Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

Summary: Scarlett thinks about her life for the last thirty years and how much help Prissy was to her.

Author's Notes: Be careful what you write in a review or PM to me. I am likely to take an idea and make a story out of it. The idea for this story came from Sarah Shilo.

It was eighteen ninety-one and there were two women who were sitting on the porch at Tara they had liked, hated, and loved each other over the last thirty years. At this point they loved each other and were best friends though an unlikely pair there probably had never been. One had been born into the lap of luxury while the other had been born a slave. Now here they were near the end of their lives almost equals. They had just buried Scarlett's last living sister, Suellen, that afternoon. Careen had died almost ten years ago when cholera had run rampant through Charleston. It had taken Rhett's brother and mother also. The cholera had killed Rhett's brother's entire family. It was a very hard time for them although not the worst time in their marriage.

Scarlett turned to Prissy and said, "We are the only two still living from that awful year after the war."

Prissy said, "That awful year you kept us alive. Beau and Wade are still living."

"The last adults still living."

"We all changed during that year."

"Not all of us. Melly still stayed that sweet, kind, loving woman."

"And Mr. Wilkes stayed a gentleman."

"That he did."

They both smiled as they thought of Ashley Wilkes and his need to remain a gentleman.

"You saved us, Miss Scarlett. I don't know who would have pulled us through if you hadn't taken charge."

"That seems to be what I have always done. I have taken charge and pulled a motley crew through it all."

"Thank you for giving me a good life."

"Thank you, Prissy, for giving me a good life also. If it hadn't been for you, I would never have realized that I loved Rhett. I was so obtuse then and Rhett wasn't helping me see the truth. He was so afraid of me using his love against him. Knowing Rhett like I do now he was afraid of being in a vulnerable position." Scarlett looked over her shoulder and whispered, "He still can't stand me seeing him as weak."

Prissy whispered back, "All men are like that." And the ladies shook their heads and smiled. Prissy got up and said, "Good night." She left Miss Scarlett on the porch with her memories.

Scarlett thought about that day so very long ago. She had been such a silly, vain, proud, stupid girl. Bonnie was a month old and Rhett had been lavishing his daughter with love and attention. She now knew she had been feeling abandoned, fat and very jealous. Rhett had not made things any better by staying on his side of the bed. She knew now that Rhett had been afraid to reach out to her because he was afraid of being spurned. They both were so foolish. He was overwhelmed with how much he loved that little bundle of joy instantly and a little hurt that Scarlett didn't love his child as much as he did. She sadly smiled at the memory of the two of them that time. It had seemed like she and Rhett had a fight every day over nothing. Those spats sprang up almost all the time.

She remembered Prissy coming in to help her dress. She had almost broken down in tears when Prissy had tightened up the corset and her waist measured twenty-three inches. She had said, "I just won't have any more children. Rhett will just have to sleep somewhere else."

"Oh Miss Scarlett, Mr. Rhett isn't going to take very kindly to you rejecting him."

"Why would Rhett take it as rejection. I just don't want any more children."

"Miss Scarlett you know men set great score by their ability."

"What are you talking about?"

"Lordy, Miss Scarlett don't you know that men are very sensitive about how good they are in that area?"

"I can't say for Charlie but Frank never was. Besides Rhett is too conceited for me to wound his pride."

"Miss Scarlett, please trust me all men are easily wounded by being criticized in that area."

Scarlett remembered being doubtful anything could hurt Rhett's pride but maybe Prissy was right. She remembered him bragging about having a way with women. She had stared at Prissy in the mirror. Scarlett remembered the puzzled look on her own face.

Finally, Prissy said, "Why don't you see if he knows of a way to prevent pregnancies?"

"If he did, he would have told me. He knows I don't want any children."

"Maybe he does want children."

"He has always said he doesn't care if we have one or twenty children."

"What men say and what they think or feel are often two different things."

That is when she turned to look at Prissy and said, "What do you know that you are trying to tell me without telling me?"

Prissy whispered, "Elijah knows of a way to prevent pregnancies that I'm sure Mr. Rhett knows of as well."

"Really?"

"Really. I'm sure Mr. Rhett would do it seeing as he loves you."

That statement had absolutely floored her. She had said, "Rhett doesn't love me. He has told me so many times."

"He has denied it because you can be pretty cruel to people who love you that you don't care about. Now don't get mad at me you know it is the truth. Besides he told you so at Rough and Ready. He has been hanging around you for years now. He has been just waiting for you to realize you don't love Mr. Wilkes."

