open .dot. spotify .dot playlist/7045Nsph4l8Xwm7pIoNIn8?si=OsCUymmtQM-i4BWm23NRIg

The next day after discovering they were going to be parents, Anne was trying to concentrate. After knitting the fox booties and having started the small blanket for baby Alicia some days before, she felt her knitting impulse in full swing and was attempting a tiny cardigan to go with the booties. She knit in the afternoon, trying to keep her other projects for the daytime. If she was going to work from home… she was going to have limits. Even if it was her self-employed project she didn't know if it would work or not.

Only Gilbert was definitely not helping with her knitting concentration, with all his interruptions. She had lost count of the stitches for about the third time when she looked up to him. His brow was furrowed and he had those cute glasses on, looking at her from the other end of the sofa. All sweatpants and shirtless glory after his shower.

"What? I'm sorry, Gil, I'm just trying to… What were you saying?"

"Your vitamins, did you have them today?"

"I did. I told you weeks ago, I do have the habit nailed down by now. I'm just… Can I just count to make sure I'm doing this right? Please? I'll be all ears after that," she said, trying not to feel exasperated at his obnoxious worrying. He bit his lip and tried to focus on his book again, but couldn't help to steal glances at her. She looked so perfect, cozy with that blanket over the skirt she was wearing and all those yarns and… "Gilbert! Stop staring, I am trying to concentrate here!"

"Sorry…" he muttered and got up, flustered. "I'll prepare some tea. Anything you want?"

"Anything, Gil, thank you," she said, smiling at him. "Sorry. I've just counted this more times than I could even think possible and I'm annoyed by now. Every time I get a different number."

"Here, let me do it. You're already mixing numbers in your head," he said, walking to where she was and extending his hand. She gave him the thing, because he was right. She got up and stretched as he counted quickly, efficiently. "110, does that make sense to you?"

"Yes, thanks," she said, sighing and leaving it next to her on the sofa. "Let's go make tea then, Gilbert," she added as she stretched a little bit more. Gilbert bit his lip.

"I'm sorry! I didn't want to take you away from your knitting," he said. She shrugged and passed past him in the direction of the kitchen and he followed her.

"You totally did, Gil. It's alright, I could use a break… I've been at it for a while now," she said laughing as she filled the kettle.

"What is it that you're making?" he asked, looking for a couple of mugs and some tea bags.

"A cardigan. To go with the fox booties…" she explained, jumping to the counter as he rested in the opposite one, like that day so long ago when he had gone out and come late at night. When she had been doing yoga, and then there he was, giving her the hottest kisses ever and she still felt so much in conflict with herself. So afraid of screwing everything she didn't dare go with what she really wanted. He was looking at her in the eyes as she trailed off.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, feeling the slight blush on her cheeks could not be related in any way to cardigans and fox booties, much as he loved them already. She shook her head a tad too quickly and he smirked, knowing there was something behind all that. "Tell me, Carrots, what was in your mind?"

"Nothing, Gil," she said. The kettle bipped and he ignored it, his eyes still boring into hers.

"I know you, Anne-girl. You were thinking of something that has you all pretty and blushed and I'm just curious," he said, letting go of the counter and walking two steps to where she was. He held her hand softly, smiling at her. "What is it?"

"Where did you go, that night?"

"What night? You have to be more specific," he said, not taking his eyes off hers, his free hand caressing her cheek. She flushed a brighter red. Oh . That night? "I went to exercise. I… Anne, I just needed to vent somehow, anyhow, and that was the best thing that crossed my mind at the moment. You were… I was so turned on, I fully believed for a moment you were ready and then…"

"I wasn't," she finished for him.

"You weren't. And I just had to get away. I went to Fred's house to get Bear, because he always likes to run and Fred can use someone tiring his dog once in a while, and then off to Confederation," he said, chuckling sadly as he remembered that night. The strain he felt. The utter frustration at everything. The confusion. How he kept going through the tiredness, through everything just to dull his mind. The pain the following day. He sighed, closing his eyes. What a huge change they had lived through the past months. He opened them again. "Was I wrong?"

