Georg was staggered by her words. It seemed his worst fears were true; he was sick. It was all because last night he had been too distracted with his thoughts. That was entirely his fault. Maybe now he would learn to not think too much about his governess. He glanced at his brood and found them looking at him with concerned faces. Georg cursed under his breath, he hadn't even realized that being sick would remind them of when their mother was dying. At that moment he felt nothing but sympathy towards his children.

"Don't worry, I'm fine, it's just a fever," Georg smiled a little trying to cheer them up.

"Mama only had a fever too," Louisa blurted out, standing up and then running away from the dining room.

Georg was stunned by Louisa's behavior and decided to go after her, however, a hand on his shoulder stopped him before he could stand up.

"I will talk to her, sir. You should go to your bedroom and rest, "Fraulein Maria said, looking at him with worry in her eyes. Her tone didn't allow any room for him to argue; it appeared she was now in charge of his ship.

He wanted to answer her but he sneezed repeatedly. Georg sniffed, he didn't feel well, he was exhausted and his head was throbbing. Elsa was coming back to the villa in four days, Max had disappeared now that he didn't need a chaperone, and in two weeks he had to attend his own party. Just thinking about that gave him shivers, he had to host a party and act as he if really cared. He stopped his thoughts and got up, smiling again reassuringly to his children before going to his bedroom. As much as he hated to admit it, his governess was right; he needed to get to bed.

Maria was worried. Louisa's reaction concerned her and looking at the children she could imagine where their thoughts were: with their mother's illness. When someone was sick in the villa there was always a dark cloud around them until it was over. She knew the Captain must be quite ill because he hadn't protested with her, it was not in his nature to be so indulgent. It would be best if they postponed their picnic in the mountains.

"Liesl, could you go upstairs with your brothers and sisters? I will come up in a few minutes."

Liesl understood what her governess was trying to tell her, and in the blink of an eye, she was alone. She decided to go outside the villa, knowing Louisa would probably be scanning the garden for bugs. Finally, she found her near the lake, sitting near the gate and staring at her hand intensely. Maria approached her slowly, sitting down next to her, clearing her throat until Louisa noticed she was there.

"Hello, Fraulein," she said, without looking at her.

Of all the Captain's children, Louisa was the hardest to know. She was quite obstinate, she never showed her emotions and when she did she was sarcastic. Her character was the spitting image of her father. However, ever since Maria had been at Aigen, Louisa had let her guard down little by little and now she trusted Maria completely.

Maria didn't answer, though she stared at Louisa's hand in which she had a little bug. With a finger, the child touched the woodlouse and immediately it rolled up into a ball. If there was one thing that scared the governess it was Louisa's tendency to build walls around herself; Maria didn't want her to do exactly what the woodlouse was doing to survive.

"I'm scared...Fraulein," Louisa muttered, placing the woodlouse on the ground with care, next to the gate.

"Oh, Louisa..." Maria put an arm around her shoulder, bringing her closer, feeling Louisa relaxing under her touch "I'm sure your father will be fine..."

"What if he doesn't get well? Mama was going to recover also and..." She fell silent and gulped, before continuing, "I've never seen my father ill."

"Well, your father is a strong man, but even strong people get sick. If it makes you feel better, tomorrow you and your siblings could visit him, I'm sure he will be glad to see you, and even he will recover sooner. What do you think? "Maria grinned when she saw Louisa's nod. "Now, go with your brothers and sisters."

Louisa started to go back to the villa but then she stopped dead, turned and gave her a big hug. Maria kissed her forehead before letting her go and watched her running to the villa. Even though Maria had told Louisa she was quite sure the Captain was going to heal, there was a small part of her that was afraid of being wrong. What if...? Her stomach clenched and she stopped the course of her thoughts.

She knew the only thing that could calm her and give her some peace was talking to God. She clasped her hands, closed her eyes and prayed for the Captain's recovery as soon as possible. When she finished she followed Louisa's steps back to the villa.

The rest of the morning was spent in the schoolroom, even if the children couldn't concentrate on their studies. She decided it was best if they played outside to take advantage of the sunny day, maybe that would remove their somber faces. They played hide and seek in the garden until Frau Schmidt came outside to tell them that dinner was ready. Maria told the children to go inside and wash their hands. She saw the opportunity of being alone with the housekeeper.

