Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

Author's Note: Just another returning in time story.

Scarlett was heartbroken as she laid in her bed. Bonnie had only been dead for less than 3 months, Melanie died because of a miscarriage, and Rhett chooses now to leave her.
She was so sad and so angry. Melanie died trying to have another child. What a silly goose she was. Didn't she know how important she was to Ashley, Beau and Scarlett. Actually, how important she was to everyone. Scarlett wished she had known how important Melly had been to her. This seriously was a character flaw in her. To not realize how important someone was to her until she had lost them. She would definitely start working to correct that today! And it was true about Rhett also. She had taken him for granted thinking he would always be there. But to be fair today was the first time Rhett had let her see into his heart. She had never known he had loved her for years. A fact that he had gone to great effort to hide from her for 12 years. He had stated her obsession with Ashley was why their marriage had failed. He was conveniently forgetting all his less than loving actions towards her. In fact, truth be told a lot of his actions were downright hateful and cruel. He may call her obtuse but she didn't think anyone but Melly would have thought he loved her. He let Melly see inside his soul and that is why she knew he had loved her.
He was a coward as far as his emotions were concerned which she had never realized could happened. Scarlett had always thought if one was brave that was both physically and emotionally but now, she knew that one could be physically brave but not emotionally brave. Both Rhett and Ashley were emotional cowards. She and Melly were much stronger than they were emotionally. That thought made her laugh. She also realized that Charles, her first husband, was emotionally strong also. He had the emotional strength to tell her he loved her and ask her to marry him even though his entire family expected him to marry Honey. Wade had that strength also or he would not be as well-adjusted as he was after everything he had suffered already in his young life.
She really wished she could go back and live her life over again. So many things she would change but one thing she would not change and that was marrying Charles. Because with that one act she had Wade and Melanie permanently in her life.
Scarlett fell asleep thinking about it.

When she woke, she was in the parlor of Miss Pitty Pat's home. What was she doing here? How had she gotten here? She saw the gold sash in her hand. She heard Ashley coming down the stairs. She knew she had gone back in time somehow. She looked at the dress she was wearing. She had gone back in time to the last day of Ashley's Christmas furlough of 1863. Perfect! She would start righting some of her mistakes.
Scarlett now realized that Ashley was not happy to see her as she had thought the first time. Maybe she really was obtuse because judging by his expression it was fairly obvious, he was annoyed she was waiting for him.
She quickly told him, "Ashley, I want to tell you two things. You made the right decision marrying Melanie. She really is the perfect match for you." Scarlett almost laughed out loud at the shocked expression on Ashley's face. "And I promise I will take care of Melly until you can come back, no matter what. Goodbye. And be safe." She then walked to the door and opened it making sure to keep the door between her and Ashley so he would not hug her or kiss her.
A big smile broke out on Ashley's face and he said, "Thank you Scarlett. That makes me feel so much better knowing you will be keeping Melly safe. Goodbye."
Ashley left the little house and made his way to the train station and back to the war.

Scarlett shut the door and started to wonder. Is this a dream? So, she pinched herself and felt the pain. No dream. How did I get here? Never mind. She probably wouldn't understand how anyway. She hoped she had been given a chance to correct her mistakes. And she was going to start right now.

She sat at the dining room table and started making a list of everything she wanted to change about her life.
1. Improve her relationship with Wade and Melanie.
2. Get the money for the taxes so she didn't have to marry Frank. Maybe by not marrying him he wouldn't be killed in the raid. At least she will not betray Suellen.
3. As soon as the war is over get Suellen married to Frank.
4. Earn/ get one thousand dollars in greenbacks or gold. Money for the taxes and to buy the saw mill after the war.
5. Restore her reputation or at least not make it any worse
6. Take Melly to Tara around the first of June before the Yankees attack Atlanta. Between Mother and Mammy, they knew everything about childbearing. Maybe they could prevent Melly being damaged.
7. Most importantly make Rhett admit his feelings before she married him. She would not marry him if he didn't admit he loved her first. He had to trust her enough to open up to her or the marriage would be doomed. She would not go through that again.

She saw Wade on the stairs and he looked so scared, shy and quiet. She would start repairing relationships right now. "Come on down, Wade. I will fix you some breakfast." The sweet smile he gave her reminded her of his father and it warmed her heart.