Hello!

How is everybody? Thanks for all the reviews, I love you all!

Also,I recently went to Savannah and while I was there I bought a first edition Gone with the Wind! Eeek! It was very exciting!

Well anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter… I certainly had fun writing it! One more thing, I don't really know how well children Wade's age talk, so I based it on how my little cousin who's the same age talks. If I've got it wrong, just let me know.

Disclaimer – I do not own anything (except a first edition Gone with the Wind!) Everything belongs to the fabulous Margaret Mitchell.

A week before Christmas Scarlett was sat in the parlour with Wade and Aunt Pitty when Melanie rushed in, waving a piece of paper.

"Oh Scarlett, Auntie, I've just had the best news! I got a letter from Ashley this morning and he says that he's going to be coming home for Christmas! Ashley's coming here and so are India and Honey and Uncle John, oh this is going to be the best Christmas!" She breathed, her cheeks were rosy and her eyes were alight with happiness. Scarlett thought that her sister-in-law had never looked prettier.

"I'm so happy for you Melly" Scarlett replied sincerely, she had already drafted a letter telling her parents that she planned on returning to Tara for Christmas and only the look of disappointment in Melly's eyes when she found out that Scarlett and Wade would be going home had kept Scarlett from sending it. Now, however, Scarlett couldn't wait to get home. She missed her parents greatly and going home meant that she could also avoid Ashley. She was glad he was alright, but she didn't want a repeat of the barbeque. She hoped that he had taken her words that day to heart and realised that Melly was indeed the one he loved.

Christmas at Tara was lovely as always, but the war had already touch the graceful beauty of the house and the lives of those who lived there. Presents were homemade and the dinner lacked the finer ingredients that made it a feast. Nonetheless, Scarlett wouldn't have missed it for the world. Her parents were delighted to have her and Wade home and her Pa in particular was in a very festive mood, even pretending to be Santa Claus for Wade. Suellen was her usual annoying self, Scarlett noted, although she had been receiving letters from Frank Kennedy, which made her slightly more pleasant than she was before. Similarly, Scarlett found out that Carreen and Brent Tarleton had been writing to each other, which was a surprise as Scarlett was still thought of Carreen as the baby of the family, not as a young lady of seventeen.

All in all, Scarlett was pleased to have spent Christmas at Tara and with her family, although she realised that there was not a great deal to do there compared with Atlanta. It was with this thought in mind that in the third week of January, Scarlett informed her parents that she and Wade would be returning to Atlanta.

It had been a particularly horrible day at the hospital. It had always been horrible and Scarlett was not a natural nurse, like Melly. However, since Melly had discovered (much to her delight) that she was going to have a baby back in February, she had stopped coming to the hospital. Scarlett had tried to insist on staying home to look after her, but Melly was adamant that the soldiers at the hospital needed Scarlett's help more at the moment and wouldn't hear of Scarlett forgoing her nursing duties on her behalf. Melly's calming presence along with the fact that she had had to witness another amputation without pain relief meant that Scarlett was not in a good mood.

However, she had left the hospital and found Rhett waiting for her in his carriage, which had she was very thankful for. Rhett always knew how to make her smile and laugh, even when she tried her very hardest not to.

"Thank you" Scarlett said as he helped her out of the carriage in front of the house.

"You know Rhett I don't know what I'd do without you sometimes" she said gratefully as she glanced up into his swarthy, handsome face. Why, he was like her own personal pain relief she thought, inwardly giggling. The horrors of the day dimmed in his presence. They made their way down the path and Scarlett opened the door and went in, hanging up her bonnet next to the stairs. She looked behind to see Rhett standing next to the door.

"Are you going to come in Rhett?" Scarlett asked, realising that he hadn't spoken in a bit, which was unusual as he always had something to say. He didn't reply, but stepped over the threshold and shut the door behind him. He cleared his throat.

"Actually, I have a little…idea I think you'll be interested in hearing."

"Oh?" Scarlett replied, intrigued. Rhett crossed the floor quickly and silently to where she stood.

"We could leave, just you and me and Wade, we could go to Mexico or Europe and forget all about this godforsaken war. Wouldn't you like that Scarlett? To be able to wear beautiful dresses and dance every night and Wade wouldn't want for anything. What do you say my dear, we could go anywhere. No more pretending" his voice was silky and persuasive and Scarlett felt a smile creep onto her face for a second as she imagined all that she could have and do as Rhett Butler's wife. It was no secret that he had far more money than was proper at the moment and he always knew how to have a good time. He would take her anywhere she wanted and she wouldn't have to watch her little boy grow up in homespun clothes and no shoes. He was standing so close she could barely breathe with excitement as she remembered what other part of Rhett Butler she would have access to as his wife. Gone were any thoughts of Melly and her baby or her parents and sisters at Tara. She would be rich and she would have new clothes… Her mind spun with possibilities.

