Anne was walking home to Green Gables across the meadow when she saw Matthew rounding up the cows in the wildflower-speckled pass.

He looked peaceful and happy, as a change from his past stress about money and then the ordeal with Anne. Anne waved and approached her father figure. He stopped walking and smiled at her.

"Hello, Anne. How did your exams go?" He asked softly.

"Brilliantly, I came to tell you that I passed and I'm going to Queens Academy." Anne said.

"That's wonderful news, Anne. I knew you'd do well." Matthew smiled.

Yet Anne wasn't pleased. She felt hesitant and deeply uncertain.

"I know I should be happy but really I don't know what to do, Matthew. It's finally happening... I've wanted this for so long, I finally have it within my grasp but I'm afraid. I don't want to leave Green Gables, I don't want everything to change." Anne said slowly, her eyes sad and wistful.

Matthew gazed at Anne. She had grown up so much, become a young woman.

"I'm so proud of you Anne." He said. "I believe whatever you do in life, it will be marvellous. But you mustn't let fear hold you back, not like it did me. I have regrets, I don't want you to live like that."

"You're right Matthew, of course you're right. I am so glad I have you, my kindred spirit." Anne gave him an enormous hug.

"Go out into the world and make your mark, Anne." Matthew hugged her too. "I will miss you, dear girl."

Revived with confidence, inspired for her future and embued with love Anne set off for Green Gables. She smiled to herself. The sun was setting, the birds singing, it was a wonderful late summer day. Her future was bright and she had a supportive family behind her. Everything was right in the world.

Then Anne had a terrible feeling and looked over her shoulder.

A cow had spooked and run across the field, causing the other cattle to panic and run in all directions. Matthew shouted in shock, calling to them but suddenly one began to charge towards him and abruptly Matthew clutched at his chest and collapsed to the ground, dead.

____

Anne awoke with a scream, shaking violently and grasping at the sheets. She was covered in cold sweat, her hair stuck to her face, panting heavily. Anne's eyes searched the room, grounding herself to reality. It was just a dream... it was just a dream. Right?

Anne threw back her bed sheets and clambered out of bed. She left her room and stumbled to Matthew's room. Anne opened the door and blinked into the darkness, her heart still thundering in her chest. There was Matthew, lying peacefully in his bed snoring quietly. He was alive. He was here. It really was just a dream.

Anne exhaled deeply in relief, tip-toed across the floorboards and planted a small kiss on Matthew's forehead. She felt something cold on her cheek and wiped at her face, finding two tears there. Anne took another deep breath, feeling her heart slowly calming down. Finally, she returned to her own room and sat at the window, looking out over the dark farm and beyond that the endless fields and trees.

The worst part of her nightmare wasn't real but some of it was - she was truly afraid to leave Avonlea, to leave Green Gables, to venture out into the world and make something of herself... It was a daunting prospect and she hadn't realised how apprehensive for it she felt before this terrible dream came to her. What if she left for Queens Academy and something happened to Matthew while she was gone? Or Marilla?

The sadness grew like a lump in her throat, crowding in her heavy heart and making life seem grey and overwhelming. To let it all out Anne wrote all of her dark thoughts and fears down in her notebook, her handwriting messy and unlike her usual elegant print. She tore out the sheets and stuffed them beneath the windowsill behind the curtains. She didn't want the Cuthberts to read the notes and worry about her.

Anne would handle her fears by herself, she had handled worse.

...

The next morning brought a welcome surprise.

"Anne, Diana is here to see you!"

At the sound of Marilla's call, Anne looked up from her book, excitement sparking in her eyes. Her best friend was coming to visit her? What a wonderful distraction from her tedious exam revision. She had been working hard all morning, struggling to concentrate as usual. Mathematics held little scope for her imagination, which was constantly being teased by the glorious sunshine out the window and the heavenly scent of blossoms from her Snow Queen tree.

"Coming!" Anne dropped her pen and paper, leapt to her feet and thundered downstairs in a hurry.

