The door unlocked, and the girls and Marilla bound inside, all clad in their bridesmaid dresses (save for Marilla, who was wearing a sensible outfit). "Every perfect wedding should have five things, remember?" Diana laughed. "Your first one: something new. Minnie May and I just picked this from the Haunted Forest, which isn't so haunted after all."

She gave Anne a flower crown to attach to her veil, picked out of a variety of daisies, wildflowers, and daffodils.

"Your something old," Marilla said. "I remember how this was passed on from my mother's and many generations before that, and you've always loved it. So, I'm giving it to you."

Anne's eyes started to tear up. "You're really going to make me cry right now?" 

"Something blue," Tillie said, tying a blue ribbon into Anne's auburn hair.

"Something borrowed," Aunt Josephine said, handing her a charm bracelet. "It was Gertrude's last gift to me before she died."

Anne slipped it onto her hand. "And a silver sixpence in my shoe. Thank you, so, so much."

She hugged everyone tightly, and she was sure her tears were staining their gowns. "Wow, I don't know how this moment could be more perfect."

"Just get married already!" Cole groaned, appearing in the doorway. "We've been waiting almost a decade for you idiots to walk down the aisle, say I do, and...you've got the hair, compliments of myself, and you have the dress, the bridesmaids...what are you waiting for? JUST GO!"

————————————————

This moment felt surreal for both of them.

First came the bridesmaids (Tillie, Ruby, and Jane) the maid of honor (of course, Diana) and then Delly.
She was the flower girl, and her petals landed on everyone's heads instead of the actual aisle itself.

"Here Comes the Bride" started playing as Matthew led Anne down the aisle to give her away. Rachel Lynde wasn't one known to cry, but even she wiped away a few tears with her handkerchief.

They had decided on a small wedding at the church, surrounded by their closest family and friends. Some came from out of town, but it wasn't very lavish or grand.

Matthew kissed his daughter's forehead, and she stepped up to take Gilbert's hands. Marilla gave Matthew a handkerchief, much obliged at that minute.

"You may now say your speeches," the priest said. "Yes, I understand this is a trip down memory lane, but please don't make it a whole hour like our last couple." He glared at Ruby and Moody when he said that.

"Well," Anne cleared her throat. "This all just feels...so surreal. I'm still pinching myself, wondering if this is all a dream or my overactive imagination. I don't know, but if I wake up, I just want to say, I can't believe this is happening. I'm getting married to the love of my life, my one, and only lifemate. It always has been, and it always will be you, Gilbert Blythe. I'd choose you. In a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality or an alternate universe, I'd find you and I'd choose you. You're the only one for me. I said I didn't want to be a wife, but maybe just yours."

Marilla would be lying if she said her eyes didn't get at least the tiniest bit misty.

Gilbert smiled. "It's always been bizarre, how we fell in love. The first day she came to Avonlea, I was trying so desperately to get her attention. I threw chalk, I rolled apples, and I tugged on her braids and called her Carrots. In a form of self-defense, she used her slate to whack me on the head. You could say it was love at first slate. For the next few years, we were competitive with each other. Like, VERY competitive. Somehow, I may have fallen even harder every time she beat me at something or snapped something at me. So...it's still impossible to believe, those two classmates who couldn't stop bantering would end up here today."

Almost everyone in the chapel was either laughing or crying at this point, even the priest.

"Do you, Anne Cordelia Shirley-Cuthbert, take Gilbert John Blythe to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, for sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?"

"I do."

"Do you, Gilbert John Blythe, take Anne Cordelia Shirley-Cuthbert to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, for sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?"

"I do."

"I now pronounce you, man and wife! You may kiss the bride!"

After the ceremony, it was time for the festivities. Anne felt like she was floating on a cloud. Gilbert was either extremely drunk or just extremely elated to announce that he was no longer the only unmarried man in their old school group. The guys and girls alike had been making fun of him for years, so this was a change.

As friends and relatives congratulated her, Anne saw someone familiar in the back row, arm in arm with a handsome gentleman. Winifred.

Anne rushed over to where Gilbert was conversing with Moody and Charlie and pulled his arm urgently. "Come on, there's someone we need to talk to."

