If this chapter is better than usual, it's because I got a brand new beta, PrincessAlica. It's all her fault. Yes, she's wonderful, I agree.

The house was far too quiet. Scarlett felt threatened by the heavy silence. Melanie, as thoughtful as usual, had made sure Scarlett wouldn't be bothered by Wade and Ella's racket, and had brought the children home with her. Pitty did her absolute best not to make any sound. It already felt like an eternity since the last time she had seen or even heard any living being. And the worst thing that could happen to her at this point was to go on thinking about Frank with nothing to distract her from her sinister reflections but alcohol. Maybe she should just take a nap and forget everything for a little while, although she couldn't see how in the world she'd ever fall asleep when she was in such a state.

And so, Scarlett had once again taken refuge in Aunt Pitty's swoon bottle. But strangely, even brandy didn't help today. She could not drive Frank from her mind. At least if she became drunk,( allowing the alcohol to numb her), she would fall asleep more easily… The town was most likely talking about her right now, how she had killed her own husband, and that nice boy, Tommy Wellburn, leaving behind yet another Confererate widow. But she had to ignore them and make more money, even though making money had killed her husband and destroyed her last shreds of respectability.

Who knew what future held for her now? She had nobody to look after her store anymore; she needed to hire someone new immediately. She was sure Frank's death would bring about some financial instability, as useless as he was. She was going to face the possibility of not having enough money again unless she married Rhett Butler. She considered this… naturally she would have to refuse his advances. Marrying him would be the mistake of her life. Momentarily she was aghast! Why, she was in love with Ashley, how could she even think about marrying Rhett? For a moment she thought of the dream… was she in love with Ashley? She sighed and took another swig from the bottle. The answer glared at her, revealing in harsh reality that truth was that she did not. Oddly, she felt completely indifferent about Ashley's wound, but if he had died she would feel guilty about him too, just like her feelings for Frank right now. She was guilty but not crestfallen, as real a lover would be. Rhett would be so glad, so arrogantly prideful if he learned this. For a moment she was horror struck, she had compared Ashley with Frank! If she had known years ago her scorching passion for Ashley could evaporate so easily, she never would have bothered with him in the first place. No, the only thing that mattered to her now was her money and her family. She'd find a way to earn some cash with her mills, and she'd make sure Melly did not become pregnant again, and she'd make sure Tara was running fine, and she'd make sure Wade would become rich and well-mannered while Ella married somebody brave enough to give her a good life. And she'd never, ever, marry again, even if Rhett Butler knocked on her door this very second with his millions to offer her.

Her hand jerked in surprise as another flash of that dream returned, and she nearly spilled the brandy on the floor. Great Balls of Fire! Rhett Butler. He was coming today. God's nightgown, how in the world should she speak to him in a state like this? She quickly hid the bottle of liquor in a drawer and passed a brush through her hair with limited results. What about the smell? Cologne? Something told her cologne would not work. She tried the cologne anyway, knowing Rhett would not only notice she was drinking but also that she tried to hide it. But never mind that, more importantly, what in the world would she say to him? Her jaw was set with determination as she decided the only thing she could possibly tell him was to leave her alone. Her life was enough of a tragedy without a union with Rhett, a miscarriage, and a four year old child dying in a pony accident. But Rhett never took no for an answer.

She looked at her reflection in the mirror. God, she looked awful. And Rhett would probably be a cad enough to make fun of her. She was still debating whether to put rouge on her cheeks when she heard hammering on the door and voices downstairs. She recognized his voice immediately, as the deep voice with the drawling accent could belong to no one but Rhett. For a wild second of panic, Scarlett wondered if she should even see him. Then again, Rhett would think she was a coward. She could not let such a thing happen. She was no coward. She had never been a coward.

Scarlett ran into the hall a little unsteadily, and yelled "I'm coming down Rhett!" while clambering down the stairs as quickly as possible without running. Poor Pitty looked absolutely flabbergasted as Scarlett and Rhett locked themselves in the library without the slightest trace of hesitation.

