Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews.

Chapter Eighty

Wade's birthday party was awful as far as Scarlett was concerned. All through Wade's party he kept telling everyone that he was grown now that he was eighteen. Rhett wanted Wade to stop saying it. Scarlett's smile got tighter and tighter each time he said it but neither parent told him to hush. They just couldn't rain on his parade. Rhett smiled to himself because the Scarlett of their first marriage would have been annoyed at Wade for saying his age over and over again because it would have made her feel old. She was unhappy because her oldest baby was full grown now. Rhett smiled and thought, 'Well, maybe she is still a little annoyed at him for stating his age over and over again. I sure she doesn't want to be reminded of her age. She is still a vain woman.'

When they got into bed, Rhett asked her to talk about it. She at first pretended that there wasn't anything to talk about but Rhett badgered her into talking about Wade. As she started talking, she started crying until all she was doing was crying. She cried herself to sleep. Rhett just held her tight.

After Scarlett had gone to sleep, Rhett thought about Wade's life. He had been there for most of it. He remembered the first time he had seen Wade. He had been six months old. Scarlett had just finished her deep mourning and the household could receive guest. He flashed through all the highlights of Wade's life. Yes, he had been there for all of them. All of them but his conception and his birth. That was alright. Wade was his son in all but biology. He couldn't believe Wade would be going to school next September either. It would be a hard time for both of them.

The day after his birthday party Rhett asked Wade into his office. Rhett asked Wade, "Do you want to remain a Hamilton or change your name to Butler?"

Wade said, "I love you Papa. You are the only father I have ever known. When someone asks me about my father, you are who I talk about. All I know about Charles Hamilton I learned second hand but nonetheless his blood runs through my veins. I am a Hamilton who was raised by a Butler. So, I will stay a Hamilton. It would kill Uncle Henry and Aunt Melly for me to change my last name.

"Yes, it would. Don't forget that you have O'Hara blood running through your veins also."

"How could I ever forget that?" With that Wade gave Rhett a big smile and got up to leave.

Rhett was smiling too. He thought, 'Truly, how could anyone forget Scarlett O'Hara. He never could.'

Wade graduated as the valedictorian and he was admitted to Harvard based on that. He didn't have to take an entrance exam. It was a bitter-sweet moment for Scarlett. She was so proud of Wade but she was sad that her eldest son was leaving the nest. She was pleased to see how proud Rhett was of Wade but sad that Charlie would never feel that pride. Of course, if Charlie had lived, she wouldn't have been married to Rhett so it was just as well.

That year Elizabeth had written Rhett and asked if she could come in June and July instead of July and August. Rhett agreed. He didn't care when his mother came to visit just as long as she came.

In July of eighteen-eighty Scarlett and Rhett were at Grand Central Depot. They were there on that day so long ago that their lives had changed. They were holding hands. They weren't going to let go of each other.

They had wanted to see Emma and Nick without them knowing it. They really wanted to talk to them but they were afraid that the fates would restore them to their previous lives.

They saw the pair walking down the passage way. It was obvious that they were a couple very much in love.

Scarlett said, "Look at them Rhett. They are so happy even after all these years."

"So much happier than they were with us."

"We did good."

"Let's move. They might see us." Rhett and Scarlett stepped farther away from the passage way.

After Nick and Emma had walked by Rhett said, "We didn't need to worry they only have eyes for each other."

"Melly said that Emma had written how happy they were but I wanted to see it for myself. Oh, Rhett. That makes me so happy."

"Me too, my love. Now come on let's enjoy our time in New York."

"I'm not going to all those museums."

Rhett smiled and said, "Can I talk you into an opera?"

"Yes, I have a new parure to wear."

"Let's get back to the hotel. Everyone will be waiting on us to go to supper."

Rhett smiled down at his wife. He knew she would go to the museums with him but she wanted him to know she was doing it under duress. He would take her shopping and buy her something vulgar and tasteless and then she would be happy. Their marriage had been one bargain after another and he wouldn't want it any other way. As they walked out of the Grand Central Depot, he again thanked whatever had brought them back together again. Their hands were still tightly clasped.

Elizabeth Butler died in August of eighteen eighty shortly after she had returned home from her visit with Rhett and his family. She died from a stroke and she was dead before the doctor could get to her home. She had no symptoms or any discomfort in the months before hand. Rhett was very glad she had not suffered. He was very glad for their years together. He wondered at the fact that she had decided to visit in June and July instead of her normal time of July and August. He wondered at the fact she had wanted to spend his birthday with him last November. Rhett wondered if she had been experiencing symptoms but had not told anyone. As she had gotten on the train to go back to Charleston, she had hugged him tightly and she had told him how proud she was of him. In retrospect, Rhett knew that she knew that she was dying and that she would probably never see him again.

