Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

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

Chapter Twenty

In June, Scarlett returned to the house in the late afternoon. She went in search of Rhett. She supposed he should be the first one she told. She found him in the family parlor. She said, "Rhett."

"Yes.

"I guess one of those times we thought was safe wasn't. I am with child again."

"Are you mad?"

"No, my baby. I could never not be intimate with you."

"Nor I you."

"I just wish we could have the fun without the consequences."

"Me too."

"It is a boy."

"That is the only way it would work for him to be alive in seventy-four."

"Not the only way. I could have this one and then we have another one right away."

"We aren't going to do that."

"Happy?"

Rhett smiled at his wife and said, "Yes, I am. You know that."

"That's the only thing that makes this whole experience bearable is you being happy about having another child."

"That and the chloroform."

Scarlett laughed. She said, "Yes, that wonderful chloroform."

Rhett smiled at her and said, "Let's get ready for supper."

"Yes."

It was at least an hour and a half before they had to get ready for supper. They both knew what they were really going upstairs to do. Afterall she couldn't get any more pregnant than she already was.

In December as they were lying in their bed Scarlett said, "I want a Dilly Bar."

"You know that is impossible for me to get for you."

"I know."

"I can't even get you ice cream because it is winter."

"I know. I just wanted you to know."

"Would you like some of those chicken fingers and gravy also?"

"Yes, and the French fries."

"You can get the cook to make fried chicken, French fries, and gravy tomorrow for lunch."

"I guess so, but it won't be as good as Dairy Queen's chicken fingers were."

Rhett didn't reply. He just smiled. Rolled over and kissed her.

In late January, Scarlett gave birth to a son. They named him after Rhett's grandfather and her pa. His name was Alexander Gerald Butler. Scarlett was hoping it was the only son she ever had.

In March of seventy-two Scarlett and Rhett started having frequent conversations about how to save their children's lives. They talked about traveling the summer of seventy-four so they were out of Atlanta but that wasn't a guarantee that there wouldn't be an epidemic the next summer or the next after that.

One night as they were talking, Scarlett said, "I wish we could go back to sixty-eight with the children."

"The only way that would work is if it was permanent."

"Yeah. You are right."

"I have to go to New Orleans in a couple of weeks to take care of some business. I will find Ms. Laveau and ask her if she can permanently send us to the future."

"Do you think that would be safe?"

"Yes."

"How would we get your fortune into nineteen.. I guess it would be seventy-four?"

"Let me find out if it is even possible then we can figure out a solution to taking my money with us."

Two weeks later Rhett went in search of Miss Laveau. He hoped he could find her. Luckily, her shop was in the same location. He saw her she was very pregnant. He smiled at her. She smiled at him.

Rhett said, "Do you remember me?"

"Of course, you are hard to forget."

"I see congratulations are in order."

"Yes, my husband and I are very happy." Marie said it with a trace of sadness for she knew that before the baby was born her husband would be dead from a carriage accident. She knew she could not prevent it from happening, so they were living in the now.

"My name is Rhett Butler."

"Nice to know your name."

"I would like for you to read my future to see if anything has changed."

"Of course. Give me your hand."

Rhett placed his hand in hers. He watched as the sadness crossed her face. He said, "I guess we still lose three of our four children to Typhoid."

"Yes. Your natural son survives."

Rhett smiled a sad smile. By now he thought of Wade and Ella as his children. It would rip him apart for them to die. He had to save them all. He said, "Could you send me and my family permanently into the future a hundred years?"

"I don't know. You are the only person who I sent into the future, and you returned."

"Is there someone you could ask?"

"My mother told me how to do it, but I have never tried to do it. You are the only person who made me mad enough to try to do it. That and your wife's horrible future. I will ask my mother again to make sure I understood her correctly."

"Thank you, let me pay you for the reading," Rhett stood up and took out a twenty-dollar bill from his wallet. "Would you be willing to try if I paid you to do so?"

"Of course, Mr. Butler."

"Thank you. If my wife's sister-in-law dies, we will return before the epidemic occurs the following summer. That should be in about two years."

Rhett stood up and walked away when Marie called out, "Mr. Butler, your change."

Rhett smiled and said, "Keep it. You are going to need to stay home for a while with the baby."

"Thank you."

As Marie watched the man walk away, she could not believe what a different man he was than he had been four years ago.

That night when she got home, she asked her mother, "How do I send someone into the future again?"

"We have talked about this, Marie."

"I want to go over it again."

"Go get the spell book."

Marie did and she turned to the page that had the spell to send someone a hundred years into the future. Her mother said, "See there in the notes. Return in six months - burn the object. Stay permanently - bury the object."

"You can read all that."

"Of course, that is my handwriting."

"Thank you, Mama."

"Marie, thank you for letting me be part of yours and this baby's lives. She has given me hope in the future."

"I know, Mama. You have even quit drinking."

"I haven't touched anyone in such a long time that all the visions have faded. I don't need to drink now."

"Good because I need you in my life to help me with Jenny."

Marie's mother smiled and said, "My pleasure."

Both women knew Marie's husband was going to die and they both knew the baby was a girl and that she would have blue eyes and curly red hair.

When Rhett got back from New Orleans, he told Scarlett what Marie Laveau had said. She said, "I will spend the next year trying to convince Melly to not try to have another child."

