Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

I have also read that Clark Gable didn't like the ending of GWTW because it was the first movie, he had starred in that he didn't get the girl in the end.

Thank you to my guest reviewer for the reminder of Scarlett's reaction to preventatives.

Chapter Two

1878 - Five Years After Leaving Atlanta

Rhett and Scarlett were lying in bed in their London home. They both enjoyed visiting Europe but especially London. They had so many friends in London, Paris, Rome, Zurich and even a couple in Moscow.

Rhett had taught Scarlett to speak French because it was the international language. It had not been easy because Rhett was not the best teacher in the world. In fact, he was a bad teacher because he would get impatient when she didn't learn the language fast enough. Scarlett had been determined to learn it, so she had persevered. She had met several nice French speaking women who had aided in her learning the language.

Rhett had happily shown Scarlett all the sights of Europe. In Europe they had been included in all the exclusive social events.

Scarlett had said, "I guess it is only in the South that we are considered unworthy."

"We were ahead of our time in the South."

"No, we were too rebellious and refused to follow the rules."

One time while they were in Paris, they discovered the Impressionist movement. Rhett and Scarlett had been sitting at a little café having coffee when they saw several men in a very aminated conversation. They heard the words paintings and exhibit. Rhett had stood up and walked over to the men. All he said was, "What exhibit?"

Rhett had quickly learned about an Impressionist Exhibit just down the street and what Impressionism Art was. Rhett had always liked innovative art therefore he had decided they would view the exhibit. Scarlett had been happy to go along.

There was a picture of a sunrise that Rhett and Scarlett had immediately both fallen in love with. There was a picture of a little girl with a blue coat and a red hat that Scarlett had immediately wanted to buy. Rhett wasn't so sure. Scarlett said, "It reminds me of Bonnie. Don't you remember when she was three and she wore that red hat everywhere?"

Rhett had smiled. Of course, he remembered that. He had spent a lot of time looking for that red hat. The red hat that was in their trunk of memorabilia. The trunk that they would never open, but they would never leave behind.

Rhett said, "Of course, I remember. Yes, we will buy this one."

There was another painting of a mother and child that made Rhett think of his son. He bought that one too. They had bought several others as investments but only the sunrise, the girl, and the baby had really mattered. Those paintings traveled with them. They would take them out of their trunks and display them in their hotel rooms or their current bedroom.

Over the last four years, Scarlett and Rhett had gotten over most of their grief over the loss of their children but there were still times when the grief would hit one of them fresh and new. Fortunately, the other one was always there to comfort them in those moments. They both let the other talk about their grief for as long as they wanted to talk about it. They now knew that was the only way to banish the grief one more time.

Rhett and Scarlett had sold all their sapphire jewelry for neither could look at the stone without thinking of Bonnie and her beautiful blue eyes. They had learned to avoid places where there were going to be young children. They had learned to avoid toy stores.

That morning Rhett had laid in the bed waiting for Scarlett to wake up. Normally he would get up, get cleaned up, have breakfast, read the paper, and check on his stocks and bonds while he waited on Scarlett to start her day.

When Scarlett opened her eyes and saw Rhett she said, "What is the matter, Darling?"

Rhett solemnly said, "There isn't going to be another baby."

"I had decided that too. I'm sorry, Darling."

"Our sins have been revisited upon us."

"What do you mean, Honey?"

"I mean we are paying for our sins that we committed."

"Rhett, we didn't sin."

"Sweetheart, I will never get used to you taking everything I say literally. I meant that the mistakes we made are coming back to haunt us."

"Rhett?"

"If we hadn't argued on the staircase. If I hadn't made that mocking comment about having an accident. Anyway, I think there was more damage to you than Dr. Meade suspected. I think you are now barren."

Scarlett didn't respond. He pulled her close. He didn't speak. There was nothing he could say to make either one of them feel better. They both were feeling the regret of their foolish actions. They laid there for a long time and finally Rhett said, "We have each other. It is enough for me."

With tears in her eyes Scarlett said, "For me too."

They both knew the other was lying but they pretended it was the truth because neither wanted to acknowledge what their foolishness had cost them.

With fake cheerfulness, Scarlett said, "At least you won't ever have to use preventatives again."

"Why did you not get mad when you found out about preventatives?"

"Why would I get mad?"

"Because I hadn't told you about them when you told me you didn't want any more children."

Scarlett flashed him a smile and said, "At the time I was happy about not having to endure that foolishness anymore. It wasn't until the night of Ashley's birthday party that you showed me what pleasures awaited me in my marital bed. Up until then it was a chore. It wasn't something I wanted to do with anyone. Why didn't you suggest preventatives?"

"Because when we were having our discussion, I stepped on Mr. Wilkes picture and knew that not having children was not why you wanted separate bedrooms."

"Another what if. I didn't want to have any more children because I had gained two inches in my waist. I didn't want to gain anymore inches."

"Really?"

"Really," With more fake cheerfulness, Scarlett said, "I don't have to worry about gaining another inch in my waist."

Sourly Rhett said, "I wish I could say the same thing. I have gained another inch in my waist."

That made Scarlett truly laugh and she said, "Just more to love."

Rhett had smiled and said, "At least I still have all my hair."

"Even if it has all turned gray."

"I have gray hair from living with you."

"Silly man."

"Who would ever have believed we could be so happy after everything we have gone through?"

"You, my love. If you hadn't believed you would not have stayed with me."

"In truth, Sweetheart, I didn't stay with you. I took you with me. I had to leave Atlanta and all the pain it represented."

"Then I'm so glad that you gave us one more chance by taking me with you."

"Maybe it was just my penchant for lost causes."

