Remember when I said this fic was only going to be ten chapters long? Well I lied, even to myself.

The thing is that from now on, I know chapters are going to be extremely long, so I will need to divide them. Part II is going to come once I find the time between exams but I hope you like this. Thank you so much for reading!

Also, chapter 3 will cover both November and December so a lot is going to happen there.

I honestly had so much fun writing this! A few things, the dates before each scene are the ones in which every scene happens (duh) so, when there is a letter, you need to remember that it's not the date of the letter precisely. Usually, the letters will appear from the receiver's POV so you need to remember that between Toronto and Charlottetown, letters took five days to travel (more or less). Hope that helps with any confusion but let me know!

About this chapter. Ka'kwet's storyline begins to take a protagonist role. For this, I read as much as I could about the residential schools, and the Mi'kmaq culture. Please, if there's any mistake I've made about this subject, let me know at once. Also, Professor Hamilton was an actual professor in Queens in the 'Anne of Green Gables' saga and he will make more than an appearance from now on.

Disclaimer: Do not own this.

Please, fav, follow and review! Cheers for reading.

Chapter 2. Part I. "A Relentless Thorn."

October 14th, 1899.

It wasn't even midday when the wonderful, refreshing air of Avonlea greeted Anne as if she were an old friend. Anne took the change of scenery with glee, relieved, yet anxious of getting to Green Gables as soon as possible. Alas, she was now a lady, a respectable young woman and as such, she couldn't just hop down the train the moment it halted to a stop, like every nerve in her body craved for her to do.

Considering that, it wouldn't be a surprise that the moment she at last stepped down from the train and spotted Jerry waiting for her on the family's wagon, Belle pulling from it, she breathed rather deeply in relief.

"I had forgotten the relief of glancing at a kindred spirit!" Anne called joyfully as she made her way towards her brother. As she reached them, she stopped by Belle to nuzzle her. "Charlottetown is so close to Avonlea, yet it seems as if I've moved into an entirely different world. It makes me miss all the beloved faces from home all that much more, including yours, Jerry. And Belle! Oh, how I've missed you, my beloved friend!"

"I understand," Jerry tipped his hat in greeting, his smile widening with mischief as he took in the fact that while Anne dressed like a lady now, she dragged her bags impatiently behind her the same way she did when she dressed like a kid. "A lot has changed since you left us, soon-to-be Mrs. Blythe."

At that, Anne halted into a stop, her eyes widening and her skin reddening considerably as she spluttered in outrage and shock.

It wasn't that she'd forgotten about Gilbert - that joy, that blissful fact lived in her mind, keeping her together until the moment her and her beau would be reunited. It rather was that with the news about Ka'kwet and the hasty packing she had to make after her last class the day before, it had taken a supporting role in favour of more pressing issues.

Whenever she was done helping Ka'kwet however she could, Gilbert would still be there. That was enough for Anne.

"Jerry!" Anne finally cried, her blush deepening when an elderly lady scowled at her as she walked towards her carriage. "How dare you!?"

"You thought I forgot about it?" Jerry cackled as Anne put her bags in the wagon with a huff and sat besides him with her arms tightly crossed against her chest. "Really, I'm angry that you two finally got together after you left for Charlottetown! As your brother, I deserve unlimited right to tease you!"

Despite herself, Anne couldn't help but smile proudly. "I see school has already improved your vocabulary. Are you liking Ms. Stacy 's lessons?"

"She reminds of you but like, the better parts of you," Jerry replied, snorting when Anne elbowed him. "Anne, ladies are not supposed to hit anybody, let alone their dear brothers!"

"They should make an exception for their 'dear brothers', as you put it," Anne grumbled before glancing at Jerry nervously from the corner of her eye. "Jerry?"

"Anne?"

"Were Marilla and Matthew truly okay with the news about me and Gilbert?" Anne asked. Jerry opened his mouth to reply but, to the surprise of no one, Anne had been defeated by the urge to initiate a rambling rant. "Because I received word of them of their approval and they specifically said they were impressed with Gilbert's letter - of which I know nothing of its contents and it's making me rather nervous, if I'm being honest - and, not that I don't trust Gilbert, because of course I do, but I hate not knowing and-."

"Anne, is there an end to this speech?" Jerry finally cut her off, his tone equally amused and exasperated.

"There was, if you had been patient enough to wait for it," Anne retorted hotly before her eyes lowered to her lap. "I think there was, at least."

"Look, I know nothing about love." Jerry snorted after a moment. "And I don't think I want to know. It brings as much pain as it brings happiness, in my opinion. But you two…you make sense together, I guess. At the very least, we all knew of your feelings for one another before the two of you figured it out, so no one is surprised. And Mr. and Ms. Cuthbert didn't lie. I read Gilbert's letter and I don't think any parent would have disapproved."

Anne gulped nervously, offering a small smile. "Thank you, Jerry."

"And even then, you two were almost too late."

