Shock horror folks! Apparently I can write something set in the actual real universe of Anne of Green Gables. This is set in the very last (I think three chapters) of Anne of Ingleside. Basically the day before and the day of their 15th wedding anniversary is featured heavily at the beginning of this so you'll see some interesting perspectives of that evening from Gilbert's point of view, we'll also see that second honeymoon, so things might be a little... ;-)

This is the story from Gilbert's point of view so a lot of the dialogue will seem familar... mostly because I had to link it with Anne of Ingleside. Hope you all enjoy!

"I can't do this! I give up!"

Gilbert half smiled. It was getting close and this was one of the signs, the women wanting to give up, that was one of the first signs of the last stages in labour.

"You can do this Mrs Archer. Just take it one at a time. Can you do one more push for me on the next contraction?"

"No!" She screamed at the top of her voice.

"Mrs Archer." He said in a firm but sympathic voice. She looked to him. "You want to know what my wife always says about giving birth?" he asked her quickly. "The moment that baby is in your arms the pain goes away." He lowered his voice further "and the love you feel out trumps the pain you are having right now, because you have the sweetest purest thing in the world in your arms." He saw her face change "You're starting a contraction aren't you?" she only nodded. "push with it, breathe breathe…" she concentrated hard on his face following his instruction. "That's it, that's it."

Two hours later Mrs Archer had not one but two sweet babies in her arms. "Oh Doctor Blythe! Thank you, thank you!"

He smiled down at the two sweet lives he had just brought into the world. He knew his time of being a new father was over. He had been terrified all the way through Anne's pregnancy with Rilla after Shirley's had been such a hard one that Anne was going to drop at any moment and never come up again. He felt like he should have been following her around with a cushion in case she fell. The stress on the two of them had taken its toll, Anne, oh His Anne-Girl took it all in her stride and it wasn't as though he didn't want relations with his wife it was just…

What if she fell pregnant again?

He knew it could kill her.

But still there was something very special about new born babies.

"My pleasure." He simply said.

It really was his pleasure, he reflected as he drove the car back home. IN all the procedures in all the knowledge he had, the age old act of giving birth, was most definitely one of the most rewarding.

Unlike other aspects of his work. He reflected.

"Dr Parker might I have a word?" Gilbert asked him after going over the case and examining the patient.

They left the room before Gilbert sighed and looked to Doctor Parker. "I'm sorry." He said quietly.

"Then you agree?" started. "There's no hope?"

"No, I'm not sorry for the patient." Gilbert said his hand going uncomfortably into his Parker stared at Gilbert. "I don't agree with your diagnosis." Gilbert said reflecting his earlier quiet tone in his voice. "Its not pneumonia." He stated sure of his diagnosis.

Dr Parker mock laughed "Then what Doctor Blythe do you think it is?"

"I believe the patient has a pulmonary embolism…." Doctor Parker shook his head in disbelief "…the patient's symptoms are more consistent with it…"

"Gilbert, no you are wrong…"

"…and it is still treatable with the stage she is showing…"

"…oh here you go …"

"…if we get her to a hospital."

"You aren't taking sense! You can't go giving her false hope."

"I don't believe it is false."

"What's going on out here?" Mr Garrow came out to see the two doctors arguing.

"Its nothing." Doctor Parker started.

"No, Mr Garrow…" Gilbert started.

"Don't you dare! This is my patient!" Doctor Parker snapped at Gilbert. "I will not have you give them a false sense of…."

"Does Doctor Blythe think she could live?"

"Not from pneumonia." Doctor Parker stated.

Gilbert remained silent between the exchange, he hoped Mr Garrow was bright enough to pick up on the implication and was almost relieved when he spoke "do you believe it is something else?" he asked Gilbert directly.

It was only then Gilbert spoke. "If this is pneumonia I want to make this very clear Mr Garrow if it is pneumonia your wife will not live." Gilbert paused then said quietly, "but I don't believe it is pneumonia."

Doctor Parker's face hardened. "How dare you!" he reached for Gilbert going to punch him for which Gilbert had blocked him, momentarily losing his temper holding him at arm's length.

"Would your pride be so hurt by saving this women's life!" Gilbert exclaimed.

"You are wrong! Have it your way? The last days on earth this woman has will be wasted in transporting to the hospital if she even makes it that far!"

"My way? My way!?" He exclaimed. "my way would be every ailment my patients suffer would be cured... This has nothing to do with MY way and has everything to do with the correct medical diagnose and I am convinced that the illness she is suffering with... if we act quickly these needn't be her last days on this earth, she could still have a long and productive life ahead of her."

Mr Garrow had been convinced in the end, with a swift threat to Gilbert that IF he was wrong and had denied the family the last days of his wife that it would be his head on the chopping block.

That had been almost two weeks ago. And during those two weeks as we often do when given time, he had started to doubt his own diagnosis... he was so sure at the time, so very very sure...

He entered the house and looked at the grandfathers clock stroke three in the morning.

It was the morning of their 15th wedding anniversary. He entered hopefully into his study hoping to find the small black box with his gift in for Anne. She could go to His heart dropped in disappointment. He sat on his chair a moment and sighed. He wouldn't have anything to give to Anne.

His lovely sweet Anne. His darling who had been so tired of late so worked!

His wife, once so lively and interested in the world... he sighed, had he taken that from her too?

She could have had the life she deserved. All the riches, all the pretty things, all the sunbursts and marble halls. But she chose to be his!?

His heart skipped as he took note again in his own mind, was she really his? No, she was just borrowed to him a while. She would never be wholey his. He didn't deserve her. She who had carefully and wonderfully given birth to his seven children, raised the six living... caring and actually being there for their children.

And he had failed her as husband again.

He sat moping a good 15 minutes before he went up to bed. He felt her stir as he climbed into bed. He was so disappointed in himself he only managed to mutter "twins", before he wiped a tear away from his face then feigned sleep before he should have. Eventually he heard her soft breathing indicating she had fallen asleep. He lay awake for a long while looking blankly to the ceiling.