Chapter 10: Hope Hanging in the Balance

A/N: Scarlett doesn't want a divorce I just put that in the last chapter to give it some drama.

Sitting there I didn't know what to say, but the only thing that was on my mind at the moment was the new baby. The little one would be here in a matter of a few days and our marriage was as bad as ever. While I was thinking about the future of this family I was also thinking about that divorce I thought I wanted. Of course I didn't want such a thing. It was like I once said I wouldn't think of decreasing the family with a divorce.

I looked over at Rhett and drew in a breath. "Rhett, the baby will be here in just a few days, must we fight like this?" I asked as I knew what his response would be.

He was silent for a few moments. It was as if what I had said was going through his mind again and again. After a little while he spoke. "Mammy, said dinner will be ready soon." With that he walked out of the room and down the hall.

I sighed as I knew nothing was going to change. Throwing the covers back I managed to get up. Walking ever so slowly over to my vanity I sat down and brushed my long hair. I could hear the clock chiming in the background as it approached six. Taking a few moments to make myself look percentile I headed down stairs.

Making my way downstairs it made me wish that this baby would hurry up and come. I felt and I knew I looked as big as Aunt Pity Pat. I felt miserable, not just of body but also in mind and spirit as well. Finally after what seemed like forever, but in all truth it was just a few minutes I was down at the dining table.

"Mother, will you play with me after dinner?" Bonnie asked as she looked at me with her big blue eyes. She looked so much like Rhett. While people thought she looked like Rhett people often said she acted like me. Oh my having just one me in the house let alone having two.

"Alright darling," I said smiling at her. She sure was something, but Rhett and I wouldn't trade her for anything. Even though people talk that I'm not a good mother, but deep down I do want to be. Maybe with this new baby thing could change and I would be a better mother to Bonnie and-I blocked out the next fault. Rhett and I would never be as we once were.

Looking across the table I found Rhett looking at me. "May I ask why you are looking at me?" I asked as I really wasn't in the mood to start a fight.

"I've never seen you be that way towards Bonnie before." He answers. Now that I wasn't expecting him to say.

"Rhett Butler, I will have you know I can be a good mother. Despite what those old mules say about me," I looked over at Bonnie when I realized what I had said. Picking up my fork I went back to my meal. Halfway through the meal I began to get shooting pains all over. Putting my hand on my stomach the pain began to become unbearable.

"My Pet, is everything alright?" I hear Rhett ask. Before I have time to respond he is at my side.

"Rhett-I think it's time." I say in a hurt voice. The pain is coming faster and faster. He takes my hand and tells me he is there.

Turning from me he looks at Bonnie. "Bonnie Blue go tell Mammy, to go get Dr. Meade."

"Yes, Daddy," Bonnie says as she begins running down the hall. "Mammy, Mammy," she calls.

"What tis it child?" she asked as the little girl came running towards her.

"Mother's having baby sister." Bonnie said as she began jumping up and down. "Daddy says to tell you to go get Dr. Meade."

"Bonnie, it could be a baby brother," Mammy tells Bonnie as she gets ready to leave to fetch the doctor. Opening the front door lighting lit up the night sky as rain began to beat down.

"No, it's going to be a baby sister." With that said Bonnie ran back to us.

"AWE!" I screamed out loud as I now found myself standing. It hurt so bad. I didn't think I could walk.

"Do you want me to carry you upstairs?" Rhett ask me as he is doing all he can. I look at him with pain in my eyes and nod my head. Picking me up he took me upstairs. Still screaming I tried my best to block out the pain.

"Baby coming," we hear Bonnie's voice say. She was so excited to be a big sister.

"Yes, dear," I say in between screams. My voice was almost gone from the screams. Oh how I wished Dr. Meade would get here.

"Bonnie, go ask Prissy if she will play with you." Rhett tells her as he knows the time Is growing near. "Then when the baby is here I will come and get you." He smiled at her as he could see the excitement in her eyes.

