Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who left a review and feedback. If you were signed in I replied back, I hope I didn't miss anyone. Only one more chapter after this and the story will be finished. So please once again I asks that you leave reviews, because the stats are down and I don't know if this story is getting read and the only way I do is if you leave a review.

Sw,

Chapter Four

Oh, what a night, Rhett thought as he laid next to his sleeping wife, who was snoring softly. This was not how he pictured this night ending at all. He had thought it would go one of two ways, he would be at Belle's passed out drunk after having his heart broken by Scarlett's rejection. Or have his arms wrapped around his wife, after they had both declaimed their love with one another.

Of course, neither one of those had happened. Instead, after a very long afternoon explaining to the residence of Tara that he was Scarlett's husband, and they had been married for a year. They then had to give a reason for not disclosing said information a year ago.

Scarlett had not been any help at all, clarifying why their marriage had to be a secret. Rhett had try to get his reasons, one being he just wasn't sure how the whole of Atlanta would treat his wife, so he thought it best to let everyone think Scarlett was still a widow. After all, most of Atlanta avoided him unless they needed something from him. He did not want that for his wife and step-son.

Rhett could see Ashley had to bite his lip a few times when he was giving his explanation. And if Rhett hadn't of stopped by his lawyer who had kept the legal paper work of his marriage to Scarlett, he was sure Ashley would have called him out as a lair.

As it was, Mr. Wilkes still had asked more than it was appropriate, why he had let Scarlett's named be blackened when all Rhett had to do was tell the truth? Rhett of course didn't really have a good answer he could share in mixed couple. He couldn't in good conscience shout out, as he wished too, that he hid his marriage because he thought Scarlett was in love with another man. Now could he, not when the other man was setting at the dinner table with him. And not in front of Miss Melly, who had taken the news as a Lady she was just overjoyed for her sister-in-law.

In fact, Rhett wasn't sure who was happier for Scarlett and he, Melanie or Wade? Wade was beyond happy that his 'Uncle Rhett' would not be leaving again and would say with them forever.

The rest of Tara, Rhett guessed, was relieved it turned out that Scarlett wasn't a fallen woman. Mammy kept giving him dirty looks, something Rhett was sure he was going to be receiving from her for many years to come. Pork who had helped him get his suitcase situated for the night had treated him cold, but Rhett was sure given time the man would warm up to him. After all, Gerald O'Hara himself had treated Rhett let an old friend. The older man didn't know what year it was or why his wife wasn't attending dinner, but none the less was nice to him.

His new sisters-in-law were opposite of each other, one was sweet and kind to him, the other was worse than Scarlett when she was in a temper. Careen had been very kind and tried to make sure he felt welcome. Suellen wanted to kill him, he was sure. She had a scowl on her face every time she looked at Scarlett and him.

Rhett let out a breath when he married Scarlett, he knew she came with a lot of baggage, he just hadn't truly realized until tonight that all her responsibilities now were his as well. Now it was Rhett who would have to look after Gerald O'Hara and his two unmarried daughters. Not to mention this once he was sure booming Plantation that was now nothing more than a farm. The servants were his as well to take care of. At least Mr. Wilkes had the good sense to asks if Rhett could lend him train fare tonight, so hopefully soon the Wilkes would be out of his hair.

It was kind of a let-down, though, when Ashley asked for money. Because of all the plans, Scarlett and he had made that afternoon on how to trick Ashley into taking their help. And then in the end, he just asked for help. At least he would be leaving that is all that really mattered.

The only good thing about focusing on Mr. Wilkes when Rhett arrived was that Scarlett and he had a common enemy, so they didn't have to dig deeper into their own situation. Scarlett wanted him to stay, of course she did, she was pregnant and needed her husband by her side.

If she truly loved him, Rhett wasn't sure, and now that didn't seem as important as it once did. Because no matter how Scarlett truly felt, they were both trapped into this marriage for the time being. Rhett wanted to believe Scarlett loved him as he did her. She had said she loved him before he left for London. But not since he had returned, but he hadn't mentioned love either.

Rhett couldn't help but wonder if Scarlett had the same fears of him not loving her as he did of her not loving him? That fact right there of no knowing if your spouse loves you was most likely the reason people courted before they married.

