Chapter One: Scarlett has an Awakening Moment
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters and do not intend on making any money off this story.
Story Line: Takes place after Scarlett falls down the stairs.
When Scarlett woke, she could not remember what had happened. Only that she was very much in pain. As she touched her own forehead she felt every muscle in her body was sore, and she had a bump where her fingers touched. Scarlett looked about her she was in her room she was sure yet something seemed out of place. She looked at the clock it was 3:00am, "Where is Rhett ", panic struck her instantly. She noticed sorta shocked his side of the bed had not been disturbed. And her brow wrinkled, "Hadn't he come to bed?" She slowly moved the blanket aside, finding it was taking all her effort to do so. And she slowly moved her legs off the edge of the bed. My goodness she thought what has happened to me. She remembered only bits and pieces something about falling. She stood quickly, too quickly, for she was over come with nausea. She sat back on the bed and recovered herself. And when the room stopped spinning she slowly rose and walked to her vanity. When she looked at herself in the mirror she screamed in horror, falling to the floor.
Mammy who was just coming to relieve Melanie of nursing duties heard the scream and ran as fast as her weight would carry her into her mistresses room. Finding Scarlett on the Persian rug in front of her vanity. "Mister Rhett, Mister Rhett", Mammy knocked on the door to Rhett's adjoining room. Inside Melanie was comforting a very drunken Rhett, when they both heard Mammy's desperate pleas.
Melanie's heart skipped a beat for sure and her eyes widened. " That sounds like Mammy".
Rhett's somber eyes met Melanie's as if willing her to speak the words, " My God she is dead." he cried. Both Rhett and Melanie ran into Scarlett's room, seeing Scarlett on the floor.
"Mister Rhett, I was just comin to relieve Miz Melly and I found her lying her on de floor." Mammy wept. Blowing her nose in her apron.
"Scarlett," Rhett knelt at her side. "Are you okay, my pet?" Rhett nudged her.
Scarlett's eyes fluttered open and when she saw Rhett's face she smiled, "Rhett I was just wondering where you were. I was so worried, I woke up and I saw the time, and your side of the bed was untouched. And my head oh Rhett, it was awful!" Scarlett remembered looking at herself. "Oh, Rhett what happened to me. I look awful, and I feel worse."
Melanie, Mammy and Rhett, all looked at one another puzzled. "Don't you remember Scarlett?" Rhett asked. "You fell, down the stairs, my pet."
"I remember something, I remember the pain." she said. "Rhett, I remember seeing Doctor Meade yesterday." "Oh, Rhett!" Scarlett smiled. "Rhett we are going to have another baby!" she smiled knowing how much Rhett loved baby's. "Oh Rhett, this time I am so happy, I hope it is a boy!" she smiled at him genuinely.
The looks on the faces around her gave her an terrible feeling. They all looked at her with pity written clear on their faces. Oblivious to them all Scarlett did not remember everything clearly. Melanie looked at the other faces and implored them to say nothing about the baby. And the fact that ever since she fell the other day she had felt no movement from the baby. Melanie knew to well the heartbreak not having a baby brought. She also saw the pain in Rhett's eyes and felt for him. "Scarlett, let us help you back to bed. You will catch cold lying there on the floor." Melanie said putting on a smile for her dearest friend.
"Yes, Melly!" Scarlett smiled. " It is not very comfortable either."
"Here my pet," Rhett offered his hand to help her up, then scooped her into his arms. Regretting the action after he did it when she winced in pain. He lowered her into the bed carefully pulling the covers about her. "Well, goodnight my pet." He kissed her forehead and started to leave the room.
"Where do you think you are going Rhett Butler?" Scarlett asked him yawning. "It's three o'clock in the morning, aren't you coming to bed?"
"Oh, well yes of course." Rhett smiled uncertain what had come over his wife. "I was just going to show Miss Melly out."
"Oh, can't Mammy handle that Rhett?" " I am really tired, and it helps knowing you are here beside me." Scarlett smiled sweetly.
" Yes'm, Miz Scarlett. I will show Miz Melly out." Mammy smiled at her darling young Miss.
"Shall I send for Dr. Meade?" Melanie asked. "He said he wanted to be notified the moment Scarlett came through."
" No, I think it can wait until morning." Rhett smiled at Melanie fondly. He had forgotten about Scarlett's condition for a moment. " Better to let him get some sleep."
"Your right, Captain Butler." Melanie smiled at his kindness, remembering the long nights Dr. Meade sat by Scarlett's side the last week. Everyone one thought for sure Scarlett was not going to make it, and she sure enough looked like she had been run down by a carriage. Her face was bruised and swollen. "How that baby stayed with her, after that fall." Melanie said a quick prayer. As far as Dr. Meade would tell her the baby may have a chance. Although Scarlett was to remain bedridden. Dr. Meade was not all sure that the baby would be born alive, and if it was it would be a miracle of god.
