he ran into Roger the manager over at the Douglas Corner Café.

"Hey man, nice to see you back in town."

"Yeah, you too, it's been a while. It feels like I've been on the road forever, but then again I'm a guitarist, what am I doing if I'm not playing."

"And you're one of the best guitarists I've ever seen."

"Thanks man."

Deacon turned back to the row of cereal boxes that lined the shelves.

"Oh hey, you'll get a kick out of this. There's a young girl, barely 16 playing open mic night on Mondays, singer songwriter, good guitarist, calling herself Claybourne. I mean, that could be her real last name, but for some reason I think it's an homage to you."

"A young girl, huh? What's she look like?"

"Tall, straight brown hair, glasses. She says her name's Madeline. She's not a relative is she?"

Deacon got a little smile on his face. "Yeah, something like that."

"Figures, she was too good for someone her age, I should have known she learned from the best. Well she's playing tonight at 8:00, you should come see her play."

"Thanks, I think I will. Oh, and Roger…she's 14."

"Good to know."

##

Later that night Deacon pulled his truck up in front of the Douglas. He walked in and gave the waitress a wave, then he sat himself down in the corner where the people playing on stage couldn't see him.

When Maddie got up to play he just beamed. He'd never felt more proud of anyone in his entire life. He almost cried when the announcer referred to her as Madeline Claybourne. There she was, his daughter, taking his last name, playing on stage just like he and her mamma had done when they were around her age.

He'd seen her play before, but up there alone in the club she seemed more grown up then he had remembered, and all of a sudden he regretted spending the last few months since the accident away from her. He'd missed out on so much already, he really didn't want to miss out on any more.

When she finished he clapped along with the rest of the audience, then planted himself at the end of the bar so she'd see him as she was coming off of the stage. Maddie looked up as she packed up her guitar and there he was.

"Deacon! I didn't see you there."

"That was real wonderful Maddie."

Maddie gave him a shy smile, she was at that age where she didn't want to admit that she needed her parents' approval, but she was exited that he seemed so pleased with her playing.

"Thanks. You're not going to tell mom that I was here, are you? She thinks I'm at a study group."

"Not if you don't want me to. This can be our little father/daughter secret. Come on. Let me take you home."

Maddie followed Deacon to his truck and put her guitar in the back. As he pulled out onto the street she turned her head to look at him. She was studying all the ways that she thought they looked alike and decided that she could definitely see the resemblance.

"Mom told me about the baby."

"Yeah? How do you feel about that."

"OK, I guess. I mean, I'll be so much older than the baby that it won't really matter."

"Hey, you're not moving out of the house yet. Don't rush it."

"Mom said you're not sure if you want to live with us or not."

"Would you want me to live with you guys?"

"Well," Maddie thought a second. "I wouldn't want him or her to miss out on growing up with its dad…I mean, I know what that's like."

Deacon looked down, he felt guilty that he wasn't there for Maddie growing up, even though it really wasn't his fault.

"I wouldn't want him or her to grow up without me either. You know, just because I'll be this baby's father since it's born doesn't mean I'll love it any more or less than I love you."

Maddie smiled and took a deep breath.

"I would like you to live with us, I mean, for the baby's sake."

"You know what? I'd like that too."

Deacon pulled the truck into the driveway at Rayna's house.

"Could you tell her that you picked me up at Zoe's?"

"Sure Darlin', if that's what you want."

The duo walked up to the front door and rang the bell. When Rayna answered she was a bit surprised.

"Now how did you two end up together?"

"Maddie called me and asked me to pick her up at her friend Zoe's."

Deacon gave her a little wink and Maddie ran into the house. "Thanks Deacon."

"No problem darlin'."

Rayna was a little puzzled as to what was going on, but she was more pleased to see Deacon at her door than she was suspicious.

"It's nice to see you. Do you want to come in?"

"I'd love that."

Rayna closed the door and she and Deacon walked into her music room. She leaned against the piano, and he rested his body next to hers.

"So, I had a nice chat with Maddie?"

"Yeah?"

"She wants me to move in with you guys."

"And what do you want?"

"I want that too Ray. I want to be there for the baby, and for you. I want to give us a chance as a real family. I don't want to miss out on raising this one."

Rayna was overjoyed. She threw her arms around Deacon's neck and was kissing him before he knew what hit him.

"I'm so happy you feel that way Babe."

"Don't get me wrong, there's a lot to work out, but I want to try. I want to be with you and the girls. I want to be a family."

Rayna kissed him softly. "We already are a family. You've always been my family."

Deacon smiled and kissed her back. It had been a crazy few months with the highest highs and the lowest lows, but he knew whatever it took to get here, it was worth it.

- The End