Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.

Chapter Twenty-Six

The next morning when Rhett awoke, he knew it was the first time he had slept so soundly maybe since he had left the master bedroom or maybe since that night in New Orleans. No, it was the first time he had slept so soundly since he had been disowned. As he felt Scarlett stir beside him, his body responded to her closeness. He had felt little to no sexual desire since Scarlett had kicked him out of her bed. No! Since he had chosen to leave Scarlett's bed. He had thought it was just a result of him aging. He now knew it was because the right woman had not been available to him. Another reason to be happy regarding sleeping next to the woman he loved. This was almost nirvana.

Rhett moved his belongings in that morning. Scarlett talked to him the entire time he was placing his items in their appropriate spots. She had moved a lot of her belongings to make room for his. He placed a framed picture on his nightside table.

Scarlett looked at the picture and she smiled. It was of her and Bonnie. She remembered when it had been taken. It had been taken right after Bonnie's birthday party. Scarlett remembered that party. She had been annoyed that Rhett had made her attend the party. The last thing she wanted to do was spend time with the matrons. She was grateful that they had chosen not to speak to her very much. She always hated making conversation with the matrons. In truth, she still did but now she knew it was something she had to do.

As Scarlett looked at the picture, she got curious about it. It looked like it was in bad shape. She picked the frame up and then she could see all the tiny fingerprints, the tear, and the bent corner. Rhett saw her looking at the picture and said, "Bonnie slept with the picture. That is why it is in such a sorry state."

"I still have the negative. We can get it reprinted."

"Don't you dare. That is one of my most precious belongings. When I saw the picture was when I began to realize what an awful, selfish man I truly was."

"Rhett."

"We will keep it right there as a reminder to me and maybe you of what is really important in this world."

"Alright, Rhett."

Later when Scarlett formally introduced Rhett to the staff, she said, "Mr. Butler has moved into the household. You will all treat him with the respect he deserves as the master of the house."

Although all the staff had muttered yes ma'ams there were two women still eying him suspiciously. Rhett thought their names were Abby and Effie. They must be his wife's watchdogs. Scarlett had gone on to say, "Abby, you will have to fix something special for supper. Lamb chops are one of Rhett's favorites."

"I will see if I can find them at the market."

Rhett knew the woman was not going to be able to find them. Maybe his charm would work on the women that were part of the staff. No, his charm would not. Him treating Scarlett right would be the only thing to soften the women's hearts.

Rhett was finally genuinely happy. Wade and Ella spoke to him which was progress. Rhett would not say they accepted him back in their lives, but they were cordial to him. Rhett knew that both of the children believed their mother was happier living with him than without him. Yet Rhett knew it would be several years before they return to the relaxed relationship they had before he had abandoned them, if ever. He made himself accept what they would give him and not push for more. They had to forgive him at their own pace.

Occasionally, Rhett and Wade would get into philosophical discussions and it pleased Rhett very much.

Rhett didn't say an ugly word about Scarlett's decorating choices. No, he finally realized what a lucky man he was that she still wanted to sleep with him. He did ask if they could redecorate their bedroom. He would like something a little less pink. Scarlett agreed. They spent a lot of time discussing their preferences. At one point Rhett said, "No, I don't like that idea. I am finally going to say no to you."

Scarlett laughed and said, "I wondered how outrageous the décor was going to have to be before you said no."

Rhett laughed also.

When Rhett had seen Jade's bedroom, he said to Scarlett, "It makes me happy to see this décor. I always liked it when we lived in the mansion. It happily reminds me of Bonnie."

"I'm glad."

Scarlett was happy sleeping with Rhett again, but they certainly weren't intimate as often as they had been during there first year of marriage.

One evening as they were lying in the bed, Scarlett said, "Why do you not want to be intimate as much as you did when we were first married."

Scarlett could hear the smile in Rhett's voice when he said, "First off, I am ten years older than I was then and as a man ages it gets harder and harder for him to be able to do what he needs to do to be intimate. Second, I have not treated my body very well in my first fifty years therefore it cannot do the things it used to be able to do. Third, we did it often during our first year of marriage because that was the only time, I was happy was when I was inside you even if you were thinking of Mr. Wilkes."

Scarlett sat up in the bed and hissed, "You said that the night you were so drunk when we were in the dining room. I never ever thought of anyone but you when we were being intimate."

Rhett sat up and said harshly, "You were thinking of him that night I got so mad in New Orleans."

Scarlett's voice rose and she said, "Yes, but that was afterwards not during."

"And that was wrong."

Scarlett sighed and said, "Yes, that was wrong. Technically one could say I was being unfaithful to you in that moment, but you knew when you married me that….."

"Stop! Stop! We aren't going to rehash the first years of our marriage. I'm glad to know that you never thought of anyone but me when we were being intimate. Did I answer your question?"

"Yes."

"You know if you want to be intimate, you could start something. I really wouldn't mind. In fact, I think I would like it."

"That would be unladylike for me to start something."

"If you ever did, I would never mention it again even to you. So, the matrons will never know that you have ever behaved as anything less than a lady."

"Rhett!"

