A/N: I still plan on Wade and Ella being born tho not quite in the same way, I don't know if this was a little fast or not but let me know what you think

The Hamilton's

Melanie Hamilton Wilkes and her Aunt Pitty-Pat Hamilton, christened Sarah Jane, were taking a train to Charleston, South Carolina to stay with and get to know Scarlett O'Hara, her brother Charlie's intended. "My dear," Aunt Pitty was saying, "Scarlett's aunts are so good to let us stay. Do you think Charleston society will like me?" Melanie reached over and squeezed her aunt's hand.

"Aunt Pitty, everyone will love you, do you think Charlie would marry someone who wouldn't love us?" Melanie asked. "I can hardly wait until I see Charles. He should be in Charleston by the end of the month, and we will be there with Scarlett to greet them."

"Melanie, you are such a dear sweet girl," Pitty said taking strength from her niece's conviction. "There used to be such talk about Miss O'Hara," Pitty said remembering. "Why Cousin India told us what a fast piece of baggage she was."

"Aunt Pitty, you mustn't say such things about Charlie's bride," Melanie scolded her gently, as their stop was called. Melanie turned to get her bags but came to stop at a familiar man with darker skin, skin that some might say looked Indian, and he was well-dressed wearing a wide-brimmed palmetto hat, with jet back-hair and mustache.

"Mrs. Wilkes, allow me," he said as he took her bags.

"Why Captain Butler, it is a pleasure to see you, I last saw you at my husband's home."

"It's very kind of you to remember me, but Mrs. Wilkes what are you doing in Charleston?"

"Aunt Pitty and I, we are on our way to visit my brother Charlie's intended, did you meet Miss Scarlett O'Hara at Twelve Oaks?" she asked.

"Yes, I believe I did," Rhett said with a faint smile on his lips. "I hope you will feel welcome in Charleston, may I share my carriage with you?" he asked.

"My, oh, my…my smelling salts," Aunt Pitty clammed near faint.

"I can easily drop you off at Eulalie Ward's," he told her.

"You know Mrs. Ward?" Melanie asked.

"I do, she is good friends with my mother."

"Then you are from Charleston?" Melanie asked taking in the way his eyes twinkled. She could hardly refuse him when he seemed so kind, so generous.

"Yes, I guess this is my…hometown," Rhett said with more than a bit of bitterness in his voice. "I still have family here. My mother is friends with Mrs. Ward, in fact I wouldn't be surprised if she was entertaining either my mother or my sister at the moment, and it would definitely save me a trip," Rhett told Melanie.

"Well, then we would be happy to accept." Rhett set the bags in his carriage that Oedipus had arranged for him after he had sent the telegram at his last stop. Rhett knew that most of his family's slaves were named for famous literary characters as they had all seen the classics as necessary in life, even before he had started school he had been able to speak the Greek lines from Oedipus and the Odyssey, had known most of Shakespeare's plays as well as the difference between the tragedies and the comedies. He would have excelled at West Point if…he hadn't gotten expelled. Rhett hadn't been upset over his expulsion after all he had only done what he had believed was right, and that was the way Rhett lived, with a clear conscience. Rhett thought of his sister's letter, which was why he was here, would Scarlett really go through with marrying Charlie, and should he apologist for asking her to be his mistress? She had obviously been expecting a request of the most honorable of natures, should he make the same offer as the honorable Charles Hamilton? Rhett didn't know what would happen when he again saw Scarlett O'Hara but it was sure to be interesting.

"Whoa," he told his horse, Macbeth, as he pulled him to a stop along with another horse he had acquired Antigone. He watched as Oedipus got out and grabbed the ladies bags. Normally, he would have driven himself but his mother had insisted on Oedipus and Rhett didn't like to argue with his mother, if it had been his father, Rhett would probably had taken Oedipus straight home before returning. He didn't like being dependent on any man or woman, white or black. Rhett Kershaw Butler was dependent upon himself. Rhett stayed at the carriage as he watched and waited as Scarlett's aunts answered the door.

Mrs. Wilkes and Ms. Hamilton were quickly ushered inside, and despite his sister's warning to think of their combined reputations, Rhett slipped around the back, wondering which room was Scarlett's. He looked down at the loose gravel on the ground and started to toss it at a window before he realized it was half-open. With all the grace of the pirate that many Butler's believed he looked like, he reached up and grabbed onto the ledge hoisting himself over and in, in one fluid movement. He stood up and looked down at the red plush carpet and just hoped this wasn't the room Mrs. Wilkes or Ms. Hamilton was supposed to stay in. He heard a gun being cocked at his head and heard a terse voice asking him.

"Who are you and just what do you want?" Rhett Butler blinked rapidly, never in all his years had he been caught with a gun pointed at his back, despite the debacle he had made with sleeping with other men's wives. Stunned, it took a moment for Rhett to realize that it was a women's voice, not a man's. The voice had been so cold, as if that person could kill him where he stood, and he had never imagined a feminine voice sounding that way.

"I warn you sir, I have killed before and I will do it again, it makes no difference to me," the voice continued. "Turn around, and identify yourself, sir, you are no gentleman." Rhett turned around slowly, reaching into his jacket pocket and pulling out a cigar and cigarette case and lighting the cigar, casually, as if he didn't have a car in the world.

