Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

Author's Notes: fromageblanc and Moon FireStar I will write an alternate ending to this story. It will be with my short stories. This chapter is inspired by your comments though.

Thank you for your reviews. I read each and every one of them. Every single one thrills me.

Chapter Forty-One It's a Wonderful Life

Melly sat at the supper table and secretly looked at Rhett. She had never really notice how incredibly male he was. He was not like Ashley at all in looks or body build. Ashley had always been a slight man. He had been well formed but not like Rhett. She had known Ashely all her life. He was a skinny boy who turned into a slim man. She had never appraised his body. He had always just been Ashley. She had always thought Scarlett controlled the room but so did Rhett. Until Scarlett had become confined to her bed Melanie had rarely been alone with Rhett. She decided that Rhett was just too masculine. All that masculinity frightened her. Even when he was bent over Bonnie's plate helping her cut up her food, he radiated too much masculine power.

Melly smiled when she remembered the fight Rhett and Scarlett had over Bonnie sitting in her own chair at the table. She had not known what they were fighting about when she had walked in the dining room. Scarlett had said, "We will let Melly decide." Melly had not like that statement at all. She hated being in the middle of their arguments nonetheless they both kept dragging her into them. Like she was an oracle or something.

Scarlett asked her, "When did Beau start sitting in his own chair at the dining room table?"

Melly had said, "You know it was when he was two."

"And Wade?"

"At two."

Rhett had said, "You win." He had walked out of the room.

The only reason that Rhett was making Bonnie sit in her chair right now was because Scarlett would tear into Rhett when she was up and about again if Rhett gave into Bonnie's demands. Melanie still could not believe the way Scarlett talked to Rhett. How she argued with Rhett. Melanie had never argued or talked to anyone like that in her entire life much less her husband. Rhett didn't get mad at Scarlett for speaking to him the way she did. In fact, Melanie thought he enjoyed her way of talking.

After supper Melly herded all the children upstairs to take baths. Rhett had said, "I have to wire my London attorney about some issues. I will be back as soon as I can."

Rhett had not gotten back before the children had gone to bed. Melly had sat with Scarlett while waiting for Rhett to return. When Rhett returned, he thanked Melly and she had left the room. Scarlett looks so swollen and in pain. She had looked tired also.

Melly knelt in prayer and prayed that Scarlett survived. She didn't know what she would do if she lost Scarlett also. Melly sighed and thought, 'I would have to marry Rhett. Scarlett was right. I would have to marry Rhett for the sake of the children and because I have no other way to support myself. Oh Lord don't let Scarlett die."

Melly read for a couple of hours then turned out the gas light and went to sleep.

Melly had a nightmare that night. That was the only way to describe it. She dreamed that Scarlett died but the baby survived. It was a baby boy.

It had fallen to Melanie to do everything. Rhett was a basket case. He would not leave Scarlett side. He didn't want to look at the baby. Elizabeth had come from Charleston. She had gotten Rhett to say alright to the funeral plans.

After the funeral Rhett had said to her, "We have to get married. I promised Scarlett I would marry you."

She had replied, "I promised Scarlett I would marry you."

"We will wait a year then marry. My mother will have to stay for the next year to chaperone us."

"Alright."

"It will be a marriage in name only because of your condition. I will not lose another wife because I got her pregnant."

The day after the funeral Rhett went out and bought a box of cigars.

Melly's nightmare went on. They were married. It was what they had to do to still be received in polite society. Rhett would never say no to Bonnie or his son. Rhett was kind to her but it was the kindness of a stranger. A stranger who didn't care about anything.

When Melly tried to talk to him about not giving the children everything they asked for he would always say, "I killed their mother. What else can I do?"

Melly knew that Rhett was slowly killing himself. He had given up the will to live.

When Melly would talk to Rhett about not drinking or smoking so much he would smile at Melly and say, "Never fear, you will be a rich widow."

He never went out at night he just sat in what had once been his and Scarlett's room and drank until he passed out.

They heard from Careen. Gerald's mind had broken again. They didn't have much hope that he would ever return. Mammy had lost the will to live and had returned to Tara. She had soon died.

Melanie held everything together as best as she could. Wade withdrew into himself. Bonnie became a very demanding rebellious child and Rhett gave her everything she wanted. His son was equally spoilt. When Melly tried to talk to Rhett about the harm he was doing his children he would say, "Thank you for your input Melly. I will take it under advisement."

Before his son was five Rhett had died from cancer of the lungs. He had loved his children but his pain at his loss of Scarlett was too much to bear. Melanie was a widow again. She had four children to raise. She had lots of money and fortunately Uncle Henry's help. Bonnie and the boy never became well behaved children. Wade never returned to being that happy boy he had been while his mother was alive. Beau was always fearful that something would happen to Melanie.

Melly woke up in the middle of the night screaming. She calmed herself down but she had to make sure Scarlett was still alive. The dream had been too real. She snuck into Scarlett and Rhett's room. She looked at Scarlett in sleep. She looked so ineffectual and weak in sleep but she was so powerful when she was awake. Melanie smiled as she saw that Rhett had Scarlett all wrapped up in his arms. Almost like he was trying to give her his strength. She hoped so. It would not be a wonderful life if Scarlett wasn't in it.

After the nightmare Melanie became a prayer warrior. Scarlett could not die on them. Scarlett was probably the only person on the earth who could keep Rhett in line. Melanie knew that she couldn't. Besides it was just unnerving being around all that masculine power.

