for Undreamed Shores6/14/2022 c6 
77kslchen
Suffice to say, those two made quite the about-turn! From not even communicating, much less going anywhere physical, it seems like they pretty much can’t keep their hands off each other after that first night. They’re proper newlyweds alright now and I bet that everyone around them is very relieved, whether they know the feeling personally or not. It makes sense that for Marilla, it’s all a bit confusing, but Matthew does well in comforting her in that final scene and also sums up their lives very well. Neither was married, but they lived productive lives and both have shown themselves to be capable of great love, especially when welcoming this orphan girl into their lives and loving her with all they had.
77kslchenSuffice to say, those two made quite the about-turn! From not even communicating, much less going anywhere physical, it seems like they pretty much can’t keep their hands off each other after that first night. They’re proper newlyweds alright now and I bet that everyone around them is very relieved, whether they know the feeling personally or not. It makes sense that for Marilla, it’s all a bit confusing, but Matthew does well in comforting her in that final scene and also sums up their lives very well. Neither was married, but they lived productive lives and both have shown themselves to be capable of great love, especially when welcoming this orphan girl into their lives and loving her with all they had.
6/14/2022 c5 kslchen
Ah, what would we poor writers do without a good storm to move a story along, right? ;) It certainly does the trick of getting Anne and Gilbert in the same room here without her being able to run away too quickly. All they did need from the beginning was an opportunity to talk without distraction and being away from home certainly also helps in making it happen. It’s just the two of them in that hotel room and it creates enough of an unusual situation to shake things up just enough to make Anne stay and talk instead of running for the hills once more.
I must admit that I’m not entirely sure I caught everything that had her so traumatised throughout this story, but it seems to help her to tell Gilbert what’s on her heart, so if she understand and he understands, that’s all that matters. I like the aspect of care in this chapter, both Anne caring enough for Gilbert not to send him away wet and soggy, and Gilbert putting his own feelings to the side for a moment to just listen to her. Plus, of course, it seems like he listened to some of the advice that Bash gave him, making for a satisfying ending in every sense of the word!
Ah, what would we poor writers do without a good storm to move a story along, right? ;) It certainly does the trick of getting Anne and Gilbert in the same room here without her being able to run away too quickly. All they did need from the beginning was an opportunity to talk without distraction and being away from home certainly also helps in making it happen. It’s just the two of them in that hotel room and it creates enough of an unusual situation to shake things up just enough to make Anne stay and talk instead of running for the hills once more.
I must admit that I’m not entirely sure I caught everything that had her so traumatised throughout this story, but it seems to help her to tell Gilbert what’s on her heart, so if she understand and he understands, that’s all that matters. I like the aspect of care in this chapter, both Anne caring enough for Gilbert not to send him away wet and soggy, and Gilbert putting his own feelings to the side for a moment to just listen to her. Plus, of course, it seems like he listened to some of the advice that Bash gave him, making for a satisfying ending in every sense of the word!
5/10/2022 c6 19Alinya Alethia
Such a fun little addenda to the story. You do an excellent job painting the intimacy without going over the rating boundaries, which I’m sure takes a bit of creativity. What I love most though is the feeling of synchronicity Anne and Gilbert have. They are finally back to intuiting what the other needs.
The miscommunication later is both funny and poignant. And of course Rachel ties herself up in knots explaining without explaining. I particularly like the bit about Marilla thinking you do all that under sufferance because that sort of perfectly encapsulates the divide between experience and perception. It also explains why even if she had wanted to, Marilla just wasn’t positioned to reassure Anne, much as she loves her.
And of course she is quite right. Blood or not they are family in all the ways that matter, those two.
19Alinya AlethiaSuch a fun little addenda to the story. You do an excellent job painting the intimacy without going over the rating boundaries, which I’m sure takes a bit of creativity. What I love most though is the feeling of synchronicity Anne and Gilbert have. They are finally back to intuiting what the other needs.
