Chapter 7:

"Anne"

Author's Note: Why, Anne? It is her middle name {in my stories and to honor my mom who has always adored the Anne of Green Gables series} and I love Anne of Green Gables! I didn't always, but now I do. We're also both nuts about the Road to Avonlea spin off! Gus Pike! Felicity King! Need I say more? Yes, but I digress. Here is my "Anne". What is her plan? Does she even know?

Elizabeth didn't sleep a wink. She had been thinking about the boy with the cowlick all night. Jack. Jack Thornton. She thought about the previous day, when he came to hers and Charles' rescue. She was furious with Charles for not helping Jack, not that he needed it. But, honestly. Jack had just saved him from getting a real beating. Charles had offered to give the kid his money, but the kid took that as an insult. Elizabeth shuddered at what the kid had promised.

"I'll come find you every day and you'll regret what you just said, rich boy."

"Please just leave us alone." Elizabeth had pleaded.

"Leave you alone?" The boy scoffed. "You should have thought about that sooner, before this kids family chose to humilate us by giving us books."

"I don't understand. Why are you humiliated?" Elizabeth asked the boy.

"If you don't know, then you don't know nothing about pride, little girl. Now enough stalling." The boy barked. He got into a fighting stance, but Charles wouldn't budge.

That's when the boy came in swinging. Charles really didn't have a chance to defend himself. Elizabeth watched as the boy punched Charles over and over again. She finally found her voice and screamed. Moments later, he arrived. He was here and she suddenly felt safe.

Jack approached Charles' assailant with a few quick strides. He pulled the kid off of Charles and pushed him to the ground. The kid righted himself and squared his shoulders.

"What do you want?" The kid barked.

"I want you to leave this boy alone." Jack replied, seething.

"What's he to you?" The kid retorted.

"Nothing really. I just don't like seeing defenseless kids get bullied." Jack shot back.

Elizabeth watched as Jack had told the boy to leave them alone. She noticed how the boys demeanor had drastically changed. He was suddenly the scared one. Facing Jack, all his bluster disappeared. The boy left and Jack stood there. Elizabeth had tried to get Charles to help him, but Jack didn't need help. She watched, angrily as Charles chose to leave her there. She didn't care, as she wanted nothing more than to be with Jack instead. He saved them, but more than that, she could see that he was a boy of substance. She walked over to him.

Elizabeth walked over to Jack. His hands were clenched into little balls at his sides. She wanted to calm him down, reassure him that it was over. She wrapped her hands around his and she felt him instantly calm down. Elizabeth hoped that he wouldn't let go of her hands. She had wanted to hold his hands since the second she saw him.

"Jack. Thank you for helping us." Elizabeth thanked him, looking up into his face.

"You're welcome." Jack turned to look down at her..

"I'm sorry for how Charles had acted. I don't understand why he has to look down on people." Elizabeth stated.

"It's a sad fact." Jack replied. "Well, I better..." Jack began.

Elizabeth could tell that he wanted to ask her something, but his he seemed to be too nervous.

"Will you please walk me home?" The girl suddenly asked not letting go of Jack's hand.

"Yes." Was all Jack could say in reply as she squeezed his hand and he began walking her back to her house.

Jack walked her back to her house, Elizabeth remained silent, as she held tightly to his hand. 'I must not tell him my name. If I do...well, I just can't.'

"Can be friends, Jack?" Elizabeth suddenly questioned, her voice full of hope.

He seemed to be questioning his ability to be friends with her. This angered her and she started to change her mind.

"Forget it, Jack." She huffed. "I just thought that we could be friends after what happened with that boy." She started to walk away, hurt.

"Wait!" Jack reached out for her hand.

Her breath caught at his touch. She slowly turned to face him. His eyes were searching hers. She held her breath as he ran his hands up her arms. She smiled tentatively.

"We can be friends. Seeing as I just protected you, it's only fair that I at least know your name. Right?" Jack asked, still holding onto her arms.

'I suppose.' Elizabeth smiled. 'It doesn't have to be my full name.' She could feel the warmth of his hands resting on her arm. She thought inwardly as she tried to think of a name to give him. If she told him that she was 'Elizabeth Thatcher', then she could kiss their friendship good bye.