"But Daddy, I'm scared of the dark. It storming,"

Handing her a small candle Rhett spoke again. "Take this candle and the light will shine up the hall for you. But no running," Looking at the scene I wished I could be that way with Bonnie. Oh how I wished I could be like my mother. She would be so disappointed in my now.

Okay Daddy," Bonnie says as she walks from the room in search of Prissy.

Walking swiftly down the hall she found Prissy and couldn't wait until her Daddy came and got her. She wondered what her new baby sister looked like? She wondered what they would name her? She wondered if she would make a good big sister? The last question that was in the back of her little mind was. Would Mother and Daddy stop fighting?

The storm began to get worse as the wind began to howl like an injured dog. The rain beat down on the house as it sounded as if cannons were coming through the ruff and windows. The wind began to blow the shutters back and forth and back and forth. At one point a window was blown open. Going over to it Rhett shut and locked it.

"Oh, Rhett, where is Dr. Meade?" I ask as I can't take it another moment.

"He will be here soon." Rhett tells me as he kisses my forehead. A moment like this hadn't happened in such a long time. More times than none we were fighting so any affection was barely shared between us. Taking my hand he began to rub little circles within my paw. He did everything to sooth me. By now I was crying the pain was coming so fast. I didn't remember it hurting this much with Bonnie.

"Rhett, promise me one thing." I tell him as I look up into his worried, but handsome face. The tears began to stream down the face.

"Anything my pet," He whispers to me.

"If something happens to me-

"Don't say such a thing Scarlett-

"Let me finish won't you." I tell him as I don't want to start fighting now. "I want you to raise the child as if we were to raise the child as if we were together." I say in a weak voice as I'm finding it harder to speak.

"I swear I will Scarlett, I swear I will and tell them all about you, but Scarlett nothing is going to happen to you." He tells as he pushes the hair from my china like face. A thought struck him all of a sudden. With all the fighting on whose child it might be they never talked about names. "Scarlett what will we name the baby?"

"If it's a girl Grace Elizabeth Butler and if it's a boy Alexander Lee Butler." I spoke in yet another weak voice. I drew in another breath not knowing if another one would follow.

"I think it will be a girl and she will be pretty just as you are. Maybe even prettier, but I don't think that is possible."

"But Rhett I thought you wanted a boy?" I asked as I found this very shocking.

"There will be plenty of times to have other children. We can have a boy then."

I laughed a little. "Rhett, God decides what we have we however do not. We just get to name them and raise them." I tell him as I don't know if I can keep this up much longer.

"Hold on my pet Dr. Meade should be here any moment."

Within ten minutes Dr. Meade was here and ready to get to work. "How long has she been like this?" he asked getting his things out.

"About fifteen minutes." Rhett answers as he wipes the cold cloth across my hot forehead.

"Good God, why didn't you come get me before?" Dr. Meade asked as he shook his head in disgrace.

"When we sent Mammy for you we weren't aware of the storm coming." Rhett said looking over at him.

"That is all the reason why you come and get me a little while before that." Dr. Meade said coming over to us. Listening carefully to my heart Dr. Meade fell silent.

"What is it Dr." I asked as I was scared to know the answer. I'm sure it was nothing, but something told me that it wasn't just nothing.

"Rhett I need to talk to you outside for a moment," While he put his stethoscope away and turned towards Rhett and myself.

"I need to stay in here with Scarlett I have a right to." Rhett yells as he knocks a chair over.

"I will be right here when you come back in." I tell him as I look over at him with a smile on my pale face.

Shutting the door I Shut my eyes for a moment as the pain still continued. "Rhett I don't know how to tell you this, but-"

"But what, what is it? TELL ME!" Rhett yells out in rag.

"Sit down before I tell you." Rhett sinks into a chair and is ready to listen to whatever the doctor has to say. "Scarlett is very weak and I'm not giving her much hope into living through this pregnancy."

A/N: I'm back from my trip. IT WAS AMAZING! If you want to know about it just message me:) Oh no will something happen to Scarlett? Will Rhett end up raising the child? Who's child is it?