"Great Balls of Fire, Rhett! What are you doing sneaking into my room?" Scarlett asked, the coldness leaving her voice. "I could have shot you." Rhett smirked, noticing her state of undress. She was wearing just her pantalets and chemise, but she didn't seem to notice or care.

"I'm curious, my pet," Rhett drawled in his southern Charlestonian accent, "Just where did you acquire a pistol?" He hadn't failed to notice, that although she didn't shoot him, she hadn't lowered the pistol either.

"Is that any of your affair? Just what are you doing here?" she asked, firing her questions at him rapidly.

"I'll tell you if you'll put that pistol away, my dear." Scarlett lowered the pistol, and after a moment she sighed and tossed it on the vanity.

"I'm here to save your life, my pet." Scarlett glared at him; he would make such a joke at a time like this.

"Rhett, we can't talk here, it's not proper."

"You mean to force me to marry you?" he asked his voice tight. Scarlett laughed.

"Force you?" she asked gaily. "It's not I that snuck into your room but you that snuck into mine. Why?" she asked him. Rhett shrugged, he didn't really have an answer for her, and she was right, if he were caught in here with Scarlett's state of undress he would have compromised her, and be forced to marry her, or her father or Charles would call him out. The thought didn't make him sick like he had expected, and now that the gun was gone, Rhett couldn't help but stare at what the chemise and palettes left exposed. Rhett closed the distance between them and cupped her face.

"Why do you torture me so?" he half-asked, half-moaned, as he looked into her cat-like green eyes. He ran his fingers through her hair. "Ever since the first time I saw you confessing your love to Major Ashley Wilkes, I haven't been able to get you out of my head. I've never wanted anyone as much as I wanted you."

Scarlett's heart thumped loudly as Rhett moved his other hand to her arm, putting his finger over the vein that ran there as it sped up. He smirked at her. "What is it that you see in the wooden-headed, Mr. Wilkes?"

"Uh…." Scarlett had no answer. "I thought he was honorable," Scarlett said trying to remember, as his lips came to crush upon hers once again. Scarlett lost herself in the kiss as he kissed her, possessing her, owning her, leaving her breathless and a little off-balanced.

"None of the men you have ever been with have kissed you like this, have they? Not Charles or your stupid Ashley?" She had closed her eyes the moment his lips had touched her own, and now she opened them and looked up at him…was that jealously she saw in his face, in his eyes.

"We have to stop meeting like this," she told Rhett breathlessly. "Rhett…you make me feel faint. Don't hold me like that. I can't think when you do, I fear I shall faint."

"This is what you were meant for," he told her, and before he knew what he was saying the words were out of his mouth, "Marry me, Scarlett, say you will marry me. I can't bear for you to marry another." Scarlett looked at him doubtful, too be sure that had been too easy. "I've wanted you more than I've ever wanted a woman." There was no way he was proposing so easily, when it had taken so long before. What would Mother and Pa say? Great Balls of Fire, she had forgotten she would have to get their permission, and Melly and Aunt Pitty had just arrived what would they think….that was her last coherent thought as his lips crashed against hers again, his lips teasing her own, as he nibbled on them before thrusting his tongue inside her mouth to do battle with her own. He pulled away and cupped her face, and something tender grew within her. "Say yes."

"Yes," she whispered, just one syllable that would set her life on a much different course.

"You don't want to take it back."

"No, never, Rhett." Rhett kissed her again and his hands seemed to roam everywhere setting her on fire, and it was just then that she remembered how she was dressed as her chemise plunged to reveal the tops of her bosoms, which Rhett's hands held and molded as the breathe was sucked from her lungs, she could barely move.

"I don't suppose you would let me take my husbandly duty before our wedding, my dear?" she shook her head no, and heard what he was between a laugh and a groan escape. "You don't want to take it back; you weren't swept off your feet, my dear."

"Rhett, I will marry you," she said, before she heard a knock on her door. Rhett dove under the bed and Scarlett straightened her chemise as Aunt Eulalie came in.

"Scarlett dear, Melanie and her aunt Pity have come all this way to see you."

"I'll be out in a minute, I want to look my best when I see them," Scarlett said, as Eulalie came into the room and put a hand on Scarlett's head.

"My dear you look flushed, I will tell them that you are unwell today, you should get some rest."

"Alright, auntie," Scarlett replied, as her aunt kissed her cheek.

"I'll have some soup sent up in a bit. You should get better before Charles arrives."

"Of course, Auntie," Scarlett replied as her aunt hugged her and left. Scarlett ducked down to see Rhett on his back trying to muffle his laughter.

"What a cool lie you are, my dear," he said as she helped pull him out, he pulled her on top of him and Scarlett blushed. "You are going to have to call it off, Scarlett, with Charlie, if you want to marry me. Now tell me what kind of ring would you like," he asked her looking up into her sparking green eyes.

"A diamond and an emerald, and a great big one, please Rhett." He lifted her off of him and went to the window.

"Rhett, you won't tell anyone will you?" she asked, his only answer was a laugh as he disappeared.