The commotion in the foyer drew Rhett out of the dining room. There he saw Scarlett lying in a crumpled heap. The Wilkes' servant informed him about the urgent message. He dismissed the servant promising to get Scarlett to the house on Ivy Street as soon as possible. Several minutes later Scarlett finally came back around. She started sobbing immediately.

"I can't do it, Rhett. I can't face it again." Rhett attributed her statement to the hysterical state she had worked herself into.

"Please tell me you'll go with me, Rhett. Don't make me face it alone."

"Of course, I'll go with you. I would never make you endure something like this by yourself." Scarlett sobbed quietly on Rhett shoulder the entire way to the Wilkes household. The scene at the house was almost exactly as it was before except now Rhett was by her side. As soon as she entered the house Dr. Meade informed her that Melanie was waiting to speak to her.

Even though she had seen Melanie in this state once before , she was unprepared for how sickly and small Melanie appeared. She took Melly's hand into her own. Melanie woke up and smiled at her beloved sister weakly.

"Don't be mad at me, Darling." Melanie said barely above a whisper.

"Never ever, Melanie," Scarlett sobbed.

"I would have given anything for the chance to bring a lively, vivacious daughter into this world. One like your girls. One like you."

"Oh Melanie, you deserved to have a daughter who's much better than I turned out to be." Melanie lightly pinched Scarlett's hand.

"Don't talk about my best friend that way. You are the bravest person I have ever known. I would have been proud to raise a household full of little girls exactly like you." Scarlett kissed her sister-in-law's cheek. She would never understand why Melanie had only been able to see the goodness in her but she would be eternally grateful.

"Promise me…"

"Anything, Melly."

"Beau, I gave him to you once before."

"Everything his heart desires."

"Ashley, take care of him but never let him know. He isn't practical. Take good care of Captain Butler. He is a fine gentleman; even if people don't always see it." Melanie closed her eyes again. Scarlett whispered a soft goodbye and kissed her again softly.

Scarlett wiped the tears from her eyes as she made her way back to the parlor. She scanned the room looking for Rhett but he was no longer there. Panic began to seize her and she wondered if he had abandoned her.

"Auntie, did Rhett leave?"

"No dear, I think he went looking for Ashley." Scarlett hoped that Rhett wasn't ill bred enough to confront Ashley at a time like this. She had tried her best throughout these years that Ashley meant nothing to her but she knew that the old jealousy would rear its head from time to time. Surely, he didn't think she would run off with Ashley just because he would soon be free?

Scarlett found the pair in Ashley and Melanie's bedroom. Ashley was sobbing at the vanity, telling Rhett that Melanie was the only dream that he had that was real. Rhett was awkwardly patting his shoulder trying to comfort him. Scarlett caught Rhett's eye and he shrugged slightly. Scarlett was about to turn around to leave the two men in peace, when Aunt Pitty's loud sobs tore through the house. Ashley bolted past her towards Melanie's sick room. Soon Ashley's loud wail joined Pitty's. Scarlett hurled herself into Rhett's waiting arms. He handed her his handkerchief so she could dry her tears.

"The world just lost a great woman," Rhett murmured.

"Yes, a great woman," Scarlett agreed.

Scarlett made promises to Aunt Pitty and India to come back to help with arrangements for the funeral but she needed to go home to rest first. As the Butler's rode to their mansion in silence, Scarlett moved closer to Rhett as fog began to swirl around them. All Scarlett could think about was running home towards Rhett the last time. She had been so excited to declare her love for him only to have it thrown back at her unwanted. More tears began to slide down her cheeks.

"I love you, Rhett. I'm so happy that I figured it out before it was too late."

"Too late? We've been happily married for six years now."

"Yes, but I just feel like our life together had the potential to be very different. What if I hadn't realized that it was you and not Ashley that I loved much much later? What would have happened to us then?"

Rhett gave her question serious thought. "I don't think you would have chased him for that long. But I would probably have done everything I could to show you that you were throwing your chance at happiness away with both hands."

"You would have left me."

"No, I would have stayed hoping that you would come to your senses."

"Even the most enduring love can die out." He squeezed her hand.

"I chased you for six years knowing your feelings for another man. I didn't quite believe you loved me when we first married but even if I hadn't started to believe it nothing would ever make me stop trying."

Scarlett stood by Melanie's grave and openly let herself grieve and weep. The old Scarlett would have thought she needed to put on a brave face. She wouldn't have let the Old Guard catch her in a moment of weakness. But these people were once again her friends and many of them were offering comfort to Scarlett. She wondered what this funeral would have been like in her past life. Would Rhett had been there with her or would he have left her to face it alone? Scarlett supposed that it didn't matter anymore; he was here now.

She couldn't stop herself from wondering what happened to her old life. Would she have chased after Rhett, even though he said all he wanted in his life was peace? Maybe she would have run off to Ireland and started a new life. Scarlett didn't think so. She couldn't imagine leaving Tara behind forever.

Scarlett remembered what Grandma Fontaine had said about if you didn't hear the dirt hitting the casket the person wasn't really gone. Scarlett gathered her family and led them back to their carriage so that Melanie could live on forever.