A HUGE MERCI BEAUCOUP! For the reviews!

I'm glad you are enjoying the story, this is one of my first attempts at FF! Don't worry, Pilar and India will make it back soon, perhaps for the Ball! I have the Chapter in my head, and I will be getting it down VERY VERY soon!

A little Help/Friend chapter 12

It had been two days since Rhett met with Doctor Meade about the delicate situation that had presented itself to Scarlett and him. He had been kind to her, and not so much as a stranger as he had in the weeks after Bonnie's death. Rhett made an effort to spend an evening in the Library having a civil conversation with Scarlett as she ate her chocolates, and joined her in a brandy, but he was ever so careful to allow himself to get close.

Scarlett on the other hand, had been on her best behavior, and had eluded to the fact that the Christmas ball was right around the corner, and her brain was busy with preparations of herself of course to make her look her best. Rhett had been concerned that Scarlett had never attempted to go out of the house, or make any excuse to go to the store, even by asking him to drive her. This was heavy on his mind, he expected a war of biblical proportions when he ordered her to be in bed for a week. So, on the third night, and fourth day that Scarlett hadn't left the house, Rhett went fishing.

"Scarlett?"

She looked up from her magazine across the side table, "Yes, Rhett?"

"I was wondering how the store is doing?"

"I guess fine, Hugh hasn't sent any word."

"Do you think we should take a ride out there tomorrow, and see how everything is doing?"

"You can go if you want. I trust you will do what's best."

Scarlett turned the page and glanced up and down at the next page in Harper's. Rhett saw her eyes glisten, and he observed without a word. She closed the magazine and yawned.

"Well, I think I will get to bed."

Scarlett stood, and placed the magazine on the coffee table, and walked toward the door, waiting to see Rhett answer back, it wasn't even nine o'clock. Rhett didn't answer back, but studied his leather bound book he was reading. He heard the latch on the door click, and he called out,

"Good night, Scarlett."

Her voice was a whisper, "Good night."

As soon as the door closed, Rhett reached over and flipped through the magazine, and glanced through the pages, looking to see what had caused Scarlett distress, and an early night. He flipped until he saw the carefully etched drawing on full page add, a Douglas fir, filled with candles, and a father holding a plump little girl on his shoulder as she placed an angel on top the tree. The caption read, "Little Ones Hold the Spirit of Christmas in Their Hearts". Rhett felt the familiar lump in his throat, and slowly placed the magazine on the table. There was ten days until Christmas, and he dreaded the day, the first Christmas without Bonnie, he had given little thought about how Scarlett would feel.

Rhett drained his glass of the last drop of brandy, and poured two more glasses, placed them on a tray, and walked up the staircase to Scarlett's room. He knocked with his free hand, and there was no answer. He called through the door, "Scarlett, I need to talk with you."

Still not an answer, so he turned the knob and the door opened to an empty room. He placed the tray with the brandies on the nightstand, and walked back into the hallway searching for Mammy, Prissy or Scarlett. It was there he noticed the light from the door that was ajar down the hall, the Nursery.

Rhett approached the door quietly, and slowly, and he heard a sob come from the bed, he closed his eyes and sighed. He had not yet made it into the nursery, not sure if he was strong enough, yet. He stood in the hall and knocked on the door, and Scarlett sat straight up on the bed wiping her eyes.

"Who's there?"

"Scarlett, I was looking for you."

"Oh, I just thought-I'd, I would check on things-"

'It's alright, I didn't want to disturb you. We can talk tomorrow, I left a brandy on your night stand."

Scarlett appeared in the doorway, and the scent that followed her was the sweet smell of Bonnie. She held a tiny silver hairbrush in her hand, that was fuzzy with black, baby curls, Scarlett quickly tucked it behind her back. Rhett looked down at her, and stepped back.

"I'll come out, if you can't come-"

Rhett's lump in his throat thickened and he nodded once.