"Frau Schmidt, do you know how the Captain is?" Maria asked, trying not to sound too concerned, and failing miserably.

"I have been to his room with his dinner but he wasn't very hungry. He opened his eyes a little bit, grunted, and drifted off to sleep again. I forced him to take some water and an aspirin. When he's sick he is quite stubborn. At least he's resting..." Frau Schmidt was silent for a moment then she smiled, patting Maria's arm. "I'm glad you are here Fraulein Maria, if it wasn't for you I don't know how the children would be. They must be terribly anxious, but with you, I'm sure they will calm down"

"Shouldn't we call the doctor? Just in case..."

"Doctor Meier will come this afternoon, however, I'm sure it's just a cold. The Captain is a strong man, he has suffered worse things at war." She tried to soothe her, smiling at her again before she went to the kitchen.

Maria arrived at the dining room where the children were waiting for her to say grace and start eating. The food passed in silence. Although it seemed that the children had managed to cheer up playing outside, their spirits had dropped once again. Not even Kurt, who normally was starving, appeared to be able to console himself by eating. Maria tried to make them talk, but the Captain's absence and his empty chair was a constant reminder of their sick father.

The afternoon passed slowly, with everyone in silence and the children doing different activities. Outside it was raining again and Maria pressed her cheek to the cold window, looking at the sheets of rain and listening to the gusts of wind moving through the tree branches. She stared at the raindrops going down the window and she began thinking about her confused feelings.

Ever since the rowboat incident she didn't understand her moods. For some weeks she hadn't been able to sleep properly and even if she was able to, she usually had the strangest dreams, involving the Reverend Mother, the Captain and even the Baroness. However, when she woke up she only remembered who was in her dream but not what they did or told her.

Before the puppet show, whenever the Captain spoke to her she made witty remarks, answering quickly and straightforwardly, sometimes forgetting he was her employer and she was under his care. But after he sang Edelweiss that night something had changed. When the Captain had looked at her with raw intensity her breath had caught, and she had felt her knees go weak. She had blushed and turned her face, not being able to hold his gaze.

Last night's encounter left her restless. An image of the Captain completely soaked came into her mind, and she felt her cheeks turn crimson. She could recall his mussed wet hair with some locks falling on his forehead, his sparkling eyes and his damp shirt showing his muscles. She shivered, removing her cheek from the window, feeling her skin hot even when the window was cold.

Maybe that was Reverend Mother's wanted, that Maria should know what was outside the Abbey walls before joining the Order. It had to be a test, and one she was completely sure she would pass. She had always wanted to be part of the Abbey, to be in God's service, and what better way than proving to herself that a little attraction to a man wouldn't change her dream? But what a man!

Maria pondered his complexity. Even if the Captain was sometimes obstinate and his temperament challenging for her, Maria also knew he was, as the Reverend Mother had told her, fine and brave. He was also passionate, but he had built walls around himself after his wife passed away. He only showed his tender side with his children, she could see he treasured them even if he wasn't capable of being near his brood for four years. He was very intelligent, and thanks to his aristocratic education he had refined manners. The Captain was well-read and she suspected he was a bookworm just like Brigitta. And, of course, he was...very handsome.

However, with Maria, the Captain used his sarcastic and arrogant side and it appeared he wanted to provoke her every time they were engaged in a conversation. Maria could understand somehow why, she was only the governess and he was a decorated Captain. He would never treat her in a gentlemanly manner, and warmly like he treated the Baroness, their social differences were like an ocean between them. In spite of this, there was a small part of her which would have loved to see his tender side with her.

Nevertheless, there were times in which they had civil conversations and shared interesting points of view. Those talks left her wanting to understand him, to decipher his character, to help him. If she was lucky, sometimes she would listen to one of his tales, and even a week ago he had mentioned his wife to the children. That had left her quite curious about what the Captain had been like with his wife before she died.