"Slow down, child!" Marilla cried as Anne charged into the kitchen. "One of these days you'll fall straight down and do yourself some serious damage. There's no need to rush."

"Anne!" Beamed Diana, her cheeks rosy from the warm sun and her dark-hair tied back in a blue bow.

The two friends hugged and then Diana wasted no time in spilling her news.

"Oh, Anne. I have simply the most wonderful thing to tell you - I ran all the way here when I got the letter!" She cried, flapping her hand which held the beforementioned letter.

Marilla looked on in amusement as she finished her cooking at the kitchen table.

"Aunt Josephine has sent word of a concert in Charlottetown! It is a very special concert, a piano recitation by the wonderful Marianne Jean - she is most acclaimed and this would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Mother said you can come with me and we'll stay with Aunt Jo... There's more too - it's only several days before your birthday, Anne! What luck? Oh, Miss Cuthbert, do say Anne can come? Please!"

Anne was so excited that she felt she could burst. This was a dream, an event summoned out of her most regal and romantical imaginings... Not only that, but it was Anne's Sixteenth birthday in a few days and she had been dreaming up wonderful things to do on her birthday if she was a rich and high-society girl with many thrilling options to choose from. A piano recitation was certainly rival to all of her best ideas.

The hysterical girls turned to Marilla for permission, their eyes wide and shining.

Marilla felt quite put-upon. She hesitated, never liking to make up her mind before some consideration. This was certainly a wonderful event for Anne to attend, a high-class event she wouldn't usually be able to go to... Even Marilla had heard of this pianist, she was a master musician and widely talked about. It wasn't likely Anne would ever get the chance to see such a thing again.

A common misconception was that Marilla was an unfeeling woman. On the contrary, she knew Anne would have the time of her life if she did go. She wanted Anne to be happy, yet something held her back... Marilla was still afraid of letting Anne go too far from home after all of the awful things that had happened to her. Anne had been taken away, forcefully removed... Marilla still had dreams about it. There was lingering resentment which she held too - Mr Barry was the reason Anne had been taken away. Marilla had never really forgiven him although she didn't blame Diana and her mother, Eliza.

This wasn't the first time she'd said no to Anne going on a trip since the traumatic events happened... two school trips had come up with the wonderful Ms Stacey and the Gillis family had arranged a picnic day by the beautiful river in a neighbouring town. Anne had been told she was to stay home to heal, rest and study, which had plunged her into the depths of despair for a long time.

In a wave of emotions, Marilla made up her mind. She wouldn't hold Anne back, she wouldn't limit her adopted daughter's life experiences from her own fear. Besides, Anne had been working so hard all Spring studying for her exams - she had shown such dedication and patience. Marilla was proud of who Anne was becoming.

Also, it was almost Anne's birthday and Marilla felt guilty that she couldn't give Anne the kind of day she deserved... The Cuthberts were no longer indebted but even with the compensation money they weren't well-off.

"Very well, you may go." Marilla said.

Anne thought she'd heard it wrong for a moment. She could go? Did Marilla really say those words? Diana turned to Anne, an enormous smile spreading across her face. Anne's face lit up as she realised she hadn't misheard, she was going to the concert.

"Oh Marilla!!" Anne cried.

She threw herself into a very surprised Marilla's arms. Anne hugged the woman so long Marilla wondered if she'd ever let go. Marilla smiled slightly, a warm feeling blooming in her heart.

"Thank you, Miss Cuthbert, thank you ever so much! I promise we'll take good care of her." Diana said politely, although she was full of wild excitement.

