Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Scarlett and Melanie continued to correspond, but the letters got to be fewer and fewer. They mostly only wrote when they had special news to share. Like Wade graduating from Cornell and again when Wade graduated from New York Law School. Although in the letters Scarlett had lied and said Wade had graduated from Harvard and Harvard Law. Nobody in Atlanta would ever know any different. Melanie had written when Uncle Henry had passed away and again when Aunt PittyPat had died. Scarlett wrote when Wade had gotten married. Melanie had written when Beau had married. Scarlett had written when her other children had gotten married. They had both written when grandbabies had arrived. Occasionally Melanie had asked when they were going to visit Atlanta again. Scarlett would reply – when their schedule allowed them to return. Scarlett could never tell Melanie that there was no reason for them to return to the South.

The women still loved each other and wanted to keep the connection alive. Their history kept them connected. Their time during the war, their time the year afterwards and maybe their time while Scarlett had been married to Frank. They had been like soldiers in their own war. Like most soldiers who have been in combat together there is a bond formed that can never be broken.

Yet Scarlett was now living happily in New York and living a very posh life. Melanie was living a comfortable life in gentile poverty. Neither one could have lived the other's lives and in truth neither one understood how the other one could live that life.

In eighty-three when Rhett was fifty-five, he was diagnosed with heart problems. The doctor told him not to drink alcohol or smoke. Rhett was proud to tell the doctor that he had stopped doing both years ago. The doctor told him to start getting regular exercise. The man had warned him he might start having problems achieving and maintaining an erection. He was also advised that he would probably not be able to sire any more children. Rhett had quipped, "I haven't been able to do that since seventy-five."

When the doctor looked at him questioningly, Rhett told him about the procedure he had done in London.

The doctor replied, "I am going to have to check into that."

Rhett went home and told Scarlett everything except the possibility of him not achieving an erection. That was just too embarrassing.

Rhett and Scarlett started taking a walk every night. One night as they were walking, Scarlett said, "You could use one of your wishes to make it where you don't have heart problems."

Rhett had never told Scarlett he had used one of his wishes and he really didn't know why he hadn't told her. Nonetheless, he still didn't tell her.

"No, I will not although I may use one to be able to walk Emma down the aisle."

Rhett heard the emotion in Scarlett's voice when she said, "What if you are unable to use it?"

"Don't waste a wish to save my life, Katie Scarlett. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, but I don't have any wishes left."

"Once I am gone give the lamp to Wade but promise me that you will not bring me back from the dead. I am not Lazarus."

"Hardly. And I am not Jesus."

"You aren't even Mary Magdalene."

Scarlett swatted Rhett's arm and said, "Not that you would want me to be that good of a woman."

Rhett smiled in the darkness and said, "I most certainly do not. I want you. The woman who stole my heart when she threw that vase."

"I love you, Rhett. I don't want to lose you if I can prevent it."

"I love you too, Baby."

Scarlett knew in that moment that her selfish, self-centered husband would not use either of his two wishes to save himself. He would only use them to save someone else. She clutched his arm and he smiled down at her.

In eighty-seven when Scarlett died at forty-two, Rhett didn't hesitate to use his last wish to save her life. It was a freak accident. They had been out to supper for their twentieth wedding anniversary. As they were walking to their carriage, Rhett remembered he had left his glasses on the table. He needed them to read but he was still too vain to wear them all the time.

Scarlett had chosen to wait for him by a fountain. When Rhett returned, he found his wife lying by the fountain. He knew she was dead immediately. None the less he had picked her up and called her name. He guessed she had slipped and hit her head on the fountain basin. Finally, he had called for Al-jani. She had granted him the wish of repeating the day. Before the spirit left, Rhett said, "Who should I give the lamp to?"

"Wade and then Alexi."

"Goodbye for now."

"Goodbye."

The next time he was by Scarlett side when she had slipped. He had stopped her from falling and saved her life. She had said, "Thank you, Rhett. That could have been disastrous."

"Yes, it could have been."

After Emma had been married for almost a year, Rhett had a heart attack at age sixty-six. The doctor had told them that his heart was now in bad shape. The next heart attack would probably kill him. He may live a while longer or he may die tonight. The doctor left him some medicine.

After the doctor left, Scarlett said, "You must use one of your wishes to save your life. You just must.

He smiled weakly at her and said, "I don't have any wishes left."

"Is that why Al-jani stopped visiting with me"

"Yes"

"What did you use them on?"

"You."

"Me?!"

"Once to give you a fuller sex life and once to save your life."

"But why Rhett? Our intimate time is amazing."

"It is now. I had Al-jani erase from your mind everything that was preventing you from enjoying yourself completely."

"Rhett! You wasted one of your wishes."

"Which one?" Scarlett swatted his arm. He continued, "No, I did not waste it. I enjoyed every minute of it and so did you. It was what I wanted for you. You freely gave me so much pleasure and I wanted to freely give you pleasure in return."

"Was it so bad?"

"Yes and no. It was never the fun that I had promised you. It was never bad because we were together but what happened to you with Charlie and Frank scarred you. Do you remember your time with your first husbands?"

"All I remember is pain and humiliation."