Maria chewed her lower lip, looking at the clock wall. Had the doctor seen the Captain? The fear that the Captain had something worse than a simple cold was still with her. She pushed away her thoughts and decided to do something to keep the children occupied. She got up from the chair and clapped her hands, drawing their attention.

"I have a wonderful idea...Let's make a new song, specifically for the party. I'm sure your father will love it and we could surprise him."

The children looked at her with excited smiles on their faces, in contrast to the somber looks they had had before. They seemed to like her idea.

"But Fraulein, Father told Uncle Max that we shouldn't sing in public," Brigitta said.

"This is not exactly in public, it's among his peers and friends. But I will talk to him and ask for his permission."

Just when Brigitta was opening her mouth to answer her, Frau Schmidt appeared. Maria felt a knot in her stomach and drew a long breath, waiting for the housekeeper to tell them what the doctor had said. She relaxed a little bit when Frau Schmidt smiled.

"The doctor has been here and after examining your father he said he only has a cold. Probably the fever will break tomorrow if he rests enough. Your father told me that you shouldn't worry and that he's fine," Frau Schmidt reassured them all before leaving the room.

In a matter of a few hours, they had already developed half of the song, with Maria encouraging them to share their ideas for the lyrics and the dance, and making everyone participate. Thanks to the good news about their father and the fun of creating the song, the children were in high spirits, and at dinner they seemed hungrier than at lunch. They even chatted more. After dinner, the children went directly to bed, tired after a day of roller coaster emotions.

Maria sighed, going downstairs after reading a book to the little ones. She was tired but she was also restless. Although Frau Schmidt had told them the Captain only had a cold, his empty chair still lingered in her mind. She decided to go outside and have some fresh air to clear her head, but when she started walking to the veranda, Frau Schmidt appeared with a tray of food. When the housekeeper noticed her, she approached Maria, relieved at finding her.

"Fraulein, I need a favor...Could you please take this to the Captain? With Cook's absence, I have a lot of work to do. I wouldn't dare ask this of you if it wasn't strictly necessary."

"I don't want to get in trouble...with the Captain," Maria hesitated. Even if she needed to know if he was better, she knew his temperament perfectly well, and maybe her presence wasn't welcome.

"He's sleeping. Just wake him up and make sure he eats at least a little bit until you leave his bedroom. Doctor Meier has told me it's very important he has proper meals." Frau Schmidt chuckled, seeing Maria's worry about making the Captain angry. "He still has a fever, he won't complain. I ask this as a favor. Tomorrow Cook will be back and I will do it personally."

"Don't worry Frau Schmidt, I'll do it..." she said quietly taking the tray, though she was still unconvinced.

She climbed the stairs and turned to his bedroom until she was facing the door. She was nervous, her heart was pounding so fast that she was sure the Captain could hear it. The situation was improper but with the Captain sick, and knowing that Frau Schmidt had a lot of work to do, she couldn't refuse. She put down the tray and knocked softly, waiting for an answer. When she knocked again she remembered the Captain was sleeping, so she opened the door carefully, not wanting to make a noise.

Inside there was a dim light from a lamp that allowed her to scan the bedroom. It was quite empty, unlike the other rooms or his study, it seemed he wanted to erase all memories leaving only the impersonal things. The Captain only had the necessary furniture: a big bed, two nightstands, and a desk in the corner. There were two doors, and she presumed one was his wardrobe and the other one was his ensuite. The only thing that showed his personality was the small model of a submarine on top of his desk.

Maria moved towards the nightstand and placed the tray. She wondered how to wake up the Captain. She glanced at him, noticing his flushed cheeks, his hair completely mussed, his lips slightly parted and his jawline covered with stubble. Watching him sleeping was quite intimate, and there was a difference between the Baron and this version of the Captain. If she had to choose she would probably pick this version in which he seemed more like a pirate than a sea Captain. Just looking at him made her heart skip a beat.

Her eyes were fixed on a lock of hair that fell across his forehead, recalling her desire from last night to put it back. Tempted, she forgot where she was and lightly touched his forehead with two fingers until she caught his smooth lock. His jaw twitched and she dropped the lock, not wanting him to catch her touching him.

"Captain...Captain?" she whispered, hoping he would wake up. When he didn't even stir, she tried louder, bringing her face closer to his. "Captain."

