Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

Author's Notes: I am thankful for every review. I always appreciate someone taking the time to give me encouragement.

This is going to be a crucial moment for Rhett.

In the book Scarlett never got a chance to be a mother to Bonnie. Rhett monopolized her from the very beginning then after Scarlett kicked him out of her bed Bonnie became a pawn in their war. With their relationship changing, Rhett is providing her with safe time with Bonnie. Scarlett is enjoying being a mother to Bonnie and getting comfortable with being a mother to Bonnie.

Chapter Seventeen

That night after supper and Wade and Ella were put to bed, Rhett felt so restless. He wanted to go and have a drink at Belle's or any other saloon in Atlanta. All he knew is that he had to escape. He had to get away from Scarlett. In his mind all he heard was run. He had promised himself he would never run away from Scarlett again. He had to remind himself that it would just make things worse. He had to make himself trust her. Trust that she wasn't going to hurt him. He was so distraught by his thoughts that he couldn't even settle himself down enough to listen to Scarlett's thoughts. He didn't need to hear her thoughts to know what she was thinking. Her expressive face told him everything he needed to know. She knew he wanted to run away from her. She didn't know why because they had such a good day together. If this had been him three months ago, he would have started a fight with her to justify his leaving her but he wasn't going to do that. She was managing to keep her face neutral even though he knew she was hurting. She was feeling rejected. She was sitting on the floor of their bedroom playing with Bonnie and she was keeping the smile on her face for the child's sake. Rhett had been so distressed he had not even been able to sit down.

Rhett said, "I am going to get a whiskey. Do you want a brandy?"

Scarlett nodded her head and quickly turned back to the child. She was still trying to get Bonnie to sit up. Rhett stood there and stared at the two of them. No matter what he was not leaving tonight or any other night. If he left tonight, he would without a doubt break the last little bit of trust she had in him. He went downstairs to the dining room and poured himself a whiskey. He drank it in one gulp. He poured himself another and he poured his wife a brandy. He went upstairs and entered the bedroom. She looked a little shocked to see him but she quickly covered it up with a bright smile. Too bright. He could see the tears in her eyes. He sat down behind her with his legs on either side of her legs and handed her the brandy. He then pulled her to himself and loosely held her. She put Bonnie on her tummy and leaned back against him. Bonnie began to struggle with sitting herself up, she pushed, she pulled and finally got herself up into a sitting position much to the delight of her parents. She had such a proud look on her face. Scarlett had felt Rhett tense up and knew he had been struggling with not helping Bonnie.

Rhett thought, 'I would have missed this if I had run away.'

Scarlett thought, 'I'm glad Rhett didn't leave. I'm glad we saw it together.'

Rhett said, "She did it. That is amazing."

Scarlett replied, "Yes. By herself. That will be the first of many struggles we will have to sit back and watch her struggle through."

"I may need you to stop me from helping. I wanted to help just now."

"But you didn't. Good job."

Bonnie fell over but her mother caught her and laid her back on her tummy. She proceeded to go through the whole routine again to get herself back in a seated position. She fell over again and decided just to play with her toys. Rhett held his wife close as they watched their daughter play. Rhett started talking about the gins and what they needed to do to get ready for next growing season.

Scarlett said, "Do you think there is any way we could get the gin operational before the end of the season?

Rhett said, "How long does it take to pick the cotton?"

"Two or three months"

"Then most likely no. We have already lost a month. It will all depend on how quickly we get the parts in and how quickly Mr. Hughes can fix the gin. Maybe we will be able to run a wagon load or two through the gin to test it out."

Rhett pulled her closer and she laid back against him. He heard her thought, 'I thought Rhett was going to leave tonight and go back to Belle's. I'm glad he didn't. If he had left tonight, I would have known everything he has said in the last three months was a lie. I wonder why he didn't leave.'

Rhett thought, 'Because I wouldn't break the last of your trust in me.'

Soon the nursemaid came to get Bonnie and give her the last feeding of the day. She was going to nurse her and also give her some oatmeal to help her sleep through the night. After the nursemaid had left Rhett said, "Would you like another brandy? I am going to get another whiskey."

"Yes, please. Would you undo my corset first?"

"Certainly. You know you don't need a corset. You are incredibly tiny as it is."

"Thank you, Rhett" By this time he had her corset loosen and kissed her on the back of the neck.

"I'll be right back." She smiled and took off her clothes. She then put on her nightgown. She knew this was one of Rhett's favorites.

When he got back, she was sitting in the bed reading a magazine. He handed her the brandy and put the whiskey down on his side of the bed. He got undressed but left his underwear on. That was all he wore in the summer. It made Scarlett smile and think carnal thoughts when she looked at him. She was happy with her relationship with Rhett. He was being honeymoon Rhett. The man she loved. NO! She didn't love him. NO! She couldn't love him. NO! That would give him too much power. NO! NO! NO!

Rhett smiled and was glad he wasn't looking at her when she was thinking all that. He had to stop himself from turning and looking at her. He decided the time was now for him to trust her. He wanted her to trust him therefore he had to give her trust. He was going to tell her he loved her before she convinced herself she didn't love him.

