Ok so this was supposed to be the chapter they arrived back at Tara and met everyone, but it sort of got away from me! Don't worry though they do finally meet some of the family although you'll have to wait until next time for the big reintroduction. Just want to say a quick thank-you to the guests/unlogged-in people whose reviews I can't reply to but which I treasure all the same. I'll try and get the next chapter up by the end of next week if I can. Thanks for reading and please let me know what you think!

'How are the children?' Rhett asked some minutes later as they were winding their way leisurely back through the woods towards the main dirt road.

If asked about the unusually slow pace they were currently travelling at, Scarlett would have said she didn't want to over-exert the horses after their mad dash down the drive earlier this morning. Yet, in truth, the reason behind their sluggishness was motivated more by her wish to prolong the time she had left alone with her husband than any real concern over the well-being of the two stallions.

'They're well,' she answered, pleased to note that for once she was able to talk about the children with real authority, having taken the time over the last few months to truly begin to get to know them, 'Ella has found a best friend in Suellen's daughter April and Wade just adores Tara, in fact I think he has all the makings of a successful plantation-owner about him.'

Rhett smiled upon hearing the foreign note of pride in Scarlett's voice as she spoke about her children, 'You must be very pleased about that.' He commented knowingly.

'I am. I always worried what would become of Tara once Will got too old to run it, after all April is just as scatter-brained as Ella and I'm not sure she can even be trusted to look after herself let alone a whole farm. I'd have hated to disappoint Pa by letting Tara fall into other people's hands.'

'You could never have disappointed him Scarlett,' Rhett said softly before laughing nostalgically, 'I remember that night he came to Atlanta to warn me off you after I'd compromised your spotless reputation during the bazaar, why I've never heard a man sing his daughter's praises so highly in all my life.'

'Really?' Scarlett said, surprised that Rhett had never mentioned this before and unable to prevent her eyes from watering at the idea of her precious Pa being proud of her , 'I'm surprised he was able to make any sense at all given how much you'd tricked him into drinking!'

'If only!' Rhett chortled, 'I tried my damndest to distract him with liquor, but it only made him wax even more lyrically about your fine self.'

'I'd have thought you'd have liked to hear me being praised.' Scarlett said, unable to keep the stab of hurt out of her voice as she cast her eyes away from him.

'Hardly my dear, no man wishes to listen to someone enumerate the many charms of a woman that they desperately want but are unable to have.'

Her face turned away, Scarlett felt safe enough to let a blinding smile escape, her vanity soaring at the hint of longing clearly detectable in Rhett's tone even after all these years. It made her feel giddy and oddly powerful to know how much Rhett must have yearned for her in those early days and to remember how he had constantly travelled back and forth to Atlanta, going miles out of his way and taking precious time out of his blockading business just so he could see her.

She winced as she recalled how cold she had been to him back then; young and newly released from her state of mourning for Charles, she had been forever ushering him out of the house so that she could meet other suitors and had taken real delight in flirting and dancing with these would-be beaus in front of him at balls.

It was only now that she fully realised she had always been far more interested in watching Rhett's reaction to seeing her with other suitors than she had ever been in the actual men themselves. There had been so many of them and yet they had been so very unimportant to her, indeed she could scarcely remember them now, let alone recall their names.

But then her relationships with them had never really been serious, in fact the moment one of them had become too attached or started talking about marriage Scarlett had been quick to distance herself, brushing them off and making light of the courtship so as to make it clear it had never been anything more than a small, trifling thing in her mind.

After all beaus were one thing, they bought her trinkets and allowed her to flaunt her popularity in front of other, plainer women, but husbands were quite another. She had already been married once and was determined never to have to suffer through such an excruciating experience ever again. It had been a promise she had kept religiously for many years and no man, no matter how charming, wealthy, or handsome, had ever been able to make her change her mind.

