Time passed so quickly that Scarlett had little time to reflect on her life, but that little time was enough. It was only late at night, when sleep avoided her, did her mind again run over the last year. So much lost, so many regrets. Nothing she could do would ever right the wrongs in her life. A single tear fell as she thought again of Rhett. Her heart broke again with thoughts of him. Her heart argued with her mind, she knew that it had been right to let him go, but her stubborn heart fought that thought, she never truly lost a man before, not one that she truly loved. Again she sighed "You sound like a spoiled child" she mumbled to herself "just as Rhett saw you." Giving up sleep, she got out of bed, wrapped up in her robe as she pulled open the windows and sat down on the ledge. The cool spring breeze lifted her hair as it caressed her skin. Scarlett sighed "Is this to be my life" she thought "to be plagued with guilt for actions I can not correct" she shivered, not from the cool air, but the thought "I sound more and more like those that I despised after the war" she rose from her sitting place and crossed the short distance of her room to the bureau "too weak to let go of the past yet not strong enough to go on" her voice was soft as she slowly opened the stand. She carefully removed a well hidden bottle from the back. "Only on nights I can't sleep" she promised herself as she tipped the bottle back. The brandy slowly worked it's way through her body, leaving her with a slight warm feeling. She instantly relaxed. She took one more quick drink and then hid the bottle back in the stand. Slowly she made her way to her lonely bed and soon sleep found her and blessed her with no dreams that night.

The new day brought new hope for Scarlett, finally Sullen and her family were moving into their own home. Scarlett was happy to see them go as the last of their things was hauled away. She turned to Ella and Wade "Well now the fun begins" she said with a bright smile.

"What would that be Mother?" questioned Ella, her voice was full of childish excitement at the possibility of a new game with her Mother.

Scarlett smiled at her daughter so lovingly "Why Ella honey we get to fix up Tara for ourselves" she giggled at the slightly disheartened look her young face took on "What is it honey?" she asked as she knelt down to her "You look as though you are going to cry" Scarlett for the life of her could not understand what was wrong with Ella.

Wade shook his head "Ella knock it off, you are scaring Mother" Wade looked up to Scarlett as he tried to explain his little sister's sudden mood change "She doesn't want to do anymore work" Wade looked down at his sister again "Now knock it off or Mother won't let you pick the color for your room."

Ella quickly looked to her Brother then Mother "I can pick the paint for my own room" her young eyes lit up happily.

"Yes you silly goose" Scarlett laughed as she grabbed her daughter's hand "I have some paint samples in the library" she and Ella made their way in the house.

Wade stood there for some time thinking about his Mother. She rarely had a kind word before and always quick to yell, but now. He didn't know if he really like her this way as he had at first. She smiled and laughed, but her eyes never sparkled like he remembered. He knew his Mother was a beautiful woman, but without that spark she somehow seemed subdued. He had heard her crying the night before, as he had many nights before. Rhett Butler was still the cause of his Mother's misery. Wade began to wonder for the first time if Rhett too was hurting. He shrugged the thought away as he followed them into the house.

Rhett sat at his desk in the study. Before him another attempted letter to Scarlett. He crumpled the paper and threw it into the roaring fireplace "I can't do this anymore" he sighed. He knew that Scarlett was well from what Henry had written and he knew he had to see her again. She drew him like a moth to a flame. He hated to admit how deeply he loved her, but the thought had driven him to the bottom of a bottle more than one night. With that thought he glanced toward the liquor cabinet "No" he told himself "The cure for your problems will not be found in the bottom of a bottle" he paused as he turned to the empty sheet of paper before him "No I believe the only cure for you is the cause and that will be found in Clayton County." He got up and left the study. Once he was in his room he began to pack his belongings. A noise at the door caused him to turn toward it.

"Where are you off to now son" asked Eleanor Butler as she watched her son pack his clothing "Are you running away again?"

Rhett cleared his throat "No Mother I think I need to face this one head on" he turned from her upset glare "I know you are disappointed in my behavior toward my wife and before you begin on me again" he paused as he closed his suitcase "I want you to know I am going back to her and see if she will take back a cad like me." A slight smile crossed his face "I think I have given her enough time to heal, as she put it, and I feel that I am ready to admit that I have not been exactly fair to her." He walked up to his mother "I can't fight you both on this and I do see the error in my ways" he leaned in a placed a small kiss on his mother's cheek "I will try this time." He passed her and entered the hall, her voice stopped him from descending the stairs.


"Be kind to her Rhett" said Eleanor in a quiet voice "She is not as strong as you think."

Rhett took the words to heart, just as he had taken similar words to heart from Melanie "Don't worry Mother. I have learned a valuable lesson from all of this" he turned to look at her "I am only half a man without her" he smiled "I love her. God help me I love that woman more than I should" his mother shared the smile with him "and if I spend the rest of my life I will make her love me back and repair the damage of the last few years." He turned from his mother, descended the stairs and left the house. Two hours later he was on a train headed to Atlanta, and hopefully to a brighter future, with Scarlett.