Train journeys are much more enjoyable with company
Pairing: Gilbert Blythe + Anne Shirley
Summary: Anne and Diana encounter a familiar face when travelling home for Christmas. or: yet another train journey fic.
The train pulled into Charlottetown station, where two bright, brilliant and beautiful young ladies awaited boarding. A young man, his fingernails covered in dried paint.
"See you for Aunt Jo's Summer Soirée," Cole said, giving the girls a shared hug with him, and pushed them towards the train. Not wanting them to be late heading home for Christmas, he knew Marilla still kept to a strict schedule after all these years with unpredictable Anne.
They waved him goodbye, Anne in the same blue dress she had kissed Gilbert in all those months ago, Diana at her side (like usual) in a pale blue dress that had always complimented her skin tone and hair.
They boarded the train, heading into the carriage, looking for a spare seat for the two (after the train that had started at Hunter River).
That's when they noticed a familiar head of black curls. His head had popped up (considering his window was open for some much needed fresh air). His head once stuck in his book, now held a firm gaze on his sweetheart.
"Anne-girl!" He smiled, standing up from his seat (somehow he'd gotten one with the other seat facing him), even though there was another boy across from him, now waking up from his sleep.
"Gil!" Anne smiles with glee, shuffling as quickly as she could in her corset (it was official, there weren't many things Anne hated, but the corset was right up there!). She dropped her suitcase in the middle of the aisle and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Putting on too much affection to say they're young, courting sweethearts. She could hear the whispers coming around her (mainly commenting as to why Gilbert would give up the Charlottetown lady for the red-headed orphan).
"Hello, beautiful," Gilbert whispered into her ear, her cheeks flushing a warm pink, close enough to rival the locks she had when she first met Gilbert.
"My darling," Anne smiled as she spoke, pressing a discreet kiss to where she had smacked him with her slate that first day.
They released each other, Anne picked up her suitcase from the floor where she'd dropped it, and put it under Gilbert's seat.
That's when the curly-haired young man noticed Diana, he hugs her (still grateful that she put him in his place when it came to Anne's feelings for him).
Gilbert moved the books he had scattered on his side of the chair and allowed his sweetheart to take the window seat. He kicked his travelling companion awake (as his next stop is Stratford before they arrive in Avonlea).
Gilbert had his medical book sat on his lap, his attention was entirely focused on Anne, she was talking about everything that had gone on at Queen's - even though she had told him in her letters that he got every week.
Anne had subtly snuck her arm through Gilbert's and was resting gently against his arm. It didn't take him long to realise that she had done this, as he smiles happily at her and pressed a kiss to her cheek.
They arrived in Stratford, where Gilbert's companion had packed up his stuff.
"Have a good break, see you next year," he said, shaking Gilbert's hand and got off the train at Stratford.
"You too, Jonathan," Gilbert said, watching his friend go, and turned to watch Diana move over to the window seat for the last 10-15 minutes of their journey.
For the last leg of their journey, Gilbert chatted with both girls. Because he was happily talking with the young ladies, he caught sight of the cherry blossom near the station as they pulled in.
"Anne, Matthews here," Gilbert pointed out the gentle and kind man as the train slowed down to a stop. Gilbert took out Anne's suitcase and then took down Diana's that was sat in the overhead section.
A large smile blossomed over Anne's face as a now smiling Matthew as he saw Anne go past him.
Once the train had come to a stop (Gilbert holding onto the racking above him), the young ladies got up from their seats - with more grace than they would have before attending Queen's.
Gilbert walked behind them, Diana first, followed by Anne. His hand was a soft and gentle weight on her upper back (earning a tut from an older lady), as he escorted them off.
He saw Diana's father, reach his hand out for Diana to take, helping her down. Matthew had wandered over, a smile on his face that showed he was happy to see the bubbly daughter of his.
Even though Anne would forever be able to do things herself, Matthew still held his hand out for her. Anne must have rolled her eyes at him but took it either way.
Gilbert was the last of the three to get off, holding his hand out for the older lady behind him, which she took, and he gently guided her down.
"Thank you, Gilbert, every day you make your father so proud," the lady said, gently patting his cheek and walking away.
Gilbert took another look at the retreating figure. It was Mrs Nightingale! The sweet lady that used to look after him when he was a young child!
Many people knew and remembered his father, it just breaks his heart - that his dad will never see him get married to Anne, his dad will never get to meet the children that he would/could have with Anne.
Matthew took Anne's suitcase from her, despite the bit of fuss that Anne made. She was stood between her beau and her adoptive dad. One arm linked with Matthew's and the other linked with Gilbert's, they head towards where Matthew had parked the cart with Belle on the front.
