Chapter 1

It was the first time that Scarlett had ever been sick. Now, she was sicker than anyone dared believe. She was pale against the white sheets and small, dwarfed by the size of the enormous bed. At times she lay completely still as if death had already come to claim her, leaving nothing but a shell of her former self behind. Other times, she writhed in agony. Twisting and turning in bed and with each twist and turn, she screamed out in agony. She spoke in wordless murmurings. Once in awhile, those in the room would pick up bits and pieces of words that they understood. The Yankees were coming! Melly was having her baby. Tara, home to Tara. "I want my mother," they heard Scarlett wail.

But more often than not, her voice was barely above a whisper, seemingly not even decipherable by those who loved her the most.

"Melly?" her voice whispered clearly on the second day after the fall.

"S'me child," answered Mammy, placing a cool cloth on her forehead in yet another effort to bring down her soaring fever. "Ah with mah lamb, Miss Scarlett. Ahs here wid you."

"Mammy," Scarlett breathed just before her fingers wound themselves around the sheet and blanket, straining once again in pain. Again, she started talking, muttering something that Mammy could not understand. Mammy strained to hear what Scarlett said, but even leaning in close she couldn't pick up on the wordless sighs and moans coming from the woman who was so obviously struggling with indescribable pain whenever she was conscious.

Typically, in moments like this, Scarlett would drift off again into a state of unconsciousness where her body would work to heal without its owner feeling its forces at work. Other times, Mammy, Melly or Doctor Meade would give her a dose of morphine to ease her out of her pain. This time, however, she had just been given a dose and it did little to calm her. Mammy could not give her any more of the strong pain killer. Scarlett had already had enough, yet she was still conscious and obviously racked with pain.

"Mammy…" Scarlett called in a low whisper.

"Whut chile?"

Scarlett rolled her head from side to side. "No…no. Please…I want…" Scarlett grimaced as another wave of pain racked her body.

"Whut chile? Whut do you want?" asked Mammy with tears streaming down her face. She twisted her old black hands in helpless frustration. Her lamb was hurting and she couldn't do anything to help. What did she want? "Do you want someone, chile?"

"No…no!" She spoke weakly, yet rapidly as if fearing she wouldn't get her words out before another wave of pain rolled through her body. "He…It's no use…It's no use…Rhett…" The name was barely audible. Despite the effort it took, she seemed determined to persevere. "Rhett…Oh, no…doesn't want." Her words were not even a whisper, but this time, there was no mistaking her meaning. Mammy heard them and knew she had to get Captain Butler. She heaved her great bulk out of the chair that she'd been sitting in for the last hour and walked to the door. In the hallway at the top of the stairs, she saw Doctor Meade talking with Melanie. For the last two days, since Scarlett's fall, Mammy and Melanie had been taking turns sitting at Scarlett's bedside.

"Miz Scarlett is calling for Mist' Rhett," Mammy called to the pair.

"I'll get him," said Melanie, starting for his room.

"I don't know, Mammy," Doctor Meade put out an arm to stop Melanie's movements. "She has to stay calm. She needs her rest. I just gave her a dose of morphine. She cannot be having visitors and talking."

"Ah no it 'tain't fittin," said Mammy, who had started to cry lightly now. "But dat mah lamb in dere and she's not gittin better. She needs Mist' Rhett and she need 'im now," she finished with a voice that was far stronger than she was feeling. Melanie nodded in agreement with Mammy and despite Doctor Meade's reservations, she knocked lightly on Rhett's bedroom door.

* * *

Mammy had been the first to hear Rhett's cries for help as he picked Scarlett up from the carpet at the bottom of the stairs. Mammy had been with Bonnie, getting her and her new kitten settled when she heard Rhett's hoarse voice yelling for help. She had come out of the nursery and was stocked when she saw Rhett swiftly climbing the stair, two at a time, carrying Scarlett's lifeless form.

"Get a doctor, Mammy! Quick! Oh, God…Oh, my God!" cried Rhett.

Stunned and reluctant to leave Scarlett now, Mammy had forced herself to get help. She had sent Pork to fetch Doctor Meade and Lou to find Melanie. Mammy was there at the kitchen gathering some clean cloths and cool water when Lou unceremoniously ushered a bewildered Melanie through the door.

"Oh, Miz Melly, Ahs so glad you come," exclaimed Mammy with tears coursing down her black cheeks.

"What is it, Mammy?" asked Melly as she took off her bonnet and laid her shawl on the back of a kitchen chair.

"It's Miz Scarlett. She fell down de parlor stairs. Ahs 'fraid my lamb isn't goin' ter be able to stan' dis."

