Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Six

Rhett took Scarlett, the children, and Mammy on a tour of Europe. After two months in Europe, he had said, "We made a baby that night, didn't we?"

Scarlett nodded and said, "Although, we are rarely intimate now you have been…. Therefore, we must have conceived a child that night."

"Yes, I have. I don't like doing it, but I dislike not sleeping with you more."

"Rhett, I don't want to sleep without you either. Why didn't you suggest this two years ago?"

"Because I was crazy with jealousy and made some assumptions that I shouldn't have."

"You thought it had to do with Ashley," She didn't wait for a response but went on. She said, "He said some things that gave me the courage to say something to you, but I had told you many times I didn't want any more children. I never have."

"I know, Baby. It was all my conceit on my part."

"I didn't want you to leave my bedroom, but I just didn't want to have any more children."

"Why don't you want children?"

Scarlett was startled. Rhett had never asked her why she didn't want children; he had just criticized her for not wanting them. Then called her a bad mother, of course.

Scarlett smiled and said, "I didn't like the process of making the child, I don't like the baby growing inside me, I don't like what has to happen to get the baby out of me, I don't like how much time and attention the baby needs, and I guess I don't want another person depending on me. Furthermore, having children was making me fat."

Rhett looked at Scarlett's earnest face and thought, 'Everything really wasn't always about Wilkes. In these two months I have not seen that dreamy look on her face. Maybe I am finally treating her right.' He said, "Making you fat?! Surely you jest. You are as slim as a schoolgirl after having three children."

"I have gained an inch in my waist with each child. I'm not as slim as I was when I was sixteen."

"Maybe not but you are a long way away from anyone ever seriously calling you fat."

"Thank you. Rhett, I don't want to have the baby, but I don't want to die either."

"I will think of something."

"Thank you, Rhett."

As Rhett left their room, he didn't have a clue how he was going to solve this problem. He couldn't let her undergo the procedure, but it might be the end of their budding relationship if she had to have the child. He remembered vividly how miserable she had been when she was carrying Bonnie. With chagrin, Rhett wished he had remembered how miserable she had been when they had their conversation in their bedroom but once again his ego and his jealousy had gotten in the way.

Later in the day, Scarlett realized that she had not asked Rhett why he so rarely wanted to be intimate anymore. She would like to be intimate much more often than they were, but she decided that Rhett just couldn't do it that often anymore. She smiled a sad smile, if she had known his sex drive would diminish so much, she would never have told him she didn't want any more children. What blarney? She had thought Ashley was making a romantic gesture. That she and Ashley would be chaste for each other while married to someone else. She didn't know exactly what had happened that day, but she knew that if Ashley could have relations with his wife, he would despite his feelings for her. Rhett would never know how right he had been that day.

Rhett and Scarlett were in a hotel room in Zurich. The leading minds in medicine were in Switzerland. The family had been in the city for over a week. Every afternoon, Rhett had gone out and talked to doctors. One of those visits had been to talk to a Dr. Schmid about the symptoms of syphilis. It was not the first doctor he had talked to about the disease. He was hoping someone had a cure. The doctor had replied "In the beginning there are really only two symptoms. A sore on the genitalia and a rash all over the person's body even on the palms of the hands and the souls of their feet. Then it becomes the silent killer. A person has no other symptoms for ten to thirty years. The worst part is that syphilis is called the imitator. For when a person has moved into stage three their symptoms could be several other diseases. Most people who are infected will never even know they have the disease."

"Is there any cure?"

Dr. Schmid said what every other doctor had said, "Some doctors swear by the mercury ointment treatment, but I have never seen any conclusive documentation to support that theory."

"Isn't mercury highly toxic?"

"Yes. If one doesn't die from mercury poisoning it might cure the disease but probably not.

"Is there any way I didn't give this disease to my wife?"

"If you had relations with your wife then you gave her the disease."

"She has not developed any of the symptoms."

"She may just be asymptomatic."

"What are the long-term effects of the disease?"

"We don't know because we don't know who has it and who doesn't."

"Do you know how it will affect her baby?"

"She might have a miscarriage. If that doesn't happen, then at best it will be still born. It will be born with the disease. It can have many birth defects. Being born without eyes is a common birth defect. I would recommend terminating the pregnancy.

"Thank you. Can you terminate a pregnancy?"

"Not I but go see Dr. Meyer. He is the best. I don't think he has had a patient die on him yet. Mr. Butler, I can perform a surgery on you that will render you sterile and you will never have to worry about getting Mrs. Butler with child again."

"Explain the surgery to me."

After Dr. Schmid was finished explaining the procedure he said, "It takes sixty days after the surgery for you to be completely sterile."

"How quickly can you do the procedure?"

"I can do it right now."