"About what?"

"Weren't you… I thought you were pretty turned on, at the time," he said, the blush on her cheeks and her breathlessness still as present as they had been that day. "I mean, looking back, and now that I know you more in that aspect… I would say you were, but what happened?"

"I was , Gil. I just… I was afraid of losing you," she admitted.

"You're not making sense, how me kissing you then could have meant losing me?" he asked her, his voice barely above a whisper, confused.

"As a friend, if it didn't work out? It's not that I didn't want to, it's just that I thought if we tried to get together and it didn't work, then I would lose you all over again. So I'd rather… not risk getting together with you, but having you close after this world madness was over," she explained. He laughed and kissed her hand.

"Anne-girl, we would have imploded at some point," he whispered conspirationally, chuckling, and she couldn't help but giggle with him. He didn't want to dwell on them not getting together. He'd rather laugh at how much tension there had been back then between them and how the gang's comments had actually been more on point (even if out of place) that they would ever admit. She bit her lip as she remembered that night and the way he had been kissing her. What would have happened if… "What, Carrots?"

"What would have happened if… if I hadn't stopped you?" she muttered, feeling him so close. His warmth and steadiness were so familiar, now, contrary to that day when it was everything she craved for but didn't allow herself to want. She saw his eyes widen for a split second and she looked down to his chest, a splatter of curly hair there.

"I would have kissed you, Anne, do you even have doubts about that?" he said, almost unbelieving. Probably, if she hadn't stopped him, he would have done more than that, especially because at the time he hadn't had any idea of how Lincoln and Daniel had been with her. He saw as she bit her lip, refraining to add anything else. He chuckled quietly at the slight blush on her cheeks and moved closer, his free hand going to her waist. He gave her feather-like kisses along her neck until he reached her ear. "I would have done more than kissing you, probably," he confessed in a whisper in her ear and felt more than he heard as she inhaled shakily. Was she as transported to that moment as he was? He nibbled on her earlobe for a second before trailing down her jaw. Anne was still, expectant, a memory of that day but also the familiarity Gilbert's mouth had now for her. Almost anticipating what was to come, willing to transform that unfinished moment months ago into something more. When he reached her chin, giving her a kiss not unlike the last one from that evening, she sighed, her eyes still closed. "You told me to stop, just here…" he said, not stepping back but neither doing anything else. Just staying still. Frozen in time.

"Don't, Gil," she muttered.

"Don't what?" Gilbert whispered, still close to her, his words lingering on her skin, the memory of the day too close to the surface. Their mouths just barely apart, almost touching, their eyes closed. The way he had run and how much he had wanted her at the time. How much he wanted her even now. Now that they were having a kid in some months.

"Don't stop anymore?" she said, her voice quiet. His hand left her waist, caressing her as it went up, putting her hair back.

"As you wish, dear," he whispered, his voice raspy, just before kissing her.

He strived for the kiss to be sweet, for it not to transmit how desperate he had been at the time, but the memory was too fresh in his mind, too present, and he couldn't help the urge and the need in the way his lips met hers. And he could tell he wasn't the only one. She was corresponding with the same desperation, as if they had been deprived of this. His hand tangled on her hair, the other one leaving her hand and going to her waist, bringing her closer. Hers went to his face, to his nape, to his neck, enticing him and keeping her in just that place as their tongues met and played.

He rested his forehead against her, trying to regain his breath. She chuckled.

"That's one good belated kiss, Slatehead" she said, cheekily. He laughed.

"Just good?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It was pretty great," she admitted.

"I'll give you pretty great," he chuckled, his voice slightly hoarse, kissing her again and bringing her closer to him, his hands going to her bum as she half whimpered into the kiss. He almost didn't let go of her, but only did so he could kiss down her neck, nibbling her soft skin, sucking down the neckline, just above her breast (he wasn't daft, he knew they were sore) until she actually moaned. She tried moving against him but he stepped back slightly, smirking as he let go of her, his lips sore and his hair a mess after her hands were done with it. "So, pretty great?"