Scarlett's eyes got big and she hissed, "Why do you think I love Ashley?"

"All of the servants know because of the way you behave around him. Also, because I heard you tell him so in the orchard at Tara. Right before you went to get the tax money. I didn't mean to eavesdrop but it happened so fast and I was afraid of trying to sneak away. I was afraid you would hear me."

"Don't ever tell anyone about this."

"Miss Scarlett, Mr. Wilkes doesn't love you. He is just too much of a gentleman to tell you." Scarlett stood up and raised her hand and she remembered how big Prissy's eyes had gotten. Scarlett had been about to scream at her and call her a liar. When Prissy said, "I heard him tell Miss India." Prissy had then covered up her head.

Scarlett remembered time standing still and finally she said, "Come sit down with me Prissy and tell me all about it."

Prissy had sat with her on the divan in her room and explained. "Miss India was a really mean mistress. She would carry a riding crop with her all the time. If a slave did something wrong or didn't move fast enough, she hit them with the riding crop. So, I always enjoyed her anger at you. I really enjoyed you taking Mr. Tarleton away from her. Whenever she spoke your name, I listened because of all the mean things you had done to her. If you hurt her again, I wanted to know about it. You were my hero before I even knew you. After Mr. Ashley got back from his Grand Tour every time, he went to visit you Miss India would yell at him about how you weren't good enough for him. She would make comments about him being unfaithful to Melly. He would always say, 'I'm not doing anything but spending time with a sweet young lady who adores me. It is great for my pride to think that the belle of five counties idolizes me.' Miss India would say, 'What if Melly finds out?' He would say, 'Even if she finds out she would never believe I would do anything ungentlemanly. Scarlett is just some entertainment while I wait for Melly to be well enough to wed."

Scarlett remembered that she had known that Prissy was speaking the truth. There was just such a ring of truth to what she was saying. She had known why Ashley had never told her the truth. Being a gentleman and having honor were all he had left of his life before the war. With insight rare to her she knew that her feelings for Ashley were all she had left of her life before the war.

"Why do you think Rhett loves me?"

"He told you so at Rough and Ready, he married you while you were in love with another man, he bought you this house, he loaned you the money to start the mills, he bought you that horse so he could be sure you would get back and forth to the mills, he called on you the entire time you were married to Mr. Kennedy and he has given you everything you have wanted."

"What do you mean he told me at Rough and Ready?

"Don't you remember he said he was leaving and then got you out of the wagon? He said he loved you and he had waited for you longer than he had waited for any woman. Then he said a bunch more but I don't remember. Then he kissed you."

"I don't remember him saying that. I stopped listening when he said he was leaving. Why didn't you tell me?

"Lordy, Lordy Miss Scarlett I never thought you didn't know. It is as plain as the sun in the sky he loves you. You have seen that look he gives you haven't you?"

"What look? The one like he is expecting something?"

"Yes, that one. He is looking to see if there is any love on your face."

"Wow."

"You don't know it but you love him too."

"No. I …. Why do you say that?"

"You forgave him for deserting us at Rough and Ready, you forgave him for what happened at the Fire House and you married him. You gave up your reputation for him."

"I married him for his money. I didn't have much reputation to give up."

"No." Prissy shook her head, "You were well enough off financially that you would never have married again especially not to someone you knew you couldn't bully. You had enough reputation to still be received despite everything you had done."

"I'm going to have to think about this. Thank you, Prissy. You can go."

"You need to rethink that decision of telling him to sleep elsewhere. That will not go well."

Scarlett would never know why she had completely believed what Prissy had told her that day. Maybe because in her heart she knew Prissy was telling her the truth. That night as they were lying in bed Scarlett had scooted close to Rhett and he had wrapped his arms around her. She had burst into tears and told him how fat she was and she could never stand being fat. She never wanted to have any more children. Rhett had said, "We don't have to have any more children."

Scarlett had said in between sobs, "But I don't want to sleep without you."

"You don't have to sleep without me to not have children. I will take care of everything."

Scarlett had continued crying for a little bit and finally fell asleep.