They went to the back row, and Anne lightly tapped on Winifred's shoulder. "Umm...hi."

Winifred turned around, a surprised smile gracing her lips. "Oh, what a pleasure to see you two! Pouvez-vous sil te plait me donner un moment, Jean?"

The man next to her nodded and turned away to chatter with some of his other friends. "First of all, I'd like to say...thank you for coming," Anne started.

"And?"

"We're very sorry about everything that happened all those years ago, Winifred," Gilbert added. "I hope you'll accept this apology...and some dessert."

Winifred laughed, the sound like a million fairy bells tinkling. "Oh my, it's been almost a decade. That's all water under the bridge now," she smiled. "There's no bad blood between us, and I'm very happy for you both. Also, please call me Winnie, no formalities here."

She leaned over to hug them, and Anne was pleasantly astounded. "Well, much obliged," she grinned brightly. "Have you tried the cake yet? It's wonderful."

———————————

"So, do you plan on having any children soon?" Diana asked.

"Maybe, but we're just taking it slow," Anne laughed.

Across the room, her jaw dropped when she saw a very familiar face. "What's...wrong?" Diana turned around.

It was Jerry. Diana's first love, first crush, first breakup.

"You should go talk to him," Anne urged, pushing Diana forward.

"I can't," she whispered. "I'm scared to face him."

"You've laid it off for over a decade, and you must conquer your fears else they shall haunt you forever," Anne said in a no-nonsense Marilla Cuthbert voice.

Jerry freaked out when he caught Diana's eye from across the room. What would she say? What would happen? He turned around to avoid possible confrontation.

"Bonjour, Jerry," a soft voice said.

He turned to see Diana. "Bonjour, Diana."

"So..." she fiddled with the wedding ring on her finger, "it's been a long time."

"Very long."

The silence in the air spoke volumes. "Well...how are you?" Diana asked, trying to break the ice.

"I've been well, merci," he said. "My family misses you. They ask me to send you their best wishes. I own a small farm of my own in Quebec now. How about you?"

"Well, a lot has happened in the past decade," she chuckled. "I got married. Now I have three children, Anne Cordelia, Fred Jr., and Jack."

"I wish you and your family every happiness in life," Jerry said, and Diana could tell he meant it.

"Pen pals?" she asked, holding out her hand for him to shake.

"Pen pals," he repeated, and instead of shaking her hand, he hugged her.

For the first time in eight years, both of them finally felt at peace with the unsaid feelings and forgotten goodbyes haunting them.

"Now, go on, don't you have a song to play?" he said, gently shoving her toward the grand piano.

Diana got seated and started to play her heart out. It was a song very dear to the bride and groom, Dashing White Sergeant.

"Shall we?" Gilbert asked, holding out his hand with the same enigmatic expression.

Like their first dance, Anne's heart fluttered. "We shall."

Right now, they were the only people in that room. The whole world was gone, and the music was playing for only two. This was the start of something new, and the greatest adventure that Anne and Gilbert would ever have. But this time, they were doing it together.

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For ilovejello_. my greatest thank yous for commenting and voting on my Rini one-shots! I also noticed that your previous username was shirbertxrini, or was it the other way around? The photo above is not mine, I give all credits and rights to the original owners. This was inspired by Little Women, that scene where Jo gets rejected by the publisher. This will have some events similar to Anne of Green Gables, but there will also be parts that are of my twist. Well, that concludes my author's note for today! Hope y'all enjoyed it, and see you soon!

Keep reading. Keep writing. Keep dreaming.

-V

P.S. One more thing: thank you darkacxdemia and wappywaffle for accepting my book cover in your Gemini Awards!!! It's truly an honor!!

After finishing Anne with an E, I'm crying over my realizations about the show. And just figured that Shirbert is the slowest burn ship to ever exist in Netflix history. Now I finished all three seasons...and I'm going to go rewatch it.  AGAIN. Bye!

Edit: I'm stuck in this place to get a new passport ID. With human people. SOS!!!! Now my social anxiety is catching up to me. IT'S BEEN FOUR WEEKS OF SUMMER, AND I CAN'T TALK TO ANYONE EXCEPT MY RELATIVES!!!