"We can talk now, I would enjoy your company." Scarlett said, as she led the way down to her bedroom. She took the brandy sniffer in her hand as she sat at her vanity. Rhett pulled up a stool next to her, and sipped his brandy.

Scarlett was the first to talk, "You said, "you made your peace" exactly what does that mean?"

Rhett's mouth remained down turned and he looked Scarlett square in her eyes, dark on green, as he took a breath, remembering that night weeks ago, when he was fatigued with drink and sadness, and anger overtook him, he had punched the door cracking the wood, and as the pain radiated through his bleeding fist, he began to think, for the first time in months, he asked himself, "If you knew, would have you done anything differently?" and his answer was, "No."

Scarlett waited for an answer with the wide inquisitive eyes of a child, "Well?"

Her voice broke his thoughts and he looked back at her with the same flat expressionless eyes.

"I just, realized, that I would have never had denied her anything. I would have granted her most idiotic whim, and the accident was sad and terrible, but it was an extension of my own stupidity and overindulgence of a child I loved dearly. Would I had spanked her, told her no, and made her cry? No, I couldn't bear it. And even though her life was a short one, she had the happiest life that some people who live a hundred years never have."

Scarlett's eyes were wet with tears, hearing Rhett talk so openly and candid and it made sense to her, yes her daughter was truly loved, and had the happiest life, despite her parents' problems. Scarlett reached and touch Rhett's cheek, and he stiffened, she whispered "I'm sorry, Rhett."

Rhett let out a breath; he was exhausted, and could not muster up a comment or a remark.

Scarlett wanted to pour out her heart about her nightmares and regrets, but she feared if she was to start, she would never stop.

Scarlett dropped her hand in her lap and played with the ring on her finger, trying to muster enough courage to talk about a few of her feelings, and then she said, "I can't say her name either, and I miss her voice, her smile, her hugs so much. I'm sorry that we have to go through this, and I'm sorry I couldn't have given you the other baby."

Rhett didn't say a word, he watched Scarlett's fingers fidget with her wedding ring, and he thought he saw them tremble as she talked, he couldn't stand the fidgeting anymore, so he put his hand over hers, "Stop, we don't need to do this tonight. You need your rest, I'll call Mammy."

Scarlett protested, "No, not yet, it's still early."

"You aren't tired anymore?"

"No, I just don't want to see anybody else now, we were doing well, talking, Rhett."

"I think that it is enough for tonight. Besides, we should check on the store tomorrow, so get a good night's sleep."

"Oh, why don't you just-"

"Scarlett, you are going to have to face the town sooner or later. How are you going to show up at the Christmas Ball, after you have hid out in this house all week."

"It's not the fight with India, it's just I'm worried I'll get another spell again."

Rhett looked at her,"Have you been feeling ill anymore?"

"Not in the house, but I'm not so sure, if I go out."

"Well, we will find out tomorrow. You and I will go and check on the store."

Rhett pulled on the bell and left the room.

Scarlett sat at her vanity and studied her face, she noticed her eye twitched as she looked into her eyes, and silently prayed, she could make it to the store without a swoon.

It was almost three o'clock in the morning, when Rhett heard the muffled sounds through the wall of Scarlett's voice crying out, "Bonnie! Bonnie!"

It was two strong hands that she felt on her wrists as she grasped the air, and the smell of brandy and crisp feel of white linen on her cheek, as she let her tears roll down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Scarlett uttered into the chest that held her.

"Shh! Scarlett, wake up, you're having a nightmare."

Scarlett enjoyed the embrace and closed her eyes, as though afraid to wake up and realize this too was a dream. She felt her body relaxing back on the pillow, and the hands were on both sides of her body, and looking up she saw Rhett's dark face glowing from the gaslight hovering over her, and his face was sharp with concern.

"Tell me about her."

"What? No?"

"Scarlett, I heard her name, tell me about the nightmare."

