The Girl on the Piano

by the-skywriter.321

Scarlett suffers from amnesia on the day she was almost raped and she enters a new life with a memory loss. Years later Rhett comes back to New Orleans and finds her playing a piano in a bar. But he realizes she doesn't remember him or the old life she once had. Worst of all, she lives a poor life in a shack with an abusive boyfriend. Will Rhett help her regain her memory?

3. Chapter 3: Rhett my Savior

Dear readers,

I deeply apologize for a lot of the errors on this story (probably on my other stories too). I will most certainly fix it when I get the time since my winter break started. Even though I was a little crushed that almost all of you were more focused on my mistakes other than how the whole situation that I had been building in the story. But I get it, if I were any of you guys, I would also be a little annoyed by the grammar mistakes. I appreciate everyone's opinions, so I'll suck it up and fix it.

~ the-skywriter.321

The next morning, the guests came downstairs and headed to the dining room for breakfast. Josef already prepared the arrangements as he always did. As for the maids, they all stood in the same spots as they did last night at the dinner. Each one of them carried a glass jug of freshly squeezed orange juice, and their forearms angled in the perfect arched degree placed across their tummies, a towel resting on top of it.

Breakfast time went by simply and without trouble. The guests ate their fill and talked amongst each other. However, other than the steaming smell of hot meals in the dining cart, and the non-stop giggling from Rosemary while listening to her fiancé's stories, there was something standing out that made the entire living anxiety in poor Katie's body to unravel: Rhett's unmoving eyes staring right at her.

Katie has experienced such flattering behaviors like this from many men. She works in a bar after all! Any man can't blink one eye if they catch a young woman in a see through dress, playing a piano all alone with no company and – in their minds – no underwear. But right now, all there is left to feel is confusion for poor Katie. All she was wearing was a maid's uniform, plain and covers almost every inch of her body except her neck and hands. She wears no loose or exposing dress, there was nothing to see. So why would any man, any rich man like Rhett Butler have the slightest interest in a young poor maiden like her?

She lowered her head and kept her eyes down at the floor. But Josef warned her to keep her head up with a signal, a loud uncomfortable cough. The longer she kept that neck straight though, the longer Rhett feasted his eyes at her face.

Besides the chattering from the guests and the chain sawing of their silverware, Katie felt trapped to be in that unmoving spot, her anxiety level rising a lot higher than the pain from her hand that's holding firmly on the handle of the glass jug.

'Stop looking at me, sir. Just stop it...Why bother to look at me? Wasn't last night enough for you?' She thought.

However there was something behind that stare, he was not looking anywhere else from the angle of her small body, yet just her face. Katie was too nervous and uncomfortable to realize his only intention of giving her such a long focus was only because of the cut on her cheek.

When the cut started to itch, Katie tried her best to leave it alone, but she could not help but wince slightly on the corner of her brow of the irritating feeling. Josef coughed again to signal her to smooth that expression on her face. But he was not the only one to catch that look on her face. Rhett lifted his water glass to his lips, took a sip from it and quickly placed it down. He pushed his chair back and excused himself before heading to the door. Josef opened the door for him, but before Rhett stepped outside, he whispered something to Josef that made the old man's face flush into worry, but after Josef gave him a nod in agreement to what Rhett asked for, Rhett stepped outside and walked down the hallway.

Katie sighed in relief, feeling much better to be free from Rhett's deadly attention.

When breakfast was over and the guests left the dining room, the maids started to clear the mess on the dining table. But before Katie was about to join them, Josef took her by the arm and escorted her outside of the room. He stopped a few steps away from the door across the hallway. He faced her with that same worried expression he made when Rhett whispered a favor before he left.

"What is it, sir? Do you need me to attend other services in the household?"

"Yes. Yes, girl. I need someone to go into a room upstairs to clean. All I want is for the windows to be washed and the floors to be mopped, also wipe the dust off the piano. And make sure, child, don't ever lay a single finger on that piano, if you do, the master will be furious and in no doubt fire you. Do you understand?"

"Of course, sir. But the girls need me in the kitchen. Cleaning one room is a simple task, you can ask the other girls in the next room who are not too busy."

"Are you disobeying my orders, girl?"

"Oh no! No, of course not, sir."

"Good. Go now."

"Y-Yes, sir."

But before she did he paused for a moment to take a better look at her. With a gentle hand, he smoothed the area of her skin that was close to the swelling cut on her cheek. "Was this really caused by an accident?"

Katie didn't want to say 'yes' as she did this morning the first time he asked when he saw her before starting work, but this time she didn't have the courage to lie to him again. But the last thing Katie wanted was for Josef to play the role as a protective father again over her troubled boyfriend, except for the rescues he had committed from Edward's attempt to seduce her, or try to reach his hand under her dress.

Little did she know that the only worry that concerned Josef was the misunderstanding he believed in. He thinks the small injury was from Rhett himself, and he was trapped of the forcing order to send her back to him again.

"It doesn't hurt, Josef. Don't worry. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a room to clean."

~ The windows shined crystal clear, and half the floor was cleaned and shined just as the windows. Katie mopped the floor vigorously, her arms ached and her back throbbed like a heart beat every time she moved. Although, the November coolness was chilling the atmosphere since yesterday, Georgia fell back into its original hot weather once again. Katie's skin was damp with sweat that stung her back as droplets of her body fluid dripped down the bruises Sean gave her last night. The job to clean this room would have been finished a half an hour earlier if it wasn't for her unconditioned body.

After another ten minutes of non-stop mopping, Katie finally paused for a short break. Her wobbling legs gave in and she landed safely on her knees. With her sleeve, she wiped the sweat off her forehead.

"Oh when will this ever end?..." She muttered.

But before she was about to get back up, her eyes caught the attention of the dusty black piano in the center of the room. Katie was fully aware of the dangerous trouble she would put herself into if she dare lay a single finger on any of its keys. But recalling of Josef's instructions of wiping that beautiful instrument assured her guarded fears to approach the piano with no concern or guilt.

She forced her legs to move toward the piano. She wiped the piano starting from each of its legs, and then lastly its long rectangular lid that hid the white keys in sight. The dust powdered the towel into a filthy color, making her cough as small amounts of it blew in the air. Although she was finished cleaning the instrument and she had to return mopping the other area that was not yet wiped, she had the sudden urge to remain at that spot, lured by the temptation to play the keys of the first piano she ever played that made not a single wrong mistake on the sound of its fine keys.

"Why won't you play something for me?" A deep voice started.

Katie gasped and immediately turned her body from where the voice came from. By the fireplace was a French styled sofa placed from behind, Rhett, who was lying down on it this whole time, raised his head to show his face. Katie again raised her uncomfortable border back up, but this time she had the feeling she was once again trapped a lot worse than what she experienced last night.

"Pardon me, sir. I had no idea you were in the room. Please don't mind me while I clean."