"Then let's do it."

Later that night Rhett had told Scarlett what he had done, and she just stared at him in total disbelief. He finally said, "We are going to be married until I die, and you have never wanted children therefore we can have lots of fun this way without the consequences."

"Thank you, Rhett. Are you in pain?"

"Somewhat."

"Do you want some laudanum?"

"No, it is not that bad."

"A glass of brandy."

"Yes."

As Scarlett poured the alcohol in a glass for Rhett, she thought, 'Ashley would never have done something like that for me,' With a smile, Scarlett thought, 'For it wouldn't be proper to not want children.'

As Rhett laid in his bed with Scarlett beside him, he wasn't sleepy. Rhett considered getting another glass of brandy for the drink had taken the edge off the pain, but he decided not to for his liver's sake. So, Rhett just laid in the bed and prayed for a miracle. He prayed that God take his child but not his wife. He cursed himself again for his actions. His prideful, insane actions. Finally, he fell into a troubled sleep.

Rhett had a nightmare. He dreamed that Scarlett delivered her baby. It was a boy. It was a boy that was stillborn. A boy without any eyes. It was a horrible sight. The doctor would not let Scarlett see the baby, but he made sure that Rhett saw what his actions had done to his son. The doctor said to Rhett, "Fortunately, your son was born dead. Do yourself and your poor wife a favor and never have relations again."

When Rhett woke up the next day, he decided that having the surgery had been an incredibly good idea. He, unfortunately, didn't know what to do about the baby. If he told Scarlett to have the procedure, she would question him on why he was no longer concerned for her health. If he let her have the baby, that might be worse.

Rhett was going to have to make a decision soon or it would be too late to do the procedure. A week later Rhett's miracle happened in the middle of the night. Scarlett woke Rhett up and said, "Rhett, I'm cramping."

A sleepy Rhett said, "What?"

"I'm cramping. It hurts so bad. It hurts like I am in labor, but I can't be in labor, it is too early."

"Let me get you some laudanum."

"No, Rhett, get me Mammy then get me a doctor."

Rhett did just that. He got Mammy and left her with Scarlett. He sent a footman for Dr. Schmid. The doctor was there within thirty minutes. Dr. Schmid found Mammy and Rhett in Scarlett's bedroom. He said, "Mr. Butler, I need to examine your wife."

"I will leave while you examine her, but I will be back when you are finished. She is not going through this alone."

Rhett looked at Scarlett. She looked bad. Her face was pale, she had sweat on her brow, and she kept flinching every few minutes. All he could think was she had to survive. His future self had said she survive the miscarriage last time. She had to this time also.

Rhett went to the bed and said, "I love you. I always have."

"Thank you, Rhett."

As soon as the doctor left the room, Rhett moved to enter the room, but Dr. Schmid stopped him. He said to Rhett, "She is young and healthy. She should survive her miscarriage. I gave her a shot of morphine. You can give her laudanum for the pain. You cannot have relations for six weeks and remember you are not sterile until it has been sixty days from the surgery. You don't want her to have to go through this again, do you?"

Arrogant, proud Rhett Butler replied like a chastised child, "No, sir."

"You owe me twenty francs."

Rhett took the money out of his pocket and shoved it at the man. Rhett then turned and entered the room. He was by Scarlett's side in an instant. Her eyes were closed, and he wondered if she was sleeping. He hoped so.

Rhett took his hand and brushed her curls from her face. Scarlett opened her eyes and said, "Can I have a drink of brandy."

"I don't know. Dr. Schmid gave you a shot of morphine."

"Please?"

If Rhett's proud, arrogant Scarlett was saying please she really wanted the drink. He said, "Yes, let me get it for you."

The day after the miscarriage as the children and Rhett were leaving the dining room in the hotel from having had dinner, Wade asked, "What is wrong with Mother?"

Rhett smiled at Wade, Ella, and Bonnie for he had all of their attentions. He answered Wade's question. He said, "She was going to have another baby, but God took it to heaven. She will be as good as new in a week or so," Then he added words that he knew Wade and probably the other two needed to hear. He knew he needed to say the words. He said, "She is not going to die."

"Promise."

"Promise. Nothing can happen to your mother now."

"Alright."

That evening the family had supper in their suite. Scarlett felt well enough to eat the meal. Rhett helped her to the table. Although she was far from well, she didn't want the children to worry about her. She was in some pain, but it was no worse than her monthly pain.

That night as Rhett was helping Scarlett to the privy, she said, "I'm sorry."

"You didn't make this happen. If you had that kind of power, you wouldn't have any children. I am happy with just you and Bonnie."

Scarlett had smiled and said, "I just want you and Bonnie also. And I guess Wade and Ella also. They really are good children."