A/N: This is my companion piece to my story A Decent Man, I hope you all enjoy it. I've been listening the Beatles so much lately so hence the title.

Disclaimer: I do not own TSOM except for on DVD and an old vinyl record.

The One Month Prologue

Captain Georg von Trapp sat at his mahogany desk in his dark leather chair with a bottle of scotch in the shadowy moonlight, and brooded. Of course he did this, because this is what a handsome widower is supposed to do – and what would life be without clichés?

It had been five years since Agathe, his wife, had passed away but it still felt like it happened yesterday. Sometimes, he would close his eyes so he could picture her standing before him. As much as he wanted the memories to go away, he was still terrified that one day he would close his eyes and he wouldn't be able to picture her face. Captain von Trapp had packed away all of his wife's' things: photographs, jewels, clothing, books and any other miscellaneous items. He'd done it efficiently and swiftly. He had also organised a timetable for his children, detailing lessons and exercise plans which was timed to the last second. He had isolated himself from the children and treated them like sailors aboard his ship. It was easier this way, not by much, but it was all he could think to do.

It wasn't until his old friend, Max Detweiler, came along that things started to change. The Captain went to Vienna, where Max was currently living, and threw himself into the decadence the city offered. It had been hard but not as hard as he had expected. He'd introduce himself as Captain von Trapp, and that was where it started really. Captain von Trapp became this… persona his mind had created in self-defence while the real Georg von Trapp sat huddled in a small corner of his mind. He was friendly and polite but distant, this of course attracted the ladies who thought with a smile and some gentle words they could tame the handsome (and let's not forget rich) sea captain.

It had been so tiresome having these women practically throw themselves at him. Of course he was flattered but he clung to the memory of Agathe like an anchor. He wasn't going to have some simpering society debutante come along and try to separate him from his lost love. They didn't compare to her and no one ever would. He hardly bothered to listen to most of the women he spoke with; they all tended to walk on eggshells around him and treated him like some wounded magical animal they had found in the woods. It was ridiculous. All he wanted was some decent conversation that didn't revolve around on how hard it must be for a widower with seven children. They would always make some remark about how brave he must be and make a move to touch him on the arm. Then there would be the look they'd give him that they thought was flirtatious but just made them look slightly demented.

A while ago Max had introduced him to the recently widowed Baroness Elsa Schraeder. She was some old friend of Max's that he was sure he had met before but that had been so long ago he couldn't really recall. They had been at her home, a decadent creation of architecture, celebrating some occasion when they had been reacquainted.

Georg was seated at a small table out on the terrace trying to escape some old matrons who had drunk a little too much champagne and started to get a little too physical regarding his posterior.

"Georg!" Max called out as he came walking over arm in arm with a tall and elegantly dressed woman.

"Good evening, Max," Georg greeted as he stood up, he extended his hand towards the woman, "and…?"

"Oh! Georg, you remember Baroness Schraeder?" Max said, "Elsa, this is Captain von Trapp. I am sure you met a few years ago…"
She beamed at Max and then inclined her head towards Georg, "I am sure. Well it is a pleasure to meet you again Captain von Trapp."

She extended her hand towards him and he kissed it in return, "You too, Baroness Schraeder. Please accept give my condolences for you recent loss. I never met the Baron Schraeder but I understand he was a fine man."

"Thank you, the same to you. I know it was two years ago or so now, but I remember your wife and she was a very wonderful woman. Also, do please call me Elsa," she said kindly.

"Yes she was…" Georg trailed off as Max made a fuss of going to find them something to drink and tottered off back inside.

Georg pulled a chair out and offered it to Elsa as she said, "I'm sorry if I upset you. Max told me I shouldn't mention it but I didn't want you to think I was being rude. Plus, I usually think it best not listen to Max."

He actually chuckled at her last remark, "I would have to say I would agree on that score."

"He tells me that he saved your life once, and while Max is a dear, I am finding it hard to picture why anyone would need to save you," she said, sitting down.

"You don't think I need saving?" he asked with a half smile on his lips.

"I think you can save yourself, Captain von Trapp," she laughed.

"Georg, please," he insisted.

She had given him the loveliest smile then. She was beautiful now that he came to actually look at her, her blonde hair piled up high in an elegant twist, with some diamonds glittering on her ears and neck. The dress she wore was an emerald green that set off her blue eyes that glittered like the rest of her.

"Max also told me you have seven children?" she inquired incredulously.

He was about to answer when Max returned, a champagne bottle under one arm and three glasses in the other, "Oh yes it's true, Georg always rises to the occasion."

"Max!" Georg glowered.

"Oh darling!" Elsa exclaimed, though she was smiling, "Please remember that this is a sophisticated party."

"Well I can hardly understand how I made the guest list," Max teased and waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Elsa laughed at him, "You didn't, remember? You invited yourself!"

"Sounds like the Max I know," Georg said as Elsa took the glasses and bottle from Max and poured them all a drink.

She raised her glass and looked Georg in the eye, her eyes sparkling, "Anyway, a toast to friends – both old and new!"

"To friends!" Georg and Max echoed.

And it was from that moment that he had begun to set sail again, he had pulled in the anchor that was Agathe. She was still with him, ready to drop at any second, a reassuring weight to the sea captain. Baroness Schraeder, Elsa, had been charming, witty and he had to admit a whole lot of fun. She'd brought back meaning into his life and given him a reason to laugh. Georg knew it wasn't love but he did care for her greatly and her company had made him realise how lonely he had truly been. So he'd gone with her to salons full of gossiping bores, waltzed (somewhat stiffly) with her and took in the city life Vienna offered. But he still wore the Captain von Trapp mask; he still wasn't ready to be so open and honest with someone, as wonderful as Elsa was.

But, it had been two years since that night and things with Elsa had moved quite rapidly. He knew she expected marriage to be coming but he was hesitant about it and not just because of Agathe. His children needed a mother figure; especially with the appalling governesses he had the misfortune of employing.

Honestly, he thought, was it really that difficult? His children needed discipline and order; the last one had been so promising and so highly recommended! She had lasted one week, one week! He'd received the call from his butler, Franz, telling him that she had left and never wanted to see nor hear from his family ever again. When he'd arrive back home he'd discovered that the children had poured syrup into her bed and then filled the bed with ants. That had been the last straw for… whatever her name was - number ten. He had stopped trying to learn their names after number six. All he wanted was some discipline in this house and then he could introduce the children to Elsa. Once the children were sorted then it would all be good and everything would make sense. Georg looked at the note on his desk; it was from a Frau Helena Müller who would be arriving in two weeks time, after school had finished. An old hard faced Admiral had recommended her to him a few months ago while he was away in Vienna. The Admiral had mentioned that she had been excellent when his children were younger and she still worked as a governess all these years later. He had written to her and asked if she'd be willing to come to Salzburg and work for him, for a very reasonable price. This was it, the Captain knew, if he could get a decent governess everything would fall into place. He just knew it.

A/N Thanks for reading =) I apologise for any mistakes.