Rating: PG for some romance.
Disclaimer: I do not own 20th Century Fox, The Sound of Music, or any of its characters.
Maria sat alone in her bedroom, unable to think of anything but the conversation that had just taken place outside the Villa. Brigitta's words rang in her ears – "The most important thing is that Father is going to be married."
She absently looked out the window and closed her eyes. All she could see in her mind were the children's pleading eyes as they looked up at her, as if her return would be able to make everything better. She knew that she should have said something encouraging to them; to let them know that everything would be okay. But she had felt a pain shoot through her heart and her legs had threatened to give out on her as the words echoed in her mind. She just could not find the strength to move or speak.
Then instantly he had appeared before her, looking at her as if nothing had changed; staring down at her with that same half smile that she had seen so many times before. In the past, it had felt so right when she looked into his eyes, just the two of them looking deep into each other's souls and putting all thoughts of propriety aside for a moment. Today it had still felt right; until the Baroness had walked up behind him, claiming him rightfully as her own by taking hold of his arm.
Maria felt tears well in her eyes as the image branded itself into her mind. She had never felt so foolish in her entire life and was just grateful that she had managed to withhold her tears in front of them.
But now as she sat alone in her bedroom, a tear trickled down her cheek and her heart felt like it could explode from pain. She glanced Heavenward and sighed deeply. "Guide me, Father. Please. I can't take this," she prayed in a small voice.
Maria's shoulders slouched and tears began to fall more rapidly down her face. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to try to stop them without much luck.
"Fraulein Maria?" Marta shyly peeked around the corner of Maria's doorframe staring at her governess with wide eyes. She was not used to seeing her in this state and the sadness that loomed in the air scared her.
Maria quickly wiped a few tears from her eyes before turning around to face the timid little girl. "Hello, darling," she said with a genuine smile. She wiped her eyes dry a second time and motioned for Marta to come and sit on her lap.
"I was just thinking about how sad I'll be when I have to leave you and your brothers and sisters," Maria told her gently.
Marta's gaze dropped to her lap. "You're leaving again?"
Maria reached upwards to brush a strand of hair out of Marta's face. She stroked her cheek gently until Marta looked into her eyes. "If it was up to me, I would stay here with you and never leave. But, soon you won't need me here anymore because you will have a new mother," she told her with feigned enthusiasm.
Marta looked up and Maria could see the little girl's bottom lip beginning to quiver and tears forming in her eyes. "But I want you," she whispered with a down-turned lip.
Maria gathered Marta closer in her grasp and wiped some of the tears from her eyes. She rocked her gently in her arms and placed a kiss on her forehead. "You can come and visit me whenever you'd like. I'm sure Liesl would take you."
Marta nodded her head mutely and Maria could feel the little girl's shoulders heaving as she tried to hold back her tears. "I want you to be here," she barely said, her voice catching as she spoke and her tears coming forth.
"I know you do," Maria sighed, leaning her cheek on the top of her head.
Marta's sobs deepened and she reached her hands upwards to wrap around Maria's neck. She closed her eyes and for a long time clung tight to Maria, softly sniffling. Suddenly she moved her head back and Maria looked into her reddened eyes. "Can the Baroness leave instead?" the little girl suggested.
Maria's eyes clouded with tears as she met Marta's innocent look. Slowly she shook her head. "No darling. Your father loves her," she whispered with a slight hesitation.
At once, she felt a heat rush to her face and was forced to inhale deeply to suppress the tears that once again were creeping up on her. Absently she looked away and collected her thoughts. Maria closed her eyes and tried to not think about the stake in her heart at the realization of her own words.
Turning back to Marta, she spoke lowly. "And he wants to give all of you a new mother. You'll be a real family again soon." Maria forced a smile and hoped that her voice sounded more enthusiastic than she had a feeling it did.
"But I love you," Marta said in a small voice as her mouth formed into a deep frown. "I want you to stay with us."
Maria pulled Marta close and could feel her warm tears on her chest. She kissed the top of her head and gently rubbed her back in comfort. After a moment, Maria urged Marta away from her a little so that she could look at her.
"I love you too, sweetheart. And remember that I will always be here." As she spoke, Maria placed her hand to Marta's heart and looked her in the eyes. Maria smiled genuinely at the child she had grown to love so much.
Marta placed her head back on Maria's shoulder and closed her eyes. She sighed deeply and moved her small hands more tightly around Maria's neck as silent tears continued to fall and her small body trembled with worry.
Maria hugged her close and placed a kiss on her temple. She felt her own chest tighten when she thought about how little time she had left at the Villa. Soon all of the children would go to someone else when they were sad and she wouldn't know what was troubling them anymore. Soon she would not know the feeling of little hands around her neck anymore, and she would not have anyone's tears to dry but her own. There would be no more arguments over whose hair got braided first in the morning or who got to choose what to do for the afternoon. Soon she would be gone and would leave all of these things here in the Villa for someone else to deal with. The thought was almost too much for her to bear.
After a long while, Maria loosened her grip slightly around Marta and looked across the room at the clock on her nightstand. "We should go down for dinner. We don't want to keep your father waiting for us."
Marta nodded sullenly.
Maria gave her a sidelong glance, the little girl's sad face still apparent. "But we can't go down looking like that, can we?" she asked with a smile.
Marta looked at her governess and slowly shook her head, just as Maria reached toward her and started to tickle the little girl's stomach and under her arms.
Marta giggled softly at first but her laughter soon increased in volume as Maria tickled her even more.
After a moment of hearing Marta's giggled pleas to stop, Maria finally pulled Marta toward her in a tight embrace and then gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. "I love you, sweetheart."
Marta smiled at her with sparkling eyes and rosy cheeks. "I love you too, Fräulein Maria."
Maria rose, gave Marta one final hug and placed her on the ground. Hand in hand, they walked downstairs to dinner, both dreading the sight of the Captain with his new fiancée.