after you

rain falls in real time

"i uh, i- let me fetch marilla" matthew has said very suprised. matthew is not a man of very many words and gilbert was hitting himself silently for not thinking of having marilla there to help him out when it came to this manner.

when marilla arrived gilbert knew that he had only one more chance to ask this question properly, "now what is all this fuss about?"

gilbert reached around in his pocket before he pulled out the ring. he could hear an audible gasp come out of marilla that worried him slightly.

"i know it doesn't look like much to the eye" he said with a small chuckle still staring down at it, "but it was my mother's ring"

"oh gilbert-"

"i know anne is still young" he said, cutting her off slightly. his gaze rose a bit as he gathered more confidence to ask the question, "but your daughter means the world to me and after the scare we had almost two years ago- i can't imagine a future without her in it"

the pair were silent, not expecting him to ask this question for another two years at the least.

"so i'm asking you to please, grant me your blessing in marrying your anne"

marilla was the first to speak, "oh gilbert i don't know what to say, we weren't- well we weren't expecting this until you both finished your schooling"

"i know" he said with a nervous chuckle, "but i wasn't expecting to fall this deeply in love with her"

this made matthew smile and brought tears to his eyes, "well uh- you have my blessing young man"

gilbert has never been more relieved in his entire life, he happily shook the mans hand while saying, "you won't regret this"

gilbert then turned to marilla awaiting her response, anxiety filling him up by the second.

"gilbert, quite frankly, i had already considered you part of this family" she said with a sweet smile, "that's why you also have my blessing"

gilbert's entire body was filled with so much joy as he registered the words that she had just said.

i can marry anne

"thank you" he said, tears now coming to his own eyes, "thank you, truly, i promise to love anne for as long as life will allow me too and i'm sorry if this came as a shock to the two of you"

"it was a good suprise gilbert" marilla laughed softly, "your father would be so proud of the man you have become"

he nodded sadly before softly saying, "i wish he could have seen her again, he was always begging me to bring her back but at the time we weren't close"

that's when marilla put a hand on his shoulder, remembering her own experiences with john blythe during her childhood, "i'm sure he has seen her plenty of times with his view of the world"

***

gilbert had stayed for tea, discussing his plans for engagement with marilla, her commenting and helping him make sure everything would be perfect.

this caused gilbert to be quite late back to his own home.

when he opened the door he was greeted with an image that he would hold dear to his heart.

on his couch, anne had fallen asleep with delphine sitting in her lap. they both were sleeping peacefully when gilbert carefully grabbed delphine and brought her up to her room.

"annie?" he said softly, causing her to stir a bit, "do you want me to take you to bed?"

"hm? i uhm, gil?" she said slightly out of it still.

with a slight shake of the head a chuckle he responded with, "yes love, it's gil, do you want me to take you to bed?"

"mmm yes pirate" he bit his lip to prevent from laughing as the memories of the ruins came back to his head.

"just one thing" he said gazing at her, as if to tell her, anne it's you, you are the one i love

"i don't know what to say- what am i supposed to" she said rambling, clearing taken back by what he had said, "and everyone- and everyone- and now and now you- just- and i'm just- pirate! and we never even- and paris- and you are never gonna find- that much i know!- so how, can, i"

gilbert chuckled at the memory, knowing she was probably dreaming of it as well.

he looked down at her as he swooped her up in his arms with just one thought.

this is the girl i'm going to marry