LITTLE HUMMINGBIRD ━━ ( GILBERT BLYTHE )

THIRTEEN ; and it begins

"Please don't get all sentimental, Doux-Doux." Bash cooed condescedendly, his hand patting Syd's head.

"Shut up!" Sydney whined, swatting his hand away and crossing her arms. "I cannot wait to go to Avonlea and start new thrilling adventures and exploration but I can't help thinking about how much I'm going to miss this place." She pouted.

"I mean sure," She continued."The S.S. Primrose has given me a world of back problems, probably arthritis, and more blisters on my hands than I could ever possibly count-" Sydney ranted, never once stopping to take a breath until she saw Gilbert and Bash barely holding in their laughs, their lips tucked in and eyebrows raised.

The girl inhaled deeply, her cheeks turning a rosy pink. "But, this ship has a lot of memories." Her warm grin brought smiles to the boys faces. Gilbert thought Sydeny Salem's smile was truly contagious, it could be caught if you stared at the beautiful sight for a second too long. "And I met my two best friends."

Sometimes Sydney thought she might be dreaming. Almost a year ago, Sydney could barely get out of bed without her heartache blurring everything together. She was barely holding, she was falling apart at the seams.

And now, she was ready to start a new life, a new adventure. Syd had found love, even if it hadn't found her, and she met the two reasons for why she hadn't fallen ill from grief.

She found Gilbert.

And, uhm, Bash, of course.

Life was perfect. But it still hurt that this chapter of Sydney's book was coming to an end.

"Remember, Sydney," Gilbert pointed his nose upwards in a snotty, proper manner. "Things that seem wrong turn out alright.''

Gilbert winked at the -- already blushing -- girl and walked away towards his cot to finish packing.

Packing was something Sydney always loved. Syd wasn't a specially organized person, her brain usually going thousands of miles a minute, her mind was always scattered. But something about packing and organizing clothes and items was very therapeutic.

But in that moment, it was hard to enjoy packing.

__

It was almost like time had turned and Sydney was back where she started.

She swore she was wearing the exact same button up, trousers, and flat cap she wore on that life-changing day nearly a year ago. As she looked at the steamer that had been her home for so long as it drifted off further into the sea once again. The wintery, salty air was almost the exact same.

Except now, she had her two best friends starting off into the distant by her side and her heart had healed.

"This feels like a dream..." Gilbert spoke softly and hesitantly.

"More like a nightmare." Sydney mumbled, crossing her arms and letting out a wistful sigh.

Gilbert chuckled at Sydney's pout. "Oh come on, aren't you excited to come live with me and Bash?"

The girl rolled her eyes and a smile reappeared on her lips from Gilbert's teasing. "I just can't wait to start school and hear all of the embarrassing stories about little Mr. Popular."

"The only embarrassing stories about me are from when Anne Shirley-Cuthbert showed me up in class." He laughed, remembering school before he left.

Bash sighed loudly and contentedly, picking up his and Syd's luggage. "Come on, we must get home before sundown."