Anne had never felt this feeling before.

It was a warm, buzzing feeling, starting at the tips of her toes and surging slowly through her body. Her mouth felt dry and she didn't know what to say. She knew that Gilbert meant what he said and she was slightly overwhelmed. Anne had not experienced many people in her life showing her a great deal of care or love, so to get such an important show of care from somebody she had only recently considered a true friend was a big deal.

Gilbert looked at Anne, unwavering as he held her gaze. His hand was still loosely grasping her sleeve but she didn't feel trapped. Anne felt like she always did around Gilbert - safe.

Anne bit her lip slowly, nervous of what to say. She was used to rejection, not acceptance. She was prepared for every scenario where somebody didn't want anything to do with her but she'd never thought about what to say if somebody openly admitted they cared a lot about her and that she was important to them.

"Thank you." She whispered eventually, speaking slowly as the words came to her. "For being so kind... I know you are like that to everybody but you don't have to be. You chose to be kind and not everybody does... trust me, I know. It is the usual story for me that people don't care that much about me besides my dear Marilla and Mathew. Diana too, I suppose. For you to say that, it... it means a -- it means a lot to me."

Her voice had gone quiet like his as she felt it was a solemn moment. They stood there in the narrow track amongst the overgrown crops towering above their heads. The moment felt special. They were both tired, bruised and hurting but together they were strong and brave and they felt safe.

"I think..." Anne's words were staggered as she mulled them over, overthinking as usual. "Despite our rough start and your calling me carrots and our consequent academic rivalry - which I do hope will continue if our lives ever return to normal - and everything that came after that... you have still shown me your kind heart and your open mind and -- and patience and bravery and.. selflessness."

Gilbert couldn't quite believe what Anne was saying. Here she was - the stubborn orphan girl who always declared openly how much she despised him and was not a fan of him - was saying all of these wonderful things about him... Gilbert didn't entirely think Anne meant all of this, surely she couldn't. Her opinion of him was highly valued in his mind and if it was this good then he must be dreaming.

"I think you could even be a kindred spirit, Gilbert," Anne said softly, her grey eyes glowing brightly.

"One day, maybe..." She added, taking on that old Anne superiority which he kind of loved. Gilbert liked that she wasn't soppy like some of the other girls, she was tough and it wasn't easy to make her like you. You had to work for it and Gilbert felt proud that she finally liked him. Maybe.

Gilbert bit his lip, hiding a sheepish smile.

"No matter what happens, we're in this together. Joseph won't get away with what he did to you, I promise." Anne said fiercely in a low, dangerous voice.

Gilbert felt a stir in his chest when Anne got so passionate and determined about things. He loved her fire and how brave she was and he never doubted that her clever mind could riddle them out of any situation. He had never known a girl before who was so fearless and smart.

"I didn't think... you'd ever forgive me truly," Gilbert whispered, his voice still painfully sore. "For calling you... carrots."

Anne thought back to the time she met Gilbert. She was very insecure about coming to Avonlea and meeting so many strangers and worrying about being judged... She had definitely let his teasing cut deep and it had affected her for a long time. She was tired of it stinging her every time she thought of it. She'd have to just believe him when he told her that he didn't mean it and he was sorry.

Anne would never admit it to herself but she cared what Gilbert thought of her.

"Well, I didn't think I would either. But you're making up for it in many ways and I chose to look past the shortcoming." Anne said, half-teasingly, before humbling. "People aren't all bad, despite what my grudge and awful temper would have me believe... I... I wish I'd made up with you sooner... I know so much more now than I did then. It isn't good for a person to have so much anger burning up inside them, like a -- a tornado trapped inside your heart. I've read about tornados and I understand that they are dreadfully devastating. I've seen real anger caged inside a person and it's a... it's a nightmare..."

Anne's eyes were swimmimg with memories of the terrible Mr Hammond and his violent outbursts and screaming. She gripped the cart tightly and blinked, looking down at Gilbert. Her voice came out so soft and quiet, almost like a plead.

