A/N: Hey! I hope you are enjoying the story so far. There are lots of Maria/Georg moments in this chapter so I hope I make you smile :)

I can't believe how quickly the story is passing by - but not to fear, there is plenty left! Great things come to those who wait...

Chapter Twenty-Eight

"Odl lay ee, old lay ee
Odl lay hee hee, odl lay ee
Odl lay odl lay, odl lay odl lee, odl lay odl lee
Odl lay odl lay odl lay

HOO!"

The children jumped from the stage into their father's waiting arms, rejuvenated with a second wave of energy. It had been an exhausting week – Monday morning, as per the Captain's request, Maria had slept in almost until lunchtime and, because of the lost time, she and the children had worked all afternoon and evening on the two shows. The rest of the week had been much of the same, with minor interruptions from the Captain or Max who required assistance with some party detail. In the evenings, after the children had gone to bed, the four adults would meet in the sitting room to discuss the accomplishments of the day, and what would need to be done the next day.

Wednesday morning the Captain had announced he had to run into town, and Max and Elsa quickly consented to join him. Taking full advantage of their absence, Maria and the children had been able to practice their surprise for the ball on the grand stairwell, where they would actually be presenting. They had gotten so caught up in their practice, they had forgotten to eat lunch, and only when the Captain returned at three did they realize their mistake. Some of the children had been more forgiving than others.

Thursday morning the Captain informed Maria he had brought the children's dresses and suits home the day before rather than relying on the store's delivery services. After breakfast he had the children model their selections for him, and Maria was relieved when he announced he was entirely satisfied with their choices. They practiced their puppet show all afternoon, and when evening came around they spent time with their father as Maria had dug through their closets, in search of party shoes, hair ribbons, socks, and all the other accessories that they would require. That night, after her customary "check-in" meeting in the sitting room, Maria had stayed awake almost until sunrise, hemming ribbons, shining shoes, and ironing articles of clothing that had been squashed into the backs of drawers.

It was now Friday afternoon, and much to Maria's relief, the puppet show was over. While she knew that the only audience would be the other three adults of the house, and therefore there would be less pressure than their next big presentation, Maria had hoped that everything would go smoothly, more than anything to give the children the confidence that they would require Saturday night.

Aside from some beer foam in her face, and Marta's wandering attention, their performance had gone off without a hitch, and Maria was filled with pride…and exhaustion. Since her late morning Monday, she had barely slept all week, and the dark circles under her eyes were becoming more and more pronounced.

"That was wonderful!" the Captain exclaimed, pulling all seven of his children into a group hug.

"I have never seen a better performance in all my years at festival" Max announced proudly, ignoring the skeptical look that flashed across the Baroness's face.

"Really?" Marta asked, her eyes wide.

"Are there puppet shows in the festival, Uncle Max?" Kurt asked. This, of course, caused Max to begin to recount to the children all the interesting acts that he had seen during his years in the theater. Enthralled with his stories, the children followed Max and Elsa, who were walking arm in arm, out of the ballroom and into the adjacent living room.

Through the curtain, Maria noticed the cordiality between Max and the Baroness and marveled, not for the first time, at the friendship that they shared. Since Max had told her about the story of their first meeting, Maria had been careful to watch them together, and the bond between them was obviously strong. There were few people that the Baroness would spend her time conversing with, but Max seemed to be an exception.

Maria was still behind the stage, laughing as she sorted the strings from the puppets that were wrapped around her legs in a tangled mess, when the Captain joined her.

"I am very much impressed, fraulein." The Captain couldn't help but laugh at Maria's predicament as she tried to weave a very large goat's-head between her ankles, all the while trying to remain upright as her feet were tied tightly together.

"They're your children, Captain!" Maria replied, thankful when the Captain began picking at the strings that bound her in place.

"You have done so much for them!" he mused, amazed by his children's talents. "And they learnt all that in three weeks?"

"This is only part one" Maria replied, with a wide grin.

"Ah yes, your 'little surprise'" the Captain chuckled. "You must be the master at discipline to accomplish so much in so little time."

"Well I have been practicing that whistle you gave me…" Maria answered slyly, eliciting a loud laugh from the Captain. He noticed she fingered the neckline of her dress, and he could make out a thin chain encircling her neck, bringing a flash of joy.

"I could have used someone like you on my sub to keep the men in line" the Captain noted. "Although I fear that I would be running the risk of losing you to one of them. I am certain it would not take long for the entire crew to fall in love with you as my children have."

"Though I doubt I could reciprocate the feeling towards your crew as I do your children."

"Then they are extremely fortunate children." the Captain responded quietly, his fingers brushing against Maria's ankles as he unwove the last of the puppet strings.

"Yes – to have a father like you would indeed be a blessing."

There was a moment of silence and stillness between the two, so peaceful that neither wanted to be the one to break it with so much as a breath.

Excited chatter from the next room finally broke the room.

"We should go see what Max is up to." Georg cleared his throat. "I fear if we leave him too long, he may agree to purchasing the children an entire theater of their own, at my expense of course!"

Maria joined him in laughter, and quickly added "I've been meaning to thank you for the stage and the puppets! The children and I had a wonderful time working on and presenting the play! "

"Completely my pleasure."

Marta suddenly ran into the room.

"Father! We're going to be in the festival!" she exclaimed, her cheeks rosy with excitement.

"What festival is that, darling?" the Captain asked, a slight suspicion growing inside.

