Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Two

In April, five years after the night Miss Melly died, Rhett had stood outside Scarlett's home in Boston for over an hour trying to build up the courage to knock on her front door. It had taken him a year just to get this far.

Scarlett's home was a Brownstone and it had looked like all the other houses on the block. Rhett had been amazed at the plainness of the house's structure. It was not ornate or flashy.

Suddenly the door had opened and out walked Ella with a little blonde-haired girl. Rhett knew that Ella was almost thirteen. Rhett couldn't really get a good look at Ella's face, but she was walking with a confidence he found hard to believe. Her hair had darkened and was now a copper color instead of that bright orange it used to be. Out the front door walked a very pregnant Scarlett and an attractive man. A man with blonde hair. That had almost brought him to his knees. He guessed she really did prefer blondes. Scarlett linked her arm in the man's arm and Rhett saw her smile up at her husband. Rhett started to follow them, but he stopped when he saw Wade walk out the front door.

Rhett heard Wade say, "Mama, you aren't going to wait for me?"

Rhett saw Scarlett turn and laugh. She said, "No. If you are old enough to go to Harvard in the fall, you are old enough to walk to Connor's home by yourself."

Rhett was amazed. There was only kindness, happiness, and a little bit of teasing in that statement. There was no anger, no hostility, nor any impatience. Wade's smile in response told Rhett this was normal behavior for Scarlett.

Wade quickly caught up with the group. Scarlett linked her arm in Wade's arm. Someone must have said something funny for everyone laughed. They were just a happy family going to visit someone. They walked away from the brownstone. Rhett was now hiding behind a tree. He didn't want her to see him. That would be too shameful.

Charlotte, Rhett's paid companion, knew he was lost in his memories once again. She would not disturb him. She never disturbed him when he was thinking of her. She would just eat alone. These days she ate alone more often than not. It seemed his illness had stolen his appetite. He had not told her he was sick, but she didn't need anyone to tell her. It was plain just by looking at him that he was close to death.

Rhett was thinking about Scarlett which was not surprising. He was often thinking about her. He recalled it had been almost ten years since the last time he had spoken to her. Not since the night Miss Melly had died. Not since their discussion in the dining room. Not since he had lectured her on everything she had done wrong in their marriage. Typical of him, he had not taken any of the blame for the failure of their marriage even though he was much more to blame than she was. After their conversation, he had walked up the stairs to his new room. He had not been able to sleep in the room he had once shared with Bonnie, so he had moved down the hall. Far away from Scarlett and her nightmares. He had packed his trunks. He had sadly smiled at how many belongings he had. He had once prided himself on traveling light. That was the problem he hadn't truly traveled, since Bonnie had been born. Now that he was going to start traveling again, he would whittle down his possessions. He had taken his pictures out of his top dresser drawer. He had a complete set. Whenever they had pictures taken, he had always gone back after the first set was delivered and ordered another set. The owner of the photography studio had not asked any questions. He had just made the second set and held them until Rhett came by to pick them up. Rhett had carefully placed them in his trunk. Pictures were all he had now of his daughter. The only child he would ever have.

Rhett had not gotten in the bed. He had known he would not sleep. The only way he could sleep was to drink so much he would pass out. He needed to get up early the next morning. He would go to Marrietta and get Wade and Ella. He would tell them goodbye. He would lie to them and tell them he would be back. He just wanted to get away from Atlanta. A city that had once held such hope only held sorrow and unhappiness. He would go to Charleston and make peace with his people.

Rhett had spent the night having a pity party. If only Scarlett had given up her belief that she loved Wilkes sooner. If only his father had taken his side in the buggy incident. If only that woman had told him she was married. And on and on although never once did he think if only, I had.

The next morning Rhett had sent Scarlett a note.

The note said: I know you will be busy planning Miss Melly's funeral this morning. I will go to Marietta and get the children. I want to tell them goodbye. I will tell them I will be back often. You know when I return it will just be to keep the gossip down. After I return them to the mansion, I will leave Atlanta. I will not stay for Miss Melly's funeral. I cannot handle all that sorrow.

Until we meet again.

Goodbye,

Rhett.

Rhett had Pork load his trunks on top of the carriage. Rhett gave the servant a sad smile. He said, "Don't worry about me. I will be just fine. I have always been able to take care of myself."

"Goodbye, Mr. Rhett."

Rhett would have been hurt if he had known Pork's thoughts. The old servant was thinking what a sorry piece of humanity the man in front of him was. First, he fell into the bottle when Miss Scarlett and the children had needed him so much. Now, he was running away from Miss Scarlett and the children at their lowest moment. Maybe Miss Scarlett deserved him abandoning her (although Pork didn't think so) but the children certainly didn't. Pork's final thought was, 'Good riddance. Mr. Butler was just white trash. No matter who his family was. At least now I will get a good night's sleep without Mr. Butler waking me up to help him get undressed. Not that he truly got completely undressed before he passed out on the bed.'

