Disclaimer: Would that they were mine.

Note: The italics are Rhett's memory. It will make sense when you get there.

After dinner Rhett, Wade, Beau, Scarlett and Ella sat out on the porch. Scarlett sat on the swing with the boys and Rhett sat in a rocking chair slowly rocking Ella. Ella started fussing and Rhett held her standing on his legs as she bounced herself. Scarlett smiled at them. The boys were talking to each other and Rhett was focused on her daughter and Scarlett could just be. She didn't feel any pressure to say or do anything in that moment and it calmed her. She watched Rhett lift Ella and kiss her belly and the baby squealed with laughter. Scarlett smiled and felt the joy in her chest. Rhett laid Ella against his chest and looked at Scarlett. She knew he'd caught her watching him, but she didn't look away. She just smiled back at him until Beau leaned against Scarlett's side and yawned.

Scarlett smoothed his hair, it was time for the children to go to bed. "Rhett, do you mind if I go put the children to bed? It won't take too long."

Rhett heard her unspoken request that he stay. "Would you like help?"

"Oh, thank you, no. I have Ella…"

"I understand, I'll wait."

She smiled at him. "Boys, give Uncle Rhett a kiss and let's go get ready for bed."

Rhett stood and handed Ella to Scarlett, then he crouched down and hugged both boys to him. "Night, Uncle Rhett," Wade said as he hugged Rhett tightly, "Goodnight, Son," Rhett whispered as he kissed Wade's cheek. "Night, Uncle Rhett," Beau echoed. "Goodnight little, Beau," Rhett said and he kissed the top of the boy's head. Scarlett smiled down at the three, then took the children inside.

Once they were inside Rhett moved to the swing and pulled out a cigar. He hoped when Scarlett returned she'd sit with him.

Scarlett nursed Ella in her room while Prissy changed the boys in the nursery. Thankfully her fussy baby fell asleep easily tonight. She put the baby in her crib, kissed the sleeping boys on their foreheads and closed the nursery door.

She paused before she went back out onto the porch to mentally list all the things she needed to discuss with Rhett: Elijah and Rhett's talk with Mammy, Wade and whatever this daddy business was, India, and something else? Tutoring for Wade? Scarlett wasn't sure but she knew there had been something else. Scarlett felt exhausted from the day. She wanted to curl up in the darkness and think about her conversation with Melly, but she didn't want Rhett to leave. She wished he didn't have to go to England.

Scarlett took a deep breath before opening the door and stepping outside.

She saw that Rhett had seated himself on the swing and was smoking a cigar. She walked over and paused. She wanted to sit on the swing with Rhett but knew she should sit on one of the rockers.

"Come here, Scarlett," Rhett said, "I didn't bring anything up with Wade, he asked me a question and I answered it honestly."

Scarlett nodded, then went and sat next to Rhett on the swing. She wanted to be close to him. She'd think about why later. Rhett smiled as she arranged her skirts. Once she settled Rhett took her hand in his.

"What did he ask you?"

"Just what he told you, they'd given him a plate that had yams on it and he told me he hated yams and wouldn't eat them. I scraped the yams onto my plate and asked him why he hated them. He said at Tara you ate nothing but yams for months and when he looks at them he feels sick in his stomach. I told him I thought that was a shame because yams are so delicious. I asked him if you ate yams now and he said you did and that Frank would make Wade eat them too if they were on Wade's plate when you all had supper together because wasting food was a sin. Wade told me how you'd always eat the yams off of his plate when Frank wasn't looking. Then he said that I was eating his yams for him just like you did and asked if I would be his daddy. Your boy is a sweet, good-hearted boy, Scarlett, he said he knew I would be a good daddy because I did exactly what you did, I just took his yams and ate them without getting angry he didn't want them." Rhett smiled down at her, "He also said I'm very nice and a lot of fun."

Scarlett felt her eyes water and ducked her head so Rhett couldn't see her blink the tears away.

"And you told him you want to be his daddy?"

"I did, and I do, Scarlett."

"But you'll love him even if I never marry you?"

"Yes."

Scarlett did not know what to say to that. She closed her eyes and smelled Rhett's cigar and felt the warmth of his fingers in hers. She felt the swelling in her chest and wondered if Melly was right that she loved Rhett. Scarlett felt like running in the house and slamming the door and she felt like throwing herself into Rhett's arms. She didn't understand either feeling. She'd have to think about this at Tara. She hadn't had time this afternoon to think over what Melly had said with all of Aunt Pitty's blathering. Scarlett closed her eyes and rested her forehead on Rhett's shoulder. She took deep calming breaths and felt his scent and his warmth soothe her.

