AUTHOR'S NOTES: YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG THIS HAS TAKEN ME! XD
Okay, I'm done being dramatic, but in all seriousness, this is a mega chapter! It has taken me a very long time to write, but I got it finished much sooner than I anticipated, so thankfully, I didn't make you wait too long.

Anyway, a lot of stuff happens in this chapter and the story is really moving forward! I'm very excited for you to read it and I really hope I've done it justice.

Anyway...enjoy!

Better Than A Dream

Chapter Seven

The villa was alive and bustling with the frantic preparations for Elsa's extravagant ball, the staff rushed back and fourth to get the place cleaned, meals prepped, and decor hung where appropriate; most notably: Georg's Austrian flag. Franz had advised against it, especially since Georg had been forced to invite Herr Zeller (upon his request), and he didn't think it would be wise for the Baron to 'poke the hornet's nest' as it were. But Georg had stood firm and insisted that the flag be hung, lest he be mistaken for a man that held no pride for his own country. He loved Austria and he had too great an ego to bow down to the Nazis and their ravenous desire for power. He would always be an Austrian.

Still, as chaotic as the villa was, Georg was smart enough to stay out of it and spent most of the morning in the seclusion of his study. He'd wanted desperately to spend some time with Maria and the children, but they both knew that the heat on them was rising and they had decided to try and minimise the time they spent together during the day…they knew that Elsa was watching them viciously. Georg despised the sneaking around – almost as much as he despised the difficulty of the situation itself – but he just knew that the life he would have with Maria afterwards would be far too incredible to pass up. For her, he'd stay strong. Still, he longed for her during the day; his distancing from her had also meant that his time with his children had thinned out somewhat, and that was something he simply couldn't forgive.

But at least they still had the nights, and although their fears – especially Maria's – were still very much alive, they always made the most of their time together. Whilst their desire for making love had not cooled over the weeks, they found that their emotional bonding was becoming more frequent; not only that, but neither of them had ever felt so connected to another person. They would spend hours talking to each other, about their pasts, their fears and even their dreams; on one occasion, they had even briefly discussed what sort of idyllic future they wished they could have together. It was truly magical. Maria never knew that such emotional bonds could exist, the only relationship of hers that came close was her relationship to god, but to know what it was like to be so connected with another person – mind, body and soul – well, she just couldn't understand how she'd lived this long without such an experience.
Georg felt similar. He had been immensely close with his first wife, but there was just something about Maria that seemed to make him want to soar to the heavens, everything with her was just so intense, her passions for the physical expression of their love and the spiritual connection that she gifted him with; had he not been a logical man, he would've been sure that some force was keeping their hearts beating in time – an invisible thread of love and passion joining them together.

But he was brought out of his brooding by a gentle knock at his study door. For a moment, his heart leapt and he truly hoped that it'd be Maria, but as he bid the visitor permission to enter, his anticipation sunk heavily as Elsa entered the room. Still, Georg couldn't help but notice that she seemed tentative. What was going on?

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Georg" she said rather timidly.

"It's quite alright"

"I was wondering if I could talk to you about something?"

His instincts flared, and for a moment he was sure that she was once again going to argue with him about Maria, but from his place behind his desk, he looked into her eyes and he could see that genuine honesty lay within them, he hadn't seen her this sincere in a long time and he knew that she wasn't here to start another fight. He gave her a small but genuine smile.

"Of course. Please sit down" he hummed as he gestured to the seat opposite him.

She sat down daintily – as a lady of high society should – but didn't quite meet his gaze as she began to speak.

"Georg, I know that things have been a little rough with us lately, and whilst I'm not here to point fingers, I would like it if we could put our differences aside – just for tonight. This party has been at the centre of life here for so long, and I would hate for the night to be ruined because of our arguing. I really don't like it when we're at each other's throats. What do you say? We smile for one night and then we'll discuss things when the timing is more appropriate?"

He studied her for a short while, and in spite of all the wicked things she had said over the past few weeks, Georg really couldn't ignore the genuine look of remorse in her eyes, it seemed as though she really wanted to fix things between them; and he also knew that she wasn't just doing this because she was in search of an engagement ring, no, she was trying to resurrect their friendship. And that was exactly why he couldn't deny her, she had been his friend for a very long time, and although Maria had been his saviour, he would never deny that Elsa had certainly brought some meaning back into his life. He was not one for unnecessary conflict and he also didn't want to see their friendship in ruins.

In fact, this had been the first time that Georg had really felt guilty about lying to the Baroness, of course, he – much like Maria – had expressed his own feelings of sorrow, but he had been far too fuelled by his love for Maria to really pay attention to it. Now, there was a slightly different light; Georg had never been an unfaithful man and had also had the upmost respect for women, and when he looked at Elsa, he did feel a pang of guilt in his heart. Of course, he certainly wasn't about to change his mind – never – he loved Maria far too much to ever run away from her or the life together that they both desired; he just hoped with his whole heart that when the time came to end things with Elsa, they wouldn't be too hard on her. Once again, in spite of her despicable words, she had always been his friend.

