Disclaimer: The Sound of Music belongs to 20th Century Fox. No infringement is intended
Rating: PG-13. This one has some, uh, umph to it
Gratitude: to my betas, emartin and Joolsfan. Emartin, who prevented me from keeping a line that would have made this read like a dime-store romance. Joolsfan, who supplied me with a road name and a wonderful insight in how to make the reflection section (haha, that rhymes) flow much better. I thank you both very much.
A/N: This is a possibility to what happened when the Captain and Maria returned home from their honeymoon in Paris to find the house empty. I'm convinced they did something like this, if not this exactly. There are two parts; part one is more, uh, action, and the second is reflection. As I stated earlier, this is rated PG-13, so if some more explicit romance offends you, then please don't read this. It's not as explicit as it could be, but it does go beyond what I normally write.
Homecoming
Maria held her head back and sighed as their rented car drove along Hellbrunner Allee, the wind flying through her hair. She looked over at her husband, seeing how the relaxed expression on his profile mirrored her own inner thoughts. Feeling the car slow, she grinned.
"Are you slowing down?" she asked.
Georg looked over at her. "It just hit me that we won't be alone as soon as we go back to that house," he said, returning his attention back to the country road. "It's just been us for five weeks, and I rather liked it."
Maria laughed and moved so she was sitting upright in the seat. She reached over and brushed the back of her fingers across his cheek. "I liked it too," she said, bringing her hand down to caress his shoulder.
Georg inhaled at her soft touch, finding the road increasingly difficult to stay focused on. "Maria," he said, glancing over at her again. Their eyes met, and he smiled at her before reluctantly looking at the road again. "You're distracting me."
"Oh, forgive me, Captain," Maria said and retracted her hand. She fidgeted for a moment, not liking the loss of contact. Looking over at him, she was enticed by the lines of his jaw and how he squinted as the sun hit his eyes.
Risking further distraction, she scooted closer to him and laid her head against his shoulder. "Is this alright?" She felt him laugh lowly as he moved his arm to drape around her.
"It's the best we can do," he said.
"Good," she murmured. "I need to be near you."
She heard him mumble something incomprehensible as he squeezed his arm around her. She reached up to rub his hand. "They're not going to let us alone the moment they see us."
"Maybe we can slip in unnoticed," he suggested, laughing.
"We will have to see everyone sooner or later," she said, joining in his laughter.
"I prefer later," he muttered.
Maria exhaled and stared up upward again. The nearly cloudless sky draped over her head and the fresh, wonderfully familiar scents of her home came over her. She breathed in deeply.
"It is nice to be home, though," she said.
Georg nodded. "It feels like we never left," he said. After a moment, he chuckled to himself. "And yet, everything looks different."
"Different?" she asked, stretching her neck to look up at him.
"Brighter, sunnier," he explained. He looked down at her. "Prettier."
Maria smiled and reached up to touch his cheek. Right before she did, however, she quickly withdrew. "Sorry, I don't want to distract you," she said, and they exchanged a grin.
After a moment, she felt him slow down even more and recognized the tops of the trees passing over. She sighed as she reluctantly sat up.
"Here we are," he announced as he turned the car into the driveway to Number 53.
Instantly, Maria froze and felt her mouth open in shock.
"That son of a…"she heard Georg mutter as they stared at the flag of the Third Reich hanging over their front door. Maria turned to look at him, and was alarmed at the controlled anger she saw in his face. The loving man she had laid against in the car had vanished, and she was concerned at how fast his mood had changed.
"Georg?" she asked quietly.
He kept his gaze fixed on the Swastika as he parked the car, not hearing her whisper. Shutting the engine off, he narrowed his eyes on the flag. "Why did Max allow them to…"
"Georg," she repeated, a little louder, and he looked at her. The look in her eyes brought him back to reality. He hugged her to him, the gesture meant to comfort them both.
"Forgive me," he whispered and withdrew. "I was just surprised to see it there."
"We knew the Anschluss had happened, but they don't have the right to—"
"They don't give a damn about rights," he said, unable to keep the anger out of his voice.
