A Captain Without Control

Disclaimer: I don't own The Sound of Music.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO is time change.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX is POV change.

Problems in England

"Georg, why do you keep doing this?" said Sir Edward Whitehead, his loud voice bouncing all over the study. "When are you going to accept that it's best for the children if you stay here?"

Georg felt the fire burn inside him as he glared at his father – in – law. Could he really believe the children would be safe here? "It's already 1940. It isn't safe for them here, and you should know that. This country is at war. Sooner or later, Hitler will attack Great Britain, too." Horrible images flashed through his mind as he pictured his children in the middle of those attacks.

Sir Edward shook his head. "I doubt Herr Hitler will reach this far. Our island is isolated. Come on, Georg, you and I had this same argument two months ago, and you eventually realized your family was safer here. You'll realize it again soon enough."

"Excuse me!" Georg protested, hating the man's patronizing additude more than his father - in - law's stubborn anger. He balled his fists and fought the urge to punch Sir Edward, reminding himself that wouldn't help. "The only reason why my family didn't leave then was I found out the Queen Elizabeth* wasn't completely a civilian ship."

Sir Edward shook his head. "Nonsense. She is an excellent new ship, and would have been fine for your family, if you had really wanted to leave."

Georg stepped closer, feeling his burning anger increase. "That ship is just as much as a warship as any in your Royal Navy. They're just disguising her as a passenger. I will not have my family torpedoed like The Lusitania** was after we realized you were disguising that as a civilian ship."

Sir Edward's blue eyes narrowed into slits. "The Lusitania was a legitimate civilian ship that your lot sunk needlessly. When will you admit that?

"Legitimate civilian ship?" said Georg sarcastically. "That's not the way I'd describe a ship carrying weapons in the hold."

Sir Edward sighed. "At any rate, I can protect my grandchildren from any thing that happens. They don't need to be uprooted again, Georg."

"No one can protect anyone here with Chamberlain as Prime Minister. He doesn't know the first thing about leading a country in War!" Georg balled his fists again, wishing Chamberlain was standing in front of him so he could throttle the idiot.

"Chamberlain is doing better than your Prime Minister in Austria did; Schushnigg gave up without a fight," said Sir Edward with a smug expression.

Georg felt himself explode. "This isn't about Austria!" He raised his fist and slammed it against his leg. "This about keeping my family safe." He stormed off, heading for the garden outside. How could his father-in-law mention Austria's failures? His mind flashed back to the day he and Maria had returned from their honeymoon, and his Austria was covered with ugly swastikas. Why did they all give up so easily?

But more importantly, how could he keep his family safe in England, with pussycat Chamberlain in charge? He looked up at the clouds, wondering how soon the Nazis would be here as well. There had to be a ship that could take them far away from Herr Hitler.

To America.

Georg didn't know how long he stood there, staring at the grey April sky, when he heard soft footsteps behind him. "Maria," he smiled, turning to face his wife.

Maria smiled back tightly, staring at the gardens for a moment. The bushes zigzagged around, and several benches were set in the center.

Georg glanced back at the grey clouds, wondering if the Nazis would pop out of the sky at any moment. He grabbed his wife's hand, letting her touch comfort him.

"Georg, I heard what you were discussing with Sir Edward just now," Maria began, looking into his eyes. "Do you really think it's a good idea to leave now? Shouldn't the children at least finish the school term? Friedrich is so close to his graduation. And Gretl's First Communion is approaching next month, and she's so excited. Lady Whitehead even found fabric for her dress. We should wait."

Georg immediately dropped her hand. "How could you say that! I thought you, at least would understand how dangerous Europe is for our family right now. Don't you want our family to be safe?"

Maria put her hands on her hips her eyes widened. "Of course, how could you even ask that? But we are safe here now. There has been no indication that Herr Hitler will attack England yet. It's better if we stay here, at least until the summer."

Georg felt his anger building inside him again. "No, it isn't. We waited too long when we left Austria, and we had to leave in the middle of the night, forcing the children to climb mountains and sleeping in caves. I won't let that happen again. I will find us a ship. As soon as possible." Briefly he thought of all the ways he could have lost his family those weeks.