"I think I'd like that, Elsa, it really is unpleasant when our only interactions are heated arguments, and we certainly wouldn't want our guests to witness such things"

"I'm glad you agree…" she stood then, "…I suppose I'll leave you in peace – I have to start getting ready now anyway – so I'll guess I'll see you soon?"

"Yes, you will"

"I'm looking forward to it"

And no more words were spoken as she floated elegantly out of the room.

It was funny, Georg thought, that even in the midst of such a discussion, the only woman on his mind was Maria. He allowed himself to smile giddily, he'd never known love this strong and the whole thing was truly incredible to him. He loved her so much and he was acutely aware of the fact that soon, she would be his and he would most definitely be hers.

They were dancing together, up on top of her mountain, the setting a perfect summer's eve with the gentle caress of the moon's spotlight, and every single star was clear. There was no harsh wind, no rain, only the soothing hand of a light breeze as Maria twirled atop the hills – the blue fabric of her dress flowing so elegantly, as if it were a dream desperate for a place in reality. Georg made sure to hold her close, to allow the contact of their bodies to keep them in a trance of wonder, and to let Maria know that as long as she was with him, she would never be in any danger. He'd risk his life for her in an instant. They stepped together – surrounded by midnight's silk – and the music seemed to come from the very hills themselves. Everything was just so tranquil.

She slipped her arms around his neck and allowed his to slide protectively around her waist – pulling her even closer - and their refined waltz had ebbed into a delicate, romantic sway. Maria buried her face into his neck and became instantly soothed by his scent, that delectable mixture of cologne and something else that was uniquely Georg; in response, he nuzzled into her short golden locks. He wanted to be as close to her as possible.

"Oh, I love you so much" he breathed as they continued to sway.

"I love you too, I never thought I could ever love anyone this much"

"Me too, but you have a way of always proving me wrong, don't you?"

"I hope that's a compliment?"

"Oh, it is, my love"

She pulled away to look at him – nuzzling their noses together briefly.

"You know, there were times when I thought we'd never be together"

"How come?"

"Everything was just so complicated, and I just never thought that something this wonderful could ever happen to me"

"But it has happened, and you are more than worthy of it, Maria"

"I don't know, I'm really not sure what I did to ever deserve you"

"I feel the same way about you…I never thought I'd be so lucky as to find such an intense love a second time…I Love you with everything I have"

"I love you too"

They had stopped dancing – not that they'd noticed – and Georg had started to lean down, their lips inching closer and closer and they simply ached for the contact. She could feel the warmth of his breath streaming across her cheeks and that spark that came from their closeness. Then they were mere seconds from kissing…

"Frauline Maria? Are you okay?" a sudden voice came and before Maria knew what was happening, she was back in the grounds of the villa, sat against a tree with several curious faces gazing at her intently.

"Is everything okay, children?"

"We're fine, Frauline Maria…" Fredrich began, "…but we wanted to make sure that you were too?"

"Me? Why wouldn't I be okay?"

"You looked very deep in thought" Brigitta explained.

"And you're not like father, you're not one to brood" added Louisa.

"What were you thinking about Frauline Maria?" asked Marta.

"I am sorry children, I think all of the excitement from the party has worn me out a little bit. And whilst I do appreciate your concern for me, I assure you I'm fine" she excused…ignoring the grogginess that hadn't left her since she'd woken up.

"Do you promise?" Asked Kurt.

Maria gave him a warm smile and pulled him down for a loving embrace.

"I promise, now, why don't you go and get yourselves washed up, lunch will be served soon, and everyone must be on time today. You don't want to be late getting ready for the ball, do you?"

A chorus of 'no's and 'of course not's erupted from the children and they all dashed back towards the villa – Gretl tripping and falling as she attempted to keep up with her older siblings – and whilst the endearing sight warmed Maria's heart and caused a wide grin to appear on her face, she couldn't help but worry about herself. Firstly, she had been daydreaming right in front of the children – and about their father, no less! – but she hadn't felt right for a while, and she just couldn't understand why. Tonight was the night of the party, after this, she knew she would no longer have to wait for Georg, and they would finally make their relationship public; and yet she was consumed with unexplained fears and horrid waves of sickness that always accompanied the nightmares (which hadn't lessened in frequency or intensity). Deep down, she knew that this was the right thing, that everything would turn out fine; after all, she loved Georg so much…but she just knew that something wasn't quite right…

The party was by far the most elegant affair Maria had ever witnessed…well, considering she'd spent her entire life either on the mountains or in the abbey, she wasn't really surprised by such a fact; still, she could deny that everything about it was just so extravagant. She couldn't help but gawp at the sophisticated upper-class ladies in their sunning gowns, each one in in classy colours and made of the most expensive material, and as they danced with their (equally well dressed) partners, the fabrics swirled around them in a way that Maria could only describe as angelic. And even though Maria had never really longed for such a life of money and nobility, she could help but wish for a chance to swap places with one of those women – even if it were only for one night.

