Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Let me reassure my readers that Scarlett and Rhett will have a happy ending.

After reading the reviews I had to rewrite parts of the story starting with Chapter 5. I realized I had the characters behaving very un-canonish. Although I am not bound by the canon, I try to stay true to their basic personalities.

Chapter Five

As Scarlett sat in her parlor waiting on Rhett to return her mind was racing. She kept asking herself if she had done the right thing. She kept asking herself if she could ever trust Rhett. She kept hoping this wasn't an elaborate joke on Rhett's part. She reassured herself on that count by reminding herself that Rhett would more likely use cruel words to hurt her than an elaborate joke. She reminded herself that he was taking her to Charleston away from all the gossip and the rumors. For once he was protecting her.

When Rhett got to the mansion, he dumped his belongings in his old room. He looked at the shirt he had been wearing when he killed Belle. He could not see any blood on it or on his jacket. He should be safe. The staff was loyal to Scarlett if not to him. Nonetheless, he put the shirt in the fireplace and doused it with kerosine. He lit the shirt and waited until he was sure it was on fire.

Rhett found Scarlett in the parlor. He said, "Let's get Mammy and the children and go."

With a bright smile, Scarlett said, "Alright."

Rhett turned to Scarlett and said, "I do love you."

"We will see if your actions meet your words."

Rhett smiled. That was his warrior wife – don't give an inch. Yes, that is what he wanted.

As the family was walking to the carriage, Scarlett said to Rhett, "Let me take Bonnie while you see to the trunks."

"Alright."

When Bonnie protested being handed over to her mother, Rhett said to her, "Go with your mother."

Scarlett was stunned that Rhett hadn't given into Bonnie's opposition. Scarlett smiled. It pleased her so very much that Rhett hadn't given into the child when she protested. It made Scarlett think that all of Rhett's actions really were because he wanted their relationship to be better. That Rhett really did love her.

As Rhett walked away from Scarlett and the children, he resolved to never overrule Mammy or Scarlett again. He would work up to him telling Bonnie no on his own.

As Mammy walked to the carriage, she wondered what was going on. It appeared that Mr. Rhett was doing something kind for Miss Scarlett. It appeared that he was protecting her by taking her away from all the gossip and rumors. Mammy knew what had happened the day before with Mr. Ashley and Miss Scarlett being caught at the sawmills in each other's arms. She approved of Mr. Rhett's actions. It was best to get Miss Scarlett out of town, but she was suspicious of Mr. Rhett being nice to Miss Scarlett. He certainly hadn't been very nice to her little lamb since they got married.

This afternoon after Miss Scarlett and Mr. Rhett had returned from somewhere, they had told the staff that the family was leaving town therefore they would no longer need their services. Mr. Hamilton would be over tomorrow and give the staff their final wages plus two weeks wages more. That is everyone but Pork, Dilcey, and Prissy.

Mammy thought, "Miss Scarlett should fire that worthless Prissy, but Miss Scarlett is just too loyal and trusting to people she considers family. Just like that worthless Mr. Ashley. Miss Scarlett should have let him go to New York. But no Miss Scarlett would never desert anyone she loved. Or anyone she felt obligated to. Like those ungrateful witches that are her aunts. Eventually, I will find out everything.'

Rhett got them a private car. Rhett had stopped smoking and drinking that very day. He was having trouble falling asleep. His thoughts would not leave him alone and he couldn't drink alcohol to muffle his thoughts. He smiled when he thought of the number of times Scarlett had said, "How could you?"

Rhett had always replied, "I don't know. I was a stupid fool."

At least, Rhett knew better than to tell her that he had done it to hurt her and shame her. He didn't think she would ever forgive him for that especially not the shaming part.

As Rhett laid in the bed with Scarlett, he thought about what his future self had said, no what he had learned from his dream. Rhett sighed. As fantastic as it seemed, he needed to accept that somehow his future self had been able to warn him of his and Scarlett's horrible future. He shouldn't have had relations with her this morning, but it was like a dream come true that he had woken up next to Scarlett who was warm, willing, and naked. If he hadn't already infected her last night, he was sure he had this morning. He smiled as he remembered her look of surprise when he had not initiated anything intimate an hour ago. He had simply gotten into the bed and wrapped her up in his arms.

Rhett remembered his future self had said that he had given Scarlett syphilis last night so she was already infected and there was nothing he could do about it. They wouldn't be intimate again until he knew for sure if he had infected her. His future self had also said he had gotten her with child, if that was true, he would believe he had already infected her. Rhett sighed. He already knew it was true.

Rhett thought, 'Scarlett will be mad that she is with child, but I can't let her get rid of it for it might kill her. But my future self said the baby would be stillborn. I can't let her go through that either. We will find a cure in Europe.'

Rhett pulled his wife closer and felt the extreme regret of his actions. His stupid, stupid actions. Rhett wiped the tears from his eyes. Once again, he had done more damage to his life than his worst enemy. Rhett's thoughts circled around in his head. Finally, sleep over came him.

The next day while in the common room on the train, Scarlett stared out the window. Rhett knew she was thinking of Mr. Wilkes, he said, "Scarlett, do you like to see me mad?"

"No!"

