Here is Ch. 2. I hope everybody likes it. Although this chapter
doesn't contain Bonnie or Pansy the next chapter will. I promise. I
had to put this one in though.

Disclaimer: I do not claim to own any of the original GWTW character
all credit for them goes to MM.

Chapter 2

Scarlett stretched across her large bed. Her light was turned down
to where only a small flame flickered. Scarlett tried to close her
eyes and surrender to sleep, but sleep wouldn't come. All she could
think about was what she was going to say to Rhett. Oh how she
wanted to bring up his comment about the Yankee women, but she would
never give the satisfaction of seeing her jealous curiosity toward
what he was talking about. She rolled onto her side and began
playing with the sleeve to her nightgown. She thought about how
Pansy and Bonnie led him out of the room earlier. "They had him
wrapped around their little finger. How someone who had fought
gruesome battles, killed many men, been a blockade runner during the
war, and was a rough business man could be complete controlled by
two small little girls she would never know. He spoiled them to much
though."Scarlett thought. "Mammy had raised quite a number of more
little girls than Rhett ever had and she would know of all people if
the girls needed a bath." She thought matter of factly. "What a
silly thing to even argue about." Scarlett thought. "Rhett would
argue to a brick wall if it ever raised a finger to bother his
precious daughter's plans." Just then Scarlett was brought out of
her thoughts by laughter coming from down the hall. Finally Scarlett
got curious to what was causing this and she got up out of the bed.
She tied her wrapper tightly and made her way for the hall.

As Scarlett approached the playroom, where she thought the laughter
was coming from, she stopped suddenly. To her dismay the laughter
wasn't coming from the room at all. In fact the room was silent.
Wade was curled up on his bed concentrated on his book and Ella was
on the other side of the room contently playing with her dolls.
Scarlett just stood there watching her own children as she would
watch a stranger. She hardly knew them. The harsh truth hit her
hard.

"Wade was born in the middle of the war and had to grow up during
its reconstruction. Scarlett was too young when he was baby and by
the time he was a little older she was to busy to play or pet him.
When Ella came along she was too wrapped up in her store and mill to
give a second thought to her."

Scarlett stood solemnly in the doorway. "Why had all this emotion
decided to flood itself on her now?" she thought. "Wade had just
turned 12 and Ella was barely 7, so why was all this bothering her
now?" She wondered.

"She had always know she was somewhat lacking in maternal instincts,
but it had never bothered her before. She had done what it took to
survive the war and kept food on the table. They should be grateful
she loved them enough to work as hard as she did, and not have given
up like so many other women had. Why she…" she interrupted one
thought for another one. "She loved them?" "Did she?" "She had never
quite thought of any feelings she had for either of them as being
feelings of love. She supposed she loved them, deep down, in her own
way." "She could never be the same type of mother as her mother
had," she mentally told herself, "or as Melly was, or how most women
in Atlanta were. Although this didn't bother her, she still felt a
small feeling of guilty remorse.

Scarlet jumped as she felt something gently touch her shoulder. "I'm
sorry my dear, I didn't mean to frighten you." Rhett said
softly. "Oh you..." Scarlett began, looking in the play room once
again. Wade and Ella's eyes were affixed to Scarlett and Rhett. "You
didn't." Scarlett finished as she returned her gaze to
Rhett. "Didn't I?" Rhett asked almost playfully. When Scarlett
didn't say anything he continued. "Well, didn't you wish to speak
with me?" He asked plainly. "Oh, umm…" Scarlett looked once again
to Wade and then to Ella. "No." Scarlett said looking at the floor
momentarily then confidently looking up. Rhett studied her
countenance for a moment and then simply replied. "Very well." and
walked past her into the playroom. She wasn't sure if he couldn't
read her thoughts or if he simply was pleased whatever it was he was
searching for.

"She also wasn't search why she didn't feel the need to argue with
Rhett. She had been armed and prepared for battle and when it came
time to sound charge she waved her white flag." she thought
briefly.

Scarlett looked in the nursery at the children and Rhett. "They
absolutely adored him." she observed. "And why wouldn't they?" she
thought. "He had been there for most of their lives and if it
weren't for Rhett or Melly they wouldn't even know a kind word.
Scarlett looked down as a wave of shame came over her. She looked up
to find Rhett sitting of the edge of Wade's bed while Ella went over
the events of her day. Rhett seemed to brighten up their day more
than anything else. Scarlett knew she had never done such a thing
for either of them and that should change. And it would change." She
thought to herself proudly straighten herself to her definite
height. "She would think of all this tomorrow, when she wasn't so
tired and she could think better. Scarlett turned back toward her
bedroom. As she walked down the hall all the things that had been
revealed to her tonight were pushed to the back of her mind so she
could enjoy a peace night.

I hope everybody liked this chapter. I know it didn't have too much "action" so to speak, but I thought I should write Scarlett's feeling toward her children and how those feelings change. Please review and tell me what you think