Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW
Author's Note: This is totally not canon. Melanie would never say any of the things I have her saying but I couldn't resist writing it.
It was the morning after Scarlett had asked him to leave their room because she didn't want to have any more children. Rhett knew Ashley Wilkes had said something to make her kick him out of her bed. Rhett knew she didn't want him in her bed so she could dream of Ashley. He had gotten mad and left the house of horrors. He had played cards and drank whiskey then gone to sleep in the room he had maintained since it had opened. He hadn't used it since he married Scarlett. When he had awakened, he had gotten dress and returned home. When he saw Scarlett in the hall that morning, she didn't look much better than he felt. When he passed her, he said as cheerfully as possible, "Good morning Mrs. Butler." Scarlett had just scowled and hurried past him.
Rhett then went into the nursery and looked at his daughter. If it weren't for her he would have packed his bags and left but he couldn't leave her. Truth be told he couldn't leave Scarlett either.
Rhett had breakfast and looked over his investments. He might have to hide some more of his money. He had worked in his office until about 10:00 AM. At that time Pork told him Mrs. Wilkes wanted to see him.
Melly waited until Captain Butler kissed her hand. Rhett said, "Scarlett is not here."
Melly said, "I know. Meet me in the park in 30 minutes." She turned and left.
Rhett was intrigued. Rhett gathered up the children and went to the park. When Mrs. Wilkes saw him, she acted so surprised. She said, "Captain Butler what a pleasant surprise."
Rhett said, "Yes, it is Mrs. Wilkes."
Melly said, "Beau, You and Wade go play."
As soon as they were gone Melly turned to Rhett and said, "You dodo bird! You are handling Scarlett all wrong. I haven't said anything because your teasing her worked during the war. I don't know what happened at the mill yesterday but I know something happened. Ashley came home rather smug. Yes. Yes. I know all about the attraction. I have tolerated it because it wasn't doing anybody any harm. Scarlett had someone to worship and sustain her through the hard times and Ashley had someone to boost his ego. I always know when Ashley has seen Scarlett because he is so happy for the next couple of days. It must be a real thrill to know someone thinks you can do no wrong. Scarlett doesn't see Ashley as he really is but the golden knight of her fantasy world.
Rhett was shocked and he said, "I never thought you knew. No one thinks you know."
Melly said, "It was doing no harm. They each got something out of it and it made their lives brighter. I have to tell you that Ashley hates you. I don't know why but I'm sure it is not just one reason. I hear through the grapevine that you spent the night a Belle's last night. I suppose Scarlett kicked you out of her bed because of something Ashley said. That would make Ashley very happy because he wants you to suffer."
Rhett was still so shocked he could hardly respond.
Melly said, "Scarlett thinks she hates me because I am married to Ashley but for someone who hates me, she does a lot for me. She doesn't hate me she loves me. She just doesn't know it. She loves you. If she ever let's go of her fantasy image of Ashley then she will know how she truly loves you. I am going to give you some helpful advice. Romance her! Tell her she is beautiful. Take her to dinner. Take her dancing. Stop criticizing her. Tell her you are proud of her. She will never let you see but every time you criticize her, she gets deflated. She wants to be a great lady like her mother. She wants to be a good mother. But she is so insecure in these aspects she doesn't even try. You can tease her but find something she is not sensitive about. And get yourself back in her bed."
Rhett said, "I don't agree that she loves me."
Melly said, "Look at her actions not her words. She would never tell Wade she loved him but she faced down a Yankee sergeant to save Wade's sword. She would never tell you she loves you but when Dr. Meade told her to take off her wedding ring she absolutely refused. She would never tell me she loves me but she stayed in Atlanta to take care of me. She delivered my child for me. That's pretty nice for someone who hates me. And Captain Butler use some of that charm on her. If you can charm Mrs. Merriweather, Mrs. Meade and Mrs. Eslinger then you can charm a woman who needs romance in her life."
