What Lies in the Heart
by: enchantingmagick

A/N: I'm stunned by how much you guys like this story. Every review that says Scarlett and Rhett are in character makes my heart melt. Also my personal justification for Ashley's behavior is that after Melly's death, he thinks he can fill the void in his life with Scarlett. You'll see how that goes...

Summary: Scarlett writes a letter to Rhett. Mammy requests his presence before she dies. Wade and Scarlett don't quite see eye to eye about Rhett's pronounced absence in their lives. Ashley and Beau drop by just before Christmas at Tara. Ashley tries and fails to convince Scarlett of his affections. Rhett makes a dramatic last minute arrival to Christmas dinner.

"I know I can live without you and put life off for another day. But I can't stop thinking about us."

-One Republic, Can't Stop (Check out this song)

(We Can't Stop)

They stood awkwardly in front of Scarlett's bedroom door. Will and Suellen paused there watching Rhett and Scarlett in their moment of unease, and Rhett sensed their audience. He placed the palm of his hand firmly on the small of Scarlett's back guiding her into her bedroom, and after she had gone in, he closed the door.

"I'm sorry about that," Scarlett said.

"I know why they're watching us, don't apologize. It's my fault not yours," he replied, observing Scarlett once more.

She sat down at her vanity and started taking the pins out of her hair. Then she took off her jewelry, observing Rhett in the mirror as she took her makeup off. He rather enjoyed watching this nightly routine of hers, because he hadn't realized the privilege it had been when they were married. It was like watching a warrior take off her battle paint, allowing him to see the vulnerability that lay beneath.

"Would you mind?" Scarlett asked, tilting her head to look at Rhett. "I don't want to bother Dilcey. It's Christmas after all." She peeled off the outer layer of dress and continued looking expectantly at her husband.

"Of course," answered Rhett immediately. His hands went to her stays and began to undo them slowly and painstakingly careful, as her corset was laced tightly. Rhett's every gesture was the reined strength of a man who was on the brink of succumbing to his desires, and it was evident in each pull of Scarlett's corset strings. Every time his fingers brushed her skin, he was increasingly temped to destroy the thing and kiss every revealed inch of her ivory skin.

The warmth had spread from the nape of her neck down her back to every place Rhett touched. And all of a sudden the contact was gone, he had finished. She pulled the garment away from her body turning to put it away with the dress.

"I hate that dress. You've never looked so dreary. Honestly, you look better in black, my pet," Rhett remarked casually, the endearment rolling off his tongue.

"I've worn black for half my life, in case you haven't realized. I'm more than tired of it. First I was mourning Bonnie, and then Melly went and died, making my mourning period even longer. I wish I would never have to touch mourning colors again."

Rhett's eyes wandered to where Scarlett was pulling on a nightgown. When she faced him again, his breath caught in his throat. It wasn't even the kind of nightgown that was designed to seduce men, far from it. It was a far cry from the lingerie she had indulged in on their honeymoon. It was a pale green with lace that covered Scarlett's décolletage from his prying eyes. The wide expanse of her porcelain throat and neck drew him to her, and he had to remind himself that he had no right.

"Well what are we going to do about this? You can't sleep in the guest room. The others would ask questions we don't want to answer."

Rhett raised a quizzical eyebrow at her concerns, and replied sarcastically "I suppose we could sleep in the same bed for one night. I wouldn't mind all that much."

"I don't mind, if you don't mind," Scarlett answered in an equally detached tone, climbing into her bed. She had never imagined that she and her husband would sleep in her childhood bed. But it was happening and Scarlett was far from happy about it. He didn't deserve to sleep in the same bed as her. He had lost that right when he had abandoned her.

She tried not to watch as Rhett removed his jacket and toed off his shoes. He took his shirt off after unbuttoning it slowly, aware that Scarlett was watching him. He left his pants on and wasn't too worried about properly changing for the night. It was only Scarlett in that bed. Only Scarlett, he asked himself and chuckled out loud. He was suffering from anxiety at the mere thought of sharing her bed.

He got into bed and tucked the covers around him and he felt Scarlett cringe and move away from the center of the bed. She was simmering in anger and regret that he could be so casual towards her. Scarlett thought to herself that she was his wife. He might not love her anymore, but she was still the mother of his only child.

"We can't go on like this," Scarlett said suddenly. "You haven't made good on your promise to visit and keep down the gossip. I don't care much for these people or what they think so that doesn't matter to me. But my children sleeping down the hall, they miss you every day. This just isn't fair to them."

