us against the world : shirbert one shots

letting you go

one shot: gilbert tells anne its time to let go.

"my beautiful fairy queen, it's time to let go." the same sweet smile crossed his face that she had seen a billion times before, only now his wrinkles almost completely engulfed it. his eyes crinkled upward and that very second she realized something.

she had always wondered when his smiles would lose effect on her, always dreaded the day that looking into his eyes wouldn't warm her body. but right then she realized that it never did. here they were, old and wrinkly, but still effecting each other the same way they had when they were sixteen.

she didn't want to let go of him, or this life they've been living. nothing could've topped these last seventy years that she lived. dancing, laughing, crying, living by gilbert's side has been the greatest adventure one could ever ask for. not to mention their beautiful children. oh those children! seven of them, seven brilliant minds and soft hears, seven adoring husbands or wives. seven wonderful parents. how could she leave this? how could she just let go?

this is everything. being by his side has always been her only wish. how could she let go when she doesn't know what will happen to her? will she ever see him again? she didn't spend the last six decades never leaving his side just to suddenly slip away from him.

what would it be like to not have him as an option? to not have his hand to grasp onto, to not know that however bad it gets, he'll be there.

she held onto his hand a little tighter, hoping that somehow if she can just hold on tight enough she won't have to leave.

"i cant let go." came her shaky reply. he smiled again and kissed her forehead.

"darling it's okay, you can't fight it anymore, your body is too weak. i promise it'll be okay, just let go my love." his sweet sweet lips were curved upward and his eyes were glossy.

she shook her head with what little power she had left. "no. no please don't make me leave you. i'm scared gil, don't make me leave you." tears fell down her cheeks softly, gilbert's face contorted painfully.

he didn't want her to leave of course he didn't! but she had to. "my darling anne-girl, it's okay, you can leave me, i'll be okay. and i'll be right with you soon."

she shook her head again, "but I WONT." she yelled softly, "i won't be okay without you" she repeated in a whisper.

his heart broke, he was worried she was holding on to protect himself, but she was scared of leaving him and being alone.

"listen, this is just the consequence of life my love. it's good that you don't want to let go because that means we had a beautiful time here. i know it's scary, i'm scared too. but you won't be alone anne, i may not be there instantly, but i will be there, and i will be by your side again. think about it, while you wait you can visit mary, and your parents! you can meet little joy and tell her of our life. you can hug walter again, give him a kiss for me okay? matthew and marilla will be there to stand by your side! see darling, you won't be alone. i promise you won't be alone, you'll be surrounded by people you love deeply. you'll be safe." he curled up next to her and laid his head of moppy white hair on her shoulder. she kissed his curls and laid her cheek on them.

"i'll miss you gil, i don't want to be without you." they both had soft tears streaming down their cheeks now, anticipating that this may be one of their last moments together.

"i know anne, i know. i'll miss you more then you can imagine. my dryad, my fairy queen, my fiery lover, i will miss you so. but you have to let go. i'll join you very soon. it won't be long, i've never been able to last long without you." he kissed her temple gently. "i love you so much anne-girl"

she grasped his hand tightly, "i love you more gilly-boy" they laughed softly at their little game,

"not possible carrots. i love you most."

she smiled and looked at him one last time, he knew she was going to do it. she was about to let go.

suddenly he felt panic rise and had the urge to take it all back and beg for her to stay with him just a little longer, but he didn't. he kissed her lips for the last time and watched her eyes sparkle like they always did.

"stay with me?" she whispered weakly, she was slipping away.

"always."

she smiled and nodded, before her body gently left this world and carried her to the next.

gilbert watched as her eyes glazed over and her chest filled with air for the last time.

tears were falling onto her face while he held her body and sobbed.

"goodbye my love"

rilla came in when she heard his sobs and smiled sadly, her mom had fought death for a long time, she was glad she was finally at peace. but seeing her father sobbing into her neck broke her heart.

"come on dad, let's leave her." she walked over to him and gently pried him from anne's body. he was still crying softly but not as hard. she held his hand and lead him out of the room.

"she's gone." he whispered to himself.

rilla only smiled, "she's in heaven dad, with wally and joy and bash and mar, she's finally at peace."

he nodded and laid down. his vision was going blurry and his head pounded. his heart suddenly jumped forward against his chest and he gasped in pain.

rilla rushed towards him but she already could see that this was the end for him too. he never lasted long without her. she thought fondly of the days when he refused to leave her side, or when he did and she would watch her mother get smothered in letters making sure she was alright and telling her he loved her. she knew that even though it was only her mom who was sick, that she'd lose both of them when she lost her. they were always a package deal.

he smiled brightly before leaving for good, whispering what rilla was sure was,

"i'm coming my love"

.

anne was wondering around bright white streets when she spotted a figure out in the distance.

she felt an odd pulling to it, so she ran in its direction, it seemed to be running to her too.

they stopped a couple feet apart and grinned at each other. anne squealed and jumped into his arms.

"you're here!" she grabbed his face and kissed him hard.

"i told you i couldn't survive without you!" he brushed her hair from her face and grinned boyishly, both of them looked just like teens again.

"come on! the others will be thrilled!" she looped her arm in his and dragged him off onto the pearly streets. 

gilbert greeted everyone loudly and celebrated their lives with them. the entire time he continuously stole glances at anne to admire her. even in the next life not much has changed, it's still gilbert blythe gazing hopelessly at anne shirley-cuthbert, just how it will always be. in any universe, time, planet, life, it will always be gilbert blythe gazing at anne shirley-cuthbert.

a/n okay going to be honest and say that i wrote this probably over a month ago and haven't read it since.... but i'm posting it anyway