Chapter 3. I have used some suggestions and I hope you like it. There's more angst. To be honest, I have no idea how long it takes to get from Salzburg to Vienna and vise versa, but I"m assuming 3 days. I also don't know how long the Captain was away, because it's the Do-Re-Mi montage, and there's no timing, so I have him gone for 3 weeks. I hope that's OK with all of you.

Anwyay...Enjoy, and please leave me a review. I love hearing your ideas!

Disclaimer: Belongs to 20th Century Fox. I don't own. Though I wouldn't mind doing the Laendler (sp?) with Christopher Plummer ;)

PS: Happy fourth to those of you in the US

Maria POV

So the Captain left. I was left with the 7 children, and I had no idea what to do with them. For the first week, in the morning, when they went to play outdoors and reviewing their studies, I set to making them play clothes from the curtains that hung in my room.

After a week of feverish sewing, and playing – rather, marching – with the children, I was ready to take them out on their first excursion.

"Come along children, get dressed, and I want to take you somewhere!" I told them one morning. They looked interested enough. We ran from the gates of the villa and went to the square to buy food for our picnic. To keep them entertained, I did everything I could – I pretended to juggle, took them on the tram, and laughed with them. Finally, just as the sun was resting right above us, we reached our destination. All the children were playing and eating the lunch I brought them. I had a few moments to think to myself, before one of the little dears would need my help again.

Before I could get my thoughts in check, I realized that I missed the Captain. Though I had only known him for a day before he left for Vienna, he made such an impression on me that the villa seemed a bit, well, empty without him.

Maria, what are you thinking? He in is Vienna to bring his sweetheart back to Salzburg to meet the children. Now is not the time to think about it!

But, I miss him.

How? You only knew him for a day!

I know, but I miss hearing his whistle.

What? You thought it was ridiculous.

Yes, but I also miss his eyes – the way they look at me and make me feel like he can see inside of me.

Are you nuts, Maria?

I suppose so, but I wish—

"Fraulein," Louisa's voice jerked me from my internal battle.

"Yes?" I inquired, trying to get my mind into the present.

"Can we do this every day?" she asked me with such innocence I wondered why she would want to put a jar of spiders into the Fraulein's bed.

"Won't you get tired of it?" I asked her, smiling a bit.

"I suppose. Every other day?" This time I outright laughed.

"I don't understand it. You are such sweet children, why do you play such pranks?" I asked after Kurt told me of the time they put glue of Fraulein Helga's toothbrush.

"Well, how else would we get Father's attention?" Brigitta said.

"Oh," I said, finally understanding. I got an idea. What if there was another way to get the Captain's attention without chasing each Fraulein from their home. "Come children; let's prepare a song for your father and the Baroness."

"But we don't know how to sing," came the response.

"Really? Nothing?" I asked.

"Nope."

"Well then, let's start at the beginning." And so I taught them my favorite song – Do-Re-Mi. Over the next week we practiced all the harmonies and verses of the song. They were quick learners, and I found that when we were singing, it was easier for me to get my mind off of the Captain. It was quite disconcerting. – I would fall asleep with the war waging in my head. What to do about the Captain. His mannerisms – as much as they scared me, they intrigued me. As much as I didn't want him to make my mind go blank, it did. Every night I was pulled into fitful sleep thinking about the Captain in Vienna with his Baroness. I don't even know why it bothers me so much. All I can do is wait until he comes back, and when he does, continue with being a governess to the children, and push all thoughts of the Captain out of my head.

Then, just when I was finally getting myself in the right head, the children and I were in trees, climbing, looking over the road near their villa. Many cars passed us, and we were all laughing and having a great old time. Then one car came through with three people. There was an older person with a mustache, a finely dressed woman who looked sparkly, and then the one who I had been forcing my thoughts away from. It was the Captain. I would remember him anywhere. So the lady must be the Baroness and the man must be Uncle Max. I could tell that this wasn't going to be easy, and as they drove by, I did all I could to collect myself before going to face him once more.

Captain POV

I woke in the morning after reprimanding Maria and got myself ready to go to Vienna. This time it was different, though. My heart wasn't totally in it. Usually, I can't wait to go to Vienna and see Elsa – this time I didn't feel that kind of "little kid" happiness. What I really wanted to do was say in Salzburg and see what Maria did with my children. I frequently wondered on my way to Vienna, what sparked the sudden interest in my children again. After Agathe passed, I just wanted to push them away, because they reminded me of her. It hurt to see them laughing and singing, just as we did when we were a happy family. I stopped the laughter and fun, and I pushed them farther than I thought. I forgot what it was like to see them smile, until Fraulein Maria came and overturned everything I had done. But somehow, I couldn't find it in me to be mad at her. To be honest, I was feeling somewhat happy that she had brought some joy to their lives. I really wanted them to be happy, but I didn't know if I could do it without losing it – I wanted to be strong for them, and the only way to do that was to stop anything that reminded me of her. It was hard to shove them aside, but I had to do it. Now I started to feel remorse.

Regardless of my life in Salzburg, when I got to Vienna, I was greeted by Elsa's butler, and immediately taken to her rooms to put my baggage down. He informed me that she was on the terrace with a few of her friends. I began to dread this trip. I preferred the serenity of the mountain villa I owned than the large parties and loud friends that I encountered in Vienna.

"Darling," I called as I went to the terrace.

"Georg! You're here. I was wondering when you'd get here." She said breathlessly. "Come meet my friends!" She began pointing out women who all looked the same. The names Baroness Reicht, Frau Lindt, and Baroness Froken went in one ear and out another. Though I was having my thoughts about Maria and the children, I was honestly happy to see Elsa again. It was too long between visits. I know that it was hard on her and me. I was glad I was there though, and I got to spend some time with her. I went to a few parties, and socialized during the first week that I was there.

"Georg," Elsa said to me the first night of my second week.

"Yes, darling?"

"Where are you? You've been slightly absent the whole week."

This startled me. I did everything I could to seem interested in the goings-on in Vienna while the ever present conflict occurred in my head.

"I apologize. Just worrying about what the children will say when I bring you back to Salzburg. What are we doing this week?" I knew that this was my last week in Vienna. In seven days, I was bringing the Baroness back to my mountain villa.

"Well, I have some more parties to go to, and I have more people for you to meet. Oh, and we have to pick up Max, and I would like to have some more private time with you before we journey back to your circus of children." Elsa said. I couldn't say I was excited about my last week in Vienna. All the glitz and glamour made me uncomfortable. I was a man of the navy, after all. And I just couldn't get Maria out of my head.

"Sounds like a grand time," I lied through my teeth. Elsa just smiled.

Regardless of my internal struggle, Elsa's smile still made my heart jump, and a smile come to my face.

"It seems like we have lots to do, so let's get started." I tried to sound excited.

"Well, I think we should start with going to sleep, because tomorrow morning, you and Hanz are going to be spending the day together getting you ready for my charity ball tomorrow." Elsa ran her hand down my arm and took me by the hand, leading me into the bedroom.

I struggled to hide my sigh, as I undressed and pulled her into my arms. I knew this week would be tough to fake enthusiasm through, but in five days, we would be on the road to Salzburg, and in seven, I would see Maria again. I felt guilty for thinking about another woman while I was in bed with my darling Elsa, but it was the only way I could get the storm to calm and rest myself before a long day of glittering friends and loud parties.

I hope you enjoyed! Leave me a review :) Love, mangotango101