Happy New year everyone!

Well as you can imagine the last couple of weeks have been hectic so I apologise in advance I've only written 2 of my stories this week...

"I don't want to leave in the morning." Gilbert whispered as they lay between the cherry trees. They had gone back there to eat a picnic, Gilbert loved spending time with Anne's family but they hadn't spent any time alone together since the trip back on the ferry which they had hardly been alone. So the afternoon had been granted to them for a picnic and a walk. The food now left alone on the side of the blanket Anne and Gil lay side by side just as they had done just over a year previous watching the light and fluffy clouds roll on by. Only their hands were presently tangled in the others hand, their new level of intimacy hadn't been explored again since Saturday night. Perhaps now they had some time alone again they could start to open up.

"I don't want you to go either." She admitted "isn't that terribly selfish of me?" Anne asked him. "Your parents must be missing you terribly I get to spend Wednesday night to Tuesday mid day with you and all I can think is..." She said hugging into his side his arm going round her "how much I'll miss you, how much I don't want you to go."

He shrugged a little "hardly surprising considering the circumstances." He took a sigh, "we've only just started exploring this new side to our relationship and we get pulled apart." He said kissing gently into her hair. He smiled then murmured with an amused tinge to his voice "at least I'll have the perfect excuse to come and see you now. No one can expect two sweethearts to be away from each other for so long!"

She giggled into him enjoying the comfort his arm around her brought. "No I suppose not."

He took a sigh "you know, I'll have to tell my parents we are courting. I'm pretty sure that will make my mother demand you visit."

"Oh?" she asked Gilbert. "your mother?" she continued.

Gilbert looked at her eyes which had turned large and green "are you frightened?" he asked her.

"No." She lied and he could tell she was lying.

He laughed a little. "Anne. Come on, its my mother."

"She could hate me." Anne said with dread in her voice.

He laughed again. "There's nothing to hate." He slid closer to her holding her to his chest. "She's going to love you." Kissing into her hair again. "I love you." He reassured her releasing her gently her head became equal with his own he gently kissed her on her lips again. "And if I love you, my mother will be so over joyed I've finally found a girl she will automatically love you."

"Finally?" Anne asked him.

He chuckled "I'm nineteen, she looked for any signs that I'd fallen for a girl until I went to Queens, she was worried when Josie started hanging around so much…" Anne looked at him confused "let's just say Josie is a typical Pye… you should have seen the look of relief on my mother's face when I said I wasn't interested in her…. And then having never even mentioned a girl as a beau and mother has been trying to match me with half of Avonlea. I was even more grateful when I got to go to Redmond."

"Oh." Anne said blushing. "You never mentioned me?"

"Well yes." He admitted. "When papa said I wouldn't shut up about you that time you met him, well he wasn't kidding." He paused blushing a little "but, there's only so many times they can hear 'she's just a friend' and not take me seriously… and I was always very careful about mentioning you after that in case they caught on that I felt more for you then friendship." His heart raced "I loved you so much, I was so scared nothing would come of it."

"Well it has." She assured him. "I think we were always building up to this." She enjoyed it as his mouth gently pressed onto hers.

"I love that I get to do that to you." He said hugging into her again.

"Me too." Anne blushed.

"We should think about heading back. We don't want your parents thinking the worse."

"Oh Gilbert! Oh I'm so glad you're home!" Mrs Blythe threw her arms around her son as soon as he was in the door frame. Gilbert smiled and lifted his mother much as he had always done since he out grew her five foot one frame at age 14.

"Missed you too mom." He said quietly, it had been a long time since Christmas.

"Look at you all dressed in a suit, still so smart." She said proudly.

"Don't think I'm too proud to help round here." He said not only to his mother but his father also. "I can quite comfortably slip back into my farming gear and don't forget it."

"Come and tell us all about school!" She said guiding him out onto the veranda grabbing some apple cider from the shelf her husband grabbed three glasses on his way out. It was a warm afternoon no reason to stay cooked up in the kitchen... they were having salad for dinner afterall.

"Actually, I think there's something a little more personal you'd like to both hear first." He told them.