The miscommunication later is both funny and poignant. And of course Rachel ties herself up in knots explaining without explaining. I particularly like the bit about Marilla thinking you do all that under sufferance because that sort of perfectly encapsulates the divide between experience and perception. It also explains why even if she had wanted to, Marilla just wasn’t positioned to reassure Anne, much as she loves her.
And of course she is quite right. Blood or not they are family in all the ways that matter, those two.
5/10/2022 c6 Denie1943
Quite a recovery you made there. I love the return of Anne to her true romantic self. Thanks for sharing. Stay well!
Quite a recovery you made there. I love the return of Anne to her true romantic self. Thanks for sharing. Stay well!
5/10/2022 c6 32Mauryn
OMG, what a nice birthday surprise. Especially since I thought you were done with this story. I love great epilogues.
I guess it's a little sad though, especially for Marilla, and on varying fronts. She has to get used to losing her girl in a sense, and now she's coming to terms with her maidenhood... that just sounds so much better than spinsterhood, doesn't it? that talk between Marilla and Rachel was precious!
Am I guessing correctly that this epilogue was written more for and about Marilla than Anne and Gil?
anyway, thanks so much for posting this. I love nice surprises!
Um, this is it, right?
32MaurynOMG, what a nice birthday surprise. Especially since I thought you were done with this story. I love great epilogues.
I guess it's a little sad though, especially for Marilla, and on varying fronts. She has to get used to losing her girl in a sense, and now she's coming to terms with her maidenhood... that just sounds so much better than spinsterhood, doesn't it? that talk between Marilla and Rachel was precious!
Am I guessing correctly that this epilogue was written more for and about Marilla than Anne and Gil?
anyway, thanks so much for posting this. I love nice surprises!
Um, this is it, right?
5/6/2022 c5 5OriginalMcFishie
I love this. Being forced together is very Anne and Gil. those 2 always did have adventures. I think I they weren't both so tired they may have argued more at first. Here the tiredness worked in theor favour. It felt right that hey were away from avonlea for this. I've had nights if misunderstanding with my other half and it always ends like this. Lots of talking and holding to get back to being "us" again, then the good stuff comes. Nicely written without too much detail (I sometimes wonder if people who write lig detailed sex scenes have ever really had sex, or just watched Hollywood versuons on TV). Thus felt just right. Nicely ended
5OriginalMcFishieI love this. Being forced together is very Anne and Gil. those 2 always did have adventures. I think I they weren't both so tired they may have argued more at first. Here the tiredness worked in theor favour. It felt right that hey were away from avonlea for this. I've had nights if misunderstanding with my other half and it always ends like this. Lots of talking and holding to get back to being "us" again, then the good stuff comes. Nicely written without too much detail (I sometimes wonder if people who write lig detailed sex scenes have ever really had sex, or just watched Hollywood versuons on TV). Thus felt just right. Nicely ended
5/6/2022 c5 19Alinya Alethia
Oh, just lovely. I love the description of wordless conversations between people who know each other forever. Very true and such excellent, spare description.
The storm getting those two into the same room is delightful. You always write an excellent storm. Maybe it’s our lowering clouds, but I can practically hear this one brewing and spitting. What I really like here is how a crisis brings out Anne’s practicality. As she confronts looking after soggy Gilbert she has to confront it’s not him she’s afraid of, it’s all the marriage trimmings.
Marilla is a treasure for that advice alone. Listening, really listening, without infilling the souses or rushing someone to speak, is a gift. And there is something gorgeously romantic about Gilbert making that effort and really starting to understand. Beautifully done, and the loveliest resolution. Here’s to the sun coming up and fresh starts all round.
19Alinya AlethiaOh, just lovely. I love the description of wordless conversations between people who know each other forever. Very true and such excellent, spare description.
The storm getting those two into the same room is delightful. You always write an excellent storm. Maybe it’s our lowering clouds, but I can practically hear this one brewing and spitting. What I really like here is how a crisis brings out Anne’s practicality. As she confronts looking after soggy Gilbert she has to confront it’s not him she’s afraid of, it’s all the marriage trimmings.
