Title: Scarlett's Turn - part 3

Rating: PG for now

Author: Cutekitty74

Timeline: This begins shortly after Rhett's departure from Scarlett at the end of "Gone With The Wind."

Disclaimer: I do not own the Characters of "Gone With The Wind" , just this story line…

Feedback is appreciated. Please send comments to Cutekitty74@yahoo.com

Thank you for reading my story, I hope that it you enjoyed it! Please be gentle this is the first Gone With The Wind story I have ever written!

Their journey aboard the ship was now in it's fifth day. Scarlett had managed to keep herself occupied during the day and pushing herself to the point of exhaustion amusing the children. Making her sleep come without tormenting dreams. The sixth night her plan failed and her subconscious took over.

Scarlett's dreamscape……..

The blasted fog surrounded her yet again. Fear filled her as she began to make her way through the fog, not knowing where she was going. Suddenly someone was before her. As she neared the person she found her sister Sullen in tears. Scarlett found her voice "Sue what's wrong?"

Sullen turned to her, her voice full of rage "You stole him?" she hissed. She reached her hand out and slapped Scarlett across the face. Before Scarlett could react Sullen was gone.

Confusion filled her as she stood there. She then continued her journey through the fog. Another person came to her, this time it was Charles.

"Scarlett" he said in a quiet voice "how could you deceive me so?" His soft brown eyes filled with emotion "You should of never married me" He turned from her.

Scarlett reached out to him and took his shoulder forcing him to turn around "I am sorry" she said in a soft voice. But it was Frank who now faced her. His face was full of pain.

"You killed me with your lies" he hissed and as he shook her hand from him "You took away the only happiness I could of known." He began to walk away from her.

"No Frank you don't understand" she pleaded, but he continued away from her until he disappeared into the fog. Scarlett fell to her knees "Why does this keep haunting me." A hand on her shoulder brought her back to the situation as she looked up to meet Wade and Ella standing above her.

"Oh children" she said with relief as she tried to hug them, but they pulled away "What is wrong?"

Wade stood taller for a moment "Mother what game are you up to?" he questioned in a serious voice.

"No game Wade" she began with tears filling her eyes "I love you and want to make up for the past."

Wade pulled his hand from her and shook it in disgust "No Mother you can never make for the pain you have caused us." He took the silent Ella's hand and pulled her away with him "Find someone else to replace them with" he said in a low voice as they faded into the fog.

Scarlett screamed "STOP IT." She got up and began running blindly through the fog. She knew not where she was running to, but stopped when she crashed into someone. Looking up she was met by Ashley Wilkes's cold stare "My dear Scarlett, I am so sorry I can not love you anymore, my heart belongs to only one."

"Ashley I don't love you anymore, please understand" she paused "I understand now that you could never love me that way, we are too different."

"My dear Scarlett, I am so sorry I can not love you anymore, my heart belongs to only one" he repeated in the same dull tone.

"I understand Ashley" she said again.

"My dear Scarlett, I am so sorry I can not love you anymore, my heart belongs to only one" again he repeated.

Scarlett back away from him "Stop it Ashley" she screamed covering her ears with her hands as he repeated the same words over and over again. Her screams drown him out and she opened her eyes to see him gone and Melanie standing there.

"Scarlett darling please don't cry" her honey sweet reassuring voice filled the air "I understand everything now and blame you for nothing."

Scarlett stared unable to speak as Melanie continued "Darling you are so strong you will carry on, but please be kind to Captain Butler, he loves you so" and she also disappeared.

Scarlett began to fear who would be the next of her skeletons to face. Her answer came all to soon as a young Bonnie came skipping from the fog to her Mother. Her smile lit her tiny face "Momma" she said brightly as she jumped to her mother's arms. Scarlett wrapped her arms around her youngest and held her tight. Bonnie became suddenly cold and stiff. Scarlett pushed her back to be met by cold pale blue eyes. Bonnie's voice came softly "Did you ever really love me Momma?" as she too vanished from Scarlett's arms.

Scarlett fell to the ground, defeated by her own demons, sobbing into the cold ground. Footsteps again pulled her up to face another. Rhett stood before her. Dressed as he was when she last saw him. His eyes cold and hard "Well what do you have to say for yourself Mrs. Butler?" he questioned her as she still sat upon the ground "Never mind my dear I really don't give a damn to hear your lies anymore." He turned to walk away.

"Rhett" she managed to say in a weak voice, tears streaming her face "I am sorry."

He paused for a moment before speaking with his back still to her "Wake up Scarlett, but don't run too far."

She watched him fade away as the fog seemed to lift.

………………………………

Scarlett awoke soaked in sweat in her suite on board the ship. "I will wait in Ireland" she whispered into the night "I will wait and see what happens this time." She fell back upon her bed and was granted a dreamless sleep this time.

Back in Charleston Rhett was boarding a ship heading to Ireland. "I will find her and tell her, truly this time how I feel" he thought to himself as he entered his state room. He walked to the small bar and poured a brandy. Letting his mind drift to her "I am just as guilty as her with the lies and deceit" he smiled as he confessed to himself "just that I usually lied by refusing to speak the truth" he downed the drink and began unpacking his bags for his journey after Scarlett. Another thought entered his head as he opened his bag "Will I forever be chasing this woman" a smile lit his face as the answer came to him "Of course I will."