He loved coming home.

Oh he loved the academia, he loved learning, he loved the fact he was training to be a doctor, but he loved HOME. It wasn't Avonlea itself although he couldn't imagine a place being dearer to him then it (except maybe the little house of dreams still being built in his own and his sweethearts minds eye) but it was the memories, the comfort it brought. He closed his eyes remembering this time last year he believed himself tired but felt like death warmed up... and had came so close to it!

Had he really been a lone man? Without Anne? No that couldn't be right? But he knew it was. The feeling of utter distress washed over him as he remembered knowing (not thinking, knowing) Anne had said yes to Roy, she would marry someone who could give her everything she ever dreamed of, she would be happy, he was shattered into a thousand pieces but she was happy. He'd said a silent prayer the night of convocation

Please God whatever will make her the happiest, let it happen.

Before that pray he had sworn he could make her happy, he could and would love her like no one else. He would protect her and save her from all harm, he would cherish her if he could only make Anne love him. But God had known best.

Had he withheld Anne from him because his love had been a selfish one? A list of what he would do if God would shatter the free will of another and force her to love him. He would forever wonder if Anne had loved him because she loved him or because divine force came into play.

When he asked for her happiness and only her happiness he didnt expect to get quite so sick. At first he thought 'well I asked for it', whatever would make Anne happy, including his own demise he was willing to submit to it. Then suddenly his temperature broke and his delirious nightmares subsided. His father brought up a bunch of letters for him which had been awaiting for him.

He didn't recognise Phil's writing at first. He'd never seen her study never mind write but he had still opened the letter.

Gilbert,

I hope you find your dear Avonlea as welcoming as ever, everyone who ever comes from there seems to be drawn home.

I have been in two minds of writing to you but my dear Jonas assures me there is nothing unholy about telling you what I know. I am glad I have a moral compass sometimes its so difficult for a girl such as I to know the difference between wrong and right it sometimes is so blurred where the line is.

When both Anne and you had left for home I heard Christine had been engaged all along that you knew. And something made sense to me. The look you always gave only to Anne, the glimmer in your eyes, I knew in that moment you were still in love with Anne.

Have no fear my dear, I haven't written to Anne with such a revelation because I believe you may have the chance to... but perhaps you should know this first.

I know the rumours of Anne's and Roy's impending engagement have reached you. You should know a proposal took place. You should also know of her refusal to said offer, there is nothing between Anne and Roy. There never was. And something Gilbert something in her voice , in her eyes propels me to urge you to advise you to try again. I think... I can not say it but... try.

When you do, let me know of you're newely announced impending nuptials perhaps Jonas could perform the ceremony!

Do try again Gilbert dearest,

You belong in her life, she's not been the same without you.

Phil.

A relief the break of fever had not given him washed over him as he read "there is nothing between Anne and Roy" his soul had relaxed his body started to shake his breathing rasping.. the doctor had actually thought he was relapsing. But in actual fact he had allowed himself hope, hope for the first time since he first proposed that maybe Anne was ready to love him. Every day they wouldn't let him out of bed he would re-read Phil's letter just to be make sure it wasn't part of a delusional dream. But there it was in black and white egging him on to get better. As soon as he was cleared of bed rest he had gone to Green Gables. Oh he wasn't stupid he had started slow, being friends.

"Gilbert!" she had said on his approach "what a lovely surprise you gave us quite a scare." She had said.

"oh I'm made of stronger stuff then they give me credit." He had replied. His body had urged him to wrap his arms around her and hug her into him, but he didn't THAT would have been forward.

Was it his imagination or were her eyes a little blood shot as if she had been crying? It concerned him, what had she been crying over? Had it been a messy breakup from Roy? Had he hurt her in someway? He tried to make eye contact but she refused it. Maybe Phil had been wrong, but it was lovely being in her exclusive company and even with the sad eyes, she was beautiful. However sometimes over the course of the couple of weeks he re-established their friendship he caught her, doing things like her eyes lingering on him longer then they used to. Did she catch his gaze more? Did she look for the opportunities to touch and more willing allow his hand to take hers? The last day of August he had decided,(yes he had called it September it really nearly was) it was then he had to ask. When she said she had to get that dress made he was disappointed but he noticed she seemed disappointed so he didn't defer his resolve and asked her for the next evening instead and made some small talk about weddings or something...

