Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

Author's Notes:

I got a review from Cap for Eavesdroppers hear the Most Interesting Things. In the review she wrote that she thought it would be interesting to see Scarlett's behavior if this happened after she had kicked Rhett out of her bed. So, I wrote this fanfic.

This fanfic has a lot of adult content. Melanie is a little bit out of character. Ashley maybe a lot out of character but how do we know for we know next to nothing about Ashley's inner thoughts. Scarlett and Rhett stay in character for the most part.

At times Scarlett doesn't talk like a 19th century woman. I have tried to keep her in the 19th century but sometimes my muse took me and her to another place.

I want to thank MissCyn for all her help with this fanfic.

It was the first of July and Scarlett thought, 'It is so extremely hot. It always seems hotter in the city than at Tara.'

Rhett had taken the children even six-month old Bonnie fishing. He was always doing things like that. He really was a good father and stepfather. She still thought he spent too much time with their daughter. She also thought he spent too much time out at night. She had asked him once where he was going and he had mockingly said, "Another bed." She had blushed and hurried out of the room. She could never let him see how much those words hurt her. She had to stop thinking about Rhett it just hurt. It had been so bad between them since she had asked him to sleep somewhere else. Things had been bad before Bonnie's birth but now they were awful. Stop! Stop!

She was going to see Ashley. It was a lovely Sunday afternoon, and she was walking to Ashley's house. She was walking so her buggy wouldn't be seen outside Ashley's home. Her excuse for going was to return the ledgers so he would have them tomorrow for work. She was going this afternoon because she knew that Melanie and Beau spent the afternoon visiting all of Melly's relatives on Sunday afternoons.

She walked up the pathway to the front door but as she did, she heard Ashley's laughter from the back yard. She wondered who he was with and walked around the house. As she approached the back yard gate, she heard Melly's voice and was frustrated. Why wasn't she out visiting? She heard Melly say, "Show me again the expression she had on her face when she thought you were going to kiss her at the mills?"

Scarlett heard peals of laughter from both of them. This cannot be! No

Ashley said, "Scarlett is a sweet kid but so naïve."

Melanie said, "So obtuse you mean."

No! no! no!

"To think she actually kicked Captain Butler out of her bed over some illusions I made about not liking to think about her with him."

"You just hate him because he is so arrogant."

"Just like the Borgias"

Melanie laughed and said, "You really should tell her firmly that you don't love her and never will."

"Are you kidding? If I tell her that she will fire me. I really am a bad businessman."

"Of course, if you did your job instead of reading books all day you would be a lot better at it."

"Why bother? Scarlett will never fire me."

"I do feel a little bad about us deceiving her."

"You didn't feel badly when we tricked her into staying in Atlanta before Beau was born. If we hadn't done that you might have died."

"I guess one could say she really is deceiving herself because all the clues are there."

"As I look at the decorating of that horrible mansion I laugh when I think she thought she could ever be the mistress of Twelve Oaks."

"All that red is a bit much."

"I must say though you were an amazing actress when we fooled her into thinking that I only stayed in Atlanta because y'all browbeat me into it."

"Sometimes I feel bad for her and start to tell her the truth then she acts so much better than me and so arrogant. I just smile instead."

"She has been putty in my hands since I convinced her to take Stuart Tarleton away from India. Can you imagine having to sit at the supper table every night and have conversations with that Neanderthal?"

"It would be like having literary discussions with Scarlett."

Scarlett heard laughter.

Melly said, "That plan actually worked too well. Now we are stuck with your sister."

"I'll think of something to get rid of her."

The couple was quiet for a minute. She then heard Ashley say, "Scarlett might be stupid, but she has one fine body."

"Of course, you would notice that."

"I don't think there is a man alive that wouldn't notice that body."

"You are lucky I am not a jealous woman."

"No, if you were a jealous woman, you would not allow me my monthly trip to Belle's although more often would be better."

"We can only afford for you to go once a month."

"I will see if I can talk Scarlett into a raise."

"I love you."

"Love you, too.

Their laughter float over the air to Scarlett. Scarlett hurried off while she had the cover of their laughter. Scarlett could not believe her ears. Ashley had never loved her. He had been using her all this time. Melly had known all this time. Why? Why? Why? Because they knew she would do anything for Ashley even take care of his wife. In that moment Scarlett knew she had been the biggest fool in the world. She had been working herself to death and they had been living off of her labors. They had been doing nothing.

In a dazed state, Scarlett walked back to the mansion. She had no one. She had nothing. What had been between her and Rhett she had through away that night in New Orleans. If there had been anything left, she had stomped on it and killed it when she asked him to sleep somewhere else. Not that she believed there had ever been anything between her and Rhett but lust on his part. As he had said, "Scarlett, understand this. If you and your bed still held any charms for me, no locks and no entreaties could keep me away. And I would have no sense of shame for anything I did, for I made a bargain with you—a bargain which I have kept, and you are now breaking. Keep your chaste bed, my dear."

