AN:

Ninigi: Lol. We will actually get a small contraception talk between Rhett and Scarlett. If I do one shots of other fics there will be discussions about it (bc I did some research and really I think it is the time period that the book was written in and not the time period this takes place in that resulted in Scarlett having babies #2 and #3).

Thanks for the reviews guys! I am so glad you like this little fic!

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Part Seventeen

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In the middle of the night Rhett wondered, why he had awoken, the house was still, Scarlett still slept pressed against him. Moments passed before he felt Scarlett shift and twist slightly away from him, her hand unconsciously on her stomach trying to settle the baby while she slept.

He laughed silently, only Scarlett could manage to make it so the baby kicking would wake him and instead of her. After a few moments she rolled away entirely from him.

He didn't feel bereft as he watched his wife settle into a new comfortable spot that had settled the baby back to sleep or at least settled it so it wasn't disturbing her sleep. The waning crescent allowed just enough light into the room for him to watch her across the bed and ensure that she had indeed fallen back into a deep sleep.

He retrieved his pocket watch from his nightstand as he realized he wasn't yet falling back asleep. Just past four, nearly two hours until the sun blocked the moon from the sky. A life free from debauchery had found him needing less rest to feel rested, it was only Scarlett and the life growing within her that kept him abed.

The household awoke with the sun, the fact that none of them were farmers didn't stop them from adapting to life on a working farm. They all awoke him the sun, although his wife refused to leave their bed. He would dress and often find himself carrying a fussy Bonnie down the stairs following after the two older children.

His arrival would always be a sign for a tray to be sent up to Scarlett and after an hour or so another maid would ascend up the stairs to help her dress and the governess would arrive to collect her charges.

Today though there were hours left before the day broke. Hours left until the household awoke and Rhett were as wide awake as if it were midday.

After several long minutes that seemed like hours passed, he recognized that sleep would not return to him. He lit the candle on his bedside table and gave a look to his wife who despite all her claims, had not been disturbed by the candle's light and remained fast asleep. He set forth out of the room, intending on heading downstairs to his study to pass the time until his family awoke.

Scarlett had installed the girls in the room across from theirs so Rhett could hear Bonnie in case she awoke. Rhett didn't hesitate to look in on the sleeping girls. What he found enraged him, Bonnie's candle was out. The India Shade Scarlett had gotten for Bonnie's candle after the Lou incident, should have protected the candle from sudden drafts and certainly made even him feel more secure that the house would not burn down because of one lone candle . He had tested the protective glass covering with a fan to see how it would fair against breezes coming in through open windows and had placed the bed, candle and Bonnie in positions to eliminate the threat of it going out.

Now that he thought about it there had been no strong breeze during the several hours he had been awake after the children had gone to bed and certainly none as he awoke. The air had been stagnant that entire night as he heard his expectant wife complain as she wished for a breeze.

Oh no. He knew that the candle had not accidently gone out, but rather it had been put out by the only help remaining on the upper floors into the evening. Prissy and Estelle were sharing a room on the top floor in case they were needed in the night.

He lit the candle with his, went downstairs to retrieve a book from the study and then made his way up to the third floor, to wait for Estelle to awaken, for he knew it was not Prissy that snuffed the candle out. She might be lazy, but she was certainly not dumb.

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He was a dark force, the kind who could hide in the background when he wanted or the kind that you could feel go through you, track your every move and always stay ahead of you.

Prissy wasn't no fool, she knew to never truly anger Mister Rhett, everyone still talked about Lou.

She froze outside of the playroom, Estelle slamming into the back of her. Mister Rhett was in his chair in the playroom, not like he normally was, not leaning down smiling at the children, not holding one of his girls, giving her all of his attention. No Mister Rhett was seated in the early morning sun, but he was sucking all light out of the room. His eyes so dark, it made her blood turn cold.

"Prissy go downstairs," he informed her.

While Prissy hadn't particularly liked the new girl, the girl put on more airs than Miss Scarlett, she felt bad leaving her alone to Mister Rhett, of course not bad enough to stay. "Yes, Mister Rhett."

