Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

Author's Notes: Thank you for the reviews. My story is almost over. All that is left is this chapter and two epilogs.

Chapter Twenty-Two

During the month of August, they went to Clayton County. Elijah drove the couple, their children and Prissy to Tara every day in the month of August. Scarlett was not going to spend the night with Rhett Butler at Tara. The walls were just too thin especially considering her bedroom shared a wall with the master bedroom. Elijah then drove them to see how the operation of their gin was going. Scarlett wanted to know about every part of operating a gin. At the end of the month Rhett told the manager, "Mr. Hughes, we will only be down weekly from now until the end of the season." Scarlett was not happy but she didn't argue with Rhett until they got in the carriage. He let her rant and rave at him and when she was finally quiet, he said, "Mr. Hughes is doing a fine job. You are driving him crazy. He doesn't need you second guessing every one of his decisions especially not in front of his crew. If when we come next Saturday everything is not running smoothly then we will discuss coming more often."

She didn't speak until they were almost at Tara. Her thoughts were coming through loud and clear but they were exactly as he expected. She wasn't disagreeing with his decision she was mad because she hadn't gotten to make the decision. Eighteen months ago, he would have mocked her and got her even more riled up but now he knew that he needed to soothe her. He loved seeing that fire in her eyes but he had learned there was a time and a place for that and now was not the time or the place. Unless…. No, they didn't have time to stop and get romantic. They had to get the children and Prissy and go back to Atlanta. Instead he pulled her to him and stroked her arms and said, "I know that my high-handedness is one of the things you really love to hate."

"What?"

"My love, I am always going to be high-handed when you aren't willing to listen to reason."

"I would have listened to reason. You didn't even try."

"What do you call … 'I don't think we need to go to the gin today. Mr. Hughes is doing a fine job.' Or 'Let's just spend the day at Tara and watch them pick cotton."

"Stupid, idiotic comments."

"My love, you wound me with your words. Kiss me and make the pain go away."

"No."

"Please"

She giggled and said, "No."

"We are almost at Tara. If you don't kiss me now, I will be in pain until we get back to Atlanta."

She laughed and leaned back and kissed him. She continued kissing him until they stopped at Tara. As she got out of the carriage she was thinking, 'Silly man.' Exactly what Rhett wanted her to be thinking.

They did return to the gin weekly but they never stayed very long. Just long enough to check the books and look everything over. They would have a picnic then return to Atlanta. They didn't take the children with them and Rhett drove them to the gin in the buggy. There was time to get romantic if they desired it and they often desired it. It was time for them to be alone together.

The gin made a profit the first year and would probably make more money in the future as more and more people harvested more cotton. Scarlett was happy with the purchase of the gin. At the end of November when the season was over Scarlett was glad. She could now concentrate on Christmas and birthdays. In the midst of the cotton harvesting season Scarlett took a week off to host Ella's birthday party in October which was well attended. And another week off so she could give a small supper party to celebrate Rhett's birthday in November. His mother came over for the event and stayed until the first of January. She couldn't stay for Wade and Bonnie's birthday parties for she had work to attend to for the St Cecilia Society Ball at the end of January. Elizabeth Butler invited them to come visit so they could attend the ball but even Scarlett knew that was an empty invitation.

They had a lovely Christmas. Wade and Bonnie's parties were well attended. The Butlers were now completely welcomed into polite society.

In March when Melanie had told Scarlett of her plans to throw Ashley a surprise party for his birthday Scarlett had informed her that she and Rhett were going to Paris in April. After she left Melanie's home, she immediately went to see Rhett at the bank to inform him of their travel plans and why they had to go in April. Rhett made the plans accordingly. They left April 10th to spend a week with his mother before sailing to Paris. They had already been planning on going they just hadn't determined when they were going. Neither one wanted to be in Atlanta for that rat bastard Ashley Wilkes' birthday party. Rhett had heard Scarlett refer to Wilkes so many times in her mind with the adjective that Rhett now thought of Wilkes the same way.

Therefore, in April of eighteen seventy-one Scarlett and Rhett went to Paris. They brought almost the entire household with them. They brought Wade, Ella, Bonnie, Prissy and Elijah, Prissy's husband. Rhett had even brought Wade's tutor. Rhett had left Pork in charge of the household while he was gone. Mammy had gone to Tara to spend time with Suellen even though Mammy often fussed about what a sour puss Suellen was.

Their first night in Paris was May the 10th and Rhett and Scarlett had been to supper. They then were walking back to the hotel when they passed the Arc de Triomphe at the end of Champs-Elysée. Rhett was explaining what the Arc de Triomphe stood for. He told her that it was built in eighteen oh six to celebrate Napoleon's victory in Austerlitz. When she was looking at him with a blank stare, he said, "You know who Napoleon was don't you?" She leaned forward and kissed him and said, "I love you, Rhett Butler." She didn't know why she had not said it before now. She had known she could trust Rhett. She had known Rhett loved her. She had known that mean and cruel Rhett was not coming back. She just hadn't been able to make herself say it out loud. Rhett was then the one with a blank look on his face. Scarlett said, "You know what love is don't you?" Rhett just nodded his head. He had wanted this for so long that he could almost not believe it was real. He then shook his head and lifted her up and swung her around. He said, "I love you, too."