Scarlett remembered she had spent the next two weeks thinking about what Prissy had said. She had known Prissy was right about Ashley for she remembered what he had said in the orchard that day. He had said he didn't love her but she refused to believe him. As she had replayed the scene in the orchard, she had known that Ashley was broken by the war and would never be whole again. The only thing he had left after the collapse of his world was his belief that he was a gentleman. That meant he had to behave as a gentleman always. A gentleman would not speak to a lady the way Ashley needed to speak to her for her to understand he didn't love her.

Scarlett began to study Rhett when he didn't know she was watching. And she would catch him staring at her with that hopeful look on his face more and more. After her conversation with Prissy things got better between her and Rhett. Rhett was still a little unkind at times. He had made some mocking comments about her mothering skills when she demanded to get to hold her own child but she hadn't back down. She knew with some work she could be a decent mother. She just hadn't ever wanted to be a good mother before. She loved Bonnie and she was going to be a mother to Bonnie.

The day her confinement was over and she went to the mills she saw Ashley and knew he was a broken man. He was her oldest friend and she would do what she could to help him in these turbulent times as long as it didn't threaten her relationship with Rhett. That day when he started speaking ill of her husband she got up and walked out of the office of the saw mill. Over the next year she changed her mind about certain issues. She knew Ashley would never be a good business man but she wasn't sorry she hadn't let him go to New York. If he had gone to New York he would have taken Melly with him and that could not be borne. Over the next year she knew that she had to become received again because her children were being ostracized for her actions and she would not let that happened to Bonnie. She knew she loved Wade and Ella but she knew she would really never bond with them because they were not at all like her. She had dropped the Scalawag wives and started attending sewing bees and committee meetings. She never lost her temper with the other ladies and their snide comments about herself and her husband. She finally decided to sell the saw mills because the dowagers of society would never truly let her back in until she did and repented for hiring convicts. She kept the store by telling everyone she was only keeping it for Ella's sake. Afterall it was all the child had left of her father.

As that year went by, she and Prissy had more and more conversations. She smiled when she thought about how much sage advice Prissy had given her. Prissy was very good at sizing up people and knowing why they were doing what they were doing. She knew now that the silly, overexcited behavior was an act that Prissy put on for some reason. Probably to lower people's expectations so less was demanded of her or she was less likely to get whipped. That year Prissy had her first child, Rachel. Dilcey finally accepted Elijah into the family much like Mammy had accepted Rhett when Bonnie was born. Scarlett and Prissy didn't understand how them fathering a child granted them admission into the family especially considering the women had done all the work.

Scarlett knew Rhett loved her although he had never said he did. That first year of Bonnie's life they had finally became a couple. It wasn't easy on either one because neither one had ever really been part of a couple before. There was a lot of learning how to compromise that year. Scarlett didn't know how Rhett knew she no longer thought herself in love with Ashley but Rhett had known. She knew now that Rhett had truly been hopeful that first year of Bonnie's life that Scarlett loved him. It was part of the reason he was willing to compromise with Scarlett.

Prissy and Elijah had watched their daughter grow and Dilcey become more and more fond of her son-in law. Elijah had started training as a valet so that when Rhett took the family on trips, they only had to take Prissy and Elijah and their children with them. Unfortunately, when Rachel was a year old Prissy suffered a miscarriage. Scarlett would go sit and talk to Prissy frequently. When Rhett quizzed Scarlett about why she was spending so much time with Prissy she mumbled something about Prissy being her friend and walked off.

When Bonnie was one Rhett scraped, bowed and groveled in order to belong to polite society again. During that year of Bonnie's life, they became a team. That was the only way they could endure the slings and arrows from polite society. The week of Bonnie's second birthday Scarlett found out she was pregnant again. She had marveled at how different she felt that time than the three previous times. She guessed when one loved the father giving him a child wasn't that bad. When Scarlett told Rhett, she was pregnant she also told him she loved him. Scarlett didn't know which news made Rhett happier. She finally decided her loving him was what made him happier. He told her he loved her too.

Her pregnancy was easy and the birth not complicated and their son looked perfectly healthy but he wasn't. There was something wrong with his heart. It didn't sound right. When Dr. Meade had told them to not delay the baptism, they knew it was very bad news. Rhett had called Dr. Meade a quack and thrown him out of the house. He had sent for Dr. Harrison and the diagnosis was the same. With the diagnosis Scarlett had chosen to breast feed the child in order to spend more time with him. She wished she had done it with all of her children.

