Chapter 6

"Good Evening, fair princess." Rhett said cheerfully in a soft voice. The back of his hand rubbed against her cheek as they made eye contact. His eyes glisten with delight.

Scarlett's eyes wavered, knowing she was paralyzed due to the bandages and weight of the coverlets. Her mind was flickering through her dreams and her last encounter with Rhett. Though she did not understand anything at the current moment, she felt great comfort being in Rhett's company. She opened her mouth and started to talk, but nothing came out as her mouth moved and her mind spoke. She knew the words did not leave her mind so she closed her mouth as her eyes started to water.

"Shhh…Don't speak. You need to rest; we will have plenty of time to have a conversation later when you are feeling better. I should send for the doctor, but at the same time I would rather just stay here to comfort you. Are you in pain? Blink once for yes and twice for no." Rhett watched as she closed her eyes for a few seconds before opening them again. "I am so sorry, my dear, for everything I have done to you." Tears formed in his eyes as he watched her face as creases formed on her forehead.

Rhett removed himself from Scarlett's side long enough to ring the bell to the servants quarter to summon someone to fetch Doctor Meade. He pulled the cord rapidly hoping someone would understand the urgency.

He took his place back at her side to watch her. Even as sick and broken as she was, this green eyed siren mesmerized him to no ends. He knew she was a fighter. She fought a splendid battle of survival during and after the war. Her motives may not have been the greatest but she found a way to survive it all. Now he was her biggest battle; and hopefully her last. He would let her win her last hurdler to allow them to live peacefully in marital bliss or as close as they both can. Scarlett just needed to pull through her illness that he caused.

With Scarlett waking up, it was a good sign that she was recovering. Though Rhett knew that it would be a while before she was fully recovered. In that time he would plan to make it up to Scarlett. In time she may be able to forgive him, and he forgive himself for what he has done. Time is the only thing that will make a difference. If they are given time to work on their marriage then their future life together would be splendid; the world would not know of a couple more in love than Rhett and Scarlett their story would live on for generations. It would put the romance of Shakespeare and poetry to shame.

Shame. The only feeling Rhett could mustered for himself and his actions. The past nine years have only brought him same for his actions. He knew he loved Scarlett very early on even though He tried to fight the emotion with his whole being. Love was a cruel joke to be had. The self proclaimed happy bachelor had been caught under cupid's spell with Scarlett O'Hara. But she did not feel the same about him nor would she. She had not yet matured to understand love and its true potentials.

Then again, when had he ever shown her what their love could be? He had spent the years hiding from her, desperate to keep his emotions in check and keep her at arm's reach. He had succeeded very well in the game he created. The game was too perfect to keep her away but him near. What he had originally wanted was not what he actually wanted, what he needed. But he had made his game a habit that couldn't be broken.

Now his game had cost him a child, Scarlett's child, and it could very well cost Scarlett. No this game was not worth any further loss. The baby was a sacrifice to say the. The lost child would force him to grow up and take Scarlett as she is and openly love her the way she needs to be loved.

He was a fool. How could he not have seen how she felt when he returned? There was no anger in her face, even though her voice was laced with venom from a water moccasin. What she said in her eyes was not the same as her vocals. Her eyes told the truth. But no he did not want to see the truth so he let himself read into her voice. He refused to look into her eyes directly which allowed him to strike her with his viper venom.

When he was away, he kept trying to come up with all of Scarlett's faults even though he knew of them all, but his mind only allowed for all her good qualities to shine through for his love was stronger than his hate. He wanted to hate her but he could not. She was the only woman he loved and would ever love. The feelings he had were too much for him to bear and he needed to feel it in return to make his emotions balance out. Once he returned to Atlanta all he could think about was Scarlett and Ashley. That thought weighed heavily on his mind as he entered the house and she informed him of her pregnancy. The first thought that rang through his brain was that it was Ashley's child and he let his tongue loose.

He needed to get her out of Atlanta, Out of Georgia. They could be so happy in another city away from all their problems. They could start anew. Charleston would be good. In Charleston they had his past. No that city would not do for them. Scarlett would forbid them moving to the north, and possibly bearing children among Yankees was absolutely out of the question. Scarlett had enjoyed their time in New Orleans a great deal. Yes New Orleans. Once she was well enough he will move her and Bonnie to New Orleans for their new life together.