"I'm not sure what it is you want from me, Scarlett," Rhett said still facing away from her in the bed.

"Look at me, at least now," Scarlett pleaded her hand on his shoulder pulling him to face her. "You avoided my eyes all of dinner."

"I asked you for a divorce and you not so amicably declined. So unless things have changed and you are willing to consider a formal divorce, I have nothing further to say to you."

At this Scarlett sharply inhaled a breath, "Is that so? Didn't you get my letter?"

"Yes, I received your letter but it doesn't change anything. I still feel that our marriage is broken beyond repair. I don't want to fix this-this toxic thing between us. It's not worth it for me."

"Rhett, I just wish that-"

"Scarlett, I'm tired. It's been a long journey, can't you save your declarations of your so-called love until tomorrow?"

"Fine. I ask only that you tell me why you're here now. I wrote to you begging you to come for Christmas for the children's sake. And you interrupt our Christmas dinner without warning of your arrival. Why, Rhett?" She asked him, her jade eyes inquisitive as they looked into his.

"Well I received the letter and also your telegram. It was mostly the telegram that convinced me to come, as I had hoped you wouldn't lie about a dying woman's wishes."

"Mammy really does want to see you. I was worried I wouldn't be able to summon you in time, because she's not doing well. She's very ill, and it doesn't look as though she'll make it to New Year's," Scarlett told him attempting to stay composed but the hitch in her voice gave her away. A few tears rolled down her cheeks, and she turned away from Rhett.

"I'm sorry about Mammy, Scarlett. I know how difficult this must be for you," Rhett consoled her.

"Don't bother, Rhett. I'm a tough woman, aren't I?" She asked rhetorically, laughing a little. "I've survived the death of two husbands, my mother, my father, my sister-in-law, and my youngest child. And to top it all off, my current husband is going to divorce me. Don't you worry about me for a minute, I will be just fine. I'm Scarlett O'Hara, and I'll be damned if I haven't made it through much worse."

There was a painful silence for a few minutes after that, and Rhett could hear the telltale sniffles coming from the other side of the bed. Dear god, he thought to himself, it's been quite a while since I've shared my bed with a hysterical woman. And then he sighed, because this at least, he knew was his fault. Her distress this evening was his fault, realizing this he gave another great sigh. He was not so heartless that he didn't care for Scarlett at all, and her wellbeing still mattered to him. When he considered the tragedies that had consumed her short life, Rhett was consumed with guilt over his callous behavior towards her.

Pulling her body towards his, he tucked her into the safety of his arms. Feeling the span of her waist and tracing the ridges of her spine, he chastised himself for not realizing how thin she had become in his absence. Trying to comfort her, he stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head.

"How could you leave me after Melly died?" Scarlett asked, the tears still falling violently out of her eyes.

Rhett tried to shush her, but she wouldn't be silenced. "I needed you then. I need you now," She finished desperately clinging to his body.

He had known she would be this way but he couldn't help himself, he still wanted her and cared for her. He desperately wanted to ease her pain, because it wasn't her fault that Mammy was dying. She was the victim of a coincidence of tragic circumstances. At once he regretted his choice of words, Scarlett was anything but a victim. But life had not been easy to her. She wouldn't want his pity, least of all now when Mammy was dying. But Rhett couldn't help but pity his distraught wife, she had little to look forward to in this life.

But why then would Ashley Wilkes and his son be here at their Christmas dinner, Rhett wondered, suddenly remembering their unexpected presence. That was the Scarlett he remembered, always plotting, always scheming for revenge. What was she up to now? He stiffened, and Scarlett could tell that something was wrong.

"Why is he here?"

"Who?"

"Don't you play coy with me, Scarlett."

"I didn't invite him here if that's what you mean. And if you think you're accusing me of adultery," Scarlett got out of her bed abruptly, "you can leave my house at once."

Getting out of bed as well, Rhett placed his hands in the air, trying to placate Scarlett. "Don't take offense, my pet. I'm just trying to understand what plot is afoot here. You write me a letter, declaring your undying love for me and how badly you want me to come back to you and the children. I return, and who do I find here other than the illustrious Mr. Wilkes?"

"Why on Earth do I owe you an explanation for my houseguests? This is my house. Ashley is one of my oldest friends, and he and his family are welcome in my home for the holidays," Scarlett replied tartly, still standing by the side of the bed.

"I'm not questioning your right to invite who you choose into your home, but why him of all people? Why-"

"Can't you get over it Rhett? I thought you were over me, and you don't care about me anymore. So why does it matter who I entertain or how I spend my time?"