"You have no idea how completely overjoyed I am, Marilla! I cannot thank you enough. This will be the most wonderful experience, I just know it in my heart - I've never attended such an event before, although I have so many ideas about what it could be like... I have plenty of experience reading about these kinds of things, which I'm sure will come in handy about expected behaviours and such. Oh, what perfect timing too! A birthday concert... I could even pretend Marieanne Jean was playing for me, at a concert dedicated to my sixteenth birthday --! Oh, but that is vanity - which you discourage, Marilla. I'll try very hard not to pretend that... Though the idea is now in my head it will be hard, I'm sure I can make up my mind not to. I am so thrilled at the thought of seeing live music played by such an acclaimed artist. It will provide so much scope for the imagination... I will store every second of it away in my memories, for any time I feel disheartened or uninspired I shall have a well of beauty to draw from..."

The dreamy look of utter wonderment which filled Anne's grey eyes was brimming up so much Marilla wondered how she possibly kept all her feelings contained.

"I must be the luckiest girl in all of Avonlea." Anne smiled.

...

The next day, Gilbert had risen early before he needed to leave for school to clean the house.

He felt that with all the studying lately he'd neglected his everyday tasks. Luckily Sebastian helped with chores but he mostly focused on the outdoor duties and farm work. An old family friend named Mrs Grey used to come by and help out by tending to these types of jobs but since Bash had moved in she seemed to come less, likely assuming Gilbert had enough help. The truth was he missed her help and her motherly company.

While he was bashing the rugs in the porch, Bash came over from working in the fields for a break. He went in for a drink before joining Gilbert in the shady porch.

"Did you hear about that Summer Dance up in Trenttown?" Bash asked conversationally.

Gilbert looked up with interest and shook his head.

"It's to be held in Carraway Hall, not far from the boarding house I stayed in for a while before moving here." A knowing smile overcame Sebastian face. "I bet you can think of a young lass who'd love a good dance, no?"

Gilbert laughed. "Oh, you mean Anne. Well, I know she likes dances but the last time we both attended one we didn't get to dance together. She is probably busy, anyway."

"No, no - what's all these excuses?" Bash exclaimed in exasperation. "You make me mad, Blythe. Anyone can see you like each other, heaven knows you spend every spare minute together. If you like this girl so much why don't you ask her out?"

Gilbert swallowed, thinking it over as he lay the rug over the post to air. "What if she says no?"

"Then you try again next time a dance comes up." Bash grinned. "Besides, it doesn't matter if you've never danced together, all the more reason to go to this dance."

Gilbert was quiet for a minute, before saying, "Alright. Tell me more about this dance."

...

Meanwhile Anne was walking to school alone, still buzzing with excitement from Diana's news.

It was early and she had plenty of time so she'd taken a different path which took slightly longer. The path had been chosen mostly due to it's wonderful wildflowers and views of meadows. Anne followed the track along, picking only the most colourful and finished blooms, leaving the baby buds to flourish fully. It was another bright, sunny day. The kind which made you want to sing and run and laugh. Anne could hear the birds singing happily and she felt so glad to be alive.

Suddenly Anne heard a thunder of hooves on the track and clambered up the verge behind some trees, getting out of the way as a figure came speeding along the path on a horse. They rode blindly, not seeming to care if anyone was on the road. As they rode closer, Anne saw that it was a woman. She didn't see the woman's face as she wore a hooded jacket.

It was only a split second, Anne thought she must have imagined it but -- she could swear she saw a flash of red hair beneath the hood as the woman sped past.

Wondering who this redheaded woman could possibly be, Anne climbed down the verge but as she was so distracted that she tripped on a weed causing her to tumble backwards into the tall grasses.

That was when Anne heard a familiar voice shout from further up the road.

Looking up, Anne saw a tall, handsome boy with chestnut curls. It was Edward Haswick. Anne groaned. Of course the first time he sees her since their dance at Diana's party would be sprawled by the side of the road. How embarrassing.

He had spotted Anne and he jogged over to where she'd fallen. She was getting to her feet, feeling a little humiliated but laughing despite it.

"Well, hello there." Edward grinned. "Having a little rest?"

Anne rolled her eyes sarcastically. "Yes, life can be so exhausting... Especially when people find the need to make snide remarks." She straightened up, dusting herself off.

