Fanfic.net is testing me. I just know it. This is the last chapter. I thank
everyone for leaving such encouraging feedback. I promise to treat Maria
and the Captain better in my next story. Maybe some 'steamy scenes' as
Emilyn seems to desperately want. Makes me wonder.
Forgive the formatting of this. ~imnotacommittee
Georg stood in the train station, his heart in his stomach. He wouldn't be able to relax until he saw each and every one of his children before him. Their train was due any moment, and he felt as if he couldn't breathe properly until he knew for himself that they were truly safe.
He wished Maria was with him to greet them, but it was best she remain in bed, despite her insistence that she was well enough to join him. He wasn't about to take any chances; she may be improving, but she still had to regain her strength.
When Maria started to heal in earnest, he had been relieved beyond words. He and Nikolas had been successful in obtaining some pain killers from the local hospital. Georg's lips curved in amusement at the memory of the charmed nurses, all too eager to help a pair of "distraught" foreign soldiers. They had procured enough medicine for two weeks, and Georg had been all too pleased when he had seen some peace finally start to come to Maria's face.
He was thankful that her injury wasn't as serious as it could have been. He had seen worse during the war, and the fact that she had gotten care so quickly made her chances of a fast recovery that much stronger. The image of her suffering face would forever be burned into his mind, but he had been elated to see the animation return to her eyes so soon after they had arrived in Italy.
A true sign of her recovery was her annoyance at having to remain in bed. She insisted that she help in whatever way she could, and felt guilty at being waited on when Anke was so busy. Georg's reasoning that the best way she could help was to stay still and concentrate on getting better had not put her at ease.
The train from Zurich finally arrived, and he walked over to the platform. Almost immediately, seven figures were descending the train and running towards him. Brigitta reached him first, and he swung the girl around in the air. Soon, he was surrounded by his children; their faces brightening his mood beyond words. He felt as if a weight had been lifted from his mind. He looked up at Max and gave him a thankful smile.
After the two men shook hands, Max looked around and inhaled the warm Italian air. "You do know how to pick the ideal rendezvous spots, Georg," he said.
"How is Mother?" Friedrich asked, rearranging the strap of his bag.
"Restless," his father answered. "She'll be so happy to see you all."
"We got her this," Liesl said and turned quickly to Kurt who was holding a parcel. "A shawl. It will keep her warm."
"That was very thoughtful of you," Georg said and smiled.
"We also got her candy," Kurt announced. "What better way to get better than with Swiss chocolate?"
"Did you bring any for me?"
"Uncle Max ate the rest!" Gretl giggled.
"Father," Louisa asked. "Are we going to go back home?"
Her father shook his head solemnly. "I don't think so, Louisa. I doubt that we'll ever go back to Austria."
"We're together," Brigitta said brightly. "That's all that matters."
"That it does," Georg agreed. "Let's go. I don't want to keep your mother waiting any longer!"
***
The family emptied out of the car and the children ran to the front door.
"Wait!" their father yelled, and they practically trampled over each other. "Let's all go in together."
The door opened and Nikolas and Anke Lang appeared. "Welcome home, everyone!" Nikolas said happily and rushed over to grab some bags. "I see you all managed to do some shopping in Switzerland."
"Well, I couldn't have them wearing the same clothing for two weeks, Nikolas," Max said as the other stopped to shake his hand.
"I would hope not," Georg said and led his family inside the house where they had been living in for the last week.
Max looked around. "I hope there's more room upstairs for all these people, Georg," he said lightly.
"It'll have to do, Max," Georg said. "It's not permanent. There are a couple of big rooms in the attic for the children."
"Maria's the only one guaranteed a bed," Nikolas commented. "We figured she deserved it."
"Well, if that's the case, then I guess Georg is guaranteed one too," Max said and gave his friend a smirk. He stepped back as the Captain made a face at him. "I shall be in the kitchen. I'm famished!"
Nikolas smiled at the family. "I'll give you all your time," he said and smiled before he, too, retreated.
Georg nodded at him and turned to Anke. The woman smiled kindly.
"She's reading upstairs, Georg," she told him. "We're preparing dinner for everyone. She wanted to help, insisted on it, actually. I convinced her that she would need all her energy when the children arrived. Dinner should be ready in a little while."
Glancing at the children, her grin widened. "It's nice to have you all here! I can't tell you how relieved I am that we're all here, safe and sound. My children will be so thrilled to see you all! If you'll excuse me, I have to resume preparing dinner and stop Max from picking at the roast." She winked at Georg and went into the kitchen.
