A/N- moabbess, I apologize if I have confused you, for the old cats of Atlanta were not spying on our favorite pair through their window. Scarlett and Rhett were meandering down the street when the old guard spotted them.

"Rhett was pulled from his reverie by an unwavering stare, and looking down, Scarlett smiled up at him genuinely, laying her head on his arm lightly. Little did they realize were the stares they were attracting from Mrs. Merriweather and Mrs. Elsing whose brows were raised incredulously. They hadn't expected those two back there, for they wanted nothing to do with the fast Scarlett O'Hara nor Rhett Butler, the horrid man who had not even attended Melanie Wilkes' funeral."

Rhett was reminiscing on the previous night and he felt eyes on the back of his head. They were never spying on them in his room. :)

I hope this clears everything up :)

Disclaimer: Gone with the Wind is not mine. All relations come from Mrs. Margaret Mitchell's fabulous novel Gone with the Wind.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Ashley was completely silent as his eyes widened and he raked his abnormally large, bony fingers through his graying hair. Rhett witnessed his adversaries eyes waver on the verge of consciousness, as if recollections were overcoming his ample brain, squeezing its contents in a scorched death grip until Ashley Wilkes' watery grey eyes widened wildly, whispering in a shaking voice which was so incredibly unlike normally composed demeanor, "Oh, Good Lord in Heaven."

Closing his watering eyes, he made the sign of the cross against his chest as he frightfully turned towards Rhett. "Oh, Good God!" Ashley cried gently pushing his son away from the tête-à-tête toward a group of vociferous children attempting to scale a rotted tree. "Scarlett, she was the woman in the dreadful accident I overheard of many a month ago, wasn't she?"

Rhett's puzzlement astonished the honorable Ashley as did the anger which suddenly appeared in his usually suave tone. "I'm sure I have no idea as to what you are saying Mr. Wilkes. There was no news of my wife's accident, to me, nor no one. The only women who knew of this were her sister Careen and her nurse Ms. Lombardi."

Ashley shook his graying head solemnly, his grey eyes filled with worry for his childhood friend Scarlett, "No Mr. Butler, there was gossip…" Ashley stopped momentarily as fury crossed the liquid black eyes of Rhett Butler. "My sister Honey overheard the news from Hetty Tarleton a little over a year and a half ago. I'm sorry you have had to learn about this news from me."

The only response the meek Wilkes received was a curt nod of the head and a gust of chilled wind as Rhett took off towards his wife who was sitting with the elderly Amelia Boston, her plain russet dress contrasting with the deep emerald of Scarlett's own simple one. She glanced up feeling his dark eyes upon her and she smiled a smile which made Rhett's breath catch in his chest as he answered her smile with a subtle wink as the corners of his lips curled down on one of his unusual grins. Scarlett felt color rush into her cheeks as she glanced down at her petite, pale hands which lay idly in her lap as Mrs. Boston continued on about a quaint little garden she had seen in Rome, Georgia a few weeks ago.

"Excuse me, Madame Boston." Rhett's deep voice filled the air around the two women causing Scarlett to become giddy with happiness. Elderly Amelia turned in her seat to look up at the debonair man who stood behind them. "If it would not be an inconvenience Ma'am, I would like to pilfer my dear Scarlett from you." He smiled broadly showing his bright white teeth, bowing deeply at the waist as if he was in debt to the woman. Scarlett had to press the smooth back of her hand to her red lips to suppress her gay laughter.

Amelia smiled as she nodded gently; Rhett took the woman's elbow aiding her upward. She smiled her thanks as he settled himself next to Scarlett his smile broad yet his eyes filled with sadness and worry. Scarlett placed a tiny gloved hand on Rhett's shoulder whispering, "What's the matter?"

"Nothing you should be concerned with, my dear." He answered, placing a small kiss on her forehead. She closed her eyes and met him in an embrace, wishing so desperately that he would kiss her, a real kiss, not the pecks on the cheek and forehead. Her body seemed to ache, yet she loved him nonetheless. "It's a matter of affairs which is out of our hands now. Don't worry, I am here, just be strong."

As if on cue, the Fontaine brothers approached them looking as if they were having an outer body experience. Tony's eyes were widened slightly and his face was stark white as he knelt before his childhood friend and took one of her tiny hands in his own rough ones. "Scarlett darling, how are you feeling? Are you alright?"

