Twelve hours later, Lennon found herself in the Asheville airport, taking advantage of the free weekend she had been given after the Las Vegas trip. It was eerily quiet and empty except for the small group of people who had exited the plane with Lennon.

At the exit, she branched off, walking towards the man slouched down in a chair. His head rested back, his eyes closed. She gave him a loving smile. It was almost one in the morning and she knew he never stayed up past ten. She stopped in front of him, her dirty white converse just inches from his worn shoes. He opened his eyes and gave her a tired smile.

"Len, it's good to have to you home," Deacon said, standing.

She stepped into his open arms. The warmth of his hug felt like home and her shoulders dropped. He took her bag and led the way towards the exit, his arm still wrapped around her shoulders.

"Thanks for coming to get me Deacon," she said.

She spotted his big old fashion pick up truck in the parking lot and the familiar sight seemed to cause a crack in the emptiness that hadn't gone away since Vegas.

The single bench that reached from door to door of the truck was worn, the cushion cracking in places. The cab smelled like oil and polish and it took Lennon back to her teen years.

She had so many memories of piling a crowd into the car. The radio was old-fashioned but it had played the soundtrack to her high school years.

Lennon pulled her legs beneath her and rested her forehead against the window as she watched the dark buildings flying by. Even in the dark, the landscape still felt familiar.

"Charlotte's sorry she couldn't pick you up but she has an early event tomorrow," Deacon said apologetically.

Lennon looked over and smiled at him.

"It's ok. It's my fault my visit is so last minute."

"Well, last minute or not, you are always welcome."

"Thanks," she said.

****************

"Home sweet home," Deacon said, as he pulled into the driveway.

His headlights illuminated the yellow house for a moment before he shut them off. He carried her bag as she followed him to the house.

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

"Yeah."

Deacon dropped her bag at the foot of the stairs and led the way to the kitchen. The light above the stove was still on, casting strange shadows on the cupboards and floor. There was a plate covered in tinfoil sitting on the counter and a post-it stuck to it.

"For Lennon," it read, in Charlotte's hand writing.

"That woman thinks of everything," Deacon said, smiling down at the plate.

"Yes, she does," Lennon said with the same love in her voice.

She pulled back the tinfoil to reveal a slice of meatloaf, potatoes and veggies.

"I'll throw it in the microwave," Deacon said.

Lennon moved to the counter with the stack of drawers beneath it and fished a fork out.

"You want to join me?" She asked, her hand hovering over another fork.

"Sure," he said.

She grabbed a second fork and took a seat on one of the barstools. The microwave dinged and Deacon pulled a steaming plate of food out. He placed it in front of Lennon and took a seat next to her.

Lennon hadn't realized how much she missed home cook meals until she took the first bite. Charlotte had always made the best meatloaf. It was full of flavor and moist. She also hadn't realized how hungry she was. She felt like she had only taken her second bite when she looked down to see the meatloaf almost gone.

"I'm so sorry," she said guiltily, pushing the plate towards Deacon. "I didn't realize how hungry I was."

"It's fine. I already ate earlier."

He pushed the plate back towards her. She laughed.

"You eat that. I'm sure there's more in the fridge."

She pushed it back to him and got up to look in the fridge. She pulled out the meatloaf but spotted veggies and pulled those out to. Before she knew it, she had a pile of food on the counter.

"Do they not feed you in LA?" Deacon asked.

Lennon gave him a sheepish smile.

"I've missed home cooked meals," she said, defending her mountain of food.

"I think we have a little bit of peach cobbler left," Deacon said, after Lennon was done eating a little bit of everything she had gotten out.

"I shouldn't," she said, but the thought of Charlotte's peach cobbler made her mouth water.

"That's LA talking," Deacon said.

He grabbed the Tupperware of cobbler out of the fridge and offered her a fork. She studied the fork for a moment, debating whether to take it.

"You know you want to," he taunted, taking a bite himself.

Lennon gave in and took the fork.

It didn't matter that the cobbler was cold. The peaches were still sweet and the crust still buttery. She knew the hollowness that had been haunting her since the kiss had nothing to do with being hungry. But as she ate she found the hollowness beginning to fill as she ate homemade food and sat in a kitchen that was home.

