The sun was just beginning to peek through the curtains, allowing small amounts of light to spill into the room as Georg lay quietly in bed the following morning. He hadn't slept a wink the previous evening, the nauseating fullness of his mind and the cold space beside him on the bed making it simply impossible for him to clear his mind and succumb to the clutches of slumber. As the hours had continued to slowly crawl by and as he had gazed up at the ceiling whilst listening to the slow ticking of the clock on the wall, the only thing that he had been able to think of had been Liesl and the fact that he had failed her once again. On the evening of her birth, seventeen-and-a-quarter years ago, as he had cradled her in his arms for the first time, he had promised her that he would always be there to protect her and guide her footsteps as she grew older.
He'd remained true to his word for over a decade and the bond that the two of them had shared had become one that had been unbreakable, the two of them hardly leaving the other's side whenever he came home on leave. There was no doubt in his mind that his precious Liesl had been a father's girl when she had been growing up, but that only caused the aching in his heart to grow all the more intense whenever he thought back to how he'd shut her out along with his other children after Agathe's early demise The time they'd needed him the most.
She had come to him many times in the weeks following her mother's death, tears sparkling in her dark blue eyes as she had clutched the teddy bear that Agathe had given her for her fourth birthday to her chest and had gently requested to snuggle on the settee with him as she had been unable to sleep. Depending on the state that he had been in on the evenings that she found the courage to enter his study, whether he was somewhat stable or whether he had thrown back several glasses of Scotch to help numb the ache in his heart that Agathe's demise had caused, he had occasionally allowed her to climb onto the settee beside him and curl into his side for a few minutes. He had never let her fall asleep there, though, as he had known that if she had drifted off against him then he would have to carry her back to bed. The way that he and Agathe had once done together.
As the years had gone by, the two of them had drifted apart and she had stopped coming to him in search of comfort at night. When she had been hurt or unwell, she had gone to the Nanny or to her Governess instead of requesting that he held her close until she felt better as she had once done. He had pushed her away from him and ruined the bond that they'd spent years forming all because of his own damn grief and self-pity, and even though he had her back again now, he still couldn't forgive himself for what he'd done.
The news of her pregnancy had shocked him to the core, there was no denying that. Whatever he had expected her to say about what had happened when she had gone to visit Nicolas on New Year's Day, it certainly hadn't been that the two of them had been intimate. Liesl had always been such a shy and quiet child, a child who preferred to settle in a corner and read a storybook rather than have friends over for play-dates or tea-parties as Gretl and Marta loved to do now, which was why he had been lost for words when she had told him what had happened between she and Nicolas just four months ago.
He knew that it had been wrong of him to scold her so harshly the previous afternoon and even though he had been furious with her for breaking her promise to he and Maria, his intention hadn't been to upset her as much as he had. It was just so painfully hard for him to come to terms with the fact that his perfect little girl, the same little girl who used to ask to be carried on his shoulders when her legs got tired on one of their family walks, was only five months away from having a child of her own. Deep within his heart he could tell that she was going to make an exceptional mother, considering she'd always had such a motherly nature. From the moment Kurt had been born she had been the doting older sister and had wanted to help Agathe care for him in every way possible, whether it had been feeding or bathing him. When he had shut her out along with her six siblings after Agathe's passing, she had practically taken on the role of their mother. She would bathe Gretl, who had only been one-and-a-half at the time, in the evenings along with the help of the Nanny until she got old enough to do it unaided, before feeding her a bottle and putting her into the cot that she had pushed into her own room so that she could have her close by. She would also make sure that the others got all of their school work done.