"If you fail, then we will liquate our assets and go with plan B."

"Rhett, I want to whisk her off into the future where with better medicine she will probably live."

"I know but we were barely able to survive. Mr. and Mrs. Wilkes will never adapt to that new world."

"I know they are barely adapting to this new world and that is with a lot of help from us."

"Enough talking Papa needs Mama in a very intimate way."

"What way would that be?"

"Come here and I will show you."

"No, tell me while I am over here. I'm not sure it will be worth me walking over there."

"You know it will be worth you walking over here, but I am happy to tell you what I am going to do to you and what you are going to do to me."

Rhett did proceed to tell Scarlett all the things he wanted them to do in graphic detail. As he talked, he could tell that his wife was getting increasingly aroused by his words. As she walked over to him and kissed him, his last sane thought was, 'This is the same woman that was ashamed to do it in the afternoon. Not anymore.'

In June of seventy-three, Scarlett knew that Melly was pregnant. She knew because Melly was extremely happy. She knew because Melly was glowing. Scarlett didn't say anything because she couldn't say anything without it turning into a scolding.

Scarlett did go out to Ashley's job at the sawmill. Ashley greeted Scarlett with a happy smile. He said, "Scarlett, what a surprise! What brings you out here."

"What brings me out here? You. You coward. You weak-willed man. Do you have a back-bone at all? How could you get Melly pregnant? You know she is going to die, and it is going to be all your fault."

"Scarlett don't say things like that. It is bad luck."

"No, what is bad luck is a stupid, stupid man doing what he knows he shouldn't do."

"She said Dr. Meade had said it was okay."

"Did you ask Dr. Meade?"

"If I asked Dr. Meade that would be calling my wife a liar and a gentleman would never do that in public."

All the wind went out of Scarlett's sails with Ashley's last statement. She turned and walked out the door. She drove her buggy home. She went to her room and cried herself to sleep. Rhett found her before supper and covered her up with a blanket. He told Dilcey to have a tray prepared for Mrs. Butler for supper.

Later after he had returned to their bedroom, Scarlett was sitting up in the bed eating her supper. When she saw him, she said, "Thank you for this."

"You are welcome."

"I told Ashley how mad I was at him."

"And?"

"It didn't change anything. Melly is still pregnant, and he is still a weak man."

Rhett didn't say anything about what Scarlett was actually thinking. That Melanie Wilkes was going to die and there wasn't anything she could do about it.

Rhett said, "I'm going to start liquidating my assets."

"Yes, make arrangements for our loved ones. I guess I will turn Tara over to Suellen."

"I will set-up a trust fund for my mother and Rosemary."

"And a trust fund for Marie Laveau and her descendants."

"Her female descendants so we are sure Jasmine gets some of the money."

"I don't know if Jasmine has any brothers or sisters."

"No, just a shrew for a mother."

Scarlett laughed and said, "I hope she finished her dissertation."

"Me too."

From that day forward Scarlett had a smile on her face whenever she was around Melanie. Scarlett would make her last days happy ones. Scarlett just started talking about the baby. They talked about names. They talked about how much Melly wanted a little girl. They talked about what Melly wanted for Beau. Scarlett never said anything negative. The only thing she did that was odd was leave as soon as Ashley got home.

Scarlett got to say goodbye. She promised she would take care of Ashley and Beau but in truth Scarlett only planned to take care of Beau. Rhett took her home before Melly had actually passed away.

Scarlett and Rhett went to the Wilkes house the day after the death to extend their sympathies. Scarlett took Beau home with her. She didn't ask permission. She just did it and nobody tried to stop her.

Scarlett kept Beau until the day of the funeral. Rhett, Scarlett, Wade and Beau went to the funeral. Scarlett made the younger children stay home with Mammy. Scarlett let Beau sit with Ashley and India although Ashley was in such a state of grief that he hardly noticed Beau at all.

The funeral was over, there was the reception, then they went to the cemetery. Everyone who was anyone in Atlanta's proper society was at the funeral. Honey had come from Macon with her husband. Scarlett smiled. Honey's husband was definitely not a gentleman. Scarlett left Beau with his relatives and return to her mansion.

Two months after Melanie's funeral Scarlett went to the funeral home and asked, "Is there a balance on Melanie Wilkes' funeral."

Jacob Jeter didn't bat an eyelash when he replied, "Yes, Mrs. Butler."

Scarlett took out her checkbook and said, "How much is it?"

Mr. Jeter knew he shouldn't discuss with Mrs. Butler how much Mr. Wilkes owed but he also knew that Mr. Wilkes would never be able to pay off his balance. Therefore, he was happy to tell Mrs. Butler what the balance was on the account.

Scarlett paid what was owed on Melanie's funeral. It was the least she could do for her truest friend. Mr. Jeter was smiling when Scarlett left his establishment.

Before the end of the year Ashley had lost his job at the sawmill for poor performance. He sold his half to Sam Chandler and made enough money to live on for the next year. When Scarlett heard that she wasn't worried about Ashley. She knew he would be dead before the end of the year.

The first months after Melanie's death Beau was a frequent visitor at their home. He would stay for weeks on end. By spring Beau was in fact living at the mansion. Scarlett would take Beau and Wade to visit the Hamilton House every Sunday afternoon. When they got up to leave nobody ever suggested that Beau stay which Scarlett always thought was incredibly sad.