A/N: Are you ready for it?

Chapter 17: Scarlett (and Rhett!)

Scarlett hadn't felt so nauseous since she was expecting Kat. She'd crossed the ocean between America and Ireland twice before and never encountered seas this rough. Even Colum, who frequently traveled between the two countries, remarked that this was an arduous journey. He and Jenny often checked in on Scarlett, but she'd ordered them to leave her be. Instead, she'd focused on Junior and Kat to keep her mind off the ship's rocking. Careen shared a suite with her, and while she frequently came to sit by Scarlett, she'd remained primarily quiet since leaving the convent. Colum assured Scarlett that her sister would be fine and was just processing things, but the silence unsettled her. He'd convinced Careen to walk around the ship with him an hour or so prior, and Scarlett finally relaxed.
Kat was handling the entire trip like an angel. Her dark curls had seemed to double in length over the past months, and Scarlett saw her baby disappearing before her eyes as a toddler formed. She was walking around almost exclusively, though she still preferred to hold onto something or someone as she did.
Junior was gaining weight, and Scarlett couldn't help but feel proud as he grew. She almost exclusively fed him, except for the one time he ate at night when Jenny prepared the bottle. Kat only nursed rarely now, and when she did, Scarlett wondered if it was only out of jealousy that her mother was holding another baby. Still, whenever she wanted to, Scarlett allowed it. All too often, Kat preferred to be independent in all that she did.
On the contrary, Junior seemed to need to be constantly attached to her in the past week. He didn't settle for anyone, and Scarlett frequently had him and Kat in the bed with her to ensure everyone around them could also sleep. She thought perhaps he might be growing, and it was times like this that she wanted Mammy, who had died shortly after Melanie and Bonnie, to be there to tell her what he needed.
She looked down at the baby and spoke softly to him. "Didn't you have any family at all, Junior? No Aunts or Uncles... or cousins?" It was almost unfathomable for Scarlett to consider a small family. Her own was so extensive that she knew Kat would never have been left unclaimed or unknown- even with no one other than Colum knowing the complete story of her parentage. The fact that she was Scarlett's would have been enough.
She'd worried about taking him overseas without first speaking with the orphanage, but Colum reminded her that the orphanage didn't have a claim over the baby, either. Still, he ensured a letter was sent the morning they boarded the ship, complete with how to contact Scarlett in Ireland. Colum also pointed out that it had been over a month since the accident, and no one had come for the child- he told her the likelihood of Junior being claimed would only decrease with time.
The idea that she might have Junior forever was not nearly as worrisome as it once might have been to her. She still vividly recalled where the idea of another person- baby or adult- being responsible for her was nearly debilitating. Now, as she looked between Junior and Kat, who sat playing at her feet, she found she enjoyed the idea of the two growing up with each other.
Scarlett had no intention of ever marrying again- she didn't need to, and frankly, she could only imagine one person she'd consider- Rhett. Even still, after the traumatizing birth of Kat, she doubted she could have another child. Proof still was that Scarlett's courses had yet to return since Kat's birth, and now, a year and a half later, she doubted they ever would.
At night, when she was alone and the room was silent, she often recalled her pregnancy with Kat. Despite moving across the ocean, buying a large portion of land, and becoming known to everyone as "The O'Hara"- someone expected to lead the O'Hara family and provide support and mediation, pregnancy had been easy. She reveled in feeling the first movements of life within her. She picked out locally sewn blankets and outfits for her unborn child. She happily accepted hand-me-downs from well-meaning farmers' wives, and unlike in America, she walked amongst the town people up until the day she gave birth. There wasn't the shame associated with being out in public in an advanced state of pregnancy that there had been when she was in Atlanta.