Rhett said, "Wow! I never thought of it like that. And one day she will wake up and realize she doesn't love Ashley Wilkes."
Melly said, "Exactly. Captain Butler you don't have to worry about her realizing you love her. Our Scarlett is very obtuse."
Rhett laughed and said, "Thank you Mrs. Wilkes."
They both left the park shortly thereafter. Rhett pondered what Mrs. Wilkes said all day and she was right. Scarlett's actions speak louder than her words. She can't admit yet that Ashley was a fantasy.
That night Rhett walked upstairs with Scarlett as she was getting ready to retire. He just walked in the bedroom like she had never asked him to leave. Scarlett thought 'That works for me.' She didn't have to swallow her pride and ask him back. He didn't have to swallow his pride and ask to be let back in.
As they laid there in the dark Rhett reached over and held Scarlett's hand. She burst into tears which she tried to hide. Rhett didn't say anything just pulled her close to him. She cried on his chest but neither one spoke.
She had a nightmare that night and Rhett held her close and comforted her. After she calmed down, she hugged him and said, "Thank you. Don't leave me."
Rhett wondered if she knew what she was saying and decided she didn't. He went back to sleep and she snuggled up next to him and he smiled. He thought 'you are so right Mrs. Wilkes; her mind doesn't accept it but her body does.' He slept more soundly than he had in years. This went on for several days. One night while they were lying in bed talking Rhett said, "I have never been unfaithful to you since we have been married," Then he asked her, "If I know of a way to prevent you from getting pregnant would you consider it?"
Scarlett was speechless. She said, "Really? 100% guaranteed."
Rhett smiled and said, "99% guaranteed."
Scarlett said, "Oh yes."
Rhett said, "Are you ready to resume our marital relations?"
Scarlett said, "Yes." And any thought of being true to Ashley went out the window in the face of reality. She wanted to sleep with Rhett. She needed Rhett to keep the nightmares away. She had already suffered too much in her short life she wasn't going to suffer anymore and Rhett did make her feel good during relations.
Rhett said with a smile, "I will procure the items we need."
And Scarlett pressed up against him even more.
The next day when Rhett saw Scarlett at dinner, he asked her, "My dear, Will you do me the honor of having supper with me tonight at the National Hotel?"
Scarlett giggled and said, "Yes."
Thus, began the romancing of Scarlett Butler. He entertained her, he complimented her, he brought her little presents, he spent time with her. And in all that time Scarlett never wondered if her husband loved her. Rhett would just shake his head and smile. She was so obtuse. The only way she would notice was if someone made her face the fact that her husband loved her. Rhett had guided her away from the Republicans and the Scallawags. He started his campaign to restore her reputation. If he could at least prevent her from doing more damage that was a success.
When he walked into the room Scarlett would always smile so big like she was truly happy to see him.
Scarlett started only going out to the mills once or twice a week. One day when she got home, she came in and sat in his lap and laid her head on his chest. Rhett said, "Good afternoon, my pet."
Scarlett said, "I'm going to have to sell my part of the mills. I'm just so worn out. I think Johnny is stealing from me and poor Ashley just can't handle it. He wasn't raised to run a lumber mill. It is not worth my time and trouble."
The old Rhett would have gotten mad about her justifying Ashley's incompetence but he just smiled. She was sitting in his lap after all. This wiser Rhett said, "It is probably for the best. I hear that your husband wants to take you to Europe."
Scarlett said, "Really? Oh, Rhett that sounds perfect. Can we go to Paris to buy clothes? We will take the children, of course, I couldn't be away from them for that long."
Rhett said, "Yes we will."
Scarlett squealed with happiness and said, "I will talk to Uncle Henry tomorrow about finding a buyer."