"I can't eat anymore," she said, after almost finishing off what was left of the cobbler.

"I'll do the honors then," he said, eating the last bite.

Lennon smiled and a yawn escaped her. It had been a long day. Moving nonstop since getting back from Las Vegas to time in the studio and then another flight to Asheville.

"So, how is life out in Los Angeles?" Deacon asked.

They had returned all the food to the fridge and taken their seats back at the barstools. Lennon glanced at the clock. It was almost two-thirty. The love she felt from Deacon staying up with her, was enough to make her want to cry.

"It's good. Busy. Strange."

She wasn't even sure how she could begin to describe what her life had become. Deacon's eyes looked tired but they didn't lose focus on her. One of her favorite things she had discovered about Deacon over the years, was his ability to be silent.

"Everything is very planned out now that I'm working on the album and dating Kade. They want to plan out the next year of my life. They know what I have to do, where I have to go and say to promote my music. It's exhausting."

"I would imagine having your life be that controlled would be very exhausting," Deacon said.

Lennon went to argue but her previous night stopped her. A slideshow of outings and events over the last four months flashed before her and she realized Deacon had perfectly identified what she had become. Her every move was controlled by the label and what Matt and Jordan wanted her to do and how she had to act with Kade.

"I don't even know how it happened," she said quietly.

Her mind jumped to the fact that she had signed a contract but no where in that contract had she given the label or Jordan and Matt the amount of control she was now living under.

"It doesn't sound like the Lennon I know," Deacon said.

She looked at him, his faith in her cheering and saddening at the same time. Who was the Lennon he knew?

"The Lennon I know performed in every coffee house and open mic in the state until she found someone who would sign her. She figured out a way to release two EPs on her own. She has never backed down from anything, even after facing devastating loss. I've seen you sad and I've seen you mad. Happy, quiet, determined. I've seen you be a lot of different things but I've never seen you let someone control you."

Deacon's tone was calm and even as he looked at her with serious eyes. Lennon knew he meant every word of it.

"Now, I don't expect a fancy speech to fix everything but I hope it reminds you of who you are. Who you have always been. Hollywood can't change what you have set in stone for twenty years. It might be able to bury it for a little while but I hope sooner rather then later you start to dig yourself out."

The tears didn't come from sadness but from the overwhelming feeling of being completely and wholly loved. Deacon pulled her in for a big hug and kissed the top of her head.

"Charlotte has the room all ready for you," he said, as Lennon pulled away and wiped her eyes.

"Thanks so much," She said. "I know you never stay up this late and are going to be exhausted tomorrow but - "

"I would stay up all night if that is what you needed."

She just nodded her head. Her body was already exhausted. She didn't think she had the energy to cry again.

Deacon followed her up the stairs with her bag and then said goodnight. Lennon was tired enough to blindly climb into bed and fall right asleep but Deacon's words had her brain running.

He was right. She had lost touch with herself. She had been so determined when she started out that even when a venue turned her down, she would play outside to the crowds waiting in line. Any 'no' just gave her more fuel to get a 'yes' the next time. It had been that determination that made her agree to the contract with Kade.

Somehow between the demands of tour and trying to figure out where she stood with Kade, she had lost it. She had been running around complying to the labels and Matt and Jordan's wants. It had run her into the ground.

Things needed to change or else she wouldn't be able to enjoy the career the contract with Kade was giving her. Her exhaustion kept her from forming any real resolutions but Deacon's words had ignited something strong. A rock in her gut that climbed its way into her chest and quickened her heartbeat. She could feel her determination returning, kicking the hollow feeling out.

**********************************************************************

Hey hey!

So the craziest thing happened! You know my train bae Trevor, the guy I always see but have never talked to. Well, anyways I saw him outside of the train station! This is how it went down. I was going out for ice cream (I know, surprise, surprise) and I saw him at the ice cream place! How crazy is that!! And no I didn't talk to him, seriously don't judge me, I was too nervous. What would I even say. "Hey you don't know me but I'm that weird girl who stares at you sometimes on the train." Gosh I'm embarrassed just thinking about that. No, our love story shall never be! Oh cruel world! I'm going to go eat ice cream now. Just cause.

Vote, comment follow! Love you!