"Jerry-."

"Seriously, who falls in love with a girl but brings another one to a fair? I mean, I know Gilbert is supposed to be smart but, is he really?"

"Jerry-."

"And Anne, seriously, how is it that it took you so long to see? I was with the two of you for two minutes, years ago, in Charlottetown, and I saw you two loved each other. And yet, he left for who knows where and when he came back, you two lost the time competing!"

"Jerry."

"If you two end up having children, can I please tell them about how you met? The slate' incident is my favorite."

"Enough," Anne finally managed to intervene, equally glowering and smiling as Jerry cackled with joyful glee. Smiling not because she appreciated Jerry's teasing, but because if one looked at her story with Gilbert, it was slightly ridiculous. Not that she liked for it to be pointed out but still, now that there was no more confusion or heartache, she could see their story and be fond of it. "There will not be any more speaking, am I clear?"

"I can tell you about Gilbert's letter if you want-," Jerry began, a mischievous glint brightening his eyes but trailed off as Anne turned towards him with a murderous glare.

"No. More. Words." Anne hissed, raising a hand when Jerry opened his mouth. "And that includes singing."

A moment of silence enveloped them as Anne turned her gaze towards the Lake of Shining Waters and greeted it with an emotional smile. Meanwhile, Jerry kept his eyes forward as he steered the horses down the path, his grin sly as he felt Anne's annoyance rolling off of her in waves.

Then, he spoke.

"You look happy, Anne."

Anne couldn't help but grin at that. "I am. Today is not about me but...I'm really happy."

"I'm glad. You deserve to be happy." Jerry shrugged in a nonchalant manner. "I may have missed you."

"May?"

"I'm not sure, yet. Ask me later."

"I know you did," Anne taunted him before her smile softened. "I missed you too."

oOo

October, 14th, 1899

As she lay eyes on Green Gables, Anne felt an odd sense of homesickness, making her want nothing but to make plum puffs with Marilla and help Matthew around the farm. She didn't forget about her friend though, not even as her heart seemed to be overwhelmed with nostalgia so, leaving Jerry to enter her bags in payment for his teasing, she hugged her parents quickly, talked for a few minutes with Aluk and Oqwatnuk, and set off to find Ka'kwet.

She found her friend by the foot of the tree next to the house, the one next to her window. There, hidden from the world yet in touch with nature, a friend that once upon a time had offered unmeasurable comfort, Ka'kwet sat with her arms tightly wrapped around her legs, the end of her raven hair brushing her shoulders every time she moved slightly, and her eyes on the grass around her.

Anne didn't know how long she stood apart, watching her wounded friend. As it had been the day before, she remembered the fiery, vivacious girl that threw a handkerchief at Billy Andrews when he was rude to her. She remembered the day Ka'kwet taught her how to braid her hair in the Mi'kmaq style, told her about her culture and gave her the name of Melkita'ulamun. She remembered that girl, and she could believe that the girl before her now was the very same person. What she couldn't was forgive those who forced her to change.

How could anyone feel entitled to erase such a rich, lively, beauteous culture? How could anyone fail to understand that erasing a culture, any culture, was equal to erasing the very essence of people? How could anyone fail to be empathetic, sensible, decent in such a tremendous manner?

'We want to leave as soon as we can.' Aluk had translated for Oqwatnuk after Anne greeted them. 'We don't feel safe. Ka'kwet is not safe. But she wanted to see you, Melkita'ulamun. She wants to say goodbye.'

Maybe that's the only way she could help, by allowing Ka'kwet to say goodbye. It was such a harrowing thought and so unlike what Anne's very essence stood for but, this wasn't her story, her life. It was hers. Ka'kwet was the one who suffered such appalling injustice so, whatever she could do to help, she would.

With her resolve formed, Anne straightened, pulling her lips into an encouraging smile. "Ka'kwet."

Ka'kwet looked up slowly, as if she struggled to connect that name to her person. As her eyes fell on Anne, she frowned. "Anne? You look so different."

Anne looked down at her dress, the very same one she had travelled in from Charlottetown, and flustered nervously. "I'm sorry, I just got here and I was so eager to speak to you and make sure you were safe and I-," Anne quickly cut herself before her overwhelming feelings managed to get the best of her. She began to take the pins off her hair, letting it fall down her back in copper waves, and gestured for the place next to Ka'kwet. "Can I sit with you?"

Ka'kwet nodded mutely, watching Anne thoughtfully as she made herself comfortable with her back resting against the tree.

Anne wasn't really sure of how long they sat in silence but she was halfway through making a flower crown for Ka'kwet when the younger girl turned towards her. "How much did they tell you?"

Anne shook her head. "Nothing, I didn't ask. I thought that I should get to know what you want me to know."

"They sneaked me out one night, the two men who took me back after I escaped," Ka'kwet hesitated, gulping in a poor attempt to refrain her tears from falling. "I didn't see anyone else but the other kids and even they were too scared to open their eyes. And what they were talking about… I didn't understand and no one wants to tell me about it but...I think they make it look like I'm dead so the nuns never find I escaped with their help."