Elizabeth searched his eyes, as he was searching hers. His dimpled smile stretched across his face which affected her to her core. She blushed deeply.

"Anne." She whispered. "My name is Anne." Elizabeth lied. She couldn't tell him her name. She knew that as a Thatcher, most boys had turned and ran away. This way she could be known to the one boy, who she wanted to know her truly, without fear of him knowing the powerful family she was apart of.

"Anne." Jack expressed in a breathy tone. "Nice to finally meet you, Anne." Jack bowed his head and took her hand in his, kissing her knuckles.

Elizabeth sighed deeply and didn't want this moment to end. Her father was not welcoming to the Mountie and his family, but maybe her mother would want to meet him. This boy who rescued her from a bully.

Elizabeth came back from her reverie as she heard her mother call for her. She quickly got dressed and walked down the stairs. He was there at the door. Charles Kensington. Her shoulders slumped at the realization that she still could not face him after his treatment of Jack. Her Jack. She suddenly blushed. 'Her Jack'. Could she call him that? She wanted to call him 'hers'. But they were just friends. She couldn't call him that, at least not aloud. It would be her little secret.

"Hello, Elizabeth." Charles greeted. "May I walk with you?" He inquired, offering her his arm.

"I suppose, Charles." Elizabeth responded, however inwardly, she wanted to walk herself, but she didn't want her mother to scold her for refusing him right then and there.

They walked out the front door. Elizabeth removed her hand from the crook of his arm as soon as the door was shut. Charles was taken aback.

"What's wrong, Elizabeth?" He asked her, confusion crossing his face.

"What's wrong? Charles, you know what's wrong. You left me!" Elizabeth spoke tersely.

"I did no such thing. I tried to get you to come with me." Charles defended his actions.

"You should have helped him. He had just came to your defense and you left. You refused to help him. I can't believe that you did that." Elizabeth was fuming.

She looked around and saw that Jack and Tom were walking up the street towards the school. She took off to catch up, not bothering to look back at Charles. He watched her run towards 'him'. He turned on his heels and stormed back to his home.

Elizabeth caught up to them. She settled in line beside Jack. She wanted to grab his hand, but she wan't sure if he would be okay with that. He held her hand the other day. But she was shaken from the bully incident. So maybe he was just trying to keep her safe. She sighed.

"Hello, Jack. Tom." She greeted.

"Hello, Anne." Jack replied.

Tom just smiled and took off towards the school as Jack gave him a nod.

Jack could feel her near him. He could hardly contain himself. She was here and he couldn't help but notice that she was not with Charles. He smiled inwardly, grateful that the snob didn't like his company.

Elizabeth saw a smile creep across his face. She loved his smile. His dimples made her feel weak in the knees. She stepped closer to him, their hands barely touching.

Jack felt her hand brush against the back of his. 'Was it on purpose?' Jack asked inwardly. 'Should I hold her hand? Is she inviting me to take her hand?' His thoughts were swirling around in his head. She was his friend. 'Couldn't they hold hands? Why not?' Jack won this inner battle as he enfolded her hand in his. His smile broadened as he looked down at her and she didn't make any attempt to remove her hand from his.

'This feels heavenly.' Elizabeth thought to herself. 'He is holding my hand. I can't believe he is holding my hand!'

Jack noticed that she was smiling, but she kept her thoughts to herself. He wanted to know what was going on in that pretty head of hers. He dared to hope that she was thinking about him. He hoped that she was alright with his holding her hand. She appeared to be alright with it. More than alright, actually.

"What are you doing today?" Jack asked her, knowing that she was still being tutored at home.

"I was going to check out a book from your school library." Elizabeth suddenly thought of a reason that she was walking to 'his' school. She smiled, proud of herself for thinking of a plausible reason.

"Don't you have your own books?" Jack chuckled, squeezing her hand.

"My father has books. I get to read them. I want my own collection some day. Besides, his books are not very interesting." Elizabeth admitted, squeezing Jack's hand in reply.

"I better get to class." Jack acknowledged, suddenly wanting nothing more than to walk her back home and see what this tutoring business is like. 'Was it at all like his mother teaching him at home?' He wondered silently.

