Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

The end of the story

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

When Derek woke up, he was in his condo. He heard someone knocking on the front door. He slipped on some sweats and went to answer it. When he opened the door there were two men standing there. They were both men in their twenties. They were handsome men with ebony hair. They both had mahogany brown eyes like Rhett. One had a mustache, and the other did not. One of them said, "Dad sent us over here to make sure you got to the church on time."

Derek said, "The church?"

The other man said, "Bro, don't tell me you have forgotten today is your wedding day. Sydney would be so hurt if she knew."

After the men were in the condo. The second man said, "Did we wake you up?"

"Yes."

"It is a good thing Dad sent us over. Why didn't Syd wake you up."

Derek didn't know where the words were coming from, but he said, "She spent the night with her parents. She said it was bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the ceremony."

The other man said, "Go shit, shower, and shave. We have to go."

"Alright. Go make yourselves at home in the kitchen." Derek again didn't know where the words were coming from, but he said, "And, Jason, don't eat all the bacon."

As Derek got ready to go to the church, memories were oozing into his brain. He and Sydney had met in college. They had dated for a couple of years before they moved in together. He had wanted to get married once they graduated from college, but she wanted to wait until she got her law degree. He had a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's degree in marriage and family therapy. Sydney had just graduated from law school. He had been in private practice for two years. He was beginning to make a profit. Sydney had been hired by a law firm here in Atlanta. He knew his extended family lived in Atlanta and not in New Orleans. One thing he knew was that Syd loved him to the moon and back. As did he love her.

Derek was the oldest of four children. They had all made it to adulthood. His sister Savannah was the next oldest and the only one that was married before today. Her husband was a doctor or soon would be. His brothers' names were Mason and Jason. They were twins. They were still in college. As he was drying off, he knew the family was wealthy enough to have a comfortable life, but everyone had to work for a living. There were trust funds, but nobody could access theirs until their thirtieth birthday.

Since Derek was alive, he wondered what happened to Scarlett. Why had Rhett married Agnes. As he looked into the mirror to shave, he looked pretty much the same except instead of having brown eyes he had emerald green eyes just like Scarlett. He didn't know how, but somehow, he was now Scarlett's descendant also.

Derek's memories of his former life were fading including thoughts of Alice, but his memories of Rhett and Scarlett seemed to be staying strong. He would have to corner his nana and get her to tell him the family history. But he knew that he had saved Rhett and Scarlett's marriage. And Bonnie's life. And he guessed the little boy's life also.

Derek's wedding reception was in the ballroom of the mansion. Derek's aunt Jessica had bought the home from her mother when the older woman had decided to move into a condo. Aunt Jessica had turned it into a bed and breakfast.

Derek knew the mansion well because he and his siblings had come over to visit their grandparents and cousins as the children were growing up, but he had to know if that tiny room was still there after Aunt Jessica had remodeled the building. He walked down the stairs and found the room quickly. Yes, it was still there. He didn't have a key so that was all the information he could gleam. He hurried back to the reception before Sydney noticed that he was gone.

At the reception Derek's nana gave him an envelope. The envelope was yellow with age. On the outside was his name. Below his name was: Don't open until your wedding day. She said, "I found this among our old family pictures. It is odd, but it was behind a picture that was in a frame. I was moving the picture to another spot, and it slipped out of my hands. It was strange. It felt like someone had jerked it out of my hands. The glass broke so I took it to get it replaced. The Framer said the frame was damaged, so I bought another frame. The Framer found the letter when he took the picture out of the old frame. I have been holding on to it for you. I don't know how it got there or who it is from, but I didn't open it because it had your name on it."

"Thank you. I have no idea how it got there either or who it is from." Derek suspected it was from Rhett, but he couldn't tell his nana that. Instead, he said, "Why did you not open it? Whoever wrote the letter certainly couldn't have known about me."

"I don't know. It just didn't feel right to open an envelope addressed to someone else."

"Do you still keep the family memorabilia at the mansion?"

"Yes, Jessica has let me keep it in a small room next to the bedroom that used to be mine. It was originally a changing room for the owner of the house. It was too small to be turned into a hotel room."

"Why didn't Aunt Jessica incorporate it with the other bedroom?"

"She said it would have made that room too large. Which may be true, but I think the real reason was she knew I didn't have room for the memorabilia in my condo."

Derek believed Aunt Jessica had a sound business reason for doing what she did. She was pretty ruthless in achieving her goals. So was Nana, but she had a blind spot in regard to her family's true nature.

"Nana, are there any stories about the mansion being haunted?"