When she had married again it had been out of necessity not love, in a union which was forced upon her rather than eagerly sought out. It had proven to be every bit as tedious and unpleasant as she remembered, if not more so, seeing as Frank didn't even have the good grace to get himself killed anywhere near as quickly as Charlie had managed to.

But then Rhett had come to see her after the funeral, had comforted her and held her and kissed her until she couldn't think straight and somehow for one, shining second marriage hadn't seemed like such an imprisoning punishment after all. Indeed in that moment when he crushed her to him and bade her to 'say yes' it had felt nothing but right.

Of course that feeling had faded the moment he walked out the door without kissing her as she'd so wanted him to do, but now it seemed it was finally back, that the hopes and feelings he had ignited in her that day were finally beginning to catch fire all these years later.

'Did you really want me so very much Rhett?' she asked, unable to prevent herself from seeking more compliments after having had to go without them for so long.

Rhett's eyebrow quirked as he regarded her with a look of indulgent amusement, 'Indeed I did my pet, but seeing as you want to return to Tara I suggest we end this line of conversation before I'm forced to dismount and show you just how deep my hunger for you really ran.'

Blushing profusely, Scarlett couldn't help but urge Trix to pick up the pace a little, unsure in that moment whether she was more scared Rhett would make good on his threat or that she herself would be bitterly disappointed if he didn't.

Seeing her do so he chuckled darkly, 'Should I be offended you don't want to experience my ardour Mrs. Butler, or pleased that you're afraid you won't be able to control yourself if you do?'

Not wanting to make him anymore self-satisfied than he already was, Scarlett chose not to answer his question, instead turning her attention to the trees alongside her.

Spotting a familiar sight and glad for the much-needed change of topic that it provided her with, Scarlett pointed out a nearby bird to Rhett, 'Look, it's a nuthatch.'

Following the line of her extended arm, he nodded, pulling his lips into his mouth to avoid smirking in a way that told her he knew exactly why she was trying to divert his attention.

'See the way it moves down the trunk head first,' she babbled, only vaguely aware of what it was she was saying, 'that's how you can tell it's a nuthatch.'

'You seem very knowledgeable on the subject my dear, I didn't have you down for an avid bird watcher.'

'I'm not,' she said, the words out of her mouth before she had time to think, 'Ashley used to teach me about them when we rode around here together.'

Her heart sunk as her mind caught up with her mouth a few seconds later, her skin prickling as she felt the atmosphere instantly cool between them. She didn't even have to look across at Rhett to know that he had stiffened in his saddle or that his face had darkened into a frown when it had been so light and open only moments ago.

Cursing her stupidity, she felt her breath catch as he spoke, his voice sounding dangerously smooth and clipped as it reached her ear.

'Did you come here often with him?'

'Not that often,' she said, scrambling to make the best of the situation while knowing she was only going to end up digging the hole deeper, 'not as much as I did with the twins, but sometimes he'd come to Tara and ask me to come riding with him, I think he liked talking about the plants and animals while I listened.'

'Yes, I'm sure he must have enjoyed the thought of having you as his innocent young protégé very much indeed.' Rhett responded darkly.

'He did.' Scarlett said, her temper flaring at the sarcasm dripping from Rhett's tone.

'Undoubtedly.' He acquiesced, 'but did you never pause to consider why it was you in particular he sought out? After all I'm certain there must have been many people far more willing to learn about such things than you.'

'He liked my company.' Scarlett said defensively.

'Liked having you hang off his every word you mean.'

'You're just jealous!' Scarlett cried, not liking the way that Rhett was tainting one of the only memories she held of Ashley that hadn't become blemished by his behaviour in recent years. It was true he had encouraged her unfairly since the day he had married Melanie, but the years before that were still precious to Scarlett for they signalled the time when her love for him had been at its purest and his regard for her at its most genuine.

'Hardly my pet, for I know only too well how bored you must have been during his ecological lectures. Indeed I almost pity the man for wasting his expertise on such an unwilling, unintelligent audience such as yourself.'

