Anne of Green Gables fanfiction. I came up with few characters on my own, however, the majority belongs to the wonderful Lucy Maud Montgomery.
I got the idea for this story approximately a year ago. I still remember getting on the bus, listening to the most amazing song by Colum Scott - You Are The Reason and making up the plotline for this fanfic. I fell in love with this little idea, so I decided to write it down and publish it. Hope you will like it. Every feedback is more than just welcome.
Please acknowledge that English is not my mother tongue, nevertheless, I hope this will be enjoyable reading.
Thank you.
Yours truly,
Almost Anne Blythe
Summary: Gilbert Blythe and Anne Shirley were separated during the war. When they reported Gilbert as dead, Anne left her beloved Avonlea forever without letting anyone know. What will happen when certain doctor returns from war just to find out that the girl for whom he survived left without any trace? Can a pair of twins that appear in Avonlea by mistake save his heart? And is it possible to fall in love once again, even when you lost your kindred spirit? Gilbert Blythe, lost twins and their mom will have to figure this out.
Chapter One
18th November 1915,
Avonlea, PEI, Canada
The first rays of sunlight just started to appear on the sky. It was past the middle of November and people of the Canadian village known as Avonlea were getting ready to go after their daily work. Amongst the beauty of nature and the warmth of homes, Anne Shirley was making her way to the train station. One would say she hasn't changed much since that day 14 years ago when she first arrived at Green Gables but that was not true. Who once used to be a little, extremely talkative orphan girl with vivid imagination was now an adult lady who had to face both the happiness and sorrow of life.
While walking, Anne's face was covered in small, almost invisible tears but if anybody would look straight into her eyes, they would see all the disastrous events that happened to her in the last few months.
In June everything seemed perfect, Gilbert was graduating from medical school and on the 12th of September, they were supposed to marry after three years of engagement. She was not sure when has everything gone so tragically. From happy - soon to be Mrs. Dr. Gilbert Blythe - she became a girl who lost her beloved one in this terrible war. There were thousands just like her. It has been three weeks that passed since Gilbert has been reported dead and Anne knew that she couldn't go on like this. Wherever she went, whatever she was doing, everything reminded her of him. Her heart didn't want to accept that her dearest man will never return and still believed. But her brain knew the facts. Gilbert went missing the moment he stepped on European soil and now his dead body was left somewhere on the continent.
With these dark thoughts, Anne made her way to the train station. She was supposed to get on the earliest train of the day and leave. Even she didn't know where her new home will be. The only plan was to leave Canada, probably for the United States.
Nobody knew about this plan, nor Anne recent diagnosis. She went to a doctors appointment when she wanted to leave for the front as a volunteer. But when the doctor told her about her condition, Anne knew that she could no longer even think about looking for Gilbert in Europe. Telling about any of this to Marilla, Rachel, The Blythes, Diana or anybody else would unnecessarily hurt them and cause even more troubles in their already complicated situations. Therefore, the only reasonable solution was to leave Avonlea and let the people she cared about the most live their lives without a burden who will soon not be capable to take care of herself. Anne would probably spend even more unnecessary time in her depressive thoughts would it not be for the train which appeared on the horizon.
As she was bordering the train she looked back at her beloved forests, fields and houses of all the people who meant so much to her. Anne was aware that this is most likely the last time she will ever see the dearest Avonlea on Prince Edward Island in Canada - her beloved home.
7 months later:
12th June 1916
New York City, USA
On that June day, people all around the city could finally feel summer in the air. The spring was cold and rainy and the whole society was influenced by it. When warmer and sunnier days finally came, at least a little joy returned amongst people. In these trying times of the horrible war, people were thankful for every little moment of happiness.
In the late evening of this day, a certain young lady arrived at one of New York's hospitals. She was weak and exhausted but seemed exquisitely happy. This lady was called Anne Shirley. After hours of pain, she was finally relieved and now laid in the hospital bed with almost closed eyes, slowly falling into the dreamland. Anne knew that it was the end, she was sure that everything was about to change once again. With peace and love in her heart, she fell for the longest and most deserved sleep of her life. She knew that this sleep will take her to her beloved Gilbert and they will meet at last.
That day was the last one for Anne Shirley. Not long after she drifted into her peaceful sleep, a new patient found herself in the bed in which Miss Shirley spent her last minutes. The name of this woman was Mrs Anne Willis. She has just given birth to two sweet twins. The father of the children went to fight and never returned. Anne Shirley did not get the chance to love again in her life. But Anne Willis was given this wonderful opportunity. That evening she promised her newborn babies to love them with her whole heart as she finally managed to open it again after losing their father. She knew there will be many bends in her road but she was willing to deal with them all for her children, for herself and for the undying hope that one day she will meet her beloved man again.
So what do you think dear readers? This was the beginning of the story, that I hope you will like and enjoy. I will try my best to publish as regularly as possible but until then I will be thankful for every comment, every expression of your feelings and opinions about this story.
With lots of love, Almost Anne Blythe