They had the time of their lives. He bought her clothes, negligees and a new green hat. He bought himself clothes. He bought all the children clothes. He even bought all the servants some new clothes. Rhett and Scarlett had gone to an exhibit of a new art movement. They both were impressed by the paintings. As yet the movement did not have a name but it would become known as Impressionism. Rhett and Scarlett had both liked the style of the paintings. They bought more than they should have but it all worked out for in twenty years the paintings were priceless. It was like their honeymoon but better because they knew they loved each other.

On their last night in Paris Scarlett and Rhett were having supper alone. When the meal was over the waiter had suggested they have Absinthe as an after-dinner drink. Rhett said, "Yes. We will both have one." Scarlett had said, "None for me."

After the waiter walked off Rhett said, "You should try it. It has a unique taste. Absinthe is a very strong alcohol. It is said to have a hallucinogenic affect."

"What does hallucinogenic mean?"

"It means something that causes you to see things that aren't there."

"No. I don't want any of that."

"Alright."

When the waiter placed the drink in front of him, Rhett remembered the last time, he had drunk Absinthe. It was at Belle's the night before he gained his ability to hear his wife's thoughts. Had the Absinthe given him the ability to hear women's thoughts? If it had, what would happen if he drank more of it? Would he lose his ability? Would he start hearing men's thoughts? Would he hear every thought by all women? Most important, would he lose his ability to hear his wife's thoughts? He had an advantage in hearing women's thoughts especially Scarlett's and the girls. No, he could not take the chance of losing this ability. No, he didn't want to change anything. He had learned to tune out all the other females' thoughts but his wife's and daughters'. He was kind of used to it by now.

Rhett called the waiter over and told him that he had changed his mind and to take the Absinthe away. The waiter needed to bring him a cognac.

"Why aren't you drinking tonight, my love?"

"I don't think it is good for the baby."

Rhett played along although he already knew she thought she was pregnant. He had enjoyed listening to her happy thoughts about them having another child. It made his heart sing. He said, "What baby?"

"The one we're going to have in December." And Scarlett smiled and laughed.

"How do you feel about it?

"When I wasn't mad that I was pregnant is when I knew I truly loved you. It will probably happen again because I will never sleep without you by my side." Rhett smiled at her and told her again how much he loved her. She responded in kind.

He was glad he had acquired his talent because without it he would never have come close to understanding Scarlett O'Hara Butler. He knew he had become a better person by hearing all those truths about himself but more importantly he had become a better husband by finally understanding his wife's wants and needs. He had thought he knew her so well but the truth was he had known nothing about her. He needed to remember that no matter how proud and arrogant she might act on the outside she was always a little bit scared and insecure just like him. That she would never get over her need for money because of her fear of the unknown. That to go straight at her was always the wrong choice because her pride would kick in. To make her mad was the wrong thing to do because then she would stubbornly defend her position even if she thought she was wrong. Instead the way to either change her mind or get her to admit she was wrong was to playfully tease her and make her laugh. To get her to see the silliness of her idea or thought.

When they got back from Paris at the end of June and they had gone to get Mammy. Mammy had told Scarlett that she wanted to stay at Tara with Suellen. Mammy said, "You have Mr. Rhett to look after you. I need to stay here and take care of Miss Suellen. She needs my help."

Scarlett had said, "I am going to miss you but I think you are right. It is Suellen's turn to get your special brand of pampering and loving. I will come see you when Rhett brings me down to check on the gin."

Scarlett knew that in truth Mammy was ready to leave this world and go be with her Miss Ellen. As much as Mammy loved her and her sisters, she had always loved their mother a lot more. Mammy passed away within three months in September of eighteen seventy-one. They buried her in a new blue dress and the red petticoat that Rhett had given her all those years ago. They buried her next to Ellen O'Hara. Careen had come from Charleston and a priest had come from Atlanta. Rhett had been very concerned about Scarlett's health since she was six months pregnant. He was grateful he could hear her thoughts so he could monitor any physical pain she might have. He didn't want them to lose the baby. The sisters hadn't told anyone in the county of their great loss so there were no other mourners and therefore no food was served after the burial. They had left the children in Atlanta with Melanie and Prissy. As soon as the service was over Rhett got Scarlett, the priest and Careen in the carriage and back to Atlanta. Rhett made Scarlett lay down while he got Careen on the train to Charleston. They had asked Careen to stay for a week or two but she was in a hurry to get back to the convent. Scarlett decided that being a nun was perfect for Careen.

When Rhett got back from the train station, he found his wife asleep with all her children surrounding her. Rhett smiled and marveled at the wonderful change that had happened to his wife in the last two and a half years. Lovely as the picture was, he was not sleeping with all those children so he carried every one of them back to their appropriate bed. Scarlett would talk about Mammy off and on through the months of her confinement. Rhett could monitor her thoughts and knew she wasn't dwelling on Mammy's death. Scarlett was remembering all the good times she had with Mammy

One day when Prissy was in the room Scarlett had said to Rhett, "I wonder who is going to deliver my baby."

Prissy had said, "I will Miss Scarlett I know all about birthing babies."

Rhett didn't know why the two women thought that was so funny. Finally, Prissy sobered and said, "Mama will do it." And left the room.

Rhett had given Scarlett a questioning look and she had said, "Long story." Rhett could not discern anything from Scarlett's thoughts because they were more pictures than thoughts which had never happen with her before. Rhett later learned that Scarlett's older memories came in pictures. In the two and half years he had his talent that had been the first she had been remembering something in her past.