We’ve returned to the very moment we left off at, and my predictions a few weeks ago of stuck in a rut and wait for it story lines are starting to come true…and some of them sooner than expected. I called out Rayna and Deacon and said they better get a penetration session in before Deacon dies and Nashville was obviously like WE HEARD! But more on that later, gotta keep you guys reading somehow. Let’s spark things off with the TRIPLE EXES.

The Triple Exes have hit the road to open for Rascal Flatts and coincidentally their first stop is the same exact city where Scarlett cowered under a piano and shrieked, thus beginning the DRAMATIC “I’m leaving Nashville” story line that inevitably led to her friendship with a homeless person and aggressive downfall of her character’s use on this show. WELL NOT ANYMORE BITCHES. Scarlett is back and she’s here to remind everyone that she can sing without having hallucinations onstage. She’s a little worried on their travels there and scared to perform again but then Gunnar makes it all better by telling her to take a selfie for Twitter. Thanks Gunz, you always know what to do. JUST KITTEN, Gunnar made it worse because then Scarlett discovered that twitter is for trolls who live in their mom’s basement and still use a Gateway desktop computer to tell everyone in the world how ugly they truly are. Scarlett learns this real quick and gets the sadsies for a second, then channels it into a kickass song, duh. Before hitting the stage, Scarlett and Gunnar have a moment and Avery comes over and senses some sexual tension as they stare at each other with their tongues out. Avery’s really astute. They get onstage and perform another banger (Triple Exes win every song this season) while Scarlett tells off those twitter trolls with a mean tambourine hip check. SURPRISE! Dr. Hottie flies to Chicago just to get to third base with Scarlett. Gunnar is pezzzzed and decides to make some moves to get back with her, except when he goes to her hotel room to declare his love, she’s already scampered on over to Dr. Hottie’s suite for a quick check-up.

In other couple news, Layla and Jeff Fordham are doing swimmingly as two lovebirds that also work together HAHA just kidding, they’re a disaster. Jeff forces Layla to interview with a blogger that he’s clearly sacked and when they start flirting at lunch in front of her, Layla causes a scene and says she’s over being just another slam piece to him and Jeffy’s like sorry grl, that’s my steeze. After he realizes Layla’s his meal ticket back to a career, Jeff comes back to apologize and try this thing fo realz. Good thing Layla actually comes to her senses and realizes she only ends up with guys who are incapable of loving her Alanis Morissette ass and tells Jeff they’re done for good except for this whole manager thing, so breaking up but still working together is obviously a great solution and will never ever cause a conflict.

Speaking of conflicts when it comes to the heart, Sadie Stone now wants Luke’s D. She comforts him for being dumped HARD by Rayna and he tells her she’s brave for talking about getting her ass kicked by Pete and suddenly there’s musical sparks and they’re having a dinner together with some hand touching. When he asks if he can walk her to her car she declines but probably instantly regrets it when Petey is waiting for her ready to pounce in a dark parking garage. Good thing Sadie’s packing heat from that very sketchy Jane Doe gun purchase that was probably illegal because he tackles her and she pulls the trigger, probably killing Pete because what’s Nashville without someone dying every few weeks? (Deacon…you’re next…) Luke finds this opportune time to pull up to the scene of the crime and be all WTF. Do you think he’ll comfort her in the wake of this trauma? You bet your bottom dollar, Sadie, congratulations girl because you just earned a spot on this show by killing someone and probably sleeping with your only BFF’s ex-fiancé. And if that isn’t a perfect setup for a country song, I don’t know what is.

Lastly we’ve got the full transformation from Bach Teddy to Guilty Teddy to Slimeball Teddy. It seems as though Teddy is becoming Lamar (Membs him? Rayna’s crotchety dad who was basically the sole member of the Nashville mob.) Teddy hires Lamar’s old creepy henchman to dig around little Ms. Call Girl’s house to confirm that she is in fact being watched. Turns out the feds have been on her tail for weeks forming a case for the prostitution ring and girl hasn’t ever once looked out her front window, seen a rape van and been maybe a LITTLE curious? Nah. She tells Teddy if she gets pinched she’ll sing like a bird and take him down too…unless of course he wants to give her a little hush money to hightail it outta here for a beat. Ah, the old gangster movie cliché. Do it, Teddy. I dare you. Obviously he’s going to do it because he’s a moron, but he’s also poor and gets Fordham in on it by blackmailing him for his money. I can’t wait for all this back door wheelin and dealin to end up on the front page of the Nashville Star, Teddy, you dirty dirty dog.

Ah here we are, the moment we’ve been waiting THREE WHOLE SEASONS FOR. Seriously, that’s how long we’ve shipped a Deacon-Rayna porking. Good God, for a show that kills off a new character every season, they sure as hell move slow. But we already knew that didn’t we? I’m looking at you, Will “I’m still hiding the gay” Lexington. But I digress, we pick up with Rayna and Deacon at the house in the woods sobbing over the cancer and stuff. Rayna promises she’ll be here for him and said she’ll wait with him and they’ll face it together. Deacon’s like nah girl, I’m going solo…to heaven. WAIT IS DEACON DYING?! NO WAAAYYYY! He reminds us again when he throws a child like temper tantrum, stomps his feet and shouts that it’s his decision and he doesn’t want pity or help from Miss Rayna James. He just doesn’t want to put her through that when he’s already put her through a windshield in season 2, heyyooo. Also while we’re discussing rough times for these two, might I so boldly point out that this little cabin or whatever does NOT agree with their hair. Deacon has a super weird middle part sitch and this is one of the very few times I’ve seen Rayna’s mane of glory looking quite drab. Can we get hair and makeup out here right quick? Not the time? Oh, ok. Rayna properly responds to Deacon’s wah-wahing by smashing the shit out of his guitar to show that like cancer is probably more important than music. He Eeyore’s a little more about if he lives they can hang but he probably won’t and finally Rayna says knock it off, YOLO, it’s time for us to be together now that we have a deadline. Then they make out a little and later we’re treated to Rayna’s O face. Thanks for that, ABC. Surprisingly, Maddie didn’t appear in the window with a set of binocs. They go home immediately and tell her and she obviously goes apeshit and they have a nice family hug anddd guess what YOUR DAD IS ALSO DYING. Kind of a harsh day for Mads, huh? Extreme highs and lows like nobody’s biz. Great parenting all around. Don’t worry though everyone will get their happily ever after until Deacon bites it (he won’t.) What we should be MORE concerned about is that Nashville is giving the viewers the power to name Juliette and Avery’s baby. IN WHAT WORLD IS THIS A GOOD IDEA?! BTW their story line this week was all one big ad for Face Time. Hmm, now that I’m thinking of it THAT’S PROBABLY WHAT AMERICA WILL NAME THEIR BABY. Lil baby Face Time. Born to be a star.