This is made for the scene when Jerry comes to sleep with Anne because he was afraid to sleep alone.
...
It was late at night and everyone was asleep at Aunt Josephine residence. Nothing could be heard, except the soft whimpers coming from a french boy having a nightmare. It wasn't unusual for him to have them, but this one from tonight it was a still living memory from a few hours ago when he was beaten in the middle of the street and almost froze before Anne could find him and took him here. Also, he wasn't used to sleep alone... He always shared the bed with his two younger sisters and the room with, well, everyone! (they had only one room to live in and they were 6 in there)
"Aaaaa" Jerry woke up with a scream. He looked around a little bit scared before remember where he was and why. Also, there was a small problem: he wet the bed. Something that hasn't happened in the last 12 years! He tried to get back to sleep, maybe he would dry off untill morning, even if he got a cold from it. And he tried, but the wetness and and the sound from outside and the rain and him being alone in the whole room was too much. He felt tears coming in his eyes, but he refused to let them pour. He was 15 and considered a man, not a child anymore! But a man would know what to do, but he didn't. "Anne would know what to do..." he tought, got up from the bed and tiptoe to Anne's room.
"Anne! Anne!"
"What? Why? What's wrong?" the red head shot awake thinking that something bad might happened. She opened the light and looked at Jerry, who was seated very fast on the edge of the bed, not looking directly at her.
"Can I... Please, can I sleep here? At home I... Never... I mean, I... I don't have my own bed." he pleaded with his small voice, still childish tonight.
Anne looked at him and understood. There was a time when she was also afraid of the dark and having nightmares. Also, she was afraid of sharing this, so she was a little proud for him to come and tell her this. And then, Anne saw something that wasn't expected. "You're... Wet!"
And then Jerry could not hold his tears anymore. It was a shame coming in a girl room in the middle of the night for something that stupid. So, he stood up ready to leave, when he heard her...
"Jerry? It's ok, it happens sometimes when you are afraid. I know that because I was afraid many times, of cours, never THAT afraid, but I remember that happened for me once after Marilla took me because I was afraid of going back to the orphanage. So... I know how you feel. Let's get you changed and in bed." Anne was smiling, but it was a kind and reasuring smile, almost motherly some may say.
In the Jerry's guest room they found a set of clothes put there for him, for tonight. It was a good thing that Aunt Jo thought at any possibility and put some clothes just in case. Tomorrow morning she would tell her what happened in private, she would make sure that Jerry would not be embarrassed further.
"Just... Get changed, leave your clothes on the bed and come to mine, I will wait you there"
Jerry came verry fast after her, she barely had time to climb into bed. The boy remained near the bed with his head bowed down expecting something, but neither he knew what.
"What are you doing?" The girl asked witouth a clue. "It ok, just get in bed!"
"What... What if it happens again?"
And Anne just knew what he was talking about. "It won't. I can tell you from my experience that everything will be fine. You will see, everything will be fine, will sort out somehow." and they both knew that she was talking about everything happened in the last few days, not just from this night. Jerry got the courage and climbed into bed next to her, on the very edge, turned with his back on her.
Anne let out a hard breath. This boy was a little like her. She understood somehow his need of being small and unseen, but she could see him very well. She got the blanket on top of him too and turned off the lights. She got closer and put an arm around him... More exactely, she hugged him from behind, something that she knew Marilla did when she had nightmares and needed to sleep with someone.
Jerry flinched away when he felt Anne's hand and it was about to fell out of bed before the girl cought him in time. "Shhh, it's just me, I won't hurt you, it's ok, relax". And he did relaxed, he almost fell asleep instantly, he remained still almost the whole night, not wanting to disturbed the girl. Morning came fast after the events from the night. Anne was first to wake up to the sun rays in the room. She looked at Jerry... He was still asleep, the perfect time to find Aunt Josephine and talk to her. She got dressed and walked down the stairs.
"Oh, hello dear Anne, how have you slept last night?"
"Morning Aunt Jo, I slep wonderful, but I can't say the same thing about Jerry."
"Oh my, take a sit and tell me all that happened."
"well... Around midnight he came into my room because he was afraid of something, but more of that he wet the bed. Please, Aunt Jo, don't tell me I did tell you, I don't want him to be embarrassed, even tought I know he will be, but it felt right for you to know about it. "
" And, where did he slept? "
" in my bed, but we didn't do anything wrong, believe me. I just hugged him because somehow I could sense and hear his unsettled mind working so I needed to calm him down somehow... "
" you did good, Anne. It was the right thing to do. And for the bed, don't worry about it, it would be arranged. You would be a great kindred spirit one day! Now go and wake the boy up, you need yo eat to gain streight for more adventures. "" Jerry, wake up, it's morning, we need to eat and go"
"wha... What time is it... Oh God, is light outside, I must be overslept" He jumped out of bed ready to find his clothes and get dressed "I need to tend the horses and move the hay and feed the cows and..."
"Easy, do you remember were we are?" Anne asked a little bit worried about his friend outburst
"At... Wait... This isn't Green Gables. This...Oh God, sorry Anne, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, it won't happen again, I promise, it won't, please forgive me..." Jerry mumbled frantically with his eyes in the ground.
"Jerry, it's ok, nothing happened last night, I promise. It was ok! Let's get ready for the day."
And after the breakfast, they took the horse and headed home, a jurney that will took them almost all day. Aunt Jo just stood in the doorway waving to them and telling them to come back soon. She was a sweet lady with a mind way too open for this world.
And, in the end, they were children. They were forced to grow up a little too soon, but deep down in their hearts they were still children and needed her wisdom. And she needed them because she wasn't that old, is she? She knew something had happened last night, they were both asleep when she entered the room and found them in the same bed and Jerry had his face stained with silent tears. Anne was, indeed, all the boy needed for that night: a kindred spirit.