But, in spite of everything going on around her – and the constant requirement to watch the children – there was one thing that always seemed to catch Maria's eye in the most unexpected of times: Georg. He looked so handsome in his suit, and from the minute he'd emerged from his bedroom to greet the guests, Maria just couldn't keep her eyes off him. Oh, she had tried desperately to look at anything else – lest Elsa may catch her staring – but it just seemed so impossible. Georg was always well-dressed, but she had never seen him look so ravishing and distinguished – and his Maria Theresa cross was a constant reminder of his bravery and love for his country…it really warmed her heart.

She was stood by the door at the very edge of the ballroom, watching with childlike fascination as the couples gracefully waltzed to the rhythm of the music, she felt as if she was in some kind of perfect fairy tale – every little girl's dream. But just when she thought she was safe, he caught her eye yet again. He was stood at opposite end of the room – posture straight and well-mannered – and was being talked at by two gentlemen who appeared to be of Georg's age; though, it was clear from the look on the captain's face that he was not at all amused by the discussion. She watched as he constantly shifted from one foot to the other, something that Maria had learned signalled that he was desperate to walk away, but he was fighting the urge to do so. He nodded politely as the men continued to speak, but she doubted that he was actually retaining any of the information; it wasn't like he really needed to, Georg was so confident and charismatic, that she was sure he could say absolutely anything in response and the guests would be eating out of the palm of his hand.

But, just then, he turned his head ever so slightly and that was when their eyes met. Suddenly, there was no more music, no more dancing and the guests in the ballroom had melted away in an instant, as always, when they looked at each other, they were the only two people in the world. The air left Maria's lungs in a hearty whoosh and she felt her pulse quicken at the very notion of their gazes locking…it was incredible how he still had this effect on her. Her cheeks were slowly turning a brilliant shade of red and she just knew that she should look away and find a new corner to hide in, but she couldn't bring herself to do it; she utterly hypnotised by him and she was sure that even if the villa was suddenly set alight, she would still have had trouble averting her eyes. But she did notice that Georg also made no effort to look elsewhere and he was relentless in his goal to keep his eyes fixated on her. The whole thing just felt so…intimate.

'Are you okay?' she asked him with a gentle tilt of her head.

Her gave her the most minute nod in response, and she could tell instantly that the whole party had caused him to go into some kind of emotional reclusion; she suspected that it had something to do with being a man of aristocracy, he was expected by others to be indifferent and charming to anyone that approached him; naturally, it would be easier for him to hide his emotions. She wanted so desperately to let him know that she was there for him, but she couldn't possibly do that, not with all the guests around and the constant threat from the baroness; in fact, Maria knew full well that Georg shouldn't even be speaking to her tonight unless it was regarding one of the children. She was okay with that, she knew where she stood in the hierarchy (in the eyes of the guests) but it killed her to see him in such a state of discomfort and not be able to guide him through it. She gave him a half smile, but she made sure to let her love for him shine through into her eyes – letting him know that she loved him and that, if she could, she'd help him with whatever he needed – Georg accepted the gaze with a single nod of his head and a gratuitous smile of his own.

Their gazes remained locked until one of the gentlemen that Georg was 'speaking' to had thrown a question his way and he'd had no choice but to turn away with a sophisticated smile and answer politely; and whilst she missed the sense of privacy, Maria was glad that it was over. It had made her feel so very flushed and she was sure that it would've been obvious to anyone else if they'd witness the exchange; no, she needed to calm down and collect herself, so – somewhat regretfully – she turned on her heel and headed straight for the terrace. She knew that the children were out there, but she had expected them to be talking quietly or discussing tonight's big performance, which is why she'd been completely taken aback when she'd found Liesl and Fredrich dancing!

"Why didn't you children tell me you could dance?" she asked sweetly – hoping that the children (namely Brigitta) wouldn't noticed her reddened cheeks.

The two eldest stopped their dance immediately, but they looked at their governess with smiles of pride and humbled embarrassment. But then Kurt stepped forward – grinning.

"We were afraid that you'd make us all dance together: The Von Trapp family dancers!" he exclaimed as he appropriately punctuated his sentence with a disoriented twirl.

Maria couldn't help but laugh along with the other children and for a few seconds her heart swelled with affection as she marvelled at just how close she felt to them…but she wondered briefly if that would all change when Georg announced his relationship with her. Would they accept her as something more than a governess? But her worries were short lived when the music suddenly changed and the elegant sound of a song so familiar to Maria gently flowed out of the ballroom. All seven children turned to investigate the sound.