Without a word, Melly took the wash basin from Mammy's hands while Mammy grabbed the cloths and they rushed toward the house's back staircase. They had just emerged in the upstairs hall, when Pork arrived with a breathless Doctor Meade, who he had cajoled to leave his office full of waiting patients.

"Pork, get word to my wife that I won't be home for several hours," commanded Doctor Meade as he looked to Melanie to take the lead.

Melanie lead the way to Scarlett's room and upon entering, the threesome found Scarlett laying on the bed unconscious. Rhett, still wearing his overcoat, sat on the edge of the bed, holding her left hand in his, and with his other hand, his fingers alternated between twisting her wedding ring and lightly rubbing her wrist as he sat solemnly with water-filled eyes.

"Thank God, you're here, Doctor Meade. Melly," Rhett said as he immediately stood to allow Doctor Meade access to his wife.

Melanie and Mammy rushed to Scarlett's side as did Doctor Meade, who bumped shoulders with Rhett as he brushed past him. In no time, the three surrounded Scarlett's bed, removing her slippers and gingerly removing her stockings. Rhett had already opened her wrapper and now, Melanie removed it from her shoulders as Mammy eased Scarlett up to get the ermine trimmed wrapper out of the way so that Doctor Meade could fully evaluate his patient. All the time, Rhett stood in the background, regulated to nothing more than a bystander and he pushed his clenched fists deep into his pockets.

"Captain Butler!" Doctor Meade's brusque voice made Rhett start. "What happened?"

"She…She fell. She fell down the stairs." Rhett's voice shook as he explained rapidly.

"How far down?"

"She, oh, my God. She was at the top." Rhett answered realizing the full impact of his words."

"She fell down the entire flight?" Doctor Meade turned to look at his questioningly. "The whole flight?"

"Y-Yes."

Mammy, Melanie and Doctor Meade all stared at Scarlett in stunned disbelief, knowing full well what Rhett's words implied.

"Lord, help her," Doctor Meade shook his head and turned his attention back to Scarlett, before calling out sharply: "Captain Butler!"

"What? What can I do?" Rhett asked anxiously.

Doctor Meade said nothing. His eyes merely turned to look at the door. Rhett followed his gaze, but did not understand.

"What? Do you need me to get you something?"

"Captain Butler, I ask that you take your leave. Let me do my job. There's nothing you can do here now."

The words hit Rhett harder than any of his wife's furious slaps. "Leave her? How could he leave her now, when he had killed her? Why, he couldn't leave her." Rhett stood ready to do battle with Doctor Meade, but quickly, Melanie came to his side.

"Really, Captain Butler, please go now. Doctor Meade will take care of Scarlett. You'll see. Look, you're still in your coat. You just got back from London, didn't you? Why don't you unpack and when you're done, I'm sure Doctor Meade will be finished here?" Again, like many times before this, Melanie showed her iron will and deftly steered Rhett to the door, giving him little opportunity to protest.

"But…but Scarlett may need me," Rhett's eyes pleaded quietly as Melanie ushered him through the door."

"You've done enough," Doctor Meade called without bothering to look in Rhett's direction. "I'll let you know if we need you."

Rhett's shoulders slumped dejectedly as he turned toward the hall.

"Please, Captain Butler," Melanie urged him softly as if her words could dilute the harshness in Doctor Meade's voice. She was touched by Rhett's reluctance to leave his wife, evidenced by his slow plodding steps forward as he strained to look back, over his shoulder, over Doctor Meade's shoulder, at the diminutive figure that lay still in the bed.

Melanie knew he was worried. She saw how worried he had been when Scarlett gave birth to Bonnie. Even then Melanie was struck by how much his man loved his wife and how lucky she was to have her husband waiting anxiously outside her door while she was in labor. If only she had been so lucky when Beau was born. If Ashley has been there—outside her door—she could have borne the pain so much easier.

Yes, she knew this time was different; Scarlett's life didn't hang in the balance when Bonnie was born. Her heart broke when her eyes met Rhett's, red-rimmed and glassy with unshed tears. For an instant, she had her doubts about turning this man away. What if Scarlett died? Wouldn't she want her husband at her side? Melanie knew she would want Ashley with her.

"Miss Melly! I need you here," called Doctor Meade. "Quickly, now!"

Rhett took one step back into the room at the sound of alarm in Doctor Meade's voice, but was stopped by Melanie Wilkes. "I know you are worried, Captain Butler, but it just isn't proper," she added, her hand lightly brushing his arm in reassurance as she reached to close the heavy mahogany door.

Rhett, who was always in control, always in charge, stood helpless in the hallway of the grand mansion he built as a testament to the love he held in his heart for his wife. His gaze never left Scarlett's face as Melanie slowly closed the door, shutting him out of her room, her life and perhaps, if God chose to call her home, her death.