It had the desired effect because the Captain started to open his eyes slowly, trying to adjust them to the light. He blinked several times, at first disorientated, and a smile began forming on his face until he had a broad grin. He had never smiled at her with such tenderness and Maria was speechless, feeling her cheeks turning a crimson red.

"Do...Do you feel better Captain?" she stammered, confused at his reaction.

The Captain nodded a few times with his grin plastered on his face and Maria smiled too, at least he had improved a little. Suddenly his smile was wiped off from his face and he looked appalled. He sat up in his bed, looking at her in shock. Maria opened her mouth, wanting to break the tension that had appeared in the room when she saw he wasn't wearing his pajama top. She gazed at his rugged chest, covered with black curly hair and she noticed a big rough scar, slightly clearer than his tanned skin, which started from one of his ribs and descended to his stomach. She felt her cheeks growing hotter, quite embarrassed at finding him shirtless.

"Fraulein!"

Georg's day had passed in a blur. When he had entered his bedroom, he'd changed into his pajama bottoms and had gone straight to bed, drifting off to sleep when his face touched the pillow. He had only got out of bed twice, and it was to go to the bathroom. He spent the rest of his day sleeping deeply, it seemed that it was the only thing that made him feel better.

In the afternoon Doctor Meier, an old family friend, examined him. He couldn't recall much of what he told him, only that he simply had a cold and that all he had to do was to rest and eat properly. Georg said goodbye to the doctor and grunted. His body was aching and he shivered, cursing under his breath. Georg vowed to himself to never let his thoughts about Fraulein Maria distract him, he didn't want to get sick again. But he couldn't continue strategizing because, in a matter of minutes, he was sleeping again.

His last dream was quite vivid. He was with Fraulein Maria and the children in the mountains, watching her from afar, hearing her lovely and melodic laugh, and noticing how her blond hair shone in the sun. Then she started to twirl, with her dress moving and showing part of her pretty legs. His mouth was dry at that sight, and he couldn't drag away his eyes from her slim body when she was coming towards him. She stopped with her face near his, whispering again softly: "Captain...Captain." He felt a light touch in his forehead, giving him goosebumps.

The lavender scent made him realize her face was closer, with those big blue eyes gazing at him, and he smiled. At this distance, he could count every freckle she had, starting from her rosy cheeks and continuing to her pretty nose. Oh, she was an angel, so precious! She even had dilated pupils, and her lips were slightly parted. Was it possible that she was attracted to him?

There was a part of his mind that knew there was something wrong. He started to blink, each time faster until he realized what was happening. It wasn't a dream! He jumped until he was sitting up in his bed, moving away from her. With panic, he realized his dreams about her were getting worse each day and he had nearly lost control with the real governess because his mind was playing tricks on him.

Georg frowned, what was Fraulein Maria doing in his room? And why was she so agitated? Of course, he was shirtless!

"Fraulein! What are you doing here?" Georg blurted out with a hoarse voice. He waited patiently, but the governess didn't react. He pointed at his dressing robe on top of his bed. "At least bring me my dressing gown, Fraulein."

The Governess reacted to his words and gave him his dressing gown. Georg put it on, covering his chest entirely. Sometimes it was easy to forget she was a postulant.

"Sorry, Captain...Frau Schmidt is quite busy with Cook's absence, and she needed some help...Of course, I wouldn't dare...But I have...There's your dinner... " She stumbled over her words, trying to say something coherent.

"Fraulein!" he interrupted her. "Stop rambling. I was...worried, I thought something had happened," he lied, pausing for a moment. "I know you wouldn't come here unless it was strictly necessary."

Georg turned to look at the tray. He wasn't hungry, just glancing at the food made him nauseous, but yesterday was the last time he had had a proper meal and he had to follow doctor's orders. Perhaps he had better take advantage of the fact that he felt slightly better. Suddenly an idea popped into his head.

"Would you keep me company while I have dinner?"

Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this story, your kind words make me smile! I'm glad you've liked my plot twist.

Special thanks to bloomandgrow who reads patiently every chapter, checks everything and encourages me.

I don't own TSOM.