As the eight von Trapps ascended the stairs and walked to the master bedroom, the children grew suddenly apprehensive. "She's going to be fine," he assured them. "Just be gentle, please."
Maria was sitting in the middle of the bed with an open book on her lap, resting her eyes. She looked up when she heard the door open. Her face brightened and her eyes filled with tears at the sight of her family all standing in the door. Seven elated, but hesitant, faces were staring back at her. Behind them, the loving visage of her husband made her feel more content and healthy than she had felt in days.
She stretched out her arms to them, and Marta and Gretl ran to the bed.
"Gently!" Georg cried out.
The girls did hear him and resisted the urge of flinging themselves into their mother's embrace. She wrapped her arms around them and relished the sensation of feeling them close to her again. She didn't realize how much she missed her children until that moment. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she didn't even bother to wipe them away.
Soon, all the other children were around her, asking both their parents endless questions about their ordeal in the streets of Salzburg.
"Did you really shoot a Nazi, Father?"
"Did they search the car in the barricade?"
"Were you up all night?"
"Did you carry Mother all the way to Anif, Father?"
"Did you really knock one out with a pole, Mother?"
"How many were there?"
"Is it true that you got into a fist fight with some of them?"
"Alright, that's enough, everyone!" Georg announced and moved to sit on the bed next to Maria. "You don't want to hear all the details at once, do you?"
"Will you be alright, Mother?" Marta asked quietly.
Maria leaned over to kiss the girl's forehead. "Yes, darling, I will be alright."
"Here, Mother," Brigitta said and she looked at her siblings who all nodded. She presented the wrapped shawl. "We thought this would help you feel better."
"Oh, how lovely," Maria exclaimed as she unfolded the garment. "This is beautiful! Thank you!"
"We thought something pretty would cheer you up," Brigitta explained.
"We also got you these," Friedrich announced as he handed her the box of chocolates.
"Oh, you really are going to spoil me, aren't you?"
"That's the idea," Liesl joked and winked at her father.
"Oh, my, Swiss chocolate," Maria murmured as she examined the candies. Suddenly, a hand came into her field of vision.
"Father!" Gretl shouted. "Those are for Mother!"
He retreated and tried to look offended. "I know, I was just teasing," he said in light defense.
Laughing, Maria handed the box to him. "You may have one if you like, Georg," she offered.
He smiled at her. "No, thank you, my love," he said. "You deserve the pampering."
The nine of them sat and talked with familiar happiness as the children related to their parents their escapades in Switzerland. Georg and Maria were relieved and thankful to learn that Max had kept the children from worrying too much about their situation. While the days had seemed to drag on for the two of them, they were happy to know the children seemed to be relatively unaffected by the events of the last two weeks.
After a while, there was a knock on the door. Max poked his head through. "Hello," he said and glanced at Maria. "Thank God you're doing so well, Maria."
She raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Why, thank you, Max," she said. "It's nice to see you too. Thank you for all you've done with the children."
"It was the least I could do," he replied truthfully. "Whenever you're ready, dinner is about to be served."
The children climbed off of the bed and turned to their parents.
"We'll be right down," Georg called off. "We just have to prepare ourselves for the feast."
Once they were alone, he turned to her and took her hand. She reached up with her other hand and stroked his cheek. "You're positively beaming, darling."
He laughed softly. "I have everything I need. My children are home. You're getting stronger every day," he said and stared at her intensely. "I have never been so. seeing you.I." he trailed.
She brought his face closer to hers. "I'm sorry."
He kissed her gently. "You never stopped fighting," he told her. "You may not remember it, but I do. You didn't give up for a moment."
She shook her head. "I couldn't stop thinking about you and the children," she told him, tears returning to her eyes. "All I could think about, when I was awake enough to think, was all of you and what would happen to you if I died. I couldn't do that to you. Not after we had finally found some peace. We have so much to live for."
"You're the bravest person I know, Maria von Trapp," he said and pressed her hand against his heart.
She leaned into him. "Thank you, Georg," she whispered. "Thank you for saving my life."
"I think we're even, now." He said as he released her hand and wrapped his arms around her. "Thank you for not leaving me."
She could only respond by hugging him closer to her as she felt wetness on her shoulder. "I'm not going anywhere," she vowed.
