Part 14
Maria sighed as she went down stairs after her shower. Instead of opting for the normal governess dress she chose one of her nicer out fits; a short purple blouse and flowing skirt to go with it. She had checked on the children to find them making a huge tent. She had smiled and helped them a little before going down stairs.
Going in the kitchen she found a nice big mug not one of those ridiculous small china things and made herself a cup of tea. With her big cup of steaming tea she went into the lounge and curled up on one of the golden couches as she watched the rain poor and the flashes of lightening illuminate the dulled room.
She sipped her tea and sighed basking in the sweet sounds of the rumbling thunder mixed with the relaxing patter of the rain. She loved storms like this, some people found them scary and frightening like the children did. But she didn't, she found them relaxing and comforting and in some odd sense sensual. She ran her finger around the rim of her cup as she watched the clear rain drops fall. She had always marvelled and found the idea of making love to someone in a thunder storm extremely beautiful and enticing. No lights just candles or a fire place and two bodies so intimately connected.
She blushed at her own imagination and ducked her head, a strike of lightening illuminating the room closely followed by a deep roll of thunder and a masculine cough.
She turned her head to see the Captain standing in the door way. His tall frame creating an aurora of authority in the darkness.
"May I join you?" he said quietly.
Maria took a breath and nodded gently watching his every move as he stepped in the room and sat on a couch opposite her. For Maria this was a risk in its self for she knew at that moment she was vulnerable and unprotected. She didn't have her barriers up she was simply Maria.
She let her thoughts slip away and took a sip of her tea watching his strong form watch her. Her eyes stayed as he took his tie off and undid the first few buttons of his shirt before dropping his tie on the floor.
For a few minutes they both just sat there watching each other in the dark room. Though they were meters apart Maria felt like he was right next to her the air between them almost electric. Her heart beat faster, the reason she did not know. Why did this always happen to them? Whenever they stepped into a room together or even when they were in each other's proximity sparks seamed to fly and everything else seemed to disappear.
She averted his gaze and looked outside trying to find some firm ground for her thoughts. But then he spoke and all firm ground was lost and it was as if she was floating, the mere sound of his voice lifting her higher.
"May I open the door?" he asked and Maria had to shake her thoughts before she answered.
"Yes" she said quietly unsure of her own voice.
She took another sip of her tea and watched as he got up opening the door to the outside making sure it stayed open with and small wooden wedge. She smiled and breathed in the sweet smell of the earth and rain. She slipped off her shoes, both landing on the ground with a gentle thud before snuggling deeper into the couch.
She closed her eyes and let her head rest on the arm of the couch, her body relaxing and taking slight comfort in Georg's presence.
Georg smiled gently as he watched Maria relax. The fresh air swirled around them and his eyes washed over Maria's body the lightning illuminating her face and golden hair. Maria's eyes opened gently her deep blue eyes sparkling in the low light. His breath caught in his chest and he smiled gently at her.
Maria smiled back at Georg and though Maria felt more relaxed than she had in a long time the longing and desire still filled her body. The sudden image of her and Georg making passionate love on the floor flashed through her mind making her gasp slightly and a sudden jolt of longing pleasure shoot through her.
She swallowed and looked back at Georg who hadn't seemed to notice, taking another sip of her tea making an excuse for her flushed cheeks if he noticed.
Georg sighed and went to the drinks cabinet pouring himself a brandy "Do you want one?" he asked and Maria shook her head.
"No thank you" she said watching him go back to his couch.
"May I ask why you are sitting all alone in the dark?" he said.
Maria smiled "I'm not alone I have you" she quipped and he smiled "I like watching and listening to the storm. So I came down, made myself a cup of tea and here I am" she said running her fingers on the rim of her cup as she looked at him.
Georg nodded "So you like storms?"
Maria nodded.
"You don't find them scary or frightening?" he said looking at her with curious eyes.
Maria shook her head smiling shyly.
Georg took a wig of his brandy "Why do you like them?"
Maria chuckled "I just do, I find them relaxing and… sensual if I am honest" she said looking him in the eye.
Georg looked at her his eyes tracing every contour if her face with his eyes before looking away "Agathe thought the same thing" he said quietly and Maria listened intently "I would find her in here, just like I found you, watching the storms" he said.
Maria smiled watching as his mind tried so hard to seek the memories he wished to find and make them real.
"I would sit with her and she would tell me her secrets and thoughts" he smiled "She asked me to make love to her once during a thunder storm" Maria's heart sped up at his words "So I picked her up and took her to our bedroom. Hence how Brigitta was made" he said and Maria smiled.
Maria looked at him closely "You must have loved her very much" she said before taking a sip of her tea, half of it gone now.
Georg nodded looking at the ground "I did. When she was taken from me my heart broke. A piece of me died with her" he whispered.
Maria bit her lip almost feeling his heart break as he spoke about her. Every word was laced with love and sadness and her heart went out to him.
"I will never be able to repay you for opening my eyes to my children" he said looking at her, a thousand emotions passing his face making her hearts speed up.
"You have nothing to thank me for. You found your children on your own. So please do not thank me" she whispered guiltily for the true reason she was here. Here he was thanking her when she was really supposed to send him to his supposed death in the end. She couldn't bare it and tears laced her eyes.
"But I should you showed me my children" he said insistently.
"You should not thank me, you do not know me" she whispered bowing her head as Georg looked at her in confusion.
She tried to gain her composure back and looked at him "Forgive me" she said smiling weakly.
