Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

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

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Rhett followed Scarlett into the house, and he saw Mammy giving him the stink eye, but she was pointing to the stairs. He nodded his head and walked up the stairs.

He found her in a room that was obviously the nursery. He saw a child asleep in a crib. He watched Scarlett as she rubbed Ella's back until the child settled down and went back to sleep. As she walked out of the nursery, he followed her. She walked into another room and he followed her into that room also. She closed the door.

Rhett joked, "Mammy is going to scold you for being in a room alone with a man."

Scarlett smiled and said, "Mammy has given up scolding me about you."

"We are going into town for us to be married at the courthouse this afternoon, but this discussion is not over."

"Are we coming back here after the ceremony?"

Rhett looked at the tiny bed across the room and gave her an incredulous stare and said, "No, we will go to Atlanta. I will not spend my wedding night in that tiny bed."

"Alright."

"We will come back tomorrow and get the children and Mammy. I am not living in the country."

"Will you visit with me?"

"Yes. I find it ridiculously hard to sleep without you in the bed with me. And no, I have not used the services of any whores while we have been apart. I guess I was already being faithful to you." When he said that he gave her a chagrin smile. That statement in fact was true. He had not been with anyone else in the last six years. It was so much better when it was with the woman, he loved who loved him back, that he could not accept a poor substitute. He had always been telling himself next month or next year he would go back to Scarlett. When the urge to go back to Scarlett got really bad, he would write her a letter and his tension would ease. He didn't even know why he had been so determined not to tell her he loved her when he had been madly in love with her for so very long. The only thing he could think of was he was a damn, stupid, fool.

Rhett kissed her with his special kiss. He said, "I love you.

When she could breathe again Scarlett said, "I love you, too"

Rhett Butler, who had never cared about another person's opinion, said to Scarlett, "You have been my wife in my heart since I introduced you to the staff in London as Mrs. Butler. We will tell everyone that we got married in London on June 17th of last year."

"We are still getting married in Jonesboro legally no matter what you feel in your heart."

"Of course, of course. We are going to wed this very afternoon. I am going to make sure you are legally bound to me forever and ever."

"It took you long enough to realize it."

"It certainly did. Far, far too long. I promise not to be as stubborn in the future."

"Rhett Butler not be stubborn. That will be the day."

"I said as stubborn. We will tell everyone that we didn't tell anyone because it wasn't proper so quickly after Frank Kennedy's death. We were so much in love we just couldn't wait a year to be married."

"Why didn't I tell anyone we were married?"

"You kept it a secret until I could join you in Atlanta so you wouldn't have to weather the social storm alone."

"What took you so long to get here?"

Rhett knew she wasn't talking about their story and he answered her truthfully. "It took me so long to get here because my pride wouldn't let me just tell you the truth. That I love you more than life itself. I don't want to live if you aren't by my side. That without you in my life, my life is dull and boring. For the good people in Atlanta, it is because I had some business deals that took longer to conclude than I thought they would."

It seemed that once the words were out of his mouth, he had no problem with saying them over and over again.

"Rhett, I feel the same way."

"Now get your bag packed and let's get legally married."

Scarlett packed a bag and went to tell Wade the exciting news.

She said to Wade, "Uncle Rhett is finally back from London. Tomorrow we will be moving to Atlanta."

Wade looked into his mother's happy face. Her really happy face that he hadn't seen sense they had left London. Wade said, "Yeah. I'm so happy."

He knew there was more to the story than his mother was telling him. If she had been expecting Uncle Rhett to join them, she would not have been so sad. He also knew she would never tell him anymore.

He wasn't excited about moving to Atlanta. He liked living at Tara. He would like to live the rest of his life here. The only good point about living in Atlanta was that his Aunt Melly and Beau would be there and that would be nice. Although his mother had gotten to be almost as kind and loving as Aunt Melly ever since Uncle Frank's death.

Scarlett said, "Uncle Rhett and I are going to spend the night in Atlanta. We are going to have supper and go dancing."

Rhett said, "I missed you so much, my son. So much so that I will not tolerate you calling me Uncle Rhett anymore. You must start calling me Daddy."

Wade had smiled from ear to ear.

As they were getting ready to leave, Scarlett hugged her sister and said, "For my baby's sake, please go along with the lie that we were married in London last year."

Suellen smiled at Scarlett. Suellen knew that she would probably never forgive Scarlett for all the mean things she had done to Suellen in her life but Suellen did agree with Scarlett Will was a better husband than Frank ever thought about being. Will was young and had a good body. Suellen also knew that Frank was what Scarlett had always called him an old maid in britches. Suellen said, "For the baby's sake."

Suellen saw tears in her sister's eyes and knew she loved her baby. It was enough. Besides Suellen knew Scarlett would always keep the wolf from the door.

Rhett and Scarlett rode back into town on the rented horse. Scarlett was sitting in front of Rhett being extremely careful of her baby bump. Her carpetbag was tied behind them.

Mammy said, "It ain't fitting. It just ain't fitting."

