The "start" of a G/M story just doesn't feel complete without a little bit of Maria... so without further ado, chapter two!

Thank you all for the lovely reviews so far! I'm notoriously bad/delayed at responding to reviews, but I appreciate them all oh so much! It really gives me the motivation to continue chugging along, especially while writing a long story.


Chapter Two

Georg made his way to the ground floor of the villa, and paused just outside the circle of light made by the open kitchen door. He could see Frau Schmidt still working at the counter.

After he had made up his mind to pay Fraulein Maria a visit, his head felt much clearer. He also realized that despite his best intentions, it probably wasn't appropriate to surprise her at this hour for no special reason. Because she had skipped dinner, he would bring her a snack.

"Friedrich? Is that you?" Frau Schmidt had the ears of a cat and peered into the hall. "You needn't skulk there like a burglar – if you're after that last piece of strawberry pie, I'll tell you right now that Kurt already ate it."

Georg snorted as he edged into the kitchen. "I'm not sure if I should be more offended that you think I have the build of a 14 year old boy, or that I look like a sneak."

"Oh, Captain – it's you." Frau Schmidt spared him a glance as he eased beside her at the counter, before returning to the tray of food she was assembling. She wasn't deceived by his lighthearted banter. After working for the Von Trapp family since the late Baroness's first pregnancy, she didn't need to look at him to sense the Captain was as tense as a compressed spring. Plus, his hair did seem unusually ruffled – a sure sign he'd been worrying about something. "What are you doing here at this hour? I'm going to go ahead and assume you weren't also after a slice of pie?"

He sighed. "No." Georg didn't elaborate, and instead asked, indicating the tray, "is that for the Fraulein?"

"Yes, Captain. The children must have told you she's been feeling poorly today."

"Hmm. How is she?"

Frau Schmidt shrugged. "She's got a bit of a cough." She shook her head. "She doesn't have much of an appetite, but I figure I'll bring it up to her and let her decide."

"Ah, allow me." Deftly, Georg slid the tray from under her hands before the woman could protest. "I won't spill."

Frau Schmidt opened her mouth to speak, and abruptly closed it again. Briefly, she met his eyes, and he thought he could see a touch of pity in her kind face. She turned to wipe her hands on a spare towel. "Very well, Captain," was all she said. "Good evening to you."

He carefully balanced the tray and made his way upstairs. Outside the suite assigned to the governess, Georg hesitated, setting down the tray on the hallway console. The last – and only – time he had been here, he had surprised Fraulein Maria in her nightgown singing with the children. That confrontation had not ended well. He shook his head. Whatever had possessed him to rile her up that way? He was sure no traces of that desire remained. What took its place was a desire he had to guard far more carefully.

He cleared his throat, and knocked.

There was no answer. Georg knocked again, louder this time. "Fraulein?"

"Oh. Oh, Captain? Is that you?" His lips twitched in amusement at the sound of her flustered voice. Then he heard the creak of bedsprings. "Just a moment – "

"Please don't –" He'd started to say, reaching for the handle himself, but she'd already thrown open the door.

"Oh!" They stared at each other for a moment. He hadn't expected her to be so fast, and evidently she hadn't expected him to be so close. Her hands went immediately to cover the sudden flush of her cheeks. His hand, still poised in midair, almost brushed her arm. Slowly, he lowered it. Georg was close enough he could see her pupils dilate and feel the slight stir of her breath. He could count the dusting of freckles across her nose – something he'd never noticed.

Her coppery hair was mussed on one side and there was a lingering red mark on her cheek. He pictured her asleep on that side, and instantly his breath caught. He quickly looked away to hide the unexpected nature of his glance.

Maria's eyes never left him. Her unnatural silence led him to wonder whether she was noticing him like he had noticed her.

Sheer physical attraction, Georg mused. That would complicate things a bit. Now that he acknowledged he cared for her, it was unbelievable how much of her he saw. Then again, perhaps he had always seen it, and never permitted himself to notice.

"… You shouldn't be up," he said weakly. "Please." He gestured toward the bed.

Obediently, Maria backed into the room, pausing only to throw a shawl over her thin nightgown. He waited until she had settled herself in bed, sitting bolt upright against the headboard, knees drawn up to her chest, before stepping across the threshold.

"I – isn't this rather… I mean, it's a bit – late?" She stammered. "Was – is there something you needed, Captain? One of the children…?"