"It's no good Scarlett," he commented while closing the door.

"What?"

"The cologne."

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

"I'm sure you do. You've been drinking. And quite heavily by the scent of it. May I sit?" He sat down heavily on the couch sooner than she could answer. She did the same, scowling slightly.

"Well, what if I have? Is it any of your business? You must drink twice as much as me, you skunk, and we both know it," she snapped.

"Watch your temper. I haven't even provoked you yet, and already you are insulting me. Oh, and don't drink alone, Scarlett. People always find out and it ruins your reputation."

"I haven't got anybody to drink with," she grumbled.

"Have you considered discontinuing drinking in secret altogether? It's quite an unladylike activity." He smiled. "Not that it has stopped you before." His white teeth gleamed in a sardonic, amused grin.

"Oh, Rhett, I couldn't care less. My reputation is already in tatters. Nothing could possibly make my life worse at this point."

"What's the matter honey?" He took her hand, at the moment, he seemed oddly gentle. "Can't you tell me? It's more than old Frank leaving you? Do you need money?"

If anybody but Rhett had told her such a thing, she would have been sure it was compassion in his voice. She took her hand out of his grasp hurriedly. The idea of him proposing… But he was acting so nice, for once!

"It's not money. I don't have any troubles with money."

"That's certainly good news. What is it then?"

"My husband died! I killed him! I feel awful because of it, that's all."

"Don't tell me you loved old Frank. My esteem for you will lower significantly and I simply can't picture you and Frank… My imagination can't take such abuse, my dear."

"I didn't love him, silly, of course not. I just feel very confused… and guilty. I think I mostly feel guilty."

"Why Scarlett, you do have a conscience after all. What incredible news. I was certain such an ignominy would never befall a woman like you. I was ready to bet on it, even. The apocalypse must be nearing." He chuckled softly at the expression on her face.

"For God's sake Rhett, stop teasing," she retorted back. But Scarlett, as usual, couldn't help but smile.

"Is it all? You feel guilty for killing Frank?" He said it as though it was but a mere trifle.

"Well no. I feel terrible for killing him, and because I will go to hell for murdering him, and because if my mother wasn't dead already, It'd kill her to learn what I did, and I'm nothing like her at all," Scarlett felt tears running down her face at this point. "And she'd be so disappointed if she knew, and I just regret what I've done so much. It felt right when I was doing it, I swear, I didn't know what else to do but to get Uncle Peter to drive, and I tried to tell Frank not to go, I thought he would listen to me, but he didn't and now he's dead. Oh Rhett, if I had it to do over again, I'd do it so diff…" But she didn't. She didn't do any differently. She had had a second chance and she had done the exact thing she shouldn't have for her mills and her money. She had had a second chance, and instead of taking advantage of it, she had wasted it. The tears had stopped rolling on her cheeks. She didn't know what Rhett could possibly be thinking, watching her stop in mid-sentence with a thunderstruck expression on her face, as though she had seen a ghost.

"Scarlett?" he asked.

"Please go, Rhett. I feel tired," she told him with a sigh. She had to get rid of him. If she didn't, he'd propose, and then she had no idea what could possibly happen. She felt too weary to refuse, to fight him. And if he stayed she'd have to.

"Darling, you look even worse than before and frankly at the time that seemed impossible. What is it Scarlett, what was it that could possibly be so terrible?"

"Everything's terrible. I feel worse than ever Rhett. Couldn't you just leave me alone… from now on?"

"Now, now, no need to mope all by yourself. It was not completely your fault your husband was killed. You say you'd do differently if you were given a second chance. But would you? We both know you'd do the same thing again. Did you have any other choice but to marry him and make his life a living hell? It was that or starving."

"I did have a choice," she answered so quietly she doubted he heard her. "I'm sorry Rhett," she said a bit louder, "but I have to ask you to leave now. I have a migraine, and I absolutely need to go to bed."

"How utterly depressing you are, Scarlett" He stared at her quietly for a moment before continuing, "But before you kick me out for boring you so, may I tell you the good news I came here for? As you might know, I will be leaving soon, and I'd appreciate if you'd just let me get this off my chest before I depart."

