Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Six

Rhett and Scarlett walked to the orchard. They found a spot where they could sit down. Rhett said, "It is never going to be the same."

Rhett waited while his words sunk in. Scarlett said, "But Rhett…."

"No, Baby. We destroyed ourselves when we went to war."

"Explain to me what Ashley meant about Gods and Gotterdammerung."

"In a minute. Listen to me. If you don't understand I will explain it more simplistically," Scarlett nodded. Rhett went on, "Yes, Mr. Lincoln was an abolitionist. I strongly believe he would not have tried to abolish slavery. Yet I believe he would not have let slavery expand into the territories. I believe that they would have slowly abolish slavery in the country. They would have found a way to phase it out. Do you remember what I said at the barbecue?"

"No."

Rhett smiled. No, of course not, it had nothing to do with her goal for that day. Her goal of getting Mr. Wilkes to marry her. He said, "I said, 'All the South had was cotton, slaves, and arrogance."

"I remember that. You made everyone mad. I think Stuart was going to call you out, but India talked him out of it."

Rhett didn't know who Stuart was and he didn't care. He continued, "Baby, we had far too much arrogance. We still do. The Southerners believed that England would come to our rescue because of their need for cotton. They didn't take into consideration Queen Victoria's abhorrence for slavery. She was willing to let those mill workers starve in order to not support a country established for the continuation of slavery. Therefore, England didn't help us. The gentlemen thought the war, if there was a war, would be over in six months. The Southerners were sure we would lick the Yankees because they were gentleman. A bullet doesn't care…."

"Rhett! What does this have to do with our present situation?"

Rhett smiled. He had gotten as long winded as Wilkes, and he knew Scarlett needed information in very simple sentences. He said, "Here it is, Baby. To make Tara profitable you need ridiculously cheap labor, slave labor. Slave labor is now illegal. Running a plantation will never be profitable again."

"No, Rhett, you are wrong. You must be wrong."

"Baby, I know that you thought of the war as just a major inconvenience and as soon as it was over everything would go back to the way it was, but the war has changed our lives and our world. Our world will never be the same. Only people with brains and courage will come out of this situation better than when they went in."

"That is what Ashley said. What did he mean about Gotterdammerung?

"Roughly translated it means 'Death of the Gods.' And we Southerners thought we were Gods."

"That is what Ashley said."

"By going to war we destroyed the very thing we were trying to save. We destroyed ourselves. We destroyed our world."

"Then we should be alright because you have brains and courage."

"Thank you, Sweetheart."

"What are we going to do?"

"We are going to move to Atlanta where I can feed you and clothe you the way you are meant to be fed and clothed. I will make an obscene amount of money on reconstruction which you will happily spend on every little thing you want. I will even let you send money to Careen for the next couple of years in order to keep Tara solvent until you accept that it is never going to be profitable again."

"Thank you, Rhett."

"Eventually we will move to the North or to Europe."

"I don't want to live in the North. I want to live in the South."

"I am not received in the South, nor will my children be received. Therefore, we will not be living in the South.

"I guess Europe, then. What about my family?"

"I will take care of your family, even your crazy father." Scarlett swatted Rhett's chest. He continued, "But I will not help Mr. Wilkes."

"Not even for Melly's sake."

Rhett smiled. He said, "Maybe for Miss Melly's sake," Rhett waited for her to respond but she didn't. At last, he said, "Are you acceptable of this plan?"

"I guess. What did Ashley mean about being a coward? He was so brave during the war."

"There are different kinds of courage. One can be courageous in battle because if one isn't one is going to die. There is no other choice," Rhett paused to let Scarlett absorb what he was saying. At last, he said, "Then there is courage of doing what one has to do despite not wanting to do it. You showed that courage when you offered yourself to me at Rough and Ready to make me come with you. I know you didn't want to have relations with me, but you made that offer to obtain your goal. You followed through to fulfill your part of the bargain."

Scarlett mumbled, "I wasn't thinking of the bargain when you….."

"That makes me feel better."

Scarlett's head shot up and Rhett smiled at her. He said, "I am so lucky to have a wife that enjoys relations. I know I am blessed."

Rhett had said all that to make her more comfortable about not acting like a lady in their marital bed. He said, "That is the courage Mr. Wilkes doesn't have. That is what he was talking about."

In a quiet voice, Scarlett said, "We can't let Melly and Beau starve."

"No, we can't.

"It isn't what I want but I think you are right. I don't think I want to live in the North."

"Then Paris or London."

"Yes, London."

The next day, Scarlett had Rhett take her into Jonesboro. She had to send a telegram to Mr. Kennedy. It said: If you want to marry Suellen come and get her as soon as possible STOP We are moving to Charleston STOP Reply quickly STOP Scarlett Butler.

Scarlett and Rhett walked around Jonesboro. There were some men in blue uniforms but there were also a lot of strangers in town. There were freed people walking around, no that wasn't right, strutting around.

Scarlett saw Jonas Wilkerson and Emmie Slattery. They were strutting around also. She thought, 'Saints alive! Emmie has another new dress on that is in the latest style. The world has been turned around. Rhett will take care of everything. He always has.'