"You tease," she muttered, half annoyed but smiling, jumping off the counter and going to the kettle to pour the boiling water over the bags Gilbert had prepared before as he laughed. "Where do you want to drink this?" she asked as he put some cookies on a plate.

"I don't mind… Living room?" he proposed. She shrugged, still flushed, and followed him back to the sofa, her project abandoned on top of the throw. She set the teas on the coffee table and then put everything to the side, sitting cross legged away from Gilbert. He looked at her, smiling, enjoying their play and banter more than he should, probably. "Why are you sitting all the way there?"

"Because I'd rather keep my distance," she said, smirking, before leaning forward to grab a cookie and taking a bite without taking her eyes off him. He shook his head in disbelief.

"Come here, Carrots," he said, inviting her closer. She giggled and went to his inviting arms.

"You are just terrible, Gilbert Blythe," she said, snuggling in his chest as she enjoyed the last of the cookie and his hand trailed up and down her back, eventually sneaking under the t-shirt she was wearing and making slow patterns towards her lower back. He noticed as her breath became shallower and gave open mouthed kisses to the nape of her neck, exposed just so beneath him. She sighed.

"You know, I'm still in awe of you," he commented in between kisses. She straightened up to look at him, his dilated pupils, and knew he was as turned on as her. Were those the hormones? The memory of that evening back in June? The general relief of having him in her life as she had always dreamt of? The security she still felt after all those long chats? She kissed him again and he replied eagerly, savouring her lips. He let go of her and nudged her so she was sitting on top of him, reclining on his chest. He didn't want to put any pressure on her chest if he could avoid it.

"I'm not squishing you?" she asked, turning her head so she could see him.

"You weigh barely nothing, Anne-girl," he whispered in her ear. "And this way I have you here… to caress you… and kiss you," he said, before kissing her neck, his hand trailing up her legs, under her skirt. She wimpered in anticipation and felt the soft rumble of his chest as he chuckled quietly. "I just love you like this, Carrots. Relaxed," he muttered back to her ear as his fingers brushed her panties, already wet. She could feel his erection right below her, trapped in his pants.

"Gil, just…," she pleaded, but she wasn't even sure of what she wanted, what she needed.

His fingers went under the fabric, making small circles as she moaned softly, arching her back and throwing her head back close to Gilbert's chest and giving him open access to her exposed soft neck. He went by the cues he already was familiar with, knowing her body almost better than he knew his own, and increased the rhythm just when she needed it, her breathing shallower as she neared her peak, his mouth still paying attention to her neck and her shoulder, nipping and licking them with his tongue. It didn't take long after that and soon her moans were deeper as she tensed in her orgasm. He smiled into her skin as she tried to regain her breath, trying to ignore the way he also wanted her now. This was for her. He could wait for another day.

"All good, Anne-girl?" he said softly to her ear. She nodded shakily, but he noticed her hand roaming down.

"I just want you as well…" she confessed, rather liking this new position she could have never thought of on her own. If he was indeed comfortable as he said, because she couldn't be any more than she already was, enveloped in his arms.

"What, here?"

"Yes?" she said. Gilbert considered for a second.

"Just... " Anne lifted her hips, supporting herself on her arms, as Gilbert struggled to push down his sweatpants and did his best to take out the throbbing erection without making her move. He didn't want her to go. She went down as he dragged her panties to her knees and then directed himself to her entrance. It took a bit of coordination, but soon they were finding a rhythm and Anne didn't actually know why they hadn't done this before. She felt him everywhere as his arms hugged her, his fingers worked her out, his other hand on her hip, guiding them, his mouth close to her ear. "You like this, Carrots? How you have all of me, just for you?" he whispered, his voice raspy and breathless out of the sheer pleasure he was feeling and the intensity of the moment they were sharing, the feel of Anne on top of him, of how she was squeezing him, almost too much to handle.