It took everything in Estelle to not run or shrink when Rhett Butler stood to his full height, his massive height. She had seen him splitting logs and hauling and doing work around the farm and house, he could likely toss her out a window with a simple tap or crush her skull like an overripe peach.

"We had a very explicit conversation about the candle that was to always-"

Estelle cut him off, desperate to save her life, suddenly fearful in a way she hadn't been since Paul Beaumont had taken over the estate, "Miss Scarlett told me I could put it out."

His head tilted slightly, signaling her to go on.

"Miss Bonnie hasn't had a nightmare since they've been here, I asked Miss Scarlett, she said to blow the candle out once the family retired for the evening. Miss Scarlett told Miss Bonnie if she woke up in the middle of the night and was scared to just look at her sister and hold her hand. It's been almost three weeks."

"Thank you, Estelle for being so forthright. You may go get your breakfast."

"Yes, Mister Rhett."

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Part of Rhett, a large part wanted to go downstairs to wake his wife and demand answers, or even sit by her bedside, so he would be the first thing she saw. Her pregnancy played into his mind first, she was far enough along that a fright could trigger the baby to start coming or certainly how rapidly she could escalate into a fight could do the same. He would certainly not risk his child's life and likely his marriage over this.

He debated questioning the girls over the breakfast table, riling them up, demanding answers, but no, he would let his wife speak first before he allowed his dear sweet Bonnie to be aware he had allowed such a thing to happen.

As he sat there, watching the children, watching how happily the girls interacted with each other. Bonnie did trust her sister, oh she also fought and screamed at her, but she trusted her, she loved her.

Scarlett hadn't just left Bonnie to cry it out, Scarlett had talked to her about it beforehand. Scarlett had mothered. In that infuriatingly right manner that kept popping up.

He wished the children good day as Wade went upstairs to the school room with the governess and Estelle went off with the girls.

He calmly took the staircase up to their room and knocked before entering in case Scarlett was in the middle of getting dressed.

"Come in," she called out.

As he closed the door behind him, his wife still in her dressing gown, but standing. "Mammy's already been up here, I know you're in a mood about something."

"The candle," he supplied, but said no more.

"Oh," was all she said.

"Oh?" he replied in turn.

"Did I sleep through Bonnie having a nightmare?"

"No."

Scarlett's mind was obviously racing through the ways he would have found out.

"I woke up in the middle of the night," he supplied in order to move the conversation along, "I left the room so I wouldn't disturb you."

"Oh what woke you up?"

"The baby," he shook his head aware he was being sidetracked.

"How'd the baby wake you up?" she questioned with a hand on her stomach.

"It was kicking-I suppose it was you that woke me up trying to get the baby to settle down that is not the-"

"Well I appreciate the fact that for once you put the blame on one of the children instead of me."

"Scarlett, we were talking about the candle," Rhett shook his head.

"We are Rhett. Bonnie stopped having night terrors, so the candle is gone. We talked. Feel better?"

"Scarlett-"

"Oh Rhett, what do you want me to say? If it were up to you that child would have slept with a candle until she went to her grave. Are we going to send her off to her husband one day still sleeping with her doll?"

"Scarlett these are-"

"She's going to be scared of things Rhett, she's got to be able to handle them. The world's never going to be perfect. How would I have survived the war if I couldn't face the things I was afraid of? You finally have Ella not hollering in fear if Ramsey is within 2 feet of her. I have Bonnie sleeping in the dark. I didn't get mad at you for trying to get Ella over her fear, why are you mad for me trying to get Bonnie over hers?"

"Did I say I was mad?" he questioned.

"Well no, but you came in here and-"

He waited with eyebrows lifted.

"You're not mad?" she hesitatingly questioned. "I told Bonnie to count to 5 and if she was still scared to yell and we'd come in."

"Estelle told me that you told her to look at Ella and hold her hand."

"She loves Ella, Rhett in a way I doubt I ever loved even Careen."

"I think that it was the appropriate action to take given the fact that her night terrors have abated. I would have just liked to be consulted."

Empowered by the fact that he wasn't angry, her head tilted and she looked at him, "So you could have said no."

"I am a logical man."

Scarlett huffed and began taking off her dressing gown.

"Scar-"

"Are you going to help me get dressed or do I need to call Prissy?"

Thanks for reading!