"Oh?" his mother said.

"You have us intrigued Gilbert." His father said pouring out the three ciders.

Gilbert took a breath. "I'm courting." He said his face beaming.

"Courting?" his mother questioned.

"Don't worry you know her." He said confidently then he paused "well sort of, well she..." He trailed and took another breath. "Anne. I'm courting Anne."

His mother smiled jumping up and hugging him "I was starting to worry you would end up an old bachelor! Oh you never paid attention to the girls like you should of!"

"Mom!" he said going pink "Just because I don't go around kissing every girl who fluttered her eyelashes at me, it doesn't mean I wasn't… I just hadn't met the right one."

"Well you've been saying 'we're just friends' for so long…I thought maybe… but heavens! A girl at last! she must be interesting this Anne, does this mean I finally get to meet the girl whose stolen my sons heart?" Mrs Blythe asked him.

Gilbert chuckled "I knew you would want to."

"Oh well you have to bring her Gilbert, write to her and tell her I want to meet her right away." She said smiling.

My Sweet Anne,

You have no idea what a joy it is to be starting a letter to you like that! I've battled with myself so many times how to disguise the many ways of writing my true affection into my letters, so much so sometimes I would shake when I was writing them, only to realise when I am done, upon reading it I sound no more sentimental then a good friend would! But now, a mere four hours after leaving you at your gate with a sweet kiss and promises of your love and affection in word and deed, I write this letter as I always mean to write, every time I put pen to paper, I can finally start to write in my love to you.

Fortunately for me I need practice at it so these little correspondences we shall have through the summer should give me ample opportunity to start to practice before the beginning of the school year, because let's face it, no one wants a bad love letter! Which makes me wish I had a sister, don't you girls have courting books for this kind of thing? 'How to write the perfect love letter and woo your partner' I'm pretty sure I heard Ruby read to the other girls from it.

On to the actual subject for my letter, (this is actually very closely related to our new found level of intimacy) ,I was right about my mother, she wants to meet the girl who has stolen away her sons heart! (her words not mine, although truth be told it's not too far from the truth, you didn't steal my heart I simply gave it to you to do as you please with, luckily you've taken good care of it)

So I was wondering if I might come and visit you next week for a couple of days then you could come back with me and meet my mother? Avonlea? Sprites Lake? Me? Any of this more tempting then the terror of meeting my mother? Please say yes? I'm planning on getting the train from Bright River down to Charlottetown on Tuesday Morning which should arrive in Charlottetown at 10am and getting the return train on Friday Morning leaving at 8am. If you get a return ticket for the following week, my mother will be happy to have you as long as you would like to stay. Let me know if any of this is inconvenient I can change my plans.

So I get to end this letter as I've always wished to end it.

Love Gil.

Dearest Gil,

You know dear Gil, that isn't the first time you've signed a letter 'love Gil', I think I may grow accustom to it, hearing your voice inside my head proclaiming your love for me even in the adieu's of our correspondence makes my heart beat in the strangest of ways.

You know something Gil, it never needs to be a perfect, your letters I mean, if they come from your heart, if they come from you they shall be perfect for me. I don't need wooing like those books for I am not a 'woo by the book' kind of girl. Book romance is all fine and well, but you are real! Although it would be fun to read such a letter I wonder what a wooing Gilbert would sound like?!

I can with all enthusiasm say yes, please, come and visit me next week! Oh I look forward to Tuesday now where I can run into your arms and stay there as long as I like!

I can't say I don't want to come to Avonlea, I'm quite envious of Willis having been there before me. It looked quite beautiful and I do so love the idea of being with you longer… I don't know if anything will supress the feeling of utter trepidation which has entered my soul! This woman is your mother, she raised you and has this perfect idea of how the girl you choose to court should be and I have to try and not disappoint her! If she doesn't like me our relationship is doomed! But I have purchased my tickets so not to disappoint you if its okay, I have booked until Tuesday to stay with you? If not tell me when you get here and we shall go and exchange the tickets.

I miss you my love and though it is only four days until I see you again know that every second… I shall miss you in them.

Love

Anne.