"Why would Max let them hang that there?" she thought aloud, echoing his earlier question.
Georg narrowed his eyes at the flag again. "He didn't want to anger anyone," he offered. He looked around, noting for the first time that they had not been greeted by anyone and that his car was missing.
"Where is everyone?" he asked.
Maria searched her surroundings. "Yes, where are they? I didn't expect not to be greeted at all," she said.
He nodded. Exiting the car, he avoided looking at the flag reminding him that Austria was gone. He had known that the Anschluss was coming and that all he held dear would be gone. But its actuality left him feeling hollow. He slammed the driver's door a little more harshly than necessary, causing Maria to whip her head up and stare at him.
She gave him an assuring look, and he walked around to open the passenger door for her. Assisting her out of her seat, he felt her squeeze his hand.
"It'll be alright, darling," she whispered.
He was about to reply when they heard the front door open. Franz walked outside, wearing his ever-present blank expression, followed by a more pleasant Frau Schmidt.
"Captain! Baroness!" she exclaimed, practically running over to them. "Welcome home!"
Maria laughed and hugged the woman. "Hello, Frau Schmidt!"
"Did you enjoy yourselves in Paris?" the housekeeper asked.
Maria's smile widened. "It was wonderful! Everything was so gorgeous!"
The older woman laughed, seeing the way the new Baroness's eyes sparkled. "I can't wait to hear all about it."
Georg stepped forward and regarded his butler.
"Welcome back, sir," Franz said, his voice flat.
The Captain nodded. He glanced up at the Swastika, and then back at Franz. He was about to comment on it when he looked over at Maria, whose bright smile calmed him.
Georg cocked his head to the car and said to his butler, "There are presents for the children in the back seat. Please see that they're brought to the terrace. And our bags are in the trunk."
The other nodded. "I will take care of them, sir," he said as he grabbed a couple of suitcases from the trunk and returned to the house.
Maria looked towards the house. "Where are the children?"
Frau Schmidt paused, as if she was afraid to reveal the children's whereabouts. The look passed quickly. "They're with Herr Detweiler in town."
Maria studied the housekeeper, puzzled by her enigmatic demeanor. Frau Schmidt wrung her hands together and looked quickly to the car, searching for a distraction. Maria was about to question her when she felt Georg take her hand.
"When do you expect them to return?" he asked.
"Before dinner, I'm sure," the woman replied, grabbing a couple of smaller bags from the car. "I'll take these. You must be exhausted from that long ride back."
"Yes, thank you, Frau Schmidt," Georg said. "I trust everything has been in order. No frogs or snakes hiding in the dishes?"
She laughed. "Unless one of the children has been keeping one hidden in his or her sock drawer, it's been a rather uneventful month."
Georg looked over at Maria, giving her a conspicuous wink that made her cheeks redden. Seeing the playful exchange, the housekeeper smiled to herself. "If you'll excuse me, I'll bring these into the house. You're not to worry about anything else; we'll take it from here," she commanded with an air of authority mixed with happiness.
"Thank you, Frau Schmidt, we'll be inside," Georg said, guiding Maria away from the car. He looked down at her, the glow in her eyes making him forget his anger at the flag on his house. They started to walk towards the house; he was eager to be alone again with her.
"Looks like we got our wish," he whispered and paused in their walk.
She nodded. "I must admit, though, I was a little disappointed not to have been greeted by anyone," she said. "For a moment, I thought no one cared we were home!"
He laughed. "They will knock us over when they see us," he predicted. Pulling her closer, he grinned at her. "So, where do you want to go, Baroness von Trapp?"
Maria grinned and held her chin up with mock ostentation. "The Baroness would like to survey the extensive grounds," she declared, making them laugh louder. After a moment, she turned serious and gazed at him. "Let's go around the back."
He put his hand around her shoulder and guided her to the rear grounds of the villa. With each step, he felt himself feel more and more at ease. Just being home again, surrounded by the familiar sights and having his wife next to him lessoned his anger. She looked up at him, her soft smile relaxing him more. She is all I really need, he realized. Maria and his children. He would deal with the flag soon enough. For the moment, he wanted to give Maria the romantic homecoming she deserved.