For a second Scarlett wasn't sure whether to scream or cry in response to his insulting, hurtful words, upset to think that they had fallen back into the same old patterns so quickly. But then a thought struck her and suddenly she felt a grim, determined calm descend upon her slim shoulders. Bringing Trix to a swift stop, she waited until Rhett had noticed she was no longer riding beside him and turned back to face her until she spoke.

'No.'

'Excuse me?' he asked, his frown morphing into a look of confusion.

'No, you don't get to do this again. You don't get to lash out at me just because you feel threatened, you don't get to tell me you're not jealous when you so clearly are and you definitely don't get to woo me with a whole speech about how you've decided to let the past go and concentrate on making a better future only to get caught up in the same old resentments two minutes later.'

Seeing his look of guilt, Scarlett's tone softened somewhat before she continued on, 'If this is going to work Rhett then you have to stop reacting this way every time Ashley's name is mentioned, he's a childhood friend and I shouldn't have to feel guilty if I happen to talk about him. Besides it's not like you even have a reason to be jealous, I'm not in love with him anymore, in fact I doubt I ever really was, and it's not like we ever did anything, not like you and… you and Bel…'

'That's not the same.' Rhett cut in quickly.

'Of course it is.' Scarlett cried angrily.

'No, my pet, it's really not. While I may have been unfaithful with my body, I was never unfaithful in my heart in the way that you were with Ashley.'

'I don't see the difference.' Scarlett said stubbornly, trying and failing to keep the petulant tone from creeping into her voice.

'You wouldn't.' Rhett smiled, and while his words may have seemed harsh, his tone told her that he hadn't meant it to be a criticism but rather a statement of fact coming from a man who knew only too well the logical, black-and-white way in which her mind worked.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, staring stubbornly back and forth at each other while their horses grew restless and began pawing the ground beneath their feet.

'I apologise,' Rhett said finally, sincerity clear in his voice, 'You're right; I have no business making you feel bad for bringing up his name, and it was no lie when I said I was ready to move on from the past, it just seems that the break away from it isn't going to be as clean as I had originally hoped.'

Scarlett nodded her head in acknowledgement, happy to see that Rhett had grown enough in his time away to be able to admit when he was wrong.

'It's alright' she said, trying to recapture their earlier, lighter mood by remarking wryly, 'it wouldn't really be us if there wasn't a little arguing involved.'

Rhett grinned at her words, all traces of his former frown wiped entirely from his face as he looked once more upon her with undisguised affection.

'Indeed it wouldn't, plus it's far more exciting this way, don't you agree?'

Scarlett snorted as she nudged Trix to start up moving again, 'Maybe, but even so can we at least agree that we've both had enough excitement for one day please?'

'We can.' Said Rhett amicably, turning Murchu round so that he fell back into step beside Scarlett. 'When did you last see Ashley?'

Scarlett turned her head sharply as his words, about to shout at him for breaking his promise so quickly, only to be surprised to see him smiling at her encouragingly as he waited for her to answer his question. She realised then that he was not bringing Ashley up to antagonise her, but rather to prove that he was comfortable talking about him.

'A few days after you left,' she breathed softly, 'when I attended Melly's funeral.'

Silently Rhett reached out and placed a comforting hand upon her shoulder, a touch so simple and meaningful that Scarlett had to fight hard to keep the tears from entering her eyes and clouding her vision.

'That must have been a very hard day, I'm sorry I couldn't be there to share it with you.' He said quietly.

'It was,' she said quickly, determined not to look back and dwell on things that would only cause her more pain, 'but I managed to get through it.'

'You always do. You're a born survivor Scarlett; it has always been one of your most impressive qualities.'

Accepting the compliment with a small smile, Scarlett was glad when Rhett sensed her reluctance to speak about the funeral in more detail and instead steered the conversation towards other topics.

'What reason did you give Wade and Ella for my sudden disappearance?'

'I just told them you'd gone on another trip abroad, you know I've never been very good at making up excuses and besides, it's not like they weren't used to you taking off for months on end without giving anyone any warning.'