Rhett crawled into what had been his side of their bed before Scarlett had kicked him out. It had been a few years since he had truly occupied this bed. With exception of the night their last child was conceived. And that night he had not really slept here. Their was something soothing about sleeping in this bed, he had not noticed but in his room he was just not at ease. Not like here, he felt sleep coming sooner then it had in years. Then he felt Scarlett come close to him putting her head on his chest, and he put his arm around her.
"Oh, Rhett" she sighed. And then when he put his arm around her she winced in pain.
"Are you alright?" he asked worried.
" Oh I feel as if my ribs are broken." Scarlett said as if it was a joke.
"Well Scarlett, Dr. Meade said you do have three fractured ribs." Rhett said with worry written plainly across his face. He turned the lamp up and asked her,"Scarlett may I look?" he asked touching her gown.
"Yes," Scarlett blushed and unbuttoned her night gown letting it fall about her waist. It brought a warm sensation to her being revealed to his eyes. " Is it really bad?"
Rhett could not say a word, her milky white skin was blotched with purple, blue, black, and brownish colors. He pulled her gown back up over her shoulders, careful not to touch any of the spots that appeared angry with color. They laid back and both drifted off to sleep.
Rhett awoke suddenly to Scarlett's crying, seeing she was dreaming he stroked her head. "Hush, hush, Scarlett. It is only a dream, Scarlett." He rubbed her arm.
" Oh Rhett!" Scarlett cried his name."It was awful, so awful!" she sobbed.
"What was awful, my pet?" he asked soothingly. "Tell me about it."
" You were leaving me."she sobbed again."You were leaving, Rhett and ..."she could not voice the rest. For some reason she felt if they were spoken they might happen. "Oh, it was awful Rhett."
"Tell me Scarlett, besides my leaving what happened?"
"I am scared to Rhett, what if they are dreams of what is to come?" she said and Rhett could see that she believe that the things she dreamed were evil tidings of things to come.
"Ah, darling."she held her hand not wanting to hurt her. "Surely you don't believe that dreams foretell the future?"he said in light mockery trying to lighten her mood.
"Maybe your right, but Rhett, they were so real. So frightening!" she physically shivered at this statement.
"Share with me Scarlett, let me share your burden."Rhett smiled and patted her hand reassuringly.
" Well," she breathed in deeply. "I dreamt Bonnie was riding Mr. Butler, and oh Rhett she was jumping she didn't make the jump Rhett!" she cried tears streaming down her cheeks." I saw it, it was so detailed the splintering of wood and the bits of blue velvet flying in the air. I saw her she died Rhett!"Rhett squeezed her hand comfortingly."and then we fought, oh, Rhett we said awful things to each other, cruel things. And then Melanie..." she bit her lip."Melanie was having another baby, oh she was so happy, but she would not tell me, because she knew I would scold her. And Rhett she died, having that baby, she died and so did the baby they both died, and Wade and Ella they were mad at me for the past, they didn't want me either." she sobbed again tears coming more freely. "And then..." Scarlett cried in heart wrenching pain, so that Rhett thought he had hurt her.
"Are you okay? Did I hurt you?" Rhett questioned?
" No, you didn't Rhett." Scarlett cried. "It was the last part of the dream, that hurt the most."
"What was it my pet?" Rhett asked.
"Well, after all we went through, you said there was nothing left for us." She cried harder."And you left Rhett. You told me you didn't care anymore what happened to me, and you left. And I was all alone, everyone I loved was gone."
Rhett stared at his crying wife disbelieving all she had said." Scarlett, darling, that was an awful nightmare. No wonder your upset. But you know it was just a terrible dream, it wasn't real my pet." "Bonnie is in her bedroom, and Wade and Ella are in their rooms. Everyone one is fine, Scarlett." he tried soothing her and on the outside it apparently worked. But inside Scarlett was determined not to let these awful things come true. No matter how hard she would have to work. This dream to her was a omen, a chance to make all right. To save her family. Scarlett remembered from the dream how she felt when Rhett left, how her heart hurt. She was overcome by this feeling and she hugged him close.
This action surprised Rhett, caught off guard he returned the embrace. "This dream must have really shook her up," he thought to himself. He thought of all she had said. "Bonnie, she was incorrigible at times, but the thought of his daughter dying?" no wonder Scarlett was so shaken. He would never want to dream such things. She was so head strong when it came to riding, maybe Rhett should send Mr. Butler to Tara for awhile. If that would put Scarlett at ease. He thought to himself as he slowly drifted off to sleep, with his wife in his arms. Something he thought would never happen again. Funny the way things turn around he smiled.