"Then you will refrain from ever thinking about Mr. Wilkes while in my company. I always know when you are thinking about him. You get a dreamy look on your face."

"I won't think about him again until you are dead and gone. But for the record I was thinking about my businesses and how much I am going to miss running them. Also, I never thought about him while we were being intimate."

"I don't want you thinking about him at all."

Scarlett smiled and said, "Alright and I don't want you thinking about the creature either."

Rhett laughed and said, "She will never cross my mind again. She is dead to me."

While they were in Charleston, Scarlett met his mother, but his sister had another engagement. Scarlett could tell by the tightening of Rhett's lips that this was not the first time that his sister had allegedly had a previous engagement. Mrs. Butler was a proper Charleston woman who although she loved Rhett was embarrassed by him also. She was cordial to Scarlett but not overly warm. Mrs. Butler barely acknowledged her granddaughter. The older woman didn't acknowledge Wade and Ella at all. When they left from their meeting with Rhett's mother, Scarlett was mad. Rhett said, "She doesn't approve of your choice of husbands."

"What?!"

"You married an unreceived man."

"I married her son."

"Charleston doesn't lower their standards no matter what the circumstances are."

"Deliver me from Charlestonian women."

"Gladly."

Scarlett made arrangements to call on her aunts. When she knocked on her aunts' door, they tried to deny Rhett admittance. Therefore, Scarlett said, "I would be happy to stop sending you a support check. You either let Rhett in or you can find someone else to write you a check every month."

Rhett smiled. There was his loyal Scarlett. Rhett was admitted to the old women's home.

It was clear that the old women were uncomfortable with Rhett Butler sitting in their parlor. Scarlett said, "You will be happy to learn that I have sold my businesses."

Aunt Eulalie sniffed and said, "It is about time you started acting like a lady. I can't believe….."

"Mrs. Boykin, shut up. You are in no position to criticize Scarlett in any form or fashion especially considering that the actions you are criticizing her for doing are the actions that had provided her with a means of supporting you and your sister. If it was up to me, Scarlett would not be sending you a check but it is her money so she can do what she wants," In a menacing voice Rhett continued, "But if I ever hear about you or your sister criticizing my wife in anyway, I will make damn sure she never sends you another check. Nobody has the right to critique my wife, not even me."

Scarlett was as stunned as her aunts. Wade was pretty stunned also for he had heard the things his Uncle Rhett had said about his mother. When there was an extended silence, Rhett said, "Mrs. Boykin, I think you owe my wife an apology for your unkind comment about her behavior."

After another extended silence, Eulalie said, "I'm sorry, Scarlett, for making that unkind comment."

Rhett said, "And?"

"And? Oh. Of course, you have always behaved like a lady."

"Thank you, Aunt Eulalie."

The family stayed another fifteen minutes, but the conversation was stilted and awkward. The only person who seemed to be comfortable was Rhett but in truth he was incredibly angry at Scarlett's aunts. How dare they take a bite out of her especially when they depend upon her for their livelihood. Rhett shied away from remembering how many times he had chipped a piece off of Scarlett and her self-esteem for no other reason than to chip away at her.

After they got in the cab, Scarlett said, "Thank you for defending me, Rhett."

"You're welcome but you don't have to thank me. It is part of my responsibility as your husband. Nobody is going to talk badly about you ever again including me."

The family spent the next day seeing the sights of Charleston. Rhett showed them Ft. Sumter. When Rhett said to the children, "That is where the damn war started," Scarlett did not chastise Rhett for his language.

Wade said, "What do you mean?"

"The confederacy fired the first real shots of the war by firing on Ft. Sumter on April 12, 1861, but in truth the war started when South Carolina attempted to secede from the union on December 20, 1860. After that Mr. Lincoln had to do whatever, it took to keep the union whole. Damn fools."

There wasn't very much more conversation for a while until Rhett said, "Let's get some saltwater taffy. Charleston is famous for it."

Scarlett laughed and happily said, "Yes, let's. We must get some for Mammy too."

"Of course."

With that the somber mood had been lifted.

That night they boarded the ship. As they were boarding the ship, Rhett handed Bonnie to Scarlett without explanation. Scarlett was pleased. Bonnie not as much but when she reached for her father, Rhett said, "Stay with your mother. She likes to carry you also."

The time spent in Charleston and the time on the ship with Rhett was fantastic. He was being so open and honest. He wasn't hiding his feelings and he was speaking in a plain, straight, forward manner. A manner she could finally understand.

Scarlett could not believe how wonderful he was being to her. He truly was treating her like a queen. He was treating her better than he treated Bonnie. He was still Rhett. He was at times aggravating and teasing but he was never cruel or mocking to her. Living with Rhett now was wonderful. She knew he loved her. Not just by his words but by his actions. He had even started making mocking comments about Melly and her properness. That pleased Scarlett so very much after having listen to Rhett talk about Melly like she was the perfect woman.

The only thing Scarlett didn't understand was sometimes when she looked at Rhett, he would have a wistful look on his face. As soon as he knew she was looking at him, he put a big smile on his face.

As soon as they had left Atlanta if Mammy or Scarlett told Bonnie no Rhett did not overrule them. It wasn't long until he had to agree with his future self. His daughter was a brat.