"Do you think they were paid by your parents?" Anne questioned softly.

"They day you went there with Mr. Cuthbert, I was watching. I was...I was locked up and it was really dark and scary but I had a window and when you appeared I was so hopeful, so happy that I would finally be free!" Ka'kwet choked a sob before shaking her head. "And then I wasn't but I saw how the men seemed to think when they were offered money. I saw that my father and mother stayed and I was...relieved but I...hope, I couldn't hope. I was so scared, I still am, even here."

"Your mother told me they want to disappear into the woods so you're safe again," Anne offered after a minute of silence in which she fought to regain her composure. "I'm happy for you, my beloved friend. I am so sorry you went through something no one should have to go through but all I want is for you to feel safe and happy again and I'm so relieved you have the opportunity."

"I keep thinking about the other kids," Ka'kwet admitted. "Their families do not know what is happening, they don't know that we are being forced to forget about our cultures. I...when I said yes to go, I thought I was going to learn but that I was still going to be...me. And then, I was forced to forget my name, my language, my costumes, and everything that was me before. I was forced to think all of that was wrong and who I had to be in there... well, Ha-Hannah... was someone good but...I was still treated badly. I felt so alone, even surrounded by kids who were going through the same. I still feel alone, because no one can understand how it feels."

"I wish I could," Anne whispered, finding it hard to speak for fear of making it harder for Ka'kwet to share her story. "I would do anything for you not to feel that."

"It doesn't matter," Ka'kwet offered Anne a small, almost nonexistent smile. "Even if you did, that will not help the others. And once I disappear, I cannot help."

Anne frowned at that but soon perked up. She finished the flower crown and offered it to Ka'kwet with a flourish. "I have an idea."

Sensing a change in Anne's demeanour, Ka'kwet raised her head slightly. "What?"

"Remember when we met and I asked you if I could write an article about your community?" Anne asked, barely withholding herself from expressing her joy at her marvelous idea in order not to scare her friend. "I could write an article about your story - with your permission of course. And, of course, I would only add what you feel comfortable with."

"But, do you think it will matter?" Ka'kwet lowered her gaze as she played distractedly with the flower crown. "If people don't agree with this, then why does it exist?"

Anne couldn't help but frown at that. Maybe Ka'kwet was right, maybe those who read it wouldn't care because it didn't affect them, or their children or their lives. Before her hesitation could evolve any longer, though, she remembered her words to Gilbert, when she promised she would be a relentless thorn in the side of those who refuse to amend the status quo.

Now, she knew she had to be so in order to give voice to those who had been muted by others. She had to fight for those who didn't have the same privilege she did.

And if this wasn't a good place to start, then what was?

"We need to hope that it isn't people's agreement but people's ignorance the reason why this is still a practice," Anne replied, her voice passionate no matter how hard she tried to cover it. Fortunately, that seemed to encourage Ka'kwet even further. "Remember when they told you about this school and they made it seem like a good thing? They could have done the same exact thing to the others. Your mother and father would have never let you go if they knew the truth, Ka'kwet, and I wouldn't have supported it either. If we speak up, we have to believe it will be enough for others to join our voice with ours."

The idea of doing something seemed to have brought a certain spark back to Ka'kwet's eyes but she still seemed dubious. "I don't know if I can fight, Anne, I'm so sad and tired. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," Anne gently shushed her as she wrapped her arms around her friend. "I can fight for you. I will not stop until I have done everything in my power to assure you justice. You can go with your family and regain your peace and trust that I will fight. I swear it to you."

"You really think you can?" Ka'kwet whispered.

"For a friend?" Anne smiled before placing the flower crown on her friend's head. "Anything."

Ka'kwet's answering smile was every reward Anne needed.

oOo

October, 14th, 1899.

During the first Saturdays ever since they began to attend Queens, Diana didn't find it so hard to be without a suitor. Sure, Moody showed up at 2 PM without a fault, carrying a bouquet of roses that he offered to Ruby with a bashful smile.

Other than that, it wasn't so hard. None of the other girls were courting except for Anne, but she didn't expect Gilbert to show up until at least winter break, and they hadn't even made plans yet so, their Saturdays afternoons were for teasing and gossiping about the happy couple while the one roped into chaperoning - usually Jane - grumbles behind them.

When Diana woke up that Saturday, though, she already knew she was in for a difficult day. Not only was Moody expected to call on Ruby but also, both Jane and Tillie were expecting young men to call on them during the afternoon. Both of the Pauls had been detained in Avonlea but still, her friend had gained several admirers during their first weeks at Charlottetown.

If only Anne had been there, instead of back in Avonlea with her parents and Jerry.

Gods. Jerry.

With a plop, Diana hid her face in her pillows and withheld a groan. Her life was such a mess.