"Gilbert, I don't want to be like that, I want to be better."

"You are." Gilbert said incredulously.

He couldn't believe that Anne thought she could ever be anything so bad as what she spoke of. Her temper burned hot but she was not cruel or hateful, it was only passion and she was a good person with a true heart full of love. It shone bright through her silver eyes and was woven through every one of her actions. It was obvious to everyone but her.

Anne thought at that moment that she could gaze at Gilbert for a long time and be content. The grass smelt sweet around them, fresh from the rain drifting in the clouds above and the sun dappling the crops. The butterflies danced, the crickets sung and a flurry of birds called out a joyful song of freedom and flight overhead. It was a calm moment and Anne wished she could inhabit that spring afternoon forever, feeling safe and unbridled by worries or fears.

But the real world was calling out too and it was singing a less joyful song.

...

Marilla Cuthbert was not pleased to see Detective Ellwyn again.

"What have you done with Anne?" She demanded curly. "I haven't seen her since this morning when she rode off to prove her innocence to you in that ridiculous interview you insisted upon."

The detective frowned. "She left my offices several hours ago, it was my understanding that she intended to head here."

"Well I don't doubt she's in a state about this whole affair. It's quite a fluster you've whipped her up in, I don't mind telling you." Marilla wouldn't let the man inside the house, she scolded him from the front door. "My Anne is honest and true and she shouldn't have to prove anything to you, nor anyone else for that matter!"

"Interesting you say that. I have some matters I'd like to discuss with you. If you have the time, that is." Obediah Ellwyn said coldly.

Marilla straightened herself up indignantly.

"I don't have a whole lot of free time, especially not for folks who accuse my family of being dishonest or involved in this type of nonsense. But I would talk any man or woman into a stupor until they thought right by my Anne and I am not one to dandy with words in a usual circumstance."

So the detective was allowed to remain on the porch and the interview was carried out right there on the front step of Green Gables. The detective found it hard to uncover any new information, besides that Anne was a bright, honest and good young woman despite her imagination and expressive ways. Marilla was very decided that Anne was agreeable, eager to please and had come from a rough background so deserved more understanding and patience.

The detective decided to highlight some of the main problems with the story of Anne being an angel.

"You see, that's all well and good but we have actual evidence of Anne being on the scene of the crime and involved in the robbery. Testimony of good character aside, Anne is the key suspect." Detective Ellwyn said.

"What evidence?" Marilla asked, outrage seeping into her voice.

"Scraps of fabric torn from a dress identified as belonging to Anne were discovered at the Barry wagon crash site, on a horse seen exiting the woods shortly after the incident was estimated to happen and thirdly on a chest of goods which had been removed from the original crash site and hidden."

Marilla listened, not inclined to believe a word of it. She knew that there was no reason for the detective to lie but how could Anne possibly be involved? Her Anne? What reason would she have to steal? They were hard up it was true but Anne would never steal.

"Anything else?" Marilla said.

"There is the matter of her injury," He continued and Marilla steeled herself. "I know she was the victim of a supposed attack, alongside a boy... I've been told it was the new boy who arrived in town not long ago - perhaps a month - Joseph Bines? He is a dubious character of course because he escaped the attack unscathed. What do you make of this incident?"

"Well, I was not aware that anyone else was present during the attack... I don't know that much about the whole ordeal aside that my Anne was terribly injured and was very shaken up about it. She's not been herself ever since. And I haven't heard a dime about this Bines character."

Marilla was not keen on being in the dark about the people who mattered to her, especially since there weren't very many. She had always trusted Anne to tell her the important things that happened and knew she'd be regailed with all of the unimportant details too regardless of the relevance. To find out that Anne had kept something from her was unsettling. Marilla thought Anne was past that stage and she felt mildly offended that Anne had not confided the whole truth in her.

"Well, Joseph Bines has been going to school since he arrived in town... No doubt your daughter knows him well," Detective Ellwyn raised an eyebrow, not without judgement. "Well enough to go for walks in the woods alone with him after finishing her work at the library... That's where she was before she left, the owner confirmed it in his interview."

