Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Twenty-Two

When Wade had woken up that morning, he knew something was different. Mammy was not in the nursery. There was Agnes, who helped Mammy, but no Mammy. He got dressed and went downstairs for his breakfast. Daddy was already at the dining room table but that wasn't unusual for he and Daddy always had breakfast together. Mama would come in the room when they were almost finished.

What was unusual was that Daddy wasn't reading his paper or talking that much. Every few minutes Daddy would look at the ceiling. When Wade said, "What is the matter, Daddy?"

Daddy didn't answer him. To Wade it was like he hadn't heard him. Wade was getting worried. Was Mama sick? Mama never got sick. Was something going to happened to Mama too? Wade said, "Where is Mama?"

Rhett turned and smiled he hoped reassuringly at his stepson. He said, "We are going to have a new baby in the house by suppertime."

Wade didn't know why those words filled him with fear. He was instantly afraid Mama was going to die. This couldn't happen now. Everything had been going delightfully. Ever since Mama had married Daddy, she had been happy. She had gotten mad at him a few times and she had gotten mad at Daddy a lot of times, but she had been happy most of the time. It wasn't just that she was always wearing a smile or that she laughed a lot more than he had ever known her to laugh but she had lost the look that she had on her face the entire time they were at Tara and when they had lived with Uncle Frank.

Wade said, "If Mama dies will you still be my Daddy?"

"Nothing is going to happen to your mother, but you are my son now no matter what. Come on, let us finish our breakfast then we can go for a walk. It will do us good to get out of the house for an hour."

That is what the man and the boy did. They went for a walk. There wasn't anything else they could do until it was all over. Now it was in Scarlett, Mammy, the doctor, and the Lord's hands.

Wade and Rhett had returned in thirty minutes. They both knew there was nothing they could do but they both felt better being just down the hall. Just in case they were needed. Mammy had brought Rhett his baby all wrapped up in less than three hours. She said, "Miss Scarlett has babies in the most unladylike way. It is a girl, Mr. Rhett."

Rhett had looked at her and Mammy had smiled. He maybe a jackass but he was doing a fine job of keeping her Little Lamb happy.

Rhett said, "She so beautiful. Come look, Wade."

Wade walked over to Rhett and said, "Is Mama alright?"

"She is just fine. She has already asked someone to bring her a plate of food. Which I better go take care of before she starts hollering.

When Rhett came into the room after it was cleaned up, Scarlett saw how happy he was. How proud he was. He sat down on the bed and Scarlett reached for the baby. Rhett reluctantly gave Scarlett the baby. She smiled at him. She said, "Are you unhappy it is a girl?"

"No, I don't want a boy. I have always wanted a girl."

"Are you still alright with Eugenia Victoria?"

"I am happy with anything you choose, Dear."

"Rhett, you must stay on the wagon for another year. I can't drink while I am nursing the child."

"I'm not sure I can last that long."

"Of course, you can, Dear."

Scarlett was going to make sure Rhett shared their daughter this time. The first way she was going to make sure she got equal time with Genie was by breast feeding her. Rhett had been incredibly surprised when Scarlett had let Joyce go.

When Ella was eleven months old, Scarlett had said to Joyce, "I will not be needing your services with the new baby. Would you like to return to Atlanta?"

"No, Miss Scarlett. I will try to find employment here in London."

Within two weeks Joyce had found other employment. Joyce was happy to learn that she could get twice the wages for her services here in England than she could in the South. When Joyce went to work for Mrs. Bennett, she had a new name. She was now Joyce Kennedy. She took that last name to honor the woman that had saved her life.

Joyce would have been disappointed to learn that Miss Scarlett had not hired her as an act of kindness or compassion but as an act of convenience. Scarlett had not had the time to search for a wet nurse and she certainly wasn't going to nurse the child herself.

At one of her doctor's appointments, the doctor's assistant told Scarlett that breast feeding her child was a way to prevent her getting with child. She decided that was another reason to nurse the child herself.

Rhett's behavior after Genie's birth was much the same as during their first timeline as far as Genie was concerned but totally different as far as Scarlett was concerned. No, he wasn't loving and kind. He was sarcastic and teasing as he always was. When she went on a crying jag, he would pull her on his lap until she stopped crying then he would make mocking and teasing comments. He was the only person who could get her to laugh at herself.

Rhett held Scarlett in the night and never mentioned how big her waist was. If she said something about being large, he made mocking comments about her size that would make her realize how silly she was being. He always made her see the silliness of her thoughts.

When Genie was four weeks old, Rhett came into the parlor with the baby in his arms. Scarlett teased, "Rhett, have you put her down in the last four weeks?"

Rhett had smiled at her and said, "I think I did once. I immediately realized my mistake and picked her back up."

"You are behaving so silly, my love."

"I guess so, but she is the first person who has belonged completely to me."

"But she doesn't. She is my baby too."

"No, you have two other children. This one is mine."

That made no more sense to Scarlett than the first time Rhett had said it. She said, "What does that mean, you silly man? You are mine. I am yours. And she is ours. In truth we are all yours and you are all ours."

