Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW
Author's Notes: This is an idea I have been wanting to write a story about for a long time. When Miss Tricey sent me a PM asking me to write the story, I decided now is the right time. It is not an original idea, but my story will be different than anybody else's story, so I decided to write the story. My story will follow along with the original canon, but I will not spend a lot of time explaining things that are well explained in the canon. For example, my story will start after Ashley and Scarlett's conversation in the library, but I will not repeat what was said in that conversation except how it enhances my story.
Rhett had been lying on the couch trying to take a nap when he had heard the couple enter the room. When he heard the woman speak, he was sure it was the delightful Scarlett O'Hara. The belle of the ball. He had noticed her immediately upon her arrival. She was that kind of woman. Every man in the room would always notice Miss O'Hara. She would make sure of that.
He had known she had noticed him staring at her as she walked up the stairs. He had also known that her friend had told her all about his unsavory past. That had been alright. Being a little bit dangerous always enhanced his reputation with young ladies. Normally he didn't go for the young, virginal women. He wanted a woman that knew the score and didn't expect marriage but a business relationship. Whether it was a mistress or a whore it was just a business relationship.
Rhett had watched Miss O'Hara all day long. He had watched her flirt with every young man at the barbecue except him he guessed. He wondered if that was because she saw him as old or not her type. No, it was probably because he wasn't received. Rhett had known that she had been trying to make Mr. Wilkes jealous. He had known because she had constantly been looking in Mr. Wilkes direction. As young men began to drift off Miss O'Hara had not seemed that concerned. She had three devoted worshipers who had remained with her. The two redheaded men and the young man who looked like he had been raised by a maiden aunt. The couple of times she had caught him staring at her she had not been flustered at all. No, she was used to men staring at her. In fact, Rhett would bet she expected men to stare at her and would be disappointed if they didn't.
He listened to her blather on about her love for Mr. Wilkes and Mr. Wilkes was trying to let her down gently. Wilkes was talking about how he loved her spirit and her joy of living instead of telling her he didn't love her. Rhett smiled. He was letting her down like a gentleman would. He wasn't telling her the pure, plain truth. Rhett already knew that Miss O'Hara would not understand what Wilkes was saying even if she had been listening. Rhett suspected Miss O'Hara was not listening to what Mr. Wilkes was saying but figuring out her response.
Finally, he heard a slap then he heard the door open and close. He had thought they had both left the room.
When the vase flew over his head Rhett could have continued lying there and neither party would ever be aware of his presence, but he wanted to see Miss O'Hara in full fury. What he saw was the most sexually exciting woman he had seen in an exceptionally long time, if ever. Her face was flush, her ample chest heaving and those wonderful green eyes looking like a sea squall.
He had spent most of the day thinking about having her in his bed. His desire for her had been fast and strong. In fact, he didn't think he had ever wanted a woman as much as he wanted Miss O'Hara. He was not a man to deny himself anything and he wanted this woman. He would seduce this woman and make her his mistress. Not the most honorable thoughts but he was not an honorable man. He was a selfish, self-centered bastard. He usually got what he wanted, and he wanted Scarlett O'Hara.
Rhett said, "Has the war started?"
"Sir, you should have let your presence be known."
"Yes, I should have but by the time I realized it was going to be such an intimate conversation it was too late."
"Oh."
"Mr. Wilkes is insane to choose anyone over you. Come sit down next to me on the sofa until you get yourself together."
"Thank you."
Scarlett did go sit next to Mr. Butler on the sofa. She looked at him and he looked so kind and caring. The look did her in. She started crying. Next, she felt Mr. Butler put his arms around her, and she heard him saying, "There, there. He doesn't deserve you."
Soon Scarlett was storming out of the library with Rhett Butler's laughter following her.
She heard India, Melanie and Honey gossiping about her. India said, "Scarlett certainly made a fool out of herself chasing after every man at the barbecue."
Melanie said, "She has such a joy of living and such spirit. The men are just naturally attracted to her."
Honey said, "She even chased after Charlie, and everyone knows that Charlie and I are going to get married."
Scarlett thought, 'Does Charlie know that? Charles Hamilton is a stray puppy that I can't get rid of. Melanie said the same thing Ashley had said in the library. That polecat! The things he claimed to love about me weren't even his own words. God's nightgown. What an ass.'
She hid in the alcove under the stairs until they finished descending and went outside. As she started to ascend the stairs, she wondered what all the excitement was about. She turned to walk to one of the windows.
That is where Charlie found her. Charlie said, "Miss O'Hara have you heard? President Lincoln has called for seventy-five thousand volunteers. The war has started."
"God's nightgown. Can't you men think of anything important?"
"Yes, I can. Will you wait for me?"
Scarlett turned and looked out the window. She saw Ashley kissing Melanie. She knew he was lost to her forever. He was going to marry another woman. That thought enraged her. What was all that about? She remembered his statement, 'I never at any time said or did anything to lead you to believe I was courting you.' She thought, "Except call on me every week for the last two years." That varmint! He had knowingly led her on. What was it that Stu had said yesterday? Oh, yes. The Wilkes always marry their cousins. Ashley had been trifling with her affections. He had not been courting her! In fact, she now knew that he had been coming to see her probably because he was bored at Twelve Oaks. That and her adoration was a boost to his conceit.
Scarlett turned to Charlie and said, "I wouldn't want to wait. Let's get married now."
"You will marry me? Miss O'Hara, you have made me so happy."
"Me too."
"I will go talk to your father right now."
As the years went by Scarlett often wondered why Pa had approved the match. She would never know why. She was just glad he had.
Two weeks later, the day after Ashley and Melanie were married, she and Charlie were married.
