A/N: This is my first Sound of Music story. It is the Captain's thoughts while he is watching Maria from the balcony. Comments are appreciated.
Disclaimer: I don't own "The Sound of Music".
He watched her as she stood there bathed in the pale moonlight. She looked so beautiful, so simple, so, pure. His hands gripped the balcony railing as he watched, no, admired her. She was an angel, she had to be. He had felt so lost this morning when he found her to be missing. The images from the dance last night whirled through his mind as he realised that it must have been the cause, the reason she had left.
He paused then. She had left because of the dance, the touches, the looks, the, no, no, he couldn't hope for that. She had come back for the children, she herself had said that. Then why did it not seem to ring true when he heard it, or now, when he thought of her response again. Maybe, just maybe, what he had been feeling was reciprocal. Maybe she wanted him too. To be with him, just as he so desperately wished he could be with her.
His heart gave a sudden jolt. He wanted to be with her, and he realised that maybe it was possible. He had been without love, laughter, happiness, music for far too long. Not since Agathe. Then this will-o-wisp of a governess had come and turned his life up-side down. She had brought back the music, the laughter, the love. She had brought him back. Not in the way Elsa had. In her own unique way, and now he could think of Agathe without pain and suffering. He wanted to be with this amazing woman. Her spirit was pure and her attitude was contagious and he wanted it for his own. He knew that she didn't belong in a convent, locked up following their ancient rules. She belonged in his arms, to be there forever, watching over their children, and, loving him.
He smiled. Closing his eyes he could see a perfect image, the seven children, himself and Maria on 'her' mountain. Singing and playing, a family picnic, their weekly outing. It was so beautiful and so wonderful that he wondered how he could not have seen it before. He opened his eyes and chuckled when he realised. His other fantasies managed to exclude the children, and for good reason. His other fantasies belonged to just him, and only involved him and Maria. He imaged laying Maria down and loving her. Showing her exactly how much he loved her, running his fingers through her hair, stroking her sides, kissing her. Loving her in a way no other could. He could image her responding to his touches, her cries, her kisses. He could almost hear her whispering 'I love you' in his ear, when he was joined on the balcony by Elsa. He looked at Maria once more and realised that he could make his dreams a reality. He took a deep breath and turned to Elsa, ready to have the conversation, which in turn would lead to one of the most memorable nights of his life.
End.