"It's not like that with Anne, she's just a friend." ~Gilbert Blythe, Anne with an E

When Marilla saw someone coming towards their house, realising that person was carrying another one, her warning bells shrilled immediately and she started running towards them.

After a few yards, she realised that it was Anne and who it was that held her.

"Gilbert Blythe!" she cried as she reached them.

He nodded in acknowledgment , breathing heavily. "Anne...she fell in the lake. She...needs dry clothes." Of course he knew that Miss Cuthbert understood that herself.

Marilla simply nodded and pondered if she should take Anne from him, but she didn't believe that Gilbert would even want that.

So she waited until they'd reached the parlour and Gilbert had put her down on the sofa. After glancing one last time worryingly at the shivering girl, she looked at the boy in front of her.

"But you're soaked to the skin, Gilbert Blythe! You need to change too!"

He nodded. Somehow he had hoped he could stay.

One last time, he looked down at Anne, wishing they could be friends so it wouldn't be always just in situations like this one where he could spend time with her.

He looked at Marilla and bid her goodbye.

"Thank you, Gilbert." Somehow in her voice resonated something that made it clear she knew how much the girl meant to him.

He nodded again and left with a heavy heart.

Just a few moments after he was gone, a whole crowd of children appeared at Green Gables' front door. When they'd saw where Gilbert was heading, they'd immediately started running towards Green Gables. In contrast to him, they had to circuit the whole lake but still they'd been sure they would be faster than him.

Matthew told everyone that Anne was as good as can be expected under the circumstances and would need some rest and that they should all return home.

But Diana wouldn't leave before he promised her that she was allowed to come and visit Anne in the evening.

_____

And that's just shat she did. Hours after the incident, the raven haired girl sat beside Anne's bed where her best friend lay with her warmest pyjamas and three hot water bottles to keep her warm.

"Oh Anne! Gilbert was so heroic how he rescued you!" She sighed dreamily.

"I wished you could have seen it! How he dived right after you and how he carried you like nothing!"

The red hair girl simply stared down at her bedcovers the whole time and was tugging the fabric.

"...I'm sure he must be very strong! He is, isn't he?" Diana looked beamingly at her bosom friend.

"I suppose he is..." Anne mumbled.

She really had been rather lucky under the circumstances, since Anne didn't get anything more serious than a cold. But still, she had to stay in bed for a couple of days to regain her strength.

Everyday after school, Diana would come and visit her and tell her all the news.

She brought along various little gifts from their school-friends, which would brighten up Anne's mood.

"And these..." She showed her a small bouquet of lilies of the valley, "are from Gilbert." Diana explained hesitantly, already expecting Anne to push them away, disgusted.

But Anne did nothing like that. She carefully took the bunch of flowers in her hand and buried her nose in it to absorb the lovely smell. It was her favourite flowers.

"He was at school?" she finally asked, surprised.

"Oh yes! He was the first one who asked for you!"

"So, he isn't sick?" Anne was relieved.

"He's healthy and attractive as always." Diana replied smirking, for the first time having the courage to make such a bold statement about him.

Immediately a blush crept up Anne's cheek and she bent her head to look at the white flowers. "I'm glad..."

Diana watched her with raised eyebrows.

"I mean, Im glad I don't have to feel bad because of him!" Anne rushed to explain.

"Uh huh..."

_____

On Saturday, Anne finally got Marilla's promise that she may return to school on Monday. It was so boring to lie in bed all day long. There wasn't much scope for the imagination.

But there was one thing that bothered Anne. She needed to thank Gilbert Blythe. After all, he had saved her life.

But she didn't want to do that in front of all the others.

"Marilla?" she finally asked during lunch.

"Yes?"

"Do you suppose...May I...Could I...Do you think I could bake a cake?" she rushed to say.

"A cake?"

"Yes...as...I thought...for thanking Gilbert Blythe. To thank him?"

"I think that's a wonderful idea, Anne! Of course! I'll help you."

"Oh no! I want to make it by myself!" Anne exclaimed before looking down, half embarrassed half awkward.

"Um...please?"

Marilla and Matthew shared a secret glance as both had to contain their smirks.

_____

On Sunday afternoon, Anne started to make her way to the Blythe farm - with a palpitating heart in her chest - and a beautifully decorated cake in her hand.

Gilbert was just standing on a ladder, leaning on an apple tree, as he spotted someone on the way. When he realised who it was, he immediately climbed down the ladder and walked towards the girl.

"Hello, Anne! It's so good to see you all up and about! You gave us all quite a scare," he smiled at her.

Anne dropped her gaze under his smile as she felt how her cheeks reddened.

"Hello Gilbert, I...Um...I wanted to thank you...for what you've done."

"Oh no, please, everyone would have done the same thing, Anne."

"But it wasn't everyone, it was you. Thank you." she met his hazel eyes and for a few moments they just stood there and looked at each other, without saying a word.

She cleared her throat band handed him the cake.

Gilbert looked puzzled at the cake in his hand, then back to the girl.

"For you."

"Thank you...It looks great!"

Anne blushed a little.

"I..." Anne gulped and tried to gather her courage, "I came to also apologise..."

"Apologise?"

"Yes. For the way I treated you all this time. For the..." She gulped again, "...Textbook...for everything." Embarrassed, she looked down.

"Water under the bridge. Listen, I never meant to insult you...I just wanted to get your attention..."

Anne looked surprised at him, before a smile curled her lips.

"Well you did get my attention, didn't you?"

He lifted his head and laughed, "Not the way I wanted to, but...yes, I certainly did."

They both looked at each other, unsure of what to say next.

"Anne, I missed you." Gilbert suddenly blurted out.

Anne raised her eyebrows. "Yeah?"

"There's...no one in school to compete with." He rushed to explain.

"Want to spell a few words for old time's sake?" Anne mischievously suggested.

Gilbert laughed and nodded.

"How about, Friends." She asked and held out her hand.

"F-r-i-e-n-d-s." He grinned and shook her hand firmly.

"Now tell me, is this cake poisoned?"

Anne playfully slapped his shoulder, "I can eat a piece if that eases your fear."

"It's settled then!"

The two of them then walked side by side towards his house, chatting like old friends.