"I can't. I won't, it is painful."

"I want to know, and I think you need to talk about it."

"Rhett, please, it's late. And I said, no."

"Why are you so sorry? That's all you said when I woke you up."

"Rhett, don't, you wouldn't want to know."

"Do you actually see her in your nightmare? What does she look like?"

"Yes, I see her, in her riding habit."

Rhett stood up and turned his back on her, looking out the window into the clear night. He covered his face with both hands and rubbed his eyes down to his mouth, breathing heavy, deep breathes, and then sighed. Scarlett lay quietly in her bed and waited for Rhett to yell or throw something but he didn't. He turned and looked at Scarlett in the bed, her eyes watching him, waiting.

"I shouldn't have come- I shouldn't have come in here, or back at all." Rhett said in a steady, hushed voice, and left the room.

Scarlett felt the heavy lump in her throat burst and sobs shook her body as she curled around the pillow, but it didn't give her the comfort she needed to feel safe, she wanted Rhett. Scarlett had been careful not to push or ask or plead anything from Rhett, she was hoping that Rhett would make the initiative to return to her, but now, her hopes were crushed. The memory of Rhett walking out the door flashed in her mind, and she doubted she could survive it again. This sense of panic caused her to rush to Rhett's room and pound on the door. The voice behind the door called back, "Go away!"

Scarlett pounded again, "Open up, or I'll beat this door all night!"

There was silence, but Scarlett did not give up. She pounded another six, ten, fifteen times.

Soon the door opened and a loud shout, "God damn it, stop it!"

Scarlett's eyes were wild and red rimmed and her chest heaved with panicked breathes and she crossed threshold and rushed over to her husband, who seemed dwarfed by grief. Her fist was still raised and for a flash, her face resembled Gerald O'Hara in a brawl, "Don't you leave! You hear me! You can't leave me!"

Rhett stood there, and shrugged glaring into her eyes that blazed with fury, her fist pounded his chest, she was as desperate as the night Atlanta fell. Rhett responded the same way, he took her in his arms and brushed her hair with his lips.

"I'm not leaving." Rhett whispered into her hair.

"You asked me, and I was honest. You want me to lie about it?" Scarlett pouted as she rested her head against his chest.

"No, but I haven't seen her. I loved her so much, how can you see her?"

"I was her mother, she was inside of me, she is as much a part of me as my arm or leg."

"Tell me about the nightmare."

"I can't, and I won't. It will hurt you too much."

Rhett brushed her curls off her shoulder and smoothed them down her back. Scarlett closed her eyes and placed her palms against his chest. Her touch was soft and electric to him, and he relished the gentle pressure of her touch, and the softness of her body in his arms. Dr. Meade's remedy returned to his mind for a split second, but Rhett's pride was still hurt and he could not risk the pain to have her, for even one night.

Rhett stepped back and held her at arm's length, "I won't leave you until after the Christmas Ball, don't worry about that, you'll be the belle of the Ball with the black hearted varmint to escort you."

Scarlett's face fell by the mocking change of attitude, and the loss of Rhett's arm around her.

"I'm not worried about that!" She spat at him, "I need you, Rhett. Not just for the ball, forever."

Rhett was shocked by her bluntness, and lack of dramatics. Scarlett's jaw was set, and she balled her fists in her robe, restraining to run into his arms. They were staring at each other in a stand off, until Rhett broke the silence, "Do you think you can get back to sleep?"

Scarlett stood there, and sighed, "Yes, I do it often enough, alone."

"Good night, then," Rhett smiled as he closed his bedroom door on his steel eyed wife.

Under his comforter, and staring at the ceiling, Rhett thought of nights lying next to Scarlett sated and tired listening to her breath and remembering the softness of her kisses and the roughness of their bodies, and he bit the insides of his cheeks fighting the urge to open the bedroom door next to his, and take her in his arms, and bring her to his bed.