PM's broke this week (again) so they are going here rather than me being annoyed trying to send them normally.

Kellin09 : Lol. He's welcome. My name was a solid hundred less popular than his at the time of my birth. It has always been glorious not sharing my name. Lol that was how I named Timothy and Patrick in the last fic (and basically all my side characters). Nicholas, however, is after St. Nicholas. He was always going to be special because he's a Christmas baby.

Ninigi: I think I forgot to mention, I did miss you. I got so used to seeing your name...And 2020 causes worry when people go missing. I have 28,000 words written so far with probably another 5,000 to write. So we are about halfway through...As for HEA...Lol. I think that is up to the reader to decide what they view that as. Maybe I will take a vote at the end.

AN: OMG the reviews again. Now I'm panicked that I'm going to destroy your interest. Thanks for reading and for SO many of you leaving reviews.

PS- I really want to comment back to so many of you, but then they would be spoilers.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Part Ten

Late January 1872

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"I don't care Rhett," she shook her head at her husband.

"Scarlett, we agreed that when we got engaged that you would continue to run the mills and the store."

"Yes, Rhett, when we agreed that I wouldn't be having any more children. I do believe you made that verbal contract null and void when you got me pregnant with Bonnie. You defaulted on that contract Rhett and now I'm the mother of four and not two."

"You can't seriously mean to hand off control of your business."

"To my husband who is more than capable of handling them, yes Rhett I can mean to do that."

"You're going to let them force you out of running your businesses." Scarlett was practically Melly's puppet when it came to dealing with the society, she had scorned years before. She was such a polite, well behaved wife now. The girl she had been in public at the Twelve Oakes BBQ, not the girl who smashed vases in private.

"Going against them is hardly worth it. Have you seen what you've done to redeem yourself?"

It shamed him what he'd thought of doing.

"Kennedy's and the mills are hardly as interesting as Nicky anyway."

"You want to give up your businesses to spend more time with your child?"

"Nonsense Rhett, I would have just taken him with me. Anyhow, they practically run themselves. If anything is truly too hard for you to handle, you can always come to me."

He resisted the urge to scowl at his wife.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"You'll begin to attend church with myself and the children."

She stared blankly at her husband for a moment, as he sat holding Nicholas as she took tea. She had simply been famished all the time since having Nicholas, never staying satisfied for long. She hadn't recalled caring for a baby to cause such havoc with her appetite. Then again, she hadn't cared for a baby this much since Ella, five years ago and brandy did always dampen her appetite.

The liquor had made her feel ill with this pregnancy and she hadn't felt any strong pull for longer than a second or two since having the baby. However, suddenly at her husband's words she wished for a different glass in her hand. "What?"

"Church, I expect you to start attending church with us," her husband repeated his words as if to a simpleton.

"I don't attend church."

"You didn't attend church when your mission was to be a social outcast. If you wish to redeem yourself and our children," he gave a look down at the baby in his arms, the only reason his wife had put any effort into her redemption, "in the eyes of Atlanta society, you will have to attend church."

"I'm Catholic," was all she could think so say.

"Then we will attend mass at the Catholic Church," he offered simply.

"I've heard they've been thinking about changing the name," she said as a means of distracting him.

"About time, Atlanta Catholic Church is certainly the least creative of the churches."

"If not for Father O'Reilly all those churches would have been lost," she haughtily informed her husband.

"I can't imagine they will name it after him," her husband said not dissuaded from his original topic, but he let her play a bit.

"Of course, not that would mean having to admit an Irishman did something good. Heaven forbid, we could overlook the crass brogues and spirited nature."

"I can support both the Episcopalian church and the Catholic church, hedge my bets," he smirked. "You offered no opinion on the matter three years ago, outside of there should be no religion in the lives of the children."

"I stand by that statement," she informed her husband.

"You can hardly make all the other concessions and not this one. I imagine a few hours a week at church is better than visiting with-"

"The majority of them?" Scarlett offered. Truly most of them weren't that bad anymore. She had recalled them being stifling, then again she had also remembered craving excitement…That had certainly worn away after nearly four years of marriage to Rhett, two more pregnancies, and two more babies.

"I will inquire after the Catholic mass times," he notified her.

"I don't want to go to church, Rhett," she heard the sound of her own voice and inwardly winced realizing that she sounded like a whiny school girl.

"My dear, I don't give a damn. Our children are a part of this town, I will not allow you to make their lives any harder than you already have. Ella is already five, a decade may not be enough time to erase the damage you've done to our family name. We may need to relocate in order for her to marry."

"Oh, you're a fine one to talk about upholding the family name," she gave him a scornful look.

"Exactly Scarlett. If we eliminate both Charleston and Atlanta, her only chance will be Savannah and the mercantile class."

"I've heard you can still buy husbands in England," she tried to charm her husband with a smile and bat of her lashes. It had never worked as well on Rhett as on everyone else, but there was always a chance.

He was not swayed in the slightest, "We will not be buying Ella a husband. She's been overlooked enough as a child, I'll not have it done to her as a wife."

"Rhett," she decided to make her voice firm.

"Scarlett," her husband did it much better than her, "you may decide what church we attend, but we will be attending church."

She calmly picked up her teacup, doing her best to keep the glare out of her eyes. Her husband at least had the decency not to smirk over winning the battle.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

February 1872

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

He felt oddly bereft as he boarded the train while carrying Bonnie. He had business to take care of in Charleston that he couldn't handle through letters and telegraphs any longer. He had started to develop a life there during those three months. He'd almost anticipated their future being there.

It wasn't though.

Their future was in Atlanta just as their past had been.

He thought of Scarlett in the parlor, Nicky in one arm, a book in one hand, Ella sitting beside her turning the pages when needed, Wade on the floor rolling a ball to his dog.

He wanted to be there with Bonnie on his lap.

Normally there was relief in his escapes from Atlanta. Only now it felt as if he'd left a piece of himself behind and the rest of him was screaming at him to return for it.

Scarlett would never ask him to stay, oh she hated him taking Bonnie, but his wife adored him making money.

They would bring gifts like they always did, small tokens to remind the children that he had not forgotten about them. He imagined he would buy Scarlett jewelry on this trip after all she had just given him another child.

He wondered if instead, he should buy her fabric or lace, Parisian of course. She would be having new dresses made for spring and as it was there was already a constant effort being made to take in the dresses she'd worn while she was expecting. He hadn't seen any of her old gowns make a reappearance yet, which made him worry that she would not be able to return to them even with the seams let out for some time. Possibly ever.

Considering Scarlett just had Nicholas it seemed the only fair thing to do would be to return with bolts of fabric, exquisite lace and jewelry in case his wife had a meltdown over having to have clothing made with new measurements.

Thanks for reading!