Regarding the style of Tara: Oh no guys, we are describing Tara as the movie. Always and forever (like come on I had the Barbie doll). And likely Scarlett's clothing for scenes (even though it is not always time period appropriate), okay let's be honest ALL images are always from the movie. If the purists want to later, you guys can edit and include that stuff. I don't actually think you'll get a mention of what type of a house Tara is ever again, but you can totally change that scene later on. The Greek Revival was the most popular style in Georgia from the 40's to 60's (so appropriate choice for them to use in the movie). Rhett is a man in love and trying to get her to marry him, he's willing to duplicate the comfort her childhood home brings her, regardless of whatever it looks like or reminds him of. Do recall he let her built her Swiss Chalet. A later on scene will have mention of a single house in Charleston, which the purists can make mention of the similarities between it and Tara when it gets to them for editing. :-P


-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Part Three

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"It's simply so amazing to think of Pine Bloom as yours Captain Butler," Suellen said across the dinner table the day before they would go help the Calverts load their wagon. Suellen had already forced Scarlett there on two afternoons to help the women with the packing, which had been torturous because they and Suellen kept bringing up everything that had been lost. Although, perhaps she would have as well if she were being forced to the north.

"I don't believe I'll keep the name. This is to be a quality business; the name hardly sounds inspiring. Certainly not where you'd get the finest horseflesh in all of Georgia."

"Only Georgia?" Scarlett teased.

"Steps my dear, Georgia first, then the south, then the States."

"Then the world?" she teased again.

"Scarlett, I truly must take you to England. I will do my best, but I make no promises it will be so grand."

"I don't think Pine Bloom sounds too bad," Will commented.

"No, it's not bad, it's just not-" Rhett began.

"Memorable," Scarlett finished.

"Exactly. It could be Bloom or Bush I doubt anyone would notice," Rhett remarked.

"Oh they'd notice alright," Scarlett recalled thinking of her neighbors.

Rhett smirked.

"So what do you think you'll name it Captain Butler?" Will questioned.

"I was thinking Calverton. Keep the family name going even though they'll be gone. Make it so their sacrifice isn't forgotten."

"You don't think Calverton is a little grand?" Scarlett cheekily remarked, "Why it's hardly a town."

"Why not yet Scarlett, but who knows. Pine Bloom may be only 600 acres, but there is unused land around it and a great many people in need of funds. Why in a few years Calverton could easily surpass Tara in terms of land."

"Better you than me," Will said looking exhausted by the idea of that.

Rhett let out one of his loud laughs that made the little girl in his lap grow excited as if some new fun were about to begin and he was quick to allow Ella to stand on his legs and face him instead of being seated on his knee.

"It'll be great for folks to have more work if you're truly serious about rebuilding and expanding," Will nodded.

"I'm sure it will help with the sting once they realize you're breeding horses for all the carpetbaggers that have invaded Atlanta."

"Now Scarlett," Rhett said as he attempted to stop Ella from trying to detach his mustache from his upper lip, "it's not merely the northerners, it's the wealthy."

"I do look forward to you trying to explain that."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Scarlett very nearly wanted to weep as she saw her neighbors at Pine Bloom. There was still something so very devastating being at the property without Raiford and Cade, without Cathleen going to pull her to the side with gossip. Seeing the house in its current state, while never grand, it had always been well cared for and when her eyes swept to the sides and saw the land surrounding it. Oh she did so want to weep.

But then there was a comfort as she saw her neighbors there helping to pack up the meager belongings the family had left to take north with them. Others, who didn't have much had brought food that they likely didn't have to spare. Rhett had offered to ride into town and get food and was still days later apologizing to Mammy for entertaining such a thought, despite as he pointed out it would mean less work for her.

It had been such great fun being in the general store with not a single thought of a budget, sweeping in and giving out instructions to Rhett and the owner. Of course, it hadn't quite been as much fun when she'd actually been forced to stay in the kitchen with Suellen, Mammy and Prissy and she'd certainly never take instruction from Prissy ever again.

While Ella didn't quite prefer Rhett to her mother, she was more than happy to be entertained by Rhett instead of her mother and Suellen had been quick to force Scarlett into the kitchen to help prepare food for those helping them move and to fortify the Calverts on the road.