"Well, she hasn't mentioned this Joseph boy." Marilla's tone was crisp and curt.

Marilla felt confused. Why wouldn't Anne mention a new student at school? The girl delighted in anything remotely exciting, especially a new arrival in town and an apparent friend who she'd made. This was very strange. Something had to be wrong for Anne to keep secrets.

Marilla would get to the bottom of this.

...

It seemed like no time at all before the dreaded moment when Anne and Gilbert had to part ways. Gilbert had to go to Detective Ellwyn and tell him about the attack and Anne had to go to be sure Diana was safe and tell her about Joseph's violent behaviour towards Gil and the risk Joseph posed to her now, possibly intending to attack her too for good measure.

They reached the crossroads and Gilbert pulled up the reins to stop Belle. They sat in silence for a moment not wanting to part, before glancing at each other. The sun was shining down on them but it wasn't hot, it was warm and comforting.

"Take Belle, I'll walk." Gilbert said matter-of-factly, preparing to climb off of the cart.

"No, you're not well. You need to rest, I can walk. It's not far to the school--" Anne began.

"Anne," Gilbert stopped her, shaking his head and laughing lightly in a manner which Anne found most infuriating. "You're not fully healed yet, don't be ridiculous. I can still walk - he didn't strangle my legs."

"I'm not being ridiculous! Just take the cart, this is not the time to argue--" Anne went to clamber off the cart but Gilbert grabbed her arm before she reached the ground.

"Anne please. You need to take the cart." Gilbert spoke gently then. He knew her pride was at stake. "I don't want your stitches to reopen."

Anne looked down, feeling the burn of pain in her injury - constant and distracting. Her stitches were definitely being pushed to their limits lately with all the extertion. It made sense, she should take the cart but she didn't want Gilbert to walk all the way in case something happened to him again. He was more vulnerable that way.

"Let me walk." Gilbert sighed. What he was really asking was, let me help you.

Anne glanced up at him and saw his dark eyes showing frustration. He wanted to help her and she wasn't letting him. She wasn't used to the constant kindness he showed her, she was used to being independent. He was close to giving up but something made him push on. Anne didn't know that the pain she felt was obvious in her face and clear in her eyes and it didn't just hurt her, it pained Gilbert to see it too.

"Please." Gilbert said.

You are of the utmost importance to me.

His words came calling back to her and Anne's resilience faltered. Seeing this, Gilbert slowly let go of her arm, trusting her not to continue the argument and climbed off of the cart. Anne watched him, her jaw clenching. The priority was ensuring Diana was safe, she had to forget her unimportant pride. Gilbert was her friend, friends help each other. She sat on the cart seat and looked down at the tired, handsome boy.

"Thank you." Anne said, a flush in her cheeks.

Gilbert just nodded. He didn't make a big deal out of it, like some boys did when they were chivalrous. He just did the logical thing, he did what he had to to make sure Anne would be alright.

"Good luck." Was all he said.

Anne could tell he wanted to say more. She didn't think it was the pain in his throat that was holding him back, it was something else. He opened his mouth but stopped, just looking at her for a moment before turning away and walking up the path to the town and the detective's office.

"Gilbert--!" Anne called out, an urgent feeling overcoming her.

She had a terrible sense when he walked away, as though she'd not see him again. She was so afraid of Joseph hurting him again and it shook her to the core. She was shocked at herself, at how terribly scared she was of losing Gilbert. He had gotten under her skin and made a home there, slowly burning into her heart and mind until she suddenly noticed that she cared deeply for him.

Gilbert looked over his shoulder at her, his brown eyes blinking through his messy curls.

"Be careful." Anne spoke quietly but he heard. He always heard, he always listened. Anne's words were precious to him.

"You too." He said and they held each other's gaze like they were tied together.

