A/N:Told you I would update sooner lol. Thanks to those people who revieved, though I would appriciate a few more this time please :-)

Disclaimer : I still don't think I own the Sound of Music!

6. Reunion

Maria finished work at 3'o clock and so went home to change before she went to tea. She still hadn't thought up a feasible excuse, besides she knew that she really wanted to go, just to be in his presence and to see the children, so what if the Baroness was there? She opened the door of their apartment to see Helga baking bread, and looking a lot better. Maria briefly filled her in on the day's events, telling her about how she had been a governess for the Von Trapps in Austria.

"You mean to say that you know Georg?" She squealed excitedly, "Oh Maria he is soooo handsome, and such a gentleman. And you're going to tea!"

Maria smiled ruefully,

"He's also married, to a very elegant and rich Baroness"

"Really?" Helga sounded surprised, "He's never mentioned a woman, and I've never seen her"

"Well I hadn't seen any of them until today and I go to the shop everyday. Anyway the Baroness never was an early riser, it probably just slipped his mind not to mention her."

"Hmmm" Helga didn't sound convinced

"Anyway I must dash, I just came to change, what do you think of this?" She had chosen her green dress, the floaty one, the one that… Well never mind.

"You look absolutely beautiful Maria, you always do. Now you make sure you have a good time with Georg" she winked at her.

"Helga…" Maria warned as she left the flat. But she felt happy, as though she was floating on air. Was it because of what Helga had said? He's never mentioned a woman. What did that mean? She was still pondering when she reached the door of the flat. Suddenly she felt nervous and she noticed her hand was shaking slightly as she raised it to knock on the door.

Georg looked in the mirror one last time, straightening his tie, on his way to open the door. He felt slightly weary after a whole day of looking after Marta, who would not let him out of her sight for a moment. Thankfully she had finally fallen asleep, giving him time to quickly clear up the apartment and make himself look presentable. He realised that he was feeling slightly nervous. Was he really going to open this door and find her standing there? Don't start all that again he told himself sternly, opening the door rather more forcefully than he had intended. He caught Maria having a peep through the sitting room window. She jumped as the door opened, and her face began to turn rather crimson.

"I see I never did cure you of your nosiness Frauline"

Maria looked a little sheepish,

"I'm sorry Captain, it's just you were a long time coming to the door and I …well I…" She petered off.

Georg laughed,

"I was only joking Frauline" and only now did she see the twinkle in his eye.

"Oh!" She gave a relieved smile.

"Do come in Frauline, come in. I'm afraid that the children are not back from school yet, so you'll just have to put up with me. Marta fell asleep a couple of moments ago" She glanced at him, noticing a worried tone in his voice.

"Nothing's wrong is it Captain?"

He gave a small shrug of the shoulders,

"I hope not Frauline, I really do...she just hasn't been herself lately"

"Er Captain, may I see her, I won't wake her I just want to…well I've missed them all so much…" He saw so much sadness in her eyes.

"Of course Frauline, this is the girl's bedroom." He opened the door. Maria saw the huddled figure under the bedclothes and went closer. Marta's face was just visible above the bedcover, her skin was pale, her dark hair fanned against the pillow.

"She doesn't look very well," Maria said shocked.

"She's just a little off colour" Georg tried to shrug it off, but Maria could see the worry in his eyes.

She followed him out of the room,

"Captain, just how long has she been 'off colour'?" She asked tent.

"Well, ever since I picked her up from boarding school…I noticed she was a bit quiet, not quite her usual self."

"How long ago was that?"

"Well… let me see…it took us one week to walk here, and we've been here about two weeks now, so I'm guessing that's…"

"Captain!" She interrupted loudly, "Do you mean to say that you brought a sick child over those mountains, and then sent her to school almost as soon as she got here? Did you not even think about taking her to see a doctor, get a second opinion…?"

"Excuse me Frauline, but she is my child, and you are no longer her governess so I suggest that you don't interfere in things that don't concern you!" Georg was livid, How dare she talk to me like that, waltzing in here like she's owns the place, like she's their mother or something…

"I'm sorry, it's not my place." Maria quickly calmed down, getting angry was not going to solve the situation. "I really shouldn't have said anything, it's just I…"

"No." This time it was Georg who interrupted, "I'm sorry, you only meant well, and you were completely right. It's just, well it's not easy looking after seven children on your own, I really don't know how you ever did it" He looked at her, admiration glowing in his eyes. But Maria didn't really notice, his words played over in her head.

" On your own?" she repeated, "but what about the Baroness?"

They had reached the kitchen and so Georg made himself busy with the kettle and cups. For some reason he couldn't look at her, what will she think of me he thought living with my wife for barely two months?

"Well…erm, she's… well Elsa decided to stay in Vienna" It came out in a rush.

Maria's mind began to whir she's not here! She could hardly believe it.

"Oh, that's a shame, you must miss her." How hard she found it to say those words, "But surely she'll be coming out here soon?" Those were even harder.

"Hmm, yes of course" The hesitance in his voice convinced her that this was not necessarily true. There was a slightly uncomfortable silence.

