Anne took her time walking to the Blythe farm. It was late afternoon, before dusk, and the sun was quietly receding behind the tall trees along the path. It was wonderful to be outside again, she reflected inwardly, taking a deep breath of the cool air. How long had it been since she had been confined to her room? It was suddenly difficult to remember now. As she came closer to the house, she spotted Gilbert in the orchard. He was on a ladder, busy picking apples and filling up baskets with the ripe fruit. Anne watched his expression, surprised that she could determine so much from it. His mind seemed miles away from the simple task he was performing, his brows knitted together, a sign that he was deep in thought. Anne recognized the expression from their days in school together. Back then, she often stole glances at him, watched as his features concentrated on the schoolwork before him. More often than not, she had been rewarded with a glance of his penetrating eyes meeting her own. Anne had always been the one to break eye contact, proud and practical as she was back then. As she moved closer to Gilbert now, she wondered where that young girl had gone. She would not have set foot on the Blythe farm if her life had depended on it! What had changed? Why were things so different now? And why had her heart decided all of a sudden to beat violently against her chest as if begging to be let out of its protective cage? Was Gilbert's presence doing that to her?

"Anne!" Gilbert voiced, a note of surprise in his tone. "What are you doing here?"

He was swift to come down from the ladder, rubbing his hands clean on his trousers before walking towards his visitor, who was leaning comfortably against one of the fence poles. Gilbert watched as the breeze danced lightly in her hair (the front pulled back with a small clip and the rest loose and lovely on her shoulders), reassured by the healthy pink glow on her cheeks. Her lips were curled in a slight smile and his glance lingered there longer than he would have liked. Oh, he had never been good at hiding his feelings for Anne, even on the very first day they'd met! It was apparently his lot in life to love Anne Shirley with a sort of moronic obviousness he could not control.

"I thought it would be a nice change for the patient to come see her doctor today," Anne voiced brightly, before she overanalyzed the sentence she had spoken. Her doctor…

Thankfully, Gilbert did not seem to have taken it that way, as he replied happily, "well, it sure is nice to see you against a brightly lit sky, Anne. Not that I don't like the pink color of your walls…"

They smiled at each other for a few moments before Anne interrupted the comfortable silence between them. "Would you like to take a walk down the lane? I just can't seem to get enough of this marvelous fresh air."

Gilbert took place by her side and they ventured down the familiar path with slow, easy steps. They chatted lightly about this and that until they got to the clearing by the lake, where the sweet chirping of birds and the faint call of crickets was more audible.

"Dr. Hemmel came to see me yesterday," voiced Gilbert once they stopped walking. Anne's green eyes lingered on him, urging him to continue. "I guess he heard from the townspeople that I stepped in to take care of you while he was away. He was impressed with what I had done, enough so that he offered me an apprenticeship with him when I complete my studies in the spring."

"Why, Gil, that's wonderful news!" enthused Anne with a bright smile. "Dr. Hemmel is a great doctor, and you would learn so much from all his years of service. You can take that with you wherever you choose to go practice."

"The thing is," went on Gilbert, turning his body towards her, "he wants me to take over for him, right here in Avonlea, when he retires next summer."

Anne's eyes widened, her heart feeling lighter at the prospect. Gilbert Blythe, Avonlea's new doctor! Why, that meant…Gilbert would no longer be away! The thought of seeing him every day, of taking walks with him like these whenever she wished to, seemed more wonderful to her at the moment than she could have ever imagined possible!

"Are you going to take the position, Gil? Oh, our town couldn't possibly ask for a better doctor!"

Gilbert was extremely pleased at Anne's reaction. He had almost thought she would have mixed feelings about his staying in Avonlea permanently, but all he saw on her face was pure joy. He nodded at her question, his hands finding his pockets. "I don't care to be a well-known or famous surgeon, all I want is to be a good doctor. And everything I love is in Avonlea." He held her eyes for the longest time, hoping that she was able to look past the superficial layer of that last sentence and understand its deeper meaning.