Rhett went to the funeral by himself. He told Scarlett it was too long a trip just for a funeral. She was busy getting Wade ready for his first year at Harvard. He reminded her that she swore she would never return to the south. Besides if just the two of them went then Ella, Bonnie and Alex would get upset when neither one of them was there to tuck them in bed. If they took everyone with them that was a waste of everyone's time. He would not spend any more time in Charleston now that his mother was dead. His children had loved their grandmother and they would truly miss her. They all had just seen her and they had all told her how much they loved her. She had told them frequently how much she loved them. They would have a memorial service for her in their back yard. Scarlett had liked that idea.

On the long train trip to Charleston Rhett had smiled when he thought about how aggressive Scarlett had been while they were intimate before he had left. She was still so possessive of his body. It made Rhett so very happy. He also knew that she was still, even after all these years, a little bit insecure in regard to him misbehaving. She knew he would never misbehave again but there would always be a small sliver of doubt. He wished he could rid her of even that small amount of doubt. He had told her on more than one occasion that it was all he could do to keep up with her and her sexual needs.

He sent her telegrams every morning, every day at noon, and every night just to keep the connection. He was still afraid of losing it all. She sent telegrams back every morning and every night and even one right before dinner. All either person's telegrams had said was 'I love you and I miss you.' Even after fourteen years together they were afraid of losing their new life.

Rhett stayed at the townhouse with Rosemary for the funeral. The funeral was a long boring affair. Rhett let his thoughts drift. These people didn't know his mother. The woman who would visit him and Scarlett was the real Elizabeth Butler. Actually, she was the real Elizabeth Kennesaw. Kennesaw had been her maiden name. He wondered for a minute what his mother had been like before she had married his father.

Rhett had always seen his mother as such a proper lady. A perfect Charleston lady until she started visiting him and Scarlett. She had so much fun with them. She was never scandalized or outraged by his and Scarlett's activities, behavior or the things they said. He would cherish those years the rest of his life.

He remembered her begging him to marry Emily Prater and not ruin himself forever. He remembered telling her rather rudely that he was sure her reputation would survive the scandal. He didn't want to remember the hurt on her face when she had said, "Do you honestly think it is me I am worried about? Oh Rhett, you are such a fool sometimes." She had never spoken to him again about marrying Emily. He remembered her telling him that he was moving too fast with Emma in the other timeline and she had been right. He thought of him telling her, 'I am a grown man and I know what I am doing.' He smiled when he thought of her telling him, "Just because you are grown doesn't mean you know what you are doing.' He didn't smile when he thought how right she had been. He wished Scarlett was with him. He always felt better when she was with him.

The day after the funeral, he got up and joined Rosemary for breakfast. He finished his breakfast and told his sister, "I am giving you the townhouse and I have set up a trust fund for you. The administrator will send you a monthly check until you die. I have not done this for you but because it is what our mother would have wanted. You will need to pay all of your expenses out of the check. If you spend all the money in the trust there won't be anymore. Bye little sister, I will never see you again."

He walked out of the townhouse with his trunk. He got a cab to the train station. He and Robert had talked before the funeral and they were both happy for the other and the lives that they had. They had hugged knowing they would never see the other again. When he got in his private car, he smiled to himself. He was mellowing with age. He had wanted to tell Rosemary how much better her life would have been if she hadn't been such a stick in the mud but he had held his tongue. He had decided she was a prig and that was all she could ever be because she saw nothing wrong with being a prig. With that thought he dismissed his sister from his mind and his life.

He wondered again how he and Scarlett had returned in time. He really didn't care but as usual when he did think about it, he wanted to know so they wouldn't accidentally trigger another time leap. Nothing could be better than right now.

He would be happy to be sleeping next to his wife again. He had missed her warm body pressed against him. He thought there were so many coulda, woulda and should haves in his relationship with Scarlett in the first timeline. Maybe she was right. What she had said all those years ago when he had gotten out of the Fire House. He remembered her saying, "Maybe we both needed to be so unhappy without each other that now we aren't going to let anyone or anything come between us." They had managed to not let their worst enemy, pride, destroy their relationship again.

He laughed on the way back to Hartford. He had spent more time getting to Charleston than he had in Charleston. He also laughed because after over thirty years there were people still snubbing him over that blasted buggy wheel incident.