"So tell me, Frauline, how exactly did you come to be here in Switzerland?" Georg finally broke the silence, handing her a cup of tea.

"Oh, well I decided to leave the Abbey, the Mother Abbess knew Frau Schact from a while back and she arranged for me to come and work here. And so here I am." She gave him her impish smile.

"Any particular reason that you left the Abbey?" That was just the question that she had been dreading.

"I…well…I didn't really think that becoming a nun was what I wanted to do anymore. I had changed… I'm not the same person I once was" The light seemed to have faded from her eyes. "Anyway I'm glad to be away from Austria now, with the Aunsluss and everything"

"And do you like it here, are you happy?" he didn't know why he asked her but he needed to know.

"Oh yes, Frau Schact and Helga are so kind, and the scenery is beautiful, almost as beautiful as Austria" She joked.

"But…" He probed a little further.

"I don't know what you mean Captain" she feigned confusion.

"You're not entirely happy though are you?" He could read her face like a book

"Well…of course I miss the Abbey, and Salzburg, they were the only places I had ever felt very happy in my life… And of course I missed your seven adorable children" And you she wanted to add, but didn't, instead meeting his eyes with hers.

"Well they'll be here in a moment, and then you'll be wishing they were all the way back in Salzburg." He teased, "with their arguing, and shouting and wild games"

"Don't be modest now captain, we both know they are absolutely charming children"

"Of course, and I wonder who they learnt to be charming from?" He gave her one of his half smiles, one eyebrow raised. Was he flirting with her? Well two could play at that game…

"Why their most charming Father of course"

"Oh you think so do you?" She could feel her heart beating wildly, you really shouldn't be doing this a small voice in her head hissed he's a married man!

Luckily she didn't have to dwell on this fact, as just then the door flew open and Liesl was stood there.

"Frauline Maria?" She asked uncertainly, sure her eyes were deceiving her.

From behind her came the impatient shouts of her younger siblings,

"Hurry up Liesl"

"What are you doing?"

"Who's there?"

Maria smiled reassuringly at the younger woman,

"Yes Liesl, it's me" Suddenly the other children had pushed past Liesl and entered the room, rushing at Maria, until everyone was one mass of hugging bodies, no-one quite sure if they were laughing or crying.

And then the questions began.

"What are you doing here?"

"Are you on holiday?"

"Will you be our governess again?"

"Are you here to stay forever?"

Luckily Georg came to her rescue.

"Give Frauline Maria some room to breathe," He laughed, "and where are your manners, we can all catch up over tea" Maria gave him a grateful smile. He winked and rolled his eyes mouthing what did I tell you?

Tea was a very modest affair to what it had been in the villa in Salzburg, and Maria was amused to note that Georg did much of the work himself. The children were thrilled to learn that Maria was living and working so close by, and soon they all lapsed into the comfortable conversation that they had all got so used to over that summer. It really felt like old times. They were half way through tea when the door opened. A very tired Marta stood there, her hair and clothes dishevelled from being asleep. On waking she had heard all the noise from the dining room and had gone to see what as going on. She stood for a few moments just staring at Maria and rubbing her eyes. Then without uttering a sound she rushed into her beloved Frauline's arms.

"I'm sorry Marta did we wake you?" asked Maria gently. Marta nodded her head slightly before promptly bursting into floods of tears.

"Hey, sweetheart whatever is the matter?" Asked Maria concerned. Marta didn't answer, but held on tighter. After that she would not leave Maria's sight all night, and Maria wasn't allowed to escape before she had read her four stories and had promised to call in the following day.

"I really must apologise for Marta's behaviour tonight Frauline" Georg said as he helped her on with her coat. His fingers brushed her bare skin making it tingle.

"Don't be silly Captain, I've had a wonderful evening. It wasso niceto see everyone again." Especially you she added to herself. They looked into each other's eyes, hardly daring to believe that they could be so close to each other after all these weeks of dreaming.

"Let me walk you home Frauline" Georg said at last, breaking the spell.

Normally she would have protested, after all her apartment was just across the street, but she desperately wanted to be alone with him.

"If you insist Captain." Outside the air was cool; a million stars twinkling in the vast velvet sky. Georg took Maria arm as they crossed the street. She could hardly breathe he felt so close to her.

"Don't you think it's amazing that we're all here like this in this small village, when we could have gone anywhere in the world?" He asked, voicing the thoughts Maria had been having all day.

"Well as the Reverend Mother always says. 'Where the Lord closes a door, somewhere He opens a window'" Said Maria softly, fixing him with her amazingly clear, deep eyes.

He laughed gently,

"Thank-you for being so understanding with Marta, Frauline"

"It was nothing Captain, it's what small children need" They had reached her apartment now.

"Thank-you anyway" He kissed her gently on the cheek before turning away and heading back across the road.

Maria stood for a few moments, rooted to the spot, fingering the place on her cheek. When he reached his own apartment he turned back and waved. Maria was glad for the darkness that covered her blushing face as she lifted her hand in reply.