When he came the next afternoon he found Anne waiting for him, ... he closed his eyes again remembering She wore a green dress .. one which HE had told her at a Redmond reception he liked especially. It was just the shade of green that brought out the rich tints of her hair, and the starry gray of her eyes and the iris-like delicacy of her skin. He couldn't help admiring her, glancing at her sideways as they walked along a shadowy woodpath, thought she had never looked so lovely. The day was beautiful and the way was beautiful. It was a sign in Gilbert's opinion, God shining his blessing down in the couple. Anne had started the conversation when they reached Hester Gray's garden, and sat down on the old bench. "I think," said Anne softly, "that 'the land where dreams come true' is in the blue haze yonder, over that little valley." She had said dreamingly.

"Have you any unfulfilled dreams, Anne?" asked Gilbert almost afraid of his own voice saying it.

"Of course. Everybody has. It wouldn't do for us to have all our dreams fulfilled. We would be as good as dead if we had nothing left to dream about. What a delicious aroma that low-descending sun is extracting from the asters and ferns. I wish we could see perfumes as well as smell them. I'm sure they would be very beautiful."

He knew what she was doing, avoiding her own feelings replacing them with false pictures of romance, and painting a picture in their minds. he wouldn't have it, not in this moment, he could give her all that later,but this moment, this was for their feelings and nothing else.

"I have a dream," he said slowly and nervously, he could get rejected again he knew the likely hood was high, but he had started now he might as well finish it "I persist in dreaming it, although it has often seemed to me that it could never come true. I dream of a home with a hearth-fire in it, a cat and dog, the footsteps of friends—and YOU!" He had waited for a reply but had got none, had he rendered the mistress of words speechless with his latest declaration? She wouldn't give him her eye contact. If he could catch it he could tell if she was happy or not so he boldly went forward praying he hadn't misinterpreted her actions since he had recovered. "I asked you a question over two years ago, Anne. If I ask it again today will you give me a different answer?" Still Anne didn't speak, But she lifted her eyes, shining with all the love-rapture of countless generations, and looked into his for a moment. He wanted no other answer. He knew He finally knew, they talked over all the misunderstandings with each story something happened. The first Gilbert had rested his own arm round Anne, the second they had held hands the third she was practically sitting on his knee, he stroked her with his arms around her gently caressing her while sweet whisperings passed between them. At the end of the dialogue Anne now wrapped in his arms leaning against his chest her hand next to her face on his chest, she had been listening to his heart beat. She looked up

"Gil ask me again?" she asked him.

"I don't need..." he started

"but I need to say it, I need to put it right in my mind." She said.

He smiled at this, yes her mind s would need to imagine the moment she said yes for the rest of her life and she would be happy for the rest of her life about it. "Will you marry me?"

"yes Gilbert. I will marry you, I will be your wife, yes, yes, yes yes yes." She said as she reached for his ear and gently whispered "I love you Gilbert."

This had burst his heart open to a new level of love to love someone was one feeling, to know they could and did love you in return, now that was true love. " I love you Anne."

"I thought you loved Christine Stuart," ... she had said disturbing the moment.

"... I knew college gossip credited us with being in love with each other. I didn't care. Nothing mattered much to me for a time there," he recalled, what could have matter for Anne couldn't love him? " after you told me you could never love me, Anne." His heart had pounded telling her "There was nobody else—there never could be anybody else for me but you. I've loved you ever since that day you broke your slate over my head in school."

... AN: (sorry dear reader please refer to the last chapter of Anne of the Island for full conversation if you haven't read it... well I'm not entirely sure why you're reading this...? Maybe you've seen the tv films... in which case... you should like the books please enjoy at least this chapter)

"But it wasn't, sweetheart." He tried the sound of the pet name out on his lips for the first time it felt so natural "Oh, Anne, this makes up for everything, doesn't it? Let's resolve to keep this day sacred to perfect beauty all our lives for the gift it has given us."

"It's the birthday of our happiness," said Anne softly.

"But I'll have to ask you to wait a long time, Anne," he had told her sadly. "It will be three years before I'll finish my medical course. And even then there will be no diamond sunbursts and marble halls."

Anne had laughed. "I don't want sunbursts and marble halls. I just want YOU. You see I'm quite as shameless as Phil about it. Sunbursts and marble halls may be all very well, but there is more 'scope for imagination' without them. And as for the waiting, that doesn't matter. We'll just be happy, waiting and working for each other—and dreaming. Oh, dreams will be very sweet now."

That kiss! Oh the ones which came after were more skilled, some longer some deeper some... but that kiss was his first reward for his patience and what a reward it was! He smiled at the memories of last summer the beginning of their relationship. They had been a couple for almost 10 months had only been together for 6 weeks in total... that wasn't even a day a month! Far too long. Well they could make up for it a little the next 2 blissful months... 2 months... 2 months of unlimited Anne! Yes he really was going HOME.

"Bright River!" the conductor called.