Finally she nodded. Gilbert gave her eye contact before touching her, as if to make sure she was okay with him touching her arm before he began. He held her wrist so gently it didn't hurt at all. He crossed the band of flannel over her arm and eventually tied it between her thumb and first finger.
"Promise me you'll tell that new family of yours, eh? You'll tell them when you get home? They'll want to make sure you heal up, good as new." Gilbert said, giving Anne a small smile.
Anne just looked down. "I need to go to school," she whispered.
Gilbert stood up, and offered his hand to Anne. Anne hesitated and then took it, with her good hand, standing up.
They walked through the woods in silence, until she finally broke the silence by saying, "I'm sorry. If I was rude. Before."
Gilbert shook his head. "You had a scare. Takes a while to come out of a scare."
"Well, I'm Anne. Anne Shirley. Or, Anne Shirley-Cuthbert, now."
She didn't say anything else.
"I'm glad to meet you, Anne Shirley-Cuthbert," Gilbert said, smiling for real this time.
Anne walked along beside him, glad to have someone by her side as she made it through these woods. He wasn't going to hurt her. And he wanted to protect her from someone who did want to hurt her. She felt she could trust this kind boy...and that was good, because she knew she'd never feel safe in the woods again.
YOU ARE READING
In the Woods When First We Met
FanficGilbert is there for Anne when she needs someone the most. Billy did far more damage than seen in the episode. Anne goes through my own journey of healing after a trauma. Serious issues. (Skip chapters 3-4 to make it less scary to read; if you skip...