"Gil, yes, just… yes," she moaned, biting lips as she moved her hips in a steady rhythm with his, one of her hands reaching the back of his head, grabbing whatever curls she could to support herself. She tried moving slightly from side to side and felt a groan from Gilbert, her hand on his head giving her all the steadiness she needed..

"Yes, Anne, keep… Oh, god. Goodness, Carrots, just," she kept the movement, attempting small circles and he groaned. This was too much. He didn't know if this was the angle, the moment, the movement… "Fuck, Anne… Carr…. God, I…"

"This? This is good, Gil?" she said, as both his hands went to her hips. She kept the movements that apparently were working so well, her hand still scratching the back of his head as it directed him to her neck. He kissed and uscked in between groans, in between syllabes, in between moans. It wasn't often that she had Gilbert reduced to half-words and she was going to make him feel as good as she had.

"Goo… God, keep… Anne, Good... ness, fuck, I… I… Oh, my…"

"Go, Gil, you go now," she tried saying as she noticed how utterly undone he was, resting his forehead on the back of her shoulder, not able to coordinate anything else with his mouth. Louder moans escaped his throat as he came, harder than he had in a while. He remained silent, trying desperately to regain his breath, feeling some sweat drop down his neck and forehead, attempting to remember what he had been doing before Anne had started that…

"Shit. Carrots, I'm sorry," he muttered at last, some minutes later, when he regained his ability to form a coherent string of thoughts.

"What in the world for?" she asked, confused.

"I wanted you to come…" he confessed. And he had become so absorbed in what she was doing his mind had forgotten everything else. She laughed.

"Gilbert, I already had…. And I wanted you to feel good," she said, turning to look at him, a smile on her face. He sighed. Still. He knew she had been close again. He moved so that she could help her lay on the sofa and kissed her sweetly.

"And I love you for it, but I'm not about to leave this unfinished," he said.

"You can leave it, I'd rather snuggle with you," she murmured, feeling tired and opening her arms. He stood up, shaking his head, and arranged his sweatpants back up before grabbing the throw and laying next to her. She went to his chest automatically and he sighed.

"I just love you so much," he confessed, holding her hands gently and kissing her knuckles. They stayed in silence for some minutes, their hand intertwined.

"We should probably drink those teas before they're cold…" she commented, too comfortable to move. He looked over at the table and tried to stretch without moving Anne too much. Succeeding at retrieving her mug, he passed it to her and then grabbed his.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her.

"So relaxed," she smiled at him. "It's like the perfect afternoon."

"Agreed," he replied. "So… Tomorrow is the appointment with dr. Oak. It's like the perfect coincidence that she had a cancellation. The following one was in a month."

"Yes. Do I need to do something, take something…?" she asked. She had actually no idea how anything maternity worked. She should probably read a book or something.

"No, you just go. I mean, I can pick you here, but last time you were so excited about the bus…"

"And I have Juniper! I like being able to move on my own, Gil, honestly."

"So we'll meet in the parking lot," he confirmed, because he had imagined that would be her position. "I actually wanted to talk to you about something else," he added. She looked at him as she took some of her tea. "So, I know Diana and Jerry know… But have you told anyone else? Do you want us to tell anyone else?"

"I haven't… haven't you said anything to Fred?" she asked, because in her mind those two told each other everything, like a pair of gossipy teen girls.

"He kind of figured out we're not closed to the idea of being parents, because he's just… weirdly perceptive," Gilbert said, making Anne chuckle. "But I haven't told him anything about the new developments. So no, he knows we're kind of trying, but not how successful we turned out to be."

"Ok, so today… Only Diana, Jerry and the two of us know," she counted. "What are your views on that? I know most couples wait until the first trimester is over before sharing the news, but I never understood why."

"It's… well, there's no nice way around it. Three out of four miscarriages happen during the first trimester, so many couples prefer to be cautious and only share once the pregnancy is in the second trimester, because it is more rare that something goes wrong then."

"So they just deal with the whole thing on their own if it turns bad?"