As the silence stretched between them Rhett felt her hand relax in his. Then he could feel a sudden tension in her fingers.

Scarlett picked up her head, "Rhett?"

"Hmm?"

"I don't understand. Why do you want to marry me? You don't… you aren't in love with me, and you… you can get women…who don't …who aren't your wife," Scarlett stumbled, "so, so why? You've said you aren't a marrying man, more than once…"

Rhett sighed deeply. Why was she so obtuse! How could this woman seriously not know he was madly in love with her? "Scarlett, I do care about you. You are right I can get women if that's what I want." Scarlett turned crimson and looked away from him. He let her continue to look away but did not release her hand as he continued, "But that isn't what I want. Don't you like to spend time with me?"

"Oh, well. When you aren't being a varmint."

Rhett chuckled and tugged her hand to try to get her to look at him, "I think you like to spend time with me even when I am being a varmint. You can be yourself with me. All of yourself with me. And I want that for you."

Scarlett nodded but did not turn back to look at him. Rhett pursed his lips and thought it may as well be time to discuss something else with Scarlett.

"Scarlett, I'd like to take you and Wade, and Ella on a picnic tomorrow. I'd like to tell Wade that I have to travel and that I'm coming back and will not forget about him, and I'd like us to all be together when I do."

Scarlett nodded. "That sounds fine, Rhett."

"That way he can ask questions of either of us and you'll know exactly what I've told him if he has questions while I'm away."

Scarlett turned her face back to him and smiled, "Thank you, Rhett. That's very thoughtful." She squeezed his hand and whispered again, "Thank you." How Rhett loved her son and thought of his needs filled Scarlett with emotions she didn't understand. She felt a tingling all the way to her fingertips.

"I talked with Mammy today."

Scarlett grinned widely, "Well, How did it go?"

Rhett laughed thinking back over the conversation. "Well, eventually."

"Do tell," Scarlett smiled up at him with sparkling eyes.

Rhett smiled down at Scarlett for a moment before beginning.

"Well, I got here at about twenty minutes to noon to take Wade for dinner. Wade and Beau ran down the stairs to see me and Mammy wasn't pleased that Prissy let them run in the house. I asked Wade to go change into his nicest clothes for our special dinner and when he and Beau went back upstairs I asked Mammy if I could speak to her for a moment about you."

"And Mammy agreed?"

"Reluctantly."

Mammy asked Rhett, "Why? What about Miss Scarlett."

"Mammy, I'm concerned for her safety and I'd like to speak with you about what I plan to do about it."

Mammy glared at Rhett for a moment with her eyes narrowed. She did not like this man. But her lamb spent a lot of her time with him and she could be a stubborn mule. Perhaps this man could keep her safe. Somebody should and Mr. Kennedy sure hadn't. Finally, she nodded.

"Thank you. May we speak in the library?"

Mammy was suspicious about this but agreed.

"So, we went into the library and I closed the door so no one could overhear. You should have seen the look on Mammy's face when she realized we were closed into a room together."

Scarlett laughed, she knew Mammy's disapproving glower well. Rhett was running his thumb back and forth across the back of Scarlett's hand and Rhett watched as her other hand joined them so her hands were sandwiching his.

"Rhett?"

"Then I asked Mammy to take a seat and she glared at me, I'm sure because I was asking her to sit in your house, but I knew she wouldn't unless asked and I didn't want her standing."

"Did she?"

"Yes. We sat and I explained my concern for your safety and who Elijah is, and when he will be arriving."

"Mammy, I'm sure you know that I have been meeting Scarlett in the woods to drive her in the afternoons. It isn't safe for her to be driving in those woods alone. You know that."

"I do. It ain't fittin neither."

Rhett nodded. He wasn't sure if Mammy meant Scarlett's driving alone or Rhett's driving with her but continued on. "Unfortunately, my business calls me away and I won't be able to drive with her for some time."

"She know that?"

"Yes. And she's going to go into those woods alone. So, I've hired a driver and protector for her. Well, hired is the wrong word. I've arranged for a driver and protector for her. His name is Elijah and he's an old family darkie."

"I'm not letting Miss Scarlett be out with some stranger."

"Well, let me tell you about him, Mammy. I need your help protecting Scarlett while I'm away."

"Is you in love with my chile?"

Shit. Rhett could not lie to Mammy about this. If he convinced Scarlett to marry him Mammy would make his life miserable if she believed Rhett didn't love Scarlett. And Mammy likely wouldn't tell Scarlett unless Scarlett directly asked her if Rhett had said he loved her. This was a risk he'd have to take. "Yes, Mammy, I love Scarlett very much, and Wade and Ella too. I'll be gone for a long time, two or three months. That's why I have to arrange for her to be protected while I'm away." It would have been much easier to convince Scarlett's father, but Rhett knew that Mammy was the real parent in Scarlett's life.