He couldn't help but sigh deeply as he once again realized just how alone he was without Maria snuggled against him. Yes, she was still usually asleep by this time and her head would be buried into his neck as she released the softest of snores and her arm would be draped loosely over his middle, but at least she'd be there. At least he'd know that she was warm and comfortable and that she was actually getting some sleep instead of laying awake and worrying about Rosmarie and her teething. Ever since the two of them had come home from Paris at the end of their honeymoon a little over two years ago, they had only spent three nights in separate rooms. The first time had been when both Brigitta and Louisa had come down with a head cold and they hadn't wanted to do anything other than cuddle with their mother, meaning that Maria had gone to spent that night in her old room so that the girls could both snuggle up against her and get some rest. The second time had been when she had been one week overdue with Rosmarie and she'd been unable to get comfortable due to the chronic ache in her back, prompting her to climb out of bed and painfully waddle her way down to her old bedroom so that she didn't wake her husband with her constant tossing and turning through the night. When she had woken up the following morning she had found herself wrapped up in his arms, though, one of his hands supporting her swollen belly as the other had been tenderly massaging her lower back through her nightgown. The third evening that they had spent apart was last night, due to the fact that he hadn't been able to find the words to say to Liesl regarding his temper earlier that afternoon.
Last night had been the most difficult to get through.
He couldn't help but sigh deeply once again as he recalled just how much he had hurt both his wife and his daughter with his sharp tongue the previous day, his heart aching as he remembered how the two of them had left his study in tears due to the fact that he had been unwilling to listen to either of them. He had let his pride control what he'd said. He sat up slowly in place, then, before running his fingers slowly through his dark hair and telling himself that he had to put his own feelings to one side and think only of theirs.
He had to make things right.
For as long as he had lived, Georg knew that he had never felt anything as tense as the breakfast that he had just had. And he'd never forget it, either. It was funny; he'd spent years in the Navy, been in more daunting situations than he could recall, and yet it was a simple family breakfast that had sent chills down his spine. Chills and regret. That was the first time that he'd seen the physical effects of his sharp tongue and he didn't like it one bit. It made him feel sick to his stomach that his words had caused so much pain to two of the most important women in his life, and he knew that it would be quite some time before he could truly forgive himself for that. Yet, with determined strides he headed toward his study, hoping - praying - that he would be able to figure out a way to make it up to both his wife and daughter, or at least find the very beginning of the process. He never made it past the threshold to the room as he arrived at his study, however, for in the window seat sat his wife - her cheeks holding a soft blush as her beautiful blue eyes were puffy from crying and her forehead was pressed lightly against the cool windowpane. 'Maria?' He spoke softly so not to startle her as he began to make his way slowly into the room, a deep sigh escaping him as she turned her head slowly to face him and her eyes glistened with unshod tears. 'Oh, my darling, what's the matter?' He asked lovingly, nothing but worry in his eyes as he approached her and she shuffled across carefully in order to make room for him on the bench before he slowly lowered himself down onto it.
She was silent for a moment as his strong hand found the small of her back through the pink fabric of the jacket of her skirt-suit and he began to draw tender circles into it with his palm, her tear-filled gaze cast down to her lap as she swallowed hard in order to remove the tears that she could feel were caught in her throat. 'I've let it all go to my head, Georg.' She sniffed quietly as she wrung her hands slowly in her lap and the diamond upon her wedding band sparkled beautifully in the sunlight that came through the window.
'What do you mean?' He furrowed his brow slightly as he shifted closer to her and allowed his arm to slip comfortingly around her waist, his hand coming to settle upon her hip.
'I lost my temper with Rosmarie and snapped at her when we were in the sitting room together after breakfast.' She whimpered. 'It wasn't her fault, the little darling, she's just in so much pain and was trying to tell me how much she wanted it to go away, but I was just so stressed and overwhelmed about you and Liesl that...that I just lost it with her! Oh, Georg, you should have seen how shocked and sad she looked. I instantly hated myself for it afterwards.' A solitary tear trickled down her cheek as she let out a gentle sob.
'Oh, Maria, don't be so hard on yourself.' He spoke gently to her as he brushed his thumb against the jut of her hip through her skirt. 'It happens to all of us, sweetheart, and I know that you would never upset her on purpose, and I know that you know that you wouldn't either.' She turned her head slowly towards him, then, her eyes filled with tears.
'But what kind of a mother snaps at her little girl just because she's in pain?' She asked softly.