They had him baptized the next day and named him Rhett Kennesaw Butler, Jr. They were going to call him Kenny. That night Rhett hadn't physically run away in the face of great emotional distress. He had sat in the dining room and drunk whiskey until he had passed out. After Scarlett had given Kenny his two o'clock feeding, she had gone in search of Rhett. She found him lying on the floor of the dining room. She had gotten two pillows and a blanket. They had laid together on the dining room floor. When Rhett woke up, he told Scarlett, "I'm sorry. I will be the father Kenny needs from now on."

She had said, "You already are."

They had gone to Philadelphia and the doctors believed that he had a hole in his heart. If the child made it through his first year of life chances were he would be able to lead a normal life. On the train ride home Rhett would hardly put Kenny down or let anyone else hold him. Scarlett was glad she was breast feeding the child for it was just about the only time Rhett let her hold the child.

Sometimes during that first year of Kenny's life Scarlett felt she had two babies. Rhett would hardly ever leave Kenny. He even had Kenny's crib moved into their bedroom for Rhett didn't want Kenny to cry out and no one hear him. Rhett rarely got more than a few hours sleep at a time. Rhett did continue to show Bonnie and Scarlett love and attention but he had very little left to give to Wade and Ella. Scarlett found herself being more and more of a mother to them that year. They so desperately needed her that all she could do was give them time and attention. She was finally able to bond with her older children. Mammy gave all the children lots of love and comfort. Scarlett had once again had leadership forced upon her. Rhett was little to no help but Scarlett held everyone together that year. Just like she had the year after the war was over. Melly came over often to help with the children and counsel Scarlett. Scarlett did get comfort from Melly's words but Prissy was the one who's counsel helped her the most. Prissy's words were always so pure, simple and practical. She gave the kind of advice that Scarlett could easily understand.

When Kenny made it to his first birthday Rhett relaxed about his health. Dr. Harrison examined the child and had told them that Kenny would live a normal life from then on. Rhett told Scarlett, "That is hogwash. Our children will never lead a normal life. Our children will always lead extraordinary lives." Scarlett had smiled and thought, "My Rhett is back." Rhett returned to his customary life once again although he still spent more time with his children than was considered proper. One blessing from Kenny's illness was the matrons of polite society truly welcomed them back into their midst.

Prissy had another son when Kenny was eighteen months old. Scarlett and Rhett rejoiced and were happy for Prissy and Elijah. Even more so because their son Thomas was healthy.

In February of eighteen seventy-three Scarlett found out she was pregnant again Rhett was a bundle of nerves. He went to England on business and when he returned, he was a lot more relaxed. He was only gone a month. That was barely enough time to get to England and get back. Scarlett soon found out that Rhett had a procedure done while he was there and he could not father anymore children. Scarlett shook her head and said, "Don't you think, Rhett, that was something we should have decided? Afterall this affects us both."

Rhett had said, "No. I did what I thought was best and I always will."

Scarlett didn't speak to Rhett for a good month until Rhett finally admitted that he should have at the very least discussed it with her.

Before their third child was born, Melanie Wilkes passed away. All Scarlett could think was what a silly woman Melly had been to risk her life to have a child. It was Rhett's turn to step up and be the rock for Scarlett and the rest of the family to lean on. Between Prissy, Mammy and Rhett they forced her into complete bed rest for the last two and a half months of her pregnancy.

Ashley was an emotional cripple after Melly's death. Since Scarlett had been in her confinement, she had made Rhett take care of Ashley, plan the funeral and see to all of the things Scarlett would have taken care of. Scarlett was determined to attend the funeral and she did. Rhett didn't care what the matrons said. Scarlett wanted to be there and he was going to make sure she got what she wanted. He wasn't going to let anything more upset her.

The two months following the funeral Rhett took care of Ashley as best he could. He was doing everything in his power to make sure the rest of Scarlett's pregnancy was as calm as could be. Their third child was another girl born in November without any health problems. They named her Melanie Anne Butler. After the new year of eighteen seventy-four Mammy went home to live at Tara. Scarlett knew Mammy was soon going to be with her mother.

Scarlett and Rhett got another boy when Beau came to spend the night one night in January of eighteen seventy-four and never went home. Prissy had another boy in eighteen seventy-four. They named him Abraham. In April of eighteen seventy-four not only did Mammy pass away but so did Pork. Scarlett had them both buried in the O'Hara family plot. They were O'Haras after all. That was the last name they had chosen after they were freed. Prissy and Elijah were O'Haras also. Elijah wanted to be an O'Hara because to him it stood for strength and courage under adverse circumstances; like Miss Scarlett. Dilcey stayed at Tara and agreed to help Suellen in exchange for room and board. Scarlett would give Dilcey little gifts of money so she could buy her grandchildren little gifts.