"What's that they're playing?" inquired Gretl.

"It's the Laendler – it's an Austrian folk dance"

Kurt stepped forward again – his eyes shining.

"Show me" he pleaded.

"Oh, Kurt, I haven't danced that since I was a little girl" she excused.

It was true, before she'd lost her parents, she had loved to spend time with them singing and dancing and playing music, but one of her most favourite moments from her childhood had been when her father would let her dance the Laendler with him. She missed those times so desperately.

"Oh, you'll remember…please?"

How could she possibly say no to him?

"Oh, alright. Come here"

He followed her eagerly and his siblings gathered at the edge of the terrace and watched with avid fascination.

"Now, you bow, and I curtsy" she instructed and they both performed their required movements.

"Like this?"

"Fine. Now we go for a little walk"

She took his hand and gently began to move in the 'one, two, three' motion that the dance required; Kurt really didn't grasp the flare of the steps, but Maria certainly admired his steely determination – a trait that he no doubt inherited from his father. Besides, he managed to keep up with her.

She never noticed Georg's sudden appearance.

Maria did her best to guide him through the little 'step, hop' portion of the dance, but it really wasn't a dance that one could master on their first try – let alone a boy of Kurt's age; still she wasn't about to give up and she continued to support Kurt and his clumsy footwork. However, the real trouble arose when it was time for them to turn together…Kurt was much too short to be her dance partner and they had barely managed to execute the first turn. When it came to the second, Maria couldn't help but giggle as their arms became stuck.

"Kurt we'll have to practice" she laughed, but before she could even turn around, a deep baritone voice cut right through her – causing her to freeze as the unmistakable chills of desire and anticipation shot through her spine.

"Do allow me, will you?" he said – his voice dripping with confidence.

Maria turned suddenly – her arms still somewhat in the air – and was, of course, met with her well-dressed captain. He was wearing a devilish smile and it was all she could do to keep breathing as her stomach began to knot with something delicious that she only felt when she was in his presence: that delectable amalgamation of tension and longing – accompanied but the wonderful kind of excitement that came from being with the person you adored. Simply having him close to her was enough to send her into a frenzy, but when he offered her his hand – and she finally understood what his words had meant – no more coherent thoughts had entered her mind. Instead, she was positively dizzy with euphoria. She didn't even stop to question the request and took his hand with an affectionate smile before beginning their dance.

Her dance with Kurt paled in comparison to the way she had danced with Georg, they moved together so easily, as if they were merely drifting across clouds or floating down the most calming of rivers; she found that she was not worrying about her footwork or where her eyes were landing as she moved with him, but instead, she felt otherworldly, like she had been completely plucked from reality and into a word that was entirely new. A world where everything seemed so magical. She was astounded by how easy it all seemed when she was with him; there was no tripping on the intricate footwork and no clunky jolts with the turns, instead, they moved together flawlessly – as if this is what they had been made to do. And even though the dance consisted of so many turns and sways, their eyes met frequently, and each time it happened caused flames to come alive within her stomach and burn right up to her heart with such raw intensity that she was almost doubted her ability to control herself.

His touches were so gentle – like the way he would often touch her when they made love – and whilst they had still had many nights together, their separation during the day had worn away at them; now, to dance with each other in such a public setting seemed so scandalous that it heightened their longing until it had stretched to the heavens. It had obviously taken its toll on them, for their shared closeness was almost becoming too much. Before either of them knew it, they had come to one of the most intimate parts of the dance, the whole thing had felt so freeing, yet with one hand in the air and the other at her back, the intensity of it came crashing down on her. She was so close to him! Their eyes locked again and this time it was truly impossible to look away. Their bodies were pressed together as they continued to twirl, and some sort of electric charge pulsed through them both as time seemed to stretch out and slow completely; it just felt so amazing to be close to each other and they soon found themselves robbed of the air in their lungs.

Maria's eyes betrayed her as they darted down to his lips, and that was when she'd realised that she was in trouble. Naturally, his lips were close too, but she hadn't quite realised just how close their faces were until she could feel his frantic breathes puffing on her cheeks – scorching them in the same way his touches did. There was something so magnetic about Georg and she felt herself being drawn to him…more specifically: his lips, and she even felt herself tilt her head ever so slightly in preparation for what she so desperately wanted.

But then, all of a sudden, she was saved when she finally realised just what they were doing and how wrong it was in this setting; yes, she loved him, but not here, during the party, she was nothing more than his governess and he was merely her employer. That was what they had agreed. That is who they were supposed to be in the public eye. They weren't dancing anymore, and Maria took the moment as an opportunity to step away, though her eyes never left his and she stared at him with such longing and an unspoken apology on her lips. Georg stared back too – he was completely in awe of her – and it was all too evident that he too had been caught up in the very same emotions as Maria; his desire for her had only grown stronger and their public separation was just too much at this point. He loved her, and he wanted them to be together as they should be.