He said, "Scarlett, I know I was acting unusual tonight. I know I was acting like I wanted to leave the house and leave you. I did want to leave but it wasn't you I wanted to leave. It was not being in control of a situation. I love you and that makes me vulnerable. I don't like feeling vulnerable. I am afraid of you hurting me. I am afraid of you using my feelings against me. People have used my feelings against me before.

Scarlett thought, 'Is he lying? Is this a joke? NO! I won't tell him. He will use my feelings against me. This is a trick.'

Rhett thought, "It is sad that we are both so afraid of the other taking advantage of us that neither one of us can trust the other. I have always said we are exactly alike. I guess we are.' She just stared at him. He leaned forward and kissed her gently without any passion. It was an almost solemn kiss. "If you don't use my feelings against me, I won't use your feelings against you. Deal?"

"I haven't said I feel anything for you."

"You said you were fond of me."

"Yes. I am fond of you but that is it." Her thoughts were 'He can't know. Not yet. Maybe after he proves he loves me. He isn't going to trick me like that low-life Ashley Wilkes trick me.'

Rhett laughed when he heard her thought about him being like Mr. Wilkes. "It is a start. Tomorrow we will go to the lawyer's office and sign the paper to enact your trust. Can you go tomorrow morning around nine? Before you go to the store."

"Yes. Now let's go to sleep."

"No, my love, I just declared my love for you and now I am going to physically show you how much I love you."

She smiled and said, "Alright but only kissing because…."

"I know."

After they finished kissing, she snuggled down into his arms and thought, 'I love you, Rhett'

He smiled and said out loud, "I love you, Scarlett."

Rhett laid their holding Scarlett after she had fallen asleep. He felt proud he had not left. He felt proud he had shared his feelings with Scarlett. He felt pleased with her thoughts on his declaration of love. He was happy he could hear her thoughts because her words would have discouraged him. And most of all he was going to make damn sure his father's negative influence did not steal any more of his happiness.

The next day after breakfast they went to Mr. Rollins office and they did sign the papers enacting the trust. Rhett went home and she took the papers to Uncle Henry and he told her it was indeed her money and only her money. She went by the store and told them she wasn't going to be in today either. She had not known how frightened she had been of not having enough money. She had never taken two days off in a row before except when she was in her confinement. She also told Mr. Elsing that she wasn't going to be in on Saturday either. She went to the house but Rhett and the children had gone to the park. She went to look for them at the park. There they were. Rhett was sitting on a bench by himself. All the women at the park were giving him hateful looks. He looked so lonely at the moment. Where was her arrogant, cocky, aggravating, full of himself husband? She walked up behind him and put her hands over his eyes and said, "Guess who?"

Rhett had been lost in thought trying to figure out how to reach Scarlett. How to get her to trust him? When he felt her hands on his face and her voice his heart sang. He just had to keep being trustworthy. He said, "I hope it's my beautiful wife or I'm in big trouble with all these gossips around." They both laughed. She joined him on the bench seat. She sat a little too close for propriety but he wasn't going to object. They spent the rest of the day together and both people had a pleasant time.

That Saturday they signed the contract to buy the gin. Mr. Hughes ordered the parts that very day and had the bill sent to them at the mansion. The gin was in operation the first week of October and Scarlett let people know that they would gin a wagon load of cotton for free. They got about ten wagon loads and it was enough to ensure that the gin was operational. Scarlett and Rhett had made several day trips to Clayton County to look at their gin and discuss the operations with Mr. Hughes. They always had a good time on these trips.

Rhett was pleased that Scarlett was becoming more and more relaxed in his company. She was also displaying her love more by little touches, or little smiles, or deferring to him on a matter or best of all welcoming his kisses. He knew Scarlett loved him but she didn't trust him. Every time he told her he loved her she would smile and kiss him. Her thoughts were always the same, 'Please let it be true because I love him too.'

Rhett had analyzed his relationship with Scarlett since they had met at Twelve Oaks. He had decided that there were two situations when he felt like running away from Scarlett. When he was angry and frustrated with her and when he was happy and felt his love for her strongly. Either situation his desire was to run away but his response from now forward must be to not run away. No matter what!

Scarlett and Rosemary had formed a friendship when they were in Charleston and were now corresponding. Rosemary wrote of her suitors. She had discouraged Brad Armstrong from calling after his third visit. He was just too much of a braggart for her to tolerate. She was fond of both Scott Jennings and George Taylor. She was fonder of Scott than of George but she could make a good match with George. She was enjoying having two men wanting to court her. Her father had never let anyone court her because he was going to choose her husband for her.

After reading the letter Scarlett thought that was sad. She thought about how idyllic her childhood had been and was very sure the Butler household had not been nearly as pleasant. Maybe Rhett had reasons for being like he was.

Rhett still like to listen to Scarlett's thoughts. At times he needed to tune out her thoughts so he could think himself. Her thoughts were pretty pedestrian. She mainly thought about him, her businesses, her children, Melly, the Peahens, Tara and on rare occasions 'that lying insipid Ashley Wilkes' in that order. It made him happy that she thought about him more than her businesses.