In September eighteen seventy-four Ashley committed suicide and Rhett was named his guardian. All Rhett said was, "Another ward. I hope this one turns out as well as the last one. He became a doctor. He lives up North now."

When the tutor started teaching Ella and Bonnie Scarlett had Rachel attend also. The first tutor quit because they didn't want to teach any ….. Scarlett wasn't worried. She found a lovely lady to teach all three little girls who was also willing to teach them how to behave like proper little ladies. Scarlett never said anything when she would see Prissy in the nursery learning her letters and numbers. She had always known Prissy was smarter than she pretended to be.

Things calmed down some after Ashley passed away. Prissy was in charge of the household and Elijah was the butler/valet. There were several other maids but Prissy always helped Miss Scarlett get dressed when Mr. Rhett was not around to perform the task. Prissy always thought it was sweet the way Mr. Rhett took care of Miss Scarlett.

In eighteen eighty-one cholera epidemic in Charleston. Once again Rhett stepped up and was the rock for everyone to lean on. By the time Rhett found out his mother, his brother, his sister-in-law and their children were dead. Rosemary had survived but she was alone. Rhett took the first train to Charleston to take care of what needed to be taken care of in that city. When Rhett got back two weeks later, he had Rosemary with him but some awfully bad news for Scarlett. Both her Aunts and her sister had passed away also. Rhett said, "I have disposed of everyone's belongings and put all the homes up for sale."

All Scarlett said was, "Are they all buried?"

"Yes. Everyone but Careen. Your sister is on her way to Tara. She should arrive tomorrow. Who do you want to take with us?"

"Nobody knew her but me and Prissy. Just Prissy."

"We won't spend the night."

Rhett took care of everything. Elijah drove them down in the carriage. They left Rosemary in charge of the household. Scarlett never let go of Rhett. She was devastated. The sisters hugged each other but no words were spoken. Scarlett never cried but she was very morose for several weeks afterwards. She told Prissy one day, "She was my baby sister. I should have died before her."

Prissy said, "That's not the way it works." Prissy patted her hand and smiled sadly.

Scarlett welcomed Rosemary into the household and introduced her to polite society. Rosemary immediately fit in with those ladies which always made Rhett and Scarlett laugh. Rhett was sad about the death of his mother but as he told Scarlett he had already lost her many years ago.

Rosemary was married within the year to a very nice bookish man who was a widower with two girls. The girls were about to come out so soon Rosemary would have her hands full. Rosemary was not too old to have children but she didn't.

At that time Wade and Beau were gone to the University of Georgia. Scarlett was allowing Ella to go to evening events with Polite Society, Bonnie was pouting because her Daddy wouldn't let her go, Kenny was a healthy ten-year-old boy and Melanie was a healthy eight-year-old.

Prissy's daughter Rachel was learning everything the tutor could teach her, Thomas was equally inquisitive and their youngest son, Abraham was also wanting to learn. Scarlett was glad. She wanted Prissy's children to do well in life. Scarlett was sorry Dilcey had not lived to see how well her grandchildren were prospering. Dilcey had died only two years after Pork. Their son had died when he was five to typhoid fever.

As Scarlett sat there on the porch, she was glad all her children were married and educated. Wade was a farmer, he had taken over the running of Tara when Will had passed away five years ago, Beau was a doctor and lived in Atlanta, Kenny was helping Rhett run his financial empire, Ella, Bonnie and Melanie were all married with children. Prissy's children were doing alright also. Rachel was a teacher in Atlanta, Thomas a doctor up north, Boston she thought, and Abraham was studying up north to be a lawyer. After Will had passed away she had bought Suellen out of her share of Tara and Scarlett had sponsored Suellen's daughters in Atlanta Polite Society. All three girls had received decent offers and were married. Scarlett decided she was finally finished. She didn't have anyone else she had to take care of. Then she heard Rhett calling her and she thought except Rhett. She got up and went inside she wondered what it was he couldn't find now. Whatever it was she would find it immediately. She knew he did that just to get her attention. She laughed. After twenty-five years together she could read him like a book.

When she got to the parlor she said, "What do you need?"

"You, my love, always you."

They smiled at each other and they walked upstairs to her childhood bedroom.