Suellen smiled. She was glad Scarlett was going back to Atlanta. Now she could have her baby in peace. She so hoped it was a boy.

After they arrived in Jonesboro, they were married within fifteen minutes. The longest part was rounding up the witnesses. They were soon on the train to Atlanta. As they were sitting on the train Rhett was trying to remember what he had done with his trunks five years ago. He thought he had left them at the National Hotel. He hoped he hadn't left them at Belle's. No, he hadn't done that. He had been planning to bring Scarlett back with him so he wouldn't have left his trunks with Belle. He hoped. He had done a lot of stupid things in his life.

They went to the National Hotel. Rhett sighed a sigh of relief when he saw his trunks in the lobby. Rhett got them the bridal suite. Rhett insisted on carrying her over the threshold. He said, "This is my only chance to do it right. You might get married five or six more times but….." Rhett decided to hush when his wife slapped his chest. He liked the sound of that. His wife. Really his wife. Not pretending like they were doing in London. Not just in his heart but legally and forever. He looked at Scarlett and knew she would never marry again after his death.

They had supper in their suite and a lot of champagne. Scarlett was a little giddy when they finally went to bed. She said, "Why am I nervous? It isn't the first time for us."

"I don't know but I am nervous also."

It was wonderful. It was better than even the night of Ashley's party. It was so pure and sacred. It was like they were pledging their love to one another. For the first time in their relationship, they were open and bare before each other. They were finally bonded.

In the midst of their passion when Scarlett called out his name and her love he responded with her name and his love. As they drifted off to sleep Rhett had never felt better in his entire life.

When Rhett woke up the next morning with Scarlett pressed up against him, he sighed a sigh of relief. Surely it had been long enough for him to know he wasn't returning to his deathbed. Surely, he had done everything he had needed to do to remain in this timeline.

Rhett kissed his wife awake and they had morning sex, his favorite kind. Maybe it was his favorite because he had only had it with Scarlett. He had never slept with anyone but Scarlett. He smiled. He never would.

Rhett and Scarlett were at the buggy merchant when the merchant had opened in the morning. Scarlett had wanted to buy the finest buggy the merchant had. Rhett had bargained and had gotten the merchant to give him the horse for free. Times were hard in the South and Rhett was an excellent negotiator.

As they drove down to Tara, Scarlett told him stories about the people who owned the plantations they were passing. Every now and then Scarlett would get melancholic, but Rhett would make a joke and she would laugh, and the morose mood would disappear. It was during their ride to Tara that Rhett knew that Scarlett cared more about other people than she would let anyone know.

Rhett and Scarlett never did continue that conversation. Rhett had decided that Scarlett was right. He would have done anything to get her to marry him without having to tell her he loved her.

As they returned to Tara in a brand-new buggy being drawn by a beautiful young horse. Scarlett was beaming. Rhett was genuinely happy for the first time in years. He had been so scared when he had gone to Tara the day before, but it had all worked out so well. He hadn't thought relations could get any better, but they had been better because it had been with his wife.

When Suellen saw Scarlett drive up in her new buggy she frowned. She would love a new buggy and a new horse. Truth was she would love any buggy and any horse. Scarlett had smiled at her and got the scowl she was expecting. As Rhett helped her out of the buggy, Scarlett said, "You don't like your new buggy?"

Suellen's eyes got wide, and she said, "My …My new buggy?'

"And a new horse too."

A pregnant Suellen ran over to get in the buggy. She just sat there with Rhett and Scarlett staring at her. Finally, Suellen said, "Thank you. Thank you."

Rhett said, "Do you want me to put the horse up?"

"Yes … No… Yes. I don't know. I just want to sit in it for a minute. I've never gotten something this nice before. I'm afraid that if I get out of it, the buggy will disappear."

Rhett and Scarlett laughed. Scarlett said, "It isn't going to disappear. Let Rhett put the horse up. We need to carry all these bolts of fabric in the house. I got you three new patterns, pins, thread, and a new pair of scissors. That pair you have is duller than dishwater."

By that time Wade came rushing out of the house followed by Mammy. Hugs were given all around. Wade was given all the notions to carry into the house. The ladies each carried a bolt and Mammy brought in the rest. Suellen was happy. Suellen thought, 'If Scarlett is trying to buy my silence, she found the most delightful way to do so.'

Will came back from the fields. The first thing Suellen did was take him to the barn to see her new buggy and horse. She didn't tell him about the fabric. She knew Will wouldn't care about that. Will drove the Butlers and Mammy into Jonesboro to get the train into Atlanta. As they were getting out of the wagon Will said, "Thanks for giving Sue the buggy. It will make her feel like a young girl again."

Scarlett and Rhett both said, "Your welcome."

"Don't worry your secret is safe with us especially now."

Rhett and Scarlett had laughed and gotten down from the wagon.

Rhett had never seen Scarlett this happy. She seemed so happy about being pregnant. She seemed to be happy with being married to him. Rhett was happy and he knew he could charm Mammy into liking him now that he and Scarlett were married.