"Now let's lay back down and let me kiss you. I am feeling like being intimate now."

Scarlett giggled.

Rhett taught Ella how to play the guitar. It seemed they had a love of music in common. Scarlett would often find them singing together. She would join in whether they wanted her to or not. She knew she didn't have the greatest singing voice, but she didn't care. She just like to sing. Jade would often join them also. Her singing voice was no better than her mother's but like her mother she didn't care either. She also just like to sing. Ella was too kind-hearted to ever think about excluding her mother or sister and Rhett thought himself too lucky to ever think about excluding Scarlett or Jade.

Jade was happy that her father was living with them. She had been the easiest to win over for she had no bad memories of her father. The hardest part of Rhett winning the child's heart was her awareness that Ella and Wade weren't very friendly toward him. Rhett had spent a lot of time with the child, but it wasn't just him and Jade. He tried to include everyone in his outings with Jade, especially Scarlett. Rhett had indeed started taking Jade for a walk every afternoon and Scarlett had gone along. Occasionally Wade and Ella had joined them. The family was a delightful picture. The way Rhett obviously adored his family did cause a lot of people to smile. The way the man unabashedly bragged on his children made a lot of people smile also. It softened the matrons' hearts but not enough to let him into their home without Scarlett.

The family once again celebrated Christmas at Elizabeth's townhouse. As Rhett was sitting at the dining room table, he thought, 'After Bonnie died, I never thought I would be happy again. Although I will always miss her, I am happier than I ever dreamed I could possibly be.'

Christmas night Scarlett told Rhett, "I want to have another child. A child that you and I both want at the same time."

"Certainly. I am ready to risk my heart one more time. I, too, would like another child."

In the year and a half that Rhett had been in Charleston, the matrons had watched him closely. If anyone ever mentioned the scandal, his activities during the war, or his actions while he was living in Atlanta. He would say, "I was a foolish man who didn't know the value of honor, morals, ethics, or integrity. I have since learned those are the only things that are of any value. That and my family, of course."

Rhett being so open about his misdeeds and not trying to justify them in anyway did the most to soften the Charleston gentry's hearts towards him. Didn't everyone always love a remorseful sinner? Of course, everyone also liked seeing proud, arrogant, conceited Rhett Butler humble himself day after day. In fact, some of his harshest critics would bring his activities up just to watch him humble himself again. The other thing everyone in Charleston enjoyed was how Rhett now looked physically. He was now a pudgy, bald, old man.

Right after Wade's sixteenth birthday, he and Ella entered Rhett's office. Rhett was sitting at his desk going over his investments. Rhett looked up as they entered the room.

Ella said, "We have something to say to you."

"Alright."

Ella said, "We believe that Mother is happier than we have ever known her to be. We will tolerate your presence in our life because you make her happy. You are a very good father to Jade. Much better than you were to Bonnie. You are even a good father to Wade and me. Yet…"

Wade said, "If you ever make Mother miserable like you did in Atlanta, we will find a way to kill you. There are several guns in the house, there are several knives in the house, or rat poison is easy enough to buy. Between Ella and I we will find a way to end your life. We are not going to let you destroy Mother or Jade. We will not live in a war zone again."

While Rhett was staring at his stepchildren. He looked into the cold, dead eyes of Wade and Ella but he didn't say anything. They turned and walked out of the room. That night over supper neither child acted differently or uncomfortably towards Rhett. They behaved exactly the same way they had behaved since that first supper in his mother's home. They were cordial, polite, and respectful. Actually, they were more open with him than they had been that night, but Rhett had not a single doubt that they would kill him and bury his body where it would never be found. After all they were their mother's children.

Rhett had not apologized for his actions again. Nor had he tried to reassure the children he would never behave badly again. It would not have done any good. He knew that the only way back into his stepchildren's hearts was to treat their mother like the amazing woman she was. To make their mother happy.

On their tenth wedding anniversary Scarlett told Rhett she was with child and the child would be born in September.

A year had gone by since Scarlett and Rhett had reconciled. They were still living in Charleston. He asked her, "Do you want a bigger house?"

"No, our townhouse is big enough. I don't want anyone to be pea green with jealousy anymore. I don't mind them being a little bit envious of all the fine things we have but not to the point of resentment."

"You are a wise lady."

With a sad smile, Scarlett said, "I am now."

Rhett had sort of been received back into Charleston society. He was tolerated as long as he was with Scarlett. The ladies had started calling on Scarlett again. The Charlestonian gentry had allowed their children to attend Wade and Jade's birthday parties.

Rhett knew they only tolerated him for Scarlett and the children's sake. He was alright with that. All the children were received. That was what was most important. That Wade, Ella, and his children were received.

The only place Rhett was openly welcomed was at the Democratic Party meetings. He knew at first that had been for his money but with time the men had seemed to genuinely enjoy talking with him. He continued to make large donations to the party, nonetheless.

Rhett had followed his mother's advice and suppressed his desire to aggravate people. He had stuffed down so many cruel and mocking comments but the longer he was living with Scarlett and her children the less he felt the urge to hurt other people. He decided that Scarlett wasn't the only person he had hurt because of his own pain.