"I don't remember anymore" Maria excused as she backed away.

It had been a lie – and Georg knew it – but he was so thankful that she had had the strength to break the contact before they'd done something drastic.

"Your face is all red" Brigitta commented – unknowingly acting as their saviour as she had broken the thick tension that had surrounded the couple.

"Is it?" Maria panicked, "I don't suppose I'm used to dancing" she excused again – and it'd even managed to coax a smile out of Georg, but what happened next made him unbelievably tense and everything inside him plummeted to the ground…

"That was beautifully done…" came the unmistakable voice of the baroness, "…what a lovely couple you make"

Georg could instantly detect the undertone of venom in her voice and for the first time in years, he'd felt scared. He knew full well that Elsa had caught them dancing, and even though they had agreed upon a truce, he was certain that he had lead himself into another fight.

"Yes, I think it's time the – uh – children said goodnight" Georg said nervously as he fiddled with his glove – yet another trait that Maria had picked up on during their time together. Her heart sank, something must have been wrong Georg of all people had felt nervous. She hoped that she hadn't put them in too much danger.

"Yes, we'll be in the hall in a moment…"

'Right, Maria…' she thought, '…you need to just ignore it for now. You are first and foremost here for the children, so for now, throw yourself back into their lives and make tonight one they'll never forget!'

"…We've got something very special planned, right?" she chirped.

"Right!" the children confirmed.

"Come on" Maria beckoned as she dashed away from the terrace – all seven children hot on her heels.

Georg extended his hand and placed it gently in the crook of Elsa's arm as he lead her back into the ballroom; he tried desperately to ignore what had just happened and was clinging to a tiny shred of hope that had told him that Elsa might not be all that angry.

"Rather chilly out tonight" he blurted in yet another desperate attempt to divert her focus.

"Oh, I don't know, it seemed rather warm to me" she shot back.

'Oh god…' Georg thought. He knew he was in danger.

Still, they had agreed to put their differences aside and he was sure that Elsa would keep her promise, so, with a gentle – yet, rather forced – smile, he pulled her towards him and initiated another dance. For a while everything seemed perfectly normal, they were dancing together as expected and no one else seemed to have noticed that he'd disappeared to dance with the governess; in fact, Georg began to let his guard down. Big mistake.

"Okay, Georg, what the hell did you think you were doing?!" Elsa spat, but she was smart enough to keep her voice low enough so that only Georg could hear her.

"Elsa, I know what you're thinking, but I assure you that it was just a dance"

"Just a dance?!" she spat, "This is my party, Georg, and I've already had to come to you and beg that we put a stop to our arguing for one night, and then I find you taking advantage of my good nature by dancing with that bloody governess!"

They twirled sharply to the rhythm of the waltz.

"Elsa, it was just a dance; it meant nothing"

"Oh, nothing? Then what are we doing right now? Just dancing. I suppose this means nothing to you either?!"

"You know that's not what I meant. Look, I found her out there trying to do the Laendler with Kurt and so I simply stepped in and showed them how it was done"

"But was that really necessary, Georg? For goodness sake, there was an entire ballroom full of people performing it correctly, so why on earth would they have to watch you and Maria do it?"

"I was just being friendly; my children need entertaining too"

"I don't even know why they're here…" she grumbled.

"They're my children, Elsa, you know how important they are to me"

"Important enough for you to push them away and all but abandon them whilst you came to me in Vienna"

Now, that had hurt him in a way that he'd never thought possible. But he held his tongue, he knew she was baiting him – likely trying to drive him into a confession – but he was not so easily broken and had been determined to not make a scene in the midst of the party. They continued to dance…stiffly.

"That was a dark time in my life, Elsa, and you know it…" he growled, "…but that's behind me now"

"Let me guess, because of that governess?"

"Yes" he shot back – which caused her eyes to fly open.

"Oh, you wretched man"

"People in glass houses, Elsa…I really don't see why you're being so relentless! Why are you trying to get me to admit to something that isn't happening? Is it so that you can play the victim again?"

"There's something not right between us, Georg"

"Oh, and so you want to blame it all on an imaginary affair? It really says something about your character, you know? The fact that you're blaming the outside world rather than having the courage to look inwards"

She glared at him. He eyes as fiendish as daggers.

"It's becoming more and more difficult for me to control my hostilities, Georg"

"I already know that you've had your claws in Maria's throat, so, I don't think it would be wise for you to try that again" he snarled.