He pulled away after a long moment, and she reached up to wipe his face. "I think this is pretty good homecoming, Captain," she said and smiled.
He kissed her tenderly. "I couldn't have planned it any better."
Fin
Georg stood in the train station, his heart in his stomach. He wouldn't be able to relax until he saw each and every one of his children before him. Their train was due any moment, and he felt as if he couldn't breathe properly until he knew for himself that they were truly safe.
He wished Maria was with him to greet them, but it was best she remain in bed, despite her insistence that she was well enough to join him. He wasn't about to take any chances; she may be improving, but she still had to regain her strength.
When Maria started to heal in earnest, he had been relieved beyond words. He and Nikolas had been successful in obtaining some pain killers from the local hospital. Georg's lips curved in amusement at the memory of the charmed nurses, all too eager to help a pair of "distraught" foreign soldiers. They had procured enough medicine for two weeks, and Georg had been all too pleased when he had seen some peace finally start to come to Maria's face.
He was thankful that her injury wasn't as serious as it could have been. He had seen worse during the war, and the fact that she had gotten care so quickly made her chances of a fast recovery that much stronger. The image of her suffering face would forever be burned into his mind, but he had been elated to see the animation return to her eyes so soon after they had arrived in Italy.
A true sign of her recovery was her annoyance at having to remain in bed. She insisted that she help in whatever way she could, and felt guilty at being waited on when Anke was so busy. Georg's reasoning that the best way she could help was to stay still and concentrate on getting better had not put her at ease.
The train from Zurich finally arrived, and he walked over to the platform. Almost immediately, seven figures were descending the train and running towards him. Brigitta reached him first, and he swung the girl around in the air. Soon, he was surrounded by his children; their faces brightening his mood beyond words. He felt as if a weight had been lifted from his mind. He looked up at Max and gave him a thankful smile.
After the two men shook hands, Max looked around and inhaled the warm Italian air. "You do know how to pick the ideal rendezvous spots, Georg," he said.
"How is Mother?" Friedrich asked, rearranging the strap of his bag.
"Restless," his father answered. "She'll be so happy to see you all."
"We got her this," Liesl said and turned quickly to Kurt who was holding a parcel. "A shawl. It will keep her warm."
"That was very thoughtful of you," Georg said and smiled.
"We also got her candy," Kurt announced. "What better way to get better than with Swiss chocolate?"
"Did you bring any for me?"
"Uncle Max ate the rest!" Gretl giggled.
"Father," Louisa asked. "Are we going to go back home?"
Her father shook his head solemnly. "I don't think so, Louisa. I doubt that we'll ever go back to Austria."
"We're together," Brigitta said brightly. "That's all that matters."
"That it does," Georg agreed. "Let's go. I don't want to keep your mother waiting any longer!"
***
The family emptied out of the car and the children ran to the front door.
"Wait!" their father yelled, and they practically trampled over each other. "Let's all go in together."
The door opened and Nikolas and Anke Lang appeared. "Welcome home, everyone!" Nikolas said happily and rushed over to grab some bags. "I see you all managed to do some shopping in Switzerland."
"Well, I couldn't have them wearing the same clothing for two weeks, Nikolas," Max said as the other stopped to shake his hand.
"I would hope not," Georg said and led his family inside the house where they had been living in for the last week.
Max looked around. "I hope there's more room upstairs for all these people, Georg," he said lightly.
"It'll have to do, Max," Georg said. "It's not permanent. There are a couple of big rooms in the attic for the children."
"Maria's the only one guaranteed a bed," Nikolas commented. "We figured she deserved it."
"Well, if that's the case, then I guess Georg is guaranteed one too," Max said and gave his friend a smirk. He stepped back as the Captain made a face at him. "I shall be in the kitchen. I'm famished!"
Nikolas smiled at the family. "I'll give you all your time," he said and smiled before he, too, retreated.
Georg nodded at him and turned to Anke. The woman smiled kindly.
"She's reading upstairs, Georg," she told him. "We're preparing dinner for everyone. She wanted to help, insisted on it, actually. I convinced her that she would need all her energy when the children arrived. Dinner should be ready in a little while."
Glancing at the children, her grin widened. "It's nice to have you all here! I can't tell you how relieved I am that we're all here, safe and sound. My children will be so thrilled to see you all! If you'll excuse me, I have to resume preparing dinner and stop Max from picking at the roast." She winked at Georg and went into the kitchen.
