Diana's eyes shot open. She turned her head to face him. It wasn't a dream. Jack was lying asleep beside her. It had happened. He was really there. Gingerly she reached out to touch him, stroking his arm with her fingertips. Lazily he opened his eyes and smiled at her - she shyly returned the smile. Jack leaned towards her and kissed her gently.
"Okay?" he asked.
Diana nodded.
"Come here." he said, opening his arms, inviting her to him. He wrapped his arms around her as she snuggled closer, burying her head in his shoulder, inhaling the manly scent. They lay entwined, Diana thinking that at last she had experienced true contentment - nothing could spoil this moment...
Jack was dozing. It was Diana who heard the sound of a car approaching and the crunch of the tyres on the stones. She sat bolt upright, heard the bang of the doors, the voice of her father and the laughter of her mother and Aunt Diana.
No...No...No! She cried to herself.
"Jack! Wake up!" She pleaded, shaking him whilst jumping out of the bed at the same time.
"W - what's wrong?" Jack asked grogily, rubbing his eyes.
"Our parents are back! Get up! They can't find us - like this!" she hissed, desperately trying to cover herself.
Jack leapt out and frantically began gathering his clothes that had been so wantonly discarded.
"I'll talk to your father, Diana. We'll be married before the month's out." were his parting words, as naked, with his arms full of clothing he ran to the safety of his own room.
Diana sat on her bed, now dressed in her nightgown, trying to digest what he had said. She had never thought of marriage...well obviously she hadn't been thinking at all...but the consequences of their actions...it might be their only option.
With a groan she flung herself onto the bed and buried her face in the pillows, unsure whether to laugh or cry...
"Diana." her mothers voice echoed through the door, accompanied by a knock. The door opened. "You're in bed!" Anne was shocked, it was still early yet. Diana sat up, and noticing her flushed and ruffled appearance, Anne grew concerned. "Are you unwell? Shall I fetch your father? Gil..." she started to call.
"NO!" Diana said sharply. "I mean, no mum, don't bother Dad. Its just...you know.."
Anne nodded in understanding. "I'll fetch a hot water bottle for you," she said kindly, going over to smooth the rumpled covers. "Is there any thing else..." she stooped to pick up Diana's blouse from the floor.
"OH!" Anne exclaimed suddenly, clamping her hands over her mouth. Diana looked over to see what had startled her mum, there on the floor, beside her blouse, was Jack's shirt! Anne looked from Diana to the shirt and back again. Diana burned with shame and her stomach churned with fear, but Anne said not a word, she simply walked out of the room closing the door behind her.
After what seemed like an eternity, during which Diana sat just staring into space silent tears falling, Jack knocked the door lightly. "Diana..." he whispered.
She opened the door.
"I'm going to see you dad now." he said. Then seeing her tear stained faced he grabbed hold of her hand, "Are you okay?" he asked.
"Mother knows...what we've...done." she said, in a voice barely audible.
"No! What did she say? What's she going to do? Will she tell?" so many thoughts were rushing through Jacks head.
"I honestly don't know. She never said anything. Oh Jack!" Diana cried, as he reached out to her. He hugged her tightly against his chest as she wept.
"Come on now sweetheart," he said against her hair, "It's going to be okay. I'll sort it out. Do you want to get married?" he asked, half afraid of her answer.
"Yes." she mumbled.
"Then we shall. I love you, you know."
Diana just nodded. Did he love her, or was he just rectifying his mistake...no their mistake.
With a kiss he left her, walking down the stairs feeling more terrified than when he faced enemy gunfire.
His mother and father were in the kitchen with Anne. As he walked in he could feel the black looks being shot at him from his Aunt.
"Hello, darling." his mother said.
'Well she hasn't told them - yet.' he thought
"W - where's Uncle Gilbert?" he asked, hesitantly.
"In his study doing paperwork." Anne said sharply.
Diana looked at Anne, puzzled at her abrupt attitude. This annoyed Anne even more. 'If you only knew what your son has done!' she thought bitterly.
Jack went to find his Uncle, praying desperately that he would agree to let them get married. If not, well then they really were 'up the creek without the proverbial paddle.'
"Come in." Gilbert commanded at the sound of the knock. "Ah Jack. How's things? You're looking very serious, anything I can help with?"
'This is awful,' Jack thought, Uncle Gilbert was always so cheerful, he'd never seen him angry. 'What's he like angry? I might find out now!'
"Um...well..." Jack started to speak. "I wanted...to ask if I could marry Diana." he finished in a rush.