She started running back to the mansion, but she soon stopped. Her corset was too tight, and it was too hot. When she got back to the mansion, she was grateful that nobody was home. She went into the dining room and grabbed the decanter of brandy and went to her room. On her way to her room, she asked Prissy to make sure she wasn't disturbed for the rest of the evening. Also, for her to have her supper sent to her room. She couldn't face anyone to night least of all Rhett. Rhett can never know this. He would never let her forget it. He would rub her face in it every chance he got.

Much later that night as Rhett was riding back from The Painted Lady he thought, 'You are a fool, Rhett Butler. She will never invite you back into her bed. You should avail yourself of the women available.' Yet he couldn't use a whore or even Belle to relieve his itch. As they say, 'There is no fool like an old fool.' He got home and unsaddled his horse. He brushed it down. It was enough. The stable boy would do a better job in the morning. He was just going to bed and dream about his chaste wife. He just wished there was some way to make her realize what a loser Mr. Wilkes was. He sure didn't have any ideas. He had tried everything. He undressed and got in the bed as naked as the day he was born. He was soon asleep. He was awakened when he heard Scarlett crying out in the night. He laid there wishing he could go comfort her, but she had made it plain she didn't want him anywhere near her bed. As he laid there in the sudden quiet, he wondered if she really had locked her door. It would be a while before he went back to sleep. He would lie there and wonder if there was any way he could reach her.

As he was lying there, he heard his door open and close. He heard soft feet on the floor. He felt the bed dip as someone climbed in with him. He felt her snuggle up next to him. He said into the darkness, "Does this mean you are asking me back into your bed?"

Scarlett gave a small shriek then said, "No, this means I am forcing myself into your bed."

Rhett laid there for a few minutes then he said, "Does this mean you have changed your mind about children?"

"No. I still don't want any more children."

"We are not going to sleep here together chastely."

"I know."

"I will try my best to not get you pregnant."

"How?"

"I will explain tomorrow morning. It will be easier for you to understand then."

"Alright."

Rhett kissed her with all his pent-up passion. She kissed him like he was her only friend in the world because he was. Her passion ignited his passion, and he was not able to hold any part of himself back. He gave himself to her completely.

The next morning in the light of day, Rhett woke up to his wife snuggled up to him in his bed. She was stark naked as was he. He had not held anything back nor surprisingly had she. What did this mean? He should have clarified that there would be no more separate bedrooms last night before he had allowed her to stay. Who was he kidding? The last thing he had been thinking about was explaining anything. They would have relations then he would make his position clear-cut. She could take it or leave it he didn't care. Liar. Liar. Liar. He couldn't let her know that he had slept better than since New Orleans.

He kissed her until she was awake. She smiled at him. She circled his neck with her arm and brought his lips back down to hers. Sometime later he made himself do what he had to do. When they had finished and they had regained their breaths she said, "That last part. Was that a way to not get me pregnant?"

"Yes."

"Thank you. Is it hard to do?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

"When I want very much to stay right where I am, I have to go somewhere else. It takes a lot of will power."

"Thank you."

"Why have you decided to join me in my bed?"

"Rhett, please, I don't want to talk about it."

"But I do, and we will."

Scarlett wouldn't tell him what she had heard Melanie and Ashley say about her. She just wouldn't.

Rhett put his hand under her chin and lifted up her head. He said, "The truth doesn't take that long."

"I missed you."

"And?"

"When you are with me, I don't have the nightmares."

"And?"

"That is all."

She tried to look away, but Rhett held her face firmly in place. He said, "And?"

With a mutinous look on her face, she finally blurted out, "I missed you physically."

"Aha, the truth comes out."

Scarlett was so happy he was going to accept that answer. She snuggled into him where he couldn't see her face. She said, "I have decided to honor my part of our bargain."

"What? You are going to honor a bargain?"

Scarlett slapped him on the chest. Rhett moaned.

Rhett said, "I will never move out again. No matter how many times I get you pregnant."

"Alright."

Rhett lifted up Scarlett's chin and said, "Look at me."

He waited until she did. Finally, she looked into his eyes. Rhett said, "I mean it. No matter what the Little Gentleman says."

She lowered her eyes so he would not see the relief in them and said, "Of course not." She was so relieved. She needed Rhett's strength and comfort now more than ever.

"Do you want to move in here?"

"There is more room in the master bedroom."

"Aw but it is too pink for me."

"We can redecorate."

"Alright. We will stay here until the redecorating is done."

"Alright."

Rhett felt he could be magnanimous in victory. Although he felt that there was something else, she wasn't telling him.

Rhett got up and got ready for the day. Rhett was very muchly aware that his wife had watched him the entire time he had been getting dressed. He walked over and kissed her goodbye, and he left their bedroom. As Rhett walked down the hallway on his way to the nursery, he thought, 'I like the sound of that. Their bedroom. I will get to the bottom of all this. Scarlett has never been able to keep anything secret from me.'