Rhett looked up from his seat on the deck of the ship. In the distance, a familiar form walked with a woman. He squinted in the sun, trying to see if the individual was indeed who he thought it was. He'd only seen the man once, but the curly red-brown hair was hard to miss. It looked very much like the man who was with Scarlett that day in Atlanta- who he now knew as her cousin. The woman he walked with also bore a striking similarity to Suellen, and while Rhett had never met the woman, he was confident that it must be Careen. The sight floored him as acknowledgment set in- if that was indeed Careen and Scarlett's cousin; there was a genuine possibility that Scarlett was also on that ship, and with her, the baby that might be his stood quickly, striding over to the pair as they walked. The woman looked up at him with hesitation as he moved toward them, and he watched as she clutched at the man's arm, moving closer. The man's face was neutral except for a flash of something across his face that Rhett would almost have said was recognition- if they'd ever met before.
"Excuse me?" Rhett spoke, looking at the man.
"Yes, sir?" The man replied with a heavy Irish accent, more proof of Rhett's thought of who he was.
"Do you know a Scarlett O'Hara, by chance?"
The woman at the man's side let out a breath and visibly relaxed. The movement confirmed to Rhett what he already had known. This was Scarlett's sister, Careen. She opened her mouth to speak, but the man spoke over her. "Who would you be that's inquiring?"
"Her husband."
The man's face remained impassive. "I know Scarlett, right enough, and she's not married."
Rhett's mouth twitched. "Yes, well, I suppose I should clarify that I'm her ex-husband."
"So what would you need to speak to her about then?"
"I'm afraid that's a matter between her and myself. Can you tell me where she is?"
"I can." Rhett listened, waiting, and then the man continued. "But I won't." I'll tell her that her ex-husband is looking for her, and if she wants to meet you, I'm sure she'll find you. The ship's not that big after all." The man finished the last few words quickly and clamped his mouth shut, seeming to realize he'd said too much.
Rhett smiled, pretending not to notice. "If you would, please, thank you. Tell her it's quite important."
Rhett nodded to the two and turned on his heel. He walked calmly away even though his head was reeling. Scarlett was indeed on the ship. Now, all he had to do was find her. There was no way he was waiting for her to agree to see him this time.
As soon as he rounded a corner, away from the eyes of Scarlett's relatives, his gate hastened. He grabbed the shoulder of the first member of the ship's staff that he saw. "You there. I need to know where Scarlett O'Hara's room is."
The scrawny man blanched. "Sir, I couldn't possibly."
Rhett glared down at him, sighed, and took out his wallet. He handed several bills to the man and asked again. "Now, I need to know where Scarlett O'Hara's room is; I promise I intend her no harm." His mouth quirked in a smirk, and he knew he had just gotten his way as the man took the cash in his hand.
"Suite 4, sir."
"Thank you." He turned to walk away and then paused before looking back. "Oh, two more things. Ensure we're not disturbed for a bit, and never, ever, allow someone to buy access to her again- do you understand?" His voice lowered, and he stared threateningly at the man.
"Yes, sir." He squeaked and hurried away, the cash still peeking out of his fist.
Rhett quickly found his way to Scarlett's door. He took a breath in and out, then knocked on the door. He heard a shuffling from inside the room and soft footsteps.
The door opened, and Scarlett's whispered voice began. "Colum, I told you, I'm-" The door opened to reveal her, and her words came to an abrupt halt as she took in who was standing before her.
"Rhett." Her face paled.
"Indeed. We have something to speak about."
Scarlett bit her lip, a nervous tick he'd noticed years ago but never commented on. He enjoyed knowing her silent tell when she was stressed or scared. "What are you doing here?" She replied.
"Well, my dear, I'm here to speak to you. You're quite a hard one to track down."
"We just saw each other, and you got up and left without a backward glance. What more could we have to say to each other?"
Her words held no malice that he could tell; instead, she seemed almost tired- maybe exhausted- at the prospect of continued conversation.
"Yes, that's before I heard some rather startling news."
Scarlett's eyes looked past him, scanning the ship's hallway. Rhett wondered if she was hoping to be rescued and briefly felt hurt that she seemed to care even less about a conversation with him than during their marriage.

Scarlett swallowed. She knew what he was about to say and had nothing to counter it. Scarlett had spent too long in Atlanta- someone had wisened up to her poor story about adopting Kat. She knew she'd done a long dance, and it was time to pay the fiddler.
"Well, what news did you hear?"
"It seems, my dear, that you have something that may be mine."
"Oh," Scarlett said, unsure of what to say and ready for the anger that was about to come. "Well, you might as well come in, but please be quiet."
Scarlett stepped aside and allowed Rhett to walk in. Kat was still sitting beside the chair she had just vacated, placing a sleeping Junior in the adjoining room where Jenny slept. She looked nervously at the baby and then to Rhett as Rhett's eyes made contact with his daughter.
Despite trying hard not to compare her daughter to Bonnie, she knew the familial resemblance was too considerable to ignore. Rhett's eyes flickered back and forth between Kat and her. Finally, he spoke. "Scarlett-"
She cut him off. Determined that she would explain her side before he began his tirade.
"Rhett- I know this must all shock you, but I can explain everything. Only please keep calm and don't upset her."
"Scarlett, whose child is that?"
Scarlett looked up at him, confusion marring his face. "Rhett, that time- that one time- you can tell better than anyone- of course she's yours- she looks just like Bonnie-" She rambled, but she was getting frustrated. Was he inferring that Kat wasn't his? Who did he think was her father? He couldn't possibly think it was AShley's, could he? Did he really believe she had cheated on him after all this time?"
"What are you saying, Scarlett?" Scarlett opened her mouth, but he continued. He stalked toward her. "She was born before I married Anne?"
"...yes."
"You already had her when I was in Ireland?"
"Yes."
"Damn you, Scarlett."
"I'll make it up to you, Rhett, please, if you'll just let me explain..."
Whatever Scarlett would have said was cut off as an infant's wail cried out from the adjoining room. The noise grabbed both of their attention. Rhett's face relaxed, and then, in complete shock to Scarlett, he began laughing.

A/N: WHEW! 2000 words and now Rhett KNOWS.