Sensing some bitterness in her tone as she recalled all the times Rhett had run off with Bonnie on some extended trip or other, Rhett chuckled and commented dryly, 'See my dear, despite all of our best intentions it's not always so easy to leave past resentments behind now is it?'

Rolling her eyes at him, Scarlett bit back, 'Maybe not, but at least I managed to keep myself from starting an argument about it.'

'Granted, but then you've always been a much better person than I my dear.' He parried, his tone awash with mock humility.

'Isn't that the truth!' Scarlett giggled, the sound of Rhett's answering laughter letting her know that they had successfully managed to get through their first fight relatively unscathed. She only hoped that the next ones- and knowing her and Rhett there were bound to be hundreds- would prove as easy to defuse as this one had.

The fact that they had forgiven each other so quickly though made her realise more than anything just how far she and Rhett had come in these last six months. Before he'd left, arguments -no matter how petty and small- had always escalated into blazing rows followed by days of grudge-bearing in which neither of them was ever willing to be the first one to back down. It had all been so childish and tiresome; the fallout from their arguments often leaving Scarlett so utterly exhausted that she could barely find the energy or the inclination to get out of bed in the mornings.

Yet, in the aftermath of this fight she felt positively glowing, as if their newfound relationship had just been given its first real test only to pass with flying colours. Indeed she was almost glad that they had fought as it reassured her that from now on she wouldn't have to bite her tongue around him, nor worry that they'd fall apart the minute one of them raised their voice at the other.

Not only that, but their disagreement had brought some interesting things to light such as Rhett's confession that he had never felt anything for Belle in his heart. His relationship with that ungodly woman had been the bane of Scarlett's existence for many years now, the idea that Rhett desired a woman other than herself during their marriage having given all the Old Cats something to crow over and dealt a massive blow to Scarlett's pride.

It was this same pride that had always stopped her from confronting Rhett about the issue, too scared of what he might say if questioned to even dare try. But in the end she hadn't even had to, Rhett willingly volunteering the much sought after information with only the minimum of prodding on her part.

Her fears assuaged, Scarlett felt almost light-headed with relief, pleased beyond measure that she wouldn't have to compete for her husband's affections with another woman. After all she'd already given her heart away to a man who cared for someone else once before and she wasn't prepared to make the same mistake twice.

'Mother!'

The excited cry rang out sharply, cutting through Scarlett's thoughts and returning her sharply to her current surroundings.

Glancing up she saw to her surprise that while she had been busy daydreaming, she and Rhett had left the bridal path some considerable way behind them and were now fast reproaching the bottom of Tara's long driveway.

Next to the large, imposing avenue of cedars ran the fence which marked the boundary of the plantation, the sturdy, wooden structure firmly separating the ploughed soil of the lower cotton fields from the dusty earth of the road. Standing alongside it, sledgehammer in hand, stood Will, shadowed as always by an ever-eager Wade while their two horses were tied up a little way behind them.

Waving her greeting, Scarlett -although slightly annoyed to have her last few minutes with Rhett interrupted- couldn't help but at least be glad that it was these two that they'd run into. Of everyone that she would have to reintroduce Rhett to today, Will and Wade were surely the ones that would create the least fuss about his sudden reappearance. No doubt Ella would be so overcome by his return that she'd dissolve into a sobbing fit the second she saw him while Lord only knew what sort of inquisition Mammy and Suellen would subject her to once they found out he was back.

'Looks like we've been spotted.' She said, turning to look at Rhett.

He grinned at her wistful tone before whispering conspiratorially, 'Do you think it's too late for us to turn round and ride off?'

'We could try.' She giggled, only semi-joking before a surprised cry from Wade told her that her son had just recognised who it was she was riding alongside.

'Damn, I think he's seen me.' Rhett said, flashing Scarlett a quick smirk before stopping his horse and swinging bodily down to greet the young man who was running full-pelt towards him.

