? o, dreamer || gilbert blythe x reader ?

chapter seven: the river

Josie giggled and nodded.

"Well, that's a pair I would have never expected." Diana chuckled. "Poor Ruby," she whispered, leaning into the group so as to not draw attention. "She's still waiting for Gilbert to ask her."

"I don't know, she looks pretty comfortable with Billy over there." Josie sniggered, and the three of you turned your heads to see Ruby and Billy standing over on the ice, laughing and messing around. At some point, she'd slipped away from the gossip circle for a bit of friendly horseplay with the boys. 

"Huh," Diana marveled. "Who would have thought."

"So, what's a formal?" You wondered aloud, taking a sip of the warm tea.

Josie and Diana looked at each other and then back at you in bewilderment, as if you were a creature from outer space. "It's like a cotillion," Diana spoke up. "Every year, on the day after Christmas, everyone from school gathers at the town hall for a dance. The adults chaperone, of course. It's pretty fun. You should go," She smiled brightly at you, and Josie scoffed at her and rolled her eyes. Diana elbowed Josie and laughed. 

"Yeah, I'll definitely think about it." You nodded with a chuckle. You'd never been to a dance before, but you'd read about things like that and always envisioned how you'd look; lilac floor-length gown with a bustle and corset, your formerly long (H/C) tresses braided and tied up with ribbons. You would dance the night away with a dashing gentleman and leave at the stroke of midnight. Not that you could ever make that dream a reality given your situation, but still, it would be divine. 

Just then, there was a deafening CRACK from behind you, snapping you from your thoughts into the present moment.

"RUBY!" Diana and Josie screamed in unison. The newly frozen river had given way and shattered into dozens of fragments, the swiftly-moving current carrying large chunks of ice and branches downriver. Billy was clinging to a low-hanging branch, trying to pull himself from the freezing water, and his two friends were trying to help retrieve him. You couldn't see Ruby. Leaping to your feet, you quickly threw off your coat and hat and dashed to the riverbank, looking for any sign of the tiny Gillis girl. Diana and Josie were doing the same, calling her name over and over hysterically. Suddenly, you caught a glint of honey-colored hair beneath the icy surface and without hesitation, you dove in. It was nearly impossible to see anything in the murky depths, but you could just barely make out the outline of Ruby. The water was intensely, bitingly frigid, but you were more preoccupied with the fast-moving debris and the current that was pulling you quickly downriver. Fighting against the undertow, you managed to snake your arms around Ruby's waist and pull her up to the surface. She began gasping, coughing and spitting up water. Billy and the boys were reaching out from the bank and took her from your arms only before attempting to grab you as well. You strained against the icy current, and just as your hand was a mere inch from Billy's, a sharp piece of debris collided with your body. The last thing you saw was the frozen slosh around you turning dark red. And then blackness.

-- 

There was a light rapping at the door of the Blythe house, which was unusual for a Saturday. Gilbert answered, only to see his classmate Diana Barry. She looked disheveled, her face streaked with tears.

"Diana, what's wrong? Are you alright?" he asked, alarmed, stepping outside onto the porch with her. 

"Gilbert," she stammered, choking back panicked tears. "It's Oliver. Something's happened."

"What? Diana, what happened?"

"We were all down at the river, and Ruby and Billy were messing around on the ice, and it cracked." she wiped her cheek with the back of her gloved hand, sniffling. "Oliver went in after Ruby, Gil, he's hurt."