Scarlett smiled at the handsome man before her and patted his hand gently, "Yes sir, I am fine, I can assure you." She flashed one of her rare genuine smiles which were become none too scarce and turned to Alex noticing the resemblance. "You are brother I presume?"

"Scarlett," Tony was disbelieving, his mind unable to grasp the concept of her ailment. His broth though, had stood there, his bushy head bowed. Tony was almost pleading now. What happened to the brave young woman who had harbored him for a night here and there when he was on the run? Was she somewhere inside this new woman who lacked the vitality of life she used to posses? "Scarlett you don't remember me? It's Tony. Come on honey, we lived in Clayton Country."

Scarlett pushed herself closer to Rhett who in turn tightened his grip upon her waist as salty, frustrated tears trekked down her pale cheeks. She wanted to remember, oh how she wanted to remember everything. She still knew little to nothing save for her precious baby girl and Melanie Wilkes, but even with Rhett to guide her through the darkness, she was lost in the sea of fear and unknown knowledge.

Scarlett shook her head sadly, "I'm sorry Tony, I…" She could not go on, for now there was a group of people watching her every movement, her every word. It was as if she were an outcast placed in a showcase surrounded by people from her past. The knocked on the window and prodded the case until she though she would explode.

Scarlett could take it no longer; she removed her hands from Tony's, breaking free of Rhett's grip at the same time. She lost her footing for a moment and knocked into Alex who caught her by the waist and looked into her eyes for a split moment before she burst into silent, discouraged tears began to trickle from the striking emerald eyes. Those eyes which used to make every man in the south weak at the knees now held confusion and chaos.

Everyone knew of Scarlett's accident by now indefinitely, but everyone nearly chocked on whatever they were eating or drinking when the scandalous Rhett Butler stood, gently touched his wife's trembling shoulder. She turned toward him and walked into his open arms. He caressed her ebony curls and whispering solaces in her ear.

No one fully grasped the concept of what was taking place before them. Everyone at the barbeque, save for Amelia Boston knew of the troubles that the inclement Scarlett O'Hara and the renegade Rhett Butler had gone through. No matter how much they assumed that their walls could shield their screaming matches, they could not. They were exceedingly adroit at premeditating insults to spit at each other, and on the off occasion before their lovely daughter Bonnie was born, they would quarrel in public.

After Bonnie's unfortunate death, everything spiraled downward at an alarming rate for the couple. Scarlett blamed him for their daughter's death and many thought that he believed her. He locked himself in Bonnie's bedroom with his dead daughter, going insane. Mammy had begged Melanie to come and be an amicable pawn and friend to the nearly daft Mr. Butler.

The night when Melanie died they had a large falling out and he left her. It was common knowledge that he wanted a divorce, and yet even though she one threw herself on the late Melanie's husband, she refused, begging him to stay. Many believe that that was the night Scarlett realized how much she really loved the scallywag for everyone had known that she had loved him long before herself. How ironic that the wife be the last to know her adoration for Rhett.

Rhett had come to Melanie's funeral, but had stayed a great distance away from his wife refusing to comfort her, but now she was in his strong, supportive arms, her face buried in the crook of his neck. From the way they held each other under the large willow tree displayed their feelings for each other. They adored each other.

Rhett pulled away from her slightly, producing a piece of small linen, softly wiping away the few tears that had plastered themselves to her delicate face, whispering playfully, "My dear Scarlett, I have never know you to carry a handkerchief at any moment of your life."

She laughed and answered, "Why should I carry them when you're always here to offer one of them to me."

Rhett threw back his head and laughed merrily as Scarlett turned to face the bewildered Tony and Alex, offering them her tiny hand and said, "You are Tony and Alexander correct? It is a pleasure to meet you. I would like to get to now you again."

A/N- Hello all! I thank you for your support, but I am afraid this chapter is nothing more than a heap of garbage. I have been very stressed as of late and had barely found time to write this. I wanted to get something out before I began my hiatus. I'm doing some soul searching to see if I really want to continue to write. If you really want to read something else, I have posted a story on under the same pen name.

Again I am sorry for and I hope you will all stick with me.

I wish you all a wonderful and happy new year. I wish the best of luck to you all.

eternal rose 45