"Why Rhett, are you asking me to marry you?" Scarlett said, thinking about how exciting it would be if Rhett loved her. She had gotten men to fall in love with her before with only a dimple and a flattering comment, but to have Rhett fall in love with her… He was always so elusive and mysterious and he was the one man who always saw through her. She felt a flash of pride and, strangely, happiness that she had finally gotten Rhett Butler to fall in love. She was suddenly brought out of her musings by a loud laugh.

"No, I'm not a marrying man, you know that. I'masking you to be my mistress."

Gone was the happiness and excitement as disappointment flourished in her chest, quickly followed by a blinding rage.

"And what would I get out of that?! More children?" She cried angrily and was immediately horrified that she hadn't come up with a more dignified response. Oh what would Ellen say?

"Well, based on past experiences, I thought you'd be keen on the idea. I didn't hear you complaining last time, in fact, you positively encouraged it!" Rhett said, taking a step back. Scarlett balled up her fists at the reminder of her wanton behaviour.

"I don't know how you have the gall to keep bringing that up! You ruined me once and I won't let you do it again!" she cried. "You're hateful, buying me nice things and escorting me places, and all the time you were" she broke off, her face flushed and her chest heaving with rage.

"I was tempting you my dear, I told you that I never do anything without getting paid back. Surely you didn't think that I did any of that because I cared for you?"

Scarlett felt like all the breath had been knocked out of her at his words. She didn't see how his hands had balled into fists at his side, or that the casual carelessness of his words were hiding the hurt and foolishness he'd felt when he saw the look of triumph in her eyes.

"Get out" Scarlett choked out; dismayed to find out that her voice cracked when she spoke.

"Scarlett…"

"GET OUT!" she screamed and slapped him hard across the face, his head snapped back at the force of the slap and he gingerly brought a hand up to his cheek.

"As you wish" he said, no emotion in his voice. He made his way to the door and Scarlett struggled to hold back a sob.

"And don't come back! Ever!" she cried, hurrying to the door so she could have the satisfaction of slamming it in his face. When she had done so, her legs collapsed from under her and she sunk to the floor, angrily tugging and pulling at the pins in her hair and throwing them across the hall, after the pins she ripped the lace off from her dress. She threw the offending item away from her, reminders that Rhett thought she could be bought like some common whore. He didn't care about her, he had said her anger subsided and all she was left with an unbearable, bewildering agony. She gasped and the dam broke, tears flooding down her face as she sobbed brokenly into her hands.

She didn't know how long she sat there, sobbing on the floor when a voice broke through the haze of tears and pain.

"Scarlett?"

Scarlett looked up from her hands and saw her sister-in-law hurrying towards her. She felt a stab of guilt that she would have so carelessly dismissed Melanie before, kind dependable Melanie, for a no good cad. A fresh wave of sobs caught up in her throat.

"Scarlett, darling!" with a rustle of skirts, Melanie awkwardly sat down next to Scarlett and threw her arms around her.

"What's the matter? I heard shouting…" she trailed off as she took in Scarlett's dishevelled hair and ripped dress, her tear stained face devoid of her usual rosy glow gave her the look of an unearthly spirit. Why, she had seen dying soldiers who looked better than Scarlett currently did.

"Scarlett, did Captain Butler… hurt you?" she asked delicately, horrified at her sister's appearance.

Scarlett shook her head.

"No, he… he… I thought he cared about me!" she sobbed eventually. "And I don't know why it hurts so much that he doesn't!" she wailed. "Because I don't care about him. I don't I don't! He's mean and hateful and I never want to see him again in my life!" she rambled on, unable to stop the flow of words that kept spilling out of her mouth.

"Oh Scarlett, you're wrong, Captain Butler cares about you so much. Why else would he come to Atlanta? All other blockade runners don't come so far inland."

Her words didn't comfort Scarlett at all. She knew why Rhett came to Atlanta, but she wasn't about to tell Melly that it was to see Wade. Sniffing, she wiped her sleeve across her face and stood up. She smoothed her dress down, her fingers catching on loose strands of thread that had become displaced during her fit of violence. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she already regretted ruining one of her prettiest dresses, but she wouldn't allow herself to acknowledge this. Eventually, she spoke up.

"I'm sorry for crying so Melly, I don't know what came over me." She said, desperately trying to hide the tremble in her voice.

"Darling, it's alright, you never have to apologise to me. I only want to make sure you're ok."

"I'm fine." Scarlett said, and then, with a sudden urge to be alone, added "Do you think you can look after Wade for me? I think I'm going to have a nap. I feel awfully tired all of a sudden." The fact that Scarlett had never once in her life voluntarily taken a nap in the middle of the day didn't go unnoticed by either of the women, though neither commented on it.

"Of course I will Scarlett. Will you be alright?" Melanie's warm brown eyes, anxiously watching her.

Scarlett nodded and made her way up to her room, leaving Melanie standing alone in the entrance hall, surrounding by debris and praying that her sister-in-law would be alright.