Joy and sorrow seemed to go hand in hand. Nothing new could happen without recalling what had been lost. Scarlett was very nearly hopeful as she watched Rhett carrying a trunk that likely two men should have been carrying. The world would go on. Their world would go on. The idea that perhaps they could do more than survive. There could be others like Rhett, others who would look to the land for new purposes. Like Will willing to do backbreaking work to regain what once was. There could be so much more than lamenting over what was lost.

Beatrice Tarleton looking truly alive for the first time in years. Oh they wouldn't be her horses, but there'd be horses again. She and her husband had come visiting to Tara as soon as the gossip of Rhett's plan reached them. So many of their neighbors looked so alive at the idea of something new. So desperate to have hope for their future.

Why there were even a few neighbors that spoke to the O'Haras kindly for the first time in years since Suellen's ill-fated plan. They were unsure of what to make of Rhett Butler and Scarlett knew the stories abounded about him, the county was alive with gossip than was for once more scandalous than sorrowful. Suellen would likely insist on going visiting for weeks to come.

To Scarlett, Rhett had talked of himself as a villain on multiple occasions, particularly with regards to Charleston and Atlanta, but out in the country. Out in the country, poor villain or rich villain, Rhett was at least a southern villain and a southern villain was far better than a northern villain.

His roots were strong in the south, his history deep, and he could say such things as, "My mother and Scarlett's aunts," and their neighbors instantly knew the type of woman who had brought him up. A great woman, a kind woman, for Ellen O'Hara had come from a fine family, anyone who had met her knew that instantly. Rhett Butler had fought with their boys, he wouldn't talk about it, but he'd worn the same gray uniform as their boys, so many of which were buried so far from their homes. One of them would be in the home run to ruin and abandoned by that Yankee overseer, a southern gentleman, albeit a professional gambler and spectator, he was at least southern.

Rhett Butler could be such a charmer, she certainly knew that or she would have bored with him ages ago, but to see him actually making an attempt at getting along with their neighbors. She almost wanted to ask him about it, find out if it were as easy as he made it look, as she continued to struggle with it.

She watched as he announced the new name as they sat to take one last meal with the Calverts, as tears filled the eyes of so many of the females and men harshly nodded approval. Damned if she didn't realize in that moment that Rhett had likely swayed her father in such a manner, he may have gotten her father drunk, but he'd had to keep her father's attention without fury long enough to get him drunk. Oh this Rhett, Gerald and Ellen Butler would have readily welcomed into their parlor. No, she'd not ask about it today.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"He certainly is good with him," Will said walking out onto the veranda where Scarlett was standing watching Rhett and Wade play pirates. Scraps of wood had become swords and Wade had a strip of fabric covering one eye that he kept lifting up to see where he was going.

"Certainly patient, since he's now walked the plank three times."

Will laughed.

There had been something so pitiful watching Wade play on his own for the last year. Play on his own in the rooms and the land where she had so often played with others. The age gap between he and Ella had been far too small for Scarlett, but for Wade it was far too large. Scarlett hadn't thought of how often Uncle Peter had occupied Wade. Beau had been able to walk and play just enough to occupy Wade when the Wilkes had moved to Atlanta. Two and a half years younger wasn't a vast difference, but nearly four certainly was.

When they arrived at Tara, Ella couldn't even sit up on her own. Wade had spent several long months before school spending much of his day alone, save for the time that he would sit on a rug with his sister, amusing her with a creation of Will's that she would inevitably try to put in her mouth. It had been such a relief for her to see Ella start to crawl in August so he would at least have someone to chase after. The brief time Will could spend with him wasn't enough to entertain a boy Wade's age. She had tried to play with Wade during the day, but it had always been so hard with Ella and simply playing was often hard, as if she'd lost the ability to.

"He does have his ward, so I imagine he's had some practice."

"Does he see him often?" Will remarked.

"I don't suppose I actually know. Rhett has always been going off somewhere or anywhere for ages."

"Will the boy be joining him at Calverton?"

Scarlett startled for that. She hadn't actually given Rhett's ward much thought aside from wondering if it were his, she assumed it was, but then that led to thoughts of its mother. "I don't know."