"It's just how many families choose to do it. That way they don't have to go around explaining why there's no baby, or what happened, or anything. They just… continue their journey, I guess."

"Like it never happened? It sounds so hard!" she said, feeling her eyes well up with tears. Gilbert held her tightly, trying to soothe her.

"It's what works for some families. Others do different things to remember the baby. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, Anne… Just why that practice exists."

"And what do you think about it?"

"I feel it makes sense not to tell people about it," he said honestly. "But that is mostly because I don't want anyone to know about my business, something you already know too well and that I'm working on."

"I wouldn't want strangers to know about it right away either, I don't think that's being too private, Gil. It's our lives after all."

"So who would you tell?"

"I would… At the very least, wait until dr. Oak tells us everything is going reasonably well," she explained, and he nodded in agreement. "Which probably would be tomorrow. And then… Well, Diana and Jerry know, and I see them as family… So in my mind, it only makes sense telling the rest of our closest family? At the very least the ones that live close by."

"So…?" he prompted, curious to know who she was referring to.

"Well, the Wrights, obviously, and the LaCroix… and Cole and Roy. But not the rest of the gang. Not yet."

"That makes sense," Gilbert concurred. "Bash and Mary don't actually live that close."

"But they're family. Wouldn't you want them to know?"

"Well, yes," Gilbert said. "What about in a couple of weeks? We can wait and see what dr. Oak tells us and then make a plan from it."

"We can tell them later if you want. I'd just prefer to tell at least the ones that live around here… You know, if anything were to happen… I'd rather have their support than be all alone," Anne confessed. Gilbert held her tightly, wishing he could reassure her and tell her that everything was going to be alright… But the truth of the matter was that he had no idea. He just hoped to be on the bright side of the statistic. And if he was honest… He would rather keep quiet with everyone until they were on the other side, but understood Anne's need for support and his own need of learning to be not so private.

"Ok, so here's my proposal… We tell the Wrights, Cole and Roy after the appointment with dr. Oak, when we see them in person, and then once we're past the first trimester, we call Bash and Mary, and then tell the rest of the gang."

"That makes sense. And only after that we make a more broad announcement," she said, and he nodded. They drank a bit more of their tea. "I'm glad we can talk through these things and decide together…"

"I'm also glad, Carrots. Makes it feel much more like the team we're working to be," he said, kissing her temple.

After attaching the bike close to Gilbert's car, Anne took out her phone.

**Anne S-C (12:23): I'm here, Gil. Should I go in or will you come out?

**Gil (12:25): I'll be there in a minute.

Anne looked around to the trees that were on the side of the hospital, the leaves already a yellowish colour in some of them. How she loved October and the perfect weather and the colours! Oh, it was just beginning, but she could already begin to feel the thrill of the change of weather, the change of season, a whole new chapter of possibilities. Heightened with the prospect of… this, them becoming parents, being real.

"Carrots!" she heard and turned around smiling, taken out of her reverie. Gilbert was smiling, a dimple in his left cheek, his hands in the pockets of his white doctor robe. She felt her breath suddenly leave her, she actually didn't remember seeing him in his doctor attire before. In those horrible scrubs he used, yes. In suspenders, bowtie, chinos and white doctor robe…. That was something else. "How are you?"

"Lost in the leaves, did you see how they're already turning?"

"Oh, wait till you see the oak tree from my office window," he said conspirationly and kissed her lightly on the lips. "Come, let's have lunch before the appointment."

"I still can't believe you forgot it," she said. He shrugged, taking the backpack she had off her shoulders and they both put their facemasks on.

"I've been distracted. And it's the first time it's happened since… Since whenever you started leaving me food."

"March?"

"I don't actually remember. But I was so grateful for it, even if the only thing I wanted was for you to talk to me, not to feed me," he said, guiding her through the hallways of the clinic to a side corridor that evidently was off-limits for patients. A couple of doctors and nurses waved to them, greeting them. Anne smiled, recognizing a couple.

