Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Eighteen

As Rhett walked over to Belle's, he thought about Scarlett wanting to get Mr. Wilkes a better job for Miss Melly and Beau's sake. He guessed it would benefit Wilkes' family if he was able to provide for them better. He had liked her comment about him not being able to sell ice at the equator. He just was scared she would think herself in love with the man again. He couldn't get her out of Atlanta and away from Mr. Wilkes fast enough.

Rhett swaggered into Belle's, no one who saw him would believe how scared he was of Scarlett falling back in love with Mr. Wilkes. There was nothing in his confident air that would make someone believe that he didn't believe he had the world under his control.

Rhett saw Belle had a scowl on her face when she looked at him. As he got near the bar he said, "Give me a whiskey, Belle, my dear."

As Belle poured the whiskey, she said, "I heard a rumor about you."

"Tell me the latest rumor about me."

"I heard that you and Mrs. Kennedy were seen leaving the National Hotel together this morning."

"Yes, we did. We spent the night together."

"Doesn't she care about her reputation?"

"No, she doesn't but spending the night with me was not wrong. She is my wife. We were married yesterday morning even though her second husband had been dead for less than a week. Not waiting a decent amount of time after Mr. Kennedy's death was not appropriate according to the social norms of the South. I guess anywhere."

Passing over on Belle's face was all her emotions; hurt, frustration, jealousy and the last one which was the one Rhett was concerned about vindictiveness. Rhett leaned forward and said, "You know I love her. I have loved her for a long time. You knew I was going to ask her to marry me so she couldn't marry any other man. Unbelievable she said yes. What's more she didn't want to wait. We are leaving town tomorrow to go on our honeymoon."

"Rhett how could you do this to yourself. You know she loves another man. You know it is heartbreaking watching the person you love moon over another person."

Rhett was going to give Belle a carrot and a threat of a stick, he said, "Yes, it is but she has assured me she no longer loves Mr. Wilkes. She is willing to sell all her holdings in Atlanta to be able to travel with me. That is certainly a positive step toward us having a happy marriage. Belle, I can read your mind and you are thinking that if you had known I was going to marry Scarlett you would never have done me the favor of providing an alibi for the gentlemen."

"It isn't like that Rhett."

Rhett smiled and said, "It is exactly like that. Now you can go tell Captain Jaffrey that you lied, that the gentlemen really weren't here a week ago, but you will not be hurting her. Even if Jaffrey believes you and he confiscates all their property including hers, I will still provide for her. The only people you will be hurting would be Mrs. Wilkes, Mrs. Welburn, and the rest of polite society. Maybe they deserve to be hurt for the way they treat you, but Mrs. Wilkes does not."

"No, she doesn't. I won't say anything to Captain Jaffrey."

"I am rather fond of Mrs. Wilkes, and I would not want anything to hurt her. She is truly a great lady. I am fond enough of her that I saved her husband's life although at the time I would have been happy enough to let him die." That wasn't true. The reason Rhett had saved Mr. Wilkes' life was so Scarlett would not make a martyr of him. He continued, "Therefore, if I knew of someone who had deliberately done something to hurt her it would make me extremely mad."

"I already said I wasn't going to say anything to Captain Jaffrey."

Thanks, Belle. Why did you give Scarlett and Mrs. Wilkes gold for the hospital wrapped in my handkerchief? I know why because you wanted to break up my romance with Scarlett. I am going to let it slide right now because she is now my wife despite your best efforts but from now forward, I will question everything you say to me about her."

"Rhett, I …"

"Save your lies. Take my share of the profits to Mr. Powe once a month. Good night."

"You are leaving already?"

"Belle, I just got married yesterday. Of course, I am leaving already. Good night."

"Good night."

Sam Baker walked into Belle's as Rhett was walking out.

Rhett said, "Congratulate me, Sam, I got married to Scarlett Kennedy yesterday."

"You and Mrs. Kennedy got married yesterday?"

"Yes."

"Damn! That is going to be a scandal."

"Unfortunately, we will not be here to enjoy it. We are leaving tomorrow for New Orleans."

"Damn!"

"Good night, Sam."

"Yeah, thanks for your help."

"You are certainly welcome. Bye now. Scarlett is waiting on me."

As Rhett strutted out of The Painted Lady another rumor started. The rumor that Rhett Butler had killed Frank Kennedy himself. The rumor had traction mainly because there were enough people who believed that Rhett Butler was that ruthless. That and Rhett and Scarlett's quick marriage. The rumor expanded to include that Scarlett had known all about Butler's plans and that she had somehow gotten a message to Butler that the men were going on a raid that night. The men completely ignored the fact that they all knew that Scarlett hadn't known that Frank was in the clan much less that they were going on a raid.

