Chapter 7: The Fight on the Hill

Thou mine Inheritance, now and and Thou only, first in my heart

Rhett remained standing on the street just long enough for the scene to melt away in front of him. There was something familiar in the child's voice, some desperate pleading quality which he had heard before. He rubbed his eyes again. He was still outside Pittypat's house, but it was desolate and abandoned, the foul odor of human stench on the street and the remnants of Sherman's shells still exploding like claps of thunder.

He heard the child's screams again in his mind. He didn't have children. Why would he care?

"I have done nothing wrong!" he screeched.

The scenery changed about him in an epic swirl of color. He was standing high atop a hill of green. He reeled back as if he were at the very peak of an abyss. The sun was golden against the grey sky. There was no escape, unless he wanted to brave the fall…

"What have I done to deserve this?" he cried desperately. "I have done nothing wrong!"

"Haven't you though?" a voice still boasting the heavy brogue of County Meath penetrated his thoughts.

"I have done nothing wrong!" Rhett repeated. Damn the voice, it was making his ears ring.

"You left her. And then its killing her you're doing."

"I haven't left anyone. Leave me alone, you worthless Mick!"

"It's killing her."

The words echoed within his mind over and over, each time striking him like a blow to the chest. He felt the air leave his lungs and the color drain from his face.

"Am I dying? Are you the devil?"

The devil appeared in front of him, blue eyes devoid of their sparkle.

"Gerald O'Hara?"

Gerald leered at Rhett, who fell to his knees. Rhett lowered his eyes, unable to look into Gerald's face.

"It's guilty you are, Rhett Butler. Even if you know it not yet. And you'll lose her, sure as I'm standing here, that which is most precious to you."

"Scarlett?" Rhett croaked hesitantly.

Gerald smirked. "You will lose everything."

Rhett met Gerald's eyes, which seemed to look right past him rather than at him. Inside them he beheld his own face, diluted and twisted into something horribly ugly.

"What have I done to deserve it?" he cried, hands outstretched.

"Nemo me impune lacessit."

"How have I wronged you?" Rhett cried, his face contorted in pain. He shut his eyes again. Scarlett's face was in his mind, she was a child again, running to Gerald's waiting arms. She was waving frantically at him, the memory of her green eyes was forever imprinted upon his soul.

"You promised to love her. And you lied."

Rhett was paralyzed. The image of Scarlett faded into the blackness. With agony, Rhett cried out to the ghostly Gerald:

"I'll make it up to her! She'll never hear anything but kind words from my lips! I swear on my life, I'll make it up to her! She will never suffer again because of my failings! I swear it, I swear it!"

Gerald's mouth hardened.

"Lies."

Rhett rubbed his eyes hard as the sun shone in through the window. The revolver was on the floor, cocked and ready. "How foolish I've been!" Rhett cried aloud.

He rose heavily, feeling a tender knot rising on the back of his head from where he had struck it on the nightstand. Scarlett's eyes in the portrait were staring down at him with an unforgiving smirk, as if she were amused by his antics.

My God! Scarlett! Rhett hurried down the hallway to Scarlett's room. He would kiss her, tell her that he loved her, that everything that was wrong between them would be righted. A fresh burst of life filled him, and he said it again in his mind: I love her.

The candles were still burning in the hallway, though no one was present. Why are they lit, Rhett wondered, it's morning. It's another day! He reeled backward as the sound of Mammy's sobs reached his ears. He found her sitting at the top of the staircase, her large brown face hidden in her hands, wailing.

"Mammy?" Rhett's face was pale. "Scarlett? NO!"

He dashed into the bedroom with a sense of dread. She's dead, he thought, and I didn't tell her…

The big bed was empty, but Melanie was standing there, clad in blue, the sun from the open window catching her hair like a halo. She smiled brightly at him, her presence working on him like a soothing balm.

"Look, Captain Butler. Its our Scarlett."

Indeed, Scarlett was sitting up in her wing chair, assisted heavily by Dr. Meade, who was scowling. "Now no sudden movements, Scarlett. You'll stay in bed at least three days."

"Fiddle-dee-dee, Doctor Meade." Scarlett's voice was hoarse but strong. "I'm quite well, thank you."

"If the doctor says you need to stay in bed you will," Rhett knelt down next to her and took her small hands in his. "You'll do it even if I have to chain you to it myself."

"Let's give Captain Butler and Scarlett some privacy, Doctor Meade," Melanie said politely. The good doctor nodded and collected his bag, shutting the door behind him with a look of annoyance.

"You're alive," Rhett uttered reverently.

"Don't act so surprised," Scarlett raised an eyebrow. "If I could make it past the Yankee line all by myself I could certainly handle a little old flight of stairs."

"The baby?" Rhett asked hesitantly.

"We don't know yet," Scarlett glossed over the topic. "Oh Rhett, I had the strangest dreams as I've been lying here. I was thinking about Twelve Oaks and Tara and all the times before the war. It was just like they were happening over again, down to little details, only differently…does that make sense?"

Rhett took her hand gently.

"Tell me about this dream."

"I don't know where to start. Rhett, tell me about the day we met…at Twelve Oaks."

"You threw a glass figurine at me."

"Did I? Think hard on it, Rhett."

Rhett closed his eyes, knowing the memory like the back of his hand. She had thrown herself at Ashley and he had listened in gleeful silence as she poured her little heart out.

"You told Ashley that he was worse than a cad and we kissed passionately on the loveseat."

Rhett put his hand over his mouth. Where the hell had that come from? Surely he wasn't still drunk.

"That was my dream exactly," Scarlett's eyes were wide. "And Pa, and my grandmother and Melly and oh dear, I think I might have killed Ashley."

"No!" Rhett put his hand to his mouth in mock horror. "What a terrible loss for humanity."

"Rhett, don't tease me. I dreamt about Bonnie too, I think. Am I crazy, Rhett? Doctor Meade thought that I hit my head."

Rhett's face went white. The child on the pony. The little girl screaming for him.

"Melanie!" Rhett bellowed. "Where's Bonnie?"

A/N: Thanks to everyone for the feedback. Keep it coming! :)