It wasn't the wedding of her dreams. It was a nice enough wedding. The only part that was like her dreams was that she was wearing her mother's wedding dress. The only part that made her happy was seeing Honey's incredibly sad face.
Her husband wasn't the man of her dreams, but she knew she would be able to boss him around. He had a lot of money. The Hamiltons were a well-respected family. He was handsome unfortunately there was an effeminate air about him. At least he wasn't an old maid in britches like Frank Kennedy.
When Charlie had joined her in her bedroom at Tara on their wedding night she had thought, 'This won't be so bad. Relations will be fun not painful like Mother said.'
Being intimate with Charlie was entirely different than being intimate with that varmint had been. The most positive thing Scarlett could say about it was that Charlie was fast. Charlie had fallen asleep quickly. She was glad about that also.
Scarlett thought about her time with that varmint.
He had started kissing her. It was a wonderful kiss. Scarlett had never been kissed like that. She could hardly think. He just kept kissing her and then she felt his hand on her breast. She knew that she should protest but it felt so wonderful. He felt so wonderful.
She was in his lap which she fleetingly thought, 'I am safe as long as I am in his lap.'
Scarlett would never really know what had happened that afternoon. Suddenly she was sitting in his lap with her legs on either side of his. She had no idea how she had gotten that way. She hadn't even protested when he touched her down there. It had just felt so good. She could feel his male part and she had enjoyed rubbing herself on it. She had not even been aware that she was actually rubbing herself on his naked flesh. She had vaguely wondered if he had put his part inside her, but she decided he hadn't because it didn't hurt. It hadn't hurt in the least. No, it had felt incredibly good. She had felt waves and waves of pleasure. That varmint had pulled her to him, kissed her hard and thrusted up. Right then she knew she was no longer a virgin. She also knew it was all over.
Scarlett had broken out of his embrace. She stood up and stared at him. She said rather stupidly, "You have taken my virginity."
He stood up and casually buttoned up his fly and said, "I thought you gave it to me quite sweetly."
"You are no gentleman."
"And you are no lady. Would you like to become my mistress? I can show you the world. I can buy you anything you want."
"God's nightgown! No, all I will get out of that is a passel of brats.
The two weeks after she had married Charlie were a whirlwind to her. Scarlett knew that she had made all Charlie's dreams come true by marrying him. He was so proud of her. They had spent time with Ashley and Melanie. Scarlett had been so bored. She had not understood anything Ashley had said. She realized that she had never understood anything Ashley had said. Scarlett knew that Melanie had understood everything that Ashley had been talking about. She had thought, 'What was it Ashley had said in the library about marrying Melanie? Oh yes, they were alike. They were the same. Boring. I guess that was really what Ashley wanted.'
As she had been sitting there bored, she had let her mind wander. When she saw Ashley giving Melanie the same looks, he had given her, Scarlett's anger at Ashley grew and grew. Her resentment of Ashley was beginning to grow also. If he had told her before the barbecue that he was going to marry Melanie she would not have been alone in the library with that unreceived jackass. She would not have been vulnerable. She would not have had to marry Charlie to give her baby a name.
Although Charlie was sweet and he would provide her with a good life, he would never be as much fun as Brent and Stuart had always been or almost any other of her beaus.
When two weeks later Charlie had left to go to Columbia, and she had not gotten her flow she knew that unreceived jackass had gotten her pregnant. She had not said anything to anyone but each morning when she had thrown up in the chamber pot, Mammy had noticed. A month after Charlie had left, Ellen said down with Scarlett on her daughter's bed. Ellen had shut the door, so Scarlett knew what her mother was going to talk to her about. Ellen said, "Dear, have you missed your flow?"
Scarlett nodded her head and said, "Twice. I guess I am with child."
"I guess you are too."
"Charlie will be so happy. Men so want to have heirs."
Scarlett had sat down and written Charlie a letter informing him of his impending fatherhood. Later she would often wonder if he had gotten the letter before he died. It was not among his personal effects that were returned to her.
Two weeks later Scarlett got the telegraph informing her of her husband's death. She was relieved that Charlie was dead. As she looked at the telegram, she said to the room in general, "Charlie is dead."
Pa said, "How did he die there haven't been any battles yet?"
"He died of measles."
"Not a very heroic way to die."
"No, Pa, it isn't, and Charlie so wanted to be a hero."
Ellen said, "Would you like for me to write Mrs. Wilkes for you?"
"No, Mother, I will do it. It is my duty as his widow."
Scarlett was relieved. She would not wish Charles Hamilton dead, but he had already served his purpose. That was to provide her baby with a name. She would just remain here in the country. She would not make any future plans until she saw what the baby looked like. If it looked like that jackass she would have to move away from the South.
Scarlett did write Melanie informing her of her brother's death. In the letter she also informed her sister-in-law of her being with child. The return letter from Melanie was one of sorrow but of joy that Charlie would be living on through his child. Scarlett and Melanie continued corresponding throughout the rest of the year.
Her parents decided that since their daughter could not go out in public for a full year after her husband's death, she would not wear black but continue to wear her normal clothes. Gerald and Ellen were concerned about their finances and didn't want to spend any more money on mourning clothes than they had to. They would already have to buy her maternity clothes. The family rarely left the plantation. There were no parties or barbecues being given. If someone called on them Scarlett would excuse herself and go upstairs. Gerald went into Atlanta every month to get the supplies, but he had a black suit that he could wear on those day trips. They were proper but they were also practical.
On January 20th she had felt the worst pain in her groin. Unfortunately, that wasn't the worst pain she had felt that day. Finally, after twelve hours her child was born. The baby was a boy and she named him Wade Hampton. Wade looked very muchly like his mother except for his blue eyes. Eyes the same color as her Pa's. She had felt such relief. Her secret was safe.