The Butler family arrived back in Atlanta and only Wade seemed happy to be back again. He had missed his best friend, Beau while they had been off on their adventure. Scarlett didn't want to think about the mills or having to deal with Ashley Wilkes again. She wanted to lean on Rhett for strength but she also wanted Rhett to leave Ashley alone. She suspected that he wouldn't. She wanted to pretend as if the whole ordeal had never happened. The only bright spot of returning to Atlanta was making up plans for her new house.

Rhett wondered if Ashley was still in town or if he had heeded the advice his "friends" had given him. Part of Rhett hoped that Ashley had turned tail and left town. The other part of him hoped that Ashley was still around so that he was able to dole out more justice for Scarlett. Rhett didn't know if he would be able to stop himself from killing Ashley if he met up with him. The combination of past jealousy and what he did to Scarlett was almost too much for Rhett to bear. He had sent his "friends" to deal with Ashley because he didn't want Scarlett or Melanie knowing it was him that punished Ashley. That was why he had sent the men after Ashley while they were gone; as much as he would have loved to sit back and see the damage.

They had been back in Atlanta for four days when Scarlett decided it was time to finally attend to her mills. She wanted more than anything to have Rhett take over management of Ashley's mill as Frank had but she didn't trust Rhett to be alone with Ashley. She didn't have any choice but be the one to take his mill over again.

Scarlett felt guilty but she hadn't called on Melanie or Aunt Pitty since she had come back from England. She couldn't bring herself to face them yet. She was sure that Aunt Pitty would sit in judgment of her for eloping with Rhett. She still didn't want to see Melanie because of Ashley. It saddened her that her only true friendship had fallen apart because of Ashley.

Scarlett drove her buggy out to Ashley's mill first thing in the morning. Rhett had offered to accompany her but she refused. Scarlett was happy and dismayed that the mill was locked up tight when she arrived. The mill had a look of abandonment that told her that it had been closed down for some time. She had a key to the mill but she didn't want to be in there alone.

She drove out to her other mill. Johnny Gallagher's informed her that during her absence from Atlanta, Ashley had become the town drunk. For days on end he hadn't even bothered to put the men to work at the mill. Finally, some months back after Ashley had been beaten up behind a seedy saloon, he never returned to the mill after that. Scarlett was furious. How dare Ashley put her business in jeopardy?! She knew she no longer needed the mills now that she was married to Rhett; but she had worked hard for what she had accomplished. She knew that she should feel well relieved of the mills and Ashley but they were a source of pride for her.

Scarlett's anger overrode her fear as she made her way from Gallagher's mill to the Wilkes house on Ivy Street. "At least now I have a reason to fire him without people asking questions," she thought to herself.

When she pulled in front of the Wilkes house, she immediately noticed the house looked abandoned. There was an air of neglect to the entire property. Scarlett went to the door and decided to knock anyway. There was no answer and Scarlett was at a loss for what to do next. She decided to go to Aunt Pitty's house. She cut through the hedges that separated the two properties. Uncle Peter showed her to the sitting room. Scarlett was taken aback by the look on Melanie's face when she entered the room. Scarlett was only accustom to seeing clear and adoring love plainly written on Melanie's face but today her eyes held confusion, sadness and a faint trace of anger. Scarlett went to embrace Melanie but her returning embrace was brief.

"I'm sorry about your mill, darling."

"Where's Ashley?" Melanie laughed bitterly.

"Off drinking somewhere I imagine. What happened, Scarlett?"

"I..don't …know.. what you mean."

"Don't lie to me as if I am some ninny! No one will tell me what is happening around here! India runs back to Macon even though she can't stand Honey's husband. My husband has all but cut me out of his life. You were my best friend, my sister; then you stop paying calls and didn't even invite me to your wedding. You know I love you and would never question anything you do!" The tears forming in Melanie's eyes made Scarlett want to turn and leave. Why did it have to fall on her shoulders to break Melanie's heart?

"Melanie, I can't tell you. I don't want to break your heart!" Melanie scoffed at Scarlett's response.

