Note: Wow, I was staggered when I saw how many reviews I had recieved! Thank you all so much! I said I was going to post one more chapter this week and since it is almost Easter, here it is. I won't post another chapter until next Friday probably so I hope you all enjoy.

Thank you Raicheal, guitarhorselover, PrincessAlica, LEYTONLOVER333, Cornorama, Joyce LaKee, EugeniaVictoria and Aroon1190.

I will have Scarlett and Rhett go off alone soon and I will try to add some action to Charleston in some way. This next chapter is an interaction mainly between Scarlett and Rhett so I hope you all enjoy. :)

Part 14

Rhett sat at the supper table with Rosemary and Eleanor. They were chattering about their time at mass and running into Sally and Miss Hampton. Rhett listened with half a ear but his eyes would go to the stairs on their own accord. He wondered where the devil Scarlett was and what game she was playing. Never had he known her to pass supper. Something must be wrong for she was quiet fond of food. He almost smiled at thoughts of Scarlett eating during their honeymoon. She had often ate two meals durring dinner. He had threatened to divorce her if she got as fat as the Cuban ladies to which she glared at him and stuck out her tongue. He saw his mother shoot him a knowing look, to his annoyance.

"After mass Scarlett was very quiet," she told him. "Maybe you should go check on her, Rhett. She didn't look well."

Of course she wouldn't look well. No doubt she had tried to feign sickness to get out of church. He knew how much she detested it. Though, he wasn't a saint either. He categorized himself as Episcopalian but religion only went skin deep with him. Scarlett and him were alike in many ways. The only times he had attended church faithfully was as a boy and with the children in Atlanta.

"Scarlett's a big girl," Rhett said with a shrug. "She doesn't like me coddling her."

But the thought was tempting to go upstairs and see what she was up to. His eyes strayed back to the stairs with a thoughtful look. He would have to abstain for the time being. First he would have a drink in the parlor and then go upstairs. What in the devil was his wife up to anyway? Standing up, he excused himself and went to the parlor, thoughts of Scarlett on his mind, followed by thoughts of the children.

They would arrive tomorrow. He was glad for he had missed them. Though they weren't his blood, he had known them both as babies and he had been much more of a mother to them then Scarlett had been. He thought of little Ella with her ginger curls and her often scatterbrained ideas and Wade with his solemn but shining brown eyes. In many ways the boy was like Melanie.

Thinking of Miss Melly and Bonnie was something he didn't want to think about. Yet, he often thought about both of them. The only two people he had admired and loved whole heartedly. Miss Melly had been a true lady, the ones with courage and gentleness that you rarely saw. Never had anyone been so sweet and accepting. And Bonnie... she had been his angel. But she was gone... he downed a glass of brandy and sat on the settee, staring at the dying embers in the fireplace. With a sigh he rose to his feet and started for the direction of the stairs.

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It was unthinkable for Scarlett to go down to supper. She only wanted to be left alone and hide after the ordeal at mass. It had been bad enough that she had run into that awful Sally Bright with a Miss Anne Hampton that looked like Melanie. But the priest, Father Carey had mentioned Bonnie's name to her and that had thrown her off guard. It was obvious that he hadn't heard of the fate that had befallen her the summer before. Thus she had retreated to her room and she feigned a headache, though one was coming in full force now.

The church bell had tolled constantly, giving Scarlett the sense that God was frowning upon her for her sins. Ellen had tried to instill a Godly fear and reverence in her. And though she wouldn't have stepped foot in church if she could help it, somehow sitting in church had made her remember Ellen's teachings she had strayed so far from. She hadn't wanted to be there, for the processions bored her to death. But she knew that Eleanor would have raised her brows and she would look like a perfect heathen if she hadn't attended. And Rhett would laugh at her lack of morals. And if there was one thing she knew, Rhett must love and admire her..

The sound of footsteps nearing the door and a knock made her visibly jump. It was as if Rhett knew she had been thinking about him. She knew it was him. It was strange how one could become accustomed to the unique sound of someone's steps and the way they knocked on the door.

"Come in," she called, trying to make her voice steady and calm.

He walked in, and again his presence assaulted her. She felt like a scared rabbit, and lowered her gaze. She mustn't look at him for he would be able to read her all too well. But, if she avoided his gaze, he would also know. She looked up to find him watching her.

"Why didn't you come down for supper?" he carelessly asked as he undid his cufflinks and stared at his reflection in the mirror. Scarlett was sitting in a upholstered chair by the window. "Mama and Rosemary were worried."

