This is the beginning of my contribution to the Valentines ficathon/challenge. I had hoped to have much more written but it seems real life has other plans for me right now. I do promise to keep at it and post again asap. But right now my life is full of doctors and hospitals as I look after my hubby dear. Not looking for sympathy, just explaining why I'm behind with this. (My pet peeve in life is being late with anything, so of course I had to post something;)

This first installment will feel very familiar as Scarlett is looking back. My apologies to MM for borrowing heavily from her introduction of Rhett Butler to us. But as Julie Andrews/Maria von Trapp sang, let's start at the very beginning...


She turned to start up the stairs and her eyes fell on Rhett who stood alone at the bottom where the banister curled into a tight circle, his arm propped on the top and his eyes on her. He smirked up at her maliciously, and his eyes went over her, in a gaze totally lacking the regard with she was comfortable.

"God's nightgown!" said Scarlett to herself in annoyance, using her father's favorite oath, a habit from years long gone. "His look makes me feel like he did all those years ago at Twelve Oaks when I thought he must have known what I looked like without my shimmy," and, tossing her head as she had done so long ago, she went up the steps.

Her mind flashed back to room at Twelve Oaks where the wraps were laid the day of the bar-b-que, where she found Cathleen Calvert preening in front of the mirror and biting her lips to make them look redder. "Cathleen, who is that nasty man downstairs named Butler?" Scarlett had asked, trying to pull the corsage of her dress higher,

"My dear, don't you know?" whispered Cathleen excitedly. "I can't imagine how Mr. Wilkes must feel having him here, but he was visiting Mr. Kennedy in Jonesboro—something about buying cotton-and, of course, Mr. Kennedy had to bring him along with him. He couldn't just go off and leave him."

"What is the matter with him?"

"My dear, he isn't received!"

"Not really!"

"No."

Scarlett digested this in silence, for she had never before been under the same roof with anyone who was not received. It had been very exciting.

Scarlett let her mind wander over her impressions of Rhett that first day they met. At first she had simply been curious and then somewhat piqued because he hadn't been at all impressed with her...not like the county boys were.

There was only one in the entire party who seemed calm. Scarlett remembered, Rhett Butler rested coolly against a tree, his hands buried deep in his pockets. He stood alone, aloof and entertained as he watched the guests. His mouth curled down under his close-clipped mustache and there was a twinkle of amused disdain in his black eyes. He had a very unpleasant smile, Scarlett remembered thinking.

Another scene from that day flashed through her mind… her exchange with Ashley. "Love isn't enough to make a successful marriage when two people are as different as we are. You would want all of a man, Scarlett, his body, his heart, his soul, his thoughts. And if you did not have them, you would be miserable," he had said. At the time she hadn't understood, tried to dismiss the wisdom he shared. But now she knew differently. And her eyes shot back down to Rhett. Ashley had been right; her happiness depended on another. And she had certainly made an impression on him with that scene...as he made one on her.

It had not been an easy road, the one she and Rhett had travelled. But now, finally they seemed to have found some peace. He had left her in shambles after Mellie's death, after Bonnie… left her to pick up the shreds of her life. And somehow she had. The first year had been busy in a dark sort of way. She had Wade and Ella to look after and then also Ashley and Beau. Both the Wilkes were devastated and proved to be a challenge. But slowly they had come around, Beau being the first to show some signs of life. Wade had helped with him.

But Ashley had proved a greater challenge. The mill was almost lost through his inattention but Scarlett managed to step in to save his business. She found a man to run it and all but whipped Ashley into compliance, forcing him to at least go to work each day, only a few hours at first. But eventually he began to take an interest; Scarlett had reminded him that Beau's future depended on it and if there was one thing Mellie would not forgive, it would be him failing their son.

Rhett made sporadic appearances during that first year. He never stayed long and was more of a ghost than an actual presence. The following year, his stays became longer, a week instead of a weekend, two weeks for the holidays, and a whole month that summer. He spent most of his time with Wade or hidden away in his rooms, but he stayed.

By the third year they were managing some semblance of amity. Scarlett was no longer on pins and needles during his visits as she had been early in their separation. As a consequence, Rhett became more comfortable in her company and they even began to share meals and occasional evenings together.

The following year found Rhett in Atlanta more often than not. And after a pleasant Christmas, they celebrated the coming of the New Year in one another's arms. The next night they slept in Scarlett's room, which became theirs. With the exception of a few short business trips in the following years, Rhett had spent every night with Scarlett as they finally found love and comfort with one another. While their new arrangement lacked some of the fiery furor of their earlier encounters it did not lack for passion, although age had slowed their fervor in the last year or so. Sadly, a lifetime of hard living was making itself known in Rhett's state of health.

His hair, once jet black, had become peppered with grey and now was almost completely white. Lines were carved deep into his features and his intensely dark eyes no longer held the sharp expression that in earlier years had so confounded those who would stand against him. Still, Scarlett loved him; loved him more than her youthful self would have dreamed possible. The only person on earth who truly understood and accepted her, he made her whole. Where once her thoughts had been centered wholly on herself, she now thought of him first with even the simplest of decisions.

Her mind on her husband and what might transpire later, after tonight's gala, Scarlett hurried to the room where they were staying. She needed to fetch her gloves that matched her green gown. She must look her best, after all. Tonight they would meet the family of Wade's fiancé and she had promised him they would behave.

Scarlett loved the house in Charleston that Rhett had rented for them. Every year since they had reconciled, they would pick a different place to spend their summers and this year it had been Charleston. He had found an old house on the Battery, overlooking the river and while some of the days had been stifling, the evenings had been beautiful. It would come to and end in another week and they would return to Atlanta. But first, they had this duty to her son to fulfill.

Returning downstairs, she found Rhett by the door holding her cape. It was a warm night and she was uncertain it would be needed, but he had insisted that once the breeze moved in later in the evening, it would be required. He was always so thoughtful of her like that now. He opened the door for her, looking down at her with an appreciative, almost wicked look that she recognized from years ago. Yes, after the party they would have one of their own…