He smiled back watching her sit up "You have nothing to be forgiven for" he said her words coming back at her and she chuckled.
"There was something I wanted to run passed you if you don't mind?" he said looking at her.
Maria was intrigued "Of course what is it?"
"I was thinking of taking the children into town tomorrow. What do you think?" he said hesitantly.
Maria smiled broadly "I think that's a wonderful idea Georg. You and the children can spend more time together, yes that would be wonderful" she said approvingly.
The rest of the night past much the same, both chatting idly. The children came down and ate on the floor before going to bed. But instead of clear dreams, that night Maria dreamt of him again, it seemed her thoughts would not leave him and her imagination got stronger so much to the point where she woke up sweating and shivering from almost sweet bliss.
The next morning as the children studied Maria went down to the kitchen to find Margret and Frau Schmidt talking.
"Morning" she said happily and the two women greeted her back.
"Good morning" Helen said.
"Morning dear" Margret said in her sweet motherly tone.
She walked around the kitchen and picked up a few biscuits before Helen grabbed her "Meet us in here at lunch, we have a lot to discuss young lady" she said.
Maria rolled her eyes and nodded "Don't worry I will be here" she said kissing the older lady's cheek before walking back up stairs to the children.
As she helped the children her thought's drifted as they often did. It was strange how close she had gotten to the two ladies in a matter of days. There was no doubt that she already had a good relationship with both of them but now they were more like mothers to her. Her heart warmed at the thought but sank at the thought of them being killed. She wanted their help but at the same time she didn't. She sighed at her own confusion and went to help Gretl.
The morning passed quickly and before she knew it the children were out of the door with their father and off to town. She closed the door and went to the kitchen to find Margret and Helen waiting for her.
She shut the door and sighed before sitting down on the chair Margret pulled out for her…
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"NO!" Maria shouted pacing up and down the kitchen as Margret and Helen tried to reason with her.
They had been at this for half an hour now, all three of them trying to think of ways to save her the Captain the children and Maria's parents. Maria also wanted to save Helen and Margret but they simply refused. They said they were mere sacrifices. Merely sacrifices my ass! She thought.
"Maria listen to us!" Helen shouted back.
Maria faced them with fury "I will not! I cannot accept this, if we did run away you two are coming with me!" she said with defiance.
Margret sighed "Maria if we stayed we could distract them" she said.
"NO! They wouldn't believe you! I know this because I am one of them! No if you stay I stay. You two are like mothers to me! And I will be damned if I am going to let you die!" she said tears in her eyes.
"Think of the children, think of the Captain!" Helen tried persuading.
"No! The Captain would hate me and wouldn't even allow me to come with them and my parents would be killed immediately" she said despair in her voice.
"You don't know that" Margret said trying to calm her.
"I do! And you two are both nuts if you think otherwise!" she said pacing again.
Helen banged the table "Maria! Will you calm down!" she shouted and Maria immediately stopped.
"Now listen if you tell the Captain the situation then maybe he will listen" Margret reasoned.
Maria scoffed "Oh and what? Welcome me into his arms gladly? He hates the Nazis, if he finds out I am one of them I will be hanged drawn and quartered!" she said.
Margret and Helen sighed "Fine then we will come up with something else" Helen said patting her lap for Maria to sit on.
Maria sniffled and sat on her lap leaning back against her. Helen wrapped her arms around the young woman's stomach and sighed.
Margret drummed her fingers on the table in thought. When she found none, she too sighed and got up "I always find that when one is in doubt, cake always helps" she said trying to cheer everyone up.
Maria and Helen smiled as they watched Margret cut them each a slice of fruit cake.
Bringing it back to the table they ate in silence. You could almost hear thoughts running through each woman's mind. Maria meddled with the last crumbs on her plate with unease and reached for Frau Schmidt's hand, squeezing in for comfort.
Helen squeezed back "Don't worry my dear we will find a way" she said looking at Margret and Margret look at her, her big hazel eyes nodding with reassurance.
"For all of us?" Maria said.
Helen smiled never seeing the girl so vulnerable before "Yes for all of us" she said smiling.
Maria sighed and nodded.
This wasn't going to be easy and they all knew it. Margret sighed accepting a fate that she truly wished did not have to "Maria, I love you like a daughter but you have to listen to me" she said and Maria had a vague idea of what was coming but she nodded anyway.
"This will not be easy and there will be some sacrifices" she bit her lip unsure whether to say what they were all thinking "I would save them if could and if we can we will so desperately try I promise you, but your parents may not make it" she said.
Tears threatened her eyes and Margret reached out "I know this is hard but you have to accept this" she said even her own heart breaking.
Maria nodded knowing that what she said was true. She knew that Margret was not trying to be mean or cruel. She was simply trying to prepare her for the worst "I know" she whispered.
Helen squeezed Maria lightly "Escaping maybe be our only option" she said and Maria nodded.
"But what if I tell him and he decides to turn me in?" she said.
"We won't let that happen. We will be with you and behind you every step of the way" Helen said.
Margret rubbed the girls knee "But you don't have to tell him now"
Maria shook her head "No I mean yes, I know I do not have to tell him now but I need time, he is not ready. He needs more time with his children, only then will i tell him" Maria said.
Helen nodded "Then we will just have to find some information to feed Herr Zeller until then" she said and all three women looked at each other with unease.
Authors note: I'm not sure about this chapter but hey what can you do? Not everything can be perfect! Anyway thank you to all of you who have reviewed so far! It's extremely appreciated. And please please continue to review! Thank you :D