Disclaimer - I do not own any of the characters. They belong to LM Montgomery.

Chapter 1 - The First Encounter.

Everybody who was well aquainted with Gilbert and Anne Blythe knew the story of how they fell in love - or thought they knew. Gilbert, after teasing Anne about her hair, had a slate uncerimoniously broken over his head. Five years of not speaking, a refused proposal and a near death experience had all precluded Anne realising that Gilbert Blythe was her destiny after all. The actual truth of their romance, however, was something known only to Gilbert and Anne - a secret they wished to share with no one.

Bright Water Station PEI

Anne Shirley was lost in her imaginations as she sat patiently waiting for Mr Cuthbert of Green Gables to collect her. He was the man who, with his sister, had adopted her, taking her away from the miserable life she had endured so far. She was so captivated by her surroundings she did not notice the boy standing next to her collecting his tickets from the stationmaster.

"Going on vacation, son?" The stationmaster asked, as he handed over the tickets.

"Thank you sir. We're going to New Brunswick to visit family." The boy said with a cheery smile at the stationmaster. He turned to leave, tripping over Annes old carpet bag in the process.

"Sorry." he said, picking up the offending item. "Is this yours?"

Anne nodded.

"Here you are." He said, handing her the bag. "I hope nothing is damaged."

"Oh, there's nothing in there that could be damaged," she said honestly, "except the bag itself, there's a knack to holding it. I don't have much in the way of 'worldly goods'."

He laughed, which made Anne look more closely at him. He was a tall boy, with curly brown hair and roguish hazel eyes. He looked fun and, she decided, quite handsome. A kindred spirit.

"Better go," he said, "Dads waiting for me."

She watched him go, desperately wishing she could find something to say to make him stay longer.

"Whats your name?" He called over his shoulder, boarding the train.

"C - Cordelia." She replied.

"See you around, Cordelia."

"I hope so." she whispered to herself, returning his wave.

Gilbert sat down opposite his mother and father, absently handing them the tickets.

For the whole journey he thought about the girl he had just met. Cordelia... he rollled the name around silently on his tongue. No, she wasn't a Cordelia. Not that he didn't like the name, it was nice enough, but somehow it didn't suit her. He had never really thought about girls names before. Diana, Ruby, Julia, Josie - ugh - none of those names suited her. She was something else. Mary? No, that didn't sound right either. This girl was different to any he knew.

Gilbert was nearly fourteen, an age when a boy began to notice girls - their appearance. He thought about Cordelia. She wasn't pretty in a Diana Barry or Ruby Gillis way, but she was...what? She was very hard to describe. Her eyes were full of spirit and vivacity, her mouth was sweet lipped and expressive, and her hair was, well, red. A shade of red Gilbert had never encountered before - it was enthralling. Yes, he concluded, he liked her hair. It made her unique, not commonplace like black or blonde would.

I wonder how I could see her again? he pondered. Avonlea, where he lived, was eight miles from the station. Likelyhood was, she was going someplace else.

"Gilbert...Gilbert?" His thoughts were interupted by his mothers voice.

"Huh?" he blinked at her.

"Whatever are you daydreaming about? You haven't said a word since we left."

"Mother..." he said solemly, "I have just met the girl I am going to marry."

It wasn't until he had said the words, heard his father roar with laughter and saw his mother trying unsuccessfully to cover a smile, that he knew this to be true. Whoever this Cordelia was, she was the girl of his dreams, and he just had to get to know her!