Marilla is a treasure for that advice alone. Listening, really listening, without infilling the souses or rushing someone to speak, is a gift. And there is something gorgeously romantic about Gilbert making that effort and really starting to understand. Beautifully done, and the loveliest resolution. Here’s to the sun coming up and fresh starts all round.
5/6/2022 c5 Denie1943
A bit short and could have used some more detail in Anne's story and their love making, but the final outcome was right on target. Thanks for sharing. Stay well!
A bit short and could have used some more detail in Anne's story and their love making, but the final outcome was right on target. Thanks for sharing. Stay well!
5/6/2022 c5 32Mauryn
I wonder how many times in her life Anne Shirley has been rendered truly speechless, but in the happiest of ways? Has anyone done a count? I'm really going to miss this fic.
But, OMG! This was beautiful, moving, poignant... Oh, it was the perfect way to end this story! And not just because now Anne and Gil are back together, where they should be.
I thought you handled the interactions between Anne and Gill just beautifully. The right amount of teasing, love, patience, restraint...
I could go on gushing! but you get the idea.
thank you so much for posting htis fic. It is now one of my favorite AOGG pieces ever!
32MaurynI wonder how many times in her life Anne Shirley has been rendered truly speechless, but in the happiest of ways? Has anyone done a count? I'm really going to miss this fic.
But, OMG! This was beautiful, moving, poignant... Oh, it was the perfect way to end this story! And not just because now Anne and Gil are back together, where they should be.
I thought you handled the interactions between Anne and Gill just beautifully. The right amount of teasing, love, patience, restraint...
I could go on gushing! but you get the idea.
thank you so much for posting htis fic. It is now one of my favorite AOGG pieces ever!
4/23/2022 c4 19Alinya Alethia
Lovely work. There really is a lot to unpick, isn’t it? I am oddly touched by the little moment of Fred and Anne, because it shows she hadn’t completely withdrawn from the world. She’s okay with his bear hugs and even jokes with him about the babies. It’s interesting, for all Diana is sympathetic and well-meaning, I feel like Fred got through a bit better, probably by accident. That’s not yo say I don’t enjoy Diana. He’s marrying you not future babies is excellent advice. But Anne is in such a spiral I’m not sure she absorbs that.
That really comes through when she starts fretting that everyone is saying the same thing about sex and love. No wonder she can’t swallow the reassurances with memories like that rattling around.
That last scene is very lovely, especially the way Matthew loves all Anne’s in all their imperfections unconditionally. I don’t know what he needs to do to make that really sink in, but I imagine they will all be having a thorough cry after dinner.
19Alinya AlethiaLovely work. There really is a lot to unpick, isn’t it? I am oddly touched by the little moment of Fred and Anne, because it shows she hadn’t completely withdrawn from the world. She’s okay with his bear hugs and even jokes with him about the babies. It’s interesting, for all Diana is sympathetic and well-meaning, I feel like Fred got through a bit better, probably by accident. That’s not yo say I don’t enjoy Diana. He’s marrying you not future babies is excellent advice. But Anne is in such a spiral I’m not sure she absorbs that.
That really comes through when she starts fretting that everyone is saying the same thing about sex and love. No wonder she can’t swallow the reassurances with memories like that rattling around.
That last scene is very lovely, especially the way Matthew loves all Anne’s in all their imperfections unconditionally. I don’t know what he needs to do to make that really sink in, but I imagine they will all be having a thorough cry after dinner.
4/23/2022 c3 Alinya Alethia
Oh Anne, my heart. This terrified child. Mrs Allen is a godsend. She treads so lightly but she says the thing Anne needs to hear, and so casually. Well, not casually, but she doesn’t come waving a banner, either. Beautifully handled. But no wonder Anne is terrified.
Bash also has good advice, and you give us just enough of that conversation that we can fill in the gaps. I love his jabs another Shakespeare and Tennyson, because that is Anne and Gilbert to the letter. They talk if shoes and ships and ceiling wax but not about how they fit together.
And now Rachel knows! Good grief. I’ll be interested to see what comes out of that, that’s what!