They climbed the steps to the terrace and looked out onto the water.
"I love the lake," Maria said, sighing.
"I love you," he whispered into her ear, causing her to shudder as she turned to face him.
She studied him for a long moment, her eyes seeing into his soul. "Take me back to Paris."
He wrapped his arms around her, not wanting to waste any time, should their isolated return be cut short. He pressed his lips to hers and felt all the passion they had shared just the night before return to him instantly. She brought her hands up around his neck, pulling him closer. He deepened the embrace, his pulse quickening as he realized he was finally kissing Maria on the terrace as her husband.
Before their wedding, they had stolen many passionate moments, but had cut them short due to propriety or interruption. Now, alone and allowed to continue what was natural for them, he felt almost primal in his desire for her. He hugged her closer to him, a low groan sounding in his throat.
Pulling apart for air, she smiled, and Georg's heart warmed at the way her face glowed. She looked up into his eyes and they stared at one another for a long moment.
Maria smiled. "It feels different than it did before we left," she mused.
He nodded, tracing along her jaw line with his fingers. "Would you like to see your bedroom, Baroness?" he asked, and her eyes lit at the idea.
"I've been waiting forever to see it," she said.
They walked slowly into the house. Pausing at the foot of the staircase, he turned and smiled at her. He reached down to take her hand, and they slowly ascended the stairs. Maria laid her head on Georg's shoulder, her heart beginning to pound.
The feelings that they had discovered during their honeymoon were more than she had thought possible. But all of those emotions had been introduced in what seemed to be a different world. They were totally isolated in Paris, sharing intimacies that seemed reserved for their own special place.
Now, as they walked towards his – their- bedroom, Maria felt almost as nervous as she had on their wedding night. They were no longer in their own little world. They were going back to real life, and to combine the felicity of their honeymoon with the reality of being home made her agitated.
They reached the top of the stairs and he stopped. He glanced over towards the servant's quarters and then to the family rooms. Looking back down at her, he smiled. "You belong on this side," he whispered.
Her smile felt more relaxed and genuine. "If you're on this side, then yes, I do," she agreed. He squeezed her hand tighter and resumed leading her down the hallway to their bedroom. They reached the closed door, and he turned to her.
She set her chin with confidence. Keeping his eyes locked with hers, he opened the door and stepped aside so she could enter.
Maria inhaled and walked in, her eyes darting all over the room. She had only been in his room once before: she and Frau Schmidt had moved some of her personal items to the bedroom shortly before the wedding. It had been a rushed task; she had once again been running late for dinner. She didn't have a spare moment to look around and see the details of her fianc's most personal space. At that time, she hadn't really thought about how the room would be hers in only a matter of weeks. Now, it struck her that this was her room too, and she smiled to herself at how normal and right she felt as she walked around.
It was exactly as she had thought it to be. Impressive but simple furniture was placed logically, and the overall colors were deep blues and greens. There was very little adornment, only simple seascapes and other maritime paintings hanging on the walls. Maria was instantly reminded of her husband's former occupation when she walked over to a large book case displaying dozens of nautical decorations.
In addition to the miniature boats and compasses, she saw many photographs of the children on the shelves and again on the bureau. From pictures of the older children as infants to a more recent photograph of Marta proudly flashing a nearly toothless smile, the children were everywhere. Maria smiled at the images, again feeling honored that she was now a permanent part of this family.
Georg cleared his throat. She turned and smiled at the uncharacteristic hesitancy on his face. "I see you everywhere," she said.
He brightened at her comment and nodded, simply standing there and watching her as she explored their room.
Maria turned to walk to the window. Pulling one of the drapes back, she exhaled at the perfect view of the lake. "I see," she mused. "The master bedroom gets all the privileges."
She heard him laugh. "Yes," he said, and the tone of his voice made her turn around. His expression was serious and loving as he stared at her. "And the best one is finally here."