"It's Rhett, Katie. Don't you remember from last night? You suggested for us to address one another by our names when no one's around. Since right now is just you and me, call me comfortably as you did last night."

"...Rhett. Right, I remember."

"Good. Now don't just stand there, play something for me."

"I can't, sir – I mean, Rhett. Master Derby will not be happy if he hears me play his wife's precious piano."

"Oh please, I know for a fact the woman hasn't played an instrument all her life. Her hands are far to clean and clothed in that unnatural blue gloves she constantly wears from time to time. She's still wearing them right now in this damn weather. Now go on. Play."

"Rhett. I can't."

"Yes you can. I'm the guest in this household. I'm sure my future-in-laws will not be upset with you to do a simple task that I asked for. Now go on, play something that you know of."

"I'm not very good."

"I heard you play once, you weren't half bad."

"Thank you. But I'm not good enough to be heard from a professional man like you, my poor ability is only good for the ears of drunken men, not to men who have attended fine concerts from popular composers and musicians."

"Don't worry about that, Katie. Really I assure you I am not a man who has much interest into music. The war is another matter that music is part of, but I prefer supporting it by fighting not by the sound of a person's voice or the classical sound of both a string or solid instrument."

"...Well, if you say so. But a short one though. I have too much work to do right now."

"A short one or long one, I don't give a damn. Just play."

Katie faced the piano again and sat down on the piano bench. Her hands smoothed delicately on the case of the piano and carefully lifted it up. Each key were in perfect shape, pearl white without a single scratch or dent. Slowly her fingertips pressed the keys of the piano and after thinking shortly of what song she knew, she started to play.

Rhett truly had not much knowledge of music. But he knew fully well of the song she was playing, Moonlight by Ludwig von Beethoven. Katie was impressed of how fine the sound was, the perfection of the instrument was beyond the best out of all the cheap pianos she has played in the past, including the old one in the bar.

In the middle of the song, the door burst open and Mrs. Derby marched inside furiously toward Katie. Katie immediately stopped playing and got up to her feet. Before she could explain, Mrs. Derby slapped her hard across the cheek that left a reddening reaction behind. Rhett got off the couch and approached the ladies, a bitter pang of anger struck his heart from what he witnessed.

"How dare you touch this piano without my permission?! Do you have any idea how much my husband treasures the care of this instrument?! Well do you?!..Oh you're just nothing but a no good stupid girl. I should have fired you when I had the chance."

"Madam, I had no intention of ever damaging your piano. Honest."

"Oh really? Then how can you explain the fact you were playing this expensive piano with those filthy hands of yours? Huh?!"

"Mr. Butler here gave me permission that I could. I was only following orders, madam."

"Orders? Oh please, don't you dare lie to me? I doubt Mr. Butler here ever dared to request you something like that. Isn't that right, Rhett?"

Rhett hid his hands behind his back, standing in a more manly posture like a soldier. But the only reason he had to stand like that was to hide his tight closed fists, pushing away the idea of hurting this woman. "As matter of fact, she is actually telling the truth. I did order her to play something for me."

Mrs. Derby was speechless and in complete disbelief by that response. For the first time, Katie couldn't be any more delighted to see that spoiled woman defeated at last. Rhett also was pleased by this, but for a different reason, to see Katie look happy for the first time.

"Oh...Well um..Al-Alright then. Just..Just forget this ever happened. Excuse me, I think I'll have my nap now."

"Of course, Mrs. Derby."

When Mrs. Derby awkwardly left the room, Katie couldn't help but release the temptation to smile. Rhett was touched to see her like that, but he soon recovered his cool when that smile quickly disappeared from her mouth.

"Thank you for saving me."

"I didn't save you. I was just simply telling the truth."

"Right..Well, that's enough playing. Excuse me, Rhett. I have to finish mopping now."

Rhett took her by the arm gently before she walked away. Katie was startled at first, but when he carefully examined the cut on her cheek, she finally understood why he was focusing so closely on her since breakfast. He stepped toward her body and leaned his face closer to hers to take a better look at the cut. Katie's breathing grew heavily and her cheeks flushed into an immediate redness. Rhett couldn't help but feel a bit amused of her reaction.

"What happen to you?"

"It's really nothing."

"It doesn't look like nothing. Does this have to do of what happened last night?"

Katie lifted her eyes bravely to his face, but instead of courage there was astonishment that crossed her expression. "Wh-What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Katie. I was there when that boyfriend of yours lost his bloody temper. I was surprised you didn't attack him back. Do you mind explaining about that to me?"

"I do mind, sir. And I am not comfortable explaining anything to a man who hardly knows me. So if you excuse me, sir. I must finish cleaning so I can attend to my other chores."

Katie took his wrist and with a medium pressure pulled it off her arm. But with that hand, Rhett claimed her arm again with an unpleased look on his face. "What is this? I thought we agreed to be comfortable with each other of the addressing situation."

"Well, I don't think it's going to work."

"Of course, it can."

"It might, perhaps. If you stop asking personal questions to me, sir. I mean, why are you so curious about me? Don't you think your offer to take me home was enough?"

"It was just a simple ride home. And my question about that small injury on your cheek is just a matter of concern. Any man would ask a woman who lives under the same roof with an abusive man."

The blush on her cheek fell deeply into a darker red but by fury other than sheepish nerves. "Sean is not abusive. And he most certainly does not concern you, sir."

"Ha! Angry I see? Now that's the feisty side I wanted to see you open up. It feels good to let that go, isn't it, Katie?"

"Please don't call me by my name. Just don't."

"Why not? Because I'm that one arrogant, no good rich man you once described."

"Part of it, yes."

"Fine. If you want our relationship to balance by our stations, then I have every right to call you of what I please, unlike you, you must call me by the proper address as 'sir'."

"That will be perfectly fine with me, sir."

"Good. Now before you go back to cleaning, go sit down on the sofa." He released her arm and straightened his jacket.

Katie stood there, not wanting to do so. But Rhett gave her a signal to do as he asked, that annoying smile returned to his lips. "What are you waiting for, Katie? Go sit down."

"Why should I, sir?"

"Have you already forgotten? I am the guest in this house and I order you to sit down."

"But sir –"

"Don't complain with me, Katie. Just do as I say."

Katie slowly did as he ordered to her. Rhett walked to where she was and bended down in front of her, his chest touching her knees made Katie's anger disappear and replace the fury into the original nerves. He removed a handkerchief and a small clear bottle that carried a pure liquid inside. He unsealed the cap and blocked the opened entrance of the bottle with the handkerchief, and tilted the bottle slightly to get some of the substance onto the fabric.

"What is that, sir?"

Rhett placed the bottle and the cap on the floor, and carefully folded the handkerchief into a neat square. He lifted his eyes at her face and placed his free hand gently on her neck. "Its medicine. Now hold still, this might sting a little."

He carefully dabbed the wet handkerchief on her cut. Katie winced from the slight stinging feeling, but Rhett was kind enough to even blow on the cut to help the pain. The swelling on the cut was still purple and colored with dry blood, but the medicine is helping with the inflammation to come to the healing process.