"With me there was no pain or humiliation. Occasionally there was great pleasure, but I wanted you to have pleasure every time."

Rhett was not going to tell her about her crying after she had orgasmed and her shame at having received great pleasure.

"What did I die from?"

"A freak accident. You hit your head on the side of a fountain. You died instantly."

"I remember that. We had been out to supper for our twentieth wedding anniversary. I slipped but you caught me in time."

"The first time I wasn't there to catch you."

"Rhett."

Rhett smiled weakly at Scarlett and said, "I need to talk to Wade. I need to give him the lamp?"

"Yes, perfect then he can save you."

Scarlett ran out of the room before Rhett could answer her.

All the children were in the parlor waiting to hear what the doctor had said. Scarlett rushed into the parlor and said, "Dad has survived this attack. He is in good shape for now," She said, "Wade, Dad wants to talk to you,"

Scarlett got the Aladdin's lamp off the bookshelf and handed it to Wade. She said, "Take that."

Wade took the lamp and went to see Rhett with his mother right behind him. When they entered the room, Rhett said, "Scarlett, leave us."

"No, Rhett, I want to stay."

"Scarlett!"

Even as sick as he was, Scarlett knew when Rhett was totally serious and would brook no arguments from her. He had rarely used that tone with her but when he did, she obeyed. After Scarlett left the room, Rhett said, "Go shut the door so your mother can't listen to our conversation."

Rhett smiled when he heard the door shut before Wade reached it. Wade was smiling when he returned.

Rhett smiled as he looked at Wade. His son was a young man of thirty-three. The same age he was when he had met Scarlett. Wade was an attorney and a fairly good one judging by the fact he was already a partner at his father-in-law's law firm. Wade had a killer instinct and Rhett knew exactly where Wade had gotten it from. Although to be fair Charles Hamilton had gotten the belle of the county to marry him. Wade was married with children of his own.

Rhett pointed to the lamp and said, "Do not save me. Your mother will try to convince you to save me, but I don't want to be saved. I have had an amazing life especially the last thirty years. Save your wishes for something important."

"What are you talking about?"

"That lamp is yours. Say the lamp is mine."

"What?"

"Just do it."

"The lamp is mine."

"Now rub the lamp."

"What?"

Rhett smiled and said, "Rub the damn lamp."

Wade rubbed the lamp. A blue smoke came out of the lamp and soon transformed into a beautiful woman with brown eyes and black hair. Rhett thought, 'No, she never ages.' He said, "Al-jani, this is my son, Wade. The new owner of the lamp."

Al-jani bowed and put her palms together. She said to Wade, "Master, do you wish to make a wish?"

Rhett said, "No, he doesn't. You may go wherever you go when you are not visible."

"Rhett, you are no longer my master only Wade may send me away."

Wade in a stunned voice said, "Go away. No wait. Save Dad's…"

"No, do not save my life. Save your wishes. I don't want to live anymore. I have had a good life and I am ready to move on. I will wait for your mother on the other side."

Wade looked at the only father he had ever known and said, "Are you sure Dad? Mama is not going to be happy about this."

"No, she will not be, but you will soon be the patriarch of the family. As such you will have to stand up to your mother and your siblings. It will not be an easy assignment."

"No, it won't be. I don't really understand what is going on, but I do understand you don't want me to save your life."

"No, I don't. Give the lamp to Alexi when you have used your three wishes. She is the wisest of all my children. You are the wisest of all of Scarlett's children. I will explain everything later or your mother will or Al-jani will."

"Was that the beautiful woman who was just here?"

"Yes. Help me sit up. I need to reassure everyone that I am not dying tonight. Hopefully, I will get another couple of years."

Rhett Butler got five more years. By the time he had passed on, he had convinced Scarlett this was what was best for the family as a whole. He assured her that he would be waiting for her on the other side, and they would be together again.

After his death, Scarlett briefly thought about taking Rhett home to Charleston and having him buried in the family plot, but she would not do that. His family had turned their backs on him for his disgraceful behavior and she would not allow him to spend eternity with them. It was just as well. She wanted to be buried next to him. If she couldn't be buried at Tara, then being buried next to the love of her life was the next best thing. She stopped her thoughts and decided that being buried next to Rhett was the best thing.

Scarlett was pleased with where Rhett was buried. It was right down the street from their mansion. It was within walking distance of their home. She visited him every day as she took her walk. She had a wooden bench placed on top of her plot so she could sit while she was talking to him. Afterall she wasn't using the plot, so it wasn't sacrilegious.

Scarlett had worn black the required amount of time but as soon as she could she had thrown off her widow's weeds. Not that she was no longer mourning Rhett but because Rhett would have wanted her to. Rhett always hated seeing her in black.

After Scarlett informed Rosemary of her brother's death, Scarlett was informed of Robert's death. She felt nothing. She had not even met the man.

Sadly, not six months after Rhett's death, his sister had passed away also. The Charleston attorney had returned what was left of the trust to Scarlett.

Slowly but surely all Scarlett's ties to the South were being cut. The only one that was left was Melanie. She had long since lost contact with Suellen and Careen. She wondered if they were still alive.