Disclaimer: No.  I do not own any of the characters in Anne of Green Gables.  It's a pity really.  They still belong to L.M. Montgomery and always will.

Revelations

Anne was bitterly happy.  In two weeks time, she would be going to Summerside, where she would be the principal of the high school.  She was very excited about the new challenges awaiting her.  All of Anne's friends were surprised – they thought Anne was sure to have turned it down after accepting Roy's proposal of marriage.  No one, not even Anne herself, believed she would refuse Roy and accept the principalship.  Still, they had thrown her a farewell party. No one understood the glow coming from her as she circulated among the guests at her party at Green Gables.

The glow was Anne's almost complete happiness.  Not one of her many friends guessed the real reason – no one even suspected that she was engaged, especially not to Gilbert.  Anne glanced up at her beloved, who was talking to Diana Wright.  'How could they,' she thought, 'when I refused him two years ago? I've barely even talked to him at school since then.'  The only thing making her happiness not wholly complete was the fact that she would be leaving him so soon, when they had only been engaged for a few days.  She had kept her secret cherished and told no one, not even Diana.  But now she was ready to tell.

With her hands hidden in her pockets, Anne twisted her engagement ring around so that the pearl was facing the rest of the world, not the palm of her hand anymore.  Then she put it on her left hand's fourth finger and continued talking to all of her guests.

Julia Bell was the first one to notice the ring.  "Anne what is this?  Are you engaged?  When?  To whom?  Did you decide to accept Roy's proposal anyway?  Oh, this is simply splendid!"  All this rushed out of Julia's mouth in a quiet stream of words.

Anne simply smiled gently and put a finger to her lips mysteriously.  Then she reached for a glass on a nearby table and tapped it with a spoon.  The room fell quiet, waiting and watching her.

"Everyone!  I have an announcement to make.  I'm sure you all are wondering why I agreed to take the principalship at Summerside, considering everything that happened at Kingsport.  Am I right?"

Everyone murmured in general agreement.  Anne smiled.

"Well, the truth is I did it for a few reasons.  One is because I love teaching – I always have…maybe not geometry so much."  Anne laughed before she continued.  "Two is because it will be a new challenge and everyone here knows how much I love those.  But, finally, and most importantly, I need something to keep me busy for a few years."  She held up her left hand so they all could see the ring.  "Because I'm engaged."

There was a hush at first, but it was soon broken.  Diana jumped up to kiss her.  Marilla and Rachel Lynde soon followed.

"Oh, Anne, Matthew would be so pleased," cried Marilla.

Mrs. Harmon Andrews went up to her and asked a question everyone else was wondering about.  "Congratulations…I guess you have managed to find someone who suits you at last…or more likely you don't want to end up an old maid and said 'yes' to the next man who proposed…But what does that have to do with anything?"

"Well," Anne replied, once the murmuring had quieted down, "the man I am going to marry is not rich…not everyone can marry a millionaire like your daughter did, Mrs. Andrews.  So, we decided to work and wait for each other for a few years.  And that's all I can want or hope for in the world!"

She glanced at Gilbert, who was still looking a bit surprised.  He hadn't known she was going to break the news today.  She smiled contentedly.  She told him with those expressive eyes of hers that he loved so much that she still wanted to surprise everyone.  He nodded, understanding.

"Well, I'm happy for you, Anne, dear," said Mrs. Lynde, "but to whom are you engaged?"

"To my one true love."

Gilbert walked forward with a hand outstretched, as if to offer his congratulations like any friend might have done.  His eyes were shining from merriment and the good joke, though it looked to all as if he was in great pain, as he was seemingly tearing up and biting hard on his lip.  But this was so that he would not break out into a huge grin and spoil all the fun.  Everyone thought he would be devastated that Anne, whom he had loved ever since he was fourteen, was marrying another.  Their kind hearts ached for him.  How could they know the truth?  As Gilbert drew closer to Anne, instead of shaking her hand, at the last second he placed his own hand on her waist and walked around her, so that he was hugging her from behind.  He placed his chin on her shoulder and grinned at the surprised faces looking back at him.

Anne felt his smile pass on to her and warm her eyes and cheeks even more so that she was blushing with maiden embarrassment.  Still, she smiled sheepishly at all the astonished faces staring at her.

"To Gilbert."

She leaned her head back to the side so that she could smile up at him.  He smiled gently back down at her.  Their heads drew closer and closer together until their lips were touching and they kissed.  Anne could hear or see nothing of what was going on around her.  All she saw was Gilbert and all she felt were his lips on hers and her heart beating wildly in her chest.

When they broke apart, they finally heard what everybody was saying around them.

Marilla was laughing and crying at the same time out of sheer relief and joy showing emotions she usually kept locked up inside her breast, so that many people were amazed. "Oh, I knew they would end up together!  It was so obvious!"

Miss Lavender, who had returned for the summer with her husband and stepson, cried, "How wonderful!"

Mrs. Lynde told Anne, "Well, it's about time.  You two were meant for each other.  Everyone else saw it, even Mr. Harrison, who has got to be the blindest man in terms of romance I ever met (I mean, after all, his wife had to leave him before he realized that he loved her).  You loved Gilbert even when you hated him.  You were just too blind to see what was right in front of your eyes!"

Davy was dancing around the room, chanting "Finally!  Finally!  Hurrah!  Hurrah!"

Anne and Gilbert smiled happily at one another.  "Was I really that blind, Gilbert, dear?"

"Well…I would have to say…yes, considering I had to propose twice before you finally said yes.  I might have given up on you soon," Gilbert teased.

"Don't say that!"  Anne laughed.  "I know I was a fool.  I'm sorry.  But I love you.  Always have, even when I was smashing my slate down on your head all those years ago when you called me Carrots."

"All's forgiven.  And you know I love you, too, Anne-girl.  Always will."

They looked at one another and kissed again.

THE END

A/N: So what do you think?  Please review!!