Hello to those who still read my fanfics haha! Been out of action for a while but after watching my favourite film for the millionth time the other night I found myself desperately needing something more, something I could do to contribute to the fandom of SOM. So here I bring a one shot about Maria's feelings during the last scenes in the film (and scenes we never got to see). This is my first SOM fanfic so please be nice cause I'm still breaking in the feeling of writing their characters. Thank you, and hope you enjoy it
A Door Closed, An Open Window
She blinked again, feeling his warm hand over her cheek, which was reddening a little. Gazing into his hard blue eyes that softened as he looked at her, Maria decided that every single ounce of pain she had felt in her life had been worth it; worth the Captain, worth the children. She remembered how it had felt to realise he was engaged to the Baroness, and the relief and shock when he instead, confessed his love to her. And it had lead her here, luckily and gratefully to his side. Maria's cheek leant further into his palm as she stared down at him, not needing to speak and letting the silence consume them. The children were usually waking them up in the mornings, and without them there in Paris it felt like she was on a different planet. Maria had spent her honeymoon with Georg feeling as if it were all a dream; she had never expected to fall so deeply in love with the Captain, or become the mother of the seven wonderful children when she had first joined the von Trapp family. She smiled and laughed to herself inwardly, at how God's errand truly had been to prepare the family for a new mother. At the time however, Maria hadn't known it would be herself.
'The Lord will show you, in his own good time.' The Reverend Mother had said. Maria felt the utmost exultance as she lay beside Georg knowing that the will of God had been fulfilled.
'What is it?' He asked from beneath her, noticing the small quirk of the corners of her mouth lifting slightly.
'Something the Reverend Mother told me.'
'And what did she tell you?' He replied, his features almost melting to liquid in the way he looked up at her, with a calm devotion that left Maria breathless. His fingers stroked the edges of her hair and she felt a spreading warmth inside her heart.
'That in time, the Lord would reveal my purpose; as a governess, and a woman. And now as a wife to you. I still find it hard to believe.'
His smile widened and she let herself fall to his side where her blonde head rested in the crook of his arm.
'My purpose is you,' he said, 'and the children.'
Maria nestled further into his side, trying to think about what it had been that made the Captain love her, and what she had done to deserve him. Something good. The words echoed inside her head and she thought of that night, standing next to him in the silhouette of the gazebo, the moonlight reflecting in his eyes as he had said the words 'I love you' like it were a solemn promise.
'Do you think we should begin to leave? I've missed the children terribly.'
'As have I.' He answered.
Maria smiled up at him, and both of them knowingly exchanged a look of excitement at the prospect of returning to the villa and to the children.
All of the joy and happiness up to that moment had filled her with hope; hope for a new and successful life after her rebellious life in the Abbey. Hope and love had spread throughout her when they had greeted the children once they had returned, their faces casting imprints in her mind of which she would never forget. She remembered the horror on both her and Georg's face when they returned home, a giant red Nazi flag hanging from the villa, angry and loud. She had checked inside to see if the children were home, which thankfully they were not. If the Nazi's had gained access to the villa and vandalised it with a flag of their own, Maria had only hoped the children were far out of sight from them.
'They're not here, darling,' she had called from inside, but he made no move toward her or indeed replied. The Captain snagged it down with rage, tearing it across the middle, just as a car with seven children and Max pulled up in the driveway. Maria grinned despite what had happened, and soon she was surrounded by shouts and hugs and questions. She glanced briefly at Georg, who was with Max, and knew that the bubble of light-hearted happiness around him from their honeymoon had broken instantly.
Once the children had rushed off to the terrace, she could sense the sternness returning back to him, in his posture and his voice.
Maria could feel the tension rising within him and herself as he had drawn Liesl away from her side. It was hard not to notice the grave look on his face as he told her about the contents of the telegram. A deep dread settled over her as he talked, seeing the pain in his eyes and hearing the resentment in his voice. She hadn't thought it could happen so close, when everything seemed so perfect and unspoiled.
'To refuse them would be fatal for all of us, to join them would be...unthinkable.' He says quietly, and Maria could feel the panic setting in, although she didn't show it. Neither did the Captain, who was often tempered steel to most people, but to her she could see the many layers of molten iron underneath. Looking in Georg's eyes she saw for the first time, fear. An emotion which she thought could never cross the sea captains face, but there it was.
Maria was glad when he leant her in to kiss her forehead, a sign of affection that comforted her momentarily.
'Get the children all together. Don't say anything that's going to make them worry, just get them ready. We've got to get out of Austria and this house...' His eyes wandered around the room, and Maria knew how reluctant the Captain would be to leave his home, a home of so many memories she couldn't even begin to fathom. Maria had only wished she could have made more memories in this house as a mother and a wife; though not everything could be so perfect.