For the next few weeks, Scarlett threw herself into work at the hospital. She tirelessly bandaged and washed soldiers and wrote letters for them to send to their families. In the evenings when she got home she would spend time washing linen from the hospital before collapsing into bed and falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. This was preferable as it meant that she didn't have time to think about Rhett Butler. Since that fateful day she hadn't seen hide or hair of him, in fact, she didn't even know if he was still in Atlanta. He hadn't come to call on her or Wade, a fact that hadn't gone unnoticed by the little boy.

One night in late August and three months after she'd last seen Rhett Butler, Scarlett had just got into bed, when her door creaked open. Sitting up in shock, she barely had time to be terrified before she saw who the intruder in her bedroom was.

"Wade! What on earth are doing sneaking around the house at night?" Scarlett gasped. When he didn't answer, Scarlett sighed and threw back the covers.

"Come on Wade, get in" she said. She watched the look of concentration on his face as he tried to shut the door as quietly as he could before climbing up on her bed.

"Can I sleep wiv you Mama?" he said. Scarlett brushed his black hair out of his eyes.

"Well, you're here now aren't you?" she replied, laying back down. Wade snuggled into her side.

"Mama?" he said after a few moments.

"Mmm?" she mumbled, nearly asleep.

"When's Daddy coming back?" Scarlett's eyes flew open.

"What… what did you say?" she stammered, sure she hadn't heard her son correctly because surely he couldn't be talking about Rhett.

"Daddy's been gone ages" Scarlett's heart beat fast, the word Daddy reverberating in her head. As far as she was aware, Wade did not know that Rhett was his true father, unless of course, Rhett had said something. He'd certainly had enough opportunity, she thought, remembering those times when Rhett called round and played soldiers and hide and seek with Wade while instead, she opted to sit down with the latest copy of Harpers fashion magazine that Rhett always brought round. She pursed her lips as she thought back to the whispers and laughter of her son and his father as they played, berating herself for not keeping a closer eye on them, after all, there was nothing that Rhett Butler wouldn't do, but to tell a small child, that big a secret was the most unthinking and stupid thing in the world. What if Wade said something to Melly, or Aunt Pitty? A million different scenarios flooded through her mind, Melly looking at her with wounded eyes as she discovered her beloved nephew wasn't her brother's son. Aunt Pitty fainting in horror. Then there were her parents. Scarlett's eyes widened. Ellen would be mortified to learn what her daughter had done and Pa would no doubt hunt down Rhett and call him out and she didn't even want to think about what Mammy would say. Oh how utterly terrible and humiliating she thought to be rejected by society and looked down upon and simply because Rhett Butler had to have what he wanted and didn't give a damn about other people!

Suddenly, Wade shifted to look at her, his dark eyes wide.

"Daddy said… Daddy said" the look of concentration was back as he tried to remember something.

"It was a secret" he finished. Scarlett sighed as she pieced together the pieces in her mind. Obviously, Rhett had told Wade that he was his father and made him promise not to tell her. It seemed that Wade, like his father didn't know when to keep his mouth shut, she thought in irritation.

"It's alright Wade, I won't tell anyone." She replied, hoping beyond hope that if Wade felt guilty about telling her, then he wouldn't tell anyone else. "It'll be a secret, between you, me and …Daddy" the word feeling foreign to her as she tried to reassure Wade, and herself.

"I miss Daddy" Wade said and Scarlett felt immensely guilty that she hadn't considered her son's feelings when she demanded Rhett leave and never come back. Although, surely it was just as much Rhett's fault because when had he ever done what she said in the past? He chose to stay away, just as much as she wished he wouldn't come back.

"I don't know when he'll be back." Or if he'd be back at all, she thought and for the first time since that day she was surprised to find the thought of never seeing Rhett again upsetting. After everything he'd said to her she, could she actually miss him? Certainly she missed the little trinkets that made life so much easier, but, she realised, she missed his company more. The way he'd make her laugh when she didn't want to, the indecent conversations that she found both embarrassing and exciting. She missed how everything felt that little bit easier and more normal when Rhett was around to take her mind of the war. And she hated it. She shouldn't miss him, certainly not when he most likely hadn't given her a second thought since he left. Unable to understand her confusing emotions, she merely attributed it to the fact that she was lonely and starved of proper adult company.

Melanie had taken to her bed weeks ago when her pregnancy took a toll on her, and was weaker than a new born kitten. Aunt Pitty was now in Macon with Uncle Peter and she was stuck here in Atlanta, with only injured soldiers, Prissy and little Wade for company. Oh how she wished she could go home. To Tara. She wanted her mother and she suddenly realised with uncharacteristic insight, that Wade probably felt the same about Rhett. After all, a little boy needed his father.

Hesitantly, she pulled Wade into her arms.

"I do know that your Daddy loves you very much Wade and that he… he…" she trailed off, trying to find something comforting to say to her son, without raising his hopes.

"He loves you too Mama" Wade said sleepily "but that was another secret" and with that, he promptly fell asleep and suddenly, Scarlett no longer felt very tired.

Well, please let me know your thoughts/ideas/etc…

Reviews make me happy!

Miss Ivy