While Rhett had been at Belle's, Scarlett had first kissed her children good night then she had a glass of brandy and thought about Rhett running away instead of offering a solution to their pregnancy prevention issues. One thing she now knew about her husband as much as he liked to make snide comments, he rarely confronted the actual issue. She now knew that Rhett had believed that she was being unfaithful to him in their marital bed by holding herself back and thinking of Ashley. Her husband was smart, but he had a habit of drawing conclusions that were often not completely true. Because he believed himself so extremely intelligent, he never questioned his conclusions. In truth, her husband was an idiot at times. That day in their bedroom, he had leapt to the conclusion that her statement of not wanting anymore children had nothing to do with her not wanting anymore children despite the fact she had told him many times she didn't want to have any more children. She had said that as an excuse to not have relations with him anymore. He believed it had everything to do with Ashley and nothing to do with not having children. When in fact it had almost everything to do with not wanting to have any more children and a little bit to do with Ashley.

Scarlett now knew why their relationship had gone down the tubes so quickly. The other thing she now knew about her husband is that he often had expectations that were not grounded in fact but were just what he expected. She knew now that he had expected their intimate time to be a lot better than it had been. He certainly had not expected her to just lay there. He expected her to fall in love with him on their honeymoon. He expected her to build them a home and not a show piece. He expected her to be grateful for everything he did for her although she had never expressed gratitude in the past. He expected her to show her love for his child while she had never showed her other two children any affection. For a woman as obtuse as she had been that was kind of like expecting the sun to rise in the West. It just wasn't going to happen. Thank goodness she had her gift of perception. It was going to be the only thing that saved their marriage.

Scarlett wondered why it had been so much better that night than it was last night. She blushed when she realized it was because Rhett had been forcing her to do things and she had felt very much out of control. If she felt that feeling it was because Rhett had forced her to feel that feeling. Last night, Rhett had treated her gently and lovingly. He had in fact treated her very much like a lady. He was not forcing her to do anything. She sighed. She didn't want him to treat her that brutally again, but she did want to feel that feeling again. Maybe she would forget the preaching of Mammy, her mother and all the other ladies in the world after she was with Rhett for a while. At least, Rhett knew she was with him the entire time. At least, Rhett didn't think she was holding herself back. At least, Rhett wasn't holding himself back. That made her smile. That alone was progress.

Their sexual session that night was much the same as it had been the night before, but Rhett's expectations were much lower. He was thrilled any time she moaned or groaned. He was thrilled when she had accidentally caressed his bottom but after he had groaned, she had done it on purpose which had certainly been thrilling. He was delighted that she was so much more relaxed. He was elated when she had shyly rubbed her chest against his chest. He knew now this was not something that would be cured in hours or days but in weeks if not months. He hoped not years.

The next morning, Wade was in Rhett and Scarlett's bedroom before they had woken up. He was on the bed before either person knew it. Rhett had rolled over to shield Scarlett's body so Wade would not see anything he shouldn't see.

Mammy was right behind the boy. She said, "Sorry, Miss Scarlett. I didn't know he was going to come bursting in here."

"It is alright, Mammy. Wade, go with Mammy. Dad and I will get dressed and we will all go down to the restaurant and have breakfast."

After Wade had left the room, Scarlett said, "Welcome to parenthood. He didn't mean any harm. He was just excited"

"Scarlett, it is alright. He is a five-year-old little boy who doesn't know any better."

While blushing, Scarlett said, "We will have to start locking our door."

"At least while we are otherwise occupied. Come on. Let's get dressed. There is only so long that Mammy will be able to keep an excited five-year-old occupied."

"We will have to put our night clothes back on after….."

"No, you will have to put your nightgowns back on. I will not wear a night shirt for anyone."

Scarlett smiled at Rhett. He really was a good father and she wondered how. She would ask him later about it.

That night on the train to New Orleans in their private car after Mammy had put him to bed, Wade's thoughts were going wild. Uncle Rhett was now his dad! How wonderful. He liked Uncle Rhett, no Dad, a lot almost as much as he like Aunt Melly. Mama was being nice. Very nice! She had started kissing him good night every night. She had started hugging him too. Mama was happy. Really happy. She was smiling all the time. She was being nice and loving. Maybe not as loving as Aunt Melly but so much more loving than she had been since she had married Uncle Frank. The little boy was optimistic about the future. He was fairly sure he would never have to eat another yam.

As Mammy laid in her bed she thought about Miss Scarlett and Captain Butler. She had seen the affection between the two of them. The hand holding. The touching. The smiles Captain Butler had given to Miss Scarlett. The smiles that Miss Scarlett had given him back. Yes, Miss Scarlett had finally grown up. She had even become a better parent to her children.

As Scarlett laid in her bed, she thought about her feelings for Beau. Despite him having been her child in the earlier timeline, she had not formed the attachment to him that she had formed to baby Melanie. She decided that it was because Beau had always been Melanie's son. She loved him but as a nephew not as her child. She decided that was good because she would never be able to get Beau back as her child.