Unrequited// OC x Gilbert Blyth // OC x OC

06

KATHERINE TURNER FELL INTO GILBERT JUST AS THE CEILING ABOVE HER HAD COLLAPSED. Though there was chaos, Katherine only saw Gilbert and her at the moment. He hugged her as she clung to him. He was like the knight in shining armor.

"Bring her down," Thomas called.

The chaos resumed. The fire cackled, the men below frantic as they started pouring water into buckets. People stared at the fire in horror and Katherine had seen the Gillis family together, watching as their house burned down.

Gilbert helped her onto the ladder safely and Thomas was there to greet her at the bottom. He led her away from the house, giving her a blanket as protection from the cold air. Thomas knew how her father died and Thomas was the one who got her through that and the gossip in the following weeks. As much as Thomas wanted to stay and comfort Katherine, he knew the other needed more help to stop the fire.

"Katherine!" she heard her mother call.

Emma and John had run towards the area. John had run to help the other men with the fire and Emma had run straight to her daughter.

"Mother!" Katherine said back with a raspy voice.

"Oh, dear... " Emma embraced Katherine.

On the outside, it looked worse than the inside. The fire lit up the house, the flames raging out, catching the bush on fire. Katherine felt like she could pass out.

"Come," she said, taking her hand and beginning to walk. "Let's check on the Gillis'."

"Katie!" Diana yelled, running towards her. "Katie! Oh, God, are you all right?"

Diana had hugged her tightly as Katherine replied, "Yeah, yeah... "

A carriage arrived on the scene. Marilla Cuthbert and Anne Shirley-Cuthbert grabbed the buckets and headed towards the other men with the water supply.

"Anne!" Diana exclaimed. Katherine turned her head to look. "Anne!"

"I've missed you so much!" Anne said happily.

"Oh, Lord," Anne said after seeing Katherine. "Were you inside?"

"I'm okay," Katherine smiled.

"What about Ruby? Her family?" Anne asked.

"Yeah," Katherine nodded. "That's the Gillis family." Katherine pointed in their direction. "You see Ruby?"

"Why are windows and doors open?" Anne asked.

Katherine noticed her tone. "It's too late now. The glass had shattered - Anne!"

With a clear head, Katherine knew what Anne was thinking. Open windows and doors meant oxygen getting through. When Anne had run back, Katherine got the idea of what she was trying to do.

As the fire wagon had approached the scene, Anne had grabbed blankets from their carriage, then grabbed some more.

"Anne, it's too dangerous!" Katherine warned.

"Anne! No! Anne!" Diana screamed.

"What is it?" asked Marilla.

Mrs. Barry, Emma, Marilla, and Rachel Lynde had noticed the two girls yelling and went towards them to comfort them.

Diana pointed to the house. "It's Anne!"

"What happened to Anne?" Marilla asked, concerned.

"She ran inside!" Katherine informed, anxious and worried.

"Let me go!" Marilla said as Mrs. Barry and Rachel Lynde held her back.

"No, Marilla!" Mrs. Barry told her.