The road was calm while Atlanta burned in ruins behind them. The sky glowed a golden orange as the sun set and the town of Atlanta was engulfed by flames. Sherman's army had driven away the Confederate soldiers and the Home Guard inside of Georgia, but that would never mean that the war was over. The pride in the Confederate soldiers was slowly being sucked out of them, and soon, the war will be in the hands of the Yankees, as if it wasn't already. The carriage bumped over the rough road before coming to a halt, and Rhett locked it in place.
"Why did we stop?" Scarlett asked him with a tone of worry in her voice.
"This is the turn to Tara. Let the horse breathe a bit," Rhett replied, turning around to view the four people in the back of the carriage. "Mrs. Wilkes?"
"Miss Mellie done fainted way back, cap'in Butlah," replied the shrill-voiced Prissy in a calm, quiet tone.
"I suppose she's probably better off. She couldn't stand the pain if she were conscious," Rhett replied, turning back to face Scarlett. "Scarlett, are you still determined to do this crazy thing?"
"Oh, yes, yes. I'm sure we can get through, Rhett. I'm sure we can," Scarlett told him. Rhett reached down in the carriage to grab his hat and coat.
"Not we, my dear, you. I'm leaving you here," he told her. Scarlett stared at him wide-eyed. Was he leaving her here? No, he couldn't be… he wouldn't! She was sure that he was messing with her.
"You're what?" Scarlett asked as he climbed over her and jumped down off of the carriage. "Oh, I could kill you for scaring me so." Rhett looked at her from adjusting the horse's harness.
"I'm very serious, Scarlett," he told her, placing his hat on his head and tossing his coat over his arm. "I'm going to join up with our brave lads in gray."
"But they're running away!" Scarlett exclaimed.
"Oh, no. They don't turn to make a last stand if I know anything about them. And when they do, I'll be there with them. I'm a little late, but better late than-"
"Rhett, you must be joking."
"Selfish to the end, aren't you?" Rhett leaned against the carriage smirking at her as she glared at him. "Thinking only of your own precious hide but never a thought for the noble Cause."
"Rhett, how could you do this to me? Why should you go now… now that it's all over and I need you. Why? Why?" There were invisible tears in her voice, but Rhett could only continue smirking at her.
"Why? Maybe it's because I've always had a weakness for lost Causes once they're really lost. Or maybe… maybe I'm ashamed at myself. Who knows?"
"You should die of shame to leave me here alone and helpless."
"You helpless? Heaven help the Yankees if they capture you." With a chuckle, Rhett left the carriage's side and looked up at her. "Now, uh… climb down here. I wanna say goodbye."
"No." Her tone was serious, and she shied away from him.
"Climb down," said Rhett, setting down his coat and hat. He climbed onto the carriage and lifted her into his arms, carrying her down from the carriage.
"Oh, Rhett, please don't go! You can't leave me, please! I'll never forgive you!" Rhett led Scarlett away from the carriage as she pleaded him to stay before putting his arms around her.
"I'm not asking you to forgive me," he muttered to her, staring into her emerald green eyes. "I'll never understand or forgive myself. And if a bullet gets me, I'll laugh at myself for being an idiot. But one thing I do know is that I love you, Scarlett. Despite of you and me and the whole silly world going to pieces around us, I love you. Because we're alike, bad lots, both of us. Selfish and shrewd, but able to look things in the eyes and call them by the right names."
"Don't hold me like that!" Scarlett cried as he gently caressed her hair.
"Scarlett." Rhett said her name with a tone of love and passion. Scarlett couldn't believe that he could actually love her! He was a scalawag… a terrible man whose leaving her vulnerable to the Yankees! How could he do such a thing? Oh, she'll show him!
"Look at me. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone. And I've waited for you longer than I've ever waited for everyone." He gently brushed her forehead with his lips while she quietly muttered his name.
"Let me go!" Scarlett was furious with him as she tried to free herself from his grasp, but he refused to let her slip from his arms as he planted another kiss on her head.
"There's a soldier in the South who loves you, Scarlett," Rhett told her, forcing her to look at him again. "Who wants to feel your arms around him, wants to carry the memory of your kisses in the back of his memory. Nevermind about loving me, you're a woman sending a soldier to his death with a beautiful memory. Scarlett, kiss me. Kiss me, once."
Scarlett awaited the moment when Rhett's lips would touch hers, and she knew they had the moment she felt a fire burning through her body. She didn't want the moment to end, and for her, it didn't. She thought about pushing him off of her and slapping him, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it. Suddenly, hundreds of thoughts poured into her mind. What would Ashley think if he saw this? If he was Rhett kissing her? Would he turn back to Melanie? Of course he would because he loved Melanie! It was all clear to Scarlett now. Ashley didn't love her, he loved Melanie! And Scarlett didn't love Ashley… she loved Rhett! She loved Rhett with a burning passion that engulfed her like the flames had engulfed Atlanta! Oh, he couldn't leave her! Not now when she loved him so much! She pushed him back and looked at him with tears in her eyes.
"Oh, Rhett, don't go!" she cried, hitting his chest and shoulders with her balled up fists. "Don't leave me now when I love you! Rhett, I love you, not Ashley! I never did! Don't leave me when I love you!" Rhett took her crying form into his arms.
"Shhh… darling, don't cry…" Rhet buried his lips in her dark hair and then gently kissed her forehead. "I must leave… I'm looked at as a traitor who doesn't believe in the Cause."
"But you don't!" Scarlett cried. "You told me years ago that you didn't believe in the Cause! Oh, Rhett… don't leave me! Please don't!" Scarlett cried desperately into his shoulder, begging him not to leave her. Again, she felt Rhett kiss her forehead. "Rhett…"
"Yes, my darling?" Rhett asked her as he held her.
"I know you're not a marrying man, but I don't care!" She pulled back to look at him. "I love you and I want you! Rhett, don't leave me…"
"Marry me, Scarlett, when I return from the war."
"But what if you don't? Rhett, I want to be your wife before you go!" Rhett sighed as he held her, and he gently kissed her forehead.
"All right, darling, don't cry. I won't leave until we are married. But it has to be soon. I can sense that the war is to be over soon."
"Oh, yes, Rhett! Of course!" Scarlett said, wiping her tears from her eyes. Rhett pulled her into his arms and kissed her again.
"In the meantime, we'll get you back to Tara, but I can't assure you that it will still be standing." Rhett helped her into the carriage, picked up his coat and hat, and then they were off on the way to Tara.