Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

Author's Note: As always, all reviews and inputs are appreciated.

Chapter Five

One night as they were lying in bed with Rhett smoking his cigar she said, "It looks like we will be having another member to our family soon."

He said, "I have noticed the absence of any interruptions to our nightly activities."

He felt her cheeks get red but she continued and said, "If I am pregnant, I have a plan for getting Bonnie back into the nursery." And she waited for the cold, mocking remark about her being a lousy mother.

Instead she heard Rhett say, "Go on." He had no plan on how to get Bonnie back in the nursery and he very muchly wanted Bonnie back in the nursery. Him and his libido.

Scarlett said, "She has been doing very well without any nightmares since she has been moved in here." She paused for Rhett to acknowledge the truth of this statement. She was moving very slowly with this idea because she wanted Rhett to really listen to the idea.

Rhett said, "That is true."

Scarlett said, "After we are sure about the baby, maybe when I am five months along, we move Wade into his own room and make a big production about him getting his own room because he is such a big boy. Then we tell the children that the baby is going to sleep in our room because that is where babies sleep, with their parents. If Bonnie is as much like me as you seem to think then she will demand to get to go back to the nursery because she is not a baby. If she wants her own room, we tell her not until she is nine like Wade. We can offer to make some changes to the nursery." Scarlett laid there waiting for him to tell her that was a stupid plan or worse laugh at her and tell her how stupid she was.

Instead Rhett said, "It sounds like a good plan and Wade does need his own room.

Scarlett let out the breath she was holding and snuggled closer to him. He didn't think the plan would work but he was so happy she was actually acting maternal that he was willing to give it a try. He certainly hadn't thought of anyway to get Bonnie back in the nursery. He had noticed that Bonnie hadn't had any nightmares since he had moved back in with Scarlett but he had also noticed that Scarlett hadn't either.

Rhett was happy Scarlett wanted Bonnie back in the nursery also. Of course, if he had listened to her when Bonnie started having nightmares Bonnie would never have been moved out of the nursery. Rhett knew that Scarlett had been right about leaving Bonnie in the nursery. Not about letting her scream out her nightmares. No, that was just cruel but he should have left her in the nursery and figured out another solution. At the time he had not even considered what would happen if he and Scarlett reconciled and they began sleeping together again. The fact that this was a mess of his own making did not make it any easier to handle. Fortunately, Scarlett wasn't pitching a fit about having to sleep with a lit lamp. For as much as she claimed she couldn't sleep with a lit lamp she was doing a remarkable job of sleeping with one lit.

Scarlett was very happy those first three months of their reconciliation even with the morning sickness. She had her best friend back and now she knew that was what she needed and wanted.

One night after they had put the children to bed Rhett said, "The gossip that had died down has flared back up about you and Mr. Wilkes because of you selling the mills. People are saying that I made you sell your mills in exchange for standing beside you."

"Does that mean that they think what happened at the mills was not innocent? This is all Ashley's fault."

"No, they just think that I am that much of a ruthless bastard to make you sell your mills in exchange for standing beside you. Although they don't think I would have stood beside you for any reason if I thought you had behaved inappropriately with Mr. Wilkes. That is true. I wouldn't have. Baby or no baby."

Scarlett looked devastated and said, "Is this nightmare ever going to end?"

"Not anytime soon. It will flare back up when the Old Guard finds out you are pregnant."

"Oh no. Please say you are teasing."

"No, my pet, I'm not. It will continue until the baby is born. Hopefully she will look like me."

Scarlett burst into tears and sobbed, "Oh no. What can we do?"

Rhett could only recall one other time he had seen Scarlett cry and that was the night they had left Atlanta. He sat down next to her and held her. He said gently, "Nothing. I think most people will follow my lead. If I embrace the child and act as besotted over her as I did with Bonnie then most of the gossip will die away. It will never go away completely though."

Scarlett looked so sad at that moment like all her misdeeds had come home to roost and there wasn't anything she could do about it. Scarlett said, "I had to sell my mills because of all this gossip and now my baby is still going to be talked about the rest of his life." She put her arms over her abdomen like she could stop the hateful words and attitude from getting to her baby that way.

Rhett held her in his arms. Rhett knew that even if the child looked exactly like him the child would be gossiped about. They had done everything they could do to prevent the child from being thought of as a bastard but there would always be people who wanted to believe the worst of other people. Rhett could not regret the conception of the baby though for it was that conception that had brought them a reconciliation. Rhett said, "She will have enough courage and enough money to spit in the eye of anyone who dares to snub her."

Scarlett looked at Rhett and with a tear stained face smiled sadly at him. They retired for the evening shortly there after and did nothing more than lay in each other's arms with Rhett occasionally rubbing her abdomen. After Scarlett had fallen asleep Rhett realized that Scarlett cared more for her children than he had ever believed. She wasn't warm and loving like Miss Melly but she had always kept her children close to her and she had always provided for them. She wanted the best for her children and she did have her children's best interest in mind when she did things. She wasn't being mean when she wanted him to say no to Bonnie; she wanted Bonnie to be a well-behaved child so Bonnie would fit in to society better. She really did have Bonnie's best interest in mind when she was denying the child things.