"Georg, I just don't think – "

"Well this is the way it will be, Maria!" he told her firmly. He pounded his leg for emphasis.

Maria's eyes widened even more and seem to burn with fire. "Georg!" she shouted, as if she was too angry to say more. With that, she ran back inside.

He shook his head, looking at the grey sky again. It felt as if the world was closing on him, everything was so out of control. The wind rustled, making all the bushes move, and Georg's heart tightened at the sudden change. The weather was out of control as well.

He needed to take command again and keep his family safe.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

OOOOOOOOOO

"I'm almost finished reading Hamlet," said Brigitta as they all sat down to dinner at the large formal table that night. "It's such a fascinating story about a young prince coming of age and trying to understand what he's meant to do in life in extraordinary circumstances. My favorite part is how Hamlet is able to talk to his dead father." Her eyes glassed over for a second as she said the last part.

Maria's heart clenched as she realized how much Brigitta still longed to speak to her first mother. She met the girl's eyes, hoping to tell her that was understandable.

"I told Miss Simpson I'm going to write my essay about Hamlet's relationship with his father when I'm finished with it," Brigitta continued, her eyes now sparkling with excitement.

"It's wonderful to have a young woman so interested in the classics," Sir Edward said proudly, nodding at his granddaughter. "I'm certain your essay will be a marvelous piece of scholarship."

Maria nodded at Brigitta as well, then turned to look at her husband. Surely now he could understand why it was important to wait another couple of months before leaving? How could they pull Brigitta from her studies?

But Georg wouldn't meet her eyes.

Maria did her best to cut the chicken on her plate, so she wouldn't cut her husband instead. Her silverware clanged against the china plate as she cut too hard, and the Whitehead's stared at her in disproval for a moment. They looked perfectly groomed, as always. Lady Whitehead wore a lovely white dress and every piece of her grey hair was pinned exactly. Sir Edward wore a tan suit and his white hair was obviously combed very carefully.

Maria felt her face turn red, and she stared at the floor. She thought she had finally mastered formal etiquette, but apparently not. The chicken suddenly tasted dry. Were her hair pins falling out as well?

"I can't wait to see my First Communion dress. I think it will be prettier than Marta's and Brigitta's were. When can I see it, Gromi?" Gretl asked, breaking the silence.

"You may see it when it is finished, Gretl," Lady Whitehead said firmly, wiping her mouth at her same time.

"And I'm certain your dress will be lovely, Gretl, but you shouldn't assume it will be prettier than your sisters' were," Maria told her daughter gently.

"Yes, Mother," said Gretl with a sigh. She took a large drink of milk, but to the Whiteheads' delight, managed to remember to wipe her mouth afterwards.

Maria tried to meet Georg's eyes again, hoping he would realize how important it was for them to stay here for all of the children. Brigitta was excited about a school assignment, Gretl was excited about her First Communion, and all the children deserved to finish the term before they were uprooted again. They had already had to begin school in Great Britain months late two and a half years ago, and they had all hated it.

But he still wouldn't look at her. In fact, he didn't seem to be looking at anyone right now. Surely, he wasn't withdrawing from their family again. Maria sipped her wine and did her best to smile at all the children, showing them how much she cared for them.

"Friedrich, are you still preparing for your final exams?" Sir Edward asked, briefly looking at Georg, who seemed to ignore the other man.

"Yes," Friedrich sighed. "I have so much material to study; it's a little overwhelming. I am confident about the science, but I really need to study the English and History more."

"You're a bright young man, Friedrich," Sir Edward said firmly. "I am certain you will perform well, so long as you study."

"Of course, you will," said Maria, meeting the young man's eyes. "You were always one of my best students when I was teaching you."

Friedrich smiled at her, but there was an awkward silence, as Maria reminded everyone at the table she was once the children's governess. She didn't think she would ever understand proper etiquette and sometimes she wondered why she should. Briefly glancing at Georg, she tried to meet his eyes, hoping for his support, but his eyes remained blank.