'Uncle Rhett!' Wade cried as he reached him, his face splitting open into a huge smile as he was enveloped in the welcome warmth of Rhett's embrace.

'You're back!' he said a few moments later as he extracted himself from the hug, looking quickly over his shoulder at Will and blushing slightly as if embarrassed to have been seen engaging in such a display of childish affection by the very person he longed to appear grown up in front of.

Rhett's lips thinned slightly as he took in the action and his voice was deceptively smooth when he asked, 'I am indeed. Are you pleased to see me?'

'Of course,' Wade said, 'Uncle Will and I were just going round making sure the fence is secure before the storm hits tonight. Will you still be here when it arrives?'

'Yes, I intend to be around for a long time to come yet.' Rhett answered, Scarlett noticing that his eyes fixed upon Will rather than her son as he spoke.

To his credit Will didn't flinch under Rhett's scrutiny, in fact he hadn't so much as raised an eyebrow since he'd first spotted her errant husband and once again Scarlett was overcome with a rush of affection for the silent, self-contained man who had become such a crucial part of her family in recent months.

Looking back at Rhett calmly and all but ignoring his hostile stare, Will approached them slowly and held out his hand in greeting.'Will Benteen, Suellen's husband. I take it you're the other man lucky enough to have gotten himself hitched to an O'Hara woman.'

Rhett's stoic demeanour softened a little at Will's words, a reluctant smirk playing across his lips as he reached out to shake the proffered hand. 'Rhett Butler. Guilty as charged, although I'm not too sure if lucky is quite the word I would have chosen.'

'Why, what word would you have picked Rhett?' Scarlett asked as she dismounted and came to stand beside him, her eyes twinkling with humour.

Sliding an arm possessively round her waist and drawing her tightly against his side, Rhett replied lowly, 'Personally I'd have gone with exceedingly, impossibly and completely undeservedly lucky myself.'

Scarlett laughed and swatted him playfully on the chest, 'Personally, I think you're a smooth-talking skunk of a man and no woman should take a word you say seriously.'

'Personally, I disagree.' He said, leaning down to whisper the words huskily in her ear.

His warm breath sent a shiver rushing down her spine and quickly Scarlett extracted herself from his arms, fighting to put some space between them before she made a fool of herself in front of the others.

Thankfully though Will took this moment to say that he and Wade needed to get on if they were going to finish this section of fence before lunch and after saying their goodbyes for now, Rhett and Scarlett remounted and began making their way back up the drive towards the house.

'Will seems like a pleasant enough fellow,' Rhett said a few minutes later as they were approaching the stables.

'Hmm, he is.' Scarlett replied noncommittally, her attention focussed on scanning the windows of the house to see if anyone was watching them.

'Wade seems to be rather fond of him.' He continued, his voice deliberately void of emotion in a way that was supposed to suggest he was utterly uninterested in this observation but which told Scarlett that really he was anything but.

Fighting to supress a smile, she tried to keep her voice as steady as possible as they re-entered the cool shade of the now-empty barn. 'Oh yes, Wade simply adores Will. You should see the way he follows him round everywhere asking him questions about Tara, you'd think they'd have run out for things to talk about by now, but it's been six months and they're still as attached to one another as they were the first day we arrived. It's no surprise though really, after all Will is one of the nicest men I've ever met, how Suellen managed to snare him I'll never know!'

Rhett didn't respond, but his silence told her what he thought of her little speech just the same, as did the violent way he dismounted Murchu and the excessive amount of banging and clattering he made while putting away his saddle and getting him back in his stall.

Scarlett decided to let him stew like that for a while, taking longer than she needed to get Trix settled back in while constantly having to bite her tongue to prevent herself from laughing out loud and giving the game away.

For so long jealously had been an ugly, insidious emotion between them, something which ate away at their minds and eroded the slim chance of happiness they had had with one another. But this was different. This was jealously made fun and thrilling, a feeling which made her heart alight with laughter rather than ache with sadness.