"I can be a little bit stubborn?" Anne tried to defend herself, smiling innocently. Gilbert snorted.

"That's an understatement, love. Come, it's here," he said, opening a side door. Gilbert looked around quickly and found Fred at a corner table, his lunch ready, with a couple of nurses who had their facemasks on. They walked towards them.

"Cordelia!" Fred said as soon as he saw her, standing up and engulfing her in a brotherly hug. Anne smiled. "How are you?"

"Perfectly fine, Fred, you?" Anne said, smiling back. Gilbert shook his head and went to put the tuppers in the microwave. Fred had been egging him on the reason for Anne's sudden new appointment and he had managed to change the subject for the past two days.

"Even better because you changed our monotonous routine. And I get to see you before we have to… stop seeing everyone again. Remember these ladies?" he said. Anne recognized them quickly, they were the ones that had escorted her towards the Tim Hortons exit. She sat down next to Fred and they all were talking animatedly when Gilbert sat next to them and put a container in front of Anne.

"Careful, I may have overheated the thing," he said. Anne nodded and they started eating. Some doctors came to say hi to the table, eager to meet dr. Blythe's mystery wife and the nurses excused themselves as dr. Wright was no longer helping them study for the coming exams. They took of their facemasks once they were seated. Anne was enjoying the lunch, thinking she might actually come more often now that the initial worry was off when she felt some smell come from the microwaves. Definitely broccoli. And fish. Like, who ate fish like that? It had always smelt so… She swallowed and grabbed her water bottle, trying not to draw any attention.

"You're ok?" Gilbert asked, concerned, as he saw her become a bit paler. "Anne." She swallowed again but felt her mouth fill with spit and tried desperately to swallow. Repeatedly. As she felt she was sweating cold. The microwave opened and she felt a stronger wave of the fishy smell and she knew she wouldn't make it. She stood up quickly and Gilbert as well. Fred looked at them, frowning his brow slightly, the tiniest of smiles on the side of his mouth.

"Bathroom," she said, going to the end of the room where she thought she might have spotted a bathroom sign when they came in. Gilbert stayed frozen and Fred crossed his fingers, supporting his chin on them and looking at him from the other side of the table.

"So, the appointment is just to check if the prenatal vitamins are fine, right, dr. Blythe?" he said, a small smile on his face. Gilbert frowned. "Take her water and go see if she's feeling fine and meet me at my office, I have some of that ginger tea you made me buy. Gilbert! Go, Anne." That made him react and he started walking to the bathroom, then stopped. "I'll pick this up. My office. Go!"

A few minutes later Gilbert knocked lightly on Fred's door. Anne was next to him, feeling a bit better but utterly embarrassed. She almost hadn't made it to the bathroom and had hated the fact that Gilbert came in just at the same time as her lunch had come back. And then she hadn't been able to rinse the disgusting taste of vomit with the water she had , Diana seemed to be right. She was in for a ride. Fred opened quickly, a mug in his hand he immediately gave to Anne, and welcomed them in. Anne smelled the infusion. Ginger and lemon. Yum. She felt the queasiness she still felt recede a little bit.

"I left your stuff in your office, Blythe," Gilbert nodded. "How are you feeling, Anne?"

"Better. Thanks for this, it's yummy," she said, not daring to look him in the eye. Somehow, she knew he knew. Gibert was unusually quiet. And they had agreed not to tell, at least not at first. Only the day before. And she trusted Gilbert. So how could Fred know?

"Blythe recommended it for Ella. She loves it and I carry a spare box just in case, even if she hasn't had nausea for weeks. It seems like it can be useful," Fred said. Anne nodded. "What was it? You were looking fine and then…"

"Some fishy smell? I'm sorry, I know tons of people eat fish, but how can they, when it smells like that?" Anne asked, still feeling the scent on the back of her nose. Fred shrugged.

"Some people like it. And there again, not everyone has the heightened senses like you seem to have at the moment," Fred said innocently. Gilbert scoffed and looked at the time.

