Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Thirty

It was all Scarlett could do to get herself to her home. When she walked into her home, she called for Rhett. She found him in his office. She said, "I don't feel well. Will you have someone bring my dinner to me in our room?"

"Of course, Dear. Let me help you upstairs."

Scarlett clung to Rhett the entire time he was helping her up the stairs. After he had gotten her undressed and in the bed. He said, "We aren't going tonight."

"No, Baby. We aren't."

"Let me get you some dinner."

"Thank you, Dear."

Within ten minutes, Rhett had returned with a tray. Once he had set the tray in front of her, he said, "Is there anything else you need?"

"No, Dear. I am going to eat my dinner then take a nap. Hopefully, I will keep it down."

"I will come check on you in a little while."

"Thank you, Dear."

Scarlett laid there for the rest of the afternoon. Her thoughts were swirling around and around in her head. There were so many things she now understood about those seventy-two hours. The most important one was that she had been about to realize that all she felt for Ashley was friendship. After India saw them, the scandal, and Rhett running away she had returned to the safe comfort of her life before the war. That had included thinking herself in love with Ashley.

Rhett came to check on her around four and she welcomed him with a smile. She got up and got dressed. They spent the rest of the afternoon talking about books. It was a very pleasant afternoon.

That evening after supper while Rhett and Scarlett were in the family parlor, Scarlett helped herself to a glass of brandy. She rarely drank alcohol these days and Rhett rarely drank it in the house. She knew he drank it when he went out to negotiate a deal or whatever else he did when he went out. He still was very closed mouth about his activities, and she let him be. She knew now he just had trouble trusting anyone. It was a small miracle that he had trusted her enough to tell her he loved her at all, and she certainly hadn't expected him to be able to say it first.

As she sat there Scarlett noticed that Rhett was restless. She said, "What is wrong?"

"I don't know. I just feel like I should leave the house."

She got up and kissed him and said, "Then leave the house."

Rhett smiled. He said, "Such simple logic."

"I am going to take a bath, read a book, and drink a glass of brandy."

"And wait for me in my bed."

"I will be in your bed, but I will probably be sleeping not waiting."

"I love you."

"Love you, too."

Rhett went to The Painted Lady. He saw several people that he knew. He spoke to most of them. He conducted some business. He played poker into the wee hours of the morning. He had been on a winning streak. He had too much to drink. He returned home and woke his wife up. He made love to his wife. In his drunkenness he had been rougher than he normally was, but she didn't complain. In fact, she kind of liked it. In the end he didn't do what he had needed to do.

When he woke up in the middle of the night snatches of what had happened came to him. He felt shame that he had treated Scarlett so badly. Yet he didn't think she was mad at him. She was lying on top of him. When he tried to move her off him, sleepily she said, "Don't go." And tightened her grip on him.

"I have to go to the water closet, or your bed will be very nasty."

"Use the bed pan."

"We don't have any bed pans. I promise I will be right back."

Rhett put his robe on and walked to the water closet. He wondered how she had known he had felt the urge to run away because of his shame. No, his wife knew him better than any other person had ever known him. He knew she wasn't mad at him so he would return to his bedroom and apologize. Maybe not apologize exactly. After he was finished in the water closet, he did return to their bedroom.

She was lying on his side of the bed. He got in the bed and said, "Did I hurt you?"

"Yes, but it was wildly exciting also."

Rhett burst out laughing. He said, "Nonetheless, I will never treat you that roughly again. I had too much to drink after not drinking alcohol in a long time."

"I don't want you to treat me that roughly again but if it happens again, it might be alright."

"Alright. Let us get some sleep."

"No, let us play some more."

"Oh, Baby, yes."

That time Rhett did what he needed to do but it was already too late. His wife was with child again.

Scarlett had made herself sleep on top of Rhett. If angry, frustrated, uncaring Rhett had run away because of his shame, then kind, loving Rhett certainly would. She had in that moment reassured Rhett that she still wanted him despite his actions earlier in the evening. She was so glad she had.

Scarlett would never understand how feeding his children brought Rhett so much joy, but it did. He had not fed Ella. Scarlett had Joyce nurse Ella then feed her cooked vegetables afterwards. Scarlett had done that with Genie but soon Rhett had taken over the activity and she had let him because she could see how much joy feeding his child brought him. They had fallen into the same routine with Alexi as soon as she turned six months.

Scarlett would often stay in the room while Rhett was feeding the child and she was so glad she had. Alexi definitely was baby Melanie. While Rhett had been feeding her green beans the little girl had spewed them all over Rhett's face. Scarlett had not even tried not to laugh this time. It was just too amusing to see suave, debonair, always well-dressed Rhett Butler with mushed up green beans all over his face.

