Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Gone With the Wind. This story is for entertainment purposes only!



He awoke early that morning. He was confused and hurt. His mind was dammned with images and thoughts of that little vixen. He was afraid to roll over and go back to sleep, because everytime he did, he saw her. He saw her hurt, he saw her with other men, he saw her dead, but the scariest was when he saw her alone, crying -- nobody was there to comfort his true love and take all of her burdens onto their shoulders. It upset him sincerely, and for the first time in his life, Rhett Butler regretted something. He regretted pretending to hate her. He regretted being so nasty and hurtful. He regretted not listening to her pleas of love, because in his heart he knew that she had to be sincere for even Scarlett O'Hara couldn't make such a thing up, nor would she let her guard and pride down the way she did that night. How he left her there, crying, begging, pleading, and hurt, he would never know. But he knew one thing, he, sooner or later, would have to find her and apologize for everything. He knew that when he did, everything would be okay, all his wrongs (and all of hers as well) would finally be corrected and made right. Yes, for the first time, Rhett Butler was not going to let pride shelter and cloak his true feelings. He was in love with this woman, and it finally didn't seem like a threat to him.

How could she have let this happen? She sobbed on the red velvet stairs of the big house that she once thought could make her happy. She stood up, and for a brief instant, she longed to be dead so she could be reunited with all those that actually cared for her. But when she realized she was thinking nonsense, she began cursing out loud, knowing she was making a spectacle, but she didn't have strength to even care -- why should she care who saw or heard her? She hated everybody in Atlanta and frankly, their opinions couldn't daze her in the least. 'Damn you Rhett! Damn this house! Damn the world!! Damn you, God! Why in hell did you take Melly??? Why not me? Why couldn't you have let me take her place?' she exclaimed. She cried until she had no tears left, and once those tears were gone, her sadness was replaced with fright and anger. Some of her strength returned at that point, and Scarlett trudged up the stairs and into her room for bed.
It was a frail, thin, pale woman that attended Melanie Wilkes' funeral 2 days later. The once vivacious and gorgeous Scarlett O'Hara had bags under her eyes, was shaking from weakness, and looked a lot older than that of which a 27 year old woman should look. Scarlett didn't realize it, but she had that strange, blank look in her eyes, the same that she had seen so many times during the war. It was that look of death, and one could easily tell that Scarlett O'Hara had suffered and experienced the greatest loss she would ever experience. Anyone that had ever known her could tell that Scarlett O'Hara would never be the same again.
The funeral was grim and ghastly. Everything there seemed to be against Scarlett, even the trees seemed to be trying to knock her down. Then the thud of dirt hitting the coffin struck her like a ton of bricks. She screamed, and passed out. Everyone there turned around just before Scarlett hit the ground. Nobody knew what to do. Then, Ashley Wilkes, who was already hysterical began screaming, 'Jesus Christ, somebody HELP HER!!!' So, Dr. Meade took it upon himself to go over and revive the woman. Within hours, Scarlett was up and feeling better, and was on the trainto Jonesboro. Once Scarlett arrived at Tara, she was saddened further by the state of her one true home, and she seethed inside, for Tara was the one thing in the world that she had left.

He didn't know what on earth he was going to do about her. He loved her, and she loved him, but for some reason that didn't seem like a good enough reason to crawl back to her so soon. He knew would, but it didn't seem appropriate to do so while she was in mourning, and for once, actually grieving. He made a decision, and without thinking twice, he went and bought a ticket to Charleston. If Rhett Butler had to win Scarlett O'Hara's affections all over again, he was going to make sure it was done right. But first, he went to send her a telegram. It read:
'Dear Scarlett, I am headed to Charleston for two weeks, and after that two weeks is up, I hope to find you back at home in Atlanta. I hope to see you then.
Much Love, Rhett'

When Rhett's telegram arrived at Tara, Suellen was the first to read it. She was not happy, because she just knew that he had left Scarlett. In fact, she had every reason to believe that Scarlett had ran him out. So Suellen, being the jealous, brat she was, threw the telegram away and didn't even think of mentioning it to anyone, not even Will.

Scarlett stayed at Tara for about a week. In that time, she began to slowly get to know her children better, and they both welcomed it and thoroughly enjoyed the attention they were recieving from their mother. She climbed trees with Wade, played dolls with Ella, rode horses, and was there for them in a way she had never been before. Scarlett soon found her children's company to be rather comforting, and it took her mind off Rhett. The night before Scarlett went back to Atlanta, she had an awful nightmare. She dreamed that Rhett and her had had a fight, and he took Melly, Bonnie, her family, her children, her house, and her food away from her, and left her with Ashley, saying he hoped they had a wonderful life together. And he left her there in the street. She was shrieking, 'Rhett, NO! Please, Rhett! Wait!!', when Ella and Wade came into her room and woke her up. Frantic, she told them that they would be leaving first thing tomorrow and to pack up.