Scarlett and he had courted kind of before the siege of Atlanta. But he had never made known his affections for her were beyond just wanting her body. Because Rhett himself hadn't been genuinely certain they were beyond that. His feelings for Scarlett had grown over time until he couldn't just tell himself it was just her body he wanted. Rhett wanted Scarlett's heart all for himself, he killed him that she loved that wooden headed Mr. Wilkes.

Turning his head to look at his sleeping bride, Rhett smiled, at least now she seemed to be over Mr. Wilkes, she certainly seemed angry at him. Rhett would feel better once she just was indifferent to that gentleman. Because love and hate were the two sides of one coin, after all. Sometimes you took the love you had and fueled your hate with it. So once Scarlett scarcely thought of Mr. Wilkes, that better Rhett would truly feel on that subject.

A moan came from Scarlett as she shifted in bed, opening her eyes slowly, Rhett waited to see if she would return to sleep again. Instead, Scarlett turned as if to get up, but only got halfway before she was back laying down. She tried again, but ended up right back where she started.

Rhett couldn't help but chuckle at the difficulty Scarlett was having getting out of bed. Her larger stomach seemed to make it hard on the southern belle. "Need help?" Rhett asked as he got out of the bed without any problem, then walked around to Scarlett's side Rhett turned up the lamp on Scarlett's side of the bed before helping her up.

"Thank you" Scarlett softly said then looked embarrassed as she looked around for the chamber pot. "You can go back to sleep, I just need to relieve myself, and then I will be going back to sleep myself."

This was something Scarlett had never had to do before, use a chamber pot with someone else in the room. But she could not hold it any longer with the baby. When she was this far along with Wade, Charles was dead already.

Rhett could see Scarlett's face was turning a deep shade of red. He knew she was uncomfortable with having to use the chamber pot with him in the room. "I think I could use a glass of water" Rhett said as he headed for the bedroom door to give Scarlett the privacy he knew she wanted. "Do you want one as well?"

"No" Scarlett happily replied, "thank you. I don't want to have to wake any more tonight"

Rhett nodded understanding, then left the room as he found himself on the other side of Scarlett's bedroom door into a dark hallway. Trying to make as less noise as possible, Rhett made his way towards what he hoped was the staircase. Finding it where he guessed it would be, it took him a few minutes to get down it in the dark.

Once he had reached the bottom, Rhett realized he had no idea where the kitchen was, and knew in the dark it wasn't a good idea to be searching the house. So instead he found the front door and opened it, deciding getting some fresh air would do him just as good as any glass of water would have.

He sat on the front step and looked around, the moon was out, so he could see the stars. It reminded Rhett of being in the middle of the ocean, somewhat the quietness of the night. So much in his life was changing, they were not bad changes though, Rhett thought, just changes that were going to make him have to be the gentleman had had been raised to be. He was going to be a Father, of course he already was a step-father. He was going to have to straighten up his act, no more playing cards until dawn, or deciding to pack up and leave a city on no notice.

Rhett didn't know how long he had set on those steps, but decide enough time had passed that Scarlett should be back in bed by now. So he made his way as quiet as he could back up the staircase and was proud of himself as he found Scarlett's room at the end of the hallway.

Opening the door slowly as not to wake his sleeping Wife, Rhett was surprised to see that Scarlett was setting up in the bed the lamp still burning bright. She looked up when he entered the room, smiling at him, happy to see his return. She had been worried he had gotten lost in the dark house.

"Hi" Scarlett said as Rhett closed the door himself.

"I thought you would be back to sleep by now" was Rhett's reply as he walked towards the bed.

"The baby had another ideas" Scarlett said as she rubbed her stomach where baby Butler was kicking her.

"May I?" Rhett asked, holding his hand out as he set on bed next to Scarlett. Rhett would love to feel his baby kick, it would make this whole thought of soon being a Father real to him if he could feel the baby kick.

Instead of answering with words, Scarlett gently took Rhett's outstretched hand and moved it over to her stomach, where the baby was kicking. They both laughed a little when a strong kick was felt right where Rhett's hand laid.

"I think the baby is saying Hello Daddy" Scarlett lovingly spoke with a smile shining bright on her face.

