I dedicate this chapter to my dog, who I adopted for Christmas two years ago.

"Marilla, I want to get Anne a puppy for Christmas. We had one, why shouldn't she?" Matthew told her out of the blue.

They were sitting by the fire after Anne had gone to bed, discussing what to get her. Christmas was in four days and they had nothing. Apparently Anne was all done with her gifts for them.

"Matthew! Have you gone crazy?! We don't need a dog! Honestly! The notions that come up in your head. I don't understand you." Marilla said, shocked that Matthew would even want a dog.

"Anne needs it Marilla. No child should grow up without a companion. We had each other and Michael." Matthew pointed out.

"Well she's definitely not getting a sibling." Marilla said with raised eyebrows.

"Don't worry, I don't want another child. But she should have a dog I think."

Marilla considered it. They did love their childhood dog very much. And Anne was old enough to care for one. It could even walk to school with her.

She thought harder,

Sometimes Anne got scared when they left her home alone or in the middle of the night she would have a bad dream. Most likely due to her overactive imagination. But if they had a dog then maybe she wouldn't get scared.

"Alright, Matthew, but if the dog so much as nips at Anne or us, it's going."

"That's fair, Marilla, I'll find the perfect dog for her," Matthew promised, "I think I'll retire now. Goodnight Marilla. Don't fret, I thought getting a orphan was a good idea and look how it turned out." He winked at his sister.

Her brother loved to rub that in! But it was a good idea. She loved Anne more than life itself.

Matthew decided to get the puppy on Christmas Eve so it wouldn't have to stay in hiding too long. He saw a ad in the paper about a dog called an Australian Cattle Dog for sale. He thought he'd go and take a look.

"Well I'm gonna go get the puppy now, Marilla." He whispered. Anne was out on the porch shelling peas. But he wasn't sure what she could hear.

"I do hope this is a good idea,brother."

"It will be sister" Matthew assured her. He was very excited to have a dog about the place again, and truth be told Marilla was too.

Matthew knocked on the door and was greeted by a young man.

"Good afternoon, are you Mr. Lawson?"

"Yes, that's me. You can call me James." The man answered him in a slight Australian accent, putting his hand out to shake.

Matthew shook his hand and told him,

"My name is Matthew Cuthbert, but you can call me Matthew. I came to see if you had any more of those puppies for sale. I want to get my daughter one for Christmas and was hoping to get her a fine breed. Not a mutt."

James looked sorrowful.

"I'm sorry I only have one more puppy left,and well, he only has three legs. You can have him for free."

Matthew thought a moment. This was the only ad he saw. Well he'd have to take the puppy. Hopefully Anne wouldn't mind the three legs.

"Well can I see him first?"

"Sure thing. He's out in the barn."

James led Matthew to the barn and while they walked he told Matthew that he had lived in Australia for a few years and while he was there he met a man who bred dogs. The man had made a unique dog that was good for herding cattle. James took one and waited for a few years until he took another one. Then he got a idea to breed them and eventually moved back to Canada started a business.

"Well here we are. He's in the first stall to your right Matthew."

Matthew looked over the stall door and there in a pile of hay was a puppy with a blue coat speckled with a little brown and what looked like a black eye patch. When it saw James it started yapping.

James laughed and picked him up.

Matthew saw that he was missing his right back leg.

"Can he get around, James?"

"Oh you bet. He's fast too. His mama is out with my farmhand herding my cows. Now that he's nine weeks old he doesn't need her. I'll put him down so you can see him run." James let the puppy lick his face before setting him down in the stall.

Matthew observed as the puppy raced around, excited to see people. It was like the dog didn't even know he was missing a leg. It was certainly just as fast. He made his decision.

"I'll take him."

James looked relieved.

"Thank you. Multiple people came by to see him and were sorely disappointed when thy saw he only had three legs. Well it was a pleasure to meet you."

"It was a pleasure meeting you." Matthew shook hands with his free arm and walked down the path carrying the dog, he was already getting attached to it.

He took the puppy into the barn and placed him in the stall at the end.

"Sorry little fella, you can come in the house tomorrow."

He patted the dog's head and went to go get him some water and food. Anne would never go in the back stalls.

AUTHORS NOTE: This was going to be a one shot but it is really long so it will be two chapters