Rhett got into the carriage, and he never returned to the mansion except to drop the children off. He had gone to Marietta. He had gone to the hotel and paid Scarlett's bill. He had looked at it and thought, 'She is going to have to start economizing if she is going to live on a budget.'

Rhett brought a bell hop with him. Once he got to the suite, he told Prissy to pack everyone's clothing. They were going back to Atlanta within the hour. After the maid had left the room, he sat down on the sofa and turned to his stepchildren. Wade said, "How is Mother?"

"Fine"

"And Aunt Melly?

"I have very bad news. Your Aunt Melly is dead."

Rhett didn't say anything more. He just held the children while they were crying. After he had let them cry for a while he said, "We have to return to Atlanta as soon as possible."

Within thirty minutes, everyone was in the carriage to Atlanta. Rhett let them talk about Melanie Wilkes as much as they wanted. He tried to answer their questions as best he could.

When Prissy had heard the children talking about Miss Melly, she had figured out that the good woman was dead. It was quite a blow to the young woman, but she managed to control her emotions for the most part. A few tears had escaped her eyes, but she could not cry now. Now she had the responsibility of getting the children back to the mansion. There would be plenty of time to cry later. She used her anger at Mr. Butler to get through the moment. He hadn't even bothered to tell her himself that Miss Melly had died. She had to figure it out from the conversation.

Rhett was procrastinating and he knew it. He didn't want to tell them he was leaving but he could not stay in Atlanta. He could not live in the mansion where he had spent so much time with Bonnie. He could not handle the sympathy from the matrons of Atlanta. Worse, every time he looked at them, he would remember how he had groveled and humbled himself for the last three and a half years for nothing. He could not handle watching Scarlett throw herself at Mr. Wilkes like she had for the past eight years. He knew her declaration of love was a lie. He didn't know why she had said it, but he knew by now she had led herself to believe that she still loved Wilkes. No, he had to leave.

As the carriage approach the mansion, Rhett said, "I am going away for a while."

Wade said, "What?! Before Aunt Melly's funeral?"

"Yes, I know it is despicable of me, but I can't absorb any more grief. I was barely standing after … now with Miss Melly's death I have to leave Atlanta."

By this time, the carriage had gotten to the mansion. Rhett had just destroyed the last of the tender feelings Wade had for his stepfather. In Wade's opinion good people didn't run out on their family in their time of need no matter what. Rhett watched as Wade straightened his shoulders and his face lost all expression. Wade at four months short of twelve years-old had become a man in that moment. Rhett didn't know it, but Wade Hamilton was behaving like his mother. He would shoulder this responsibility just as his mother always had. He coldly said, "You do what you have to do to take care of yourself, Sir. Don't worry about us. We will be fine. Come on, Ella, let's get out of the carriage."

Ella didn't know what was going on but in her entire life, Wade had been the only person besides Mammy and Aunt Melly she could rely on. She didn't have Mammy or Aunt Melly anymore therefore she had to rely on her brother completely. If Wade wasn't begging Uncle Rhett to stay, neither would she.

Rhett started to stand up, but Wade's voice cut him off. He said, "We will manage, Sir, you just stay seated. Goodbye."

Ella didn't even look at Rhett when she said, "Goodbye."

Rhett had thought about asking for a hug but knew it would have been denied. What would have been worse was if they would have let him hug them but would not have returned the hug.

Prissy didn't even bother to say goodbye, nor had she looked at him. If she had spoken, she would have yelled at the sorry man in the carriage. She had been a slave too long to ever lose control like that. She just helped Pork get the trunks inside the mansion along with Wade and Ella. Nobody had looked back. At least, he had told them goodbye.

Prissy had been thinking, 'After all, the harm that man has done to this family, his latest action was lower than low. Good riddance to bad rubbish.'

Pork had heard the entire conversation that had taken place in the carriage. He was thinking, "Wade's breeding was rising to the surface, despite his pain the boy had taken control of the situation. He had even remembered to thank both me and Prissy.'

After Pork was back to the carriage, Rhett had told him to take him to his attorney, Mr. Powe. Rhett authorized his attorney to sell all Rhett's holdings in Atlanta, even The Painted Lady. When everything was sold, Mr. Powe was to telegraph Rhett. He would tell Mr. Powe where to send the check. He also authorized Mr. Powe to offer Scarlett a divorce. He would give her everything she brought to the marriage and everything she thought of as hers plus the mansion.

After Rhett's business with Mr. Powe was finished, he got back in the carriage. He told Pork to take him to the train station. Rhett noticed that Pork was not responding to him but paid it no mind. He had problems of his own.

Pork had not spoken to Rhett again. Not even when Rhett had said goodbye at the train station. As Pork was driving back from the train station he thought, 'Hopefully that is the last we see of that sack of shit.'