He walked over to her, and they smiled at one another before she turned to look outside again. He stood behind her and leaned down to brush the back of her neck with his lips. Maria shuddered in response and leaned into his embrace. He reached past her to shut the drape she had opened.
Georg lowered his arm and ran his hand down her collar as he leaned his head down again to kiss her neck again. His other hand went around her waist, caressing her stomach. Maria felt her knees slightly buckle, and his grasp tightened. She turned and exhaled as he cupped her face with his hands.
"Welcome home, Baroness," he whispered.
Maria responded by grabbing his shoulders and pulling him to her, suddenly filled with a raw passion. He reacted just as intensely and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her deeply.
She gasped in surprise as he lifted her off the ground and walked away from the window, feeling the back of her calves hit the side of the bed. He set her down and withdrew for air. Reaching up, he ran his finger from her throat down to the first button of her jacket, which he unfastened in one quick movement.
"You're wearing too much," he said, unfastening the next button, and then the next.
"You're talking too much," she responded, smiling and leaning over to capture his mouth again. Once her jacket was completely unbuttoned, he slid it off her shoulders and let if fall to the ground, his lips not leaving hers.
He tugged her chemise free from her skirt, and slowly slid his hands under it, caressing her bare skin and leaving her breathless. Maria snapped her head back, gasping in air and thrusting her arms upward so he could remove that article of clothing as well.
In a contrast to her quick movements, Georg took the ends of her chemise and slowly pulled it over her head, his thumbs caressing her sides as he did so. With the same frustratingly deliberate pace, he unhitched her bra. He smiled as he heard her soft moans in anticipation.
Once the clothing was off of her, Maria scanned him. Giving him a wry smile, she cocked her head. "Now, you're wearing too much," she said.
She opened a button on his shirt, and then another. He watched her with an amused grin, about to comment that the shirt's removal would be a lot easier if she'd take off his jacket first, but her creative expression captivated him. She unfastened another button and slid her hand to rest against his barely revealed chest. She drew small circles with her fingers, leaving a trail of fire on his skin. With her one hand still on his chest, her other hand unhitched the buttons of his jacket and pulled his shirt free from his pants. Echoing his earlier actions, she slid her other hand under his shirt, causing his breathing to come out in short gasps.
"Maria," he said so lowly, it was a near growl. Reaching up, he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her brusquely to him.
A wave of heat ran down her spine as he kissed her, and she ceased her subtle actions. Wrenching her hands free, she pulled with forceful determination at his jacket. When it was completely discarded, she tugged on the opening of his shirt, resolute in tearing it off of him. He smiled in their kiss and assisted her in her mission; with a quick movement, his shirt tore open and joined the rest of the apparel on the ground.
Georg lowered his hands slowly down her back and unzipped her skirt. Similarly, Maria unfastened his belt and pants, and the two garments fell to the floor in perfect synchronization. The room seemed to become fuzzy as they kicked their shoes off with no thought of grace or restriction.
Unable to wait any longer, Georg stepped forward, forcing Maria backwards. Both of them had forgotten about the bed's proximity, and Maria gasped in surprise as she tumbled onto the mattress, bringing her husband down with her. They landed with a thud, finally breaking apart to laugh.
He stared down at her and smoothed some hair from her face.
"Maybe we should savor this moment and slow down," he said, feeling how fast his pulse was beating.
She laughed lowly. "Maybe," she whispered, drawing lines up and down his back. Reaching up, she gently kissed him.
Georg broke away from her and stared down into her eyes. "This is a nice homecoming," he murmured.
Maria nodded and swallowed, trying to recapture her breathing. "The best," she managed.
He kissed her forehead before hoisting himself upwards, grinning at the surprised and clearly disappointed look on her face as she, too sat up. He gave her a meaningful glance before scooting further onto the bed, pushing her towards the pillows.
"You're so wonderful," she said, her eyes bright.
He kissed her cheek before laying her gently down on the bed again. Leaning over her, he stared into her eyes.
"We're so wonderful," he whispered before closing the gap between them as they finally allowed themselves the homecoming both had been dreaming of for weeks.
To be concluded…