Rhett had smiled and said, "You have a point there."

"Now put her in the bassinet that you insisted be placed in the family parlor and show me how much you miss me."

"I will put her in the bassinet, but I will not start that fire burning until we can resume our relations. It is already a smoldering inferno. The only thing that keeps me able to keep it under control is your loving kindnesses."

Scarlett giggled. She said, "At least come sit by me. I miss your closeness."

Rhett put Genie in the bassinet and sat next to Scarlett, but his thoughts quickly turned erotic, and he quickly arose. She looked at him questioningly. He said, "I can resist anything but temptation. I want you too much to sit next to you."

"Alright, my love. I want you that much too."

"You know you just made it worse. You are killing me."

Scarlett smiled and said, "Go visit one of your clubs."

"You know I am not actually a member of a club."

"Rhett! Go!"

"Bye. I will be home before supper."

"Bye, my love."

Rhett had gotten better about telling her when she could expect him home, but he still rarely actually told her where he was going or what he was going to do. Little bit by little bit he was developing into a decent husband.

Every time Rhett referred to the child as his child, Scarlett would say, "Our child." After a while Rhett referred to the child as their child.

Scarlett was bringing Genie back to the nursery after feeding the child. When Ella saw her mother she said, "Baby!" Then something else that Scarlett didn't understand but since the child was reaching for the baby Scarlett assumed she wanted to see the baby. When Scarlett squatted down to show Ella the baby, Ella said, "My baby."

"No, Sweetheart, she is my baby."

Rhett walked into the room and said, "Our baby."

Scarlett smiled at him and said, "Our baby."

Ella was still trying to take Genie out of Scarlett's arms and Scarlett said firmly, "No, Sweetheart, she is too heavy for you to carry. She is almost too heavy for me to carry."

Rhett said, "Let me relieve you of your burden."

Scarlett smiled as Rhett took the baby out of her arms. It was not the first time, and she was sure it would not be the last time.

When it had finally been six weeks the couple resumed their marital relations. It had been wonderful. Scarlett had felt loved and treasured. Rhett had felt wanted and needed. At the end Rhett had done what he had to do. As they laid there Scarlett said, "That was different."

"I am spilling my seed outside of you."

"Why?"

Rhett smiled and said, "To prevent you from getting with child again."

"Thank you, my love."

"You're welcome. It is not easy."

"Do you want more children?"

"It doesn't matter to me whether we have one or twenty but since you don't want any more, I am trying to accommodate you."

"Rhett….."

"Ssh Ssh. Do not despair. I am trying to make you happy."

"You make me so very happy."

"Good. Problem solved. You make me happy. I make you happy."

Scarlett smiled into the darkness. It still annoyed her that Rhett ran away instead of offering a solution to their pregnancy prevention issues but she knew now he couldn't see the forest for the trees. At that point in Rhett's mind everything was about Ashley Wilkes. She also knew that everything he had done from that point on was to hurt her like she was hurting him. She also knew that he had been so blatant in his use of whores to be sure she knew. Nonetheless she had not let him see her pain, so he just hurt her that much more because he probably believed he wasn't hurting her. Just like that day in her bedroom after his return from Belle's. He had been mean and cruel to hurt her because she hadn't welcomed him back home. She hadn't told him how worried she had been about him. She hadn't told him how wonderful their night together had been. Since she had not met his totally ludicrous expectations he had struck out and hurt her in a punishing manner. When he felt wanted, loved and secure - he was a kind and loving husband like right now.

When Genie was two months old, Scarlett was back in her normal dresses. She was happy again.

Before they left London, the family had their portrait taken. One of Rhett and Scarlett, one of the entire family, and one of Mammy, Scarlett, and the children. Rhett gave the last one to Mammy. She accepted it, but she wasn't any warmer toward him than she had been on his and Scarlett's wedding day. Although she had started calling him Mr. Rhett. Rhett sighed. He just had to keep working on Mammy.

The day after Rhett and Scarlett's first anniversary they sailed out of London for Charleston. The night before they had supper at Scarlett's favorite restaurant one last time. As they left London, Rhett, Scarlett, and Wade were standing by the rail watching the ship leave port. Rhett said, "We will spend no more than a week in Charleston then travel on to Atlanta."

"A week? Rhett that is not enough time for you to spend with your family."

"My love, it is more than enough time."

"Rhett?"

"My mother loves me and is ashamed of me too."

"Probably the same way my mother would have felt if she was still alive."

Rhett squatted down next to Wade and started pointing out all the landmarks. Scarlett thought, 'Yes, he is an incredibly good stepfather. He is an over-indulgent father, but I can lovingly rein that in.'

After they had left the dock and sailed down the Thames, Rhett said, "Let's go to our cabin and see if Mammy needs any help."

"You know she doesn't need any help," While pointedly looking at Wade, Scarlett said, "Show us the ship. The girls will be napping, and we don't want to disturb their naps. They both definitely need a nap every day."

"Maybe we can take a nap too."

Scarlett laughed and said, "Later, Darling," She linked her arm in his and said, "Lead on, Wade."