This story takes place the day after the Captain was supposed to profess his love for Maria. The idea about the girls believing the window is real isn't mine though. That part's a spinoff. The Baroness is already gone and Maria knows it… enjoy! –lalala777
Disclaimer: If I owned the Sound of Music, I would have met Julie Andrews. And in since I haven't met Julie Andrews, I obviously don't own the Sound of Music. Comprehende?
A Figurative Window
Maria Rainer sat on a bench in the Von Trapp garden, thinking about… closing doors and opening windows. Two of her charges ran up.
What are you thinking of, Fraulein Maria?" Louisa asked.
"The Reverend Mother always told me, 'when the Lord closes a door, somewhere he opens a window'," Maria sighed and looked at her lap.
"A window? Like that one?" Brigitta pointed up at a window in the villa."
"Yes."
"Why do you look so sad, though?" Louisa questioned.
"Sometimes you get to that window, and then someone closes it right in your face," Maria explained.
"So you can't get this window open?" Louisa implored.
"I'm afraid not."
"Yes you can! You're Fraulein Maria!" Brigitta exclaimed vehemently. Maria paled at the unintentional jab.
It's… too high," the governess stuttered.
"Jump," the ten year old told her. "Kick it in. Break it open."
"… I'm not strong enough." Maria tried to uphold her resolve. She wanted… needed to find a reason why she couldn't love the Captain; a reason he couldn't love her.
Love? Could it be love? Not an infatuation, or a childish crush on her handsome employer; could she love him like the Baroness said she did? 'It's not possible,' she thought. 'I've never known love. At least the type of love I'm contemplating.'
"We'll help you, Fraulein Maria!" Louisa declared. 'I wish you could,' the postulant thought. "Or maybe Father can. He's strong." Brigitta commented.
"Oh no, darlings, you don't have to…" But they had already begun sprinting towards the house.
Maria groaned. "Wonderful."
Ten minutes later, Brigitta and Louisa appeared, towing the Captain.
"You needed help with something, Fraulein? Breaking my windows perhaps?" Georg teased.
"Oh no Reverend Cap… um Captain; I was only speaking figuratively."
"May we be excused Father?" Louisa asked. 'No! Don't leave me here with him, please!' Maria wanted to yell. "Yes," she barely heard him answer his children's question.
"Fraulein!" Maria snapped out of her thoughts. "Yes Captain?" He sat down next to her.
"I want you to stay." 'He's not asking this time,' Maria thought irritably. "I can't," she replied. "Why not?" he retorted.
"I… um… well you won't need me. You're to be married?" She stated, but it came out as more of a question.
"No, actually, I'm not, Fraulein," he said matter-of-factly.
"Exactly so you won't need… what did you say?" Maria stuttered. "Elsa and I broke off our engagement."
"Oh, um, I'm sorry."
"Yes… you are?"
Maria ignored that question. For, in fact, she wasn't sorry at all.
"But why?" She inquired.
"Well you can't marry someone when you're in love with someone else," he tried to explain. The governess nearly burst into tears. 'Who else could he possibly be in love with?'
"Who then, Captain?"
The Captain nearly fainted in frustration.
"Can't you see it Maria!" –she gasped- "every single time I look into your eyes, every word I speak? My every thought is of you! With the Anschluss coming, you'd think I'd be more worried about my children's safety, but I can only worry about you and whether you could ever possibly love me, the way I ardently and eternally… love you."
Maria just sat there, completely motionless, with her mouth wide open, forming words she couldn't speak.
"Maria?"
"How long?" she croaked out.
"…Hmm?"
"How long have you…" she trailed off.
"How long have I loved you?" he asked. The postulant nodded. "Well, I'd say I've felt some sort of affection for you since you sat on that ridiculous pinecone. I believe I've loved you since we danced the Laendler."
"That was the most beautiful thing I've ever felt… the feeling I had when we danced. I felt so… warm," Maria smiled.
"What else did you feel?" He asked holding his breath. Maria stood up, perhaps to make a run for it, and he followed, backing her against the hedge. "What?" He demanded.
"I felt the same way I've felt since you blew that silly whistle. I felt love… my love for you." She whispered under her breath.
The Captain froze, whether with surprise or pain she didn't know. And as he backed a few steps away, to take it all in, she only had one word echoing in her mind. Run.
And so she did.
But the Captain was plenty faster. After all, he spent years in the navy when his life and others' lives revolved around his reactions. His and his children's lives were depending on his reaction now. He did not fail them.
Georg ran, chasing after the only woman that could make him happy. He caught up quickly and nearly ripped off her sleeve trying to make her stop. "Maria! Wait, please don't leave!" He practically yelled at her. The Captain grabbed her shoulders and held her there until she realized it was useless trying to run again.
"Do you love me?" He implored, enunciating each word slowly.
Maria couldn't say a word; her throat was too dry and her heart was on fire. So she just nodded haltingly, unsure of what other odd things could happen on this highly unpredictable afternoon.
And then his lips were on hers.
It was perfect, to say the least. His mouth moved over hers, slowly but surely. His hands slid from her shoulders to her waist, pulling her tightly against him. The governess unfroze, and finally realized she could, in fact, move. Her arms twined around his neck, twisting like a flower reaching for the sun.
They barely parted for air; his lips were just inches from hers.
"I love you, Captain." Maria laughed softly at the title.
"It's Georg, darling," he corrected.
"Then, I love you, Georg."
"I love you Maria, forever and always," he declared passionately. Then he kissed her again, a bit harder this time.
For here you are, standing there, loving me…
They broke apart at the sound of crunching leaves, giggles, and gasps. Maria turned to see the backs of Kurt, Brigitta, and Marta fleeing towards the villa, Brigitta all the while shouting, "I knew it! I knew it!"
Maria stopped laughing when the Captain turned to her with an uneasy look on his face. "Georg?" she asked.
"To whom should I go, to ask permission to marry you?"
"If you're asking, then 'yes', but the way those three are going, the whole of Salzburg probably knows by now," Maria smiled at him.
"Oh, my love!" Georg exclaimed as he picked her up and spun her around.
"You're too light, my dear," he frowned as he set her down. "I'll have to tell Frau Schmidt to fatten you up for the wedding!"
""Very funny, Georg, but we have more important things to worry about."
"Yes, like telling children we're engaged when they already know, and calming down Salzburg when they hear the news," he joked. "Have I told you how much I love in when you say my name?" he added. Maria just rolled her eyes.
"House then, Georg?"
"Of course, darling."
So they linked arms and set off towards a sponge, a housekeeper, and seven children together.
I must have done something good.
SOMSOMSOMSOMSOM
Hope y'all enjoyed! The sponge is Max… in case you were wondering. I know it seemed like Maria picked up on his name really fast but he did just tell her… constructive criticism welcome, no flames please. Thanks! –lalala777