When Jonas saw Scarlett, he crossed the street to talk to her. He said, "How did you get the taxes reduced on Tara?"

"My husband did. I don't know how he did it. Rhett can fix anything." When Scarlett finished speaking, she looked at Rhett with that worshipping look that he was getting addicted to seeing.

Rhett said, "Thank you, Dear."

Jonas said, "How did you do it?"

"That Mr. …"

Scarlett said, "Wilkerson."

"Thank you, Dear. That Mr. Wilkerson is between me and the authorities. Good day."

Rhett and Scarlett walked away even though Jonas was still talking to them.

Scarlett said, "Will the authorities tell?"

"I don't believe so. If they were going to tell him, they would have already told him."

"I will move with you to Atlanta as soon as I feel that Careen is able to run Tara. I will have to show Careen everything that I do. Will will be here to help her though so that is a good thing. I'm going to leave Pa here for right now."

"Why?"

"I think he will be more comfortable here at Tara."

"What about Mr. Wilkes?"

"Oh, poor Ashley. He wasn't made for this life we are living now. He was made for wearing fine broadcloth, drinking fine wine, and reading old books."

"So was I."

Scarlett ignored Rhett's statement. She said, "Nonetheless, you have already said you won't support him. I can't support him. I guess they can stay here also."

"He could always support himself."

Scarlett laughed. She said, "Don't be silly, Rhett. He isn't trained to do anything. We will have to help him."

Sourly Rhett said, "When I was disowned, I was thrown out on the street just like Ishmael. I didn't even have any friends. I had nobody to help me."

Scarlett linked her arm in Rhett's and said, "Then it is a good thing you had brains and courage. We both know Ashley doesn't have the right kind of courage. He knows he doesn't have the right kind of courage. He probably doesn't have the right kind of brains either. To survive one has to be smart enough to figure out how one can take advantage of every situation and that wouldn't be the honorable thing to do."

Rhett smiled down at her. He said, "So true. Let's go see if Mr. Kennedy has replied."

"Alright."

There wasn't a reply, therefore the couple left the telegraph office and resumed walking around Jonesboro. When they were on the street, Scarlett said, "Who is Ishmael?"

"Do you want the short version or the full version?"

"Short version."

"He was Abraham's oldest son. He was thrown out for mocking his younger brother."

"The long version."

Rhett told Scarlett the entire story of Ishmael and his mother Hagar. As Scarlett was listening to Rhett she thought, 'He is such a good storyteller. He always keeps things so simple for me. Not like Ashley that tends to use the biggest words he can think of.'

After Rhett finished telling the story of Ishmael, Scarlett said, "Actually you were worse off than Ishmael. At least he had his mother with him."

"True but remember he was only thirteen years old. So that balances it out."

"I guess."

As Scarlett and Rhett walked around Jonesboro, she got closer and closer to him. She finally said, "I'm scared."

"You don't need to be scared. I'm right here."

"Yes, you are."

Rhett and Scarlett returned to the telegraph office and there was a reply from Mr. Kennedy. He would be on the first train tomorrow. He and Suellen would get married at the Justice of the Peace as soon as he got there. Suellen was to have her trunk packed for she would be returning with him to Atlanta. They would live behind the store until they got their house built.

That same day Scarlett had said to Careen, "Rhett doesn't want to live at Tara."

"Why ever not?"

"Rhett doesn't like living in the country. Suellen will be living in Atlanta with Frank. Therefore, the only person left to run Tara is you."

"What about Ashley?"

"No, an O'Hara must run it."

"I don't know, Scarlett."

"I know you can do it."

"I am so young."

"Mother was younger than you when she became the mistress of Tara. We both know that Mother ran Tara not Pa.

"But I wanted to be a nun."

"The family needs you to do this. You are the only one who can. You can still read your bible and spend your free time in prayer."

"I guess if the family needs me to do it."

"Let me show you how to do the books."

Careen had followed Scarlett into their mother's office.

The next day, everyone except for Gerald and Will had gone into Jonesboro to see Suellen and Frank get married. The sisters had decided to leave Pa at Tara because they were afraid in his muddled thinking that he would get mad or upset with seeing all the Yankee soldiers and freed people in Jonesboro.

The group had taken the wagon. Rhett was driving the wagon and Scarlett was sitting next to him on the buckboard. On the ride into Jonesboro, Scarlett had let Suellen sit next to her so her dress wouldn't get messed up. On the way back to Tara, Scarlett had let Melanie sit next to her so the ride would be more comfortable for her sister-in-law.

Rhett smiled. Now that he was looking for it, Miss Melly had been right. Scarlett was always trying to make sure Miss Melly was comfortable. As he had thought back over their time at Tara even before the war had ended Scarlett was always trying to make Melanie's life better. She might do it in a gruff way like when she lectured Miss Melanie about not eating everything that was on her plate. Scarlett had said, "You need to keep your strength up. You are no good to me if you get sick and die. Besides what would I tell Ashley when he finally returns to Clayton County."

Miss Melly had just smiled and said, "You are right, Scarlett."