"Yes, Jessica has told me that a few guests have seen a woman in a green dress and one guest saw a man in a tuxedo with her. I think she is making it up. Something to make her hotel unique. Everyone knows there is no such thing as ghost."

Derek didn't know why Rhett and Scarlett had not moved on. Probably because he had been waiting on her. She hadn't wanted to move on because she had loved her mansion. Probably neither one wanted to go into the light because they didn't know what was on the other side of the light. At least, here they were still together. Derek felt they would move on now that he had the letter.

Derek said, "Whose picture was in the frame?"

"Our patriarch, Rhett Butler, and his wife. It was the last picture taken of them together. Despite him being sixteen years older than her, she died first."

"What from?"

"Nobody knows. She died in her sleep. She was only fifty. It was probably from a stroke. High blood pressure runs in the family."

"True."

Derek then knew why Scarlett had not moved on. She wanted more time with Rhett, and she loved her mansion.

Derek said, "Can I come over and get you to show me all the genealogy on our family."

"Just text me when you want to come over."

As the older woman turned to go, Derek said, "Wait, what was our patriarch Rhett Butler's wife's name?"

"Scarlett."

"How many children did they have?"

"Five."

"Did any of them die?"

"Surprising for that day and age – no."

"Thanks. Syd and I are going to New Orleans for two weeks for our honeymoon. When I get back, we can set-up a time and day."

"I would like that, Derek. I always got the impression you weren't really listening when I talked about our family history."

"You are so silly, Nana."

Derek saw his uncle Gordon at the wedding reception, and he knew Gordon was the CEO of their company. They made screens. He guessed Rhett had invested in a screen company. Derek was sure his nana was still very much involved with the management of the company. She had been the CEO from nineteen sixty-eight until she passed the reins over to her son Gordon when she turned sixty. Her husband was in poor health at the time, and she wanted to be able to travel with him while they still could. He had since passed away. After his death is when she had gotten into genealogy. It was also at that time that she had sold the mansion to her daughter Jessica.

Derek talked to his father, Nick, at the wedding. He said, "Are you glad you chose to be an engineer and not run our screen company?"

"I really didn't have any choice in the matter because Gordon wanted to do it. As the oldest child he had first refusal. That has been the way it has been since Great Grandfather Alex took control of the screen company. He was the youngest child, but nobody wanted to run the company. Well, the screen company. As I understand it there were lots of other enterprises."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Ask your Nana. I do know Jessica wished he had turned it down."

"She has turned all that ambition into a profitable life. This bed and breakfast was written up in a tourist magazine on Atlanta. I can't remember the name of the magazine. What about Aunt Aimee?"

"No. All Aimee ever wanted to be was a wife and mother. Mother made a point of giving me the emerald pinkie ring because I was the only child to inherit her green eyes. I will pass it down to you in a few years."

"Thanks, Dad. I would really like to have it. Isn't it strange that only one child in the family ever has green eyes."

"You are right. That is strange."

Derek knew that only the child that had survived last lifetime inherited Scarlett's green eyes which was another bizarre twist to this saga.

The men were quiet for a minute until Nick said, "You know what, Son. Take it now."

"Thank you, Dad. This means a lot to me."

"You have always been a good boy."

"No, I haven't but thank you for saying so."

"Give me a hug then go see what Sydney wants."

Derek hugged his father and said, "Probably to dance. Bye."

The next morning while on the plane to New Orleans, Derek opened the letter.

The letter read: Derek, I hope you came into being despite me never marrying Agnes.

Derek paused in his reading of the letter to once again wonder how he had come into being without Rhett having a child with Agnes. He dismissed it from his thoughts. He didn't know how he had been sent back in time or even how he had been returned in time or even why his life was so much better. He would never know. He started reading the letter again: Thank you. You were right, I needed your help in my situation. Once I was able to ring Scarlett's bell, she was a lot happier about us continuing to sleep together. She was also not quite as much of a shrew. She was still a shrew, but a nicer one.

I have been able to move a few mountains in regard to our intimate time. It is wonderful. When she found out about the iron sulfate, she took total responsibility for ensuring the prevention method was available. Nonetheless when she found herself with child again, it was all my fault.

After you disappeared, I worked at making her feel secure. I asked her about her life before we married. I found out so many things I didn't know. When I told her I thought she was a good businesswoman, I thought she was going to cry. She didn't preen at all.

About two years later, she was caught at the sawmill with Ashley's arm around her. Soon everyone in the gentry were talking about her and Ashley. Miss Melly and I stood by our spouses through the entire scandal. I used that opportunity to convince her to sell the sawmills. She sold her part. I guess by then she felt secure enough to let it go. Although she never sold the store. She did give it to Ella as a wedding present. She spouted off a lot of garbage about she had only held on to it to give to Ella. Maybe that was what she could let herself believe.