By the time she gathered enough strength to get dressed and go down to have breakfast with her friends, just before she risked being chastised by Mrs. Blackmore, she had decided that she wasn't going to watch. She wasn't going to witness their joyful romanticity, as selfish it may sound, and she wasn't going to revel in her own misery. She was going to go upstairs, read the chapters they were meant to study the following week in English Literature, and make Anne proud.

When 1:55 PM found her in her room, looking out the window for the expected suitors in solemnity, Diana wanted to hit herself.

Yet again, she had to remain herself that she had broken up with Jerry. She had seen that they were too different and therefore, incompatible when it came to courting. All of those reasons had been solid, logical, even reasonable while she was still in Avonlea but now that she was in Charlottetown, in a society so different than the one she once knew, she couldn't help but wonder whether those reasons had been all of that according to her standards… or her mother's.

Of course, she had visited Charlottetown a lot so the change in society shouldn't have been a surprise but she was rapidly noticing that one thing was visiting a city and another thing entirely was to live in it. Charlottetown, Diana supposed, was a far cry from Toronto or even Ottawa, when it came to diversity, but still, it was so different from Avonlea. So different than the idea of someone like her and someone like Jerry being together didn't seem so impossible all of a sudden.

The question was, did she want to risk the rage from her mother and the rejection from her father for Jerry? Did she love him enough?

"Ms. Barry, what are you doing?"

Diana turned, offering a polite smile at Josie, who entered her room without invitation. "Hello, Josie. I was...admiring the view."

"Admiring?" Josie questioned as she stood besides Diana. Then, she pointed at the quivering mess that was Moody as he made his way towards the Boarding House. "Or envying?"

"I'm sorry but that is none of your concern," Diana replied rather defensively, her eyes following Moody's advances. Then, she sighed. "It's not that I envy Ruby but rather, that they have the chance of being together."

"I know," Josie replied smugly. "It takes one broken heart to know another, I suppose."

At that, Diana startled, looking up at Josie with apprehension. "Um, you-."

"Barry, there's no need to get all flustered," Josie scoffed. "Billy hurt me and I've made my peace with it. So should you."

"Did you really make your peace?" Diana questioned softly.

Josie's shoulders sank down for a split second before she straightened again. "No. I've accepted that it happened. I will never be okay with it."

"You shouldn't," Diana agreed. "That absolute moron had no business hurting you."

The two unlikely friends looked at each other in silence before bursting into laughter.

"Do you remember when we used to speak about boys and marriage?" Josie suddenly asked, once silence had fallen between them once again. "We used to be so sure our lives were going to be fairytales and that our husbands would be nothing short of Prince Charming."

"We should have known it wasn't going to be so easy," Diana agreed with a small smile.

"Anne almost did," Josie commented with a snort. "I told her Gilbert was Ruby's but I should have known better. Those two fools were one another's since the first day."

"I don't know if you should fault yourself, considering they almost didn't see it until it was too late," Diana shook her head in exasperation. "They had the chance for it to be so easy, yet they made it almost impossible."

"It kind of fits them, though." Josie shrugged. Slowly, she moved away from the window and sat on Anne's bed. "I know she is your best friend or whatever it is you call each other but I still find her annoying and therefore, she makes it difficult to speak kindly of her."

"And your point is?" Diana asked, equally annoyed of how Josie spoke of her bosom friend, yet amused that the blonde girl still found the need to hide her friendship with Anne.

"My point is that she did everything well, in a way. I mean, she was certainly obtuse when it came to Gilbert but she chose to focus on herself before falling in love...or accepting that she had fallen in love already, that is." Josie explained with a roll of eyes. "She found her true calling, like Gilbert did before they decided to court."

"That must be nice," Diana sighed as she sat on her bed. "Knowing what you want to do with your life."

"Leave it to the two know-it-alls of our class to beat us to it," Josie snorted exasperatedly before her features grew thoughtful. "Still… I think I want to do that. I want to wait so when I eventually marry, I will be sure of who I am...and who he is."

"I can't believe I will say this," Diana shook her head with an honest smile. "But that sounds like a sensible plan. I hope you accomplish that, Josie."

With that, Diana lay on her bed, looking at the ceiling in a pensive manner. Maybe she had been looking at the issue with Jerry in the wrong way. Maybe, if she didn't know what she wanted or whether she had ended things because of her or the others, then she needed to figure out herself before discovering the extent of her love for Jerry.

"Wait," Diana suddenly raised her head. "Didn't you have to chaperone?"

"Please," Josie scoffed. "I sent Lily with them. I'm not about to willingly spend the afternoon with Moody Spurgeon."

oOo

October, 15th, 1899.

"There you go," Marilla said as she poured boiling water onto Anne's cup. "One last tea before you take the train."

"Thank you, Marilla," Anne smiled as her adoptive mother sat in front of her.