He dabbed the cut for the last time and blew on it once more. "There. All finished."

"Thank you."

"Your welcome."

Rhett picked up the bottle and sealed the cap on its entrance. He took one of Katie's hands and closed her fingers and her palm on the bottle for her to hold it. "Take this and apply the substance on it every night before you go to bed. In time it'll heal a lot faster."

"I don't need this."

"You would need it. You know that very well that cut was never the first injury you got from..from that man."

Hearing these words made Katie angry again. But part of her knew he was right, Sean may be a good man to her eyes, yet the dark side of him just never seems to leave his own soul. It hurts her to feel this known truth from a man who hardly knew her.

"I'll keep in mind of that. Thank you."

Katie stood up from the sofa and headed back to where you left her mop. Rhett was still on his knees, all there was written on his tired face was disappointment. Without bothering to stand up or look at her again, he spoke into his usual masculine and deep voice. "Why can't you leave him?"

Katie froze and stood her ground. There was no answer that she can think of to help him understand her own reasons. But her silence urged Rhett to question her further.

"What do you see in that man that makes you want to remain by his side? How in the world can you live with such a monster who doesn't have the strength to hold his own liquor nor his anger? Why not just walk away, Katie? Why do you instead choose to let yourself get hurt by him? Just why?"

"You don't understand, sir."

"I don't have to understand of the whole thing. I just want to know the answer from your own lips."

"...Exactly. That's exactly my point. You don't understand about the whole situation, which means you also will never understand my answer to your questions."

"Tell me anyway. Just say it."

Katie didn't turn around to answer him nor even had the courage to turn her head slightly to look at him. Looking straight ahead at the wall she spoke. "It is because I love him. He is the man who have comforted me and kept me strong since the beginning. How can I leave a man who had offered me so much like that?"

~ Lunch time soon came. Josef made the arrangements in both in the dining room and the veranda. Mr. and Mrs. Derby made plans to go into town so they had a quick lunch in the dining room. As for the arranged lunch outside in the veranda, Josef and the maids waited for the arrival of young Master Derby's little party.

His friends arrived shortly. They all laughed and enjoyed themselves in a warm unity. Rosemary introduced herself during the meal and stayed there for a short while before excusing herself to go to town with the Derby couple to go shopping for the wedding. When she was gone, the men were free to talk amongst each other of what would be too harsh for women's ears to be heard, especially for the excited bride.

Katie again was asked by Josef to help with the serving. Fortunately, he was there to keep a protective eye on her for her sake from that devious Keith. Keith however, kept both his attention on his friends and on Katie's small figure.

One of the gentlemen was Friedrich Wentworth, he was the friend who gave the minx coat to Keith for his new bride. With his leather gloved hand, he picked up his pint of beer and stood up from his seat. He raised the pint slightly up in the air with a groggily smile curved on his lips. "Let us have a toast, my dear friends! Raise your glasses and get your lazy asses from your seats!"

The boys including Keith picked up their glasses and did as Friedrich said in amusement. But Friedrich waved his hand at Keith and urged him to sit down. "You are the man in the house, my friend. Sit down. Sit down, please...Alright, gentlemen. We give this toast for the sake of our darling friend who is soon to be a husband. Now I have never thought he would ever get married. Don't get me wrong, my friends. The man is handsome and has the strength as the gator we lost just yesterday. It's hard to let this man get trapped into the life of marriage when he could still live the single life with luscious looking women opening up their skirts for his hand to reach under. But since he has made his decision with a suitable, and not to mention also a beautiful southern belle, I give this toast dedicated to him and his long future here in Derby Manor. Cheers!"

"Cheers!" The men shouted almost at the same time.

They each clanged their pints without bothering to do it carefully, some of the beer dripped down from their pints.

After a large feast, the men went into the drawing room for dessert. The room was filled with cigar smoke and the non-stop conversations from the gentlemen. Although the dessert and tea were already served inside, Katie and one of the maids were ordered to serve the brandy.

While Katie walked by some of the gentlemen to serve the brandy, she was quite disturbed to see the drunk Friedrich and another red head messing around with the piano – sitting on the keys and slamming their hands to make unpleasant music.

There was only one glass left on her tray. With this opportunity, she immediately walked straight to Keith after seeing he was the only one without a drink. Keith took the glass from her tray but before she turned around to leave, he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back.

"Ah. My Katie has arrived at last."

She whispered in a low voice, lowering her head in discomfort. "Please sir..."

But Keith was no gentleman once the public eye no longer watched over him, with a strong force he pulled her down for her to land on his lap. Katie tried to stand back up and pulled her arm from his grasp, but it was no use, Keith pushed her down even harder until she finally sat on top of his lap. His friends laughed by this. It was unclear if they were either too merry from the alcohol they consumed or if they were simply encouraging him to never leave the temptation to deal with other women, regardless if marriage gets in the way.

In a weak voice Katie spoke again. "Sir, please I must go back to my chores."

"Chores? Nonsense, I would never let a pretty thing like you to get your hands dirty again."

Katie desperately looked back at the maid who was still in the room. The maid simply avoided her eyes from her; she gave the last glass to a gentleman dressed in a blue suit and left the room. Katie tried to pull herself back up again, but Keith this time trapped her in his arms; one arm wrapped around her waist and the other resting on her thighs.

"Master Derby, please don't do this. I have to go."

"You don't have to go now, Katie. Stay here and relax. Just have some fun with us."

"Master Derby."

Friedrich stopped playing around with the piano and approached Katie. The drunken man grabbed her chin with his damp rough hands and released it with a strong push. "Don't waste your time with her, Keith. The girl's face is chewed up. No. Get that other girl back here. She has a lot cleaner face with no scars or blood."

Keith shook his head. "Never. My friends, you shouldn't always pay attention to the looks of the women, other than that cut on her cheek that marks her beautiful face, she is by far the beautiful creature you've never seen."

"Ha! What has gone into you, Keith? You haven't spoken anything like that to Rosemary before, but you can to a servant girl like her?"

"Rosemary is a lovely woman. But I seen that same face too much, its hard to keep repeating those same words of her features over and over again."

"Then why marry her? Just screw her! Move on to another girl!"

"I can't do that. My father adores her and as for my mother..well she likes any girl with a fine title. So I don't really care about her opinion. But I think I can live the future with that Butler sister, her family is very well-connected and also most importantly, she's crazy about me. What's not to love if a woman feels for you so badly in that way?"

After hearing this, his friends chuckled quietly, and Keith took this chance as a distraction, with his hand that rested on her lap, he smoothed it up to her ribcage and was so close to reach up to her breast. But he was stopped if it wasn't for Katie's protest, she grabbed his hand just in time.

"Sir. Do you need anything that I could get you?"

Keith looked down at her face and smiled playfully; although deep inside there was disappointment to accept his defeat. "Actually, I do. I heard you can play the piano, can you play something for me and my friends."