Mammy smiled and nodded her head sharply once.

"Ah," Rhett thought, "she's obviously seen it, it's obvious to everyone but Scarlett."

"Uncle Peter can protect her." Mammy's grumble interrupted Rhett's thoughts.

"No, Mammy, Uncle Peter is Scarlett's family, but he won't go driving with her and he's getting old. Elijah is my age and strong. He is the son of my mammy. His people have been with my mother's family for generations. My mammy was expecting Elijah when my mother married my father and she came with my mother into the marriage. Elijah is about a year older than me and we've spent our lives together. Elijah is not some trashy free issue darkie, he won't take money. He'll need to come into this family and be family, do you understand? I trust him with my life and I trust him with Scarlett's life."

Mammy thought for a moment, "He family?"

"Yes."

"Where he live?"

"Right now he's in Charleston with my mother, I've bought him a ticket to come down this week. He arrives on Thursday while Scarlett and the children are at Tara. I want him to get to know the town and the woods some before Scarlett comes home and he has to know where danger might be hiding and where to go to protect her." Mammy nodded. She liked the wisdom of this plan. Rhett swallowed his triumphant smile and continued, "Once he's here he will be Scarlett's family."

"You gonna marry my chile?" Mammy asked sharply clearly catching Rhett's implication.

"I hope so Mammy. I've asked her and she's thinking it over."

"She what!" Mammy was scandalized, ladies did not think about proposals they accepted them or rejected them and that was that. Thinking! What was her lamb doing? She'd have to speak to Scarlett as soon as she returned.

"Mammy, Scarlett's had some hard years and she's still young. It's so soon after Frank and you and I both know she married Frank to save her family, not because she loved Frank or wanted to be with him. But losing him was still a loss for her. Scarlett has sacrificed a lot, she's strong and she's smart, but as fiercely as she protects others, she doesn't protect herself well. I need her to be sure. I want to marry Scarlett and raise Wade and Ella as my own. But only if that's what Scarlett wants too. Scarlett won't be happy unless she knows that's what she wants before we marry."

Mammy nodded. This man did love her lamb. She could see it. And he sent for family to protect her. Mammy smiled, "So, he family?"

"Yes, Mammy." Rhett smiled back. Now he had a real ally.

"He stay in the carriage house with family then."

"Thank you, Mammy. I know Elijah will appreciate being accepted as family. And I'm very much obliged to you for helping me keep my Scarlett safe."

Mammy eyed Rhett before nodding and leaving him alone in the library to wait for Wade.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"And Mammy agreed?"

"First she told me Uncle Peter could protect you." Scarlett laughed.

"I had to carefully explain to her why he couldn't."

"Oh my, was Mammy mad?"

"Not really, I think she knows Uncle Peter can't protect you."

"So, then she agreed?"

"Once I explained how Elijah is family she understood and agreed. Mammy even informed me as family Elijah will live in the carriage house." Scarlett and Rhett smiled at each other like mischievous children.

"How is Elijah family, Rhett?"

"He's my mammy's son. My mammy came with my mother in her marriage to my father. She was expecting Elijah at the time. He's about a year older than me and we were raised together."

"Mammy's don't often have children."

Rhett leaned forward and put his finished cigar butt on the ground and stamped it out. Scarlett loosened her hands, but Rhett did not release her fingers. Sitting back up he said, "No, they don't. But mine did. Elijah and I and then my younger brother took our lessons together and played together."

"Elijah took lessons?"

"Unusual I know, but as I said, he's family. I think it was easier for him to always be with us so my mammy wasn't distracted looking for him or worried about who was looking after him."

Scarlett nodded, this made sense. After all her earliest friends had all been slave children on Tara. "Where is he now?"

"He's in Charleston with my mother. He's stayed with her throughout the war. He's how I used to be able to get word to my mother, and sometimes even food to her, when I was blockading through Charleston. Elijah would hear of my arrival and then come find me, or I'd go find him, and I'd give him whatever he could sneak past my father and we'd arrange a time for my mother and sister to come and visit me."

"I'm sorry, Rhett. I can't imagine not being able to see my mother when she was alive."

Rhett looked into Scarlett's eyes, they were open and calm and full of compassion. Rhett wanted to push her down and take her right there on the bench swing in front of her house. Instead he extricated his hand from hers and put his arm around her. She slid willingly into his side and laid her head on his chest. She briefly wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him to her, then released her arms and lifted her head to look at him.