"I hope to see you later, Jack!" Elizabeth stated boldly. A rosy hue crossed her face as she realized that she spoke her thought aloud. "I, uh, um..." She tried to finish, the wind sweeping her hair across her face.

Jack gazed into her eyes as the pink deepened in her cheeks. He enjoyed the affect he had on her. He couldn't help but brush her errant whisp of hair from her face. Elizabeth's breath caught as his hand brushed lightly against her skin.

"I hope to see you later, too." Jack spoke softly. "I can meet you here at three o'clock, if that works for you, Anne?"

'Anne'! He called me 'Anne'. Elizabeth's heart sunk ever so slightly. 'I wish I could tell him who I really am.' Elizabeth nodded in response.

"Good. I'll see you this afternoon." Jack paused. "Will you be alright walking home alone?" He was suddenly uneasy about leaving her to fend for herself.

"I'll be alright." Elizabeth assured him, although, inwardly she was a bit nervous.

"I could walk you home. I don't think one time being late would matter." Jack looked up at the school doors.

A teacher came out to see what he was doing.

"Mr. Long, may I escort this lady home?" Jack inquired. "I'll be right back for class. I promise." Jack stated.

"Of course, Jack. This young lady has a very important father." Mr. Long beamed.

Elizabeth shook her head slightly, warning him before Jack looked back at her in confusion.

Mr. Long acknowledged what she was trying to tell him. He smiled at Jack and motioned for them to be on their way.

"Hurry back, young man. Today's lesson will be worth your while." Mr. Long called after them as they walked down the street.

Jack was silent as he took 'Anne's' hand in his. He wondered what Mr. Long had meant by her father being very important. He was suddenly a bit uncomfortable. She hadn't said much about her parents. He knew she had two sisters. In regards to her parents, he assumed that they were just overprotective like most parents. He looked down at 'Anne'. She was silent, but he could see she was thinking about something.

"What's wrong?" Jack inquired as he continued to watch her expression.

"Nothing's wrong." Elizabeth lied. 'This not telling him who I am is not good.' She confessed to herself. 'He can't know who I am.' Elizabeth promised herself.

"Something must be wrong. You look upset, Anne." Jack nudged her shoulder.

Jack wanted her to trust that she could tell him anything. They felt like he had known her for his whole life. He wanted to help if he could. That's what friends did for each other. They were friends. He loved the sound of that...'friends.' She was so young, they both were, but he couldn't help think of what it would be like when they were older. When they were 'kissing' age. He sighed as he waited for her to confide in him.

"I'm not sure what to say. I have a secret that no one knows and I can't tell anyone." Elizabeth sighed.

"You can tell me." Jack offered. "After all, I saved your life." Jack joked. He squeezed her hand.

"Very funny." Elizabeth acknowledged. His hand felt so good. She didn't want him to let go of hers.

Elizabeth was worried that if she did tell him, he would drop it and run away. She didn't want that. But, even though she was so young, she knew that he wouldn't be happy with her if she kept something from him and he found out from someone else. That was the last thing that she wanted.

"Jack, I hope you won't be mad." Elizabeth began. "My name is not really..."

"Elizabeth Anne Thatcher!" Mr. Thatcher bellowed as he approached her and the young man he recognized as one of the new Thornton boys. "Come with me, now, young lady."

Jack looked up at the man. He was stunned. Jack looked down at Anne.

"Anne?" Jack asked.

"Jack. I'm so sorry." Was all Elizabeth could say as Mr. Thatcher pulled her down the street.

Jack stared after her as she was taken home. He couldn't believe it. His emotions were all in a jumble.

"Elizabeth Anne Thatcher!" Jack repeated. He stood there as realization hit him like a stack of books. "Elizabeth Anne! Anne!" He felt sick. She had lied to him. He couldn't understand. Why wouldn't she trust him? Why couldn't she tell him who she really was? Jack was hurt as he headed back to school, slumping his shoulders.

Author's Note: So, there you have it, Jack knows who she is. What will he think of her now? What will happen with Charles? Does he stand a chance at being her friend? Will Jack forgive her for lying to him? Stay Tuned for these questions to be answered in the next few chapters.