"I'm not very good, sir. Perhaps you can call for someone else who can play a lot better than me."

"I don't care if you can play like a little child or a pro. Go to that piano and play something for us."

"Sir I can't. I have work to do."

He suddenly tightened his embrace around her waist that almost made her gag from suffocation. He spoke harshly in her ear in a horrific tone. "Alright, Katie, I played nicely from the beginning. But I will use force if you keep refusing to do as I say. Now get up and get your ass on that piano chair and play. Or else your wages will be cut down a lot shorter than you expected. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir. I completely understand."

"Good. For now you will do exactly as I say. Now go."

He released his hold on her and Katie went over to the piano as she was told. She didn't know what to play at first. So far the only song she knew how to play by memory was 'Moonlight'. The song was by far the most depressing music any person can think of to play in front of such merry and drunken men. But she has no other choice. She stretched her fingers on the right keys and started to play.

Fortunately the men did not complain, they all gathered around on the furniture and continued with their conversation. None of them acknowledged her playing nor seemed to notice that she was still in the room.

The song soon came to a close and Katie paused right there in that spot, hoping for Keith to notice she's finished but no one spoke to her for awhile.

Keith stood up from his seat to excuse himself to stop by in the toilet, leaving poor Katie alone with his wild friends. Katie was ready to take this chance to leave, but suddenly, all the men stood up from their seats, they approached her with devious smiles across their faces. One man pushed the sofa and the other furniture all the way to the door and blocked it with all its heavy weight. The other men grabbed Katie by both arms and gathered around her.

They all spoke all at the same time in a maddening manner. The whole scene was too drastic and horrific for the poor girl that she couldn't even find her own voice to scream, even when the merry Friedrich grabbed both ends of her handmade sweat shirt. "You're clothed to heavily, girl. Let's see what you're hiding under this."

Katie kicked her legs at him, but the other men grabbed hold of them as well. When Friedrich was close to pulling it up to reveal her bare belly, she still could not find her own voice.

Her petticoat was next to remove, the gentleman behind her started to rip the buttons off. Katie tried to move her arms and legs, but they were planted deeply on the floor from the strong hands of the men.

Fortunately, a loud pounding on the door started. However, the men did not stop their little game. Friedrich finally pulled the sweat shirt over her head and tossed it across the room. He was very pleased of what he was looking at, and the other men agreed as well. But other than feasting their eyes on her bare chest, the men who held onto her had no hesitation but to feel such heavenly parts of her delicate body. The man behind her was almost close to finish ripping the last line of the buttons on the back of her petticoat. As for dear Katie, all she had the power to do was weep and whimper not a single word from her lips.

The door continued to pound away. But it stopped just for a short moment until a strong force banged on the door. The force happened just twice, the last push forced the door to open, sliding the heavy furniture away. The men stopped what they were doing and looked directly to see who it was. Obviously, there stood Keith, but there was another man there in the center, the one who pushed the door open, Rhett. Keith played his act of this supposedly unexpected scene. But Rhett ignored him completely and marched toward the gentlemen. Two of the men who were holding on to Katie immediately released her, and she fell straight down on her knees. She crossed her arms across her chest and lowered her head like a shameless beggar. Rhett removed his coat and bended down to drape it around her shoulders.

Katie was paralyzed completely in shock of the whole situation that she didn't even have the confidence to look at Rhett nor had any realization that Rhett was actually right in front of her.

"I'm here, Katie. Just you wait here. I won't be long until I'm through with them."

~ Rhett carried Katie out of the room, leaving behind over five gentlemen lied incautiously on the floor, the others pressed against the walls or on the sofa injured in agony of bruises and fractured bones. As for Keith, he left the house to call for at least a dozen doctors to aid his friends, but he was not at all concerned with them, for he was assured his alibi has clearly saved his reputation, which means his future wedding was still on.

Rhett rushed into his room. He lowered Katie down on the bed. She sat there so unnaturally still it was almost like she wasn't even human. Rhett fetched for a glass of wine and returned to her. He helped her take a few careful sips. But the wine dripped straight down to her chin, her throat not swallowing the sweet alcohol as if it didn't know how. He was nervous of her condition for he had not the slightest idea of what to do. The only thing he can think of was first to get her some spare clothes. The clothes she was wearing was no longer in good condition and makes her situation as a victim too obvious.

"Stay here, Katie. I'll be back."

He left the room and literally ran to his sister's bedroom. He went straight to the wardrobe and took out the first thing he spotted, a thin layered blouse that had patterns of purple and pink petals, and a new black petticoat. With his foot, he slammed the wardrobe shut and ran back to his room. Katie was just sitting there in the same position just as Rhett left her. At that point, he thought to himself if she was capable enough to dress herself.

"Katie..Katie I brought you some clothes for you to wear. How about you stand up and change into this. I'll leave the room to give you some privacy."

Her tearful eyes looked straight ahead, not a single muscle in her body moved a single inch. Rhett didn't know what to do. He was aware that stripping Katie would not be any surprise, for the real Scarlett had exposed herself to her two husbands already, and perhaps even stole few kisses from the hundreds of gentlemen in town who were insanely in love with her. But in his mind, he reminded to himself again that the woman in front of him was still Katie, not yet the Scarlett Kennedy nor a woman who is ready to be accepted as Scarlett Butler.

In an awkward manner, he placed the clothes down on the side of the bed and gave her a last look before heading out the door. "I'm going to go call for a maid to help you dress. Just stay put. Alright? If you need anything, I'll be just outside by the door."

At that moment, before Rhett was about to turn around to walk away, Katie broke away from her own frozen body, and surprised him with a sudden embrace. Her eyes closed and her hands touching the front of his chest. Rhett was taken back at first, but welcomed her in his arms. He hushed her in a soothing voice and pressed his cheek on the top of her head, inhaling the fragrance of soap and herbs on her brown curled hair.

There was no longer fear or discomfort in Katie's heart, all there was inside her was relief and thankfulness of Rhett and the protection he had committed only for her sake. The embrace was wonderful in Rhett's eyes and probably to any stranger who might catch them in that moment. But for Katie, the only feelings she carried was a need of comfort and relief to have another guardian in the house to protect her from the dangerous young master.

"You saved me...You saved me.."

"Hush now. It's all over. I'll make sure those nasty bastards are taken care of properly. A good beating wasn't enough for them, until they recover I will file a lawsuit in the jailhouse. And do not worry about yourself, you don't have to be involved in any way."

"...Oh Rhett. Rhett I was so scared that no one would come for me. I was scared that I was going to be humiliated for a lot longer than I could ever imagine."

A heartwarming feeling melted in his heart to hear Katie say his name so easily with no difficulty, how much it meant to him that she truly cares for his presence for the first time. "I swear to you, Katie. Things like this will never happen to you ever again. Now stop crying, I'm here, remember?"