As comfortable silence fell amongst the duo, Anne couldn't help but grow nervous as she tried to find the words to ask what she'd been thinking since Ka'kwet and her parents left that same day at sunrise.

In a few hours, Anne had managed to talk about everything with both Matthew and Marilla. Anne had described Queens with the utmost care, making sure her tales were so detailed that her adoptive parents could picture the scene for themselves, even if they didn't have as much scope for the imagination as their daughter.

They had also discussed her courtship with Gilbert, and Anne was relieved to hear they had no reservations against the young man she had given her heart to. She had also had the chance to read his letter and, though the clear respect he had for her and her ambitions made her fall even deeper in love with him, she couldn't help but feel even more grateful that she stopped Jerry before any teasing regarding the letter could begin.

Anne had even wondered about Bash, Dellie, Hazel and Elijah, insisting to know every detail about their lives since the duration of her trip made it impossible for her to visit them. She hoped Gilbert would understand when she got to tell him about her visit.

What they hadn't discussed was her decision to write about Ka'kwet's experience at the residential school. While Ka'kwet, Aluk and Oqwatnuk were their guests, neither Marilla nor Matthew had said anything against the article but now that they were gone, she could see they were opposed to it.

The fact that they hadn't said anything about it, especially Marilla, made Anne incredibly anxious.

So, when Matthew entered the house, ready to join then for tea, Anne couldn't hold it any longer.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Anne exploded, her eyes pleading at Marilla mostly. "I know that there is something you are not telling me so, why are you keeping it yourselves? You've never done that before!"

Matthew coughed rather uncomfortably. "Anne-."

"I know that this article will gain me a lot of attention, if I even manage to publish it somewhere but I can't not help my friend!" Anne continued, her face growing slightly reddish as she rambled on, tea completely forgotten. "And those kids without their parents, can you even imagine what that must feel like? Because I went through hell before coming here but at least I could leave!"

Jerry chose that time to join them after washing up. He stood in the doorway, a frown on his forehead. "Why is Anne rambling again?"

"And I'm sorry if the repercussions will cause you to be embarrassed or worried for me but you shouldn't be!" If Anne heard Jerry at all, she didn't show it. "After all, Gilbert and I courting so it's not like my reputation will prevent me from marrying and really, why should any of us care what anyone else has to say? I think that-."

"I think that you should like to drink your tea before it gets too cold," Marilla cut her off efficiently, her gaze severe as Anne widened her eyes. "Now, if you will allow us to speak, maybe we can put this matter to rest once and for all."

Anne immediately nodded and reached for the plum puffs. "Of course. I'm sorry, ma'am."

"Now, I will thank all of you to avoid interrupting me while I speak." Marilla stated, her head held high, though she eyed Jerry as she uttered that warning. "You are right, Anne, we do worry about you, but not for the reasons you think."

"Then why?" Anne couldn't help but frown, hiding her head and taking another plum puff when Marilla silenced her with a look. Jerry, who sat besides Anne, snorted at the scene, quickly covering it by taking a sip of her tea when Marilla turned towards him instead.

"Anne, one of the traits I admire most about you is your determination and your will to do the right thing." Marilla began, her voice concerned even as Anne offered her a tentative smile. "While I will never be able to fully understand your courage to make the world change for the better, it doesn't mean that I fail to see that that change is needed and that you can do anything you set your heart into."

"...but?" Anne asked slowly when Marilla hesitated.

Marilla sighed before turning towards Matthew by the head of the table. "Don't you want to say anything, Matthew?"

Her brother, who seemed completely focused in his tea, coughed as the attention was brought to him. Once he regained his breath, he returned Marilla's look. "I don't think I do...Marilla. Thank- thank you all the same."

After throwing an unimpressed glance in Matthew's direction, Marilla turned towards her daughter. "I have gotten to understand your drive and more...liberal views. Even, to some extent, I have managed to accept them. When it comes to Ka'kwet and the other Indians-."

"Indigenous," Anne corrected before smiling sheepishly. "Sorry, please continue."

"I believe that, when it comes to the indigenous communities, our God would be accepting of any culture. Justice must be made but I understand that. Matthew and Jerry understand that. I'm sure that Gilbert and your other friends will understand as well." Marilla continued. She paused to take a sip from her tea cup. "I'm not sure that anyone else will understand, or that they will appreciate a woman speaking out over such a serious manner. Do you understand, Anne?"

"What we are worried about, Anne," Matthew jumped in, to the surprise of everyone. "Is that you will find more enemies than allies once the article is published. We know that you are an excellent writer and that your heart is in the right place but the readers...you can't be sure that everyone will care or-or that they will...take the time to under-understand. We don't want you to get hurt - that's all."