Rhett woke up and wondered who had been in their room. No one would enter their room without permission. Rhett quickly when back to sleep. He dreamed every night of Scarlett and him holding their son. Of them living until they were old and gray. He did not know what he would do if Scarlett died. His first thought was he would run away but there was no were to run. Anywhere he went Scarlett would still be dead. Rhett fell back into a troubled sleep.

When he was married to Emma, he knew Scarlett was alive and happy but if she died because of being pregnant it would be his fault. He should have talked her out of getting this baby back. He smiled in his mind. It was always difficult to talk Scarlett out of anything once she had her mind made up. No, he would not have been able to talk her out of having this baby. This was the only baby she had ever wanted. His dream was not pleasant. It was not a dream it was a nightmare.

He dreamed of Scarlett dying while the doctor was cutting their son out of her womb. The doctor saved his son but not his wife. As the doctor put the boy in his arms his love for the boy was fierce. He had wanted to hate the boy but he recalled Scarlett's words, 'It isn't the baby's fault so it has to be your fault.' Scarlett hadn't wanted another child in the first timeline but he had forced himself on her. Yet when she had found out she was pregnant she had been happy. Yes, she had been happy until he had ruined it. Yes, it had been his fault.

He would marry Melanie Wilkes and raise their children together. He dreamed that after Scarlett had died, he had gotten lost in the bottle again. His mother had brought him back by reminding him that Scarlett's children still needed him. Melanie and his mother had planned the funeral. He had barely been able to make it through the service.

After the funeral he got sober and stayed sober. He owed it to Scarlett's children that they have as happy lives as they could possibly have. His mother stayed for a year. He and Melanie were married a year and a week after Scarlett had died. He was not a good father. He tried not to be over indulgent but he knew he was. He did support Melanie in all her decisions. He never argued with her about raising the children. She was a good mother.

He became a shell of the man he had once been. He didn't smoke or drink because Scarlett's children needed him. Neither Bonnie nor Alex died.

After Bonnie was married and Wade, Beau and Alex were on their own Rhett went back to smoking and drinking excessively. He was kind to Melly but it was the kindness of a brother. They had a pleasant marriage but it was what it was a marriage of convenience. He no longer wanted to live a long life. It was not a wonderful life if Scarlett wasn't alive. He just hoped he could find Scarlett on the other side.

Rhett woke with a start and relaxed when he heard Scarlett breathing beside him. He pulled her to him and held her too tight like he thought that by sheer will he could keep her from dying.

Scarlett's slumber had been disturbed that night. She had felt Rhett jerk but she had not woken up completely. She was safe because Rhett was holding her close. Maybe a little too tight but that was alright. Rhett would take care of everything he always did.

She dreamed an incredible dream but a scary dream. She dreamed she had died but she went to a magnificent place. She felt so good. She felt so loved. She felt more loved than she had ever felt before. There was no pain. She was cherished and adored just like she had always wanted to be.

She walked up to these beautiful gates that were gold. They were gleaning. There was a man there who said his name was Peter. He was a very nice man. He let her in the gates that had pearls all over them. There were houses of gold and silver. The roads were paved and had jewels in them.

She saw a woman who looked like her mother. Scarlett had waved but the woman walked away. She saw Ashley and waved. Ashley came over and said, "You must go back. It is not your time. Your family needs you."

She didn't want to but she had to leave this place. She had to return to Rhett and Melly.

Melly was emotionally strong but she would not stand up to Rhett. She would not stop Rhett from being over indulgent.

Rhett was not strong enough to survive and flourish without her. Rhett was strong physically but he was weak emotionally.

Scarlett was emotionally strong. She had to live. She would survive for Rhett's sake, for Melly's sake, and for her children's sake. That was the only way they could have a wonderful life is if she survived.

Wade heard a door shut. He wondered, 'Did that have anything to do with Mama?' Wade knew his mother was very sick. The adults were treating him like a child. Like he couldn't see how bad his mother looked. Admittedly he was only ten years old but he was not stupid. His mother was very sick. He had overheard Mammy and Aunt Melly talking and he knew her being sick was because she was pregnant. That was Papa's fault. He didn't know why it was Papa's fault but he knew that it was. He drifted off into a troubled sleep.

He had a nightmare that his mother had died. She had died trying to give birth to another baby. The baby had lived. He would hate that baby for the rest of his life. He dreamed that Papa became very sad. Papa was no longer fun. He was kind and nice but no longer laughed and teased. He dreamed that Aunt Melly took care of him, Beau, Bonnie and the baby but she got really sad like she did after Uncle Ashley had died.

Wade woke up screaming. Beau shook him awake. Beau asked if he was alright and Wade assured him that he was. Beau went back to his bed. Wade got up and went and got in the bed with his mother. He was awake for the rest of the night praying that his mother didn't die. Wade knew it would not be a wonderful life if his mother didn't live.

After Wade left the room Beau got up and went and got in the bed with his mother. Beau knew he was too old to sleep with his mother but if Wade was doing it so could he. Beau was worried about Aunt Scarlett but he was even more worried about his mother. His mother had never been a healthy woman. So, every night after he heard Wade leave the room he got up and got in the bed with his mother. He knew it would not be a wonderful life if something happened to his mother.

Bonnie dreamed of chocolate cake and ice cream. She dreamed of a new doll with black hair and blue eyes like her or red hair and green eyes like Ella. She dreamed she got a new doll with black hair and green eyes like Mama. She dreamed about what she might get for Christmas. She dreamed of her getting a pony but she knew she would not get a pony. Mama was being a meanie and had said, 'No.' and Papa never disobeyed Mama. She dreamed that Ella would live with them all the time. She dreamed of her new brother who would be fun to play with like Gerry not like Wade and Beau. Her brother and her cousin never played with her. Nonetheless it was a wonderful life.