I don't own Gwtw. Nuff said. And thanks again, all of you who have been reviewing! It helps me to become a better writer hearing that others enjoy what I write. J

And now without further ado, Another Lost Cause, Part V

Scarlett just stared at him. Why did it always have to be Bonnie? Why couldn't he feel that way about her? she thought indignantly. And why did he have to make her feel this way? Jealous of her own daughter.

"Well, I hope the saintly Mr. Butler will excuse me from his presence. I have to get ready for bed."

Rhett stared after her laughing as she turned and walked into her dressing room. "Need any help?"

"No!" she said in a muffled grunt as she tried to reach around to her laces. When she finally returned to the bedroom she found Rhett in his nightclothes under the blankets reading a book. She crawled under the blankets and scooted as far to her side of the bed as possible without falling off. Scarlett shut her eyes tightly, but she was still unable to sleep. That damned form on the other side of the bed was keeping her awake she knew but she remarked "Could you please turn that blasted lamp down, Rhett. I can't sleep with the light on." She flopped back on her side in expectation that he would follow her orders.

"No."

Scarlett sat up and gaped at him. "Stop being childish, Rhett. I'm tired and I want to go to sleep," she demanded with blazing eyes.

"You're the one who is so afraid of getting cooties that you're about to fall off the bed," he replied without ever taking his eyes off the book.

"Oh!" Scarlett laid back on the pillow in irritation. Curse him. Well, if she couldn't sleep then, by God, he wasn't going to be able to read either.

"What're you reading, Rhett?"

"Poetry," he replied brusquely.

"By whom?" she asked sweetly looking up at him as he sat propped against the headboard.

At this he simply turned and looked at her for a moment then returned to his book.

Damn him. Why did he have to see through her every time? Scarlett let out a disgusted sigh and sunk lower into her pillow.

"Would you like for me to read to you?" Rhett asked after a moment.

Scarlett thought for a moment. How she'd missed this, Rhett reading to her in bed, the sight of his cigar the only ember of light in the otherwise dark room, the feel…but she didn't want to think about that. So she answered as nonchalantly as she could, "Well, if you're going to be up pestering me with that blasted light, you might as well." She saw his lip twitch in amusement before he began…

"…I met a lady in the meads

Full beautiful, a faery's child;

Her hair was long, her foot was light,

And her eyes were wild.

I set her on my pacing steed,

And nothing else saw all day long;

For sideways would she lean, and sing

A faery's song.

I made a garland for her head,

And bracelets too, and fragrant zone;

And look'd at me as she did love,

And made sweet moan.

She found me roots of relish sweet,

And honey wild, and manna dew;

And sure in language strange she said,

I love thee true.

She took me to her elfin grot,

And there she gaz'd and sighed deep,

And there I shut her wild sad eyes-

So kiss'd to sleep.

And there we slumber'd on the moss,

And there I dream'd, ah woe betide,

The latest dream I ever dream'd

On the cold hill side.

I saw kings, and princes too,

Pale warriors, death-pale were they all;

Who cry's- 'La Belle Dame sans merci

Hath thee in thrall!'

I saw their starv'd lips in the gloam

With horrid warning gaped wide,

And I awoke, and found me here

On the cold hill side.

And this is why I sojourn here

Alone and palely loitering,

Though the sedge is wither'd from the lake,

And no birds sing…"

Scarlett stared up at the wide canopy above them still mesmerized by the sound of Rhetts deep voice as he read to her. "That's a rather sad poem, isn't it?" she asked after a moment.

Rhett laughed without a trace of amusement in his features. "Yes, I suppose it would be rather sad to fall in love with a beautiful woman only to have her destroy you."

Scarlett turned to look at him, questions springing up in her green eyes, only to be met with darkness as Rhett extinguished the wick. "Good-night, Scarlett."

* * *

Scarlett inhaled deeply into her pillow as she stretched her arms out across the bed. Mmm. How comforting it was. Like cigars and a hint of whiskey. Nice manly scents, like the way her father smelt, or the way Rhett did. Rhett!

Her eyes fluttered open quickly and she raised her head off of her "pillow." How in HELL did this happen? Scarlett wondered in shock as she rose away from his body. Somehow during the night she must have scooted over in the bed and used Rhett to sleep on. Hopefully he didn't realize what she'd done. Gingerly, with slow painful movements, Scarlett tried to slide the arm that rested on her waist away so as to not wake him up. She was just about to finally be free of him when she looked down with a start as he grasped one of her wrists in his right hand.