"I know it will be hard," Anne admitted. She fixed her gaze on Jerry, who was serious for once, before turning to look at anxious Matthew and finally gazing at severe Marilla. "And I know change isn't easy. It never is. But I don't want to do this because adventure will remain forever my first love or because I crave to be noticed or because I think too much of my skills as a writer. Those are wrong reasons and I don't want to do this because of them. I once promised Gi-someone that I'd fight to change the society and those who opposed that change and I can't do that if I don't speak in favour of those oppressed. Please, dearest Marilla and Matthew, my two beloved kindred spirits, can't you see that I will only get hurt if I don't try?"

Marilla looked at Matthew before smiling at Anne in fond exasperation. "We're proud of you, Anne. Now, eat up. You have a long way before you reach Charlottetown and I will not have you leaving my roof hungry."

oOo

October, 15th, 1899.

On the ride towards the station, the teasing was as present as ever between Anne and Jerry. For once, Anne felt somehow even more melancholic than when she left the first time. The last time, she had done so while her heart was still rendered to thousands of different conflictive thoughts and musings. Diana, her biological parents, Gilbert and her future, it had all prevented her from feeling everything she was supposed to feel as she left her home for the first time.

Now, she had the time and feel she did. She felt the sorrow of having to say goodbye to Marilla and Matthew probably until winter break. Her gaze was distant as she uttered her silent farewells to the beloved structure of her childhood home, to the tree beside her room, to the Lake of Shining Waters and to every aspect of Avonlea that had been the protagonist in her childish musings and daydreams.

With the loss of Ka'kwet and the responsibility she now had, Anne felt as if she had just left her childhood for good in favour of the harsher reality. So, she mourned. Not because it was tragic but because she knew the moment would arrive and arrive it did.

Her mind was also with Ms. Stacy, Bash and even Mrs. Lynde. She wondered when had she gone from having too much time in her hands to just enough to catch up with her closest relatives. It filled her with sadness but this time, it came with a welcomed sense of purpose and drive.

She recalled the article about women and how, despite the accurate message, her impatience and rush ended up sabotaging it by making people focus on her rather than on the article.

Now, Ka'kwet's experience was entirely different yet just as serious and yet, with pride, Anne felt as if she was ready to tackle such a topic because of how much she had learned and because of the reasons she was doing this. With Josie, she wanted people to listen but she forgot to include those she was speaking for in the decision. With Ka'kwet, she had been allowed to speak for her friend and therefore, she was telling the story of the one who actually mattered.

Still, Anne was not indifferent to Jerry's thoughts. His eyes, as much as they brightened every time Anne scoffed or came with a retaliation, they spoke everything he didn't want to say. Anne had spent a lot of time studying people, for literary purposes of course, so she knew him, she knew what he wanted to ask and he knew he wasn't ready to help.

It wasn't until the train arrived at the station that Anne turned to him with a small smile. "She's okay. Do you want me to tell her anything?"

Jerry turned to her with a grimace. "Is she truly okay? Do you promise?"

Anne held out her pinky. "I swear most solemnly."

With a snort, Jerry joined pinkies with her. "You are a true friend, Anne."

It wasn't until the train left the station, Anne inside of it and her gaze on the retreating figure of her brother that she realized he never answered her question.

oOo

October, 16th, 1899.

Dearest Gil,

It is so strange, to have been so confused and unsure about us for so long but now, I do not think I could summon those old, haunting concerns, not even if I tried. Which I won't, because we have had enough drama to last us for a lifetime but still, I cannot help but feel as if I was experiencing a daydream, judging by the fairytale feeling of it all. Do you think you could make it to Charlottetown as soon as possible to prove that I am not dreaming anything?

I know that's a far-fetched hope but if anything, I figured you would enjoy the challenge.

I absolutely adore the charm and I will wear it with pride from now on but I am incredibly more proud of the man I've given my heart to. I am a passionate believer of the fact that I would have never loved someone or have chosen someone to love me who didn't see me as his equal. Still, I'm really thankful that it is you, Gilbert Blythe. Regretfully, I must agree with you yet again when you say we shouldn't talk about the past, since we will see each other for Winter Break and until then, there are much more pleasing thoughts to fill our letters with.

However, I must write one last thing. Since you can't feel offended over my atrocious crime, I certainly will for the two of us. How could I have ever ripped such a beautiful and excruciatingly romantic letter, I will never know. Do you think you could write it to me in a separate piece of paper, so from now on, we could pretend that to be the first copy I've received of this letter?

Oh, how I long to see you again! Though I like to think of myself as driven as ever, I still find myself thinking of you and of all the activities we will engage in once we are reunited. Poor Professor Hamilton, from my English Literature course, had to chastise me twice for daydreaming! Since then, I like to think that I have improved in hiding obvious signs of my distraction because, unfortunately, I have yet to find a way to stop imagining us walking through the snow hand in hand while the sun offers me what little warmth it can provide and the comfort of your presence does the rest. I can imagine you reading this with a smug smile while your eyebrows do their usual gracile dance so I want you to know, Mr. Blythe, that I am as excellent a student as I was in Avonlea, and therefore, you will still have to beat me fair and square.

