With a start, Rhett awoke early that morning, so early in fact that the sun had yet to rise. Something was weighing heavily on his mind, which refused to allow him the rest he desperately needed after their long night. Smiling at the memory, he looked down adoringly at his wife whose head lay pillowed against his chest, her arm draped across his abdomen. She was so beautiful when she was sleeping, her face peaceful and angelically innocent, a far cry from her blazing green eyes and grimace when in a temper, yet just as endearing. Rhett wondered how he'd managed to go on for so long without Scarlett in his bed, why he hadn't forced himself back where he belonged long ago, but he already knew the answer. Pride. He wasn't the type of man to expose himself and his weaknesses. He also wasn't the type of man who had to manipulate his way into women's beds; they were always there open for him, waiting for him to climb in, and not even Scarlett O'Hara would hold enough power to have him begging for room in her bed. And so he had kept his dignity, wounded hers, with pleasure no less, and hadn't even bothered to consider that he might have made one of the biggest mistakes of his life.

Looking back, Rhett realized what a poor bedfellow pride had turned out to be. He thought he'd feel better by concealing his true feelings, by making her believe that he couldn't give a damn one way or the other where he slept, that she meant very little to him, body or mind, yet all he had really felt was a stinging loneliness, bitter resentment and a gaping hole in his heart's space. It was rather simple to superficially fill the wound with strong liquors and to soothe his vanity with various whores, but it only really masked the pain, never cured it. In the morning he would still wake to find that a part of him was missing. He'd never openly given her his heart, but it still felt like she'd stolen a piece and never returned it. Pride did very little to fill the void and heal the emptiness, yet he had clung to it like a lifeline, like it was the only thing he had left.

For a moment, Rhett let his mind wander back to when Scarlett had shut him out of her room and to the first words she uttered that let him know that the unstable foundation they'd built their marriage on was about to get all that more shaky.

"Rhett, I've decided that I don't want any more children."

Those words still cut, words that were not easily forgotten, but before he had the time to recollect anymore of that fateful day, it suddenly struck him; children. That's why he couldn't sleep. Too wrapped up in his wife and in the moment, Rhett had forgotten to take any measures to prevent pregnancy, not to mention that he hadn't even bothered to discuss the issue with her, though that clearly wasn't the first thing on his mind at the time. Thinking about it, Rhett realized he only had two options. The first would be to hope to God that he hadn't gotten her in the family way, playing the innocent happy father if she were carrying his child. The second would be to tell her the truth. Of course there was a devious way to go about it. Why would he have to explain why she hadn't wanted anymore of his children? Simply glossing over the details should suffice, but deep down he didn't really want to even do that. Being a father was one of the most fulfilling and joyous experiences of his life. Giving all his love to Bonnie had been his salvation after the hope of winning Scarlett's love had vanished, and now when he finally had everything he always wanted, he didn't want to jeopardize it.

Suddenly, Scarlett stirred, pulling him out of his musings. She started calling his name in a soft tone that gradually grew louder, tears rolling down the sides of her face, and Rhett finally realized she was having a nightmare. As he shook her gently while murmuring her name, Scarlett's eyes flew open.

"Rhett, you're here," she mumbled, slightly disoriented but grateful for the strong comforting arms that cradled her.

"Of course I'm here. Where else would I be?" he answered tenderly, wiping away the stray tears that lingered on her cheeks. "Were you having a nightmare?"

"Yes, I think so."

"You think so? Can't you remember?"

"Well, it's all so misty," she replied evasively, ducking her head in discomfort.

"Have you had many nightmares before this one?"

Scarlett took a moment to answer. "No."

It was painfully obvious that she was lying, though what he couldn't understand was why she would feel the need to hide the truth.

"You're lying," he said, his voice and face hard.

"No I'm not."

"My pet, you should know by now that you are irrefutably the easiest person to read, or has that escaped your memory as well? You can't lie to me Scarlett and you shouldn't bother trying."