Gilbert slowly set down his pen and removed his glasses, setting them on the desk.
"Does Diana know about this?" he asked.
Jack nodded.
"I wasn't aware," Gilbert continued, "that there was anything between you." He searched his brain...Anne hadn't said anything.
"No, well, yes. It happened recently, since Nan's wedding." Jack faultered, this was harder than he'd imagined.
"Two days ago? And yet we're discussing marriage?" Gilbert shook his head.
"I love her, Sir. We don't want to waste any more time." Jack was getting frustrated.
"Does Diana love you?"
"I believe so."
"I like you Jack," Gilbert was saying, "You're like family to us, but Diana is very special to me, I'm not going to marry her off to just anybody - you understand?"
Jack nodded.
"I think the best course of action is to talk this over with Diana and Anne. Then you can have my answer." Gilbert stood up, indicating that Jack should leave.
"Diana, your father wants to talk to us." Anne said, entering Diana's bedroom. Diana stood up and put her dressing gown on, following her mother downstairs. Even from the back, Diana could feel the disappointment in Anne's demenour.
They walked into the study where Gilbert was. Anne sat down on a chair beside him. Diana stood in front of the desk.
"Diana, Jack has been to see me."
Diana nodded at her father.
"So what he says is true. You have become close?"
Diana nodded again.
"Did you know this Anne?" he addressed his wife.
"I...suspected something." Anne said. Gilbert smiled at her, such an intuitave woman, a good mother.
"Do you wish to get married, Diana?"
"Y - yes dad." Diana said quietly.
"Well, I have no objection in principal. But lets not rush things, you poor mother is all weddinged out and I'll have to save hard for another one!" he joked.
"B - but...we were thinking the end of the month." Diana started, looking to her mum.
" That soon! Out of the question." Gilbert was adamant.
"We'll discuss it." Anne said to Diana. "Go and find Jack and tell him we agree." Anne stood up and kissed her daughter. "Go on." she urged. "I'll talk to your dad." she whispered in her ear.
Gilbert also hugged Diana saying "My little girl, my last little girl."
Diana went to find Jack to tell him the good...bad?... news.
"Well that's a turn up for the books Anne-girl." Gilbert chuckled. "Another wedding next year, perhaps."
"Or sooner." Anne said.
"No need for them to rush things. They're young yet. Whole lives ahead of them." Gilbert leaned back in his chair.
"I think, Gil, we should let them get married in the next few weeks." Anne leaned on the desk in front of Gilbert.
"Don't be absurd, why?" Gilbert was confused, why did Anne want to get Diana married off?
"Gil..." she said slowly, not sure of how to tell him. "We don't want any...trouble." she finished weakly, confusing him even more.
"Anne, you're making absolutely no sense, what trouble?"
"Of the... illigetimate type..."
Gilbert was stunned. He got Anne's meaning.
"H - how do you know?" he asked.
"I don't - not for sure, but I know its a possibility."
"Oh God no!" Gilbert was not a man who blasphemed often. "I'll kill him!" he shouted, rising up.
Anne jumped in front of him, blocking his passage to the door.
"No Gilbert!" she cried, "Wait, sit down." She pushed him towards the chesterfield in the corner, sitting down beside him.
Gilbert shook his head over and over.
"Gil," Anne said softly. "Do remember when we were engaged? Our second Christmas, I think it was...Marilla and Mrs Lynde were at Ladies Aid, or something, and Davy and Dora were in bed. We hadn't seen each other in so long...do you remember?"
Gilbert nodded, remembering.
"We were in the parlour at Green Gables, kissing..." Anne continued, wrapping her arms around Gilberts neck, demonstrating to him.."and things got more and more pasionate until...do you remember how hard it was to stop Gil?"
"But we did stop." he said, sighing and leaning in to her soft kisses.
"Yes...and do you know what, Gil? I've never told you this...for months after, I regretted stopping! I wished we had made love then, at least I'd always have that memory when you weren't there for the next two years!"
"Anne, it would have been wrong. Wasn't it all the better for waiting."
"In hindsight yes, but at that moment...it was all I wanted, so you see I kind of understand Jack and Diana. I'm not happy about it, but there's nothing we can do now. Let them do the right thing..." she looked at him imploringly. He nodded his agreement, stood up and walked to the door.
"What are you doing?" Anne asked as he clicked the key, locking the door.
"I thought maybe we could re-enact that Christmas in the Green Gables parlour," he said with a grin going to her, kissing her deeply. "With a different ending..."