Oh Anne, my heart. This terrified child. Mrs Allen is a godsend. She treads so lightly but she says the thing Anne needs to hear, and so casually. Well, not casually, but she doesn’t come waving a banner, either. Beautifully handled. But no wonder Anne is terrified.
Bash also has good advice, and you give us just enough of that conversation that we can fill in the gaps. I love his jabs another Shakespeare and Tennyson, because that is Anne and Gilbert to the letter. They talk if shoes and ships and ceiling wax but not about how they fit together.
And now Rachel knows! Good grief. I’ll be interested to see what comes out of that, that’s what!
4/23/2022 c2 Alinya Alethia
I love how you use silence to give a sense of how deeply hurt Anne is. This is extremely unlike her, and her family knows it. The nightmare is heartbreaking, because you can see they just want to pull her out of it, but don’t know how.
I also appreciate Matthew’s insight that putting it all on paper could do more harm than good. The memory of his mother is painful but lovely, and a reminder that these siblings have their own, different traumas to live with.
I also like how Anne moves from perceiving the broom as a reminder of the hard work ethic Marilla demands to finding it helpful. Sometimes the mundane stuff can puncture the surface of grief in interesting ways, and Marilla May feel out of her depth but this is the practical love that is her calling card.
I love how you use silence to give a sense of how deeply hurt Anne is. This is extremely unlike her, and her family knows it. The nightmare is heartbreaking, because you can see they just want to pull her out of it, but don’t know how.
I also appreciate Matthew’s insight that putting it all on paper could do more harm than good. The memory of his mother is painful but lovely, and a reminder that these siblings have their own, different traumas to live with.
I also like how Anne moves from perceiving the broom as a reminder of the hard work ethic Marilla demands to finding it helpful. Sometimes the mundane stuff can puncture the surface of grief in interesting ways, and Marilla May feel out of her depth but this is the practical love that is her calling card.
4/23/2022 c1 Alinya Alethia
I forgot you had been working on this. Apologies! This is such an interesting idea, because of course this version of Anne is carrying her trauma much overtly. It’s a really interesting idea to see how this reflects on the actual wedding. I particularly like how Rachel is trying to be helpful but too euphemistically, and Di is too worried about the people who won’t hear their gossip to go into details, so poor Anne is more in the dark than if she’d never asked. Gilbert gets a bit of a bent mirror moment to that as he has to try and explain what didn’t happen to Marilla. This makes me laugh. Unmarried or not, I refuse to believe she and John didn’t have a bit of fun. Possibly not this particular permutation, but she knows her way around some of the territory at least. But that’s kids, isn’t it? Our adults spring fully grown with no history before us.
Rachel turning up to gossip might be my favourite thing here. Marilla manages her expertly. I love how she gives Rachel a question that gets everyone else out of saying anything and just gives Rachel her head.
And Matthew putting two and two together! He doesn’t say much, but when he goes he’s wise. I never liked the silly orphanage antics of that first season that made him feel a bit clownish, so I really enjoy Matthew as sage here. He loves and knows his people.
I forgot you had been working on this. Apologies! This is such an interesting idea, because of course this version of Anne is carrying her trauma much overtly. It’s a really interesting idea to see how this reflects on the actual wedding. I particularly like how Rachel is trying to be helpful but too euphemistically, and Di is too worried about the people who won’t hear their gossip to go into details, so poor Anne is more in the dark than if she’d never asked. Gilbert gets a bit of a bent mirror moment to that as he has to try and explain what didn’t happen to Marilla. This makes me laugh. Unmarried or not, I refuse to believe she and John didn’t have a bit of fun. Possibly not this particular permutation, but she knows her way around some of the territory at least. But that’s kids, isn’t it? Our adults spring fully grown with no history before us.
Rachel turning up to gossip might be my favourite thing here. Marilla manages her expertly. I love how she gives Rachel a question that gets everyone else out of saying anything and just gives Rachel her head.
And Matthew putting two and two together! He doesn’t say much, but when he goes he’s wise. I never liked the silly orphanage antics of that first season that made him feel a bit clownish, so I really enjoy Matthew as sage here. He loves and knows his people.