"We should get going, Carrots. Thanks for the help, Fred," Gilbert said. Fred smiled at him with a knowing look.

"Take the cup, Anne, you can always bring it back later. Keep me posted, alright? I would hate for my favorite redhead to be sick."

"I'm not sick!" Anne answered reactively. Fred laughed openly.

"I can tell you're not," he answered, the smile not leaving his face. Gilbert shook his head.

"Wright, you're incorrigible. Anne, come on, he's just digging stuff to see what he can find."

"Oh, I already found, Blythe, don't you worry! Let me know how the appointment goes," Fred said, the smile still on his face as Gilbert and Anne went out of his office.

"Have you…?"

"He's way too perceptive for his own good," Gilbert answered, sighing. He offered his hand to Anne, who took it and felt comforted by his touch. "I haven't told anyone. He just… Saw you running and somehow knew. Maybe he has seen Ella in the same situation too many times by now? I know she struggled a lot with nausea at the beginning. But I have no idea, Anne-girl. Do you really mind him knowing?"

"Not really. He feels like family, and we were going to tell them anyway… if everything turns out to be ok," Anne said. Gilbert nodded. They walked comfortably in silence, Anne nursing the cup she couldn't really drink from until they were somewhere where she could take her mask off again. "I like this tea."

"I'll get you some. So, ready for this?" Gilbert asked as they approached dr. Oak's assistant. Anne nodded, smiling. "Hey, Grace. We have an appointment?"

"Of course, dr. Blythe. Dr. Oak is already waiting for you, go ahead," she said. Gilbert nodded and escorted Anne to his mentor's office. He smiled at her, the mature doctor clearly smiling underneath the facemask, some happy wrinkles in the corners of her eyes.

"So, Gilbert told me you decided to forgo the pills you wanted so much last time we met?"

"Well, they did help put everything into perspective," Anne chuckled. Gilbert squeezed her hand. "So they weren't really a lost… idea, I guess?"

"We also checked the vitamins she was taking and they cover the standard needs for pregnant women, so she was covered by that side… We weren't completely reckless. And she had been limiting alcohol, and..."

"Gilbert, if there's something you're not, is reckless," Emily said, making a gesture to stop his worried ranting. "So, Anne, tell me everything. Do you remember when your last period was?" And with that the appointment began formally. It didn't take long. Anne had some blood drawn so they could confirm the pregnancy with a lab test and soon they were on their way. Gilbert's hand slipped easily in hers as they walked back to Anne's bike.

"I'll see you at home. Please, be careful," he pleaded. He knew the bike was the best form of transportation for Anne at the moment, but if he was being honest he would rather drive her. If he didn't have an appointment in ten minutes.

"When are the lab results due? I can't believe I already forgot," she asked, putting on her helmet.

"We will probably know today. But if I would guess it's confirmed, it would be weird for you to have three false positives in those tests you took," he insisted. "Especially if you're already not feeling great, your period is a couple of weeks late... I will go to Metro and buy some of that tea for you to have around? Anything else you want?"

"Just the tea. Thanks, Gil," she said. He leaned to give her a quick kiss and she mounted the bike. "I'll see you home. Love you." He smiled as he saw her pedal away and then felt his phone buzz.

**Fred (13:42): So?

**Gilbert Blythe (13:43): You do know how nosy you are? I'll go over to leave you your mug.

"Blythe! Why hadn't you said something?! Now your stupid grin from yesterday makes sense, you overcautious git!" Fred exclaimed as he opened the door and Gilbert gave him the washed mug.

"I guess we were just waiting for some confirmation? I don't know. I understand your need to tell everyone about it before the first trimester is over, but…"

"You are an overcautious git."

"That. Yes," Gilbert said, his hand shooting to his hair and Fred slapping it. "And we literally found out on Wednesday."

"Can I say how happy I am for you guys?"

"You can," Gilbert said, smiling. Fred hugged him.

"Can I tell Ella?"

