Summary: Now, after discovering Liesl's note he is fully aware that Maria has been starving herself. However, he now has more pressing matters to attend too; Georg finds Maria's body in the bathroom of the master suite floor. The water still rushing, he races towards her hoping that he isn't too late. The image of her lying there brings back violent memories of losing his previous wife, and he struggles to remain strong for Maria. Moreover, he is intended to be leaving in two days' time.

Disclaimer: I do not own TSOM or any of the characters.

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Please Don't Leave Me

"Get Out!" Georg demanded. Frau Schmidt dropped the fresh sheets in the middle of the room while turning on her heels quickly. Rising from his chair he stood in a threatening like motion, his nostrils flaring, as he balled his hands into fists, willing to attack at a moment's notice. He rose quickly and watched as she shut the door behind her; his body now angled towards the empty space where her fearful eyes bore into his mere seconds before. Taking a deep breath he closed his eyes, allowing himself to relax slightly while shaking his head from side to side.

As he broached the door of his master suite he locked it, ensuring they wouldn't be disturbed again. How did this happen? How did they get here? Slamming his fist into the wall, he felt a hiccup in his throat as the burning surfaced and he began choking on his own tears. The tears he had promised himself he would not allow to fall. Now was the time that she needed him to be a dominant man, to be strong. But just as he had with Agathe, he was unraveling piece by piece. He could feel the layers of his outer armor being cast off. How was it that he was here again?

Looking back at Maria she laid there unconscious, never shifting. Her weak body lay there so lifeless and desolate. Was there love forlorn? The clock chimed in the corridor, signifying that it was now ten o'clock in the evening. But the ten chimes reminded Georg of far more than the hour. It reminded him that he too, was racing against time. The time when he would have to leave again, the timeline they were given for Maria to wake up, and the time when he should determine if his children should see her.

But they weren't at that point were they? Maria was supposed to be strong. She was supposed to be the glue that molded the broken hearts of the Von Trapp's back together. And yet, her own demons became the alcohol that melted away that glue, causing all of them to dissolve and clash together in one unforeseeable tragedy.

After Georg had assessed her earlier, he discovered that she was still alive. He sat back in the chair next to Maria, as his mind began flashing images of the state he found her in.

"Maria!" he screamed. The shock fled through his body as the flashbacks of losing his wife plagued his mind. He paused momentarily, until regaining his composure as he rushed over towards her limp, lifeless body. For a moment he could have sworn that she was Agathe.

Once he reached her, he turned her body gently as the water continued rushing in the background. His knees absorbed the water now rushing the ground like a small babbling brook. Fingers shaking, he reached for her pulse, checking again, and again, and again to insure that it was indeed her heartbeat, and not his own that was thumping erratically from his fingertips.

Knees immersed in water, he pulled her body gently across his lap and notice for the first time that the side of her hair was sopped with water. "NO!" he moaned weakly, cradling her gently, as he prepared to breathe into her lungs. How long had she been lying like that? Could she have inhaled the water, as she lay unconscious, literally drowning in a puddle that was barely two inches high? But as he traced the back of his hand across her mouth, he realized that it was bone dry.

"HELP, FRANZ, ANYBODY" he called, praying that someone could hear him. He pulled her body against his, as he laid against the sink for support. He could feel the water still pouring from the sink, rushing down and soaking his back. He hovered against her to shield her from the drops splashing off of each side of him. When he leaned closer to his face he felt a faint, but soft heat rush out of her nostrils, like a feather tracing slightly across his skin. His heart jumped, thankful for yet another promising sign.

Franz and Frau Schmidt both entered the doorway to the bathroom in haste, knocking into one another in response to his shrill voice. Something about the panic in his tone reminded them both, of a time long ago when another Baroness of the house was ill. There was something so frightening about the scene. Georg's face was pale, and his body shook violently shielding a weakened Maria in his arms. It was evident she was unconscious, as his shaking arms struggled to support the weight of her body.

However, when Georg looked up to ask them to call the doctor, he couldn't speak. His eyes pleaded into them, willing them to understand the command he couldn't give. The water thrashing down upon his back, as he cradled Maria in his arms protectively; their clothes clearly soaked as they remained on the floor in a puddle of water; her languid body lying in his arms, it was a devastating sight. It was a sight that brought back horrific memories for all three of them. His brain couldn't conjure the words he needed, as the two staff members stood there paralyzed. It was Frau Schmidt who spoke first.

"Is she…" she trailed off before, her hand covering her mouth unable to comprehend the possibility. Could it really have happened to this poor family twice?

"Sir-" Franz began, assuming that Frau Schmidt was right. He stepped forward carefully as to not slip in the water. But Georg finally regained his composure.

"No, a doctor! She's breathing, but unconscious." Georg replied. But neither of them moved, assuming the worst in spite of his words.

"NOW damn it!" Georg ordered, finally finding his voice. After shutting off the water, Franz motioned Frau Schmidt quickly, as both of them exited the bathroom.

The doctor had informed him that Maria had injured herself. Most likely, she had fallen before the water, not because of it and that she had fallen into a coma; an unconscious like state. It didn't appear that she had inhaled any water, as her lungs were clear, but her weakened pulse, shallow breathing, and weak reflexes alluded to the fact that she was malnourished. Her weakened physical state made it questionable if her body would have the strength it needed to pull her through.