"I never want to see them ever again..Never..."

"They would have to go through me if they ever want to approach you again."

"...Thank you, Rhett. Thank you so much.."

~ Rhett made a proper excuse to Josef to inform him of Katie's unwell condition. Josef of course, accepted the excuse and allowed Katie to be sent home. Katie was dressed into Rosemary's clothes, but her fatal feature was not recovered just yet. When Rhett offered to give her a ride home, she did not refuse this time, remembering the fact that Sean was still in the art studio.

The transportation on horse was a lot faster and they arrived to Katie's home with no trouble – this time Rhett did not make any effort to purposely make the ride go by longer. Rhett was still concerned of her condition for he even offered to carry her all the way into the shack. He was not surprised by how cramped it was when he got inside, even its lack of furniture. The first thing that disturbed him though was the laundry lines hung above the stove, almost all the clothing hanging on the lines.

Rhett lowered her down on her bed. Katie removed her shoes and pushed them under the bed. He just watched her as she also removed her socks and stuffed them in the pocket entrance of each of her boot.

"Thank you again, Rhett."

"Not another word, Katie. It was a pleasure to help you this far."

"I'll make sure I return these clothes back into your sister's wardrobe before she suspects them missing. If she finds out any sooner, can you explain to her of the reason of their disappearance."

"No need for that. Keep those clothes, my sister has plenty."

"Rhett, I don't think your sister would be happy about that. I'll just wash them tonight and make sure to return them by tomorrow."

"Really, Katie, just keep them. My sister will understand. That little girl may be a bit too shallow when it comes to men, but she's an understanding adult once I tell her of your situation."

"I..well, these clothes don't look very..Well you know, they look like they're the cost of my three weeks wages."

"They are. But consider it as a gift. So far from what you went through, you deserve something to forget the whole thing."

"...How would I explain what happened to Sean?"

"He doesn't need to know. Besides, what can he possibly do if he does find out?"

"Huh. I guess you have a good point there...Well, you should go now, I'm pretty sure lawyers are on their way to attend to Keith's injured friends."

"I have no concern about those damn lawyers. There's no way in hell that any of those bastards are going to get away with what they did to you. There's no damn way."

"I hope you're right, Rhett...Who knows what they might do to me if they're released from the lawsuit your planning to file?"

"Just trust in me, Katie. Can you do that for me?"

She lifted her eyes at his face, no longer pooled with tears nor a single twitch of an eyebrow to show her usual irritation. "Of course, I can. Who else can I trust after what you proved to me today?"

He grinned at this response. "Until then, Katie."

"Goodbye, Rhett."

He took one of her hands and gave it a kiss before heading to the door to leave.

~ Nightfall fell, and although Katie was still scarred of the outrageously disturbed situation she went through, she still attended to her night duties in the bar. As usual, she went into the powder room to change into a random dress she picked out from a large pile, and she ran out of the suffocating room and claimed her spot on the piano bench to start playing the squeaky old piano once again.

She could not find Sean anywhere after about an hour of playing. Instead a large amount of men entered the bar and many of the girls had to attend to them in haste. But because of the sudden large party, the girls' advantage to make the customers remain longer was to have a dance. Two of the girls dressed in peacock feathers in a see through dress with red pasted lips approached Katie.

One with the cigarette on her first two fingers spoke in a feminine yet hoarse voice. "Enough of the depressing tune, missy. Play something that gives more life into the room, something more fun that we can dance to. Our boys here are too bored to hear this low and saddening music you play."

Katie sighed and gave them a nod to agree on their request. The girls returned to the customers they were entertaining awhile ago and they announced to others to stand up to enjoy this dance. A few of the bar tenders immediately pushed some of the tables to give the girls room. Many of the girls went to the cleared floor with their partners on their hands. Katie changed the music sheets and started to play a waltz. The girls giggled as their partners twirled them around and captured the curves on their slightly plumped bodies.

One of the girls named Hattie went over to Katie and sat beside her on the piano bench. She gulped down half of the brandy that contained in her glass. She leaned against the side of the piano and looked at Katie in a tired manner. "How in the hell do you have such energy? I mean, is it not exhausting of playing these damn keys non-stop while your own ass is pressed against this hard bench?"

"It's worth it. Besides the obvious description you just described, this job at least gives an extra push to my wages that keeps the bread on the table."

"That's the same thing I said the first time my son asked me why I always wear such ridiculous clothes every night. Hmgh. Totally cliché."

Katie kept her focus on the keys, carefully trying not to mess up the tune. But she spoke to Hattie with no trouble. "Why aren't you attending the customers?"

"Oh what would they want with me? I'm an old middle-aged woman who has three children at home with a lousy husband who remains in bed all day. Besides, my feet hurt and I can hardly breathe in this stupid clothes..Huh. God just had to make money so precious to us pathetic humans."

"Speaking of money, I have a favor to ask you. Are you close to any known jeweler or perhaps any travelers?"

"At least five of them try to grab my ass every Friday to Monday, so yes."

"Well, I have something that I need you to help me pawn. I promise I'll give you half of the money to our deal, I just need that thing gone and get what its worth."

"Alright, I'm all ears, what kind of thing are you talking about?"

"A necklace. My master's son has this..well let's just say he likes my smiles."

"Huh. Those arrogant rich bastards. Anyway go on."

"Well, he gave me this necklace as a gift, I guess he was trying to woo me. But imagine the other hundreds of women he has been with. Anyway, I didn't accept it, yet he urged me and I had no choice but to take it."

"You actually trust me with this request. Don't you fear of me taking that money as my own?"

"Not at all. Besides, I know fully well of where you are and I might take it as pity of your way to raise your children a lot properly. Working in this filthy dump is worse as it is."

Hattie smiled of hearing that. "Alright, I'll do it. Show me the necklace."

"It's in my pocket. Can you take it out on your own?"

"Sure. Which one?"

"My right pocket."

She placed her glass down on top of the piano and slipped her hand in her right pocket. When she grabbed the necklace she hid it in her fist before removing her hand from the pocket, taking precautions in case any of the girls saw that to steal it as their own.

"I'll take a closer look at it on my way home. And don't worry, I'll keep it safe. Believe me, my husband will probably be asleep like a rock by the time I get there, and as for my children, they're curious like monkeys in a circus but when I'm around they know how to behave."

"How long will it take you?"

"That all depends. What's the day today?"

"Thursday."

"Well, by tomorrow any man will be ready to grab me, until then I'll tell you how everything goes."

"Thank you, Hattie."

"Whatever. I'm going to the bar to get another drink. Champagne is not strong enough. Perhaps whiskey."

"Don't drink too much."

"Katie, never say that in a bar. That's one rule none of us follows except for you, you little innocent angel."

~ The clock stroke to quarter to twelve. Katie was close to finishing her night shift at last. The numbers of men soon grew smaller and smaller. Many of the girls spent their time to relax – doing their nails, and refreshing themselves with drinks from the bar stand.