It is you, you are everything! I love you…

Gilbert felt frustrated with himself, the world, for not being able to shout what he was thinking, what he was feeling, out loud. Anne blinked against the intensity of his glance and was turning away, her back to him as she walked towards the massive oak tree by the water, its branches heavy with foliage that would soon be shed. She placed a hand on its rough bark and sighed a little, her eyes taking in the view of the lake facing her. The waters were shining with the last rays of the sun, appearing like diamonds as a result.

"I love Avonlea, too, Gilbert. This is my home. I was finally able to belong here, after years of being rejected by the entire world. I wish for things to remain exactly as they were on that first day that Matthew drove me from the train station. Oh, how I instantly loved it! I think I am afraid of letting go of those days, so innocent and carefree they were… I don't want things to change. It must sounds so silly to you."

Gilbert neared her, letting his hand grab a hold of one of the lowest branches of the oak tree. "It's not silly, Anne," he replied, shaking his head to emphasize his words. "The past is comforting. But you also have to be careful of not letting the past get in the way of making new memories."

Anne pondered this in silence for a few moments and decided that Gilbert was not only a good doctor, among other things, but also quite wise.

"Gil, you're such a rock. Does nothing frighten you?"

"Lots of things frighten me," Gilbert shrugged with a small smile. "Heights, tornados, certain redheads with easy access to school slates…"

Anne chuckled and shook her head at him. She watched as he inched closer, now with a serious look in his soft hazel eyes. He cemented her in place by resting his hands against the tree trunk on either side of her. The tree stood firmly behind her, Gilbert persistently in front.

"What frightens me the most in this world is the thought of losing you, Anne," he spoke with conviction, his voice smooth as caramel, eyes filled with sincerity. "When you were ill, seeing you in that state… I would have traded places with you in a heartbeat, to spare you all that. I want to know that I can keep you safe, Anne. Always."

His hand moved to caress her face, and Anne's heart continued its peculiar tribal dance in her chest. She was not sure how she found the courage, but she lightly placed her hand on his own and met his eyes unwaveringly.

"Gilbert, you saved my life. I am forever grateful to you and promise to be your most loyal friend for all eternity."

Gilbert shook his head with a firm motion, surprising Anne in the process.

"Anne, we can't be just friends, don't you see that?"

She averted her eyes from his then, and removed from her face his hand that had chosen to linger there. Oh, why did he have to make it so difficult for her, standing so close and taking on that intimate tone of voice?

"Gilbert, whatever do you mean? We have been friends for years, haven't we?"

"Anne…" Gilbert's tone sounded frustrated to his own ears. His Anne was overly bright, but sometimes she shocked him with the simplicity of her thoughts! He looked from the ground to her eyes with a sigh, intent on not letting her get away now that he had her in this favorable position…at least the oak tree was trying to help him out!

"I will prove to you that we can't be just friends," Gilbert went on, the smugness from their school days together back in his tone. "Close your eyes."

Anne eyed him quizzically and took a step out, but Gilbert took a step closer to her so she had no choice but to back into the old tree.

"Seriously, Gilbert, how is that going to prove anything?"

"Just close your eyes," pressed on Gilbert, fighting to hide a smirk. "You trust me, don't you?"

Anne was forced to nod and closed her eyes in defeat, not without a dramatic sigh. To try and make sense of Gilbert Blythe was as impossible as trying to keep summer from giving way to autumn!

Gilbert nearly laughed at Anne's expression, for she seemed deep in thought just then. But then he noticed the smoothness of her skin and the fullness of her lips, all mere inches from his face, and the laughter evaporated from his mind. In one swift motion, his left hand guided her face towards his, and his lips descended on hers, like he had dreamed of doing for so long now he couldn't remember when the yearning had started in the first place. Upon feeling his lips move against hers, Anne was too shocked to even pull away. Her usually rational mind was caught off guard by the new sensations Gilbert's lips were evoking in her…wait, was Gilbert Blythe kissing her? Correction, Gilbert Blythe was thoroughly kissing her, gently but passionately, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist, his body pressed firmly against hers so that she was compressed between him and the solid tree. Her arms felt limp and useless at her sides so she wrapped them around Gilbert's neck, holding on for dear life as her knees were threatening to buckle from under her. All oxygen had left her lungs, but it somehow did not seem to be as crucial as it should be at the moment. Gilbert angled her head so that he could have better access to her mouth, leaving Anne breathless as a warm sensation spread through her body at his touch. Sweet mother of pearl, where had Gilbert learned to kiss like that? Meanwhile, Gilbert could not keep his thoughts straight at all, so primal was the desire to kiss the beautiful woman in his arms, to show her everything he had been feeling for her up to that point. And to know that she was responding to his kisses! Was there a better gift in the entire world? And her mouth, it tasted as soft and pretty as it looked, like the strawberries that grew on his family's farm, only more satisfying. He wanted to kiss her forever, right there, nestled in the branches of the oak tree for days on end…