Will said nothing.

She felt an instant wave of dislike for this unknown child, who could take Rhett's attention away from her own children, from herself.

"It would be nice for Wade to have another child near," Will quiet words reached her ears.

Her thoughts paused and then shifted. Thinking of the endless hours she had tried to entertain Wade this summer, thinking of how she had spent hours playing with her sisters and then eventually the neighbors' children. Thinking of all those joyful and carefree days.

The pain struck just as it always did whenever she truly let her mind wander back. Childhood friends had gone the same path as her beaux. She hadn't bothered much with them once she entered finishing school, the older boys having taken notice of her and by the time her playmates were ready to marry, she would have been an old maid. In the end their age hadn't mattered, the war had gone on so long they had all enlisted and they had very nearly all died just the same as the older boys.

Despite that though, she could see their faces, their smiles, hear their laughter as they played outside of the schoolhouse. She could see Suellen's disapproving face as she sat with a circle of girls, looking over at the wild laughter that always accompanied Scarlett playing with the boys.

"That would be nice," Scarlett responded automatically. She had been the one to take Wade away from that, she shouldn't wish it away for any more selfish reasons.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"My brother is a bookkeeper," Rhett said at the dinner table as the topic was raised of Scarlett keeping the books for his new endeavor.

"Your brother?" The quickness of Scarlett's words betrayed her thought on the subject.

"The plantation is gone, or at least as good as gone. Reginald is nothing like Mr. Benteen, he doesn't have the perseverance to take it on, on his own."

"I suppose it's a kindness, I never knew from experience of how easy people had it before the war," Will remarked.

Rhett laughed while the women looked offended. "I suppose it says something about him that he was willing to take on the work, he was at least willing to survive after the war unlike our father."

"Do you see much of your brother?" Will asked.

"I've seen him twice since our father disowned me, Reginald decided to follow suit."

"Oh how awful," Suellen remarked.

It hardly sounded awful to Scarlett. "Your parents gave you all first names that began with R's?"

"There was an Agatha after Reginald, she died as a baby. I imagine there was some superstition surrounding the decision to name my surviving sister Rosemary."

"Someone should have told Pa that," Suellen remarked and suddenly realized how informally she spoke at the table with a guest. They had all slipped away from calling him Captain Butler aside from Wade and he certainly hadn't worked on the farm and in the house as a guest.

"I told Mother with the last one, she said it was Pa's greatest wish," Scarlett supplied.

Suellen hesitated for a moment and decided to keep speaking as if they were family since Scarlett was actually resembling family, "Was I 10 or 11 for that one?"

"11."

"They sent us away for ages."

"Five days," Scarlett supplied. "He caught a fever, they wanted to make sure it didn't spread."

"I remember Careen crying to stay when Pork was trying to get us into the carriage."

Careen had cried and screamed and begged, she had to be carried to the carriage, the mere memory of it held all of Careen's anguish as strongly as if it were Scarlett's own. "She adored him," was all Scarlett said.

"Did he have your eyes?"

Scarlett looked momentarily stunned before answering, "I don't recall."

"I remember Pa saying that his eyes were lucky, just like he'd say about yours."

"I'm sure I'd remember if we'd had the same eye color," Scarlett's tone was dismissive, she wanted the conversation to end.

"His eyes was lighter, they'd be like Miss Ella's ," Mammy supplied from the side of the room where she stood.

"Were they?" Scarlett couldn't hide being disturbed by that.

"Did he look like Ella?" Suellen asked looking at Mammy suddenly interested in answers to questions that she'd never thought to ask.

"No. That poor boy was all your Pa."

As the table let out laughter and smiles, Scarlett's was a smile that never touched her eyes.

"Speakin' of Miss Ella. You's sure you'd dinna want me to take her?" Mammy said viewing Ella on Rhett's lap, revealing her true purpose for being in and out of the room so often.

"Oh no," Rhett said with his hand upon Ella's stomach as she sat upon his knee. "She's more than fine."

o-o-o

"Admit it," Rhett said with a smile the moment Suellen stepped out of the room to nurse the baby with Will following after her, "it's a good idea."