Now was not the time to think of their future. First thing was to get Scarlett better. She had to heal and he would be damned if he did not stand by her side to help her in the process. It was he who caused this and he had to do what he could to fix it. Scarlett would need all the strength she could muster to pull through this ordeal. She had to make it through this, she was not a quitter!
"Doctor Meade should be here soon. Would you like some water?" Scarlett blinked her eyes once. Through her eyes he could see there was something on her mind, but what it was exactly he could not put his finger on it. Rhett tried to lift Scarlett's frail body up as gently as possible to allow her to drink some water without spilling it all around her. "Take small sips."

"Thank you." She said quietly, so quiet that Rhett had to strain to hear the soft words.

Rhett smiled. "Save your energy, darling. No use in straining yourself to only fall asleep before the doctor comes" Rhett gingerly sat on the edge of the bed, careful not to jostle her. He started to pet her hair coping to calm her nerves if they were short.

She watched him contemplating. Scarlett was in pain, a great deal of pain. Her position was uncomfortable and she wanted to move to find a more comfortable position. The thought of trying to move only made her head hurt so she just stayed put.

"Did you mean it?" she asked in a whispered voice, her eyes becoming drowsy.

Oh God what did she mean? Rhett thought to himself. Did she mean what I said on the...or when she was asleep? Could she even possibly know what I said? His first thought was that she was asking about his ultimate jibe and he was going to say no before he thought differently.

"What are you asking? Did I mean what?" He asked softly trying to let her know in his voice he was not angry and wanted to be honest.

"That you love me."

A grin appeared on his lips but his teeth did not show. Rhett was glad the dreadful topic of the stairs did not come up. Maybe she could not remember what caused her current state.

"Yes, my dear, I meant it. I do love you a great deal." He leaned down to place another soft gentle kiss on her lips. "I would like to show you my love for you for the rest of our lives. Once you get better I will give you the life you always should have had in our marriage. Promise me you will get better. Bonnie needs you as much as I do."

Her eyes glistened with tears at his words. How could it be that she was content with knowing he loved her? That he was now able to tell her openly that he loved her. In her pained mind she was tired and thinking further on the subject only caused for more exhaustion.

Scarlett wanted to raise her hand to rub the side of his stubble face. She wanted more physical contact with Rhett than what he was already giving her. She wanted him to hold her and make the pain go away. Knowing Rhett was there did give Scarlett comfort and eased some of her pain by taking her mind off of it.

"Don't leave me." She said with torment in her eyes. Fear was never something Rhett wanted to see in her.

The fear in her, he thought, could be derived from not wanted to admit to herself let alone to him that she loved him too. Or could it possibly be that she thought he would leave her again now that she knew of his love for her.

"Never again. Now no more talking from you until Doctor Meade arrives to examine you. It would be best if you were awake to answer his questions." He watched her blink once before she closed her eyes. "I'm going to see about the doctor and getting you some broth. Also I will send mammy up here to sit with you." Scarlett didn't open her eyes as he exited the room, but he knew she was still awake, it just wouldn't be that long.

To Rhett's satisfaction, the kitchen staff was already preparing the chicken broth and planned to have a beef broth as well as a vegetable one. The head cook said it would help give Scarlett proper nutrition while she recovered. Doctor Meade had also arrived as he was on his way back to Scarlett's side.

"I am glad you could have made it on such short notice." The old gruffed as Rhett spoke. "Scarlett woke up a short time ago and spoke to me. She may be asleep again though."

"That is good news to be had. Her recovery should be on the up side of things, though it has been a short time. She could very well take a turn for the worst."

"Please do not speak in that manner, Doctor Meade, not to me and diffidently not to Scarlett." Rhett said balling his fists to the pompous old fool. "If you so much as utter a negative word to Scarlett I will replace you as our family doctor."

"Captain Butler, I am being honest with you on your wife's delicate condition. If you want to live in a land of make believe that does not have consequences or evil tidings then you sir, are a fool. I am off to examine the patient, good day to you sir." The old doctor huffed as he tracked up the stairs to the room occupied by Scarlett.