"Hello baby, it's time for you to let your Mother get some sleep" was Rhett's reply to his baby, as he gently rubbed Scarlett's stomach. As if baby Butler was listening, the kicking stopped.

"Oh, where were you these last few months?" Scarlett declared, thinking of all the nights lately she was up with the baby kicking her. "If only the baby would listen to me like that"

Rhett laughed but stopped when he saw the scowl on Scarlett's face, she was being serious, he perceived. "Well, let's hope from now on the baby will keep obeying me, and you can get some much-needed rest"

"I'm sure I will need it once your son is born" was Scarlett reply, thinking of all the trouble a dark haired little Butler boy could get himself into.

"You mean once our daughter is born" Rhett rebound with. He really didn't have a preference, a son, or daughter would be fine with him. He would like to be able to spoil the baby, and a girl would be easier to spoil without causing the child to be too rotten. But given the details of how their marriage wasn't commonly known, a boy would weather the scandal better.

"Oh fid·dle·dee·dee, Rhett, this baby I'm having is a boy" Scarlett proclaimed just knowing she was right. This pregnancy was different from her first because during the time she was pregnant with Wade she had no idea if he would be a boy or girl. This time, Scarlett felt in her bones she was having another son.

"Far be it from me to know better than the Mother, My Pet" Rhett mockingly relented then asked. "Does our son have a name yet?"

"Well I have thought of a few, but I'm not sure, you will approve" Scarlett informed her husband as she shifted in bed, so she could slide down fully into the bed now that the baby wasn't kicking any longer she was ready to sleep once again.

"As long as the name doesn't start with A and ends with a Y. I really don't see having a problem with any name you chose my dear" Rhett jokey stated as he slid under the covers on his side of the bed. Never in the years he dreamed of sleeping in the same bed as Scarlett did he think he would one day share her childhood bed.

"God's nightgown Rhett, will you ever forget my childish infatuation?" Scarlett bitterly questioned. "Yes, did I think I loved Ashley Wilkes, but now I see I just loved the idea of him"

"What idea was that?" Rhett urged her to continue.

"Oh you know the dashingly young man just returned from his trip aboard" Scarlett had a far away look on her face thinking back to the time before the war. Had she really ever been that naive? To think that was what she truly had wanted in a husband.

"He's very boring you know, all his talks of books and such" Scarlett shared with Rhett as he laughed at her thoughts on books. "It's true he could put anyone to sleep with his talking"

"I'm sure that's not true, My Pet" Rhett uttered, "Mr. Wilkes I'm sure is just too involved in books verse the real world."

"He thinks he's better than little old me" Scarlett announced, letting a breath out. "I never noticed before because I was always using it to my advantage, but Ashley truly thinks he knows better than me"

"Most men do" Rhett acknowledged, knowing men of his time did not like women being smarter than them. "I happen to think having a smart wife is something to be proud of."

"You only say that because I'm your wife" Scarlett noted but was trying to hide a smile Rhett's words brought to her face.

"No I'm not" Rhett replied, "I think having a simple wife would be awful, in fact that's why I'm not received in Charleston if you remember."

Scarlett did smile openly at his words, that was true. Rhett did not want a stupid wife he had run away from that once. So he truly did think she was smart, which made Scarlett very happy. She did not want her husband looking down on her. She knew she didn't know all there was to book learning, but she had common sense, which now at days meant loads more than books learning did.

"Yes, I remember you being an outcast" Scarlett stated as a yawn escaped before she could stop it. "Ashley looks down on me being Irish, I never would have been good enough for him"

Rhett turned to look Scarlett straight into her eyes at her proclamation, he could see the hurt in them. And suddenly Rhett knew Mr. Wilkes would not be a problem in their marriage any longer. No, Scarlett would never forgive her once love for looking down on her Irish side, not when that side came from her much beloved Father. Ashley Wilkes had done what Rhett Butler had thought impossible, he had turned Scarlett O'Hara against himself.

"I have to say I admire your Father, Scarlett" Rhett admitted he saw Scarlett's eyes go wide at his words "He came to this country with nothing, and he worked and possible crooked his way unto having a Plantation and family"

Scarlett had to laugh at Rhett giving praise to her Father for his less than honorable way he had obtained Tara. Only someone who had also been sent out into the world with nothing could truly appreciate another who had overcome and made a success of themselves.