"Oh Rhett, I'm sure it can wait until later." Her heart started to race, furiously beating against her ribcage.

"I'm afraid not. I don't have much time before leaving for England. And my news is this," he announced, grinning at her. "I still want you more than any woman I've ever seen, and now that Frank's out of the picture, I thought you'd be interested to know it."

"Rhett! Frank, barely cold in the grave! Now is definitely not the best time to talk about…" He reached over, and took both of her hands in his.

"I am asking you to marry me. Do you want me to kneel down?" His hands were so warm she did not have the strength to pull her own out of his grasp. And his eyes were so warm she did not have the heart to advert his gaze.

"I always intended on having you, Scarlett, since that first day I saw you at Twelve Oaks when you threw that vase and swore and proved that you weren't a lady. But as you and Frank have made a little money, I know you'll never be driven to me again with any interesting propositions of loans and collaterals. So you see, I have no choice but to marry you."

"You know plain well I'll never do that."

"And why not? If you don't marry me, you will throw yourself at any passing man with a little money before I even have time to come back. So I thought, why not me and my money? Really Scarlett, I can't go all my life, waiting to catch you between husbands."

"I… I shall never marry again. The only things I've ever gotten out of the deal are babies and trouble. You wouldn't be any different from Charles or Frank, I just know it."

"But my poor child, you've never really been married!"

"Oh. And I suppose you are the only one who can show me the real definition of marriage of course."

"Of course. Our marriage would be much more fun than your previous ones. After all you married a boy and an old man for spite and money. None of these options are optimal."

"As if you have any room to talk, you can't be that much younger than Frank. And anyway, we'd just be worse, if anything."

"Now, how would you know? You never married for fun. And for the record I am much younger than Frank."

"Have you ever married for fun, Rhett?"

"I'm not a marrying man, darling, I've informed you of this long ago. You should be honored I made such an exception for you. But, since marrying for fun isn't enough for your tastes, you can always do it for money. You were ready to throw yourself at me for three hundred, you should be more than happy to do it for a few of my millions."

"I was desperate back then. I'm not anymore. I can perfectly survive without your help, or the help of any other man for that matter. Now, if you'd…"

"Come Scarlett, say you'll marry me when I come back or before God, I won't go. I'll stay around here, and play a guitar under your window every night and sing at the top of my voice and compromise you, so you'll have to marry me to save your reputation."

"What reputation? And what guitar? I bet you don't even play guitar. Now stop…"

"I am a man of many talents, my dear. And no, I will not stop until you give in."

"But I shan't give in!"

"Why not?"

"I told you! I don't want to marry! I don't need to marry! If I marry you, you'll only bring me more misery than ever! And before you mention him, no, it's not because of Ashley. He has nothing to do with this."

"He clearly doesn't."

"I'm through with Ashley. You know why? Because when he was injured yesterday, I realized I didn't care. I felt more worried about killing Frank than all the blood that came out Ashley's arm. It means something. It means I'm through with him. He's left me dangling all my life, giving me false hopes all this time, and all these speeches about honor he serves me every time are getting on my nerves. Seriously. He loves Melanie! He's loved her for years and he still has the nerve to seduce me. Who does he think I am? I don't need him. I don't need men. I'm the one who seduces men, they don't seduce me! I don't feel anything for Ashley anymore, and I swear, next time he meets me, he'll see I don't love him anymore. And maybe I've never even loved him in the first place. Now that I think of it, maybe I didn't love him at all from the beginning. I certainly can't see what's so attractive about him anymore."