Then the dance came to an end. When the guests politely applauded the orchestra, Georg and Elsa returned to their façade, is if no heated words had ever passed between them. He took her arm and held her close, smiling fondly at her as they absorbed the attention that came from the public eye. But beneath their smiles, a war was raging. Elsa had had enough. And, as if on cue, air beacme filled with an angelic voice that caused Georg's heart begin to race and Elsa's blood to boil.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the children of Captain von Trapp wish to say goodnight to you" announced Maria as she stood at the doorway to the ballroom.

The guests all followed the governess with eager intrigue, and even though Georg had Elsa on his arm – the heavy weight of their fight and the whole messy situation – he couldn't help but smile giddily at the anticipation of watching his children perform. If their puppet show was any indicator of their talent as performers, then he and his guests were surely in for a treat; besides, he knew that Maria could work wonders with them. He only hoped that Max would keep his nose out, he was not about to let that impresario turn his brood into some sort of circus act.

As soon as the performance began, Georg had never been so captivated by his children, they sang perfectly, and their choreography was just impeccable – he could tell just how hard they had work to make this special for him. To make him proud. Each child had their moment in the spotlight, and Georg found himself laughing along with every little bit of teasing thrown his way. He especially enjoyed Liesl's attempt at trying to get a glass of champagne from him – a joke that she had no doubt come up with herself and he was sure that it hadn't taken much effort to convince Maria to let her perform the gag. The laughter had been just what he'd needed. He'd never been so proud, and such pride was evident on his face, one only needed to look at him to see just how much he adored his children.

Eventually, it all came to an end, and whilst he applauded vigorously, he simply couldn't continue with his evening without thanking the woman who had coaxed such a marvellous performance out of them; so – without really thinking about it – he'd searched the crowd for Maria. He found her standing timidly behind one of the pillars, but she was not looking at him; instead, she too was smiling proudly as she watched the door finally close behind Liesl and Gretl. She really was amazing, and to see her looking at his children with such love and proud was just incredible, and it stirred up a fierce warmth within him. Regardless of her title, and whether or not she or the children realised it, Maria was a mother.

But just as this thought entered his mind, their eyes met, and once again, everything went silent. He was instantly mesmerised by the intensity of her gaze and the elegance that she seemed to exude without even trying; Maria was amongst some of the wealthiest women in Austria, and yet she was by far the most beautiful. Georg wished so desperately that he could go to her, take her into his arms and simply hold her, to thank her for what she'd done, not only tonight, but ever since she'd arrived. They were only separated by a few feet, but it was far too great a distance.

'Thank you' he said by flashing her a meaningful look and he grinned as she blushed slightly in response; he knew that she was far too humble to ever take credit for his children's talent.

But, then, the contact was over as Georg suddenly found himself being surrounded by his guests, each one wanting to praise him for how wonderful his children were. It really warmed his heart. If he hadn't been so overwhelmed, he may have noticed the glare that Elsa was shooting in Maria's direction. But he hadn't.

Maria was doing one last check on the children before she had to go and change, she just couldn't believe that she had been allowed to join the party! It was a strange mixture of excitement and questioning; never in her wildest dreams had she ever thought that she would be a guest at such aristocratic affair and she was thrilled…but she couldn't help but wonder why Georg had allowed it. Weren't they supposed to be keeping their distance? Surely inviting the governess to join the Austrian high society would only raise the suspicion of their guests…and the baroness. Still, despite her nerves, Maria wasn't about to question it, she was positively flying with the thought of it! But, she was still the governess, and she refused to let her mind spin out of control before she'd check on the children.

Thankfully, the younger ones had fallen asleep – clearly exhausted from the excitement of the night – and the older ones were nice and settled, Liesl and Louisa talking whilst Brigitta had sectioned herself away with a book. Fredrich had decided to turn in since Kurt had fallen asleep and he wasn't really in the mood to talk to his sisters about ball gowns. Maria bid them all goodnight before almost running across to her room to change. What on Earth was she going to wear? Whilst her wardrobe had certainly expanded since she'd arrived at the villa, she really didn't have anything that was suitable for an event of this calibre. Still, she supposed she would have to make do.

She had just begun to rummage through her dresses when a timid knock came form her door. She cocked her head and wondered who could possibly be looking for her, and for a moment, her heart sank as she thought it could be Georg coming to tell her that he didn't think she should join the party after all. But, regardless, she answered it. It was Liesl.

"Oh, it's you, Liesl. Is everything alright?" she asked sweetly.

"Yes, everything is fine, I'm not disturbing you, am I?"

"No, not at all. Was there something you wanted?"

"Yes, I was wondering if you had any – uh – feminine products, I don't seem to have any and I'm – uh – in need to some"

Maria gave her a warm smile and any hints of discomfort immediately washed away from Liesl's face.

"I think I have some, I'll be right back"

Maria wandered into her en-suite and retrieved a small bag from the cabinet, but when she opened it, she was somewhat taken aback by just how full it was.