Suddenly, a loud laughter started from the two girls who approached Katie to play a waltz for the customers a few hours earlier. It appears they just came out from the powder room. They were by the bar stand where Katie was unfortunately closer to listen to their harsh laughter.

"That one beu is one hell of a player. I never seen any beginner play so well." The girl with the hoarse voice said, puffing on a fresh cigarette.

"Oh he is absolutely dreamy. And best of all, I saw no wedding band on his finger. Oh! I just love single men, apart from the married ones, the single men are more exciting and don't fear to play their manly roles."

"But you know, I almost forgot the name of that man. What was it again? Simon? Peter? Or was it perhaps John?"

"No. No it wasn't. I distinctly remember now, his name is Sean."

Katie's hands slammed against the keys after hearing that one name. 'Could it be the Sean I know of? No. No it must be another man named Sean. My Sean would never gamble. He never played in his life.' She thought.

The two girls passed by Katie and rambled on with a different topic. As for Katie, she had no longer the strength to play anymore. She stood up from the piano bench and headed into the powder room. After passing by the maddening crowd of the girls, she reached to Belle's apartment. She was still in disbelief of the matter she couldn't open the door right away and instead pressed her ear against the door to listen. All there was to be heard was the laughter from both men and women, and the slamming of cards.

She grabbed the door knob and turned it to open. Everyone looked up at her when she opened the door widely. In the sofa were a few men and few of the girls beside each of them. She did not recognize any of the gentlemen except for one, the one sitting on the armchair with a young prostitute resting on the side of its arm rest, Sean.

Sean's eyes widened in shock to see Katie there by the door. Katie gasped and was still in disbelief of what she was seeing. She first looked at Sean and the pouch of money that contained both their wages on his side of the table. Sean immediately got up from the armchair and went over to her. But Katie quickly turned around and dashed out of the room. Sean first took his pouch and ran after her. Katie did not run far but she made it about a mile away from the bar.

When she stopped to catch her breath, Sean took both her shoulders for her to face him. But Katie shrugged his hands off her. "What was that?! Explain to me!"

"Katie, I didn't mean any harm, really."

"Harm?! Harm you say?!...Sean. That pouch you carry contains all our savings from the pass three months. Why were you in that room risking to gamble it all away?"

"I'm a good player. I had the chance to make more than this amount we have. I already won a few pounds that I collected in this pouch. Half amount of money than this, can you believe that?"

"How can you be so happy, Sean?! Oh! I am so disappointed in you! So disappointed!"

"Please, Katie, I only gambled for us, for our future. Don't you remember, we promised until we have the money we can live the future with children and expand the home we live in now? Don't you remember?"

"Sean, don't put that promise into this conversation."

"It is truth though, is it not?"

"Yes. But right now we're not talking about that. You had the gall to actually enter that room with your head held high, risking to play a game that your never played before in your life."

"Actually, I have played with cards before, and I'm pretty good. I know I'm a fool to risk a game with our savings so impulsively, yet from the start I was aware of my good skills. I could have won more if you didn't show up."

"No Sean, you couldn't have. And neither if you did, how would you know you could have win more? How can you risk so much?"

"Katie."

"You kept begging for forgiveness by all the mistakes you did to me, and every time I accepted it..Well, Sean. I knew one day you would make all those mistakes all over again in time, but I never knew you would break it so soon."

"Katie, please."

"Don't call me by my name, Sean. I..I already went through enough today. I can't take anymore of this...not today, not tomorrow, not ever!"

Katie turned around and ran faster than she ever did. Sean this time could not catch up because of the darkness of the evening, Katie was nowhere in sight.

---

For an hour Katie remained by the river bank, sitting down in silence on the soft grass, her eyes drawn away from the beauty of the still waters of the river.

Her eyes were dried and salty from the tears she wept from grief. Although ever since her precious Nana's death, Sean had opened up a lot of unknown troubles that made Katie's life very worrisome and depressing, but this sudden gambling situation was the final blow that Katie can no longer stand.

She lifted her eyes at the stars and spoke in a soft whimper. "Nana, why can't you be here with me? Oh how I miss you so much...Life seems to grow more unkind every year, every minute..every second. I feel so trapped in this life I live in. How wonderful it must be for you to live so peacefully in heaven? Oh God, Nana how I long for your hugs, how I long terribly for you comfort!..."

Katie was too distracted at this moment that she didn't notice a horse was just behind a few trees by the river bank, on the horse was Rhett. He just reached to this destination from a quick stroll. Once he spotted Katie he took his chances to approach and take her home, but after hearing her talk to herself, he silenced himself to listen to the whole conversation she was speaking toward her invisible friend.

"I don't know what I feel about him anymore, Nana...Oh is that so wrong to say. I was so positive of what I feel for him since the beginning, I still do but...this time is it for real or just pity or..just realization that Sean is all I have left, and without him I'm nothing but a poor desperate woman who later has no choice but to sell her body like the other girls in the bar..Nana. Nana what should I do, really? Please, sweet woman, give me a sign, give me a message, give me anything..just anything that can help me..."

Suddenly Katie lowered her eyes and returned to the sight of the river. The stillness of the water lured her to the other option to make other than mourn for an answer to a dead woman she has longed for from the pass several years. Katie pulled herself up to her feet. She kicked off her shoes and unbuttoned the back of her petticoat, letting the blouse fall all the way down to her pelvis. Standing from a distance, Rhett did not cover his eyes at the sight of her nakedness. His intention to refusing to look away was not by pleasure of lust nor amusement, but just purely blinded to see those parts that Scarlett never dared to show him, neither ever gave him any chances to expose herself in such a way.

Katie stepped inside into the water and walked deeply under until her entire body including her head was buried underneath. At first, Rhett thought she was simply going for a swim, but after seeing that she was not swimming back up to catch her breath, he immediately knew this act was a suicidal attempt. He quickly got off his horse, tied the reins on a tree branch and ran straight to the water. He kicked his shoes off and removed his coat before jumping into the water. The night was too dark to easily find anything underneath the water, but Rhett managed to find her. Katie at first fought him to release her, wanting to die right there. But Rhett was stronger than her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and walked heavily on the water – it was absurd for Rhett to bother to swim since his height was very tall. He lifted Katie in his arms and got out of the water. She shivered madly and no longer fought him.

Rhett lowered her down on her feet. She arched her back and folded her arms around her to cover herself. Rhett picked up his coat and draped it around her, being polite not to look down at her nakedness.

He rubbed her arms with his hands, creating a hard friction to warm them. "What were you thinking?!"

Her teeth rattled as she spoke. "I-I-It's m-y-y li-lif-e-e."

"Drowning yourself is no solution to any problem, Katie. No solution at all."

"Pl-Pl-ease...I-I'm co-co-l-ld."

"Fine. Dress first. Then we'll talk."

Rhett left her there to give her some privacy. After she finished changing, she was still not prepared of how in the world she was going to explain to Rhett of her actions.