Anne shuffled ahead, reaching over and petted Belle's nose - as the horse nuzzled back against her. Gilbert put his suitcase on the back of the cart with Anne's (it made his heart flutter, seeing their belongings together in such a simple way), and then smiled at her.
Matthew was already ready to go, holding the reins in one of his hands, his hand held out to Anne with the other. Gilbert took her elbow as she climbed onto the front of the cart. Gilbert then took the seat next to her, as Matthew adjusted the reins in his hands.
"Alright Belle," he clicked his tongue, and they were heading back to Green Gables (where Bash had promised to meet them with Dellie).
As expected, Anne chattered their ears off the whole way to Green Gables. Her chattering was something Matthew had missed while she was away at Queen's - the house he shared with his sister suddenly becoming too quiet after the three years she was constantly in their day-to-day life.
Gilbert smiled at her, joining in on her conversation when she had to take in lungs full of air. He knew when Charlie was interested in Anne - he said he would be able to knock that trait out of her, but Gilbert didn't want to change a single thing about her. Ever. If he did, she wasn't his Anne.
As they came over the hill, Gilbert saw his brother (from another mother), and his niece on the porch. Dellie was hanging from Bash's fingers, her chubby legs kicking. Seeing the little girl, made his heartache, thinking how much he might have missed whilst he was in Toronto, but he was home for 3 weeks.
3 weeks to spend with Anne at Green Gables, 3 weeks to spend time with Dellie as she grew up some more, 3 weeks to spend time with his brother.
Bash must have seen the cart coming over the hill, as he had shouted... something to Marilla, and maybe Jerry - as the young man opened the paddock gate.
Marilla had come rushing out of the house, as the cart came to a stop, a smile blossoming over her face when her eyes saw Anne sitting between Gilbert and Matthew. Dellie let out a squeal of delight, seeing her uncle and Anne. Bash simply mouthed, 'I win,'. Gilbert was happy to lose to Bash - when his fiery red-headed lady-love put her hand into his and gave him that beautiful smile that made her face glow.
Dellie was happily passed between her relatives, Gilbert and Anne were sat in the parlour (after Anne had taken her suitcase upstairs), curled up with each other. Marilla knew when she should be telling off the pair when they completely through propriety out of the window.
Bash walked in with Dellie on his hip. Dellie reached out for Anne, cooing happily at her. Anne was happy to take her, sitting the baby on her lap.
"I went to town, to get some butter. And when I got there, I fell in the gutter," Anne bounced Dellie on her lap, her skirt acting as a blanket, as Dellie slipped between them, resting on her small back, staring at the ceiling. Giggles erupted from Dellie, as the baby clapped her hands.
Gilbert smiled at his beloved, as she played many games with Dellie, one day Anne will become Auntie Anne. He looked over at Bash, the older man having a smug smile on his face, bursting at the seams. "Let's have it," Gilbert said, leaning back into the sofa, crossing his arms over his chest.
This is when Bash started dancing (similar to how he had before Gilbert went to Toronto). "I win! I win! What did I tell you, you moke!" Bash exclaimed, pulling Anne away from the basic game of patty-cake with Dellie. She smiled at the pair, grateful that they have each other - especially after everything that happened with Gilbert's blessed dad.
"What's your papa, like, huh, Dellie?" Anne quietly tells her, making sure the baby was tightly encased in her arms, before tipping her upside down, wiggling her as giggles came out of Dellie - Anne soon brought her back up as she knew that the blood would start rushing to her head.
"It's not a love letter! It's not a love letter!" Bash mocked, making Anne look over at the pair confused, which gave Gilbert the feeling of wanting to crawl in a hole and stay there forever.
Anne crinkled her eyebrows and properly looked at her beau. "Gil, what is he going on about?" She asked, making Gilbert sigh heavily, he hoped that when this topic came up, he would be in Toronto, Anne in Charlottetown and he would tell her through a letter.
"The letter I got from you whilst I was out at sea. I still don't know how you got it to me, but you did. Bash mocked me when I sent you that letter back. Telling me that it was a love letter, I just denied it and denied it. It may have been a year, whilst I was away - looking back, it did feel a lot longer. But, Anne, I was stupid to think that it might have been a love letter at some point," Gilbert said, looking over at Bash as he said. "I am a moke,"
Bash continued dancing, which made Dellie let out her baby laughter - at how silly her papa was being. Anne leaned over and pressed a kiss to her Gilbert's cheek.
After she pulled away, Gilbert looked down at her with a wide smile on his face. "You may be a moke," Anne said, as Bash took Dellie from Anne's lap and continued his dance around the parlour. "But, you're my moke,"