Marta paused for a moment, before responding "Uncle Max's festival!"

"Oh are you?" the Captain responded, taking Marta by the hand. When he arrived at the door separating the ballroom from the living room where the children were, he paused, and gestured for Maria to enter first.

Pleased, Maria obliged and quickly entered. Though propriety usually dictated that a man allow a woman to enter a room first, traditionally this did not apply to a boss-employee relationship. Maria took it as a sign that the Captain saw her as more of a friend that the governess of his children, making her smile.

"Care to explain, Max?" he Captain asked bluntly as he entered, trusting Max would know the cause of his disdain.

"You heard them, they're magnificent Georg! Imagine, a singing group all in one family. They'll be the talk of the festival."

"No Max."

"Why not?"

"My children do not sing in public."

Elsa was on the seat of her chair, slightly anxious to see the faceoff between the two friends. It was quite the turn-on.

Maria was not sure where this interaction would lead, but wanted to distract the children from watching their father and Uncle Max argue, so she called them to her side, and asked what they would like to do next. After the puppet show, they deserved an afternoon of relaxing before running through their surprise again that evening before bed.

The Captain shook his head in frustration. Trust Max to come up with an idea like putting the children in the festival. Then anouncing it to them before speaking to me! Now I'll look like a cruel father when I tell them it'll be a cold day in hell before they sing for a live audience in a concert! Doesn't he have any propriety?

He turned his attention away from glaring at Max, and noticed Fraulein Maria approaching him. Now what idea does she have? He laughed to himself. Perhaps it's time for a history lesson; a short trip to Egypt to excavate a pyramid might be nice. Or maybe we'll take it easy today with a class in science and relax with invasive brain surgery. Or maybe-

"You, Captain." Her fragmented sentence took him for a loop, and for a moment the Captain did not know what she was talking about. The guitar she extended towards him gave it away.

"Uh uh uh uh." He gave her a 'not going to be happening in this lifetime' look. "No, no, no, no, no."

"Please father! Fraulein Maria sang to us before, now it's your turn!" Gretl pouted,

"I am told that a long time ago you were quite good!" Fraulein Maria added.

"Well that was a very, very, very long time ago" he responded with humour.

"Please?" coursed the seven children.

"Will you sing Edelweiss?" asked Louisa, turning to Maria. "Father used to sing this to us all the time. It's my favourite, though I don't remember much of it."

The Captain glanced around the room. The Baroness and Max and disappeared again. Probably scared away by the mention of my singing.

"Only if someone will sing with me." He declared, knowing full well that very few of his children would remember the song. To be fair it was better as a duet anyways.

"Liesl's the only one who knows the words!" Friedrich announced, much to the Captain's delight.

"Liesl?" Fraulein Maria asked, eager to hear the Captain sing as well.

"I can't…" Liesl stammered, in an admittedly quiet voice. "I've got a hoarse throat. All that yodeling for the play must have worn it out! Maybe in a few hours…"

"And you'll all need your voice for tomorrow" Maria admitted glumly.

The children sat in defeated silence. The Captain felt guilty, and was about to announce that he supposed could sing it along, when Brigitta came up with a better plan.

"Fraulein Maria, why don't you sing with Father? I've heard you humming the song, so I know you know it."

Maria was torn. She really wanted to hear the Captain sing, hoping to find the source of the children's talents, yet the thought of singing with the Captain seemed too intimate for their relationship. The only man she had ever sung with had been her father when she was a little girl, and the memory was faded.

The children's pleading eyes did it. She could not resist them, and they knew it.

"Very well" she nodded, as she too picked up the second guitar and sat next to the Captain on the couch.

"Key of C?" she asked as she ran her fingers over the strings, hoping her kinetic memory would remember the chords.

Only communicating with their eyes, their first strummed notes were perfectly in synch. It was wordlessly agreed that the Captain would be playing the melody, with Maria harmonizing. She had the better ear though he had superb training. When the lyrics began, it was the Captain who sang first.

Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Every morning you greet me
Small and white, clean and bright
You look happy to meet me

Blossom of snow

May you bloom and grow
Bloom and grow forever
Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Bless my homeland forever

As second repeat of the lyrics, the Captain again began, but this time Maria joined in.

Small and white

Clean and bright

You look happy to meet me

Blossom of snow

May you bloom and grow

Bloom and grow forever

Edelweiss, edelweiss

Bless my homeland forever

Maria and the Captain's eyes stayed focused on each other throughout the song. To begin with, Maria had watched him simply to keep the right rhythm; however, as the song progressed, she felt a powerless sensation, and her thoughts completely drifted away. All she knew was the Captain's eyes deeply invested in her own. Maria soon forgot that she was singing and playing, completely consumed in the connection between them that sparked like a live wire. Recognition of when she was…where she was…why she was there…it was all gone.

Then, as quickly as it began, it ended, with the final strains of the guitars. The children were completely silent, having been able to sense the change in the room's environment. A deep red blush filled Maria's cheeks as she managed to tear her eyes away from his, hoping her strong emotions were not visible..

"Come along children. It's time to get washed up for dinner." She broke the silence, feeling bad for having put the children in such an awkward position.

"Finally!" Kurt exclaimed, and Maria could have kissed him for easing the tension of the room.

Exhaustion. Maria reasoned with herself, to explain her heightened reaction, as she guided the again-cheerful bunch away from the Captain. Pure exhaustion.

Little did she know, the Captain was doing the same rationalizing.