Hey everyone! This is my first fanfiction so yeah... I'm gonna see how it turns out...

Sorry this first chapter is short... I'm gonna try to make the other ones longer... and as you may notice, the beginning has the same plot as this part in the book, but I didn't copy anything exactly. I put it all in my own words and changed it up a bit. And sometimes I'll forget to put a new chapter up so you can always visit my website, .com to check there. ***I do not own GWTW***

PLEASEEEEEE R&R and tell me what you think! Thanks for reading. :)

Chapter 1-

"I think that I have a right to know where these men were, for..." Melanie began to stutter, but regained some of her confidence, "my husband was with them also."

"Well..." Rhett started, with a gleam of embarrassment shimmering from his eye, "they were at Belle Watling's sporting house. Nearly all the men in the neighborhood were there. Hell, we had a good time! Me and Hugh and Ashley and Frank and and the rest of us kept ourselves occupied with the champagne, cards, girls, and-"

"At... at Belle Watling's?" Melanie spoke as if her whole body was being pricked with needles; needles so cold that they turned her blood to ice. Before anyone could react, she fainted. Immediately, Archie was trying to pick her up, India was slapping her wrists, and Aunt Pittypat was calling for the smelling salts.

Scarlett, through all this chaos and confusion, was seated motionless on her chair. "Were they really at Belle's?" She thought. "Or is this just a way for Rhett to embarrass decent people? And, oh God, where's Ashley? He must be-"

Scarlett's thoughts were interrupted by the shouts of Hugh Elsing. "Dammit, Rhett! Now you're done it! You could have told them we were at the Girl of The Period Saloon or... Or anything else. But you have to tell them the truth that we were actually at Belle's? Now you've done it!"

Rhett's savage laugh broke it. "I hope you're happy, Tom. No wife in Atlanta will even look at her husband tomorrow."

"Alright," Tom stated, "So you take an oath that they were at er- Belle's?"

"Yes, I do. You have my word... as a gentleman." Rhett said with a mocking tone. "Go ask Belle if you don't believe me."

"You bet I will. Now I want all of these men to appear for questioning in the morning, despite their hangovers. Now good night."
The Yankee police swiftly made their way out the door. Until the faint sound of the trots of their horses indicated that they had left, nobody dared to breathe. Everyone was looking at each other with hopeful, worried stares. But Rhett, as always, was as unreadable as a rock.

Questions were still stirring through Scarlett's head. "Why did Frank barely say a word? Did they really go to Belle's? Where were all the other men? And most importantly, where was Ashley?"

Scarlett did not know what to think. He wasn't dead, he couldn't be. There was no reason for him to die. Was he at Belle's? The thought of Ashley associating with that Watling creature made Scarlett want to belch. No, he wasn't there; he was too honorable for that. Was he still in Shantytown because Rhett couldn't give him the message in time? Or what if- if Ashley did this Scarlett would faint. What if he had to flee to Texas like Tony? "Oh no! Not seeing my darling Ashley ever again?" The thought was too pitiful to be true. But then, where was her loving Ashley? If he died trying to protect Scarlett and her honor, that would be one thing that she would not be able to bare.

As soon as everyone was sure that the Yankees were gone, the mayhem resumed. Rhett looked at Melanie with a distressed look, then at Scarlett with mockery. He then rushed over to Frank and pulled his jacket off. Frank's normally white shirt was drenched in blood as red as the dirt on Tara.

"Frank!" Scarlett exclaimed. "What happened? Did a darkie in Shantytown shoot you?"

"Not now, Scarlett." Rhett broke in. "We haven't got much time. Hugh, carry Frank upstairs and set him down on the bed. India, go fetch a doctor. But not Doctor Meade, the Yankees are probably questioning him right now. Try Doctor Dean. Ms. Pittypat, is Mrs. Wilkes awake yet? There's something I need to... tell her..."

As Hugh carried Frank upstairs, Scarlett was torn. Should she go see how Frank was? Or should she ask about Ashley? Out of the corner of her eye, Scarlett saw Rhett whispering to Archie about something. "As fast as- so they look like they fought- don't let the Yankees- Belle's-" That's all Scarlett heard before she saw Archie riding away as fast as a bullet. Oh, who was she kidding? If she didn't ask about Ashley, the curiosity would kill her.

"Rhett?"

"Shouldn't you be comforting your husband before you ask about another?"

"Oh, hush up. Frank's probably fine and-"

"No, I will not hush up my dear Mrs. Kennedy. Why? Because your husband may be bleeding to death this very moment, yet you want to ask about the whereabouts of the honorable Mr. Wilkes-"

Scarlett stared at him with an impatient glare. Why did he always know what she was thinking? "Oh, stop talking all that nonsense? Where is Ashley?"

"He's lying out on Decatur Road, next to Tommy Welburn. Shot through the head. Both of 'em."