'Huh? I didn't think I'd have this many. How many did I used during my last cycle? …Oh"

Maria realised that she had missed her last monthly cycle. And that's when the fear set it. For a while, everything went still, and as much as she tried to control her thoughts, her mind simply went into overdrive – a complete state of panic and paranoia – as she questioned what this could mean.

'Does this also explain the nausea and tiredness? Is that what all this has been about? Could I be…? No! No, this could easily be due to stress, and the lord knows that I've been under a lot of stress with my work and Georg… maybe this is all a terrible misunderstanding on my part? Maybe I'm overthinking this?'

But she took a moment to reflect upon everything, the nausea that had awoke her on most mornings had been thoroughly disguised as a side effect of her night terrors, but in hindsight, that really did seem like a bit of a juvenile conclusion. And to have that go hand-in-hand with dizziness, exhaustion…well, it all started to become clear. Furthermore, she ran a quick calculation in her head, and when she considered the date of when she and Georg had first made love, well, it was entirely possible. She knew it then. She was pregnant.

It was then Maria went into complete catatonia – extreme panic – and she was sure she was about to faint. This couldn't possibly be happening, she was pregnant with Captain von Trapp's a child! – a child that had been conceived out of wedlock and was the product of an elicit affair that had taken place whilst he was as good as engaged – how could she possibly deal with this? What would happen to her now? Her only home outside of the villa was the abbey, but she couldn't possibly run to the nuns for help, she'd been sleeping with her employer for goodness sake! Perhaps it was just the world's way of telling her that her affair with Georg could no longer continue? That the immorality of their actions had gone far enough and now Maria was paying for her sins.

She couldn't possibly tell Georg, could she? He was already under enough pressure from trying to prove his love for her and keep things calm with the baroness; dropping the news of a child on him would surely drive him into madness. No, she couldn't do that to him. It was over. She was sure that he'd hate her if she told him the truth. Wouldn't any man? How could Georg possibly love a woman that always seemed to complicate things, that had the uncanny ability to ruin and exacerbate every single situation she found herself in. She didn't doubt that this child was proof of that. How could he possible love some silly mountain girl who'd been stupid enough to jump into bed with her employer and end up pregnant because of it. No, this was where it all ended.

Maria knew that she had to leave the villa…and she was devastated. But she had to think of more than just herself now.

"Frauline Maria?" she heard from her room.

Liesl!

Maria took a deep breath and steadied her nerves, she just needed to face Liesl for a few more seconds. She grabbed the products that she had searched for and made her way back into the bedroom – forcing her token warm smile as she did so.

"Sorry about that Liesl, it took me a while to find them"

"That's okay and thank you so much" she smiled.

It would be the last time Maria saw that smile.

"It's no problem, dear, now, you should run along, it's getting late"

"Okay, goodnight, Frauline Maria"

"Goodnight, Liesl" she said tenderly and had managed to hide the crack in her voice.

Then Liesl was gone and the door shut gently behind her. That was when Maria finally broke down. She sat down on the bed as hot tears streamed down her cheeks – burning into her skin as permanent reminders of her sinful actions – she had been so sure that this had been her chance to have true happiness, her own slice of perfection…but she had ruined everything.

She tried not to think about what she was about to abandon as she packed away her things. She had grown so close to the children; her heart swelled with love at the mere thought of them and she had truly come to love them as her own. Yet again, Maria was being separated from what she called her family. And Georg – oh, Georg! – how she loved him! She had never known love so strong and she never thought that such magical emotions could ever be real, that she could feel so close to another person…it always felt as if they were made to be together. Her heart shattered at the thought of never seeing him again. But she had to do this, she would miss him more than anything, but she couldn't possibly put the burden of this child on him. Not to mention the shame it would bring upon his household. No, she needed to protect them from her own stupid mistakes. She had to leave whilst she had the strength to do so.

She crept down into the foyer and sighed in relief when she found that the guests had all retreated to have their food, now was the perfect time to slip away unnoticed. She never thought she'd ever desire such a thing…it really was all very horrid. She had written the family a note, she had stressed over it for what seemed like hours, trying to think of what she could possibly write. For a while, she just wanted to sit down and spend hours composing some novella about how she loved each and every member of the Von Trapp family and how her departure was devastating, but she knew that such a letter would only send them looking for her. Wasn't the point of her leaving to cut ties and keep them shielded from scandal? She knew that she needed to keep her distance; so, the note she had written was disrespectfully vague, without a bit of truth within it. She had simply written that she missed the abbey too much and that she needed to return. It was a sick lie, really. The only bit that had been true was that she was going to miss them – but even that part had carried no emotion. She just felt rotten.