She noticed he didn't voice any concern for her well being on his part. "I wasn't hungry," she quietly said, staring out the window. Thoughts of the past came back to haunt her. Bonnie, Melanie, Ellen and pa. Thoughts she desperately wanted to forget. Her eyes hesitantly met Rhett's. She wondered if he ever talked about Bonnie. How she wanted to laugh with him about the happy times of watching Bonnie perched on Mr. Butler. And how bubbly Bonnie had been. She didn't know why she had this sudden urge to speak about Bonnie but she did.

"Rhett-" she haltingly began. "Did you go to mass with Bonnie the last time you were in Charleston?"

She wanted to hear the confirmation from his lips. She saw his process of removing his caveat stop. He turned a blank face to her. "I would rather not talk about it," he said and began his administration again in silence.

"Well I want to talk about it," she defiantly said. "Rhett, we never talk about Bonnie. And everyone speaks about her... I miss her so and I too was proud of her-"

"Stop it, Scarlett," he harshly cut in. "Damnit, I don't want to talk about her."

"Father Carey talked about her after mass," she cut in, ignoring his rising anger. "I want to talk about her. I want to remember the good times, Rhett. Please. I loved her and I know it wasn't your fault. I was such a fool to blame you. I know how you loved her-"

"God I can't take this," he roughly breathed, turning towards her. "I told you, Scarlett I don't want to be in your company and you make me listen to something I told you I don't care to discuss."

"Just because you want to forget Bonnie doesn't mean I will!" she shouted angrily. She rose from the chair and went towards him, hands clenched. Suddenly he was towering over her and had her shoulders in his strong grasp. He shook her. His grasp frightened her but she wouldn't show it.

"Damn you, Scarlett," he said in a low voice. "I would break your neck if it weren't for my mother. I loved Bonnie more then you have ever loved any one a day in your life. You don't know what love is." He pushed her away from him. And yanked on his jacket.

"Where are you going?"

"Out for a drink," he darkly said, shooting her a scowl with his brooding eyes. "Don't wait up."

"No!" Scarlett ran in front of the door and blocked his intent of leaving the room. "You aren't leaving this room. You are a coward, Rhett Butler! Always running away from your problems and running from me. I know you love me and you're running as you did that morning after Ashley's party." A triumphant smile blazed on her face. "You love me."

"What a naive child you are," he muttered, stepping so close to her they were only an inch apart. She stared up at him with glittering eyes. "You think just because of this show of passion that I love you. No, I don't love you, Scarlett. And by God yes I'm running from you as Ashley Wilkes did, why shouldn't I? Once you sink your claws into someone, they don't stand a chance. But no, not any tears, pouts or your body will make me love you. I only pity you and have an odd feeling of sympathy for your plight." He grabbed her and pushed her aside, gently despite his heated words.

"I don't want your pity," she hissed. "What I want is-"

"I know what you want, but I can't give it to you. Goodnight, Scarlett and sweet dreams." His last words were slightly mocking.

"I'll have sweet dreams when you are miserable for all the pain you are causing me!"

He seemed immune to her passionate outburst and she knew that he knew what she was trying to do for he didn't reply but shut the door behind him. Scarlett let out a frustrated cry and fell on the bed, throwing a pillow savagely and sighing. Her eyes roved the room and it would have given her great satisfaction to throw something.

There was a discreet knock on the door and Scarlett dashed away her frustrated tears. "C-come in."

The door opened and Eleanor poked her head in. She quietly walked in and shut the door behind her. "Scarlett, what's the matter?"

"Rhett and I only had a disagreement but everything is fine." Scarlett forced a smile.

Eleanor sat on the bed next to Scarlett. And she felt guilty for lying to Eleanor, but she couldn't tell her the truth! Great balls of fire, Rhett would skin her alive or deny everything.

"Only a disagreement? I believe the whole house heard you two."

She blushed and averted her gaze. "I talked about Bonnie," she blurted out before she could stop herself. To her mortification she began to cry. She cried bitterly for the loss of Bonnie, Melanie and Rhett. She felt herself enclosed in Eleanor's arms. It was almost as if she were a sixteen year old girl again and crying in Ellen's arms.

"Oh, Scarlett," Eleanor soothed. "My dear, Rhett hasn't been the same since Bonnie's death, you know that. I know you two have been through a lot and I feared for your marriage. But I know you do love Rhett don't you?"

