AN: I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I HIGHLY SUGGEST listening to the songs. They really add emotion to this chapter. Especially in the last scene.

THANK YOU!

Diana had frozen in motion. When she gasped, Anne's attention turned to her. The redhead looked at her, concerned. "Diana? Is something amiss?" This turned Jerry's attention to them. He and Gilbert had switched places. Gilbert was now helping Marilla and Matthew get sources ready. Thunder was rumbling above. The pattering of rain echoed down in the cellar.

"My necklace," Diana met Anne's eye. "It's gone."

The blood drained from Anne's face. "When did you last have it?"

"I was playing with it by the barn, then I saw-" Diana thought about minutes before. When she hugged Anne, there was a small tug between them. It was outside, on the dirt road. "It fell off when I saw you. When we embraced it must've come undone. Oh, what are we going to do?"

"The symbol of our everlasting love and friendship is sitting helplessly outside," Anne looked up at the cellar doors. "If it snows, we'll be lucky to find it in the spring. But with the howling winds, I'm afraid it'll be lost forever." She continued to stare up at the doors. "I have to retrieve it," she said in a whisper.

...

Song Suggestion: Never Going Back (Ari Posner & Amin Bhatia)

...

"Anne," Diana's eyes widened. "Anne, don't. It's too dangerous."

Diana grabbed hold of Anne's arm. With pleading eyes, Diana silently begged her to stay where it was safe. After a moment, Anne nodded, and Diana let go of her arm and let out a sigh of relief. She wouldn't want anything to happen to her bosom friend. Necklaces didn't matter, as long as Diana knew in her own heart that she and Anne were the best of friends forever.

"I love you," Anne said with a small smile, her blue eyes crinkling at the corners."My dearest Diana."

Anne then ran up the ladder with amazing speeds. "Anne." Diana screamed, "Anne!" Gilbert, Marilla, and Matthew all called out to her too, but the red-head was much too quick. Throwing open the cellar doors, she climbed out into the storm and briskly slammed the opening shut. Thunder cracked as she disappeared. Diana screamed in horror as she moved. She was about to chase after Anne, but a strong hand tugged her back. Diana looked to see Jerry shaking his head, his eyes sincere.

Tears had formed in Diana's eyes as she threw herself into Jerry's arms. She was so scared for Anne. Anne could be killed out there. Jerry held Diana close to him, letting her head rest against his chest as she cried.

Behind them, Gilbert banged on the doors that were refusing to open. He was desperate to save his love.

Outside, Anne ran down the path of Green Gables. She could hardly see the sky, it was so dark. Rain and hail were pouring down on her. Whirling winds made her braids fly as she desperately searched for Diana's necklace. She wiped the water pooling around her face. Taking deep breaths, Anne recalled where she had been when she had met Diana.

In a lightning flash, Anne saw a gold reflection in the dirt. She gasped in amazement and ran over to the object. Anne grasped the fallen necklace and held it close to her own. She smiled triumphantly and looked up to the sky. The storm didn't seem so bad after all because it helped her find a lost treasure. She gave a silent thank you to God before going back towards the house.

She was about to the cellar when it happened. A lightning strike suddenly hit very close. It had hit the Snow Queen. Anne screamed in shock from the noise, and from the horror of one large branch flying down from its perch. Anne cried out again as she rushed to the tree. She slipped on the mud and fell down onto her knees before the cracked branch.

Sitting herself up, Anne gazed down at her injured friend, brushing the bark lightly with her fingertips as if to soothe it. "Oh, not you, my beloved Snow Queen," Anne sobbed. As she tried to pick herself up from her teary heap, she slipped again.

"Anne?!" Gilbert called out loudly, his voice booming. "Anne?! Where are you!? Anne!" He had spotted her and rushed over, slipping on the mud, but not falling. Gilbert didn't hesitate but to take her up into his arms and carry her away. Anne cried into his shoulder, only taking one last glance at the Snow Queen and the horrid storm above.

Gilbert passed Anne down to Matthew and Jerry, who had their arms outstretched and ready for her. Diana was holding onto Marilla, crying. "Oh, Anne," Diana sobbed as the men placed her down on the bed. Diana and Marilla rushed to her side.

"What on heaven's earth were you doing child?" Marilla asked, her eyes bulging. She wrapped a blanket around Anne as she sat up on the bed.

"Saving a great symbol of love and friendship," Anne held out Diana's half of the gold heart necklace to Diana. Diana gasped as she took it gently from Anne's outstretched hand.

Diana then embraced her bosom friend, only to pull away with quick shock. "Anne, you're bleeding!" She only spotted blood on her sleeve, but there was more on her dress.

"My word!" Marila exclaimed, rising to her feet. "Did you fall?" Matthew fumbled around the shelves for bandages.

"Yes," Anne let a tear fall from her eye. "The Snow Queen...has fallen. She wasn't strong enough against the storm. I must've scraped one of her branches. Oh, poor Snow Queen."

Trails of blood were on her sleeves, but her leg was the source. Marilla was about to stoop down to attend, but Gilbert cut in. "Maybe I should take a look since I've been studying wounds lately."

Marilla gave a sharp look to Gilbert, and he swallowed nervously. "Marilla," Matthew interjected. "Trust the boy. He might as well know more than all of combined." Marilla hesitated, but then she got back up to her feet.

Gilbert keeled down to see where Anne was bleeding. It was a deeper cut on her shin, but no stitches would be needed. Although, there were some fragments of break. First, Gilbert would have to remove her stocking. Giving a small glance to Marilla, he took Anne's leg and tore at the rip in the stocking. Once the wound was out, Gilbert began to dab at it with a cloth Marilla had doused with some of her medicine wine.