Edward laughed, smiling at Anne in a way that made her feel even more embarrassed. "Have mercy, Anne."

"What are you doing on this road?" Anne asked curiously.

"I was making my way to town. There's a patient that needs tending to... Nothing serious, but Doctor Rooke was too busy today so I offered to make the trip."

"So you're a doctor?" Anne frowned.

"Not yet," Edward chuckled. "I am training. I wanted some experience so Doctor Rooke offered me an understudy apprenticeship."

"Well that's wonderful! You're very lucky to have such a defined path to your vocation. I myself have decided upon my vocation but the route I need to take is unclear and somewhat daunting. I know I should put my mind to it and yet I have reservations."

"What is your chosen vocation?" Edward inquired.

"I want to be a teacher really, but writing is my passion too. Perhaps I could dabble in both... I am entering the exams to attend Queens Academy teaching school." Anne explained.

"That's marvellous. You'd be grand at it, I'm sure." Edward said. "I know transitional periods in life can be difficult, I too struggled after leaving school. It's never easy, but with determination you can make it through anything."

Anne smiled. He was right. "You're pretty smart, after all."

"After all?"

"Well, not so smart to tease me earlier. Haven't you heard about my wicked temper?"

Edward smiled with a cheeky glint in his eyes. "I have indeed. I heard about a rather shocking display at Diana Barry's party, I'm sorry I missed it."

Anne shoved Edward off the path, causing him to stumble and laugh.

"I jest!" He chuckled in good-natured manner. "Forgive me, really I'm only joking."

Anne rolled her eyes. She wasn't annoyed, really she enjoyed Edward's company. He was funny and sweet and clever and that was rare to find in somebody. They were likely to become good friends.

"Well, perhaps I will forgive you if you could put in a word with Doctor Rooke about a friend of mine?" Anne asked. "He's interested in a medical profession, although he's hoping to attend Queens Academy first he'd love to gain some experience, just like you."

"I'd be delighted. What is your friend's name?"

"Gilbert Blythe. You may know him already?"

"Oh yes, we've cross paths a few times I believe. He's a good man." Edward nodded, his smile fading. "I was sorry to hear about his father passing... It must have been terribly hard for him. I couldn't bare to-- to go through that."

There was something so heavy in his words, a thick emotion that Anne just about picked up on. Edward clearly felt Gilbert's grief deeply, he emphasised more than most people would.

"Thank you, I know it would mean a lot to him." Anne said.

"Speak of the devil. Here is your good man, up ahead at the crossroads. I suspect he's waiting for a certain hot-tempered redhead I know." Edward grinned jovially.

Anne looked up and there, sure enough was Gilbert Blythe standing yards away waiting at the wooded crossroads. He was tapping his foot and gazing up at the sunny blue sky.

"I must go now, I'm heading the opposite way of you. I wish you all the luck in the world for your exams, Anne." Edward said. "I believe whatever you decide to do with your life will be perfectly magnificent."

Anne was abruptly reminded of her terrible nightmare about Matthew dying and the last things he'd said to her in the dream. She did her best to shake away this dark thought and turned to the boy.

"Thank you, Edward. I hope to see you soon." Anne smiled.

Edward walked away down the path to the left, causing Gilbert to look up and see him. He watched the boy go before noticing Anne approaching. When he saw Anne, his face lit with a smile and he waved. Anne smiled too.

"What a coincidence. You decided to take this path too?" Gilbert smirked.

Anne scoffed, continuing to walk past him, knowing he'd follow. "You knew I'd take this path."

"How could I possibly know that, Shirley?" Sure enough, Gilbert followed Anne along the path.

"Because you planned to intercept me on the way to school - to spring an ambush."

"An ambush? I'm afraid to disappoint you, I planned nothing so dramatic..."

"Why were you waiting here, anyhow? What did you plan?" Anne gave into her curiosity.