She stopped abruptly when she saw the sardonic look on Rhett's face, it clearly reflected an "I told you so" in the smile that was playing on the corners of his lips. It was quite infuriating. She was about to lash out at him with an irritated comment, when she realized such a confession was exactly what Rhett hoped to hear. First of all, she had confirmed she no longer loved Ashley, and second of all, she had completely forgotten about Frank and her guilt, and was concentrating all her strengths on being mad at Ashley. Did Rhett trick her into this? Rhett started chuckling, and Scarlett, although she didn't want to, laughed with him. She could hardly believe how dismal it had been before Rhett had come and cheered her up. Everything was always easier with Rhett around, laughing at your fears and teasing you until you were mad, and slowly making your mood much, much better without you realizing he was the reason for this improvement.

But then he stood up, and pulled her with him. His arms were around her, as hard and strong and utterly safe as on the road to Tara, so long ago. And she knew he would kiss her.

"Do you know how long I've been waiting for you to see Ashley is wrong for you, my pet?"

"Rhett! Let me go!"

"I will if you say yes."

"No!"

He beamed, bent back her head across his arm, and kissed her, softly at first, and then with a swift gradation of intensity that made a surging tide of warmth course her body, evoking from her sensations she had never known she was capable of feeling. His lips parted hers insistently, and in the swimming giddiness he had plunged her in, she kissed him back, even if she had sworn to herself she would not give in to him.

"Say yes," he whispered. She could not believe Rhett was able to utter a sentence with such an amount of tenderness. For a fleeting, beautiful, instant, she almost said yes. But the cold hand of reason dragged her back from this decision. If she acquiesced, Rhett would break her heart, as surely as she had killed Frank. She had already made a mistake, and a terrible one at that, but this time she could make the right decision, even if marrying Rhett seemed like an excellent idea presently.

"No," she finally answered, exhausted. Even she could hear the regret in her voice.

"Why? You don't have any good reason not to. I have as much money as even you can wish for, and I'm a devilishly good-looking fellow according to most ladies I met." He still had a sarcastic edge in his tone, as though he was simply toying with her, and was convinced she would give in any minute if he pushed her long enough.

"I don't want money. I want love." All derision disappeared from his stunned visage. Scarlett had to admit she was just as surprised as he was by what she had blurted out. "Do you love me Rhett?" she went on without thinking. Well, it was a good question, wasn't it? Why else would he care so much about her? Because he was Rhett, that was why. Being unexplainable was part of his charming personality. But if he loved her, and he might… It changed things. She did not know what could possibly be different if he admitted his feelings for her, but she knew, she knew things would not be the same at all between them if there was love involved. Rhett stayed silent, fixing her with a piercing glare, making her uncomfortable.

"No," he replied bluntly. "I don't love you. Love would destroy me. I merely want to possess you and keep you away from other men. That's all there is." She felt his arms slide away from her.

"I see," she replied. Was it disappointment swelling up inside her chest?

"I suppose you don't wish to marry me after all?"

"No. And I suppose you still haven't fallen for the charms that ensnared every male from 6 to 60 that I've encountered after all these years?" her weak attempt at mockery fell flat.

"No. I haven't." he abruptly started towards the closed doors of the library, and she followed him, still inexplicably disappointed at his answer.

"Well, I hope you have a nice trip, Rhett." He did not answer. He entered the hall with Scarlett trailing after him, picked up his gloves and hat, slipped on his coat, all without a word.

He finally opened the door, and as Scarlett was about to say goodbye, suddenly said "I'm not going, Scarlett."

"Pardon me?"

"I'm not going anywhere 'til you accept my proposition."

"Great balls of fire, suppose someone just heard you, Rhett! Will you please stop being so stubborn and go?"

"Will you marry me?"

"No!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

He grinned at the forcefulness of her words. "But I'll be back. And you will change your answer." He bowed gracefully, and was off before Scarlett could say another word. She stood by the doorway for a time without moving, a soft breeze blowing through the open door. Did Rhett mean it when he had told her he did not love her? Worse, did she love him? She had no answer for either question, and they plagued her as she finally turned and went back to her room still pondering the response.

By the way, I'm going back to Canada at last (CANADA! MY BELOVED CANADA!) for a month or so, and I don't plan to update at all. So I guess ya'll will have to wait till sometime in August for a new chapter. Sorry. Insert random monologue about how awesome Canada is compared to this place.