But she had no choice. It was for those very same reasons that he hadn't written a separate note for Georg, oh, she'd wanted to, to tell him one last time just how much she loved him, but she knew it would only make things harder; and a huge declaration of her love wouldn't make sense alongside her sudden departure. No, this needed to be a cold series of actions. So, she gingerly laid the note out on one of the decorative tables – where it would certainly get picked up by one of the maids – before walking towards the doors. She gave one last look of longing at the villa, at the place she had called home and thought of those it housed, the children she had considered family and the man she had fallen so desperately in love with. She looked one last time at the life she almost had.

Then, she turned around and walked away.

It had taken her a long time to walk back to the abbey, and with each step she had considered turning back, but she knew she couldn't, she knew that she'd be walking into a battle if she returned to the villa. She had just kept reminding herself that she was doing this for Georg and the children. They didn't deserve her and her burdens. The night air had chilled her to her bones, but she hadn't really felt it, in fact, she hadn't really felt anything, she was just so stricken with disbelief…she was actually carrying a child! What on earth was she going to do? She knew that she'd always be welcome at the abbey, but she couldn't very well stay there forever; the last things the sisters needed was an unwed mother and her baby…would she even have the strength to confess her situation? She knew that it would become obvious eventually, but how could she possibly look the Reverend Mother – the woman whom Maria considered to be a real mother – in the eye and tell her of her sins? She couldn't bear to witness how disappointed she'd be. But she just needed to take one step at a time. The most important thing now was for her to make sure she and the baby were safe.

When she finally arrived at the abbey, she rang the bell and her stomach hollowed as she awaited the answer; She hoped there wouldn't be too many questions. She ignored the trembling in her legs and tried to grasp some ounce of strength, but in reality, she was absolutely terrified. She heard soft footsteps approaching and her heart warmed ever so slightly when she eventually recognised the face of Sister Margaretta.

"Maria? Is that you? What on earth are you doing here at this hour?"

"I'm returning to the abbey" she said stoically.

"You're returning? But you're supposed to be with the Von Trapp family all summer"

"I know, but that's no longer the case and I've decided to return" Maria struggled to keep herself from crying, especially in front a sister Margaretta – who had always been a great comfort to her…one of the few people who didn't judge her every move and used to listen to her whenever she needed it.

"Is there a reason for this, Maria?"

"Please don't ask me…" she pleaded, "…I just needed to return, I felt it was in everybody's best interest"

"I see…" Sister Margaretta knew not to push her for an explanation, "…shall I alert the Reverend Mother?"

"No" Maria said quickly, "It would be unkind to wake her; besides, I wish to be put into seclusion"

"Seclusion?" Sister Margaretta gasped.

"That's right"

"Whatever for?"

"I just need to be alone, I need to time to think and to reconnect with god, please, Sister Margaretta, I need this so desperately"

Oh, she had been seconds away from crying.

"Okay, Maria, if it's what you wish, but it shall be done, but please take my advice and talk to the Reverend Mother about whatever is bothering you, I'm sure she can help"

"I'm not sure if she can…but thank you, sister…for everything"

The pair of them walked through the abbey – engulfed by the inky blackness of the night – and Maria took a shuddering breath. She was absolutely devasted that she'd left the Von Trapps, but she had truly believed it to be the right thing to do. Now, she had an entirely new chapter to focus on, and whilst her heart ached in a way that was simply torturous, she tried her best to push it aside and focus on where she was now.

She slyly rested a hand on her abdomen. There were more important things to think about now…

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Intense, right?

So, I know that some of you had already guessed that Maria was pregnant, but unfortunately, it's one of those ideas that not only gets used all the time, but is also very difficult to hide. As soon as a female character starts getting sick in literally any fanfiction, it's because she's pregnant - which isn't a bad thing - but it just means you can't hide it anymore. But I'm sure some of you predicated it from the very beginning, right?

I did cut a few things out of this chapter, so something that you didn't see is that Elsa goes looking for Maria, but it's after she's left and so doesn't find her. I really wanted to make it feel like Elsa was going to confront her and then change it at the last minute to actually make it into a pregnancy reveal. I hope you liked it and I hope I did it well.

One final thing that I'm just going to say to be safe: Pregnancy is not a woman's fault and she should never be solely held responsibly. I really didn't want to make anyone feel upset, and I know that's kind of the message that the narration sends, but that's just because the omniscient narrator in this builds off of what the characters think and feel, so, Maria believes that she's messed everything up and that she's to blame, so that's what the narration portrays.
I know that I probably didn't have to say this, but I just wanted to make sure that no one gets upset :)

Anyway, this AN has one on for far too long, so I'm going to wrap up by saying a HUGE thank you for all the amazing reviews, you guys are just incredible and I would really love to hear what you thought about this chapter because I worked very hard on it and have been very excited about it for a long time.

I really hope you enjoyed it and I'll see you soon! xxx