Scarlett sold her part of the mills fairly quickly and they made plans to go to Europe. Scarlett told Rhett, "When we get back, we can start working on baby #2." Rhett held her close and just smiled. He knew if he asked her, she would say she still loved Ashley Wilkes but he knew that was not true. He hoped one day she would tell him. Maybe he should tell her but he was afraid of ruining what they had right now.
They were gone for six months and when they came back Bonnie was about to turn two. Rhett decided to have a birthday party for Bonnie to see what their standing was with the Old Guard. It was a very nice party. Most of the Old Guard came to the party. Rhett and Scarlett appeared to be loving parents which they were. Rhett had rented a pony for the day and all the children took turns riding the pony. Bonnie absolutely loved riding the pony. They agreed to get each one of the children a pony for Christmas when Bonnie was almost three. All the matrons told Rhett what a wonderful party it was and thanked him for hosting it. Later that night Rhett could tell Scarlett was mad. He said to Scarlett, "Thank you, my dear, for throwing such a wonderful party for our daughter. I don't understand society but when a man decides to reform the matrons forgive him all sins. When a woman decides to reform the matrons never forgive or forget. As you know I never planned to marry therefore I never planned to have children so I never considered how my actions would ostracize my children from society. When I was encouraging you to throw off your reputation that was mainly because I thought it would make it easier for me to seduce you. Even with your reputation in tatters you would not have relations with me without marriage. I am sorry for encouraging you to forget about your reputation."
Scarlett sat down at her vanity and extended the hair brush to Rhett. Rhett came over and started brushing her hair. He did this most every night. She said, "Most of the damage to my reputation happen when I was running the lumber mills and doing business with Yankees. And when I married you." Rhett looked in the mirror and saw the twinkle in her eyes.
Rhett laughed and said, "That is some irony."
Rhett finished brushing her hair and escorted her to the bed. There Scarlett said, "Tell me again what a fine hostess I am."
Rhett said, "You are one of the finest hostesses in the South. Maybe even in the entire United States." He continued in that vein until she finally told him to shut up and kiss her which Rhett promptly did and so much more.
Scarlett rarely thought of Ashley these days and saw him even less. After Bonnie's birthday Scarlett discovered she was pregnant. She excitedly told Rhett and he marveled at the difference between this time and the last time. He hugged her close and was very happy with his good fortune. He knew she loved him but he so wanted her to tell him so.
In April Melly decided to give Ashley a surprise birthday party. Scarlett helped her with the decorations, the refreshments, the invitations and anything else Melly needed help with. She had spent all day at Melly's house and just wanted to go lay down and rest before the party. As she was leaving Melly asked her to go to the mills and detain Ashley from coming home so they could get everything put up. Scarlett wanted to say no but she had never been able to say no to Melly. Scarlett said, "Yes." She went home to lay down until she had to go to the mills. At 4:30 when she would need to leave for the mills, she was so tired she almost didn't go. Instead she stopped by the bank and asked her husband to drive her out there. As soon as they got there Ashley revealed that he knew all about the surprise party and Scarlett was disappointed that after all of Melly's work Ashley was not going to be surprised. Ashley started talking about the old days and the good times they had before the war. As Scarlett started to cry Rhett walked her out of the office and told Ashley to stay until India arrived to pick him up. Ashley looked sad as they were leaving because he knew that Scarlett had outgrown her infatuation with him. Rhett did not know why but he felt like he and Scarlett had just dodged a bullet.
The Butlers attended the party and conversed with a lot of the partygoers. Scarlett had been a wonderful wife and mother for the last two years. She hadn't done anything wrong but there were still people who were hostile toward her. They would continue to bring up every mistake she had ever made. He who was much more of a reprobate than she ever thought about being was welcomed with opened arms because he carried his daughter around town with him. According to the Old Guard he was a doting father and strong contributor to the democrat party but she was just a piece of loose baggage no matter how proper she acted. One thing for sure no one ever said anything unkind in his presence about his beautiful wife. As he helped her into the carriage, he told her he loved her. Scarlett started crying. Rhett climbed in behind her and drew her into his arms. He didn't know why she was crying. He didn't think she knew why she was crying. She had stopped crying about half way home and told him she was crying because she was pregnant and he pretended to believe her. Rhett cradled her all the way home.