"Where are you going?" he asked quietly. Scarlett noticed a twinkling in his eyes and knew at once that he'd been awake for some time.

"It's morning, and well, I have things to do. I mean…well, I need to check on the store and…and…" she stumbled along unable to look into his burning gaze any longer. Then she rose her flashing green eyes up to him. "How long have you been awake?"

"Long enough. Why? Thought you could get away without me realizing that you couldn't keep your hands off me?" he asked smirking at her broadly.

"You're disgusting!" Scarlett replied as she attempted to slap him. But Rhett was too swift for her and trapped that hand in his as well.

Scowling, Scarlett mounted over him and looked down at him narrowing her eyes. "You can't control what I do with my legs though, and I assure you Mr. Butler, that if you don't let me go you're going to be very, very sorry."

This remark simply made him laugh more though. "Oh really, Scarlett?" Unexpectedly he rolled over on the bed leaving her underneath him. " An interesting position you've gotten yourself into, Mrs. Butler." he said with amusement as she looked up at him with anger.

"Get off! You're heavy," she muttered between clenched teeth. But the words barely had a chance to leave her mouth as she felt Rhetts moustache tickling her upper lip.

However, any desires he may have had came to abrupt stop as suddenly daylight came pouring into the room, with Bonnie standing in the open doorway. "Daddy, what're you doing?"

Rhett and Scarlett quickly leaped away from one another in horror as they heard the little voice. "Bonnie, how many times-" Scarlett began.

"But I couldn't find Daddy. Where you having a pillow fight, like me and Ella do?" Bonnie asked curiously as she walked into the room. She climbed up into the bed and sat in the space that had magically appeared between her parents.

"We were wrestling. Sometimes mommies and daddies play too," Rhett answered in a serious tone.

"We were what?" Scarlett asked in shock. How could he be so cool at a time like this? Thank God we still had our clothes on, Scarlett couldn't help but think with a blush. But Rhett gave her a look and she hushed.

"Oh. Will you come play with me now, Daddy? Ella's not awake yet and Wade said he's going to go play with some other boys."

"Sure I will, sweetheart." "Scarlett, I'll have Pansy sent up with a breakfast tray, alright?" he asked in the same gentle tone. But it was his eyes that gave him away. He still wanted her, Scarlett realized. She swallowed uneasily. "Thank you."

Rhett climbed out of bed carrying Bonnie aloft in his arms and shut the door behind him, leaving Scarlett to her thoughts.

* * *

Scarlett looked up from her ledger in amazement. "What're you doing here?' she asked.

"I finished my business at the bank up early this morning and I thought maybe I'd stop by and see if you'd like to join me for lunch."

Scarlett turned and scowled at the noise she heard while she watched one of her store clerks clumsily stock, dropping several canned goods to the floor. "I can't Rhett. As you see I'm surrounded by inept fools who can't do a single thing correct with their God-given hands," Scarlett remarked in disgust.

"Ah, then I see we'll have to stay here and have lunch. It's a good thing I thought to bring this with me," he replied indicating the picnic basket he held in one hand.

Scarlett narrowed her eyes at him. "What are you up to, Rhett Butler? So afraid I'll disgrace you, you plan on following me around everywhere I go, just to make sure I live up to your holier-than thou art- standards?" she asked with hurt and resentment.

Rhett grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into her small office and shut the door behind them. "Did it ever occur to you that I my intentions might be innocent, my pet?"

"Since when?" Scarlett asked incredulously. She saw him clench his fist, a visible sign that he was trying to control his underlying fury.

"All right, have it your way then. The only reason I'm here is for Bonnie's reputation and for the child you're carrying right now." Rhett muttered angrily.

Scarlett gazed at him in confusion. Was he saying that he genuinely wanted to be here with her? Briefly she recalled the mornings events, the way he'd looked at her…

She decided to swallow her pride. "Rhett, I'm sorry if I misinterpreted you; but really, when have you ever done anything concerning me without alternative reasons?" she asked with a smile, hoping to disarm him.

Nevertheless, Rhett looked at her with a frown then glanced down at his pocket watch.

"Yes, I suppose you're correct but I'm afraid I must leave you now. I have other matters to attend to."

Scarlett reached out and grabbed his arm. "Don't go," she whispered pleadingly.

He took hold of her head and kissed her with bruising strength, before releasing her abruptly and fairly dashing out of the store.

Confused, scared, and utterly alone, Scarlett closed the office door, and sitting down at the small desk, cried her heart out into the scattered documents.