Despite the tears blurring her vision, Anne could see Gilbert's face run a race of emotions. Shock, confusion, questioning, thoughtfulness and, finally, determination.

He drew her into his apartment, shutting the door with one arm and pulling her to himself with the other. Gil's kindness and love emanated strongly from his body, and Anne broke into a new round of tears at the warm feeling. Gil walked her backwards, guiding her toward the dark green couch. Anne felt her calves brush the worn, soft cushions, before Gil pulled her down and into his lap.

They sat silently for several minutes. Gil's hand circled rhythmically on Anne's back, and her fingers threaded into his sweater's charcoal yarn. Once her emotions calmed down and the smell of spaghetti reached her nose, Anne felt rather silly, warm and a little hungry. Her breakdowns had always created a sort of vacuum of emotions other than pure anxiety.

She pulled back from Gil, nervous to see his face. Would he think she was acting like a child? Would he not want to be with her anymore? When she saw his face, it was full of complete concern. His hazel eyes searched her face, trying desperately to decode why she'd burst into tears at the sight of him.

"Anne, are you okay?" Gil asked, smoothing his hand across her cheek. "What happened between this morning and now?"

Anne leaned her wet face into his palm and covered his other hand with hers.

"I just…. I saw you and… you looked just… so handsome," Anne began, her words coming slowly. "And I'm just so…."

"So what?" Gil prompted, his face slightly flushed from Anne's appraisal of his person.

"So…." Anne began, feeling somewhat foolish. "I'm so… ugly!"

Gil's jaw dropped preemptively to say something reassuring before the reality of her words set in. Then, his head tilted to the side and his brow furrowed deeply. His jaw dropped further and then closed quickly. He seemed utterly befuddled.

"You are… so…" Gil stuttered, both his hands coming to hold hers tightly. "You hair… your eyes… they're so…."

Anne blushed as his eyes scanned her features appraisingly. His long pause made her wish she'd never said anything.

"Anne," Gil began again, regaining his composure. "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. From the moment I met you, I knew I'd never seen anyone like you before and I knew I never would again."

"But my hair," Anne interrupted. "It's so awfully red!"

"Your hair is the most perfect shade of red," Gil said exasperatedly, running his fingers through one of her loose curls. "It's the shade artists spend their lives looking for!"

"Gil…." Anne began, gazing downward and playing with a loose thread on the green couch.

"And I love your seven little freckles," Gil continued, brushing her small, freckled nose with one of his fingers. "Your eyes are lovely, and you don't know how many times you stopped me in my tracks just by looking at me. Your skin is beautiful and exactly as soft as I imagined, and I still can't believe I have the right to tell you all this now!"

"Gil…." Anne said again.

"Anne Shirley, you are perfect," Gil said, needing to reassure her completely. "And I've always thought that."

Anne hardly knew what to say. Gil was honestly perfect—he knew exactly how to put her at ease. He had thought her beautiful even back when they were children, and he thought her beautiful now. Anne felt her heart fill with love for the man next to her, and though her fears weren't gone exactly, she felt more at ease.

"Gilbert Blythe," Anne said, softly. "You are wonderful, and I'm ecstatic to be here with you right now."

"I'm glad you're here, too," Gil said. "Well, glad isn't really the word for it. There's no word to describe how I feel about being here with you. I've been dreaming about this for years—just sitting with you, alone, and knowing you love me."

"I love you, Gil," Anne said, laughing as Gil pulled her into his lap. "Gil! What about the spaghetti? Won't it burn?"

"It'll keep," Gil's voice rumbled against her neck. "But I think it's rather imperative that I show my lovely girlfriend how much beautiful she is."