Scarlett raised tear filled green eyes to Eleanor. She could only nod as she moved out of Eleanor's arms and wiped away her tears. "I'm sorry. I usually don't cry like this. I don't know what you must think of me!" She hated feeling weak and looking like such a ninny in front of Rhett's mother. Heaven forbid that Rhett would find out.

"I think you are a brave woman that has been through a lot, my dear as Rhett has. The fire was gone from his eyes and I had known he had been drinking himself to death. But now that you're here..."

"Yes, now that I'm here," she murmured, her mind formulating ideas. She could sense enemies from allies, and who was on her side. Eleanor loved Rhett dearly but she knew Eleanor was on her side and would help her win Rhett back. She would just have to bear Charleston until then and see if she didn't! By then she would have the pompous Charlestonians eating out of her hands, even if they were a lot of proud and old families with blood behind them. She had charm and that was all that mattered, especially when one knew how to use it to ones advantage...

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Rhett didn't return until eleven o'clock that night. Somehow he knew Scarlett was awake and was waiting for him. That thought didn't ease the frustration he felt. Though he tried to keep quiet, for all his efforts, the door knob gently rattled as he opened the door. He slipped in quietly and saw her, laying on the bed on her side. He didn't say a word as he slipped off his coat and began to slowly undress.

"You came home early," she commented, her voice the only noise in the room. She sat up and hugged her knees to her chest. He avoided looking at her and his lips turned down somewhat cynically.

"The brandy didn't have it's usual affect," he said. He wondered if she had really been waiting up for him. He remembered many times she hadn't been able to sleep because of her nightmares. He would come in late at night, hearing her cries. After she had kicked him out of their room, her nightmares had only intensified and it had taken every ounce of his will power not to go to her and take her in his arms. To soothe her as he had Bonnie.

"Are you having more nightmares?"

"No... not since I left Atlanta. I can't sleep."

She heard him fumble and he lit a lantern with a match. There was a dim light casting against the walls. She blinked against the light and saw Rhett was wearing his robe. The light showed his face. He looked weary as he poured a glass of brandy and handed it to her.

"If I recall you are in need of your usual night cap."

She gratefully took it. She thought of denying it, but he would know better. She would be lying if she said she hadn't drank. The week after Melly's death she had drank too much, especially at night alone in the house. There was a strain of tension between them, the words left unspoken of their past and of Bonnie, but Scarlett wouldn't bring it up. She didn't want to anger Rhett further and suddenly she felt so tired. He moved away from her and began his usual routine of placing out his coverlets on the floor. She watched him over the rim of her glass as she downed the drink and placed the empty glass on the night stand beside her.

"Rhett, well- that is- you can sleep on the bed if you would like," she said in a rush. She lowered her eyes as she felt his gaze on her.

Her ready acceptance of him in her bed surprised him. It was amazing how quickly she changed her mind. Her voice was impersonal but he knew she was frustrated by his refusal.

"It won't work, Scarlett."

"I-I don't know what you mean."

"You're actually trying to get me into your bed after al these years, amazing. To think that when I don't care, you offer me your body. What irony."

She glared at him. "Why are you being so bull headed?"

His brows rose. "I thought I was being agreeable. And pray tell me why are you being so insistent? Are you, prim and proper Scarlett O'Hara admitting that you want my er-body? Rarely Scarlett, does someone receive both the body and heart. Now I do admit I had your body for a while-"

She had no idea what he was talking about. "Oh shut up!" she snapped. "You know that you have my heart-" She then froze as she realized what she was saying. He saw her mouth clamp shut.

"No," he slowly said. "I have your infatuation for something you can't have. It's bitter gall to swallow isn't it knowing you want someone you can never have?"

He didn't know what possessed him to toy with her. Maybe he liked seeing her angry or seeing some fire in her eyes. He loved it when she was angry and that was preferable than her love sick look. He hid his smile in the darkness as he turned away.

"I'm going to sleep," she peevishly said as she turned over and he estinguished the light.

"Sweet dreams, my pet," he laughingly replied.

There was only a muffled grunt in response. He watched her a moment more, her back facing him. He wasn't looking forward to the cold floor but he had no alternative. It was either that or give into Scarlett. Tomorrow the children would arrive and he hoped that things would be better and both him and Scarlett would be preoccupied. He needed a diversion from Scarlett for she was proving to be rather tempting in her determination to have him. With a sigh he laid his body on the floor and shifted into a comfortable position. It was a long time before sleep claimed him with Scarlett's steady breathing filling the room.

TBC