us against the world : shirbert one shots

we'll haul away joe

one shot: after her near death experience birthing their son Shirley, Anne wakes up and finds Gilbert very concerned about her well being. Then follows some cute domestic fluff with their older babies.

Anne's eyes slowly opened to a small sniffling sound. The first things she noticed is that A. she was no longer pregnant anymore, and B. her body ached excruciatingly.

Her head turned to the noise she had woken from to find her husband sitting next to her with bright crimson eyes, obviously crying.

Her first instinct was to launch over and hold him, but her body didn't allow her that, so she gingerly lifted her hand to cup his cheek.

"gil?" She questioned softly, her voice horse from its lack of use.

His head spun around and he moved to sit up straight, grasping her hand in his.

"Anne." His breath caught as small tears rolled down his cheeks.

"hey hey hey," she breathed out while stroking his cheek "honey, what's wrong?"

He lifted his hands to his face, harshly rubbing at his cheeks, and then moved to pull through his hair aggressively. Tears spilled down his face like a waterfall. "I-I almost lost you. There was nothing- we couldn't- and I couldn't- you were not— and they said—" He choked on his sobs, Anne could see his body trembling and his breath became ragged. "If you left me- I just— I cant-"

Tears pooled in Anne's eyes as she watched her husband relive her pain, she had never seen him so frazzled or disoriented, it hurt her tremendously to know he was hurting so bad and she hadn't been their to soothe him.

She grabbed his hands and put them around her waist, then she reached up and pulled his shoulders gently down into her lap while she ran her fingers soothingly through his mangled curls.

"shh, it's okay. I'm here. I'm here baby, i'm not leaving you. I've got you." she whispered softly, "i've got you."

He grasped onto her waist and buried his head into her stomach as he sobbed. "I couldn't do anything else. I'm so sorry." he cried into her.

She cupped his cheeks and brought his face to look at hers, "Don't. There was nothing you could've done, and besides, i'm okay," She raised her eyebrows and kissed his forehead "See, look. I'm right here. You did it my love. I'm okay."

Tears flew down his cheeks as he brought his lips to hers. He was so relieved he felt he might faint, the relief was evident in the way he kissed her. His entire face softened as she deepened the kiss, for a while there he thought he would never get to feel this again, but here she was, kissing him, and she was okay.

"how is Shirley?" she questioned worriedly

"he's perfect." he answered simply. She let out a breath she had been holding in and smiled softly.

Gilbert paused for a moment,

"I don't know what I would've done if-" he stopped, not wanting to say it out loud.

She placed his head in her lap and fingered through his hair sweetly, still stroking his cheek with her free hand. His eyes fluttered closed as he lent into her touch, "i'm here." She repeated that phrase for a couple minutes quietly, ensuring he knew she was okay and right there with him. Finally, she felt all the tension in his body dissipate as he relaxed.

He heard her begin to quietly hum before singing to him gently, trying to comfort him.

"when I was a little boy, my mother often told me..."

Just as she began the chorus two little heads popped into the room, readily attuned to their mothers singing.

"WAY HAUL AWAY, WE'LL HAUL AWAY JOEEEEE" Jem and Walter belted, scurrying into the room rapidly.

Gilbert jolted up and Anne laughed as the little boys plopped themselves on top of her, peppering her pail skin with kisses.

"Mommy! You're awake!" Walter grinned and continued to kiss her cheeks relentlessly.

She mustered up her brightest smile, "I am!" She pulled Walter into a tight hug, returning the kisses he had given her, making him giggle.

Jem paused his kiss attack and turned to Gilbert, "Daddy? Were you... crying?" He moved his little body to sit on his fathers lap and cupped Gilbert's cheek concernedly.

Gilbert breathed a small laugh "yes little one, I was." he snuggled the little boy into his chest sweetly.

"why?" Jem rarely saw his dad cry and was very worried.

"Sometimes you cry when you're really happy... and how could I not be extraordinarily happy when I have the worlds greatest family right here with me?" He flashed a grin, which the little boy reciprocated.

Walter looked up at Gilbert, unimpressed. "you're just happy 'cas mommy waked-ed up." He crossed his sweet rolled arms over his chest and stared his dad down.

Gilbert chortled and grabbed the little boy off his moms lap, and swung him onto his, tickling him relentlessly. "Can't a man have many reasons he's happy?!" Walter giggled loudly, flailing and pushing Gilbert off.

"stop!!!! DADDY STOP" his giggling never ceased, even when Gilbert slowed down and simply held him in his lap. "Fine!! you can be happy 'bout mama too!" He scrunched his little nose and crawled back into his mom's lap.

Anne watched as Jem curled up on Gilbert's chest, and began to fall back asleep, while Walter buried his face into her neck and drifted off as well. She looked back over at Gil who looked as though he hadn't slept in days, and reached for his hand slowly.

"go to sleep gil." She spoke gently, but with a tone that was unmovable.

He shook his head softly, "I- I cant- what if something happens? I need to be— I can't." his face contorted painfully.

Anne softened and brought his knuckles to her lips and kissed them lovingly, "hey, i'm here and i'm safe. Time to get some rest" She moved her hand to stroke his hair gently as he closed his eyes once more. She began to quietly sing them to sleep once more,

"and if i never kiss the girls, my lips would all grow moldy,"

Then the three sleepy boys joined in for the chorus softly before drifting of to sleep for good.

"way, haul away, we'll haul away joe."

a/n domestic shirbert is my crack, and i honestly can't stop my obsession w them  😭

also: sorry i haven't posted a lot lately :(

i have a really long one shot that should be done tomorrow and i am excited about it, so stay tuned! 💞