"Truly, Scarlett, your Father should never have been looked down upon by anyone." Rhett informed his wife. Gerald O'Hara was a loving Father, something Rhett himself never had and Rhett found it a tragedy that Gerald's mind had betrayed the elder man. Even now when he didn't know what was going on, he still showed love to his daughters.

"Thank You for saying that Rhett" Scarlett tearfully replied, knowing that he truly meant what he said made Scarlett feel like Ashley was even more mollycoddled then she originally thought. Ashley Wilkes had to be told what to do in the fields, how to do it, and when to do it. He was almost useless here at Tara if it wasn't for Melanie having to explain everything to her husband in a way the southern gentleman could understand. How poor dear Melly had the patience to put up with him, Scarlett truly had no idea.

"Do you think your Father will remember tomorrow about our marriage?" Rhett asked, knowing that Mr. O'Hara would not and hoping Scarlett could handle keeping her Father from injuring him if he finds them together in her bedroom.

"Don't worry about Pa" Scarlett answered, knowing her Father would not remember the announcement of her second marriage, most days he didn't remember her first. He asked at least once a day who Wade was. "He takes things easy now at days. Unless you're a Yankee, then he wants to kill you"

"Well seeing as I am not a Yankee I guess I will be safe then" Rhett retorted hoping Scarlett was right and Gerald paid no minded to him living at Tara now.

Scarlett bite her lip, she had been just so relieved when Rhett had finally returned and said he would stay as long as Ashley left. That Scarlett had not brought up a very important point that she and her husband needed to talk about. It seemed they were getting along so well, at least agreeing on the vital things, that it was easy to just go along with the flow all afternoon and evening.

But Scarlett knew going along with the flow was how all of Atlanta thought she was Rhett's Mistress. No, they needed to talk about their feelings for each other, get them out in the open. No more Rhett thinking she loved Ashley Wilkes. No, more thinking that Rhett just wanted her for her body. No, Scarlett knew they needed to have a very momentous conversation. She was just so tired with the baby, having been keeping her up with all the kicking.

But Scarlet knew that tomorrow Rhett would be escorting Ashley to Atlanta to announce their marriage to the whole of the town by placing an article in the paper to celebrate their one-year anniversary of marriage. Rhett had told her as much in whisper words before she had retired for the night.

The running of Tara always kept Scarlett busy. So she knew that it would be days before she would get time to talk to Rhett about this, after he returned from Atlanta, if then. It seemed to Scarlett, she always liked to put things off for tomorrow if she could. But not this, tomorrow was another day, but she needed and wanted her answer tonight.

"Rhett, why are you staying here at Tara?" Scarlett finally asked, requiring the answer to be because he loved her.

"My Pet, I'm your husband and as such it's my duty to take care of you" Rhett informed his Wife, not really wanting to get into this topic at this time of night.

"Take care yes" Scarlett mimic back, "but not live at my families Plantation. So why are you willing to stay at Tara?"

Rhett sighed, he wasn't going to be able to weasel his way out of answering the real question Scarlett was asking. What were is feelings for her?

"Why marry me, when you never wanted to marry?" Scarlett asked as she felt their unborn child shift inside her. "You now know I do not love Ashley, and if you don't, you should know I love you"

Rhett's breath caught at her declaration of love, his heart felt fuller than he could ever remember it feeling before. Scarlett O'Hara loved him, looking at her, he could see she wasn't lying. A smile lite up Rhett's handsome face as he leaned in to kiss his bride.

"I love you" Rhett whispered as they parted from their kiss "and if you weren't so far along I would show you just how much"

Scarlett laughed at that, she had been longing for Rhett's touch for so long. But at last it just wasn't meant to been right now. In fact, all, she wanted to do at the moment was close her eyes and sleep. Everything was right in her world, Rhett was here, and he would take care of things from now, on. She didn't have to worry any more about money or food on the table. All she needed to do was grow this baby and then deliver it. Yes, things were looking very good for her.

"Love you, Rhett, goodnight" Scarlett barely got out before she had fallen to sleep. Rhett couldn't help but laughed at his very exhausted wife.

Just one more chapter and this story is finished hope you have enjoyed it, please leave a review.

Sw,