After a couple quick stops, Rhett returned home. After entering the house, he mustered up his courage to face Scarlett. He climbed the stairs two at a time finally reaching his destination, her closed door. He had caused the closing this time and had to find a way back into her heart. He knocked softly on the door "Scarlett" he said in a soft voice. No response. He knocked a little louder "Scarlett, please I need to talk to you" he said in a little louder voice "Please" he finished. Still no response from the other side. A chill ran down his back as fear that something had happened while he was gone. He grabbed the handle to find the door still locked from the inside "Scarlett" he called louder "Scarlett open this door" he pushed against the door. Still no response, he had thought for sure she would of said something just to keep the servants from knowing anything. He dropped the roses he had bought for her, stepped back and kicked in the door. Quickly entering he found her lying on the bed in the dim light of a single candle. As he approached her he saw the blood "SCARLETT NO" he yelled as he ran to her side and picked her up to his arms. He looked down and saw she had slit her wrists. He had caused this, she was dieing because of him. She felt so cold, limp and small in his arms. Her face so pale against her raven hair "Scarlett" he whispered "Don't leave me" he begged. "HELP" he screamed.
A servant ran for the doctor, the children were taken to Pittypat's and Rhett stayed holding her, watching her shallow breaths, praying to anyone who would listen.
Scarlett lay near death for two days, before she woke up. Dr. Meade said that he had been worried about her lately, she had seemed do depressed of late. She had lost a lot of blood and had Rhett not broken in the door when he did she would have surely died that night.
Rhett had found a letter, stained with her tears. She had apologized for every wrong she had ever done to him, but could see no way to go on. She had tried to be strong, but when she came face to face with him and saw no feelings in his eyes she gave up.
Rhett was by her side when she awoke. Long lashed batted a couple times before her pale green eyes finally showed themselves. She looked at him, ragged and tired "Rhett" she questioned in a weak voice.
He pressed his fingers gently to her mouth "Hush Scarlett" he began "you need your rest."
A thousand questions ran through her mind "What happened? Why was Rhett here? Why wasn't she with her Mother and Pa and precious Bonnie?" She began to cry "Oh God I am so sorry I was so weak" she cried to herself suddenly ashamed of taking the cowards way out of life. She would of left Wade and Ella with no one. She wanted to hide from Rhett and the rest of the world, she had yet again proved herself a coward.
Rhett caught her face as she tried to turn away "Scarlett, darling it is alright" he said in a comforting voice "I am here and I am not going anywhere" he bent down and kissed her gently on the lips "Promise me you won't do anything like this again" he asked.
Scarlett managed to nod that she wouldn't. Rhett smiled slightly at her "I am going to take you and the children away from this place for awhile. I think it would be best to get away from all painful memories held here." As he looked down on her he noticed again how frail and childlike she appeared. He had never seen her so vulnerable and scared "Scarlett I am not leaving you" he said again "I came back here to maybe try but I guess I let my stubbornness get in the way again" he paused as he took her small hand in his "I'm sorry."
Scarlett didn't know what to say. She was so tired of everything, the fighting the struggling, but he wanted to try again "Oh Rhett" she whispered "Please do that" she begged "Take me and the children away from here" more tears slipped down her face as she squeezed his hand.
"Rest now my pet" he said in a soft voice. He watched her close her eyes and waited until sleep claimed her. Feeling more confident that she was out of the woods he left her with her maid and went in search of a bath and fresh clothing.
The next few weeks passed quickly in the Butler home. Rhett signed the papers selling Scarlett's half of the Mill to Ashley. He hired a full time manager to watch the store for her. Took the children to school and generally ran the household while Scarlett gained her strength. He still couldn't bring himself to ask her about the attempt on her life. He didn't know what to say to her. He had brought this on, by being so cruel to her. He knew she was not a saint, but he also knew that she loved him now. If only he hadn't closed his heart to her so long ago. But then there was nothing he could do about the past, he had to look to the future and what it would hold for them. He had just finished arranging passage for all of them to England. They would stop first and visit his Mother in Charleston and then voyage to England for an indefinite stay. He had not brought up the subject of selling the Atlanta house, he would wait until they were in England to broach the subject.
Upon returning home he found Scarlett on the veranda sipping tea. She sat back in her chair enjoying the light breeze of the spring. She looked up at the sound of his footsteps and smiled at him. The irony of the situation did not escape him, this is how he found her recovering from the miscarriage the day Bonnie fell, but she did not greet him with a smile that day "Well Mrs. Butler I see you are looking better today" he commented as he took a seat next to her and pulled out a cigar, lighting it "What have you been up to today?" he asked.
Scarlett sighed slightly as she set her tea cup down "Nothing much" she commented "Not that you or Mammy will let me out of your sight for five minutes" she frowned slightly "I have learned the error of my ways and promise to never do anything like that again" she finished as she again picked up her cup taking a small sip.
Rhett smiled at her. Her strength and stubbornness were coming back a little more and more each day. She had a softness about her now, she reminded him of what she was like before the war, before all the tragedy in her life "Well you needn't worry about being stuck here much longer" he began as he noted her eyes light up "I plan on taking you away from here for awhile" he finished as he puffed thoughtfully on his cigar "Would you like that my pet?" he asked with a smile, already knowing the truth.
"Oh Rhett" she said with a gasp "Where are we going?" she asked.
"Well I thought we would visit my Mother for a while" he laughed as he saw her smile fade at the mention of Charleston "But after that I thought you would like to take the children to England for a stay." He loved the look of excitement that lit her eyes.
"Oh Rhett that will be wonderful" she exclaimed "But I do hope the children will like the idea of the trip as well" she sat back with her tea in hand and let her mind wonder to the shopping she could do there and the frocks she could buy for herself and Ella. As she set her now empty cup back on the table she saw how Rhett stared at the bandages on her wrists, her smile fell "I am sorry Rhett" she said in a whisper "I don't know what I was thinking, I was a coward for trying to take my life" she finished.
"My dear we need not talk about that now" he began as he took her hand in his and pulled her to her feet "We will talk of that another day" he led her into the house "Right now I would like to show you exactly how much I love you" he said as he swept her up in his arms and carried her up the stairs. He carried her to his room, purposely avoiding her room as she had since she woke up.
As he laid her down on the bed her voice stopped him "Rhett I love you" and then she pulled him to her and kissed him with all her heart.
