Amazing Grace // Gilbert Blythe

Chapter 6

Days passed steadily as Grace and Gilbert walked to and from school together. The girls became accustomed to it once Ruby had made her promise to talk about her and also swear an oath that she didn't have a crush on him. Which Grace did with only a slight odd feeling at the pit of her stomach.  

All in all the town of Avonlea was in a calm, happy sort of rhythm. That was until one night when a banging on her door startled her awake from her dreams. Thanking the lord that her father had decided to stay in Charlotte town for business over the weekend Grace rushed to pull open the door. A very tousled looking Gilbert stood in front of her, panting.

"There's a fire at the Gillis house," he said frantically between breaths. "Bring as many buckets as you have." 

Grace responded with a quick nod, dipping back into her house to collect the buckets and stopping only for a few moments to put slippers on. Once back out she loaded the buckets on the back of the wagon and joined Gilbert at the front. With no hesitation the cart set off and they arrived in a blur. 

The Gillis house truly was up in flames. Dark lashes of flames whipped the outer edges of the windows and blackened soot blew about the open space. Grace noticed a familiar red head in the crowd and ran over to her.

"Oh Anne, is everybody out? Do you know?" Grace asked, short of breath from their hurried arrival. 

"Yes the whole family is out." Answered Dianna moving out from behind her.

"Thank goodness, I don't know what I'd do if anybody is hurt. Is the fire slowing down?" Grace turned her head to watch as the line of men passed buckets down to Gilbert who stood at the very top of the ladder. Fear ran through her as she watched him place himself in danger before a sudden thought crossed her mind. 

"The windows," She said, "The doors they're open!" Before running off into the flaming building. The cries of Anne and Dianna could be heard after her but she let them fly, instead focusing on shutting out the oxygen. 

The smoke clouded the hallways but Grace pushed through, holding her sleeve up to her mouth and breathing through the cloth. A she passed a door she caught the eye of Gilbert before swinging it shut. She hadn't much left to go but it was getting harder to breath and she forced herself to push through and out the door shutting it behind her. 

The cool night air was a relief on her lungs as she coughed and cooled down. People began to crowd around her but her eyes fell closed. Distinctly she heard somebody ask if her father was home to which she answered no and felt herself be gathered up in a air of arms before the darkness came over her.

When Grace's heavy eyes finally lifted it took her a moment to realise she didn't recognise the room she was in. After smelling her hair and almost gagging at the stench of wood smoke the memories of the night before came flooding in and she promptly slipped on her slippers and left to find some news. 

Once out the room and down the stairs she realised that she was in Gilbert's house. Distinguishable by the boy stood at the stove with messy curly hair making scrambled egg. 

"Oh good morning. Are you feeling much better?"  He asked when he finally noticed her. "I've made us breakfast why don't you take a seat." 

He nodded to the  dining table and Grace took a seat, slowly processing the memories from last night. She jumped in surprise when a plate was placed before her, much to the amusement of Gilbert.

"Is everyone okay?" She eventually said, deciding that was the most important question to be answered.

Gilbert nodded in reply, "and Mr Cuthbert thinks we can get the major repairs done with in the week." He slurped up his eggs as he spoke causing grace to scrunch her nose up but she began to dig into her own never the less. 

"I suppose school won't be on then. Thank you for bringing me back and letting me stay, my father isn't home so I wouldn't have had anywhere to go. Did I make an awful scene?" Se asked her question with her face twisted in embarrassment and rosy cheeks. 

"Not at all. You were so brave Grace. If it weren't for you the house would still be burning." Gilbert said as they both finished eating, "how did you know what to do?" 

 A sadness settled at the bottom of her heart and tears began to well up in her eyes, much to Gilbert's surprise who looked as if he were about to apologise before she cut him off.

"My mother, she died in a fire a few years ago. I wasn't there I had stayed the night at a friends and father had gone into town on business. When we both returned it was too late and the house was in ashes. After that I read safety manual after safety manual and refused to let a fire take another person I care about." Tears had begun to stream down her face as she spoke but only silent ones and if one looked from afar they might not have even noticed and would have instead saw the determination that was set in her eyes carved from the sadness of her loss. 

"Grace I'm sorry I didn't know." Gilbert said reaching is hand across the table and placing on top of hers. Grace couldn't help but feel hyper aware of the way his rough hands felt against her and pulled her attention away from the butterflies in her stomach to respond.

"It's okay." She smiled sniffling a bit. Gilbert's hand reached up to her face and cupped it and she let out a soft gasp. He gently smoothed his thumb across her cheek, wiping away her tears.