Annoyed, she started to protest, but was swiftly interrupted.

"I'm vaguely curious in fact. Why would you feel the need to lie about something as trivial as a nightmare? Well? I'm waiting breathlessly."

"Well what? You won't let me speak," she threw at him, sitting up and tearing herself away from the encircling arms.

"No, I don't care to listen to your denials. There is a vast difference, my dear."

"I hate you!"

"Hardly. You only hate that I've caught you in a lie. Really Scarlett, you do realize this embarrassment could have been avoided if you'd been honest."

Scowling fiercely, she threw off the covers and replied, "Thank you for being so comforting. I don't know why I didn't come to you earlier."

Her wrist was seized by a tight grip before she could crawl away, her body once again surrounded by Rhett's strong arms.

"I'd like nothing more than to comfort you, but you seem intent on making that rather difficult. Did you honestly expect me to pretend to believe your lies?"

"If you had any chivalry."

"No, and I've never claimed to have any. You've known all along that I'm no gentleman. Is this suddenly a problem for you?"

"Why are you being like this?"

"Like what?"

"So mean and hateful. I didn't do anything wrong."

"You lied. I can take anything from you except a lie, and now I'm asking for the truth. Why didn't you feel you could be honest with me about your nightmares? Don't you know that you can tell me anything?"

"No, that's not true. I never know how you are going to take the things I say, how you will react. You don't think I would like to tell you when I wake up, cold and frightened, and can't go back to sleep? I can't tell you! I don't want you watching me like you were before, like I'm some foolish child," she muttered resentfully.

"Scarlett, I never want you to feel like you can't be honest with me. I assure you, there are few things you could say that would ever shock me." If there were, they've already been said, he thought to himself but didn't say aloud.

"Really? So if I told you the truth you wouldn't get upset?" said Scarlett as she nuzzled closer to him, realizing there was a better way to go about getting what she wanted. Men were relatively simple creatures. Rhett had proven a worthy adversary, but that didn't mean she was ready to give up just yet.

"No. There is nothing I admire more than frankness."

"So, if I told you that I want to go back to work at the lumber mills, you wouldn't object to that?"

"Not if that's what will make you happy," he answered seriously, though he knew exactly what she was up to, and it took a lot of willpower to restrain the urge to laugh.

"Good, because that's what I intend on doing. That'll show those guinea hens. Do you know what Dolly Merriwether said to me yesterday? She said she was happy to see that I wasn't going to go back to work! Rhett, I just can't stand it any longer, I need to be doing something. I can't stand their chatter or their gossip, their prattling on about things that bore me to death. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to stay awake. I can't do it anymore. I'd rather be doing something exciting, and I don't care what any of them has to say about me. I'd rather be doing anything as long as it meant that I could spend as little time as possible with that India Wilkes. Who names their child India anyway? " she said, getting riled up at the thought of all the excruciating hours spent in the company of women who drove her insane, put her to sleep and gained her contempt.

"And Scarlett is such a common name," Rhett teased and was playfully slapped on the chest for it. "But it is a rare and exquisite name, and it suits you perfectly," he finished with a smirk.

"Really? How's that?"

"I believe I'll keep it to myself. I'd hate to be slapped again. Now, may I remind you that India's delightful counterpart is none too exciting a fellow? You are taking a risk by returning to the mills."

Scarlett giggled. "I can handle Ashley," she said, pausing for a moment when the memory of their first meeting came to mind, and then she cringed slightly. "But you are an altogether different story."

"I should hope so. I would have been insulted if you had said otherwise."

Scarlett rolled her eyes but couldn't keep the smile off her face. The man was conceited and infuriating, but she loved him despite it and even because of it at times. Of course she would never tell him this. There was no need to spur the man on.

"That reminds me. Melanie invited us to Ashley's birthday party. It's a surprise and it's in a few days. She told me he hasn't celebrated his birthday since the barbeque at Twelve Oaks."

"Ah yes, he is surely deserving of a celebration."