"Don't you think my heart has been breaking for this last year?!" Scarlett led Melanie to one of the sofas and had her sit down. If she was going to tell Melanie, she might as well tell her everything.

"It all started when Ashley came home from his Grand Tour. When he rode up to Tara, I fell in love with him instantly. He was so gallant, so handsome he fit into my young girl ideal of what a gentleman should be. Over the next couple of years I was certain that I could get him to marry me and not you. But, well it wasn't meant to be."

"What about Charlie?" Scarlett could hear the venom plainly in Melanie's voice. Scarlett decided this was one part that Melanie didn't need to know the truth.

"I was very fond of him. He was handsome and kind but I think we got swept away by war fever. I will always love him for giving me Wade." Melanie nodded her head sadly. Charles had been so in love with Scarlett, it saddened her that the affections hadn't been returned.

"Well, I just went on believing I was in love with Ashley until I met Rhett." Scarlett didn't think Melanie needed to know the whole truth about her relationship with Rhett either or about the kisses she had shared with Ashley. "When I started falling in love with Rhett I realized what I felt for Ashley was nothing more than a silly school girl fantasy. I never told Ashley that I no longer loved him. After I went back to work at the mills after having Ella, I noticed that Ashley was watching me strangely." Scarlett hesitated. She didn't want to tell her the rest of it.

"What happened before Frank disappeared?" Melanie was much more observant than Scarlett ever gave her credit for.

"He dismissed the workers early one day and attacked me in the office. He only stopped because India started pounding on the door." Melanie gasped.

"Oh, Scarlett!" Melanie embraced her sister fiercely.

"I wanted to protect you, Melanie. I didn't want you to know." Scarlett began to sob on her sister in law's shoulder.

Melanie held her sister and tried to comfort her best she could. Now more than ever she didn't know what to do about her husband. It had been shameful enough to be his wife when he turned himself into the town drunk but how could she ever look at him again knowing the vile thing he had done to Scarlett. Melanie wondered if her entire marriage had been a lie. Scarlett had spoken about her love for Ashley but hadn't said if those feelings had been returned.

"Why isn't he at the mill?" Melanie wondered at Scarlett's ability to think about the mill at a time like this. Although, Scarlett had built the mills up on her own. And Scarlett had always had the ability to put unpleasantness behind her.

"He stopped going. Uncle Henry was supposed to have written you didn't he?" Scarlett shook her head no. "He starting drinking around the time that Mr. Kennedy went missing. The drinking has just gotten steadily worse since then. He would stop going to the mill for days at a time. Then one night he said he got mugged outside of the saloon that he favors. Since that night he never did go back to the mill. We've lost the house; I don't know what would have happened to us if it wasn't for Aunt Pitty."

Rhett paced the hotel suite that was their home until their house was being finished. He wondered what she found when she went out to the mills today. He had been trying to get her to pay calls on the Wilkes or Aunt Pitty since they returned but she hadn't wanted to see anyone yet. He was dying of curiosity to know if Ashley was still in town. She had received a letter from her Uncle Henry while they were in England. Rhett opened it and found out that Ashley had abandoned his mill and Uncle Henry wanted to know if Scarlett wanted him to find a new manager. Rhett felt a little guilty for burning the letter but he didn't want Scarlett to know that anything was amiss back in Atlanta. She had been so carefree while they were gone it reminded him of how she was before she returned to Tara. When she finally returned her eyes were red and swollen. He clenched his fists, if she had another run in with Wilkes he would kill him wherever he found him.

"What's wrong, Scarlett?"

"Oh, Rhett, Ashley's ruined everything!" She relayed the conversation she had with Melanie that morning.

"So, the Wilkes haven't left Atlanta?" Scarlett gave him a suspicious look.

"No, why would they?"

"Well, he's ruined your business I thought maybe he turned tail and ran out of shame."

"No, apparently he's happy being the town drunk and bringing shame upon his family."

"Everything is going to work itself out, Scarlett; you'll see."

After the family ate a quiet dinner, Rhett put on his hat and cloak.