"Rhett," she whispered, "someone will see us."

Rhett pulled out his pocket watch and checked the time. "It's only eight thirty. The musical won't be over until nine."

"Are you trying to compromise me?"

"Not today." Rhett smiled.

Scarlett smiled back and laid her head back down. Sometimes it was easier to talk to Rhett if she didn't have to look at him. Scarlett squared her shoulders and took a deep breath.

Rhett could feel Scarlett preparing herself in his arms. He pulled her hand across him to join their hands in front of him and rested their joined hands on his thigh. He swept his other arm up and down her side soothingly.

"Rhett, something happened today."

"Is that why you looked a little tense when we got back from the park?"

"Um, yes. Uh…"

"What happened, honey?"

Rhett's voice was soft and Scarlett wanted to stay in this moment where he was comforting and warm forever. She did not want to tell Rhett about India, but like Aunt Pitty, she knew Rhett would be angry if he heard the story from someone else.

"India … India heard Melly ask me how you were and I said I didn't know because … and … India heard and she said that I did know because everybody knew that we'd been riding in the woods together and … um … and …"

"What else did she say, Scarlett?"

"She said that I was a common hussy and ruining everyone's reputation trying to catch a third husband." Scarlett's voice was a whisper and Rhett had to strain to hear her.

Rage caused every muscle in Rhett's body to clench. He wanted to strangle India Wilkes. How dare she say such a thing! If only she had a male relative other than Ashley Rhett would call him out for this. He'd never widow Miss Melly and Scarlett was just beginning to untangle the nonsense about Ashley in her head, Rhett didn't want to stir her up about Ashley again either.

The tension in Rhett's body startled Scarlett, was he angry with her? Scarlett picked her head up and tried to pull away, but his arm was too strong around her. She released his hand and pushed against his thigh. The feeling of Scarlett's hand on his thigh brought Rhett back from his fantasies of killing India Wilkes.

"Rhett, I…" Scarlett's voice was shaking.

"Oh, no, no, honey," Rhett said as he reached up and caressed her face. "I'm not upset with you." The tension in the arm wrapped around her disappeared and Rhett caressed her face and kissed her forehead and eyelids. "I'm sorry," he whispered against her face. "There is nothing common about you, nothing. And you are not a hussy, Scarlett. If she were a man I'd kill her for that."

Scarlett sank into Rhett's chest relieved. She took her hand from his thigh and clenched a fistful of his shirt.

"What else happened, Scarlett?"

"Melly got angry. More angry than I've ever seen and she told India that she had to apologize or she would never set foot in Melly's house again. Oh, Rhett! India left, she just turned and walked out of the theater and Melly's going to have Ashley send India's things to Macon. Now there's a rift in Melly's family and it's my fault."

"No, honey, it's India's fault for being an idiot."

"But Rhett, if India's saying that to Melly, it must … be what everyone is thinking or she wouldn't dare."

"Scarlett, I don't think that's what everyone thinks about you. You know Melly doesn't think that."

"But Melly only sees the good in people."

"No. I think Melly sees how people really are. I think she only says good things about people." Scarlett thought about this and how Melly said she thought she knew what Scarlett's freedom meant to her. She hadn't said a negative thing about Scarlett or Frank or their marriage, but Melly had known that Scarlett needed freedom. And she had given it to Scarlett without a negative word spoken about anyone. Even now when Frank was dead and Scarlett wanted to thank her.

Scarlett released Rhett's shirt and put her arm around him. Rhett brought his other arm around her and they sat in silence for a few moments before Rhett added, "Scarlett, I know you are worried, but you shouldn't be. I think all of Atlanta knows that I'm the one chasing you and India is jealous. If we marry, ten years from now people will laugh about how I chased you, and talk about how I used to drive you through the woods as a funny reminiscence from the hard years after the war."

"And if we don't marry?"

"We'll work that out then. But, Scarlett, if we do marry and the mills bring you joy, I'll still drive you through the woods."

"Really, Rhett?"

"Yes. If they bring you joy. Not money. I have more than enough money for our grandchildren to be secure."

Scarlett nodded her understanding and smiled into Rhett's chest. Rhett kissed her hair and they swung in silence for a while.

After what seemed to be no time at all, it was almost nine and Rhett knew he had to go, if Atlanta saw Rhett at Scarlett's while she was newly in mourning Scarlett's reputation would be ruined.

"Scarlett, it's time for me to go."

Scarlett released him and sat up.