"Whatever are you talking about Rhett?" She did her best to only give a fleeting look down at him as he sat on the carpet with the children. It was an oddly nice scene when Suellen and her family were out of the room. She imagined he'd had to have had more interaction with his ward than he let on, she'd had children for over six years and he was far better with them than she was.

Wade was engaged in the building he was creating with Rhett and Ella was distracted by a single block and the dog Rhett had brought back from England for her. Both children were simply so at ease with him.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about Scarlett."

"I already said no Rhett, bringing it up with Suellen and Will will not change my mind."

"You want it Scarlett, I watch that devilish little mind of yours churn away at how to learn every detail, how to influence every detail."

"I don't want you being taken advantage of all they can see are your fancy clothes."

"My dear, I have been to more countries than you can name, spent countless nights sleeping under the stars, sailed from-"

"Fine you're perfectly capable, I'll leave you to it."

"I don't want you to leave me to it, I want you to join me. You know what it does to me when I see the fire in your eye."

"You and Suellen certainly put the fire in my eye often enough."

He let out a quick laugh and shot a look at the door, "My dear, I don't think I've ever been so offended."

"Perhaps not to you face, but I assure you, Rhett, you have been."

He laughed again, "There's the old girl I knew."

"I'm not a girl anymore. I don't need all that-"

"Excitement, interest, engagement."

She sighed.

Wade looked up at her.

"I'm fine, keep playing and you repeat none of this to Suellen or Mammy," her voice was firm with her son.

He frowned.

"We'll get sweets when we go into town," Rhett promised.

Scarlett frowned as her son smiled and went back to playing.

"Fine you're a woman and you're the type of woman who supports her family. Why not bring in an extra income?"

"We're perfectly fine and we don't need your charity."

"It's hardly charity when you have an excellent head for business, aside from your one major lapse in hiring."

Her eyes lifted up and away as if she had no idea what he was talking about and refused to engage him on the subject.

"Business partners. Say 10%. You manage the books and whatever else you want when you're bored."

"10% Why I wouldn't even see a penny for years if you ever actually break even."

"We won't consider the buildings, fencing and repairs as a part of the business. It'll remain my land. The horses and the expenses related to them, the manager, stable hands, trainers, food."

"Even then it'll likely be just over four years-"

"Why you have been running the numbers."

"It's hard not to when you leave your papers all over the dining room table."

"You won't share your desk with me."

"It's a secretary," she stated it matter of factly because it was, he did not fit, especially with her already seated there.

"15%" he offered.

It was foolish either way. They had a healthy nest egg, but those didn't last forever. Money could go in the blink of an eye. A bad crop, an illness. If something were to happen to Will, they could hire farm hands, but they likely wouldn't break even. The money they had would dwindle. It was more foolish and selfish to say no because of her pride, it wasn't just her in the family, there were six of them. She had been so reckless and impulsive when she sold the businesses. Her penance for Frank's death was far more a punishment to her family than a penance for her sins. Her penance, that desperate step in making amends for the person she had become, but the reason for it was just the same, the businesses had been to provide for her family and she'd done far better gathering funds for the family than Suellen could have. She had sold the business and fled Atlanta far before they were financially secure for life. Oh they could eek it out, but most of her plans for their future depended on Tara doing well and improving. "18%" she calmly spoke. She couldn't be so impulsive with this opportunity.

He looked stunned for a moment. "I'll give you 20 if you want it," he smiled brightly.

"18% and if at any time I need to draw upon funds that I have earned through the hours I've put in, they'll be removed from my future profits. We'll settle on the wage and percentages later."

"I have no doubt, I'll save more by having you as my partner."

"This isn't like Atlanta Rhett. Our name is all we have left and it's already in tatters."

"Do tell me, what was worse for the sacred O'Hara name? Claims of supporting the Union or hiring convicts?"

"Thankfully Suellen has brought far greater shame. I should be grateful Careen fled to a convent. Another strike against us and we'd be selling you Tara." Scarlett sighed as her attention was drawn back upon the children. "I believe it is their bedtime."

"There isn't a clock in sight."

"Considering Ella is attempting to nurse on that dog's ear," Scarlett said with a chagrined expression. It would be so nice to get away from Ella for a bit more every day.