"Where are you going?"

"Out for a drink, maybe a card game or two." Scarlett was disappointed that he didn't want to stay with her. She had had a difficult day and she could use the comfort of Rhett's presence. Scarlett failed to notice the pistol that Rhett had taken with him.

Ashley sat on what he had started to call his barstool. This saloon was beginning to feel more like home than anywhere else.

The Butlers had been back in Atlanta for several days and luckily he hadn't had to see either of them yet. He knew Melanie was upset by the fact that Scarlett hadn't called on her yet but Ashley thought the longer the delay the better for him. He couldn't face Scarlett; not after the day at the mill and not after abandoning her mill. Ashley didn't know what Rhett was going to do to him after not taking his "friends" advice and leaving town. Someone settled into the stool next to Ashley.

Ashley looked over at the man and wondered why he wasn't smart enough to find a new establishment to drink. He knew why though, the barkeep here still believed that Ashley was a gentleman. The fool actually believed that Ashley would pay his bar tab.

Rhett looked Ashley over. Ashley was barely recognizable. His hair was unkempt, he had two or three days' worth of beard stubble, his eyes were bloodshot and he was bloated. The smell coming off of him made Rhett's eyes water. Rhett was about to put his hand on Ashley's shoulder but then thought better of it.

"I was hoping that you would take my friends advice seriously, Mr. Wilkes." Ashley shook his head bitterly.

"I knew you sent those men after me. I quit the mill that should be good enough."

"I wanted you out of Atlanta, away from her."

"She'll never want to be around me again."

"True. But if you are here, she might not have a choice you will inevitably be around at some point."

"I'm not going anywhere, Captain Butler. You can send more men after me or do the job yourself but I've caused Melanie enough grief. I'm not uprooting her from her home."

"Mrs. Wilkes doesn't have to go. I'm willing to provide for her and her son."

"My son. She wouldn't want to live off of your charity." Rhett wondered if Ashley realized that they had both been living on Scarlett's charity since the fall of Atlanta.

"It would be in her and everyone's best interest if you were gone, Mr. Wilkes."

"As I said before, I have no interest in leaving." Rhett was surprised by Ashley's show of spirit. For the time being he let the subject drop. He had another point of curiosity he wanted to ask Ashley about.

"You know, what I can't figure out is why you killed Frank." Ashley let out a snort.

"I was led to believe that he was robbed. We both know that road through Shanty Town is a dangerous stretch of road."

"I don't think it was a simple robbery. Frank would have handed whatever he had on him over; there wouldn't have been a reason to shoot him. Especially, not in the back of the head."

"IF he was murdered, you have more motive than I did. You certainly wasted no time in making her your wife with no regard of her reputation. But what have you ever cared about her reputation?" Rhett did his best to reign in his anger. It wouldn't be good if witnesses saw him arguing with Wilkes.

"I'll admit, it made things better for me when Frank died. But it was Scarlett that wanted to get married when we did. I wanted to wait a decent interval."

"You never wanted anything decent when it came to Scarlett." Rhett clenched his fists but left them by his sides.

"Why did you do it, Mr. Wilkes?" Ashley gave Rhett one final look of disgust before he slid off of his barstool. Rhett watched as Ashley staggered out of the saloon. Rhett waited several seconds before following Ashley out of the saloon. Silently, Rhett snuck up behind Ashley and walked behind him for several paces. Rhett looked around the street; there was no one else around. He grabbed Ashley by the back of his jacket and forced him into an alley. Ashley's eyes went wide when Rhett drew his pistol and aimed it at his head.

"One last chance to confess, Mr. Wilkes."

"I have nothing to confess to you, Captain Butler."

"Don't you want to go to the grave with a clear conscience?" Ashley said nothing; he only stared at Rhett with his bleary, bloodshot eyes. Rhett pulled back the hammer on his pistol. His finger was tightening on the trigger when he sighed and lowered the gun. He wasn't able to do it. For years, this man had caused him to burn with jealousy for the place he held in Scarlett's heart. Now, Rhett's hatred for the man standing before him was burning so brightly Rhett could barely stand it. But Rhett finally had Scarlett in his life permanently; if he killed Wilkes he would either have to go on the run or be hanged for his crime.