'You were upset, darling, you were tired and just like Rosmarie, you just wanted someone to take your pain away. You didn't want to snap at her, I know that, it just came out.' She nodded silently in understanding as she leaned back in his hold. 'The only person who is at fault in all of this is me, my love, not you.' He admitted to her with a loving sigh.
'No, Georg, we're both at fault.' She reminded him as she brought her hand up to rest upon his strong chest through the thin material of his shirt, her head falling back to settle upon his shoulder through his jacket. 'I know that you feel as though you're always second best to our children because I always side with them when they make a mistake and you become angry with them, and I can't even begin to explain how sorry I am for that. You're my husband and I swore to you in my vows that I'd be there to support you with every decision that you make, and I just feel as though I've broken that vow now.' She couldn't help but hum softly in contentment when she felt him begin to brush the tips of his fingers through her short auburn hair, her eyes fluttering closed for a moment as she reveled in the soothing sensation. 'What I'm trying to say, Georg, is that I should have come and spoken to you about Liesl on the day that I found out. I understand now that by lying to you every time you asked what was wrong, I only made the outcome worse.'
'I know that you love our children, Maria, anyone who sees you with them knows that instantly.' She gazed into his eyes as he spoke gently to her and his hand was fixed upon her hip once again. 'Sometimes I do feel second best to our children when you side with them if I've been too harsh whilst scolding them, but I truly cannot blame you for that, my sweet one. Even though I've reconnected with them now and even though I have a relationship with the seven of them, I still find it hard to control my temper when one of them misbehave.' He took her small hand warmly in his larger one once again. 'You have been incredible over these last few days, my love, and I can't even begin to explain to you how proud I am of you.' Her brow furrowed just slightly. 'You have a six-month-old daughter who is making it impossible for you to get a good night's sleep at the moment, and yet you have still been there to help Liesl through her morning sickness. You have been there to reassure her that things will be fine and to hold her after I lost my temper.'
'I just wanted her to feel as though she had someone to fall back on.' She admitted with a small smile. 'Someone to confide in when Nicolas isn't here.'
'And you let her throw all of her burdens on you, Maria, which is one of the things I love most about you.' He told her. 'The only thing you care about is this family's happiness.' She couldn't help but sigh lovingly as she ran her hand softly across the front of his chest. 'I want to apologize for the way that I spoke to both you and Liesl yesterday, darling, I was completely out of line and I never should have spoken to you as though you were beneath me. I vowed to myself at the start of our engagement that I would never try to have any sense of authority over you again and that I would always treat you as my equal, Maria, and not as though you're lower than me.' She shook her head lovingly at him.
'It's okay, my darling.' She reassured him softly as she brought her hand up to cup the warmth of his cheek in her palm, Georg sighing gently in contentment as he nuzzled into her caress when she brushed her thumb lovingly against the smooth skin that she discovered there before he turned his head to press a tender open-mouthed kiss to her palm.
'No, it's not.' He shook his head as he covered her small hand with his own upon his cheek and entwined their fingers before bringing their joined hands to rest in his lap, slowly sweeping his thumb across her knuckles before he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed tenderly over the gold band which was still resting proudly at the base of her ring-finger. 'You needed me to support you just as much as Liesl did yesterday, darling, and I did all but that. I want that to change though, sweetheart, I want to make things right again.' As she allowed her gaze to lock with his own, then, she couldn't deny the abundance of love that was living there. She could see that his apologies were genuine, that he meant every word that he had just said and that he would do everything in his power to never hurt her again. With a soft smile of acceptance, she leant up and captured his warm lips with her own. Instantly, he sank into her kiss, relieved at her unmistakable forgiveness but also overwhelmed by the amount of love he held for her. The contact was enough to remove his mind from reality, for he had been desperately craving her closeness ever since their dispute almost twenty-four hours earlier. He made sure that he truly savoured every slow brush of her lips against his own.
