With Avery (Jonathan Jackson) still very bitter about the fact that she left him and their daughter for her career, Juliette (Hayden Panettiere) needs someone trustworthy enough to bridge the gap between them. Will Emily (Kourtney Hansen) be her savior in the back half of "Nashville" season 4?

During the midseason finale, it was Juliette's assistant who managed to convince Avery that Cadence needs her mother. The country singer has been taking treatment for her depression. While in rehab, Juliette asked her former husband if their daughter could visit her. At first, Avery was against the idea. He told Emily that Juliette was just faking her illness and that she was only doing that for the press. Fortunately, she succeeded in making him see sense.

If Avery will be as unbending as he has been in the past, viewers can expect a major battle ahead for the former couple. All the drama may be prevented, however, if Emily will come to Juliette's rescue. The way it looks like, she has earned Avery's trust. If Emily works hard in convincing Avery that her boss deserves a second chance, he might just change his mind.

Meanwhile, viewers cannot help but speculate that Emily and Avery may end up falling for each other after all the time they have spent together. Showrunner Dee Johnson shot down the idea, however, when she told TV Line that it would not happen. She admitted that they once thought of the pairing "for a hot minute," but they like Hansen's character to stay in the series for a long while.

The executive producer reportedly shared that the "collateral damage" of the affair, combined with Juliette's eventual comeback, would have led to Emily leaving Music City and the show. That, Johnson said, was not part of their plan for Emily. Coincidentally, she also hinted that the new woman Avery would be meeting in season 4B would not be much of a threat for Juliette. Does this mean it will still be Avery and Juliette in the end?

"Nashville" season 4 will return on Wednesday, March 16, at 10 p.m. EST on ABC.