Disclaimer: I do not own Gone with the Wind.
Melanie knocked on the door, but got no response. "Captain Butler?" She called, "May I come in? It's Melanie Wilkes." There was still no response, so Melly slowly opened the door, preparing herself for what she would see. Melanie gasped when she saw Rhett. Even though she prepared herself for this, part of her still never expected to see him like this. Rhett was passed out on the bed. He looked terrible. His usually dark skin was now pale and he had large dark circles under his eyes. Rhett's hair was a mess and he now had a slight beard because he hadn't shaved in days. After Melanie got over her initial shock, she walked over to Rhett. Shaking him lightly, she said, "Captain Butler? Wake up Captain Butler."
Rhett could hear someone calling for him, but she sounded so far away. 'Scarlett?' Rhett thought. 'No, that doesn't sound like Scarlett. Besides, she fell. She's too sick to be calling for me. And if she wasn't, she must hate me now. Of course she hated me before. She didn't want this child. Maybe this will actually give her a reason to.' Rhett's thoughts were interrupted when he was shaken violently.
"Rhett!" Melanie had raised her voice. She was getting worried that he wasn't responding to her.
Slowly, Rhett opened one eye then the other. "Miss Melly? What are you doing here? I'm at Belle's aren't I?" Rhett thought for a second, 'Melanie Wilkes at Belle Watling's? Maybe I left. I can't imagine what would make Melanie come to..' "Scarlett! Is she?"
"No, but she's been asking for you. She woke up this morning. I didn't know what to tell her, so I came to look for you." Melanie looked at Rhett. He couldn't go see Scarlett while he was in such a state. "Captain Butler, I must ask you to clean yourself up. Scarlett is not doing well and while she needs you, she needs for you to be strong. Do you understand me Captain Butler?"
"Yes, Mrs. Wilkes. I do. But could you do me a favor?"
"What do you need me to do?"
"Could you call me Rhett? I think it's safe to say that we have become close and I really don't think you could ever lose your good reputation. Everyone loves you so."
Melanie thought to herself, 'Goodness, I never even realized how formal I am with Rhett. It does seem awfully odd that we are so close, but act like strangers sometimes. "Oh, of course Rhett. And I think you can call me Melly as well. We certainly have gotten close. I am honored that you feel the same Rhett. Now, on another note I know that you are a kind and gentle, man. But I must say, I think this time you have gone too far. You should not have come to a place like this in a time that your wife so obviously needs you. Now get yourself cleaned up and I don't ever want to have to come search for you here again. And I especially don't want to find you passed out. Anywhere. Do I make myself clear Rhett?"
Rhett grimaced. "You certainly do Melly. I'll never understand why you love Scarlett so much. You are so caring."
"Rhett Butler! I'll excuse you for that this once, because of. your state. But don't ever make a comment like that again. I will tell you this once. Scarlett has done more for me than anyone in my life. She took care of me during the war. She practically delivered Beau by herself and certainly saved both his and my lives. I know some people think that I am so naïve that I don't see who she really is, but the truth is that they wrote her off long ago. Scarlett is strong and loving." Rhett made a face. " No, don't make that face at me. She is a little self-centered at times, but she just needs to grow up. I can see who she really is, even though no one else can. You ask why I love her? I think it's the same reason you do." For the only time in his life, Rhett saw Melanie give a wry smile. He had underestimated her. She knew everything. Had known everything about Scarlett and Ashley. But the rest of them hadn't. Melanie knew they didn't truly love each other. She was a patient woman, and was willing to wait for them to realize it too. Rhett had known this also, but had given up because he could wait no longer for Scarlett to realize it. Rhett was amazed with Melanie. He knew she was a wonderful, loving, and strong woman, but he never imagined just how truly amazing she was.
"I'll be at the house by noon." Rhett said.
"Then I will leave you to become presentable. I will see you at twelve O'clock Rhett. Good bye."
"Good bye Melly. And thank you so much for coming here to get me. I know it isn't a place for a lady of your stature."
"You're welcome." With that, Melanie left the room, walked down the steps and out the door to Belle's saloon.
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Ashley brought Scarlett some chicken broth, but by the time he got back to the room she had fallen back asleep. Ashley sat back down and contemplated his feelings. 'Why am I not more upset that Scarlett doesn't want me here? A few years ago I would have been hurt and jealous. I could ring Rhett Butler's neck for not being here for her when she needs him. Could she really be in love with him? She must be, otherwise she wouldn't be calling for him. He wouldn't be the only one that could help her.' Ashley let out a sigh as he realized that he had lost Scarlett. It wasn't really a loss though. It was more like the two were being set free. They could finally live their lives without hiding anything or wishing that things had turned out differently.
Melly knocked on the door softly after she got back to Scarlett's home from speaking with Rhett. Stepping inside, she gave Ashley a quick kiss. "You can go home now, Ashley. I'll stay with Scarlett until Rhett arrives."
"He's coming then?"
"Yes, he should be here by twelve O'clock. I'll be home shortly after, if that's alright darling."
"That's fine." Ashley said. He started to walk out of the room but turned back. "I love you, Melly. I'll see you at home."
Smiling, Melanie said, "I love you too, darling. Good bye."