He wrapped his arms more securely around her slight waist when her fingers began to play with the greying tips of hair at the nape of his neck. He couldn't help but smirk when he felt her deepen their kiss; clearly he hadn't been the only one starved of affection. They continued to draw out their kiss, basking in its intimacy as he permitted his hands to roam slowly along his beloved's lower back and she threaded her fingers through his hair. They parted eventually, however, but were unable to tear their gazes away from each other as they allowed their foreheads to kiss and he kept his arms warmly around her waist as her warm breath hit gently against his face. 'I love you.' She let out a soft giggle.
'I love you too, mein schönes mädchen.' He hummed before kissing the tip of her nose softly.
'I need you to promise me something, Georg.' She admitted as she allowed her hands to come to rest upon his chest through his shirt, her thumbs brushing gently against it.
'Anything, my love, just name it.' He reassured her as he brought his own hands around to rest possessively upon the curves of her sides through her jacket.
'Make things right with Liesl, darling, please.' She begged softly. 'She needs to know that she has our full support in this, Georg, that you still love her despite all of this.'
'But what if she doesn't want to know?' He asked gently as he dropped her gaze momentarily. 'I wouldn't, given the way I tore into her yesterday.'
Maria couldn't help but smile as she hooked her finger beneath his chin, then, directing his gaze slowly back to hers before she leaned forwards to capture his lower lip in a slow and chaste kiss. 'Trust me,' She gazed up at him with nothing but love sparkling in her crystal blue eyes as he ran his hands along her sides. 'She'll hang onto your every word.' The two of them began to lean in for another kiss, then, but paused when the unmistakable cry of their daughter from her bassinet in the family room reached them. 'Speaking of making things right with our children, darling, I had better go and mend my bridges with Rosie.' Georg couldn't help but chuckle softly at that, Maria giggling along with him.
'What would I do without you?' He shook his head in slight disbelief that the beautiful woman in his arms was really his wife. That she belonged to him.
'You never have to worry about that again.' She reminded him before pressing one final chaste kiss onto his cheek, a loving smile upon her lips as she stood from the seat she'd been sitting in with him and brushed down her skirt before making her way elegantly across her husband's study, turning back toward him once at the door. 'I love you, Georg.'
'I love you too, Maria.' He reassured her as he was lowering himself down into the chair at his desk, a handsome smile upon his slightly swollen lips. 'So much, my darling.'
And with that, she was gone, leaving him to think deeply about how he would make things right between he and Liesl once more.
Dinner just hadn't been the same without her father. In fact, it had been eerily quiet - a presence and spirit that was so obviously missing. She had excused herself early due to not having much of an appetite, and now found herself making her way out slowly onto the terrace, basking in the cool fingertips of the evening breeze as they brushed through her hair like a loving hand. She closed her eyes for a moment and tried to let everything wash over her, to let it all sink in and to come to terms with all that had happened over the last several months, and, she hope that she could prepare herself for whatever was to come next. Then, her thoughts shattered as she saw him, her father, sat alone on the bank that led down to the lake that she had fallen into along with her mother and siblings the summer before last. His mind was shut off from the world, his thoughts clearly far away. He'd always been one to brood, and was always more of an internal thinker, but Liesl could tell by his body language that he was suffering greatly. He was hunched over, searching for answers that he didn't have. And she felt awful. However, the sight gave her some newfound determination, and so, with a deep huff of preparation, she gathered up her confidence and - slowly - made her way over to him. Whilst her mind was made up, her steps were still slow and she wondered what she could possibly say to him. After all, she didn't even know how he was feeling. He didn't notice her, not until she was beside him and she gently cleared her throat. 'May I sit?' She squeaked gently and watched as his stormy blue eyes, the ones that he had passed on to her, filled with awe - wondering why he'd been blessed with such an opportunity before he nodded with a soft smile.
