I really tried to make this one longer, I just always write all at one time, so please be satisfied!
Before answering the door, Scarlett stopped in front of the hall mirror to straighten herself up. She wanted to be presentable just incase the person at the door was Tom. She wasn't stunning, but she was tidy and pretty enough. She pasted on a smile of adoration for Tom and walked to the door, as all the house's servants had gone with Pitty to Tara.
Rhett was surprised to see Scarlett answer her own door and just stared as the look of adoration on her face turned to one of shock, and then became pleasantly flustered all at once. He was so nervous that he was at a loss for words, though he would never admit it to anyone.
Scarlett mumbled something similar to an invitation inside but Rhett didn't hear it and stepped in of his own accord, still trying to regain his speech. By the time she closed the door behind them, he simply forsook words and grabbed her in a violent embrace.
His mouth found hers and he kissed her so desperately that the shock she felt at the attack was almost overcome with awe and humbleness. When she didn't kiss him back his kiss softened and slowed and he stood looking down at her, her head bowed.
"Scarlett, look at me." he said, his voice throbbing with emotion.
She warily rose her gaze to his eyes and looked at him, expectantly, but dubiously. She was curious as the reason behind his actions, but she knew that the situation was becoming increasingly complex for her, and she wasn't sure that she was quite ready to give up simplicity yet.
He saw that she was scared and softened his face a bit, still holding her close. He wanted nothing more than to reassure her and to make her happy, but he needed to get what he came for.
"Scarlett do you care for me at all?" He put so much stress on this question that she was almost afraid to answer.
"Why Rhett, you are one of my closest friends even though you're a rascal. Sure I care for you." She said blandly.
Rhett was trying to be patient with her. "No Scarlett you know what I mean. You know me better than almost anyone else, so tell me. Do you care for me?" he took her hand in both of his as he said this, "For I love you more than you could possibly know. I love you about as much as a man can love a woman and my entire happiness depends on you answer." Rhett paused for her words, not tearing his eyes from her face. Every second that she took to think was tearing a hole in his heart. He could see the wheels in her mind turning at a mile a minute, and he wanted to know what they were deciding.
Finally he couldn't take it anymore so he swiftly wrapped his arms around her frame once again and fastened his mouth over hers.
For her the kiss was a revelation, and all at once she knew that she loved this man. Her pride had kept her from recognizing it, for she could not love some one who didn't simply adore her. Now she knew that he did, and she knew that she loved him. The whole experience, though lasting a millisecond, humbled her, rather than empowering her like she expected.
She broke the kiss and took Rhett's face in her hands, looking at him in a whole new light. Before she could stop herself, she whispered "Yes" and watched his disbelieving expression before bringing his face down to hers once more and kissing him back.
He lifted her up off the floor and kissed her with such happiness that she though she was dreaming it. He set her back down and looked at her passionately, reaching down to brush stray hair from her face, too ecstatic to notice the sadness that had set in.
"Marry me Scarlett." he requested breathlessly.
Scarlett looked down and took a step away from him. Looking back up forlornly she said quietly, "Rhett I can't"
He felt his whole world crashing down around his ears as she said this, and he reached for her in denial, although he knew it was to be in vain. "What do you mean you can't? I love you" he said, as though it would solve everything. She stepped back further with tears in her eyes.
"I promised that I would marry Tom. He already lost one wife and I don't know if he could stand to lose another. Rhett, as much as I want to I can't marry you."
The irony of the situation was killing him. Just when Scarlett finally realized that she loved him, she became unavailable. He mentally chided himself for thinking that anything could work out that well, and resorted to the sarcastic barrier he had built his whole life.
His face hardened as he said "What is this, you've grown a heart my dear? Since when did you start to care about the feelings of another?" Subconsciously he knew that she didn't deserve this, but he couldn't stop himself. Even the stricken look on her face didn't stop him from harping on her to relieve his own pain. "Scarlett, do yourself a favor and stop trying to be your mother. It tires me."
As hard as he tried to keep his face unreadable, pain showed clearly through his narrowed eyes. Scarlett was speechless, it was like he could not stop himself, and even though she saw his pain, the words tore at her heart.
She raised her hand to cup his face, but he started to shake at her closeness and stepped away, needing to distance himself from her. He headed to the door, and with a mixture of sadness and rage turned towards her in the doorway and said,
"Go raise yourself a respectable family Scarlett, and see if it makes you happy."
Not being able to take her look of remorse and self-condemnation any more, he turned and headed down the porch steps trying to hold his composure until he turned the corner of the street, leaving the front door wide open. Scarlett ran to the door and watched him stride off, tears running down her face, until he disappeared.
She slowly closed the door and slumped down on the other side of it, sadness and fatigue taking over her body, recognizing defeat.
Life had a cruel sense of humor.
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