It was shortly after that scandal that she found herself with child again. She yelled at me repeatedly, she whined and complained the entire nine months, yet I was not asked to move out of her bedroom. Or with Kenny, Hope, or Alex. She whined and complained the entire nine months with them also. I did go out and interview Yankee doctors to find a way to ease her pain during labor. The doctor administered chloroform. She was certainly appreciative of me finding out about the drug. Appreciative enough that I was able to move another mountain in regard to our intimate time together.

When I found out about vasectomies, I took the family to London and had the procedure done. She was very appreciative. She showed it in our bed. Another mountain moved.

I took your words to heart about Bonnie dying and never let her do anything dangerous. I don't know how one of our sons died, but with your help all five of my children grew into adulthood. Wade and Ella did so also.

Once Scarlett realized Ashley had never loved her, she became the wife I had always wanted. A first-class bitch. She was demanding, self-centered, and selfish, everything I loved about her. She is still obtuse, but I have grown to find that trait endearing. She annoys people all the time and doesn't even know she is doing it. Since I love to aggravate people, I enjoy the show.

Scarlett has grown up since the death of Miss Melly. She can be quite kind and caring as long as her interests are not involved. She still isn't a good mother, but I didn't marry her for her mothering skills.

After Scarlett declared her love for me, I felt safe enough to declare my love for her. She preened.

We were visiting my mother in Charleston and one of her friends came to visit. With her was her granddaughter, Agnes. She was a pretty girl of good social standing, but the family was dirt poor. I don't know what happened to Scarlett in the first timeline, but I guess I married Agnes to redeem my social standing. I don't care. It doesn't matter. I will never marry anyone, but Scarlett.

On our twentieth wedding anniversary while we were out to supper, Scarlett said, "The stone in your pinkie ring is the same color as my eyes."

"I know, my love. I have always known."

Scarlett preened and I laughed.

I lost her a couple of months ago. She died in her sleep. All I know is she didn't suffer. I still ponder how she could have died before me. She was only fifty. Her death is what prompted me to write you a letter.

I am getting our last picture put in a frame and I will put this letter in the frame also. Hopefully, it will get to you.

I am not a young man. I often have pain in my chest and sometimes find it hard to catch my breath. If Scarlett were still alive, she would nag at me endlessly until I went to the doctor. I will not go. I don't care what is wrong with me. I don't want to continue living without Scarlett to annoy and harass.

Here Derek smiled. Rhett certainly did enjoy mocking and teasing Scarlett. He continued reading the letter: I have written up a new will. I let my sons and sons-in-law choose which investments they wanted according to my children's birth order. I know my sons were not happy that Bonnie's husband Amos got to go first. Fair is fair. She was my first born and without your help she would have been my only born. I also left the mansion to Alex. He is the only one of the children that like the Swiss Chalet exterior. He has always been more like Scarlett than me. He even has her green eyes. The only child to inherit them. At least, he isn't obtuse.

I don't know how many days I have left, but with your help I had twenty-six wonderful years with Scarlett.

I hope you and your wife can work out your problems like you helped me work out mine and Scarlett's.

Thanks.

Rhett.

Derek put the letter back in the envelope and smiled at his wife. He and Sydney would have a happy life because of the changes that were made over a hundred and fifty years ago. He was looking forward to his Nana telling him all about his ancestors.

Sydney said, "Who is the letter from?"

"My first patient. I saved his marriage. He had made some assumptions about his wife and when I pointed out the illogic of his assumptions, he was able to see her in a much more positive light."

"That's nice. Let me see your ring. Why did your father give it to you?"

"Because I am the only child to have green eyes."

Sydney looked at the ring then at Derek's eyes. She said, "The stone matches your eye color perfectly."

"Yes, it does. When we have children, I want to name them Rhett and Scarlett."

Sydney laughed and said, "Children are a few years off. We just got married yesterday. I want to get established in my career first."

"Of course, my love, we have plenty of time to start our family."

"It was very nice of your aunt Jessica to let us stay in the honeymoon suite last night."

"It certainly was. When Nana lived in the house, it was her bedroom."

"Was that creepy for you?"

"Why would it be?"

"Because you were having sex in basically your nana's bedroom."

Derek laughed. He said, "It might have been if I had thought of that. All I could think about was you."

Sydney preened and smiled at her husband. She wondered what she had ever done to deserve such a wonderful man as her true love.