Anne Shirley returns to Avonlea after five years of teaching at an orphanage in Nova Scotia while separated from her fiancé, Gilbert Blythe, who was finishing medical school. After catching up with Diana Barry and other old friends, Anne visits Green Gables. She is horrified to find that since Marilla's death (in the third season of
Road to Avonlea), the new owners have treated Green Gables so poorly, that it is falling apart. Later, Anne is reunited with Gilbert on the island. However, instead of settling down immediately, Gilbert asks Anne to move to New York since he has been offered a staff position at
Bellevue, a prestigious medical institution. Her reluctant agreement comes with the promise of being published and that they will return to Prince Edward Island to raise their family. In New York, Anne is employed as a junior editor at a small publishing house, where she meets Jack Garrison, a writer and local sensation who becomes interested in Anne. Seeing her potential as a writer, he offers to become the editor for her new manuscript and use his influence to have it published under both their names. He threatens to jump from a window if Anne does not accept his help. When the manuscript is accepted, Anne is outraged to learn that Jack has presented it as entirely his own, and the publisher refuses to give her credit. She breaks off contact with Jack, who reveals he has fallen in love with her. Meanwhile, Gilbert is troubled by his work at Belleview hospital - most of the doctors are more interested in prestige than in saving lives. Disillusioned by life in New York, Anne and Gilbert return to Prince Edward Island. Upon returning to Avonlea, Gilbert buys Green Gables from Mr. Harrison and they set about restoring the house as they plan their wedding. Anne accidentally starts a fire, slightly damaging the house. However, the couple find the effect of the
war in Europe to be much more present; Fred Wright, Diana's husband, eventually enlists in the war as his family life becomes increasingly strained. Increasing pressure results in Gilbert enlisting as medical officer and he convinces Anne to marry him before he leaves. When he is declared
missing in action, Anne leaves for Europe as a
Red Cross volunteer in hopes of finding him. Anne's desperate search in the war zone leads to a chance meeting with Jack Garrison, along with his girlfriend, Colette, and their infant son, Dominic. Jack, involved in dangerous espionage activities, leaves suddenly and asks that Anne take Colette and Dominic to London. However, Colette is killed in an explosion, while Anne briefly sees Gilbert as his troop is forced to abandon their field hospital. Anne promises Colette on her last breath to take care of Dominic and find his father. Left to care for Dominic, Anne finds an injured Fred and his arm must be amputated. They leave for London and reside in Jack's apartment until they can return to Canada; in that time, Anne works for a British newspaper office and becomes acquainted with Fergus Keegan, Jack's editor, and Maude Montrose, one of Jack's contemporaries and a fellow spy. When Jack arrives to make arrangements for his family, he learns of Colette's death and asks for Anne to care for Dominic should anything happen to him. Though Anne intends to return to Canada with Fred and Dominic, her connection to Jack as well as a resurfacing chance of finding Gilbert results in taking Dominic with her to France. Disguised as a
nun and befriending entertainers Margaret Bush and Elsie James, Anne struggles to bring Dominic to Kit Garrison, Jack's aunt who has also become involved in war efforts. Reunited again with Jack, Anne travels with him in hopes of finding her husband, Gilbert. As Anne's search continues to be fruitless, Jack attempts to persuade her to return with him to the United States and form a family with him and Dominic; Anne refuses, determined to continue searching for Gilbert in the war zone. When she encounters Margaret and Elsie again, she joins them in entertaining the soldiers; in the crowd, is Gilbert, and Anne is reunited with him at last. Jack arranges for them to leave immediately as the armistice to end the war approaches. However, Keegan's fear of being exposed as a traitor by Jack's group results in Jack being shot on the train; as he dies, he asks that Anne take care of his son. Once the armistice is declared, Anne and Gilbert attempt to find Dominic, but after finding Kit Garrison's château empty, they are forced to return to Canada in hopes of finding the child from home. After a year of living back in Avonlea, Anne and Gilbert arrive at the local train station to collect Dominic, whom they are adopting as their own. With Gilbert prepared to take over another doctor's medical practice in the village of Glen St. Mary, they decide to leave Green Gables to Diana and Fred in order to start their new life together. ==Timeline of events (1915–1919)==