Rhett looked down and laughed, "Why so she is, now my pet that can hardly taste good," he said freeing the ear, "I imagine your mother tastes-"

"Rhett," Scarlett's eyes widened as she was standing, her eyes going to Wade on the floor.

He chuckled, "I will carry her up for you."

"Come on Wade, bedtime clean up your blocks."

"Can't I play for a bit more?"

"You and Captain Butler played plenty for the day, now come on."

"Yes Mother," he sighed as he began to load his blocks into a basket.

"Don't forget," Rhett said standing, "the sooner you sleep, the sooner it will be morning and-"

"And we'll go into town and get candy?" Wade finished.

"Exactly."

"My mother was right, you're a horrible influence," Scarlett said with a shake of her head.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"It's a good plan Scarlett," Will said quietly as he and Scarlett walked the land formerly known as Pine Bloom. Rhett had ridden into Atlanta that morning, two days after they had agreed to be partners, to have a contract drawn up for him and Scarlett to sign.

"Do you think so?" Scarlett questioned. He was her favorite member of their family. Two sisters, three children and Will. Will Benteen, spoke to her as an equal, yet at the same time he had taken over the burden of being head of their household. There was such safety in Will being the head of their household, his temperament even, his actions thoughtful and planned, slow and steady like the parable her mother used to read to them.

He had heard everything from her over the last year, every word she should have spoken in a confessional, she spoke to him. Only he did not order her to a rosary and a number of meaningless prayers, his simple questions could change how she saw something more than days of thought could, his advice always wise and kind.

He was her brother more than those three boys in the graveyard. Scarlett would forever be grateful to Suellen for marrying Will, when Careen had acted so selfishly and fled to the convent. Of course, Scarlett understood that now, understood how her sister could have behaved so when she was desperately needed by her family to be more, to do more. Scarlett had fled Atlanta and her businesses for the comfort of Tara. God gave Careen the comfort Tara gave to Scarlett.

"I've seen you going over Rhett's books, I trust you. If you think there's money to be made here be it in a year or ten."

"Four," she supplied.

Will gave a soft smile.

She smiled back. "It'll be splendid one day," Scarlett said surveying the land. She could see the house with its white siding, a lattice porch on the first and open veranda on the second floor, the steeply pitched gables, the intricately carved bargeboards, the gray slate roofing, bay windows, a deep green, fine detail on the smaller windows.

Will was silent as he took in the land.

Scarlett enjoyed the quiet with Will. Listening to the soft sounds of the world around them. No work being undertaken, no one else around. They walked slowly across the land.

"He's a good man Scarlett."

"He is," she answered simply. There was a lot to Rhett. So many layers, some nasty, some kind, some teasing, some sarcastic, but he was good. In a way that Will was good. Melly had always seen it. Melly defended Rhett as Melly defended Will. People were more than that idealized version of a gentleman. She recalled Rhett's teasing words about staying in Atlanta to rescue her and then he had. He had saved them.

He was capable of anything just as Will was. Shrewd, clever and thoughtful. They were such different men, but at the same time so similar. She thought it every time she saw them undertaking something on the farm together or when Rhett had brought home panes of glass to repair the windows in rooms they hadn't gotten around to. They worked in near silence and Rhett never once thought to question the man born of a lower standing. He respected his opinion and valued his judgment and was willing to learn from him.

"He makes you happy."

She thought of the way he made her skin tingle when he touched her or she even thought of him touching her, the feeling in her stomach she couldn't understand.

"It's okay to be happy Scarlett."

She turned abruptly.

"It's okay to be happy with someone else."

She could see it in his eyes, the understanding, she knew he wasn't talking about Frank, but Ashley. She loved Ashley, she could never be happy with anyone else, she had accepted it long ago. Oh Rhett could distract her and make her feel things she didn't understand, but she knew it wasn't love and it could never be happiness.

She opened her mouth, but found no words would come. So instead, she silently stood with Will, not far from the tree she used to sit under with Cathleen as they planned for their future. One foot in Pine Bloom and one foot in Calverton.


Thanks for reading!

PS- Um you guys made the name change scene SOO much better.