'Tonight,' he finished, gazing down at her. It was a look of sorrow but determination he gave her, and Maria in turn looked up at him nervously but with unconditional admiration for the man ready to evade the Nazis himself for the sake of his country and his family. Georg pulled her into a tight embrace as they both stared at the walls of the house. Maria's head fell to his chest and her arms looped round his waist. She knew she would do anything for her husband.
Maria smiled at him while they sung together, and when he returned it, she almost felt elation. Singing in front of an audience with her family was an experience tainted only by the formidable presence of the Nazis. Even though her chest felt lighter there was still the fear in the back of her mind, constantly reminding her of why they were there, the threat of losing her husband to the Nazis and of wanting to protect the children. Nevertheless, she performed as if she had intended to do so all along. But it was only up until the moment Georg lost the words to sing Edelweiss that her heart broke and she longed to comfort and help him. Immediately going to his side, she carried on the song, and a look of adoration and relief crossed his face as she joined him. His hand dropped the guitar and wrapped round hers, holding tighter to her than it would have seemed. Calling over the children to their side, Maria had never felt so united with the family as they all crowded round the stage and heard Austrian voices singing along with them. The encore they performed after was a test to her nerves, as she knew the time was getting closer and closer to when they escaped. As they exited the stage, Georg clasped her hand in his and together they marched away from the crowd.
It was, quite possibly, one of the most heart wrenching and frightening moments of her life hiding behind the monuments, little Gretl in her lap bundled up against her, Georg shooting her reassuring and firm glances. It was all she could do to stay strong for the children but in that moment a fear like never before plagued her chest as she clung to her children around her. When the flashlight ran over the stone Maria prayed to God that they would not see any of them, she prayed to God for deliverance and strength and protection. She prayed to God for her children and her husband, for the Abbey and all of its inhabitants. Finally, when footsteps receded and the Captain glanced at her she hoped that it would come to an end, that they could get away quietly and quickly into the night and far out on the hillside paths to Switzerland. However, as Georg stepped out from the shadows, a figure appeared and Maria's heart felt as if it were to burst. Watching Georg unlock the gate and step confidently toward the Nazi soldier, she stopped abruptly at the sight of a gun pointed at his chest.
'Rolfe please!' Liesl shouted, and Maria felt a stab of shared pain and empathy for the oldest girl who stood facing her ex-lover. Yet the gun continued to render Maria speechless and the paralysing terror of the scene before her gripped her heart so tightly she felt like she might die on the spot. If she lost Georg she didn't think she could bear it.
The Captain waved her and the children away, and reluctantly she guarded them toward the steps and ran down to the car below. Her heart was hammering as she readied the children into the car, feeling trepidation and distress for what could happen to Georg if it all went horribly wrong, the agitation stabbing at her chest only soothed by the sound of the recognisable deep tone above her she knew to be her husband's voice. After what seemed like the longest minute of her life, a sharp and shrill whistle bled into the night and Maria heard the fast and heavy footsteps of a man running down the steps before them. She had been so afraid of the noise of a gunshot that the shouts of Nazi soldiers almost seemed welcoming to her. Instantly, the Captain threw himself into the car beside her and stepped on the pedal, wasting no time. Maria hadn't even had the liberty to cling tightly to his chest and whisper a prayer that he was alive but Georg briefly held her fingers in his as he steered the wheel out of sight from the Abbey. It was only half an hour later on and no signs of any Nazi soldiers or cars following them that Maria relaxed against the seat, gave the children a grateful and loving smile, and linked her arm and hands with Georg's in consolation and thankfulness.
Maria stepped forward, climbing the mountain and holding Marta to her, taking in the beautiful scenery around them, the bright blue sky, the white swirling clouds and the scent of the green grass they walked on. She glimpsed ahead along the line of children to the front, where Gretl was riding on the back of the Captain, and smiled at the sight of the two of them.
When the Lord closes a door, somewhere he opens a window. Maria didn't think there was any truer statement, when she thought of how she hadn't wanted to leave the Abbey, but then how she had become part of a family. How she had run back to the Abbey for fear of being in love, and how she had married the person who held her heart. How the Nazis had followed and pursued them, and how they had made their escape to the mountains. Thinking over all of it again, Maria couldn't help but feel as if everything had come full circle. There was always a mountain to climb, and Maria understood that now she had found herself, now she knew what it meant to love and be loved, she could keep on climbing the mountain until she reached the bottom. The mountain that had lead her to the Abbey in her youth, the mountain she had freely roamed and sung upon before facing her consequences, and now the mountain that lead her to her next chapter; but this time she was sharing her journey with eight more people.