Then he was walking away down the right path through the corn fields towards the town and Anne turned Belle and the cart down to the left and she rode away from the Blythe boy. Anne had not noticed before how much he truly meant to her. The sun smiled down on the dazed redhead, her troubled grey eyes gazing up at the path ahead but she didn't see it. All she saw was Gilbert's dark eyes, magnetic and deep like a forest.

...

Detective Ellwyn had reached his office just a minute before Gilbert came walking around the corner. It was late afternoon by that time and the majority of the Avonlea population were usually tired with their minds set on a cold drink and a sit on their porch or in their parlour. Detective Ellwyn never thought about relaxing, his mind was always on the current case.

"Good day, sir." Gilbert called out. "You must be Detective Ellwyn."

Obediah Ellwyn looked up, frowning in the sun. The boy approaching was young and handsome, his clothes slightly bedraggled and untidy with a thin scarf tied around his neck. He looked tired but concealed it well with a winning smile.

"I am. You are?" The Detective looked on, his trust withheld warily.

"Gilbert Blythe, sir." Gilbert shook the man's hand confidently, never breaking their gaze. His smile slid away as he spoke more seriously. "I've heard you're the man who's going to finally catch the menace of our good town Avonlea?"

Detective Ellwyn did not receive flattery like most. He was not used to it and didn't see the point in it. He also didn't like people who were too confident. He liked people who had things to hide, not those who lay everything out on the table like this young man seemed to do. It didn't give him anything to work with and he found them hard to read.

"I'll catch whoever is responsible for the theft. I've given Mr Barry my word, if that is what you're referring to." He said curtly.

"Indeed it is. There was a terrible robbery and a vicious attack," Gilbert went on, his face earnest. "A lot of rumours are circulating this town and I'm sure you know, people love to gossip. I've heard a worrying number of stories that just don't add up, I don't know about you but I think it's good to get the truth out in the open. If a light is shone on the truth there are no shadows for the criminals to hide in."

Detective Ellwyn was impressed despite himself. Gilbert Blythe was clearly intelligent and had a trustworthy look about him. The detective didn't trust anyone but he decided this young man would be worth talking to at least.

"Do you have any of the aforementioned truth that needs a light shining upon it?" He asked.

"I have a great deal of information I purvey to you at a high risk to my own safety. As you can see, I have been the victim of the trouble which has hit Avonlea." Gilbert tugged the scarf from his neck to reveal the dark blush of bruises crowding his throat.

Detective Ellwyn was taken aback slightly, he hadn't expected that. Without another word about it, he opened the door to his office and gestured for Gilbert to proceed into the dark room. This may be the missing piece of the story that solved the case. Gilbert may be the key to the truth about the hiest.

The boy stopped in the doorway and looked at the detective, a strange look in his eyes.

"I've heard that you believe the person responsible is Anne Shirley-Cuthbert." Gilbert said, holding the older man's gaze unflinchingly. "I've got quite a bit to say about that."

...

Anne reached the school just as it was finishing and Diana was on the steps coming out amongst the swarm of students. Anne was so relieved to see her best-friend safe and sound that she slid straight off Belle and ran to Diana, ignoring the pain screaming in her side. Diana was surprised to see Anne.

"Anne! I was so worried about you after this morning." Diana said. She took the red-head's hand and dragged her across the school ground towards the shaded back yard to talk.

Before they could go any further, Billy Andrews stepped in their path. He sneered at Anne, his wolfish eyes practically burning with excitement. He had missed preying on the orphan girl. The other students weren't so much fun to bully and inside school hours the new teacher Mr Kaine was hard on any form of violence.

"If it isn't our old Fido," Billy smirked. "You haven't been at school for a while. We thought you'd been sent back to the orphanage where you belong."

Anne was so beyond his taunting at this point. She was tired of him and his childish bullying. There was a time when his words cut deep and his actions scared her, she would dread school because of him and would take a different path some days when she knew she'd run into him. But Anne had faced worse than Billy Andrews now. She had survived being close to death and here she was being talked down to by Billy.