Melanie knocked on the door, but got no response. "Captain Butler?" She called, "May I come in? It's Melanie Wilkes." There was still no response, so Melly slowly opened the door, preparing herself for what she would see. Melanie gasped when she saw Rhett. Even though she prepared herself for this, part of her still never expected to see him like this. Rhett was passed out on the bed. He looked terrible. His usually dark skin was now pale and he had large dark circles under his eyes. Rhett's hair was a mess and he now had a slight beard because he hadn't shaved in days. After Melanie got over her initial shock, she walked over to Rhett. Shaking him lightly, she said, "Captain Butler? Wake up Captain Butler."
Rhett could hear someone calling for him, but she sounded so far away. 'Scarlett?' Rhett thought. 'No, that doesn't sound like Scarlett. Besides, she fell. She's too sick to be calling for me. And if she wasn't, she must hate me now. Of course she hated me before. She didn't want this child. Maybe this will actually give her a reason to.' Rhett's thoughts were interrupted when he was shaken violently.
"Rhett!" Melanie had raised her voice. She was getting worried that he wasn't responding to her.
Slowly, Rhett opened one eye then the other. "Miss Melly? What are you doing here? I'm at Belle's aren't I?" Rhett thought for a second, 'Melanie Wilkes at Belle Watling's? Maybe I left. I can't imagine what would make Melanie come to..' "Scarlett! Is she?"
"No, but she's been asking for you. She woke up this morning. I didn't know what to tell her, so I came to look for you." Melanie looked at Rhett. He couldn't go see Scarlett while he was in such a state. "Captain Butler, I must ask you to clean yourself up. Scarlett is not doing well and while she needs you, she needs for you to be strong. Do you understand me Captain Butler?"
"Yes, Mrs. Wilkes. I do. But could you do me a favor?"
"What do you need me to do?"
"Could you call me Rhett? I think it's safe to say that we have become close and I really don't think you could ever lose your good reputation. Everyone loves you so."
Melanie thought to herself, 'Goodness, I never even realized how formal I am with Rhett. It does seem awfully odd that we are so close, but act like strangers sometimes. "Oh, of course Rhett. And I think you can call me Melly as well. We certainly have gotten close. I am honored that you feel the same Rhett. Now, on another note I know that you are a kind and gentle, man. But I must say, I think this time you have gone too far. You should not have come to a place like this in a time that your wife so obviously needs you. Now get yourself cleaned up and I don't ever want to have to come search for you here again. And I especially don't want to find you passed out. Anywhere. Do I make myself clear Rhett?"
Rhett grimaced. "You certainly do Melly. I'll never understand why you love Scarlett so much. You are so caring."
"Rhett Butler! I'll excuse you for that this once, because of. your state. But don't ever make a comment like that again. I will tell you this once. Scarlett has done more for me than anyone in my life. She took care of me during the war. She practically delivered Beau by herself and certainly saved both his and my lives. I know some people think that I am so naïve that I don't see who she really is, but the truth is that they wrote her off long ago. Scarlett is strong and loving." Rhett made a face. " No, don't make that face at me. She is a little self-centered at times, but she just needs to grow up. I can see who she really is, even though no one else can. You ask why I love her? I think it's the same reason you do." For the only time in his life, Rhett saw Melanie give a wry smile. He had underestimated her. She knew everything. Had known everything about Scarlett and Ashley. But the rest of them hadn't. Melanie knew they didn't truly love each other. She was a patient woman, and was willing to wait for them to realize it too. Rhett had known this also, but had given up because he could wait no longer for Scarlett to realize it. Rhett was amazed with Melanie. He knew she was a wonderful, loving, and strong woman, but he never imagined just how truly amazing she was.
"I'll be at the house by noon." Rhett said.
"Then I will leave you to become presentable. I will see you at twelve O'clock Rhett. Good bye."
"Good bye Melly. And thank you so much for coming here to get me. I know it isn't a place for a lady of your stature."
"You're welcome." With that, Melanie left the room, walked down the steps and out the door to Belle's saloon.
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Ashley brought Scarlett some chicken broth, but by the time he got back to the room she had fallen back asleep. Ashley sat back down and contemplated his feelings. 'Why am I not more upset that Scarlett doesn't want me here? A few years ago I would have been hurt and jealous. I could ring Rhett Butler's neck for not being here for her when she needs him. Could she really be in love with him? She must be, otherwise she wouldn't be calling for him. He wouldn't be the only one that could help her.' Ashley let out a sigh as he realized that he had lost Scarlett. It wasn't really a loss though. It was more like the two were being set free. They could finally live their lives without hiding anything or wishing that things had turned out differently.
Melly knocked on the door softly after she got back to Scarlett's home from speaking with Rhett. Stepping inside, she gave Ashley a quick kiss. "You can go home now, Ashley. I'll stay with Scarlett until Rhett arrives."
"He's coming then?"
"Yes, he should be here by twelve O'clock. I'll be home shortly after, if that's alright darling."
"That's fine." Ashley said. He started to walk out of the room but turned back. "I love you, Melly. I'll see you at home."
Smiling, Melanie said, "I love you too, darling. Good bye."