Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.

Prologue Part Three

The spirits followed Rhett as he walked to the hotel. He checked in then he had dinner in the hotel restaurant. He took a cab to his parents' townhouse. He waited across the street for someone, anyone to come out. If it was his mother, he would approach her. If it was his father, he would follow him. Hopefully, his father would be going to a public place. He knew his father would not speak to him but maybe Rhett could say the words in his presence.

Rhett's patience paid off. After an hour in which Rhett had replayed the entire buggy incident repeatedly, his father, Marshall Butler, left the townhouse. He was carrying a clock that had been in the family for years. Rhett guessed he was going to the pawn shop. Marshall would never get what it was worth these days, but Rhett knew he had to sell it to buy food. After Marshall had walked into the pawn shop, Rhett quickly walked in behind him. As Marshall set the clock down on the counter, Rhett said, "I'm sorry I brought so much shame on the Butler name. If I could go back, I would marry Caroline."

Marshall did not reply. He didn't even look at his eldest son. He completely ignored him. Rhett just stood there then he said, "This is not about me trying to get back into the family I know that is impossible. I just wanted you to know that I regret my actions."

Rhett turned and walked out of the store.

Melanie said, "See Scarlett he regrets his actions. He is trying to atone for all the wrong he has done. That had to be humiliating for his father to completely reject him. He knew his father was going to do it and he apologized anyway."

"I agree that was a humbling experience for Rhett. Maybe there is hope that he has learned his lesson and that he needs to consider other people before he acts. But let's watch a while longer before we ask the man to send us back. We have to be sure. We are only going to get one chance."

"True and we still have to wait for Ashley to develop some backbone."

Rhett walked back to his parents' townhouse. He knocked on the front door. When his mother answered the door, he handed her a hundred dollars. She took the money because she wasn't as proud as her husband. Also, she had already been taking money from Rhett. In Elizabeth's opinion eating was more important than honor. She said, "Rhett, you can't come here. What if your father sees you?"

"He is at the pawn shop, but I know I haven't got much time. I'm sorry for all the shame I brought on you and the family. I should have just married Caroline. I was a stupid, proud, arrogant child who thought he knew everything. I now know I knew nothing. Love you, Mother. Do you know the name Scarlett O'Hara?"

"Yes, she is Pauline and Eulalie's niece. She spent time with you during the war."

With a sad smile, Rhett said, "Yes, she did. What is their address? I must tell them that their niece is dead. In fact, the entire O'Hara family is dead," Elizabeth put her hand over her mouth and gasped. Rhett said, "Hurry, Mother, I must be gone before Father gets back."

"Eulalie lives at 124 Beaufain St."

"Goodbye. I will be back every now and then to give you some more money. I am going to be living in Jonesboro, Georgia."

"Where?"

"I am going to buy a plantation."

"What? You hate living in the country."

"Yes, I do. Goodbye."

With that Rhett hurried down the steps and down the street. He turned at the first corner. He hailed a cab at his first opportunity.

Rhett knocked on the door of Eulalie Boykins' townhouse, when Eulalie opened the door and saw Rhett Butler, she started to close the door. Rhett quickly said, "I do not want admittance into your home. I want to tell you that your sister and her entire family are dead. They didn't survive the war. Their bodies are buried at Tara."

Rhett left a stunned Eulalie.

Melanie said, "That was thoughtful of him. He was thinking of someone else when he told your aunt about your family. He didn't have to do that."

"No, he didn't. Let's go check on Ashley. Let's see if he is doing any better with making a decision and sticking to it. Once he decided to marry you, he should have told me to go away."

Melanie said disgustingly, "He certainly should have."

Scarlett laughed. The spirits disappeared and reappeared in Kennedy's store in Atlanta.

They observed Ashley talking to Tommy Welburn about the situation in Atlanta. Tommy said, "We need to do something about the freed people. They are just getting too uppity."

"I don't know what we can do with the Republicans in power. Not to mention all the Yankee soldiers that are around."

"We could make a raid on them and let them know we still have some strength."

"I don't think we should do that. We might get caught then our lives would be worse."

"How much worse can our lives get?"

"They can always get worse."

"If we decided to go on a raid, can we count on you."

"Of course, I will go."

Scarlett said, "Ashley, stick to your decisions. Stay true to your beliefs. This is also typical of him. He didn't believe in the war, but he went and fought anyway. He doesn't believe in going on a raid, but he will go anyway. He didn't believe in slavery, but he took his manservant with him when he joined the army."

"I don't know if he will ever be a decisive man."

"We have to give him a little bit more time. Maybe he will come to the realization on his own."

Back in Charleston, Rhett had gone to the pawn shop and purchased the clock. He had returned to the townhouse. He had left it in front of the door. He hoped his father would take it back. It deserved to stay in the family, although even if his father took it back, he probably would sell it again to get money for food. Maybe his father would not sell it because he wouldn't want to profit from Rhett's generosity. Rhett knew now he should have just married Caroline and retain his station in life. That meek, mild, stupid little fool could no more have stopped him from living his life the way he wanted to than his father could.

