Sorry it took me so long to update but I had a huge writer's block hopefully I won't have such a long and horrible one before my next update. vivid dreamer

Chapter 5: Separate Ways

'So here I am. How could this happen to us? I might never see home again. I'll never see Ma and Pa again and most likely never see Theresa and Becca neither.' thought Lissa on that long train ride to Jonesboro, Georgia. That morning when she woke up she saw Kate wide awake going strong while drinking coffee. That was especially strange because Kate hated coffee and tea. Then when Lissa got a better look at her sister she saw the dark circles and etches of worry and pain on her elder sister and just knew she hadn't slept at all last night. But that was Kate she always was the strong one no matter what. Just like Pa. Just thinking about him made her want to weep profusely. But she just couldn't let herself do it on this train full of complete strangers. She had a little bit of her father's pride instilled in her blood not a lot but enough to keep herself calm and cool. But she knew the minute she saw Mr. O'Hara and heard his thick Irish brogue, felt Mrs. O'Hara's kindness and unselfishness and saw the O'Hara sister bickering she would weep in anguish. From here on out it was just going to be her and Kate. But she believed in Kate; she was so responsible, strong, smart, resourceful and compassionate that Lissa knew her sister would be there through thick and thin. The problem Lissa could think of is if she was strong enough to survive this kind of blow emotionally and if she could adapt to the new changes going in around her. Of course if they ever needed anything all they had to do is give a shot out to their neighbors the Kayser's, Rhett, the Butlers or the O'Hara's and all their problems would be solved. But Lissa knew Kate she had too much pride to do that too often. True, she was human and she would break down a few times but if she did Kate would make sure it was a very rare event.

But God knows the Kayser's would be more than willing. They were a nice family of five and their farm was right next to the Lynch's. They had three sons; David, Daniel and Jonathan were their names. David was a year older than Kate making him 19 years old, Daniel was 18 and had a huge crush on Kate but he also happened to be her dear friend, they practically grew up together being that he was the same age. He would do anything for Kate or her family. Then there was Jonathan; the wild child who was 16 years old. He was completely uncontrollable. His mother was afraid of the war because she knew her youngest was going to join and probably to something stupid and get himself shot.

Just then a sudden loud noise jerked Lissa back into realty. It was her dog. Her beloved Black Labrador who was her father's hunting dog. Kate let her take him, Shadow, with her for companionship. She petted the dog and was glad to be out of her thoughts that plagued her like her nightmares. 'But enough of these thoughts for now' she told herself. But her horrible thoughts just kept plaguing her all the way to Jonesboro.

With Lissa safely with the O'Hara's Kate's worries come down to planning and executing a proper funeral, somehow finding Rhett, getting the farm in order and leaving her house to go to Tara. First was first without Rhett there she needed help.

Luckily it was a short trot for her to the Kayser's with Moonshine. At this early hour she could see that the boys were all outside working the fields readying them for summer. As Kate trotted up to the house the men greeted her joyous salutations and congratulated her and her family for a successful party.

"Thank you, but I'm afraid I have horrible news and I'll be needing your help. Could we all go inside and talk, perhaps?" she said keeping her emotions in check.

"Of course, David will take your horse and put him in the barn," said Mr. Kayser escorting a very stiff Kate into his home.

"Kate, dear, how are you?" enthused Mrs. Kayser who heard nothing of their conversation outside.

"Not well, I'm afraid, not well at all," she said as emotions were starting to crack through her façade.

"You looked well a few days ago at the party. What happened?"

"A lot I'm afraid and none of it good," she said rubbing her head trying to get through her lack of sleep.

"Do you want something to drink?"

"Coffee, if you have it, black."

"I thought you hated black coffee," stated Daniel taking a seat next to her.

"I do but I need the energy."

"So what's going on?" asked David finally entering.

"Well It a long story but you all know how we've been having trouble with some of the Yankees around here because my mother was a Southerner and we all have friends down there and we even kind of grew up there."

"Of course."