The two sat down on the grass. Rhett made a fire not too long ago to warm both of them. Even though he was still wet, he didn't take his coat back from her.

"So now you're dressed, explain to me."

"Isn't it obvious, Rhett?"

"No. No it's not. Or else I wouldn't demand an explanation from you, Katie."

"It's just the life I live in. Compared to the life you live in, sir, mine could never change or ever grow any better. No matter how hard I work, the next day I'm still a maid. No matter how long I play that old piano or clean and serve to my employers and guests in that house, I still get the same amount of money that I was promised from the start...I'm trapped, really. There is nothing I can do to make my life more easier, or at least a little."

"And that's your excuse of wanting to kill yourself?"

"Don't talk to me with such a free tongue, Rhett. You live in a luxurious life, don't you? Of course, you also have some difficulties with family and business. But your life always ends up turning back to the right course, for me..for me, Rhett, there is no change and there isn't going to be a change. My life is going to go on as my occupation as a maid. I can't do much nor offer anything, so why should I live in this wretched life when I could be dead in peace with no worries or ever concern over someone."

"Katie."

"If you want a thank you, I'm afraid you're wasting your time. I can thank you a million times of how you saved me from young master's friends. But I can never ever thank you for rescuing me to my ticket to leave this life, this living hell."

"Hasn't it ever occurred to you that you might as well end up living in a real one if I never got you out of that water?"

"So what? At least I don't have to see the same people that make my life so miserable. No more of the Derby family, no more of the whores I always see in that bar, no more of Se - …"

"Sean. So is that part of your reasons to leave? You finally got to your senses."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Fine then. Perhaps this might help to loosen your tongue."

He reached his hand into his pocket and took out a clear bottle that contained a golden substance. He tossed it to Katie and she caught it with both hands.

"What is this?"

"What you have in your hands is a thirty year old whiskey, beautifully preserved from an old friend of mine who has about fifty of that beauty back in his personal storage. Drink some. No women can tell the truth if they're sober."

"I'm not good with alcohol."

"Right. You're not good with drinking but you are when it comes to repulsive decisions to commit suicide?"

"...Fine."

Katie unsealed the bottle and raised the entrance of it to her lips, she tilted the bottle and took a careful sip of it. When the golden substance touched her tongue, the unbearable bitterness made her face grimace in disgust. Rhett chuckled by her inability to consume the strong taste of liquor.

"Not half bad, eh?"

"It taste like..Ugh. I can't even describe it in words."

"Take another sip, a big one, that'll do the trick."

"Must I?"

"Yes. Take this as a punishment for your actions."

She obeyed and forced herself to take a bigger gulp of it. She quickly sealed the bottle and tossed it back to him. "Ugh! That is disgusting."

"Oh come now, it's not that horrible."

"The only alcohol I accept is only wine or champagne. Any other liquor that has a highly bitter taste than the drinks I just described are some things I choose to walk away from."

"Well, let's see if it did the trick. Explain to me what happened with you and Sean."

"Huh. Do we really have to get to that now?"

"Well, isn't that the only reason why I offered you some of my brandy? Now tell me."

"...Fine. It's not like I have any one else talk to..You stand correctly; part of my wanting to die was because of Sean. He did something tonight that just pushed me off edge."

Rhett tightened his hold on the bottle, his grasp on it was so tight it came to a point that the glass can almost crack. "What did he do? Did he hurt you again?"

"Not physically this time. More like emotionally though...I caught him..I caught him gambling with our savings."

"Gambling? Has he done this before?"

"No. And that's the part that scares me. I never knew Sean can gamble or even have the skills to play any card game. When I demanded to him that I wanted an explanation, he said to me that he was only doing it for us, for our future. I was so mad that I couldn't help but just walk at that moment, which brings me to my reasons of coming all the way over here."

"Are you going to go back?"

"Yes, but until he goes to sleep."

"Don't you think he's out somewhere looking for you?"

"He's not. I know he isn't. He probably tried, but he will never risk wasting his sleeping hours, he has to go to the art studio tomorrow morning after all."

"What a concerning lad?" Rhett sarcastically stated.

"...I feel so lonely sometimes, Rhett. There are days when I'm too occupied with my work, and those little moments I share with Sean. But there are also days when Sean is not there and there is no work to occupy me with, and those times the true reality keeps haunting me. And worst of all, I keep calling for my Nana again."

"Who is this Nana? Are you related to her?"

"No. No she's my guardian..I mean, was..was my guardian."

"I'm so sorry. But what about your family, do you have any knowledge of them?"

Katie shook her head. "No. I was actually found in a riverbank almost like this one nine years ago, but that one had a bridge. I had no memory since then, and I never regained it even to this day. The person who found me was this old Negro woman; she took me to her own home and nurtured me until I regained my strength. I only lived with her for two years, but those short years was by far the most cherished times I have ever experienced in my life...It was hard for me to live on without any memory of my identity or the life I once lived in. The only thing I remembered was the name 'Katie Scarlett' um..something. Nana encouraged me that life was open for everyone, and regardless of memory loss, there are ways to make new memories and live on with your life. That was the greatest lesson she taught me until her death.

"She had a home in the property me and Sean live in now, but because of a nasty marriage she had with her alcoholic husband in the past, she was in dept. Her house was torn down and her belongings were also sold. I was alone. Broke, only had a few clothing in a potato sack, and three pennies in my pocket. This is when Sean offers to help me. While Nana was alive before, Sean came over to offer me free art lessons. Huh. I was never good, and I'm still not. But the two of us took those lessons as our chance to spend time together. He was my comforter, my best friend. When I hide in a corner, weeping and in pain, he would always be there for me with open arms. That's why when I lost everything, I was willing to make another future not alone, but with the man I trust..The only man I trusted..."

"Your Nana seemed like a sweet lady."

"Yes, she was."

"What was her real name?"

"Harriet Angela Creston. The first time she found me, I was mute and had trouble with talking. She taught me how to talk again. The first thing she helped me with was her name – she didn't know mine at first so she called me 'angel cake' for the next six months – and the only thing that I managed to say was 'nana'. So she let me call her that ever since, even when my voice returned."

"Is it still hard that she's not here? I mean, I heard you talk to yourself a while ago; telling this nana of how hard everything was for you."

"Yes. Yes, it is hard...Huh. You must think I'm stupid, a mad woman who runs around in the middle of the night, talking to the stars as if they're actually real people."

Rhett shook his head and reached for her hand. He squeezed it lightly, warming the coldness of it with his. "Not at all. Don't think like that to yourself, Scarlett."

Katie frowned by hearing him say that name. No one has ever called her by any other name, except for Nana, before, and certainly not by Scarlett.

"What did you call me?"

Rhett didn't want to correct that address this time. It's been years since he last called that feisty, spoiled woman by the name that belonged to her. Katie was not her name. Considerably, her legal first name, but not the name she was remembered by.