"Maybe. I'm so glad you did."

"I am too.

After a long while Scarlett said, "You should have let me adopt Beau."

"I suppose, nonetheless, I still can't bring myself to take him away from the Hamiltons."

"I suppose. According to Beau's letters, he seems happy enough. Maybe content would be a better word."

A year earlier when Henry Hamilton had informed Scarlett that Ashley had passed away, she had said to Rhett, "Do you want to adopt Beau?"

"Yes, but the Hamiltons will not let us."

"We could fight it."

"Yes, we could but Beau is all they have anymore. He is all they have of Melanie and Charlie. I guess I am getting soft in my old age, but I can't take the boy away from the Hamiltons."

"You aren't old, Dear. Beau would be better off with us than those two old people."

"I am old. I am going to be fifty next year. Beau would be better off with us but nonetheless we are not going to take him away from them. I will have Mr. Powe add some money to the trust fund that is already set-up. Enough money for Beau to go to college if he wishes."

"Alright, Dear. I did promise Melly I would take care of her son."

Rhett didn't say a word about her promise to take care of Mr. Wilkes. He was glad that she had abandoned Mr. Wilkes.

Scarlett said, "But if either Aunt PittyPat or Uncle Henry die we will get custody of Beau."

"Yes, Dear."

After lying there quietly for a few minutes Scarlett said, "How do you want to celebrate your fiftieth birthday? Do you want a big celebration? It is only a few months away."

"Yes, let us have a grand party and invite all our friends and acquaintances."

"The dragons of Atlanta would be so jealous if they knew we were friends with so many people of the peerage. Even the Prince of Wales."

"They most certainly would."

That day to brighten Scarlett's mood Rhett took her to the bookstore and the jewelry store. When she finally realized that he didn't care how well educated she was Scarlett became quite the bibliophile. Rhett loved it. She had so many interesting things to talk about.

Nonetheless, he appreciated she was still so sexually appealing to him especially later that night when she was wearing nothing but her new tiara. Seeing her naked could always get his almost fifty-year-old cock to do its job despite the fact he had seen that body so many times before. Rhett knew it wasn't her body that made him respond but the amazing Scarlett O'Hara. The amazing Scarlett O'Hara Butler. His amazing love for her.

1883 - Ten Years After Leaving Atlanta

Rhett and Scarlett were lying in bed in their San Francisco home on Nob Hill. She said, "Did Dr. Meade tell you that the baby we lost was a boy?"

"Yes."

"We could have called him Gerald Rhett."

"Or Kennesaw Gerald."

It was not the first time they had discussed the baby they had lost by their foolishness. It was not the first time they had discussed names for their unborn child, and it wouldn't be the last time.

Rhett said, "Do you think he would have brought us together?"

"Of course. You would have move back into the master bedroom since I was already with child. She was so happy that day that you let her try that jump."

"She just knew she was going to make it."

"She was a determined little girl."

"She would have been the belle of the ball."

"She would have led some young man on a merry dance before she let him catch her."

They both laughed. They both wanted to believe that their son would have brought them together. They both wanted to believe that if they had been a happily married couple, Bonnie would not have died. They both wanted to believe they would have lived happily ever after with their house full of children. Of course, they would have had a lot more children if Scarlett hadn't fallen down the stairs. Of course, Scarlett would have finally become a good mother and Rhett not an overindulgent father.

It was pure fantasy but they both like to dream it.

In eighty, Rhett's Atlanta attorney had contacted his Charleston attorney. Admittedly Rhett had no more holdings in Atlanta, but Mr. Powe had felt that Mr. Butler would want to know that his long-time friend, Belle Watling had passed away.

When Rhett had received the telegram informing him of Belle's death, he had felt momentary sorrow at her death. Yet he had not thought of her in many years. He knew they had been ships passing in the night. Important only in the moment. In truth, he had not cared about Belle. He had not even informed her that he was leaving town. He had boarded the train with Scarlett and had never spared Belle a second thought.

1888 - Fifteen years After Leaving Atlanta

Rhett and Scarlett were in Milan when she had turned forty. It was a devastating time for her. She had brooded for days. Rhett thought he knew what was wrong and he let her ruminate for several days. Finally, one night as they got into the bed, he said, "Everyone gets older, but you are still just as beautiful."

"Thank you, Rhett but that is not why I have been so pensive lately. I was thinking about my sixteenth birthday. After I turned sixteen Pa would let me marry if the right man asked me. Do you know that despite the fact I was the belle of Clayton County, Charlie was the first man to ask me to marry him? In fact, I have only been seriously asked to wed three times."

"You know you didn't have to accept just because someone asked you to marry them."

"Yes, every time I had to for one reason or another."

"I am certainly glad you accepted my offer."

"Me too. I was thinking about that birthday because it was the last one before the war ruined my life. I was thinking how naively innocent I had been that day. I assumed my wonderful life would just continue until I died."

"I thought my wonderful life would continue until I died also then a broken buggy wheel and a scandal later and my world was not wonderful anymore."

The couple laid there quietly until Scarlett said, "Did you get the tickets to the opera?"

"Of course."

"Good. I want to show-off the jewelry my husband got me for my birthday."

Rhett had smiled into the darkness.

Soon afterwards Rhett had suggested that they take a trip around the world. Scarlett had thought it was a grand idea. They saw the Suez Canal and Rhett told Scarlett what a feat of construction it was. They saw the pyramids in Giza. They saw the Taj Mahal in India. They visited points along the way to Japan. They had stayed in Japan for over six months. There was a specialness to the country. They had visited Australia and found it very much to their liking. They had decided to buy a house in Sydney and live there for a while.