Speaking of Winter Break, when will you be able to make it here? I know that you must be swamped with pending assignments and papers, and I assume you have been working extremely hard to impress Dr. Oak in order to ensure the internship with her but if you could let me know at your earliest convenience, that would be excellent. More than anything, I long to talk to you without any restrictions related to the long distance or the size of the paper. And I would be so grateful to join you in Toronto for Spring Break. We need to coordinate the dates of our exams but I will try my hardest to go there. To that goal, I no longer wish for you to describe Toronto for me, if that's agreeable with you. I would very much like to see it for myself.

How are your classes going? Has Dr. Oak's class continued to be everything you expected of your career in medicine? To tell you the truth, I was so relieved when I read your second letter, the one in which you told me about Dr. Oak in more detail, and I read of how the courses no longer seemed as overly clinical and detached. I do hope I get to meet this role model of yours, even if her intimidating and severe disposition, as you described it, renders me into a quivering mess.

You ask about my life here. I am afraid I could spend an entire book writing about my life in Queens and yet, I would never do it justice. I have been here for almost a month and yet, I still can't get enough of how different are the lifestyles of Charlottetown and Avonlea. I can only imagine what it must be like in Toronto. Of course, the girls - sans my beloved bosom friend and Josie -, have already begun taking advantage of a life in which suitors are allowed. It is particularly amusing to watch Moody trip over his own feet as he makes his way towards our Boarding House, even if it makes me long for the day in which you may be able to call on me in such a manner. Still, Moody is the embodiment of chivalry and Ruby the personification of bashful beauty whenever she accepts the roses Moody never fails to bring so I'm elated for them.

My classes are as wonderful as ever. I cannot seem to shake the feeling of discussing the most pressing of matters whenever I sit in one of those enormous, wooden classrooms, making me feel like the most distinguishable of ladies. Of course, my favourite class is English Literature with the wonderful Professor Hamilton, who I feel could be best of friends with our dear Ms. Stacy even though he is several decades older. My English class is a close second, if it weren't for the fact that it is the first one I have on Monday mornings, when my urge to sleep seems particularly ready to fight the several cups of coffee I take during breakfast. I know that you, as the wonderful doctor you are on your way to be, will remind me to go to bed early so I'm in no need of such doses of caffeine but really, Gilbert, where would my passion for the most romantic of speeches and the wonderful descriptions of characters be if I didn't stay up for a few hours after curfew reading?

Now, onto sadder news, I must share with you the most dreadful of news. A few hours ago, I received a telegram from Marilla, telling me that my friend Ka'kwet has appeared at Green Gables along with her parents. She is part of the Mi'kmaq tribe, and of the countless kids that were taken under false stories into residential schools placed by the government to deprive them of their culture, religion and costumes. Since I have a quiz on Friday, I unfortunately cannot go to Green Gables until Saturday but I'm already racking my brain to find a way to help her. What I've been thinking is that I could maybe write something, anything that would help them but I don't want a repeat of what happened with the last article I wrote. I don't even know how to approach the subject with her, now that I think about it. Do you have any counsel for me Gil?

I love you, Gilbert. Please tell me all about your classes and about the friends you make. I am particularly eager to hear about this Fred. From what you mention, I'm thinking of him as the most hilarious mix of Bash's and Cole's characters.

With all my love, always.

Anne.

P.S. I told Diana about your gratitude. She says she's ready to yell at you whenever you desire.

Gilbert read his Anne's latest letter in the library, surrounded by a pile of books and articles and with nothing but the soft light of the nearest lamp to aid him. Still, his mind was engrossed in the way his beloved wrote. If he closed his eyes, he could just picture Anne sitting behind the desk in her room, her hand flying across the paper, slightly faster as she figured a particularly passionate manner to convey a certain thought. He could picture the way her lips would pull up into an excited smile as she wrote, for she saw writing as the most blissful of creation, so magical that they could convey any story to the reader.

He could see her, as clear as he had seen her by the doorway to her Boarding House, copper curls falling around her face and her eyes shining with life. He could see her, and he fell in love with her all over again.

So engrossed he was that when Fred sat in front of him unceremoniously, Gilbert jumped slightly in his seat.

"Easy, Blythe," Fred smirked as he opened the medicine encyclopedia he had brought with him. "What's got you so tense?"

Gilbert remembered a particular passage of Anne's letter.

'I am particularly eager to hear about this Fred. From what you mention, I'm thinking of him as the most hilarious mix of Bash's and Cole's characters.'

Gilbert felt like snorting. Anne had never met the guy, yet she had succeeded in picturing him in the most detailed of ways.

"I apologize, I must have been distracted with this letter," Gilbert finally spoke as he carefully folded Anne's letter and placed it in his coat's chest pocket. "Anne wrote."

"Ah, I should have recognized your look as the one of any man in love," Fred cackled, quickly shushing when he received many glares from the adjourning tables. Withholding a smile at the scandalized look of his friend, he leaned closer towards Gilbert. "You do look...troubled, though. What is it?"