Georg didn't' understand how a simple fall, a black out of sorts, could have taken the woman who had joyfully agreed to marry him days prior and turned her into an apparent vegetable. Maria was the person they all relied on; it wasn't supposed to be her that needed him. But the doctor told him all he could do was to wait. Since she was breathing on her own, there was no need to intubate her. However, if she didn't regain consciousness soon there would be need for a catheter and tube feeding.

It seemed like such drastic measures, for an otherwise simple situation. How many times had he slipped and fallen in his life? A dozen times he had fallen, if not more. But the doctor told him if she had been healthy, the situation would not have been so dire; and he wasn't convinced that her unconscious state wasn't due more to her malnourishment than her fall.

"Sometimes it's the body's way of protecting itself, when it shuts down. We aren't entirely sure why, but the brain finds a way to preserve all if it's energy during times like this. If Maria was that weak to begin with, than perhaps this is her body's way of trying to heal itself. When she blacked out, her body literally went into survival mode. It was evident she didn't even have enough strength to remain conscious."

The doctor's jumbled words echoed in his mind, or at least those of them that he could comprehend. Maybe bringing the children in, though fearful would do Maria some good. The instructions had been to keep her comfortable and to speak to her often. They needed to call the doctor the following day if Maria hadn't woken, to discuss other medical necessities that would have to be implemented. Georg shuddered imagining tubes coming from Maria. No one was going to touch her. She would bring herself out if this that was one thing he were sure of.

Georg climbed into the side of the bed, pulling a thinner, more ghostly version of Maria into his arms. He sifted her carefully, angling himself beneath her, so she could lye on his chest. Unable to hold back his tears he began stroking her hand softly, running his fingers down her arm.

"Please don't leave me Maria. I'm sure my heart wouldn't be able to bare it. I'm sorry that I didn't notice what you were doing, I should have noticed. I'm going to be your husband, and I'm supposed to be the one person you can rely on. I never knew what it was going to do to you, leaving you alone with all of this. With the grief, and with the pain of losing the baby, and then losing me. Maria, if I would have known…"

He allowed the hot tears to stain his cheeks, falling softly into her hair before dissolving. If his love was enough to heal her, she would have been fixed by now. He sighed, squeezing her gently against his. He needed to feel the rise and fall of her chest; he needed to know that she was still there.

"I promise you if you come back to me, I will do everything I can to make this right. I will listen and be there, and I'll help you Maria. I will abandon my duty; we can run away together with the children and leave this all behind. I understand if you need more time, if your body and mind need more time to heal. You can take the time that you need Maria but just please come back to us."

He body seemed to slouch slightly in his arms, and he pulled her up firmly, holding her in place against his chest. It seemed that she was slipping further away from him, the closer her pulled her. But than, wasn't that how it always was with them?

"Please don't leave me Maria, please."

[ The Next Morning ]

The following morning Maria woke up to the sounds of distant sobs, echoing in the background. Unwilling to open her eyes, she used her ears to illuminate the scene unfolding around her. Was it Gretl or Marta? One of them was spewing tears faster than the words they attempted to illiterate. It was a heart wrenching sound, one that caused her weakened body to contract. The noise etching into her ears like a thundering roar, electrified itself straight towards her heart. They knew. She thought. Perhaps they didn't know everything, but they knew enough.

Why else would they be crying? Why else would be she in a cloak of darkness instead of tucking the children into bed? Trying hard to remember the last thing she saw, flashes of her stumbling towards the bathroom ran through her mind. As she tried to swallow she could feel a burning rising in her throat, radiating off of her glands and straight up to her nose. There was something jammed in her throat that appeared to be clogging her nasal area. Reaching her hand towards her nose she felt the texture of the tube.

"Mother?" Liesl questioned, reaching for Maria's hand. But when she found it Maria froze, unwilling to open her eyes. Were all of them there with her? She didn't want to scare them, but she was afraid. Her heart thumping wildly in her ears, she prayed to hear Georg's voice willing her eyes to stay shut until she did.

But no one else said anything. Maria's weak hand remained still in Liesl's and she felt her hand be placed gently back on the bed.

"It's a tube the doctor had to put in this morning to make sure you could eat," Liesl offered, not even sure if her mother could hear her. Georg had informed his children to talk to Maria as much as possible, saying that it would help her to wake up. But Maria didn't acknowledge them, even after she had motioned her hand. And the small bit of hope they had felt, faltered.

"Father didn't want to leave you, but he had to meet with Lieutenant Darren and Admiral Bishop. We aren't really sure why, but we think he is going to try and work out an agreement with them, given your condition…" Liesl's words trailed off and Maria could hear the tears begin forming in her throat. Still too exhausted to open her eyes she turned her palm up towards the sky, and gently twitched her fingers.

Seeing her hand, Liesl reached for it immediately and squeezed it tight. Maria sighed deeply, and using the last bit of strength she had, she grabbed Liesl's fingers, and drifted back off to sleep.

Note: Reviews as always, are encouraged. Thank you Honkytonkangel, for sticking with me even though I scare and annoy the hell out of you with these twist. The Captain, for always appreciating my take on things, and Sara KM, for being my extra set of eyes. I'm having more difficulty than usual completing these last few chapters, and I apologize for that. Please feel free to give me your input as I think it will really help!