Scarlett was lost in the cold again running, always running. She couldn't escape it; it had been there for so long, chasing her. Turning she could for the first time make out at what was chasing her, a man. She let out a gasp, "No, it can't be, that's not right," confusion filled her. It was Ashley Wilkes following her unseeingly. Why had she been so afraid of him, it made no sense, "But I love him" she thought.
"I love him" her mind screamed again. She turned abruptly, facing him before rushing into his arms.
"Scarlett no, you can't!" He said to her, pushing her away. She just held tighter, convinced that if she did the hunger and cold would go away. When it didn't Scarlett looked up into his eyes and saw it, that distant look, she couldn't stand it. Hunger stabbed at her and she clasped her stomach dropping to the ground.
"I love you Ashley, and you love me, I know it," she cried, grabbing at his legs "Make it stop, please I know you can." She looked up again, this time full of pleading. And saw his far off eyes come back, full of a look that made her recoil.
"No Scarlett, I can't," he said then sobbing brokenly, "it's gone, and I can't anymore."
"Ashley what's gone, what is it?" She asked trying hard not to look away. But there came no reply, the distant look was back and he was wondering away from her calling Melly's name. "He left me, when I most needed help. He can't love me, if he ever did he'd have helped me, done something about it." She realized stricken, "he's broken, living only in a dream or a hell. Melly's that dream." Blackness swirled around her and she was consumed in fog and cold.
"NO!" Scarlett cried, wakening to a wet face, but wrapped in strong arms. She looked up into Rhett's face and saw that look again, and it puzzled her.
"What is it darling," He asked kindly.
"It was the dream again, the one I had yesterday," She cried, but she was drained and as she looked up again, the last thing she saw before falling into blackness was that tender look. And as dark cold consumed her again she mentally clutched it to her. After what seemed like hours it started to fade and she was left with nothing, and she rose stumbling blindly. She was being pursued again, and she could hear Ashley's footsteps just behind her. Scarlett knew she could no longer love him as she once had, and she felt lost, an empty lack of feeling inched in beside the hunger, filling her with more pain than before. "He's not like you, he's queer. Only when like marries like is there happiness" the memory came to her empty mind and when she pushed it away, "He's a dream that doesn't exist, he's your past, and it's gone. He's Melanie's, and you can't have him, he belongs in the dream with her."
"No, stop it!" she cried. But as these words sunk in her mind it registered the truth, and she fell again into mist, and was lost. When she finally hit the ground she was running again, and she knew she had to find what was just ahead in the fog. When her feet started aching, she slowed, winded. She finally stopped and the cold hunger joined the pain and she started to collapse. Before she hit the ground, however, strong arms wrapped around her and when she looked up, she saw Rhett, with that puzzling look in his eyes.
"Come back Scarlett, I… I love you" He lifter her easily and wrapped her in something warm. When she snuggled closer the darkness began to lift and the Hotel room in New Orleans came into view. She was in Rhett's arms and sunlight was streaming in through the window.
"Oh Rhett," Scarlett said happily, and laughed at his confused look, before kissing it away. "There's so much I need to do."