Rhett slid his hand to the back of Scarlett's neck and pulled her face towards his. Then he leaned down and kissed her passionately, hungrily, like on the night he proposed and the and night he'd had to walk away from her. A tickling warmth pooled into Scarlett's belly and her fingers trembled in Rhett's hair. Scarlett kissed him back equally hungrily until her head spun and she finally turned her face away panting. "Rhett," she said shakily.

"Don't faint on me, Scarlett, I'll never be able to explain it to Mammy this time."

Scarlett laughed merrily and buried her face in Rhett's neck.

Rhett kissed her temple, "Goodnight, Scarlett."

"Goodnight, Rhett."

"Well, go on inside."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"My breathing is too hard. Mammy will know." Rhett chuckled and held her to him until they were both calm. Then he pulled her up with him and led her to the door.

"Have yourself and the children ready at eleven tomorrow. We'll go to the field where we used to go pick flowers during the war."

Scarlett nodded, "Would you like anything special for dinner?"

"Yams."

Scarlett laughed, Rhett kissed her cheek and then turned and walked off into the night. Scarlett watched his retreating back for a moment, then she went in and closed the door.

§§§

Scarlett laid in her bed for a long time that night, her mind was racing but she couldn't focus on any of her thoughts.

She turned her head and looked at Frank's pillow. She remembered how comforting it was some nights to be curled against him with her head pillowed on him. Some nights they would sleep side by side, and some nights Frank had relations with her and then rolled over and fell asleep, but some nights he'd pulled her to him and they'd cuddled together and even though Scarlett hadn't loved Frank, those were the nights she'd slept the easiest. She reached out her hand and ran it down the empty side of the bed. She wondered if she'd sleep easily with her head pillowed on Rhett's chest. She smiled at the thought, she knew she would. She'd slept soundly in the carriage curled onto him in the middle of an argument.

Scarlett wished she could curl herself onto Rhett at this moment. But to do that she'd have to marry him. Scarlett sighed. If she married Rhett she'd have to have relations with him. Scarlett felt like he would probably want that from her a lot. Perhaps she could bargain with him, he could have relations with her as long as he let Scarlett sleep on his chest whenever she wanted. Scarlett laughed to herself. She didn't think that was a good idea. He would definitely want relations more than she was willing. She'd been able to hold Frank off to once or twice a week by their second month of marriage. And then she hadn't had relations with him since Ella came. He'd tried once, much too soon and Scarlett hadn't been able to stop the cry of agony. Frank had stopped immediately and asked if she was well. "No," she'd cried, "it's too soon, I have to heal." "Oh, I'm sorry, Sugar," Frank had said, then he'd wiped the tears from her face and pulled Scarlett onto his chest where she'd cried herself to sleep. In the morning Scarlett's nightgown and Frank's pajama bottoms were ruined with Scarlett's blood. Scarlett knew it was the blood more than anything that had stopped Frank from trying again and Scarlett certainly wasn't going to tell him when she'd healed. She thought this was probably one more thing that had made her a bad wife to Frank.

Scarlett rolled onto her stomach and slug her arm over the empty half of the bed. Why was she thinking about relations? She sighed and decided to pretend Rhett was here with her to help her fall asleep. She was finally drifting off while imagining his hard chest beneath her cheek and his scent surrounding her when she heard Wade cry, "Mama!"

"MAMA!" Scarlett raced into the nursery and seated herself on Wade's bed. Wade was sitting up and sobbing. Scarlett pulled him to her chest and whispered, "Shhhh, shhhh, you're all right, Mama has you, shhhhhh."

"Auntie Scarlett?" She heard Beau's soft voice.

"It's all right, Beau, Wade just had a bad dream, go back to sleep sweetie."

"Yes, Auntie," she heard his quiet whisper.

"Wade? Honey? What happened in your dream?"

"You left."

"Oh, honey, I'm not going to leave."

"You left and Aunt Melly left and Uncle Rhett left and there was no one."

"Shhhhh, darling, that's never going to happen. I'm right here, and you will see Uncle Rhett and Aunt Melly tomorrow."

"I can see Uncle Rhett tomorrow?"

"Yes, we are going to go on a picnic, doesn't that sound lovely? And you can tell him about your dream and he will remind you he isn't going to leave you either." Scarlett cringed, she should have worded that differently as Rhett was about to leave. Scarlett laid down on her side and pulled the blankets over herself and Wade. Wade pressed his face into her neck and Scarlett ran her hand up and down his back over and over all the while thinking she was so grateful Rhett wanted to tell Wade he was leaving himself and with her there. She wondered sadly if of the three of them Rhett's absence might be hardest on Wade. Soon Wade's breathing evened and Scarlett let herself fall asleep.

Author's note: Thank you so much for all of the wonderful reviews!