As the eight von Trapps ascended the stairs and walked to the master bedroom, the children grew suddenly apprehensive. "She's going to be fine," he assured them. "Just be gentle, please."
Maria was sitting in the middle of the bed with an open book on her lap, resting her eyes. She looked up when she heard the door open. Her face brightened and her eyes filled with tears at the sight of her family all standing in the door. Seven elated, but hesitant, faces were staring back at her. Behind them, the loving visage of her husband made her feel more content and healthy than she had felt in days.
She stretched out her arms to them, and Marta and Gretl ran to the bed.
"Gently!" Georg cried out.
The girls did hear him and resisted the urge of flinging themselves into their mother's embrace. She wrapped her arms around them and relished the sensation of feeling them close to her again. She didn't realize how much she missed her children until that moment. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she didn't even bother to wipe them away.
Soon, all the other children were around her, asking both their parents endless questions about their ordeal in the streets of Salzburg.
"Did you really shoot a Nazi, Father?"
"Did they search the car in the barricade?"
"Were you up all night?"
"Did you carry Mother all the way to Anif, Father?"
"Did you really knock one out with a pole, Mother?"
"How many were there?"
"Is it true that you got into a fist fight with some of them?"
"Alright, that's enough, everyone!" Georg announced and moved to sit on the bed next to Maria. "You don't want to hear all the details at once, do you?"
"Will you be alright, Mother?" Marta asked quietly.
Maria leaned over to kiss the girl's forehead. "Yes, darling, I will be alright."
"Here, Mother," Brigitta said and she looked at her siblings who all nodded. She presented the wrapped shawl. "We thought this would help you feel better."
"Oh, how lovely," Maria exclaimed as she unfolded the garment. "This is beautiful! Thank you!"
"We thought something pretty would cheer you up," Brigitta explained.
"We also got you these," Friedrich announced as he handed her the box of chocolates.
"Oh, you really are going to spoil me, aren't you?"
"That's the idea," Liesl joked and winked at her father.
"Oh, my, Swiss chocolate," Maria murmured as she examined the candies. Suddenly, a hand came into her field of vision.
"Father!" Gretl shouted. "Those are for Mother!"
He retreated and tried to look offended. "I know, I was just teasing," he said in light defense.
Laughing, Maria handed the box to him. "You may have one if you like, Georg," she offered.
He smiled at her. "No, thank you, my love," he said. "You deserve the pampering."
The nine of them sat and talked with familiar happiness as the children related to their parents their escapades in Switzerland. Georg and Maria were relieved and thankful to learn that Max had kept the children from worrying too much about their situation. While the days had seemed to drag on for the two of them, they were happy to know the children seemed to be relatively unaffected by the events of the last two weeks.
After a while, there was a knock on the door. Max poked his head through. "Hello," he said and glanced at Maria. "Thank God you're doing so well, Maria."
She raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Why, thank you, Max," she said. "It's nice to see you too. Thank you for all you've done with the children."
"It was the least I could do," he replied truthfully. "Whenever you're ready, dinner is about to be served."
The children climbed off of the bed and turned to their parents.
"We'll be right down," Georg called off. "We just have to prepare ourselves for the feast."
Once they were alone, he turned to her and took her hand. She reached up with her other hand and stroked his cheek. "You're positively beaming, darling."
He laughed softly. "I have everything I need. My children are home. You're getting stronger every day," he said and stared at her intensely. "I have never been so. seeing you.I." he trailed.
She brought his face closer to hers. "I'm sorry."
He kissed her gently. "You never stopped fighting," he told her. "You may not remember it, but I do. You didn't give up for a moment."
She shook her head. "I couldn't stop thinking about you and the children," she told him, tears returning to her eyes. "All I could think about, when I was awake enough to think, was all of you and what would happen to you if I died. I couldn't do that to you. Not after we had finally found some peace. We have so much to live for."
"You're the bravest person I know, Maria von Trapp," he said and pressed her hand against his heart.
She leaned into him. "Thank you, Georg," she whispered. "Thank you for saving my life."
"I think we're even, now." He said as he released her hand and wrapped his arms around her. "Thank you for not leaving me."
She could only respond by hugging him closer to her as she felt wetness on her shoulder. "I'm not going anywhere," she vowed.
He pulled away after a long moment, and she reached up to wipe his face. "I think this is pretty good homecoming, Captain," she said and smiled.
He kissed her tenderly. "I couldn't have planned it any better."
Fin