"Alright, I admit that I did wait for you. I went to Green Gables as I wanted to walk to school with you but you'd already left and Jerry told me you'd gone up through the meadows. I guessed which path you'd end up on and took a short cut to the crossroads to meet you."

Anne's smile was small and bashful. "Well, I'm glad to see you." She admitted.

Gilbert beamed. Truth like this was rare from Anne, who usually opted for sarcasm and joking. It felt good to hear her say it.

"What I really wanted to say to you was happy birthday! I may not see you on your actual birthday, so I wanted to make sure I caught you before. I wasn't sure you'd be in school." Gilbert said, his eyebrows raising in sincerity.

"Well, why wouldn't I be?" Anne frowned.

"Oh, I thought you'd heard - a lot of students have gone down with the fever over the last week." Gilbert frowned.

"That's awful!" Anne was shocked.

"Many students have dropped from school to recover. They're considering a quarantine - keeping the infected students housebound until they are healthy again to stem it spreading." Gilbert always seemed knowledgeable about medical issues.

"Well, I hope they recover soon. The exams are coming up and many are taking part." Anne fretted. "Can you imagine missing exams for fever? Having to spend your Summer ill in bed, wondering what would have happened if you had taken your exams? Wondering your results... they'd have to resit of course, which would be so frustrating."

"Don't worry about them, fever isn't uncommon, Anne. The doctors can help them." Gilbert assured her. "Besides, resitting exams would be the last of your worries, if you'd recovered from fever I reckon you'd want to sit a hundred exams, just to make a change from being sick in bed for so long."

Anne chuckled.

Gilbert glanced at Anne and noticed how dark her freckles had become in the sun. Her red hair had darkened too, it was a beautiful auburn with golden tones to it which seemed to glow in the warm sun. He was always in awe of her and how she was so oblivious to her own beauty.

"Anyway," Gilbert said. "You don't want to be thinking about illness on your birthday week."

"I meant to ask, how did you know about my birthday?" Anne asked, smiling slightly.

"Our good friend Diana told me." Gilbert said jovially. "She said you had special plans. I'm telling you, she could barely keep it to herself she was so excited."

"Yes - a concert! Oh, Gil you wouldn't believe it. An acclaimed pianist is playing in Charlottetown and the Barrys are taking me, I'm staying over and everything. It'll be a dream and will surely ruin dull every day life forever." Anne spoke fervently.

"Oh, come now. We both know your life will never be boring, it couldn't be. You're too brilliant, everything you do in life will be exciting."

"That's kind of you to say, Gil. However I experience my share of boredom, I assure you." Anne sighed.

"Who is the pianist?" Gil asked curiously.

He had a keen interested in the arts, which stemmed from the knowledge that his mother was a lover of singing and of learning to read with his father's poetry books.

"Marieanne Jean." Anne told him.

"Oh, I've heard of this concert, a lot of people are talking about it."

"Who?"

"It doesn't matter." Gilbert shrugged, looking up at the trees casually.

"You're a terrible liar, Blythe." Anne tugged on his sleeve. "What were you were going to say? Please tell me."

"It's the same concert that some other people I know are attending," Gilbert said in a rush. "That's all."

"Oh really? Like who?" Anne asked with genuine interest.

"Oh, Lotta Dellaware, Richard Chewes, Edward Haswick, Thomas Yaine--"

"It's Haswick, isn't it? He's why you're acting so strangely." Anne scoffed.

Gilbert looked shifty. "What? No, of course not!" He half-laughed but it sounded hollow.

"What is it about him? You don't like him." Anne sighed. "He's done nothing wrong."

"I do like him. He's a very decent fellow." Gilbert said forcefully.

"Liar."

"I'm not a liar. It's very unladilike of you to accuse me of being one." Gilbert knew this would rub Anne the wrong way.

"Ladylike? Why should I be ladylike? To make myself more appealing to boys or men who might want to marry me? Who would I even want to appeal to? Nobody is going to marry me any time soon, and if they were they'd have to take me as I am - even if it was unladilike--"

"I'm only winding you up." Gilbert laughed lightly.

