I've tackled the Gilbert's mother's thoughts in this one a little. I've avoided it head in for a while. I tried to write it as a mother would think... feel free to cheer me on with reviews! Thanks for your support!

It was Thursday morning and Anne was about to leave with The Blythes "Now are you sure you've packed enough warm, clothes, I know its been warm of late but you know the weather it could change in a matter of hours!" Mrs Lynde said as Anne's bag was being put on the back of the buggie.

"I have plenty Rachel." Anne felt like a child leaving home for the first time whenever Rachel opened her mouth. Of course she had every right to feel nervous at this moment, she was going away with her fiancé and his parents for the first time, she knew once they had become better acquainted the barriers of politeness would disperse. She didn't mind so much with Gilbert, he seemed to like her flirty nature and her sometimes sarcastic sense of humour, but she was never sure of what Mrs Blythe would think of her if she found her in either one of these moods.

"be sure of your manners and don't stay up too late with Gilbert... it'll be awfully tempting to..." She started but Mrs Blythe cut her off

"We'll be there to take good care of Anne, Mrs Lynde, I'll take care of her as if she were my own daughter."

"em" Mrs Lynde sniffed. Oh sure Mrs Blythe had experience of taking care of the boy (in her opinion she had given far too many liberates to) but Gilbert was an only child. Girls were different to boys. They needed disciplining before it was too late.

"Mrs Lynde I studied there for three years we'll be fine." Anne told her. She hugged her before moving to Marilla, their hugged was a bit longer but Marilla kept her opinions to herself. She knew Anne knew the expectation she didn't need a lecture from her when she'd already got one from Rachel.

The buggie to the station was an open top one. Mrs Blythe sat in the back with Gilbert and Anne. She was pleased to see they seemed quite content to simply hold hands.

Yes she thought she would happily travel with them just as they are.

"Are you looking forward to going back to Kingsport Anne?" Mrs Blythe asked.

"As much as to be expected." Anne said to her quietly.

"Oh?" Mrs Blythe returned.

"I made some of the biggest mistakes I've ever made there, I could easily have ruined my life." she said humbly.

Gilbert gave a sympathetic look to Anne and wrapped his arm around her." Even so we're looking forward to reminiscing about the good times we had, aren't we?" He made sure he got her eyes contact "Making some new good memories." her head fell to his chest hugging in deeply to him his head rested in her hair. Gilbert couldn't make eye contact with his mother. He was too Blythe like for that. He was very clanny and he knew it, it was just Anne as far as he was concerned was part of his clan for she was his soulmate, his mother didn't need to be told what he thought she would just know it wouldn't she?

His mother wasn't being cruel, she had genuinely thought Anne would like to go back to her old haunts, she hadn't really thought about the emotional impact of such as place. Gilbert seemed to know. She wondered on them. She didn't think her and John had been this close on engagement. Of course, they had been a good bit older and hadn't known each other quite as long as Anne and Gilbert had. Coming up 12 years in September ...she and John had a nine year old boy by that point. Their engagement and marriage had been a fast one, really nearing 40 they couldn't wait. She looked at her son now, she was proud of him, he was by no means spoilt in nature at all. He perhaps got away with things he really shouldn't be getting away with, but she always found it hard to discipline him. She would have loved a daughter also, but after having Gilbert so late and the associated complications, she had almost lost him, once while he was still in the womb and again while giving birth. She was glad he had the strong Blythe constitution. Oh how could she after all of that not spoilt him a little? Then last summer... Oh last summer, she had almost lost him again.

She liked Anne from a young age. Anne had her own opinions but that had always been in her favour and she tended to agree with Anne except for maybe the slate over her son's head but it seemed to have taught him a lesson about going too far with his teasing, so it did him some good. Gilbert positively glowed whenever he was in her presence. She knew Gilbert had worshipped her from a young age. She was glad he didn't waste any time on any of the other girls, Anne was always her favourite. Gilbert hadn't told them he was planning on proposing.

He didn't tease as much as he used to, he didn't really smile. Oh he had a smile on his face but his eyes didn't shine as they once did, then she heard a rumour that Gilbert had proposed to Anne and it had all made sense. Anne had rejected her son. He never said anything, never not once muttered his disappointment but he wasn't himself anymore. She had hated Anne for a while, barely even acknowledging her when they met.

During the hours of delirium her normally calm, collective son had screamed in tears for Anne, pleading them to bring her to him.

"Ma please, I know what happens in the delirium, you have to promise me now, please don't send for Anne, please no matter what, please Ma promise it?" he asked her. How could she send for her? The normal Gilbert had pleaded for her not to come, she would fulfil his wishes.

It was only a few hours later when the shouting started "Annnnee!" he had screamed immediately she could see he was regretting it as the headache was brought on by his screaming. He closed his eyes in pain "where's Anne? Bring her here I need to speak to her..."

"No Gilbert remember you said not to bring her here, no matter what" she had soothed bringing the cloth to his head

His eyes had open and she saw two very confused pair of hazel eyes pleading with her "Please, please I need her please bring her to me."

"Gilbert, she's not even in Avonlea. Don't you remember?" She had tried to communicate with his logic thinking brain, surely there was still some of that left in him.

His eyes had shut in pain he squeezed them together "No, no, you can't let her marry, you can't let her marry him." he had whispered.

"Who Gilbert?"

"mine! she's mine! she's meant to be with me, I need her, please ma please I need her."

she never knew for certain even the tears seemed to hurt him. At the peak of his illness for those 2 weeks. the shouting subsided, he was too weak but still her name lingered on his lips the whole time, he only ever asked for her. Her heart broke she was afraid that keeping his wishes before he had got sick would kill him.

