Nobody has posted in a while so I decided to sit down and write a chapter. Just a warning that if you are expecting a typical story with Rhett and Scarlett having their same old attitudes you will probably be dissapointed. They have been through many things in this story and have changed accordingly. I hope you enjoy.


As soon as Scarlett got back home she through herself back into her life. She wanted to do all she could to forget that she had ever met Rhett Butler. Doing this was a lot harder than she thought it would be. First there was Ella who hadn't stopped talking about Rhett since she had seen him at the house. Then there were always the lingering memories that Scarlett knew she could never forget. A couple of week after returning from the horse fair, all Scarlett's hopes of forgetting Rhett were forever lost.

As she walked past the front door, she heard a knock and since she was there she decided to open it. As soon as she did she regretted it.

"Scarlett O'Hara answering her own door. This must be a dream." Rhett was very shocked at being greeting by Scarlett, but as usual his face showed only his usual smug smile.

"What do you want Rhett?" Scarlett was furious.

Rhett feigned shock, "Why Mrs. Butler is that anyway to greet a guest. Couldn't you at least ask me in?"

"No I'm sorry I can't ask you in. Just say what you came here for and leave." Scarlett wanted this to be over with as soon as possible.

"I came here to talk to you, so why don't we go inside and have a talk." Rhett wasn't going to give up easily.

Scarlett knew this wouldn't be easy, "Rhett I don't want you to come into my house. The children are here and seeing you here again would give them the wrong impression. If it is terribly important I suppose we could talk out on the porch."

Rhett made a grand gesture towards the porch, "Well then the porch it is my dear."

After Scarlett was situated in a chair and Rhett standing in front of her Scarlett stated flatly, "All right Rhett go on, I'm listening."

Rhett hesitated for moment before he began, "Scarlett over the past couple of years I have had a lot of time to think. I have thought about all the things I've done in my life and all the people I have affected. You know as well as I that I have hurt many people in my life, whether it be physically or mental. While I was thinking about these things I realized that one of the people I hurt most was you. When we were married and even before that I hurt you in every way I could."

"Rhett what is it that you are trying to say or are you just here to remind me of the things I will never forget." Scarlett was uncomfortable with the way Rhett was acting. He almost seemed remorseful.

"Patience my dear, I am getting to my point. Now where was I…oh yes I have hurt you many ways. I have come here today to apologize and tell you why I did such things. You see Scarlett before I met you, no woman had ever interested me. Before you all I ever cared about was myself and things that would make me happy. But when I saw you that day at Twelve Oaks I knew that you were someone that I could someday love. I think that is where it all started. I had never loved anyone before you and I suppose the new feeling frightened me. The fact that you had such control over me was overwhelming, so I did the one thing I knew how to do. I hurt you. I understand now that I never actually gave you the chance to love me back. For all those things Scarlett, I am truly sorry."

Scarlett was nearly frozen in shock. The high and mighty Rhett Butler had just apologized to her. Not only that he had also admitted that he had loved her before. "Rhett I…um…I'm not sure what to say. I truly do appreciate the apology, though I'm sure you know that you weren't the only one trying to be hurtful back then. I suppose it would be my turn to apologize now."

"No Scarlett you don't have to do anything. I just wanted you to know how I feel." Rhett could see that his little speech had began to break down Scarlett's icy wall from before.

"Well Rhett I am sorry for the times I hurt you. Though I still don't understand why all of this matters now." Scarlett just knew Rhett had to be up to something.

"Scarlett I'll tell you why it matters. Believe it or not Scarlett I am about to turn 48 years old. I have spent nearly 48 years living for myself. Yes during that time I was married twice but both time were in some way to better my life, or so I thought. Maybe what I'm saying is that I don't want to be alone anymore. In 20 years I don't want to be a lonely old man who sits around thinking of what his life could have been like." Rhett was hoping that Scarlett was understanding his point.

Scarlett however had never been one able to read between the lines, "That's all very well Rhett, but I still don't understand what that has to do with apologizing to me."

Rhett knew this was it. This was going to have to be the time for him to put he guard down and say what he really meant. Something he hadn't done in nearly 40 years, "Scarlett I am saying this because what I do want in twenty years is to be sitting on the porch enjoying the sunset with my lovely wife and maybe some grandchildren in the yard playing. I want to see my children, Wade and Ella, grow up. I want to be with you Scarlett." Rhett was know kneeling in front of Scarlett with her hands in his and he hesitated for a second before he continued, "I love you."

Tears were starting to roll down Scarlett's face, "Rhett…I…I can't do this. I can't go through this again. I can't put the children through this again. Sure you may want this now, but who says you won't change your mind in the years, months, even weeks to come. No, I won't go through it again."

"Scarlett I will not hurt you or the children again, you have to believe that. I love you and them more than I can possibly say. Say that you will give us another chance." Rhett was practically pleading, something he had never done before.

Scarlett knew Rhett's words were sincere, but she was too afraid, "So much has happened. How could we just forget the past and let it go. There are so many things that you don't even know about Rhett. How could we just move on?"

"We could, we could find a way. All that matters is that we love each other and I love you with my whole heart Scarlett. I always have and I always will." Rhett was cursing himself inside for seeming so weak, but his heart had taken over his mouth.

Scarlett's face turned from one of shock and confusion to one of anger. She had been trying to think why this scene seemed familiar. When she went to Charleston she had been pleading for a second chance, but Rhett wouldn't give her one. Why should she give him one? "If that is all you have to say Mr. Butler, I must ask you to leave now." Scarlett stood and quickly walked toward the door.

Now it was Rhett's turn to be shocked, he had thought he was getting through to her, "Scarlett wait, what about everything I said?"

"I except your apology Mr. Butler, but you must know that sorry doesn't erase the past. Now if you will excuse me I have work to do." Scarlett wanted him to feel how she had when she was turned down countless times.

"All right Scarlett I'll leave you for now, but you know as well as I do that this is not the end of this. When Rhett Butler wants something he gets it. And he wants his family back." Rhett had regained his arrogance and sarcasm. He couldn't believe he had opened himself up to her like that and still been completely shot down.