"Okay, well the night of the party I went to drop off Rhett at the train station and to pick up a few things we had ordered. But my family was busy cleaning up like we always do. Well when I got home, it looked deserted and it was filthy like no one had been cleaning. Well I went up to the door and it was slightly cracked open, not locked like it's supposed to be."

"Was your house torn apart and vandalized?"

"You could say that but not quite so. I found my father laying on the floor with his rifle just out of reach of his arm; he was shot and looked dead."

"What!" bellowed an angry Mr. Kayser in rage over his dear friend's death.

"Yes," whispered Kate emotion coming through, "But that was when I saw mother. She was laying on the floor with a terrified look on her face and it was frozen in place and she was cold and had marks on her throat. I think she was strangled," muttered Kate getting to the dark, horrifying news.

"My God," whispered Mrs. Kayser.

"But that's not it," cried Kate as they stared at her. "My Mother's skirt was all the way up and she was raped!" she said as she broke down crying flinging out her handkerchief that Rhett had bought her and wiped her tears away continuing but her voice was harsh, "This was when my Pa spoke up and he was alive but only just. He told me that they were attacked and my sister Lissa got away before she was seen but my younger sisters weren't so lucky. They took them! Why? I wish I knew," she screamed rocking herself back and forth. "Its one thing to kill my parents but to take my youngest sisters so I'll never know whether they are dead, been tortured or alive just wandering around somewhere. I think it's me they are trying to torture. They are so young. I wished they would have killed me instead!"

"Where's Lissa?" asked Mrs. Kayser hurriedly as everyone else was too shocked to speak or move.

"She was hiding and after I had finished cleaning up she showed up a trembling mess. She didn't see any of it and I didn't tell her Mom was raped; it's better this way. She's at the O'Hara's in Georgia.

"What are you going to do?" asked Daniel shocked by her sudden composure and strength. It was like she had never cried except for the red in her eyes, which told a different story.

"Well, plan the funeral and report a kidnapping is the first and most important. I went to the police yesterday and went through everything; you know addresses of people and possible names and such but none of us saw them except Theresa, Becca, mother and Pa so its going to be difficult. Then I'm moving and staying with the O'Hara's."

"What are you going to do with the farm?"

"Well actually that where I was hoping you all would came in. Pa gave me enough money to pay taxes and such for well years to come, just in case. He always was cautious. You could plant on the land and use the stables and barn. The only thing if I could would be if you could keep up the house so that when we can come back sometime after the war and everything it will still be there and be intact. I'm sure I could send you money and I don't mean Confederate money."

"You sound desperate," noticed David.

"Well, if I stay here I might as well shoot myself because they'll kill me. But as long as I kill myself I won't have to worry about getting raped. No, I need to leave St. Louis as much as I love it, cause I do, I have to have priorities and Lissa needs me. She isn't strong enough to go it alone."

"What if someone protected you?" asked Daniel unusually bold.

After a long sigh and pause so as not to sound mean Kate answered, "It's going to take a lot more than one person to protect me and my loved ones like Lissa. And if my father couldn't protect more than one person who else could? And if you're offering a proposal of marriage. . ."

"What if I am?"

"Oh, Daniel, please, don't. I love you but not like that. You're a brother to me just like your brother's David and Jon and my friend Rhett. I would help you anyway I could but I can't marry you. It would go against a promise to myself. I need to have some semblance for my inner conscious that I am doing some of this on my own without help and that will take place down South not here obviously. I have too much pride to admit to myself during an action that I might be depending on someone heavily. And if I married someone to protect myself I would just be a big girly sissy that I have completely sworn I'm not. One day I hope you will see that and understand," then turning her attention to the rest of the family she spoke these words of outright begging, "If you could just promise to think about it till Rhett gets here to help me with some of my financial worries. He is so good at that. Please."

"Of course we will dear," said Mr. Kayser, "you're like a daughter to us no matter what happens."

"But you must not go back to that house by yourself. You'll stay here. We have an extra room."

"Really? I mean, thank you very much. It means so much to me."

