Disclaimer: I do not own GWTW or its characters.

A whole "What if" of the "I hope I don't have any more children" scene.

Scarlett's character has changed somewhat since the birth of Bonnie and so have her feelings towards Rhett. (Wade and Ella do not exist in this story)

Note: The grammar is really bad and the story is probably not as good as the other ones in this category, but I've never written a fic for GWTW before and I thought I'd give it a shot.

Chapter one

Scarlett sat on a chair in front of her vanity. She stared at the person before her and was puzzled at what she saw. Something in her eyes had changed. They were softer, yes, but still held part of the mischievous green twinkle they always had.

But still, there was something else. Something she could not name. A thought and a feeling that was present in her eyes. Things that had kept her up the night before, causing her to have a restless sleep.

She touched her shoulders lightly and winced at the pain. She had slept awkwardly last night and now her body was paying for it. She looked down at the vanity drawer and pulled it open. She reached right to the back of the drawer until she found what she was looking for. She held the frame in front of her and gazed at what it held.

There was an absence in her heart. A feeling of nothingness in response to the face she looked upon. As if she had been given sight for the first time, she studied the face like a stranger would. The eyes were dull and held no sparkle or life.

The face was milk white and sad, while the hair a fair faded gold. She smiled, almost as if she had expected this feeling, as if she had only gazed at this person to confirm the lack of feelings she had.

Without anger or sadness she carefully retrieved the photograph from the frame and walked over to the fireplace. It seemed silly, yes, but it had to be done. She leaned down and gazed into the dancing flames, tossing in the thin paper. She watched it curl and blacken feeling a sense of freedom…a sense of relief. She had thrown away some of her past…but it was her past that prevented her from living happily in the present.

She went and sat back down. She looked eagerly into the glass and saw another change. A weight had been lifted. She suddenly felt foolish. Foolish for holding on to something that wasn't real…something that didn't belong to her…for so long.

A hand on her shoulder interrupted her thoughts. She looked up to see Rhett, smiling down at her, his eyes dark and soft.

"I got your message, I told mammy to bring my supper up here too." He whispered against her hair.

She watched silently as he placed a kiss on the side of her neck lovingly.

She gasped slightly at the pain of Rhett's hands on her shoulders.

"No objections to that I hope?" Rhett said looking at her pained expression in the mirror.

"No, not at all…it's just…my shoulders…I didn't sleep well last night" she said softly.

"My poor darling, let me fix them for you." He said kissing her cheek and picking her up from the chair.

She buried her face in his neck and inhaled his comforting scent as he brought her over the bed.

He gently lay her down and told her to turn over. She lay there in her chemise on her belly, her dark hair splayed across her back. Rhett sat cross-legged beside her on the bed and started to gently massage her back and shoulders.

"Sweetheart, where's Bonnie?" Scarlett asked, her words slightly muffled by the pillow.

"I just put her down for a nap, under Mammy's orders." Rhett replied chuckling slightly.

Scarlett giggled. Rhett was such a doting father. He had not let Bonnie out of his sight since she had been born. He was always holding her and talking to her. He did all the things that other fathers never did, he changed diapers and helped dress her and give her a bath. Scarlett loved watching him with Bonnie, as she never thought any father could be so devoted to a child.

She had also been surprised at her own behaviour towards Bonnie. The minute she had seen her daughter she felt a strong bond, a deep feeling of love for her…something she had never expected to feel.

He continued to rub her neck and shoulders, softly kneading the sore flesh with his fingers. She let out a contented sigh and closed her eyes.

He was so gentle and so caring towards her. While his touch was comforting, it still sent those familiar shivers of electricity through her.

Scarlett began to wonder how she hadn't seen this, why she had overlooked this man who had been there for her through everything…something that Ashley had never done. This man who had been her friend, looked after her and helped her when she was in trouble. He had been there to comfort her through her nightmares, he had calmed her fears. He had given so much to her and asked for so very little.

She turned over to face him and saw something in his eyes that she had seen in her own moments before. She suddenly had a name for what she had been feeling. Realization hit her like lightning and sent a shock through her body. Her heart fluttered erratically as she struggled to maintain normal breathing. Still gazing at Rhett, she smiled softly which caused a slight look of confusion to form on Rhett's face. She reached up to stroke his face softly. He closed his eyes for a second, savouring the feeling before returning his gaze.

A tear escaped her eye as she pulled him down for a kiss. The kiss was soft to begin with but then grew deeper as time went on. She felt like she could lose herself forever in this kiss. She moaned slightly as Rhett moved his hands up to her hips, holding her tighter.

"Scarlett" He whispered as he nibbled her bottom lip before kissing her once more.

As they both pulled away, breathlessly, Scarlett took one of his hands and brought it to her lips, kissing each finger. Rhett gazed down at her, touched by this affection.

"Rhett." She said, her eyes sparkling and full of emotion. "I love you."

TBC