With a sigh, Gilbert told him about Ka'kwet and her tragic story with the residential schools. He remembered the little girl and her father, both at the hockey game with his friends and outside of the church. He couldn't believe a girl innocent as her - or any person for that matter - would be forced to renounce their entire culture, the entire reality of what they'd known so far.

With an adoring smile, Gilbert couldn't help but remember about the time Anne promised that she would be a relentless thorn in the side of those who refused to amend the status quo, as she had put it. He had promised, to himself, that he would never stand in her way.

To not only do that, but to be able to help her, it was one of Gilbert's greatest blessings.

"Why is she in Charlottetown?" Fred asked after a moment of silence. "Someone as...daring as you claim her to be ought to be in a place in which her ideals won't be stomped over for more traditional notions."

Gilbert looked around him, smiling sheepishly at the classmates who glared at them for the noise they were making, before lowering his tone into a whisper. "Well, now she's in Queens but once she graduates...well, it's up to her to decide."

The idea of Anne moving into Toronto, of them marrying, was everything he could hope for but he couldn't ask that of her. Not while there was still so much she, and him, wanted to be. Now that they knew their fates lay with one another, Gilbert felt like they had all the time in the world, and it was okay. As long as they were together, Gilbert felt no rush.

"What do you mean it's up to her?" Fred, however, was not understanding. "Aren't you marrying her?"

"I would love nothing more than to marry my Anne but I know better than to tell her what to do." Gilbert eyed his blonde friend, who, with his brown, wide eyes would look every bit of an innocent angel if it wasn't for his permanently devious smile. He wondered what Anne and Fred's meeting would be like and snorted. They would probably gang up on him. "Believe me, I learned that the hard way."

Fred frowned with confusion. "But haven't you two talked about this before? I mean, you had all summer in Avonlea before you came here and she left for Queens, right?"

Gilbert's smile quickly turned uncomfortable. "Well, not really."

Silently, while Fred took that in, Gilbert wished desperately for his friend to move on from the current topic. Right then and there, he would have been ready to talk about literally anything else, and he was even desperate enough to let him know.

"Pardon?"

Gilbert closed his eyes almost comically.

Still, he remembered the words he wrote to Anne. Their past was the past, their mistakes were no longer affecting their lives so really, it wasn't of any good to them to continue dwelling on them.

Still, if he didn't open his eyes while he told Fred about their story, the misunderstandings, the petty quarrelling, Winnifred, and the ruins, Gilbert was ready to blame it on his exhaustion.

It took him more time and effort that he was ready to invest but tell Fred he did and finally, there was nothing but silence between them as Gilbert cringed over his stupidity yet again and Fred processed all that information in.

At last, when he couldn't bear it any longer, Gilbert dared to open one eye.

Fred's stare was unimpressed, at best. "Let me see if I understand. Miss Shirley-Cuthbert rambled on about pirates and that's how you figured out she didn't feel the same for you? And therefore, you almost propose to another lady you had no feelings for?"

Gilbert closed his eyes again. That moment of misunderstanding still haunted him at night. "Fred, I-."

"No, seriously, I admit I am a bit lost. Is the word 'pirate' some sort of code for you? Is that how you figured out her indifference towards you?"

Gilbert opened his eyes, flustered to his very core. "Fred!"

"What? It's a fair question!" Fred whispered as he raised his arms in surrender. When the person by the table next to them shushed them yet again, Fred leant even more forward. "I swear to god, Blythe, you're so lucky some sort of miraculous providence allowed you to solve things with her. Otherwise, you'd have screwed your entire life without even realizing until it was too late."

"Believe me, I know," Gilbert replied rather stressfully before leaning back on his chair. "I can't wait for Christmas to arrive so I can be with Anne again and we can make sure there are no more misunderstandings."

Fred smirked. "Is your invitation for Christmas still valid? I don't think I would be a good friend if I allowed you to face your fiery sweetheart on your own."

Gilbert felt his eye actually twitch for a moment before he snapped and stood from his chair as drastically as he could in a library. "No, I can't deal with you right now. I'll catch up with you later, alright?"

"Send my regards to Miss Anne with an E!"

"Sod off, Wright," Gilbert muttered as he gathered his books and retreated from the room, his mind on helping his beloved.

Fortunately, he had an idea.


How was it?

Part II will see an appearance from Dr. Oak, Cole and Aunt Jo, amongst others! I tried to put Bash in this episode (and Dellie!) but it just didn't fit. I promise they will appear more than enough in chapter 3!

I hope you liked the way I wrote the characters! I was so humbled by the response I got last chapter (thank y'all so so much!) but I think that it gets more difficult the more you progress in a story (to describe the characters accurately, I mean), so I hope you all liked this!

Also, didn't I promise there was a lot of teasing in the horizon? It feels so good to keep my promise lol.

Stay tuned for Part II!