When they got in bed that night Scarlett said, "I'm glad you didn't take your eviction seriously and you never moved out."
Rhett said, "I'm glad I didn't either."
Scarlett said, "I love you too."
Rhett smiled into the dark and proceeded to show his wife how much he loved her.
Their second child was born in October and she looked just like Scarlett also. She had the same blue eyes Bonnie had. They called her Elizabeth Katie. Rhett said, "They look so much alike they could be twins."
They bought the three older children ponies for Christmas. Rhett and the children were always riding. As soon as Elizabeth could sit up, she was riding in front of her father just as Bonnie had. Rhett never introduced any of the children to jumping. Scarlett was so afraid of one of them dying like her Pa he couldn't do it.
The fall of 1873 Scarlett was pregnant again but she almost lost the baby because of her grief over Melanie's death. Scarlett finally told her sister in law how much she loved her. She promised to take care of Beau and Ashley. When Melly was dying Scarlett looked at Ashley with so much compassion it almost broke Rhett's heart. When they called Ashley in to say "Goodbye" to Melly. Scarlett had to leave. She couldn't bear witnessing anyone else's pain because hers was so great. Rhett took her home. They didn't even say goodbye to anyone. They just left.
Rhett said, "Let's go home and get some sleep and we can come back in the morning and help with the arrangements. And when I say help, I mean pay for the funeral."
Scarlett said, "Oh my hard-hearted renegade you can admit to me that you loved her like a sister. I won't tell anyone."
Rhett said, "Yes. I did. She saved us."
Scarlett didn't know what he meant by that but she was hurting too bad to ask.
Scarlett and Rhett did arrange and pay for the funeral and Rhett got all the credit.
Rhett and Scarlett turned it into a private joke between them. Rhett would say, "What good thing did I do today?"
Scarlett would laugh and tell him what she did that day.
They had one more child, Melanie Anne, and she looked just like her father.
After a year of drowning his pain in a bottle Ashley sobered up and got a job in Charlotte working in a bank. Beau and India went with him.
Wade went to boarding school in Boston. Wade became a lawyer and set up practice in Atlanta. He bought Beau out of his half of the Hamilton House after Aunt PittyPat passed away. He moved in and became the most eligible bachelor in Atlanta. Wade would always say, "I'm not a marrying man." Rhett would always smile knowingly and look at Scarlett and think 'neither was I.'
The girls traveled with Rhett and Scarlett but they had several tutors. Scarlett wanted them educated in more than social graces and penmanship. Not surprisingly all of their daughters had a head for finance. At twelve Rhett started teaching Ella about the world of finance by fourteen she was managing a sizable amount of money. This continued with all of his daughters.
They all grew up and eventually married neither Rhett nor Scarlett were in any hurry for their daughters to leave home. Ella married at 18, Bonnie married at 18 also Elizabeth and Melly waited until they were 20 and 21 respectively which was considered past their prime but their husbands didn't think so. They had many grandchildren. It seemed their daughters were as fertile as their mother.
One night after Scarlett had turned 52 as they were sitting in the library reading books Scarlett slumped over and fell into the chair cushions. Rhett at first thought she had fallen asleep but he soon discovered the love of his life was no more. Scarlett had a massive stroke.
Rhett had her cremated and he carried the urn with him everywhere. At first the children thought it was a phase he would abandon soon enough but he never did. After six months they tried to get him to leave the urn at home but he never would. When he started yelling at them, they decided that their father carrying an urn with their mother's ashes in it everywhere he went was harmless. He carried that urn everywhere he went for the rest of his life. He lived another five years then died in his sleep at the age of 73 one night holding the urn close.