"Don't change the subject." Anne pointed her finger at the uncomfortable boy.

"Very well, let's stay on the riveting subject of Edward Haswick. What exactly would you like me to say?"

"That you don't like him and it's completely unjustified!" Anne laughed.

"Whatever. I just wanted to say happy birthday but all you want to talk about is that boy." Gilbert rolled his eyes. "Speaking of, you were walking with him, weren't you?"

"So what if I was? I'm allowed to walk with people."

"Of course, I never said you weren't. It's just a surprise you became friends so quickly, I recall you didn't see me in a good light so fast."

"Well, Edward didn't pull my hair and insult me." Anne threw Gilbert a cold glare.

Gilbert fell silent.

They walked on awkwardly, neither of them knowing what to say. They always wound up arguing and it upset them both yet they still ended up doing it over and over.

It was bizarre, they hadn't had awkward silences for months, everything seemed to flow naturally looking back... yet here they were. All of their words seemed have to abandoned them at the worst moment. They both felt disgruntled and annoyed, also slightly worried about what the other might be thinking. They passed along the sunny road in quiet for a while.

After a while they saw the main path up ahead, where there would surely be other students they knew and their time of private conversation would end. Gilbert felt a rush of urgency to finally tell Anne what he had really wanted to share.

"I'm sorry, this is the worst timing I'm sure. I know you're annoyed. You probably don't even want to talk to me at the moment, let alone..."

"What is it?" Anne glanced at him.

"Well, I actually wanted to ask you something." Gilbert said after a moment. "That's why I waited to walk with you..."

He had a slightly nervous manner as though he felt the need to overly-explain himself.

"I know it could be too much, with your trip to the concert you might be too exhausted... but I heard of a dance at Carraway Hall in Trenttown next week... Anyone can go, it's to celebrate the coming of Summer so I thought you'd like it, with all the flowers and everything. You have to bring a partner -- and I know the last dance we attended we didn't get to dance with each other... not that you really wanted to, I mean, I did but -- but -- anyway... It's not far from a local boarding house that Sebastian was staying in for a time, he said the lady who owns it is really lovely... It would be easier staying the night there than coming home so late. Also, I have some money saved up for our train fair to travel up there. I know we have horses but I figured you'd like to take the train for a change. I worked it all out so you needn't worry... That is, if you want to come. Of course you don't have to. I mean, you probably don't want to..."

Anne waited for him to finish talking, watching him struggle to coherently explain his thoughts. It was rare to see him nervous and Anne thought it was rather sweet. She found her leftover irritation at their argument fading away. She couldn't stay angry at him for long anymore, not since she originally forgave him and they became friends.

"I would like to come, I'll have to ask Marilla first." She said quietly.

Gilbert side-glanced at Anne, before a surprised smile curled up his lips in surprise and delight.

"Really? Uh, of course... um... Let me know what she says."

"Alright." Anne smiled.

Anne felt her excitement grow in her chest at the prospect of attending a ball with Gilbert and staying over the night in a boarding house with him. She was also very touched that Gilbert had thought about her when he'd heard about the dance and that he'd planned all of this for her birthday. He was so considerate, he'd even saved train fare. Anne wondered how she'd managed to get a boy so kind as Gilbert interested in her.

"I'm sorry for arguing." Anne said quietly, her face sincere.

Then after a few minutes of walking in comfortable silence Gilbert felt Anne's smaller hand slip inside his gently. He linked their fingers together slowly and bit his lip. Their hearts beat fast as they walked all the way to school this way, hands tightly knitted despite all of the stares from their fellow students.

...

Across town, the redhead arrived at a boarding house on the border of Avonlea.

There were many rooms, but she was only interested in one. Room number 26, currently resided in by a man named James Riley. Touching the gleaming knife wedged in her belt, she dropped her hood down and gazed at the building with a mixture of anticipation and nerves flurrying through her veins.

This was it.