Georg watched as she pulled herself together. It was so rare for his governess to be tongue-tied that he couldn't help but enjoy it. It was obvious Maria was as thrown off as he was, and this assessment somehow put him more at ease.

"No, nothing, Fraulein. I heard you were ill, and I thought I might just drop by to see how you were feeling. Did I wake you?"

"Thank you Captain," her manner relaxed slightly and she gave him a smile. "No, that's quite alright – I was just resting."

He nodded. "I also took the liberty to bring you the evening meal. It's in the hall."

"That's – that's very kind of you." Maria titled her head, eyebrows furrowed. It was an expression Georg associated with intense curiosity, and he realized he was probably the last person in the world she expected to bring her supper. "I've got the sniffles, that's all. I'll be fine in a day or two." She looked rather sheepish, and mumbled something under her breath. Georg caught the words 'yesterday', and 'ball', and what sounded suspiciously like 'lake'.

"What was that?" He drew closer.

"Nothing, Captain" she said quickly. "And are you sure you should be here, sir? This," – Maria gestured around vaguely, " – might be catching."

"Fraulein…" He waved away her concern, approaching the bed and perching on the edge, as if to make a point. Her eyes widened slightly. "I've had anything and everything during my time in the navy. Don't worry about me." He fixed her with a stern gaze. "Now, what was it you were saying?"

Maria made a face. "Kurt accidentally threw his ball into the lake yesterday. I went in after it."

He groaned. "Of course you did. It was freezing yesterday. Didn't it occur to you to consider you might get sick afterward, Fraulein?"

"Oh, not for a minute, Captain. Before I entered the Abbey, dipping into streams was a daily pastime – and I still spent the rest of the day on the mountain, besides. It was fine." She paused, then confessed, "actually, that was true even after I entered the Abbey." Maria looked toward the window with a small sigh, clearly picturing those moments of cherished abandon. Then she shook her head. "It's probably not related."

Instantly, Georg was on alert. "Oh? Have you been working too hard? It must be demanding with the seven of them. And you're always picking up the little ones. Perhaps I should write the Abbey and arrange – "

"No!" Maria cut him off. "I'm fine, here. In fact, I've never felt so – "

Georg never found out what it was she felt, for at that point she started coughing and couldn't seem to stop. He startled, and felt his heart thump. He sat for a moment, fighting the sudden irrational rise of panic. Maria had buried her face in her arm, and didn't seem to notice when he reached out tentatively to pat her on the back.

Slowly, her coughing subsided and she wiped her watery eyes with a sleeve. "Pardon me, Captain," she murmured.

"Hmm." The words tumbled out in an embarrassingly incoherent jumble. "And evidently you didn't consider how I might feel."

"What?" Now it was Maria's turn to lean in.

"Nothing."

She wiggled her eyebrows. "Now now Captain. What was it you were saying?" Her teasing voice mocked his stern tone.

Georg sighed. "Fraulein, it didn't occur to you at all that if you fell ill, the children and I might be… concerned?"

She stared at him blankly. He watched as understanding swept across her face in the sudden pallor of her cheeks and the small 'o' of her lips.

"Captain! Oh – no, no. You shouldn't – I'm not…" Earnestly, Maria captured his hands with hers, and he froze. "Oh Captain, I didn't think – of course I understand your concern. Please forgive me."

Maria's hands felt warm and soft against his. His sudden impulse to bring them to his chest and pull her toward him made him aware the boundaries he had set were getting dangerously thin. He gave her fingers a quick squeeze and pulled away. "I'll forgive you when you're better, Fraulein," he admonished, standing.

"Yes, sir," she said immediately. They were both reminded of the way she had poked fun at him her first day here.

He smiled. "You've never taken so kindly to orders before."

Maria returned the smile warmly. "Must have something to do with this cold I caught. And Captain – you'll talk to the children? Tell them not to worry?"

The concern in her voice as she asked after the children touched him. "Let's make a deal. I'll talk to them, if you promise not to take too long in your recovery – my children need their governess."

"Deal." She nodded, before adding, "… but talk to them anyway."

Georg chuckled, letting her win this round. "Very well."

"Goodnight, sir," she said when he was at the doorway. He met her eyes, and his lips twitched at the obvious reluctance in her voice. Georg made himself turn away.

"Goodnight, Fraulein."


This is my first time writing G/M dialogue! :O What fun!

Also, I've always imagined Frau Schmidt having a loyal, loving sort of disrespect (with a dash of sass), and I just couldn't wait to write her in. Haha.