Rhett laughed also. He made the same comment he had made last time. He said, "I don't think she likes green beans."

While not even trying not to laugh, Scarlett said, "No, she doesn't."

Rhett took out his handkerchief and cleaned up his face. Scarlett took the cloth from him. This time when he grabbed her hand, she smiled at him. She leaned forward and kissed him. He certainly kissed her back.

In June, when Scarlett started having morning sickness, she knew she was pregnant. She spent a lot of time in the next two weeks thinking about the other timeline. Scarlett knew she had gotten with child in the first timeline. She also knew that Genie had fixed the issue just like she had fixed her busted lip when she had returned to this timeline. Would another child have helped hers and Rhett's relationship or hurt it? Hurt it! The relationship was a catastrophe. Instead of helping each other, they were hurting each other. Rhett intentionally and her by never seeing him as anything more than a checkbook. Furthermore, Rhett would have thought it was Ashley's child. He probably would have taken Bonnie and left her for good. Rhett would never have divorced her. Not because he loved her but so she could never marry Ashley Wilkes.

In July, Rhett took Scarlett and the children to Tara. Tara always made Scarlett happy. Not as much as it had earlier in their marriage because Tara was looking shabbier and shabbier. With Scarlett's permission, Will was slowly going to share cropping. The house needed a new coat of paint. Some of the fences had still not been fixed from when the Yankees had destroyed them. Yes, Rhett had said she could use his money to make repairs around the plantation, but Scarlett couldn't sink a lot of money into Tara because it was just a farm. With a sad smile Scarlett thought, 'I should have burned every building to the ground and rid myself of the place. Since the war ended it has been nothing but an albatross around my neck,' She smiled when she meanly thought, "I should have married Suellen to Frank. She certainly wouldn't have thought him such a great catch if she had to live with him and his old maid ways. That and his not bathing regularly. I could have left Careen, Pa and all the servants in Savannah with the O'Haras. I could have sent Ashley and Melly to New York. My aunts would have been on their own. That would have left just Will and me,' She smiled at her husband, and she thought, 'For Rhett certainly wouldn't have married me but Will would have. We could have lived in Atlanta and made a small fortune in the rebuilding of the South.'

Scarlett smiled at her husband. Maybe he would have married her. He had been planning on proposing after he got out of the Firehouse. She linked her arm in his arm. She couldn't change anything now. In truth, she didn't want to change anything now but when they left the South, she would be able to leave Tara behind. It was part of the past.

Scarlett turned to Rhett and said, "Sweetheart, you must do better. Our third child will be born in February."

"Scarlett, I'm…."

"Ssh," Scarlett put her hand over his mouth. She said, "Just try to do better."

Rhett nodded his head and pulled her hand away. He said, "I promise I will try to do better."

The Butlers soon returned to Atlanta and resumed their lives. There was Scallawags and Republicans' social events, Crooked deals with Scallawags and Republicans, Beau's birthday supper at Hamilton House, Wade going to school, Wade attending birthday parties of his classmates, Alexi's first birthday with just family, Ella's sixth birthday with her friends and family, Christmas, Wade's tenth birthday with his classmates, Wade's birthday supper at Hamilton House, Genie's fourth birthday party with mostly family and a few friends, and finally Gerald Patrick's birth.

In the middle of February, Rhett and Scarlett welcomed a son into the household. Gerry was a handsome lad with black hair and the O'Hara blue eyes. After the baby was cleaned up Melly took him to the nursery where she knew Captain Butler was waiting. He was playing with the children. When she saw him on the floor playing with the girls, she was jealous of Scarlett for another reason. Scarlett had a husband who loved to interact with his children. She could barely get Ashley to have a lengthy conversation about anything with Beau.

When Rhett saw her, he stood up. Melly handed him the child. She happily said, "It is a boy."

Rhett turned and said, "Children, meet your brother."

Wade said, "And Mama?"

"Your mother is fine. She is ready for her meal. I will come get you when we get the room cleaned up."

Four-year-old Genie said, "I suppose I am going to have to share you with him too."

"Yes, Precious."

Genie thought about pouting, but she knew it wouldn't do any good. The new baby was already here.

As Melly returned to Scarlett's bedroom, she was devising a plan on how she was going to trick Ashley into getting her with child. She just knew Dr. Meade was wrong.

When the room had been cleaned up, Rhett waltzed into his bedroom and said, "I can have this one all to myself, can't I?"

Scarlett had smiled and said, "No, of course not. He is my baby too."

Rhett had sat on the bed next to Scarlett and showed her the baby. Soon Prissy was entering the room with Miss Scarlett's meal. After she had finished eating, she said, "I'm going to take a nap. I've had a hard day. Take care of my baby."

"Our baby. Always, my love."

Scarlett didn't hear him. She was already fast asleep.