For the next two months the spirits had watched Rhett and Ashley. Both of them now felt that Rhett was truly remorseful for his actions at Rough and Ready. Maybe for his entire life. Ashley was the one that was not changing. He, in fact, was becoming even more wishy-washy if that was possible. They just had to hope Ashley finally saw the light.

In February Rhett had been at the sheriff's auction. He was going to buy Tara. He didn't care about making a profit on the cotton. He would give the cotton to anyone who wanted to pick it. He wanted Tara so nobody else would ever own it. He would live in the house that had once been Scarlett's home. He would sleep in her bed. He had figured out which room was hers by the items that he had found in the room, not the least being a wedding dress crumpled up in the bottom drawer of her dresser.

Rhett knew he had blown so many chances when his God damn pride had risen to the surface. When he had been asking her to marry him but instead had insulted her once again.

When the bidding for Tara started there was another man there that seemed to want Tara as much as Rhett did. It didn't matter to Rhett. He knew he could outbid the man. He had made over a million dollars off the war, and he had nothing else to spend his money on. He was going to have Scarlett's home.

Rhett finally won the bidding. He had bid two hundred and five dollars for the property. That seemed to have been too much for the other man.

Scarlett said, "I am so happy Rhett bought Tara and didn't let Jonas Wilkerson have it."

Melanie replied, "Who?"

"Jonas Wilkerson. He was our overseer until Mother made Pa fire him for having relations with Emmy Slattery without marriage."

"Yes, it was good that Captain Butler bought your family plantation."

After Rhett paid for Tara and got the deed, he rode out to Tara. He had already been living in the main house. He would have to get some men out there to make repairs although it didn't look like the Yankees had done much damage. Since no one was living there the Yankees probably just took what food they could find and left. There may not have been any there to steal. The residents of Clayton County may have already stripped Tara bare.

Rhett would have to get the entire house repainted. It appeared that Mr. O'Hara had not been keeping up with the maintenance on the property. No, he and everyone else in the South had been busy surviving.

Rhett would have to find some people to work for him. He wondered where he could find people who would be willing to live in the country. He would ask the Freedman's Bureau in Jonesboro.

Later that day Rhett rode into Atlanta to get supper. He could fend for himself for breakfast and dinner, but he needed a real cook to prepare his supper. He would then go to The Painted Lady and play cards for a couple of hours. He would have a couple of drinks but not so many where he was anywhere near intoxication. He still had to ride back to Tara in the dark.

Rhett never really talked to Belle these days. He didn't really talk to anyone these days except Mr. Wilkes. All Mr. Wilkes wanted to talk about was the past and since most of Wilkes past involved Scarlett. Rhett was quite willing to listen to the man drone on. It didn't take much to get the man to talk about Scarlett and Melanie. Rhett was learning everything about Scarlett. Everything he had never taken the time to learn because it had not been important to him.

In the last two months, Rhett had regularly given money to Fr. Bluett. He had given his half of The Painted Lady to Belle. He had even given money to the matrons to help fund their projects. They didn't want to take his money until he apologized for mocking and ridiculing the cause.

That afternoon, Rhett had gone to Kennedy's to get some miscellaneous items for his new house and maybe some chickens. As he walked in the door, he saw Mr. Wilkes. Rhett walked up to the counter and told Ashley, "I bought Tara today so I will be moving the bodies soon."

"Thank you, Mr. Butler, for doing this for me. I know I will never be able to repay you for your kindness."

"As I told you before, Mr. Wilkes, I am doing it because I respect your wife a great deal."

"Let me know when you are going to dig up the bodies. I am going to be there."

"It will not be a pretty sight."

"I don't care. I must make sure that Melly's and Beau's bodies are treated with respect. Beauregard Ashley Wilkes is what I would like for you to put on his headstone."

"Did you finally decide that was what Miss Melly named your son?"

"Yes, it was the name we both liked best. At this point it doesn't matter what she actually named him. He has to have a name for the tombstone. That is what I have chosen. Right or wrong I am going with it."

Scarlett turned to Melly and said, "I think they are ready. Let's go see the man."

"Yes, I agree. After we heard Ashley tell Mr. Wellburn that he would not be going on the raid no matter what because he thought it was wrong just to inflict pain upon a group of people who are already in such bad shape they are living in a place like Shantytown, I hoped he was ready but now I know he is."

When they found the man, Scarlett said, "Rhett and Ashley are ready to return in time."

Melanie said, "We think they have learned from their past mistakes."

The man said, "Have you two learned from your past mistakes?"

The spirits looked at each other and Scarlett said, "We believe so."

The man said, "Let me correct something you are wrong in. You will not be going back in time per se. You two, Ashley Wilkes, and Rhett Butler will be born again. You all will live your lives again and hopefully make better decisions."

"Will we retain the knowledge we know now?"

"Not exactly but all four of you will just know things. For example, the first time you two meet, you both will know that you were meant to be best friends forever."

"Oh."

"Do you still want to return?"

Both of the spirits said together, "Yes."

"Melly, you are destined to just have one child. Don't try for anymore. I don't want to see either one of you for seventy or eighty years. Do you hear me?"

The spirits smiled and said, "Yes, Sir we do."

"I will send you back now. Goodbye."