"You are my wife."

"Really? One would hardly believe it after the last few months," Scarlett paused, "I can't do this with you right now. We're yelling and everyone can hear us. Either stay and be civil or leave. I can't tolerate this tension between us, and it will upset the children."

"I am the only one here that is capable of being civil. You're right, we should continue this conversation tomorrow. It's been a tiring journey," Rhett responded before climbing into bed.

"I'm-We're not done here," Scarlett said indignantly.

"If we start this now, we may never get any sleep," Rhett replied quietly. He turned away from her side of the bed, laying there in silence. Eventually, Scarlett could hear the rhythm of his breathing in slumber. But she could not find sleep herself, his magnetic presence was beside her and she knew not how to deal with him. She had wanted him there so long, but now that he was in her bed she didn't know what to do.

Restlessly tossing from side to side, Scarlett felt as though she had been trapped in her own version of hell. She didn't fall asleep until dawn, at which point she realized it was pointless to even go to sleep. But she fell asleep anyway, because she couldn't face the reality of her situation with Rhett. Tomorrow, she thought, I'll deal with him tomorrow.

(Love Will Tear Us Apart)

"Mother! Mother! Wake up!" Scarlett awoke to Ella's presence in her bed screaming loudly to wake her up.

"Uncle Rhett, we'd like to go riding today," Wade posited cautiously. He smiled, acknowledging that his parents were in the same bed. "Ella why don't you let mother get out of bed, I think you might injure her with your enthusiasm," Wade added, noting Scarlett's look of discomfort.

A brief look of disappointment passed over Ella's face, and she started to clamber out of her mother's bed. Scarlett saw her daughter's disappointment, and pulled her into a hug, "Oh, darling don't worry about me. I'm just a little tired."

"Why are you tired, momma?"

"Why, I must have been awake pretty late last night, sweetheart," Scarlett answered, smoothing Ella's hair behind her ear.

"Maybe you need a bedtime too, momma," Ella said helpfully, not noticing Wade and Rhett's smothered laughter. Scarlett laughed heartily at her daughter's unintentional impertinence.

"Darling, did you want to go riding with Wade too?"

"Please, momma, won't you let me go just this once? Uncle Rhett's here and I want to riding with him. Bonnie used to say that it was such fun when Uncle Rhett took her-"

"Children, will you excuse me and your mother to get dressed. We'll have breakfast with you downstairs," Rhett cut in abruptly.

"Yes, Uncle Rhett," Wade answered pulling Ella with him out of the door. The thud of the door shutting on the way out could not muffle the sounds of an argument within the room, and Wade wondered if it was his fault.

Rhett didn't even wait until the door had closed all the way to pounce on Scarlett.

"You allow her to ride? How could you after what happened to Bonnie? Don't you care at all about what happens to that girl?"

"That girl is my daughter, my flesh and blood. Of course I care about what happens to her. I can't allow Wade to ride as he pleases, and then tell her that she can't. She watched you take Bonnie out to ride all the time, and she wanted to learn too. I'm trying to make up for that now, by allowing her to ride with Wade. It's not the same as you teaching them, but it'll have to do won't it?"

"Are you letting her jump?"

"No, of course not. Not as long as she's riding sidesaddle, she's not jumping anything," Scarlett responded angrily. "How dare you pretend to care about Ella after you abandoned us?"

"I do care about her, Scarlett! She was almost my chi-" Rhett said before stopping himself.

"How do you figure that?"

"She almost was, Scarlett! If I had accepted your proposal that day at the jail, she would be our child, not Frank Kennedy's," Rhett explained quietly.

"Well, you didn't. And she isn't your child. You wouldn't treat them this way if she was. You hurt all of us, the least you can do is go riding with them today. Give them some illusion of what it's like to have a father."

"I never said that I wouldn't. I'm just not sure it's a good idea for Ella to be riding."

"Ella listens to me. She doesn't question me when I ask her to do something, because she isn't willful or spoiled the way that Bonnie was. She won't put herself in danger that way, disobeying our rules."

"I'll leave you to get dressed, Scarlett. But I'm not happy with the way your raising her."

"You lost the right to tell me how to raise my children when you left us," Scarlett told him opening her door and motioning for him to leave. "I'll see you this evening when you return."

A/N: I wrote this through a major migraine, just cause I love you guys. So would it be too much to ask you to review? Merry Christmas to all of you darling souls, and I wish you all the happiest new year!

"I live for the applause."