She lowered herself down slowly onto the grass beside him, then, a deep sigh escaping him as he went back to gazing out at the sparkling lake and she placed her hands neatly in her lap. Neither of them said a word for several long moments as they watched the swans and birds swim and skim through the clear water as the sun continued to slowly set behind the Untersberg in the distance, the soothing rustle of the calm evening breeze in the trees being the only sound that passed between them until Liesl made herself break the silence. 'I really am sorry, father.' She admitted softly as she turned her head slowly towards him and wrung her hands together in her lap, her stormy blue eyes finding his as the gentle breeze continued to sweep softly through their thick dark hair. 'I'm sorry for so many things: for disrespecting you and mother, for acting so recklessly, for getting myself into such an intimate situation with Nicolas when I knew about the risks. The thing that I find I'm most sorry for, though, is making you feel as though you can't say that I'm a credit to you any more. I know I'm damaged goods now, father, and I know that me becoming pregnant might bring scandal on our family but that isn't what hurts most.'
She paused momentarily to swallow the tears that had become trapped in her throat. 'What hurts most is the fact that you haven't been able to look me in the eye since mother and I told you about the baby. I don't blame you for being angry and ashamed of me, father, because I'm truly ashamed of myself for what I've done and as you said, it was so incredibly foolish of me to allow things to get as far as they did, but I need you to be able to acknowledge me. I want you to be able to hold me close to you and tell me that it's all going to be fine and that you're going to support me, father, because I can't do this without you!' A solitary tear scrolled down her cheek as she dropped her gaze to her lap.
'Oh, mein schatz...' She lifted her tear-filled gaze back to his as he spoke gently and she felt his arm wrap slowly around her waist. 'You could never be a disappointment to me! I know that I lost my temper yesterday, and that was wrong of me, but I hope you can understand that it was only because I love you and I want to protect you. But now I see that all I did was cause you more pain and I am so sorry for that, Liesl.' His voice was now coated with tears of their own as he brushed his thumb slowly along the curve of her side through her dirndl, soft tears rolling down his firstborn's cheeks as he drew her close and allowed her to lay her head down upon his chest before she grasped the fabric of his shirt tightly in the palm of her hand. 'Fathers hate to see their little girls grow up and start families of their own, darling,' He murmured gently into the dark hair that he had passed on to her. 'But they usually don't have to worry about that sort of thing until their daughter is in her early twenties at least, sweetheart, so can you imagine how much I felt as though I had failed as your father when your mother told me that you're pregnant? My Liesl, you're only seventeen!' She pulled away from his chest, then, her eyes sore.
'I never planned for any of this.' She choked out. 'Everything just happened in such a blur, father. One moment he was kissing me on the settee and the next thing I knew...it'd happened. I don't want you to hate him, though.' Georg opened his mouth to interrupt, but closed it when he saw the slight desperation in his eldest's deep blue eyes. 'He's told me that he's going to stick by me and support me through all of this, father, and he has promised me that he is going to be there to help me raise our child. When the two of us were on our date yesterday we were talking, and - and he brought up the subject of marriage. We're both of the legal age, father, Nicolas and I, and if we were to marry and go away on our honeymoon for a few months before coming home again, then there would be far less gossip then there will be if we didn't.' Georg's heart started to pound quickly. 'I spoke to mother about it when I was laying with her last night, and she says that it's commendable that Nicolas wants to make such a bold move. It proves that he loves me.'
'But you're my little girl.' He sighed as he reached out a trembling hand to cup the roundness of her cheek in his palm. 'You can't just grow up so quickly, Liesl.'
'Father, I'll always be your little girl.' She reassured him with a tearful smile. 'Even when I'm in my thirties and I have several children I'll still be your little girl.'
'Can we please just worry about this little one before you start going on about more children?' He teased gently as he placed his hand upon her belly. 'One's enough for now.'
'I want you to love my baby, father.' She sighed. 'I want you to love it just as much as you would if I were already married. I want my child to love you just as much as I do.'
'Just because I was angry about the fact that you're going to have a baby, darling, does not mean that I don't love it.' He told her gently. 'This is my Grandchild, Liesl.'
'I love you so much, father.' She sniffed as she shuffled closer to him upon the grass and snuggled into his side, laying her head upon his strong chest.