"You heard me, I called you Scarlett. It is your name, is it not?"

"Well..um yes. But its just a middle name. Well, I th-think it's my middle name."

"Does it matter of what I call you?"

"I thought you wanted for us to address each other properly by our stations. Why the sudden change of heart?"

"Since today you changed that addressing situation by calling me by my name. Don't you remember, my pet?"

Katie curved a confused look with a smirk and an arch of an eyebrow. She was quite taken back by this sudden change of name calling by the man who has just saved her like what..Twice!

"My pet? Rhett, have you drunk some of that stuff a while ago, or are you just being coy with me?"

"Again, does it really matter of what I call you?"

"It all depends if your own intention is to flirt with me."

Rhett chuckled and gave her a simper, that usual curve on his mouth, stretching out his dashing mustache.

"I take that as a flattering remark, my dear Scarlett."

Katie let out a short laugh at this. "Huh. You really are drunk or just crazy...Pshhh men.."

"Now that's what I was looking for," with his other hand he smoothed her cheek down to her jaw line, "I have wanted to see you smile for so long. It feels good to see you like that again."

The gap between the two drew into a closer close. Rhett scooted closer to her until both their arms were touching. Katie was speechless and the smile on her lips disappeared into thin air. There were no more words from Rhett's mouth either, and their minds were even silenced.

A great warmth was developed as Rhett faced her, and he leaned closer and closer to her cold body. He had expected for her to say something, reject him but instead she didn't move an inch, neither had the strength or the confidence to get up on her feet and walk away. Rhett's warm hands were now on her cheeks, caressing it delicately like a smooth fragile glass. Their eyes met, capturing each other's glances without blinking a single eyelid.

Rhett leaned a lot closer to her face until their noses were almost touching. With his usual masculine yet soft voice, he spoke. "Do you still trust me?"

Katie's tongue was still tangled, not allowing her voice to break free. But she responded with honest truth by a nod of a head. Rhett had the sudden urge to smile in relief, but to savor the moment the right away; he forbade his lips to curve to show any satisfactory.

"I promise to help you make your life easier than you ever imagine. You will never grow hungry or live on in the poor life you live in no more. I swear it, my dear Scarlett. As God as my witness, I swear it."

Katie closed her eyes as Rhett slowly pressed his lips against hers. She was not afraid when he deepened the kiss up to a passionate level, moving her mouth with his and opening the entrance of it with his tongue. The exhilarating feeling of this action gave Katie the sudden urge to respond to this by embracing her arms around his neck.

In Rhett's heart, there was nothing by a warm feeling of easement, the unity he longed for at last became possible.

~ Dawn was approaching. Rhett walked Katie back to her shack. The two held each other's hands along the way. When they arrived to her home, Katie faced him to bid farewell.

"I have to go. Sean will wake up soon."

"Of course. Goodbye, my Scarlett."

Rhett placed his free hand on her cheek and leaned closer to her face to give her a kiss. But Katie turned her head to miss that kiss.

"What is the matter?"

"...What does this mean, Rhett? Did..Did you really mean what you said to me back at the riverbank?"

"I meant every word."

She lifted her head to look at his eyes. There was a sign of guilt and sadness written on her face. In her heart, she was more trapped of now getting more involved with another man; her life was already suffocating her, inviting a man like Rhett who's willing to be with her makes everything more worse.

"Rhett...Rhett, you don't know what you're getting yourself into. Really, I'm not worth it."

"Then why did you kiss me?"

"I didn't kiss you, you kissed me."

"But you didn't fight back, you responded instead."

"Well...Well it just felt..Well..."

"Right?"

"...Y-Ye-s-s..."

"Look, Scarlett. I care for you and I am willing to take all the risk to be with you."

Katie shook her head in frustration. "Rhett, no you don't. You hardly know me. Really, Rhett, you will regret for ever trying to be with me. I'm..I'm just a maid, poor, and almost broke. I'm not the woman for you."

"You should have thought of that a lot earlier before you responded to our kiss."

"I...I regret that kiss." She lied.

Rhett chuckled, feeling a little amused that her weak tongue of lying was still not close to improvement, or at least convincing either.

"No you don't. You meant ever moment of it. I can prove it."

He released her hand and with both his free hands they captured her forearms. Katie turned her head to block any response OF another kiss. But Rhett managed to capture her lips with no struggle. Katie shook her head to release her mouth from his, but Rhett didn't release it just yet.

The kiss was long and uncontrollable. Fortunately, Rhett finally ended it in time before Katie almost collapsed from lack of oxygen. She gasped heavily for air and looked up at Rhett with sharp eyes, looking almost like balls of fire.

"...Don't ever do that again, Rhett Butler..Oh. I shall faint."

"I wish you can faint. This is what you were meant for. None of the fools you've ever know have kissed you like this, have they? Your Sean, or even those lousy men in that bar."

He kissed her again but Katie did not fight back this time. Instead, she was paralyzed into an unexpected flashback after hearing that line, luring her own soul away from reality.

Flashback

A woman who looked just like Katie was dressed in mourning. Tears fell down her eyes, and she hiccupped a few times from the brandy she drunk awhile ago. There was a man in the room with her, looking charmingly handsome in his fine suit and with his hair smoothed back...It was Rhett.

The two were talking to each other, but she didn't seem quite pleased of him being there, yet they looked very close.

"I made up my mind that you were the only woman for me the first day I saw you at Twelve Oaks. Now that you've got the lumber mill and Frank's money you won't come to me as you did to the jail. So I see I shall have to marry you."

The woman was still wet from tears and sniffled with a handkerchief clutched on her fist. After hearing this she replied. "I never heard of such bad taste."

Rhett took both her hands and fell down on his knees with a coy smile curved on his lips, showing full confidence by every word he asked. "Would you be more convinced if I fell to my knees?"

Angrily she shouted. "Turn me loose, you varmint, and get out of here!"

Katie burst open her eyes and this time pushed his shoulders with all her might. Rhett released her then and chuckled once more.

With a flush of fury, Katie shouted with an angry tone. "Get out of here! Out! You..You..Oh you varmint!"

Hearing that last word hit Rhett into an astounding astonishment. He knew completely of that familiar line. Again his heart was aided in ease of this sign, this sign proving some recovery from her memory loss. Apparently for Katie, she too was shocked of saying that, still confused of the flashback she just saw and how Rhett was with her in that unknown scene.

'She remembers. This is good. It's not much of a big deal. But it's a step, at least a tiny step to this recovery. Scarlett must come to me, I'm the only solution to get her memory back. If she continues to live on as this Katie Ley, how is she going to find out who she really is, the woman who everyone still believes is dead.' He thought.

But when he tried to approach her, Katie backed away from him and ran straight into the shack. Once she shut the door behind her, Rhett gave the shack a last glance and turned around to return back to the riverbank to fetch for his horse. The plans were already made in Rhett's mind. The first thing to do was to get rid of Sean. Officially away from Katie.