Love Always Forgives by Steph
Disclaimer: I do not own Gone with the Wind!
This is my new ending to Gone with the Wind. It's not too long but I put this on here to see how you all would react to my style of writing. Don't forget to leave comments!
"My dear, I don't give a damn…"
The words tore deep into Scarlett's heart.
"Rhett, darling—"
"Scarlett, don't bother thinking of excuses while trying to make things better. It's not exactly something you're good at."
"No! I can change! I love you so Rhett…I really do. You believe me…don't you?" Scarlett exclaimed, in between uncontrollable sobs.
"My dear, I don't know what to believe anymore. I do know, however, that I have a long trip in front of me. I will be back to keep the gossip down…"
Scarlett started to protest, but before she could even begin to speak the door was closed. Her love, her life, had left.
"This can't happen to me! I won't let it! Oh…but what do I do? I will think of this tomorrow…when I am stronger…"
The thought held Scarlett for a few seconds until she realized she simply could not think about this tomorrow. It was happening NOW and she had to do something about it before it was too late.
"Rhett!!"
Scarlett picked up her skirts and ran to open the door. She ran out of that door like the speed of lightening without a thought to close the door behind her. She ran down Peach Tree Street faster than she knew her legs could carry her.
"I won't let him leave; I love him too much..."
The thought of a life with Rhett again kept her going. She knew that without him, her other half would be gone. There would be nothing to live for...except Tara…and that even seemed small compared to her love for Rhett.
Suddenly, Scarlett stopped dead in her tracks. Where would he have gone? Where should she look for him? Suddenly she realized he could never leave the town without saying goodbye to that Watling woman.
Scarlett ran, faster and faster towards the Watling place. Suddenly, she was there. She never thought she would step foot in such a sinful place, but she would do anything to get Rhett back.
She ran in, pressing her ear against the door that had the voices of Rhett and Belle screaming out of it.
"She took everything out of me Belle. I loved her more than I ever knew I could, and she hated me every waking moment…until it was too late."
"Give her some mercy, Rhett! You know I don't like her as much as the next person, but she loves you…and you love her. I don't care what you say…it's true. I know she did a lot to you, but you weren't exactly the sweetest daisy to her all the time either. You always told me of the good times you had with her. They weren't always bad. Don't give it up Rhett…don't you dare think for one minute that you won't regret leaving her. I know it and you know it…"
"No Belle, no. She will be just as she was before. Wanting money…never seeing the love I had for her. I did Belle...I loved her so much…I admit it. And yes, it hurts me to say goodbye, but it would hurt more to see her saying 'I love you' was just a lie and I would have to go through this all over again. I can't do it…I won't…"
Suddenly Scarlett gasped. She had been crying harder and harder as the conversation proceeded, until suddenly she heard something from Rhett she thought she would never witness. She had heard him start to cry!
"Oh he cares! No matter what he says...he cares! He may be able to read me like a book, but I have just the same ability. I know he still loves me…oh he must…"
"There, there Rhett," Belle said, trying to calm down the sobs. "I know it will be hard, and it may be a burst to your pride, but you must go back. Give her another chance, Rhett…give her another chance…"
The sobs seemed to last for hours, until suddenly they ceased…
"I know that when I come to talk to you, Belle, you are usually right…and that is the only reason that I will be loyal to your request. There are, however, no promises that things will work out as you say."
Scarlett held her breathe. Could he really be giving her another chance? She almost broke down right there crying with happiness.
"All I'm askin' of you Rhett is that you give it another try. She loves you…why would you give that up when you finally have it? I don't care what you say…the only reason why you left is because you're scared. Whenever you run from her, you always come back. Has that really ever solved anything Rhett? Has anything come out of that? No. And I can tell you right now, it's not going to get you anywhere this time either. She may have hurt you Rhett, but you always had hope and faith that eventually she would love you to get you through. Finally that happened and you have her love. You are hurting her now, but for her it is many times worse. That's because she has no hope and no faith, because you're gone Rhett. What can she do now? You're gone…and you need to go back."
Rhett soaked in the words that were being spoken to him, and suddenly he realized how right Belle was.
"Oh God you're right. She hurts more than I ever hurt in my lifetime. But if I do go back…will she forgive me for this? I can only go by how bad I had hurt, and still hurt, and it's hell…"
"Rhett, if she truly loves you, which she does, then she will forgive you. Love always finds a way to forgive."
With that Rhett got up and ran to the door. Scarlett heard him coming so she burst out of the house and ran even faster than she had when she came.
Scarlett got safely back in the house without Rhett seeing her. She was sitting on the steps crying, thinking of what had happened between Rhett and her, when she heard a turn of the front doorknob. Rhett walked in and was startled to see Scarlett sitting there looking so upset. He slowly walked up to her and held her face to his chest.
"Can you ever forgive me? Scarlett, I lied, I still love you…"
"Oh Rhett…how could be I mad at you? I love you too much to be upset. Oh please let's just start over and forget all this. I don't want to drag this along longer than it has already. I love you Rhett and I know you're sorry. I'm sorry also for everything I've done."
"All forgiven?" Rhett looked a little confused as if this was all too easy.
"All forgiven."
Rhett glanced away for a moment to look and see if the children were watching this dilemma.
"Look at me Rhett!"
Suddenly, a smirk came across Rhett's face.
"And I would like to know what is so funny Rhett Butler?"
"You never cease to amaze me, Scarlett. A few months ago if I even looked at you, you would get mad at me and say I was looking at you the wrong way…but now here we are and you are just dying for my attention. Am I that hard to resist, my dear?"
He threw back his head in laughter.
Scarlett gave him a look then giggled at his remark.
"Oh you conceited little fool!" Scarlett replied playfully.
Rhett laughed at the familiar remark. He kissed her forehead softly.
"I've missed you Scarlett."
"And I've missed you."