Anne pulled slightly away from him and broke off the kiss. By this time, both of their chests were rising and falling rapidly, their breathing shallow and labored. Anne's eyes remained closed as her face turned sideways, her cheeks flushed in coral red. She seriously hoped nobody had seen that…what of all the rumors that were circulating? Her thoughts of worry were cut short when she felt Gilbert place a light kiss on her neck, below her earlobe. Anne sucked in a breath of air, body tense at the rush of emotions that single gesture had unleashed within her. She was not sure what was happening, what exactly Gilbert was doing to her…oh, the nerve of that boy! She was only sure of one thing, however, and that was that she didn't want him to stop. It was madness, pure folly. But when his lips continued their journey down the sensitive trail of her neck, Anne had to bite her lower lip to keep quiet. Her hands had somehow found their way to his hair, her fingers caressing the unruly brown curls she had loved since the very first time her eyes had settled on him. Her body felt on fire, like wax melting, and she pulled him closer. At the same time, Gilbert turned her face towards his. Her eyes opened as if on command, and they stared at each other for what seemed like uninterrupted minutes. Gilbert's eyes had turned darker, smoldering a hole into her soul with their intensity.

"I love you," Gilbert voiced at last, with the most certainty she had ever heard from him. His hands were on either side of her face, keeping her eyes locked with his. Anne's heart drowned out all the nature sounds around her and she felt as if in a vacuum, with Gilbert holding her steady, now as he had done some many other times in the past. "And that is why we can't be just friends, Anne."

Anne cleared her throat before meeting his eyes again. They were unchanged. "You do make a very strong case, Gilbert Blythe."

He rested his forehead against hers, a deep sigh escaping from his lips. "Anne, you make me crazy. I never thought anyone would make me feel the way you do. Being apart from you is torture. Being with you and not being able to kiss you is an even bigger torture."

"How can I help with this… agony?" whispered Anne, holding his hands. "Gilbert, I'm afraid I'm in no better shape myself. You do strange things to me. When you kissed me, I… I…" Anne shook her head slightly, unable to finish that thought. Rationality had gone out the window. So she acted on instinct and neared him, eyes momentarily falling on his lips before meeting his eyes again. "Kiss me again," she breathed ever so slightly, then almost smiled at his surprised expression.

"Anne, you mean… is this… I mean…"

She could not hold back a chuckle at the string of words coming from his dear mouth and she caressed the side of his face affectionately. "I can't decide which part of you I love more, Gil. The part that takes care of me so selflessly, or the part that makes me smile no matter how upset I am. The part that is able to calm me down when I resemble a storm threatening to break, or the part that sees through the walls I put up to protect myself. But now I think I'm very partial to the part of you that is able to make me yours for all eternity with just one kiss."

Gilbert looked at Anne, mouth agape at the words she had just uttered, at the softness her eyes emanated, at her warm touch on his face. He could not believe any of this was happening, let alone of things to come…but he had to be sure, he would not live without Anne, could not live without her, in fact.

"Marry me?" asked Gilbert, bearing his soul in those two words uttered so desperately, so solemnly.

"If I say yes, will you answer the question I asked you moments ago?"

Again, the confused expression on his handsome face amused Anne, and she felt wicked in toying with his emotions that way, for she knew she had the power to do that.

"Which question is that?" inquired Gilbert, tilting his head to one side to try and understand.

"Kiss me?" Anne replied, more sure of herself than she had ever been, her lips already moving towards his.

A very attractive grin spread on Gilbert's face before he drew Anne's body closer to his. "I'm happy to oblige, my lady."

And he did so, for the rest of the afternoon, until the faint outline of stars graced the sky in a small town called Avonlea.

THE END