"Leave us alone, Billy. We don't have time for you or your immature bullying." Anne said crossly.

"Oh somebody's gotten a bit fiesty. Maybe you forgot I'm in charge around here? You need to remember your place Anne Shirley." Billy said, his tone intimidating. "It's with the trash and the freaks."

Diana was worried something bad was going to happen. She didn't want to see her friend get hurt. She was tired of seeing Billy pick on people and never having the confidence to stand up to him.

"Billy, don't be so ghastly to Anne." Diana said bravely. "Just walk away."

Billy looked at her. Their mothers were friends. If he hurt Diana he'd be in a lot of trouble. It wasn't worth it.

"Back off, Barry, this isn't your problem." Billy shoved Diana slightly so she stumbled back.

"The only problem here, is you." Anne said, facing down Billy fearlessly and moving in front of Diana. "It would be real sweet if you could take your hateful behavior elsewhere."

"Shirley, things aren't as sweet in real life as they are in your silly head. You're dirty orphan trash and you don't belong here." He said, massaging his fists threateningly. He moved forward quickly, swinging his fist.

"My place is wherever I want to be." Anne said fiercely.

She was faster than Billy, smaller and nimble. Anne had experience dodging punches. She ducked his fist and he staggered. Anne kicked the back of his knee and he went down hard, face first into the dirt and the dust. Everybody in the school yard saw, they fell silent and watched as Billy rolled onto his back and looked up red-faced at the fiery girl who had taken him down.

"I know a great deal more about the world than you, Bully Andrews. And my name is Anne Shirley-Cuthbert." Anne corrected him. "Don't touch my friends."

...

During the inevitable chaos that proceeded that display, the excitement and burning humiliation of Billy-Bully-Andrews, Diana and Anne slipped away to talk. They walked through the woods following the quiet path they used to take home and escaped the noise and bustle of the school. Anne lead Belle and Gilbert's cart by the reins.

"Everybody's going to talk about that for so long, Anne." Said Diana, proudly. "You were so brave."

"It's about time somebody stood up to that appalling bully." Anne said firmly.

Out of the conflict, the fear sunk in again and Anne's tone dropped. She looked around watchfully, afraid Joseph would jump out and attack at any moment. He was the real threat, the true danger. She wasn't scared of a small-town troublemaker like Billy anymore.

"More importantly, you need to get home safely. Joseph didn't lie when he said he would hurt my friends if I told anyone what happened." Anne said hurriedly.

Diana's pretty eyes widened. "What did he do?" She said in hushed words.

Anne flashed back to the moment she found Gilbert unconscious on the floor. The image would never leave her. Anne's heart ached. She had thought he was dead.

"He attacked Gilbert, he strangled him until he went unconscious. Joseph hurt him so badly, oh Diana Gilbert can barely speak." Anne's voice was thick with emotion. "I was so afraid for him."

Diana was shocked, Anne's words were hard to believe. Diana had always lived in Avonlea and there had never been any excitement until Anne arrived. There had never been any danger either, she didn't know what it was like to be afraid. She could never have imagined something like this happening in her life. The worst thing that could have happened was a social embarrassment. Her priorities had changed so drastically since Anne had appeared in her life.

"Is Gil going to be okay?" Diana asked.

"Thankfully," Anne said. "But I'm so afraid that Joseph's going to do it again."

Diana suddenly realised that she meant her - Anne was afraid Joseph would hurt Diana. Diana's heart plummeted in fear. She hadn't thought of that. Despite Anne confiding Joseph's threat to her, the danger always seemed to be pinned to Anne. Diana had always worried for Anne and forgotten herself. She looked around the woods, expecting danger in every creak of a branch, every shadow or rustle of leaves.

"What are we going to do?"

Anne looked at her scared friend doubtfully. She had to think of something. This couldn't go on - too many people had been hurt already, she'd experienced too much pain and fear. Anne had to stop Joseph, even if the Detective or anyone would help her. She grasped Diana's soft hands tightly.

"Don't worry, I have a plan." Anne said.