"Daniel can help you with your stuff. Use the old wagon, dear."

During a train switch he saw a man running around shouting but he was in the distance so it was impossible for Rhett to hear. He saw the train station had a little shop so he went in to by a cigar. When he exited he heard the man screaming and almost chanting, "Rhett Butler, urgent telegram; Rhett Butler, urgent telegram." Rhett slightly worried yet amused at the man; he walked over to the man calmly, "I am Rhett Butler."

"Oh thank God. If I didn't find you I was doomed. You have a very urgent telegram at the front desk," Rhett who was curious at who would send him an urgent telegram, followed the young youth who obviously had much more work to do from the way he was walking it was near a run.

"Rhett Butler?" questioned the ticket holder at the front desk who was holding numerous telegrams.

"I am," stated Rhett as the man pulled the first one from the stack of telegrams and handed it to him. It read:

(URGENT) RHETT BUTLER STOP COME TO SAINT LOUIS FAST STOP WE WERE ATTACKED STOP HORRIBLE NEWS ABOUT PA AND MOTHER STOP HURRY STOP KATE LYNCH STOP

"Bad news, sir?"

"Afraid so. I need a ticket to Saint Louis."

"Of course," and within minutes Rhett got on a train and head back to St. Louis while his mind was his in a fury, 'WE WERE ATTACKED' but attacked by who?' he thought as he puffed vigorously from his cigar. 'HORRIBLE NEWS ABOUT PA AND MOTHER' I wonder what in the world happened. Of course something horrible but how horrible to get Kate to send me an urgent telegram: responsible, strong, proud, tough and can do anything Kate Lynch. The only resource she doesn't have much access to is money.' Thought Rhett exiting the train and quickly heading to the Lynch's farm.

As Kate and Daniel came up to the house and farm they saw a small carriage with a sleek horse in front of her house. Kate who had started taken precautions pulled out her Pa's shotgun.

"Kate!" Daniel exclaimed as she hushed him vehemently. Then lowering his voice to a whisper, "What are you doing with a gun?"

"Protecting myself and my farm," she said quietly as he just gave her a look of skepticism, "Look," she said sharply, "I know how to shoot a gun, it isn't that difficult," she finished by throwing the safety off and then they slowly and stealthy approached the house.

It was a man who was on the porch: a tall, muscular man. As they got closer they saw him knocking profusely on the door and yelling, "Kate, are you there?" The drawl was distinctly southern and exceedingly familiar to her. She put the safety on and put the gun back in her pocket.

"Rhett!" she yelled back coming from behind him running and hugging him.

"Kate, what is going on? What happened?"

"I'll explain later but can you stay for a while like at least a week?"

"Why?"

"I'm going to need your help."

"But why?"

"It's a long story but to cut to the main events: Theresa and Becca have been kidnapped and Mother and Pa are," she paused as a few tears slid down her cheeks, "dead." Rhett's face was a picture of pure horror and sadness.

"How did they die?"

"Murdered," she mumbled. "Please don't make me go through with the details right now," she pleaded with tears cascading down her cheeks. She pleaded with a sort of uneasy uncomfortableness that was obvious to the eye. Kate was a strong woman who hated being thought of as a crying, babbling fool yet here she was begging and pleading him to spare her for the moment.

"Shh, it's okay. Don't worry about it," Rhett whispered pulling her closer as she buried her face in his chest with fresh tears that never ceased to plaque her. As she pulled away she got out her key and opened the door for him to make his way through.

"Coming, Daniel?"

"No, I think I'll just go home," he said turning around walking back.

"Wait," Kate yelled running up to him, "Tell your mother that Rhett is here so say thanks but we'll be staying here to start the planning and packing and such. If your family could come over tomorrow around breakfast, I'll have food to discuss the details and whether they will help us. Okay?"

"Yeah sure," he mumbled as Kate gave him a swift hug.

"See ya tomorrow," as she pranced up the stairs and in the house, her tears not forgotten but hidden beneath that strong façade that was uniquely hers.

Please read and review!