Summary: Maria takes up an unlikely ally in her path of self-discovery. But just as she is beginning to get settled, she runs into some people connected to her past. How will she respond? Did Georg really move on without her when she left Salzburg? ONE SHOT! Might post one more just to sum up, but just writing to have some fun here! Please Read and Review, let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: I do not own TSOM or any of the characters.

Chapter One: To Go After, YOU my dear.

Maria sat down, no longer able to force her knees to keep steady. Evidently the wine was affecting her far more than she cared to admit. But was it the wine? Or more likely, was it the dark haired handsome man, with a musk scent, shimmering eyes, and a baritone voice she'd know anywhere. The loud jazz music vibrated into her ears, emanating from the floor boards and bouncing off the walls. The club was in full swing, as the ladies danced happily on the floor in front of the band, the men shouted over the southern sound, unable to see one another through their clouds of smoke.

"Cigarette love?" A young burnette woman offered to Maria, motioning towards a cigarette inserted into a long gold plated holder.

"I don't –" Maria began, but suddenly realized the whole point of this adventure was to begin living again, wasn't it? "You know what, sure, thank you." Maria said, taking the cigarette awkwardly as the woman lit it.

When she inhaled the violent smell of smoke and began coughing violentely, the woman grabbed water, and ushered it to her mouth in a panic. "Dear if you didn't smoke, why did you accept? I merely saw you bouncing out of your seat and figured you were craving something!" the woman laughed gently.

Maria smiled, taking a sip of the water, and once she regained her composure she reached out her hand.

"I'm Maria Rainer," she offered, thankful for the distraction. Georg was, for reasons unbeknownst to her, somewhere in this Jazz club in Vienna, and she wasn't willing to face him with her date.

"You cannot be here all alone!" the woman chuckled, smiling at her warmly, "You're far too beautiful, it's not safe! I shall keep you company!"

Maria laughed, taking deep breaths and waiting for her breathing to settle. Her eyes now bloodshot from the whooping coughs from inhaling the smoke.

"It gets better unfortunately, then becomes a terrible habit though," the woman offered, motioning towards the cigarette she had taken from Maria and was now smoking.

"I can imagine the appeal," Maria replied. "I do have a date by the way, I'm not sure where he ran off too!" she confessed, while it was uncharacteristic of him to leave her, she knew she was his exception and not the rule.

"Well any man that would leave a woman as beautiful as you, must be a fool" the woman joked, sucking diligently on her cigarette.

"Right you are miss, quiet the fool indeed," he responded, walking in at the end of the conversation. "Max Detweiler, and you-"but he froze, before continuing. Maria's eyes bore into his, but Max never looked away from Maria's new acquaintance.

"Max!" she exclaimed, pulling him into a hug.

"Hede Von Trapp!" he gushed, embracing her with a mirrored effection. "What in God's name are you doing in Vienna?"

"Oh you know," she began, brushing her hair out of her face, "Chasing around the dream, never to find it, never to rest," she joked, a quote they spoke together as children. Max laughed in response, and Maria sat silently, watching the exchange. The only words that echoed in her mind were "von trapp", and she realized, unfortunately, her ears had no deceived her, nor her eyes, and indeed Georg was here, with them, at this club.

"Max!" Maria yelled over the music, attempting to disrupt their conversation.

However, it had never once occurred to Max that Georg would have been with Hede. They rarely spoke let alone saw one another. But finally after numerous attempts, Hede motioned to Max that Maria needed him.

When Max turned around he saw the look of pure panic in Maria's face, and turned to see just what had gotten her so frightened. However as he turned halfway around he heard Hede begin to chatter again,

"OH! Georg, look who I've found!"

And without thinking, Max, leaned in towards Maria, giving her a look of utter apology first, and pulled her into a desperate kiss, pushing her lips apart, and invading his tongue with his mouth. He prayed his mind could somehow telepathically transmit to Maria the thoughts in his head, and the reasons behind his actions. However, he knew, by her desperate response, either a: she had fallen in love with him over the past two minutes, or b: she too, had seen Georg.

"Hede, perhaps we should allow your um friends to enjoy themselves while-"before he could finish he saw those tiny delicate hands, cradled around the neck of a dark haired man he knew too well. Without thinking, unable to even breathe, he grabbed Max on the shoulder, ripping him out of his embrace, and turned him round to face him.

"What exactly, do you think you're doing?" Georg yelled, unable to control his rage.

Maria's breath halted, her lips red and swollen from the effort both she and her best friend had been putting into the act.

"Oh Georg, how lovely to see you" Max replied platonically, as if he had no idea why his friend would be so angry.

Georg however, ignored him, and looking into Maria's deep blue eyes immediately reacted, thrashing his fist directly into his best friends face, knocking him directly onto the ground.

"Georg!" Hede screamed, leaning down with Maria to help Max. Georg shaking his hand merely ignored her request, shaking his hand violently.

"How dare you!" he screamed at Max, but he found himself unable to look away from Maria.

"Shouldn't you be with your wife?" Maria screamed, grabbing onto Max, and settling him on the chair next to her.

"Oh ho! So this is your Maria!" Hede smirked, finally letting all of the pieces settle into place. "Oh dear, this is far more intriguing than I thought! And she and Max, wow." She laughed to herself, as if she was in on some private joke that no one else was privy too. "She doesn't even know what you did, neither of them do Georg, so please just have a drink and calm down!"

What did he do? It was all Maria could think about. Why wasn't he at hold with his wife, when she had last left him he told her he couldn't break his promise to Elsa, and she had ran? Almost, literally, smack dab into Max in Vienna. He had helped her get a job as a teacher, and been forcing her to go out and really live again. It wasn't until they ran into Georg tonight that they had even spoken about Aigen and everything that happened there.

It was both to comfort her and protect her that Max had kissed her. If Georg were to show up seeing her sulking alone in some bar, smoking cigarettes and drinking surely he'd think poorly of her. But even worse, he may have felt sorry for her; and he knew Maria, after all of the humiliations he had already endured on his behalf, deserved more than that.

"Now darling, how about you tell the woman you're actually in love with, why you just punched your best friend in the face?" Georg scoffed, taking the drink he was finally served and smashed it onto the bar. Both unable to look at Max or Maria, he grabbed his coat to leave, but Hede wouldn't have it,

"He left Elsa at the alter!" she yelled over the music, halting Georg in his tracks, "To go after you, my dear," she offered, motioning towards Maria.

Maria looked towards Max, who looked at her, waiting her response. He knew if a heartbeat he'd explain the situation for her, to fix everything. They had become dear friends and all he wanted was for her to be happy. But he could tell by the look in Maria's eyes, she'd have none of it.

"We really must be going, Maria said, grabbing her coat and leading Max straight out of the club."