He was alone in that big mansion now. He should have been scared but he wasn't. Nothing in this world could scare him anymore. He had survived through war, poverty, hunger, and death. God had taken all the people he loved, his father, his grandmother, his grandfather, his stepfather, his sister, his aunt. The only family he had left was his mother and his sister and they were the reason why he had made an oath. He was going to do everything to keep them alive and happy even if he had to give his own life in the process. He walked through the corridor and sat in the first step of the big staircase. He was the man of the house now. He was the authority, well first his mother and then he. He was the man now, not his stepfather. Since he was there ready to protect his family and his "uncle" was nobody knew where.

Wade looked down. To be honest he did not wanted his stepfather to come back, not any more. He did not love him now and he did not wanted that kind of man close to his family. He knew now. He was older now. Rhett Butler was not welcome anymore. He was the kind of man that only loves himself. It was true for a long round that wade had thought that he loved both his little sister and him, but now he knew. His "uncle" only loved himself and his little Bonnie. And now that Bonnie was dead, he had walked away leaving them behind, without a second glance.

Wade closed his eyes. What kind of parent lets a four-year-old ride a pony? And jump fences? He was just a kid and he knew that it was plain stupid. It was logical that his little sister was condemned to fall of that damn pony. And he hated that it was Rhett's fault. He and his stupid pride had taken Bonnie's life. She was dead because her own father never told her "no". Rhett Butler had killed his own child and then he had yelled at them because they were playing in the nursery. He had looked at Ella, and Wade had noticed that he was wishing that she had died instead of Bonnie. Who could be despicable enough to wish that? Now wade admired her mother even more. She had saved him from poverty. She had saved his father's sword from the Yankees. And she had saved him from his stepfather's wrath. His mother had come into the nursery and had taken them away to Melly's house and when they had returned all their toys had been placed in one of the guest rooms, that from that moment had become the new nursery. His mother was not an affectionate parent but she was always there giving him that he needed and saving him from the adversity. If only she had never married that wicked man; she could have spared them a lot of pain.

Wade laid his head on his crossed arms. His mother was suffering. She cried in the nights, alone in her room when no one was supposed to find out, but he knew. She was losing weight and he suspected that she was drinking again. After aunt Melly's funeral, she had stopped but sometimes she acted a little cranky instead of being sad all day. When she was in a bad mood, well, he felt a little uneasy. He had been a silent and sometimes fearful witness of her mother's temper. He wasn't scared of anything in this world, anything except for his mother. It was her temper and strength was what had made her survive. She was strong and it was really hard to try to be stronger than her. But all that he had been through had made him stronger too and the idea of taking care of his family made him feel strong, and confident of his capabilities and courage.

Suddenly, Wade stood up with his chin high, in a clear show of his O'Hara heritage. . Because her mother was not always strong and his sister was too little and innocent to take care of herself, he was the one who was going to protect them. And, as God as his witness, he was going to do it no matter what.