'I love you too, my precious girl.' He hummed against her crown before kissing it softly, brushing his thumb against her belly. 'You're going to be the perfect mother, you know.'
'How can you be so sure?' She whispered sleepily. 'I keep worrying that I'm just going to mess everything up and make a fool of myself.'
'I am sure of it because you have always made me so proud of you when you've been looking after your brothers and sisters.' He admitted softly. 'You really are a credit to me.'
Truer words had never been spoken.
Georg had tried his hardest to enter the bedroom without waking his wife later that evening - hoping to let her regain some of the energy that she had lost over the past couple of days - but her words had been true, she really couldn't sleep well unless he was there to hold her in his arms. He could see her stirring as he made his way over to their bed. Even when she was on the verge of waking up, she still looked so at peace and more beautiful than he'd ever known. He changed quickly - albeit quietly - into his pyjamas, but, when he turned back to the bed, he found Maria gazing at him - her light blue eyes half-lidded from the need for slumber. He couldn't help but smile gently as he sat down next to her upon the bed and pressed his lips gingerly against her own. 'I'm sorry if I woke you.' He whispered lovingly as he began to idly stroke the softness of her porcelain cheek.
'Don't apologize, darling.' She shook her head sleepily as she gazed up at him. 'At least I know that I get to fall asleep with your arms wrapped around me tonight.'
'And it is always going to be that way from now on.' He smiled, promising fidelity to her.
'I'm so proud of you, you know.' She sighed as she took his free hand in her own and swept her thumb soothingly across his knuckles.
'For what?' His brow creased slightly as the smile never left his lips.
'For doing as I asked and making up with Liesl; I know the whole thing has been incredibly hard for you.' She admitted.
'It's not so much that, darling, I just feel as though I've failed her.' He sighed deeply as he continued to smooth the backs of his fingers across her warm cheek.
Maria sat up slightly, then, resting her perfectly sculpted hand upon his warm bare shoulder. 'You haven't failed anyone.' She reassured him as firmly yet gently as she could.
'I shouldn't have lost my temper, though.' He pointed out.
'Okay, I'll agree with that...' She giggled sweetly. '...but I know that your anger only came from love for her, Georg.'
'I just wanted to protect her.' He admitted, Maria swearing that she could hear a faint whimper in his voice. 'I wanted her to stay my little girl for as long as possible.'
'You still can protect her, darling, and she will always be your little girl even if she has a baby of her own.' She reminded him with a soft smile. 'If you stay by her side and keep on loving her, then that's all she is ever going to need. She needs both of us if she's going to get through all that pregnancy and motherhood throws at her, Georg.' She sighed.
'I love you.' He said firmly, Maria's heart fluttering slightly as the way that he spoke the words sent her back to that magical night in the gazebo at the end of summer 1938.
'I love you too.' She leaned in and initiated another kiss, except this time she made sure to let it deepen, to savour the warmth of his lips and the safety of his arms around her. She brought a hand to tangle in his hair and it didn't take too long for the passion to grow and reach new heights, for their kisses to become fiery and just somewhat desperate. Maria lay back against the mattress - drawing her husband down with her. His kisses traveled along her jaw and he almost lost himself in her soft whimpers as he gently nipped at the sensitive spot just below her ear. 'Make love to me, Georg.' She whispered, her eyes closed as she focused upon the sensation of his warm lips brushing against her skin.
He didn't need to be told twice.
Author's Note: Thank you all for reading chapter three of this story, and I hope you enjoyed! I know that it's not as good as my previous chapters, but I wanted to explore how Georg would be feeling once he'd had chance to think everything over in his head. Please let me know what you thought about this chapter with a review, and once again, if you're going to leave a critical review then please make it constructive criticism. Thank you once again to DeadlyFandoms, who helps me so incredibly much and makes all of this possible, because I would be lost without all of the help I have been receiving, and thank you once again to all of you who have stayed with this story up to now and I hope you will all come back to read chapter 4! :)