"Rhett, you will behave won't you? The sight of you won't have him falling into a cake or something, will it?"

Rhett chuckled softly then began playing with the stray tendrils at the side of face, twisting the bouts of hair around his finger. "If only I could be so lucky," he said with a mock sigh. "We'll have to wait and see what I can manage."

"Rhett!"

"My pet, you have nothing to fear. I have a feeling you'll be occupying my full attention."

"You have a feeling or you'll make sure of it?" she asked skeptically.

"My dear, how perceptive. It's quite unlike you. I suppose it was foolish of me to hope that my own wife might feel the same way and want to spend the evening on my arm. Alas, my hopes have been crushed! You have wounded me deeply. And here I thought you cared something for me. How shall I—"

"How you do run on," she grumbled then swiftly brought her lips to his in a sudden kiss.

Rhett was leaning over her when they pulled apart. "I'll dare to hope that was because you find me so terribly irresistible that you could not manage to keep your hands off me, not because you wanted to shut me up."

Laughing lightly and running a hand over his hard cheek, Scarlett said, "Believe what you want."

"Another hope crushed. You are heartless, darling. Praying on my weakness for you and letting me believe—"

"You just want me to kiss you again."

"What could have ever given you that impression?" Rhett murmured as he placed a light kiss on her forehead.

"Scarlett, I wish you would have told me about your nightmares," he continued.

Body turning to steel, she pushed him away so that he was no longer leaning over her. It was hard enough lying without having to face dark scrutinizing eyes that seemed to will words out of her mouth.

"Please drop this. I don't want to discuss it."

"No that's perfectly evident by the way you've avoided this topic, but I do want to discuss it. I didn't know you were having nightmares. You never woke me."

"I know," she said offhandedly.

"Scarlett," he urged forcefully, imploring her to continue.

"They're not very bad. Just…tonight was the first time—normally I just wake up and can't sleep. I don't usually start crying like a baby."

"What was the dream about? You used to have this reoccurring nightmare. It could be the same."

"It's not important."

"There's something you're not telling me," he said, the annoyance creeping into his voice.

"The pot's calling the kettle black," she replied tartly.

"But unfortunately for you, this is not about me."

"Oh! Of course it's not. You always make sure that it isn't! I'm tired and I want to go to bed."

"You are in bed, my pet or haven't you noticed? I can't imagine why you would be tired. Surely it could have nothing to do with the lack of sleep you've been having."

"Leave me alone!"

"Scarlett, must you be so stubborn? I don't understand this desire to hide the details of your dream, unless of course," he paused, hoping he was wrong, "you've recalled something?"

She blushed, averting her eyes and turning her back to him. "Stop it."

"Tell me," he pressed, his arm sneaking across her waist and drawing her against his chest.

"Fine. I didn't want to get your hopes up. It's only bits and pieces. Maybe it's nothing. It might only be nightmares, but they feel so real. Sometimes they feel like memories. Anyway, it doesn't matter. I don't know why I woke up crying. It's so silly."

"You were calling my name. Did you think I was gone? You never have to worry, my dear. I'll always be here when you wake up."

"Always?" she whispered uncertainly, making sure he was serious.

"Always," Rhett replied with a light chuckle as he held her closely then placed a gentle kiss on the exposed skin at the back of her neck, sending shivers down her spine.

Finally, he was needed, and the feeling was beyond compare. He wanted to give her something in return, to give her something she desired most, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Sometimes the truth seems like a beacon of light, but in this case it was more like an ominous cloud hovering over their newly established happiness. There was still time to wait and see how things would play out.

I don't know where you guys got the idea that I didn't like my last chapter. My A/N wasn't at all hostile ha ha. Ok, I was a tad harsh, but I was still frustrated when I wrote it. Anyway, I just want to thank you all again for the very sweet reviews. They made me feel much better about something I wasn't pleased or comfortable with. Also, I would have gotten this out earlier but I cut half of it out. It will appear in the next chapter instead. This story will finally be going somewhere :)