"We're going to the train station."

"You can't make me leave. You won't shoot me at the train station."

"Mr. Wilkes, be thankful that I am sparing your miserable life. But if you decided to come back to Atlanta, I won't hesitate the next time."

When they got to the station Rhett bought Ashley a ticket for the next train leaving the station. It was bound for Columbus, Ohio; Rhett guessed that was far enough away.

The wait for the train to depart was almost an hour away. Rhett and Ashley sat in the depot in tense silence.

"He asked about Scarlett." Ashley whispered.

"What?"

Ashley sighed. "He asked about what happened with Scarlett. He said she was acting strangely; he didn't think she was telling the truth about feeling overwhelmed. Everybody knows that she's better at business than most men are. I tried to lie at first and said nothing happened. He thought she wanted more free time to conduct an affair with you. He said he wasn't going to stand for it. He was going to make her come back to work at my mill. That's when I made a mistake. I should have just kept my mouth shut but I told him she wasn't going to go back there as long as I was still working there. In the end, I told him what happened. He left the mill; he said he was going to tell the police. I don't think he knew I brought a gun with me to work. I didn't like riding through shanty town unprotected. I shot him, took his money and threw him in the river. I'll stay away from her, Captain Butler. Don't make me leave my family."

Rhett was unmoved by the tears now following out of Ashley's eyes. Scarlett would never be comfortable as long as Ashley was still in town. Ashley didn't know that Melanie now knew everything that had transpired between him and Scarlett.

"No, Mr. Wilkes."

Ashley's train finally arrived and was ready for boarding. Rhett watched as the defeated man boarded the train and left his life behind without a proper goodbye.

News of Ashley's sudden departure ran through Atlanta like wildfire. No one could believe that he could leave a saint like Melanie behind without any explanation. Speculation was that Rhett Butler was at the train station with him when Ashley mysteriously ran away but patrons at the Girl of the Period Saloon swore this wasn't true, Rhett had been drinking with them all evening. The good people of Atlanta were surprised at Melanie Wilkes seemed indifference to her husband's disappearance.

Several Months Later

Rhett stood over his daughter's bassinet. He stared into her sparkling blue eyes and let out a hearty laugh.

"Why are you laughing at my daughter's face, Captain Butler?"

"Our daughter, Scarlett, our daughter. I'm allowed to properly claim her as my daughter as I will never be able to claim Ella." Rhett wondered if Scarlett really couldn't see it. Eugenie, or Bonnie Blue, as Melanie had christened her earlier today was a spitting image of Ella except she had blue eyes instead of green. Of course, both girls resembled their mother but Rhett knew that both girls were his. He wondered what the Old Guard was going to have to say when they got a good look at his daughters side by side. No doubt it would lay the rumors about Ella's paternity to rest but not in a good way. He worried about what that would mean for his daughters' futures.

"Well, why are you laughing at our daughter's face? She's absolutely beautiful."

"Yes, my pet, she is."

Rhett returned to his bed. He looked around the bedroom. The entire house was a monstrosity. He regretted now letting Scarlett having such a free reign when it came to decorating the house. The only thing that gave Rhett comfort was the fact that the house made her so happy. Rhett grabbed her hand and began kissing her palm. He was happy when he could still make her pulse race after all this time. He thought back to that night on Aunt Pitty's porch. He cuddled her close to him.

"I ever tell you that when I asked you to be my mistress, I was only trying to make you angry. I never really thought you would agree to it." He kissed her hair softly. Scarlett laughed softly.

"I surprised myself by saying yes."

"Regrets?" At first Scarlett shook her head no.

"Wait, I think I do."

"What?" Rhett had a few leaving her at Rough and Ready, not proposing and not ensuring that she got the tax money she needed.

"Not getting more money out of you." Rhett laughed and thoroughly kissed his wife. He hoped that she never stopped surprising him.

Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it