One day about four months after Ashley's birthday party Rhett strolled into the parlor looking for Scarlett. There were several ladies already there. They were Miss Melly, Aunt PittyPat, Mrs. Merriwether, and Mrs. Elsing. Scarlett had her fake smile on and she was holding it. Rhett spoke to all the ladies then said to Scarlett, "Can I see you in the foyer, my dear?"

Scarlett stood up and straightened her skirts and said, "Of course, my husband."

Rhett said, "Miss Melly outdid herself by forcing the dowagers to come to your home."

"Yes. She did. I don't know how she did it though."

"Those old battleaxes sitting on our divan may spoil a beautiful memory for me."

As Rhett expected Scarlett blushed but then she surprised him by saying, "We will just have to create another beautiful memory."

Rhett smiled his most sensuous smile, "Maybe tonight."

Scarlett tried to look aghast but she spoiled it by giggling. Rhett smiled and said, "You are going to use Dr. Harrison to deliver our baby."

Scarlett didn't make the subject change as easily as Rhett and blinked and said, "What?"

Rhett said, "I want you to use Dr. Harrison to deliver our baby. He uses chloroform to ease the labor pains. It's all the rage now that Queen Victoria used it when she was in labor. Queen Victoria said it made her feel divine. And don't worry I will take all the blame for you using Harrison."

Scarlett was a little stunned but she said, "Alright Rhett."

Rhett said, "Now go back in there and don't you dare think about what we are going to do on that divan tonight." Rhett knew by saying that Scarlett would do nothing but think about it. He smiled as he watched her walk back into the parlor.

All the ladies had heard Scarlett giggling in the hallway and were wondering what was going on with Mr. and Mrs. Butler. They were acting like a couple in love. Where they? Where they both going to become respectable? Was the fiasco at the mills what convinced Scarlett of the error of her ways? The ladies talked a lot about the past and Scarlett kept a smile on her face the entire time then the ladies left after another hour. And yes, every time Scarlett looked at the divan, she had naughty thoughts. So much so she had to stop looking in that direction unless someone on that side of the room asked her a direct question. Every time she thought those thoughts she blushed.

That night they did make another beautiful memory on the divan in the parlor.

The next day Scarlett went to see Dr. Harrison and confirmed she was definitely pregnant. She was not suffering that much from morning sickness which she was happy about. She went home and shared the news with Rhett. Scarlett walked into their office and said, "You are going to be a father again."

Rhett said, "That is wonderful. I have wanted to have another child with you."

Scarlett beamed with his words.

That afternoon Scarlett and Melly were going to pick-up Aunt PittyPat. They always picked Aunt PittyPat up to go visiting with them. Scarlett suspected that Melly did that so she could snub India.

As they were riding over to Aunt PittyPat's Scarlett took Melly's hand and said, "I know this news is going to make you sad and I am sorry for that but I also wanted you to be one of the first to know. You are my dear sister. Rhett and I are going to have another baby."

Scarlett saw how sad Melly was and said, "Oh Melly. I'm sorry to hurt you."

Melly smiled sadly and said, "Thank you dear. I am happy for you. At least one of us can have more children."

The two women hugged each other and they both had tears in their eyes. Fortunately, they soon arrived at Aunt PittyPat's and after the older woman got in the carriage there wasn't any silence. Scarlett shared the news with Aunt PittyPat so everyone would soon know. PittyPat Hamilton was an avid gossip.

As the days passed Scarlett discovered that she was happy. Happier than she had been since before the war started. She also realized that Rhett and Rhett's behavior was why she was happy. It made her admit that Ashley had never brought her as much happiness as Rhett was bringing her right now. She comprehended that Ashley had never taken care of her but she had always taken care of Ashley. Rhett had always taken care of her when she let him. Rhett was being more helpful than he had to be during this scandal. He had gotten her part of the mills sold at a very good price. She didn't think she could have gotten that much for them. She really was sorry she had to sell them. She felt she had lost one of her babies, maybe the baby she loved the most. She knew whose fault it was that she had to sell her mills. That rat-bastard Ashley Wilkes.

Scarlett had not noticed that she was becoming better friends with Melly over the weeks of them visiting. It felt natural for her and Melly to be so close. What Scarlett did notice was that Ashley was a very annoying person. He looked guilty every time he was around her and she was past mad. She was infuriated. Rhett had been on his best behavior so all her frustration and anger was directed at Ashley. After all she wouldn't be in this situation if it weren't for him. He was the one talking about the past that made her cry. He was the one that put his arm around her. He was the one that wasn't forceful enough to shut India down. It was even Ashley's fault that she was pregnant. If Ashley's actions hadn't made Rhett so mad, he wouldn't have gotten drunk and he wouldn't have forced himself on her. Because of Ashley her baby was going to be gossiped about his entire life. No, Ashley was the rat-bastard who had gotten her into this entire horrible situation and who had made it worse by his actions while Rhett was doing everything he could to help her get out of this awful situation. Sweet Melly and considerate Rhett.