"Sure, go ahead. At this point… We were going to tell you both tomorrow, probably. Once dr. Oak gives us the result from the blood test," Gilbert explained. Then he sighed, still smiling. "I can't actually believe I'm going to be a dad. It's… it's big, Freddie."

"You don't say," Fred said. "I wish I could tell you you will get used to it… But honestly? It's been months and I'm still anxious and skeptical. About that, before I forget. There's this new measure from Monday… Did you see the vanishing of social circles and meeting only with your household?" Gilbert nodded. The cases had been surging again and he was beginning to feel as restless as in the spring, concerned even more because there was no nice weather ahead, which meant more people inside. Winter didn't promise much, especially with the vaccines still in trials. And all the holidays coming up. "Anyway, so we wanted to invite you guys for lunch tomorrow, with Roy and Cole, so we can see each other for the last time in… who knows how long? It will be outside, just in case… But anyway, like an early thanksgiving thing. We can add little Cordelia to the celebration. What do you say?"

"That we're not calling my future kid little Cordelia, that's what I say."

"I'm calling her that. Deal with it. About lunch?"

"Sure thing. I know Anne is knitting some stuff for Alicia and wanted to go over to give it to Ella, so it's also a good excuse for that. Well, if she's done by then. I don't know how long those things take. And it could be a boy."

"Great! So we'll do that. Last barbecue of the year. It will be just the six of us, we're not risking anything bigger."

"Sounds like a plan."

Anne was waiting for him at the door as soon as she heard the telltale bips of the lock outside. She looked at him expectantly, wringing her hands. She hadn't had the guts to text him in the afternoon, afraid of the possibility of having to deal with bad news alone, and hadn't known what to think of his silence. He looked at her big, shiny eyes and couldn't help but smile.

"Dr. Oak confirmed it, Carrots," he said, opening his arms and feeling as she went directly into his chest, burrowing her face in his chest. "We're going to be parents. For real."

"It feels unreal," she said against him, just as he kissed the top of her head. She looked up to him.

"I know. But believe me, unless your body knows how to produce that amount of hormones without being pregnant, you are. And that would be a case study."

"Nerd," she said, smiling at him. He chuckled.

"And? You love that. And you have so many symptoms there really was little doubt," he answered, smiling broadly. She kissed him, just to get that smug smile out of him. He corresponded, still smiling as she retreated. "See? Now, do you want to live here on the threshold or can we actually go inside our home?"

"I'm sorry! I just…" she blushed, standing aside so he could enter the apartment and close the door.

"I know, Carrots, I'm just teasing," he said, kissing her on the temple before kneeling to undo the shoelaces. She went to prepare some tea, the smile not leaving her face. "Fred invited us over tomorrow. With Cole and Roy. Before Monday, you know…"

"The new measures. Yes. I'm so tired of this year, Gil… Not because it hasn't been great finally… being with you, it's just…"

"I know, Anne-girl. It's one for the books," he went over where she was and hugged her from behind, kissing her neck. "We're all tired. It's exhausting, this whole… thing. But we're together and we will come stronger out of this, you'll see."

"I'm just frustrated, even when I'm so happy. And I'm so happy there shouldn't be any space for frustration," she turned and buried her face on his chest, concentrating on his scent.

"You're only human, Carrots. I've told you before, I'll tell you again, don't be so hard on yourself. Now, what do you want to do today?"

"Look at some more houses?" she asked, full of illusion and excitement.

"Are you serious? I thought you were done with that."

"I'm done with going to open houses with you and your perfectionism. So I thought we might have a… refreshing change of strategy. I actually looked and there's many chapters from Property Brothers remodeling fixer uppers for you to see they're not a money pit. I already selected some of them," she said, smiling at him. He raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing her. "And I am being serious Gil."

"You can't be. That's your idea of Friday afternoon? Looking at some boring renovation series?"

"My idea of Friday afternoon is inspiring you, to be honest. I just want you to see the potential in all those houses."

"Ok, then, Carrots. Lead the way," he said, resigned, looking for a cider in the fridge as she poured the boiling water over one of the new ginger teas he had brought.