WAVES | shirbert

II. Wherever you are is my home

in which there's always time for family
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«I am strangely glad to get back again to you: and wherever you are is my home—my only home.»
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Two weeks after the spring ball

(Set after OCEANS Chapter XV — This is before the epilogue, they haven't kissed yet)

Anne Shirley-Cuthbert had always been a heavy sleeper. Sleeping allowed her to drift into a world of different dreams to explore — different and endless possibilities. Princesses, castles, dragon-slayers with hazel eyes... Yes, you could say that the fiery redhead from Green Gables couldn't be easily awoken by any kind of noise.

Unless that noise was the tapping of Gilbert Blythe at her window.

It had happened before. After their dance, which had been two weeks ago, Gilbert had taken the unspoken invitation to knock at her window at night — if Marilla had known about this!

Some of said nights were reserved for a late-night rendezvous in the woods; some others just for talking or revising. That night, however, was different. It was around midnight when Anne felt the rather unusual quick and a bit desperate tapping of his knuckles against the window.

A smile crept up her face instantly. She was lying on her side, her back facing the window. When she turned to the other side, that's when she saw him.

He was wearing his beige jacket and his pajamas underneath. Anne thought he looked adorable, but she would never point that out. She simply got out of bed and walked to the window, leaving the sheets and blankets on the floor. She opened the window, closing the dishance between them, somehow. Wind was brushing Gilbert's dark curls away, and although it was spring, it was a cold night — his nose was a bit red because of the chilly breeze.

"Hi" she said timidly. Although they had been involved in scenarios like this one before, she still blushed at the fact of him seeing her in her night gown.

"Anne" his voice was almost a whisper, barely audible with the roaring wind of the night. "Anne" he said again. He seemed... worried, agitated.

"What's wrong?" She scanned his face, looking for any sign of concern or trouble.

"Mary just broke waters" Gilbert announced, which caused a surprised smile in Anne's face. "You need to come"

"Me?" She pointed to herself, wondering how on earth she could be helpful in a situation like this.

"Don't look at me like that! I know for sure that you'd kill me if I didn't tell you!" And it was true. Had it been the case that Gilbert Blythe had not told her about this, she would've stayed mad at him for weeks — or at least she would have pretended to, there was no way that she could stay mad at him for much longer.

"That's true" she admitted, already lacing her boots and taking her coat.

"Let's go" he offered his hand to her and helped her out of the window once she was ready.

Clumsiness made her Anne on her feet, almost falling off the cherry blossom tree. Gilbert held her tightly, avoiding the fall.

"Thank you" she whispered, trying not to make too obvious the fact that she was freaking out at his hands wrapped around her. Both of them were sitting astride on one of the tree's thickest branches — only difference is that his hands were wrapped around her tiny figure, her back against his chest.