Eventually though she decided to take pity on him, walking over to where he was silently seething by the entrance to the stable and wrapping her arms securely round his waist before reaching up to nuzzle his neck with her nose and lips.

Her stomach clenched as she felt him bring his own arms around her back to cradle her gently, touched that even when upset like this he still felt the need to draw her closer.

Digging her chin into his chest she looked up at him and felt a small stab of guilt run through her veins as she took in his darkened expression. Reaching out a hand she pulled his face down to meet hers and looked him square in the eye, 'Rhett?'

'Hmm?' he murmured absent-mindedly.

'Rhett.' She repeated louder, tugging softly on the hair at the nape of his neck until he looked at her properly.

'What my dear?'

'Murchu's not the only one around here who knows how to tease somebody.'

He stared at her blankly for a few seconds before a knowing light entered his dark eyes and the hands across her back moved to press firmly into her sides.

'What are you saying my pet?' he asked lightly, the tips of his fingers twitching slightly against her skin in a silent threat.

'I'm saying that while Will's a good man and Wade likes him a lot, no one could ever hope to climb the pedestal that he's always put you upon.'

'So you lied to me then,' he murmured, his fingers beginning to dig further into her sides and forcing a cry of laughter from her lips, 'cruelly toying with my emotions for your own amusement, how very mean of you my dear. Well I only hope you enjoyed making me squirm half as much as I'm about to.'

Before she had a chance to reply, indeed before she even had a chance to breathe, he was on her, tickling her mercilessly as she squealed and writhed against him, giggling so hard that she thought she would surely pass out if he didn't stop soon.

'Say you're sorry.' Rhett commanded, grinning evilly down at her as he continued to torment her, 'Say you're sorry and I'll stop.'

For a moment she thought about refusing, about stubbornly clamping her mouth shut and resisting the burning urge to bring her ordeal to an end, but then she realised that there were some things that were just more important than her pride and, after a few attempts which dissolved into shrieks, she finally managed to pant out the word that he wanted to hear.

'Sorry.'

'That's quite all right Mrs. Butler.' He said primly, looking for all the world as if they were at some grand soiree rather than stood in a smelly old stable coming down from the infectious high of a bout of revenge tickling.

He was unbelievable, but he was hers and in that moment she had never been gladder for it.

Life had been such a struggle up until now, since she'd turned sixteen it felt like she was always having to get through one hardship only for another to rise up and immediately take its place. She deserved to have some fun now, to mess around and be silly in a way she hadn't been allowed to before and Rhett was just the man, indeed the only man, able to bring this lighter side out of her.

Sadly though, before they could truly let themselves go, there was one more hurdle they had to overcome.

'Are you ready for your big reintroduction?' she asked as she led him out of the stable and towards the house, only noticing now how imposing it looked from the outside.

'I suppose so my dear,' he said, 'although I do have one condition.'

'What's that?' she asked, spinning round to face him as they stepped up onto the front porch.

Suddenly she felt a rush of air as he opened the door behind her and pushed her gently into the hallway, 'You go first, Mammy's less likely to harm me if you're in the way.'

'Don't tell me the fearless Captain Butler is afraid of little old Mammy?' she teased, reaching out to hook her hand in his shirt as she walked backwards down the corridor towards the sitting room.

'Not afraid my pet.' he said, leaning forward to steal a quick kiss, 'Terrified.'

Scarlett giggled and pulled him down towards her, reaching up to wind her arms around his neck as she crushed her lips eagerly to his.

She was in danger of giving herself over completely to the kiss, of forgetting her surroundings and losing herself in the heat and urgency of Rhett's embrace, when a deep, bark of a cough startled her and made her jump away from his hold.

Looking up she saw to her dismay that Mammy was stood upon the stairs, glaring down at the two of them with a face like thunder.

Seeing her formidable expression, Scarlett couldn't help but think that perhaps Rhett had been right to feel terrified after all.