Maria was just about to say something, anything, to break this silence, when she heard a cry. Perfect. Rosemary was awake.

"I believe I will see to the baby, but the rest of you may finish dinner and have dessert," she said as quickly as she could before existing the uncomfortable room.

OOOOOOOOO

Maria took Rosemary back to the bedroom to feed her, settling herself on the large, fluffy bed. The baby suckled contently, warming Maria's heart. Her youngest daughter was a bit reserved, even for a baby, and she only really opened up when Maria was feeding her. "That's a good girl," she whispered to her daughter, playing with the baby's tiny wisps of hair.

Her hair appeared blondish, but her personality was all Georg.

Georg, who would try to appear neutral rather than excited and stern rather than scared. Stern rather than scared. Suddenly Maria's eyes widened as she understood her husband's behavior during dinner this evening. "Oh, darling," she whispered as she pictured the way he avoided their family's looks and kept his eyes blank.

He was terrified. For their family. Just as he'd tried to tell Maria earlier. "We'll have to help Papa, won't we?" she said to Rosemary as she finished nursing and cuddled to her mother.

OOOOOOOOOOO

"I'm sorry, darling," Maria told her husband as he finally entered their bedroom that night. She wrapped her arms around his waist. "I didn't understand how much the situation with Hitler was bothering you earlier. If you really think it's necessary, we can leave now."

Georg pulled her closer, and Maria felt his strong chest pressed against hers. "Thank you, Maria. The Whiteheads' are planning on attending another ball in a couple of weeks, and they want us to bring Liesl with us again. It's just one more thing," his eyes blazed briefly in anger. "That I can't deal with right now." He shook his head and kissed her, pushing his tongue in and devouring Maria's mouth in a wonderful way.

Maria let his lips take her away from their troubles for a few moments. When he broke away, he sighed. "I do wish we could leave without disappointing the children, though. You were correct; there are so many things they are involved in here now."

Maria nodded, reading the deep love he had for their children in his voice. "I love those words. 'You were correct,'" she teased him as she played with his thick dark hair. "But as you said, they're safety is more important." She kissed his neck. Once. Twice. Three times, feeling her body burn in an exciting way as she did so.

"I don't know how long it will take to find a ship that will allow us all to leave safely, anyway," Georg murmured as they landed on the bed. "Hopefully very soon, but it definitely won't be tonight. Do you think there's something else we can do, in that case?" He grinned at her mischievously as he unbuttoned her dress quickly.

"Oh, definitely," Maria agreed, feeling the fire of his touch as she began to take off his tie. As always, "making up" was very arousing.

OOOOOOOOOOO

"I know you don't like staying in someone else's home, Georg," Maria said, coming back to their earlier topic as she laid her head on his bare chest. "I appreciate all the effort you've put into trying to get along with Sir Edward."

Maria felt Georg sigh and his fingers in her hair. "Thank you. I always seem to say the wrong thing to that man. Honestly, I thought we'd only be here a year at most, but then –

" – I became pregnant with Rosemary," Maria finished, glancing at their three – month – old's room in the corner.

"Yes, and I knew you both needed a doctor," Georg pulled her closer to himself. "And then there was everything with the Queen Elizabeth after she was born. But now we have to leave. For our family's sake and for my own sanity. I can't live with that man any longer. We're always arguing!"

Maria laughed at the irony of that statement. "Georg, the two of us argue just as often." Then she kissed his chest, feeling his heart beat as she did so.

Georg pulled her face up and pressed his lips to hers. "Maybe but fighting and making up with you is always more fun than it is with Sir Edward!"

*The Queen Elizabeth was a passenger ship that was involved in the spy network during WWII.

**The Lusitania was a British luxury liner that was sunk by u – boats during WWI.

So, it seems I'm starting a new story in Apirl, rather than May. Oh well, I'm sure most of you don't mind.

I'll be using my once a month schedule for this one, though.