Anne winced, but Gilbert continued to dab at it. "I need a forceps." Marilla dug around for some and gave him the little players she had in the medical kit. "Anne, this is going to hurt, but I have to get these wood fragments out, or your wound will get infected."

Anne gave him a small nod to continue, holding on tightly to Diana's hand. Gilbert clenched his jaw as he worked. Flinching almost every time Anne gasped, he had tried to stay focused. He had done this at the university with pigs, and when they squealed, he didn't mind. But this was different. This was Anne. His Anne. The girl he loved most in the world. He had to contain himself, even though he hated himself every time he hurt her.

Gilbert let out the breath he had been holding when he finished. Cleaning the wound again, he wrapped her leg up tightly. He stood and stepped away from Anne, indicating he was done. Marilla let out a long sigh. "Thank heavens. I'm glad that's over now. All we have to do is wait out the storm."

But it didn't sound like it was going to end anytime soon.

The storm ran into the night. Marilla and Matthew had taken the rocking chair from upstairs and brought them down when the storm wasn't as thunderous. Anne and Diana slept in the bed, and Jerry and Gilbert slept with blankets on the floor. Everyone was soundly asleep with the storm above. Gilbert, however, awoke. He never really liked thunderstorms, but he had to make sure that Anne was alright.

In the dim lantern light, Gilbert got from his heap of blankets and sat on the edge of the bed, where Anne was. He looked down at her clam, sleeping face. He brushed a single misplaced hair from her forehead. He stroked her red braid with a smile. Placing a single kiss on her cheek, Gilbert rose to his feet, intending to go back to his makeshift bed.

He stopped when he saw Marilla's eyes staring at him from her wooden rocking chair. Gilbert swallowed nervously. "I'm sorry, Miss Cuthbert," he whispered, "I didn't know y-"

"It's alright Gilbert," Marilla assured. He carefully crept to her. "Anne's a young woman now, and I know that she's of age. Is it proper? I think not, but I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt her."

"Of course not," Gilbert shook his head. Stealing a glance at his beloved, he turned back to Marilla with a sincere expression. "I love her. And if I ever did hurt her, I wouldn't be able to live with myself in good conscience."

Marilla gave him a warm smile. "It's good to know that Anne will be loved when Matthew and I have passed on. It's even better to know it's you, Gilbert Blythe."

Gilbert smiled ad nodded before going back to his bed, feeling much better about his future.

A few hours before dawn and the storm had mostly settled. There were a few booms of thunder, but nothing terrible like before. Matthew and Jerry had gone out to check on the animals, and Marilla went up into the house. Anne's chatter to Gilbert had woken Diana. She knew she couldn't leave the two alone in the room, so she rose from the bed and sat down on the stairs that led up to the house. There, it was still dark, not even lit with damp lamplight.

She hadn't gotten the best sleep that night. The roars of thunder and the beating of her heart kept her awake. Not to mention her lingering thoughts of Jerry. Their time in the barn, and the way he held her when Anne had gone out into the storm. Diana couldn't get over the feelings that arose within her when he touched her. It was amazing to feel that way.

Diana didn't recall when she fell asleep on the stairs, but the next thing she remembered was a sudden crack of thunder. The storm wasn't over. She lept up from her leaning position. Diana's heart raced as her eyes darted throughout the room. Anne and Gilbert were sitting on the bed against the cellar wall. Their heads resting on the other, asleep. Diana started to catch her breath when she noticed a blanket had been wrapped around her.

Jerry was sitting beside her, wide awake. "Diana? Are you alright?"

"Yes," Diana took a deep breath. "I'm just so jumpy from the storm." She wrapped the blanket tighter around herself. Jerry must've placed it there.

"It's just after thunder," Jerry said quietly. "The storm is over now. Nothing to be afraid of."

"I'm just glad we're all safe," Diana said, looking over at Anne and Gilbert and grinning. Marilla nor Matthew was in sight.

"I'm glad you're safe," Jerry said quietly. Diana looked away, concealing her blush.

That was when thunder cracked again.

Diana gasped as she jumped, frightened. Jerry put his hand lightly on her, then there was another boom. Diana lept into his full embrace. She didn't cry, but she shuddered in his arms. Jerry held her tight again. Diana could hear his heart beating in his chest. it was a magnificently soothing sound. "It's alright," he whispered to her quietly.

...

Song Suggestion: Forbidden to Fraternize (Ari Posner & Amin Bhatia)

...

Diana suddenly leaned away from him, examining his sparkling brown eyes. "How can you say it's alright?" she asked in a whisper.

Jerry's lips slightly parted as he tucked her hair behind her ear. "Because I'm here for you now, and I will be sure that you aren't alone." She had never found more words reassuring. Diana turned her gaze from his eyes to his lips, then back up again. The heat between them was undeniable. His breath reflected off of her skin as his thumb continued to trace the bottom of her jaw and to her chin.

Diana let her eyes flutter shut as she leaned into Jerry. Their lips met gently, sending a warm feeling through Diana's chest. This was different from when they had kissed last summer. It almost felt like this was Diana's first real kiss. It was filled with emotion. The passion quickly took them over. The kiss deepened as Diana slid her arms from the blanket up to his shoulders. His hand pressed more sternly on her back.

They pressed up against each other as they kissed again and again. Diana ran her fingers through Jerry's hair as he brought her back from the tight embrace. He tenderly gave her one last kiss before allowing himself to pull away from her lips, but he kept his forehead pressed to hers. Keeping her eyes closed, Diana's fingers lingered on his shoulders before slowly running down his arms as he held her with a gentle grip.

Their hearts racing in sync, Jerry whispered, "Je suis toujours la pour toi."

But before Diana could open her eyes or evaluate what just happened, Jerry was gone. The heat of his kiss still settling on her lips.