She was relieved when the fever broke and her son had speedily recovered, becoming more and more like himself each day. He practically ran to green gables the first chance he got. She was so very confused she had heard Anne was engaged to some millionaire she had met at college, yet here was Gilbert just recovering speeding over there almost every day to get his heart broken again. She had tried to persuade him from going over to Green Gables so often, but nothing worked then one day he had entered the kitchen and he was holding her hand and promptly announced they were engaged. Her plates had smashed into a thousand pieces but she was just glad it wasn't Gilbert's heart. The old shine had returned to his eyes, and she remembered, oh she remembered how much she had love Anne and NOW she could have her daughter! She really couldn't have chosen a better one. But she sometimes wondered if Anne knew her boy was the most wonderful one ever born. Could she know? Did she feel as deeply as he did?

Anne had sensed it. The questions playing on his mothers mind. while the boys went into the post office and shops for last minute items Anne was worried she started tentatively "I do love him you know?" Anne had asked her.

Mrs Blythe didn't answer but looked at Anne with the same expression Gilbert had on his face when he didn't quite believe what Anne was saying so she tried the long explanation

"I didn't know love." Anne replied honestly. "I can't remember my parents loving me and no one truly loved me until I came to Avonlea." she paused. "Matthew had loved me, I know Marilla does though she doesn't show it always." she paused again before continuing "So I built a safe house love, an imaginary one, which was clothed in silks and fancy attire, that when actual love stood in front of me the bare and raw the emotion terrified me. I couldn't be feeling love for Gil could I? He was my best friend and love never came from friendship, Love didn't feel like that." her eyes filled with tears. "I know what I did to him. I knew the moment I said I could never love him." her sigh was deep her voice changed she looked at Mrs Blythe "I will never forgive myself for what I have done to him."

Mrs Blythe looked on Anne. She was meaning every word. Oh the poor girl hadn't known love, of course she hadn't! Being tossed and thrown like a possession rather then a child it hit her again at Christmas she had described herself as a "mouth" to feed rather then a child.

"If I only knew my own heart..." Mrs Blythe's arm reached across the buggie. She thought back over the last year, of their private moments she had witnessed. she realised as her daughter in law wept, Anne did feel it deeply, so very deeply it had scared her and she knew how scary it was go fall in love! Anne felt everything so intensely didn't she? She hadn't been told or shown how to control her emotions. This is where the hot headed Anne had came from, but also the sad Anne, the happy Anne, there was no filter so when she felt something she felt it all. And it had scared her. Anne had been scared of falling in love and her son had terrified her. Then a new feeling washed over her. She admired Anne, yes very much so.

"Yes of course." She said to rubbing the top of her back Anne's tears started to subside "You love him with all of you don't you?" she paused. "Well that's quite enough for my liking Anne. I'm sorry my dear, I just heard things... Gilbert never said any of it. I should have been listening to my son and looking to his Anne for the reactions, not those sour old gossips in town. Forgive me Anne, for judging you harshly."

"There's nothing to forgive, I deserve every bit of it."

Gilbert came out of the post office and upon realising Anne's tears sat back beside Anne with envelopes in hand , taking Anne holding her to his own side.

"Mom..." he started.

"No Gil it is my fault." Anne quickly covered up about becoming overwhelmed at going back to Kingsport, Gilbert had glanced a sorry at his mother then gently sat back with Anne in his arms.

She watched them. Anne was no longer the girl who had stolen her son from her, she was the women who possibly loved him as much as she did. And that was all she ever wanted for him.

"come on Anne." He whispered to her. "do you want something to cheer you up? My letter is from school. Do you want to open it? See how much of a fool I am?"

She shook her head "you're no fool," she said in a sobbing giggle. "you wouldn't get below 90% a score most people would only dream of."

"I dunno I've done some pretty stupid things Anne...How about a wager." He teased. "I bet you my score is below 90%."

"and what's my prize when I win?" she lightly flirted not daring going too heavy on it in front of his mother.

He placed his hand round his mouth and whispered in Anne's ear. She tried not to blush and it was obvious that's what she was trying to avoid. Anne giggled and whispered in A likewise manner to Gilbert.

His mother was stuck between intrigue and proprietary. Yes she wanted to know what was being said but no that was her son! Her son chuckled and looked no where but Anne "I think you have a deal." He said with a wide grin handing Anne the envelope. Putting one arm around Anne

Dear Mr Blythe

Please find below your current standing and grade

1. G Blythe, A, 96%

2. R Williams A, 89%

3. J Smith B, 84%

4. J Dorian B, 78%

5. A Song B, 76%

6. S Holden B, 75%

7. C Holden C, 72%

8. J Ann C+, 70%

9. H Andrews C+, 68%

10. J Kean, C+, 67%

11. J Fox C, 64%

12. A King C, 63%

Find attached your individual grades for each module and a copy of next semester electives and reading lists.

Term commences Sept 10th for enrolment with classes formally starting the following week.

Yours etc.

"I hope you plan on making good that wager Gilbert Blythe you're closer to 100 then you are 90." She said showing him the results.

"I'm top again!" He exclaimed. A wide smile on his face, "ma look!" he said in excitement. He leaned over and gave her the results

"I had no doubt you would be." She said happily. Reading the letter.

"Was there not 15 of you last semester?" Anne asked him.

"Yes, I know two dropped out, I'm not sure about the third. Not as impressive to top of 12 as 15?" he teased

"Gil!" she said with a laugh "I'm always impressed by you." he smiled at the compliment. "congratulations!" Anne said taking his hand again in hers.