night changes
A/N: Surprise! I'm back - though not for long. I couldn't help but share this one shot before I take my extended break. When I am officially back (I'm thinking in June), I'll be posting one-shots inspired by songs. Some of them will be about Georg and Maria and others about them as individual characters. I'll be posting the stories separately because they can all stand alone, though some might have a sequel. I'll also include the setting and the song that inspired me at the beginning of each story. I hope you enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Setting: AU, no Anschluss, Spring, M 's first year of marriage
Song: "Night Changes" by One Direction. I recommend watching the music video to get the real inspiration behind this one-shot.
We're only gettin' older, baby
And I've been thinkin' about it lately
Does it ever drive you crazy
Just how fast the night changes?
Everything that you've ever dreamed of
Disappearing when you wake up
But there's nothing to be afraid of
Even when the night changes
It will never change me, and you
"This is a miracle," Maria sighed, settling in the passenger seat.
"I have to agree," Georg smiled as he walked around to the driver's side after shutting her door. He quickly opened the driver's door and took a seat behind the wheel, shifting the car into drive while he reached over to grab her hand.
"It's been weeks since we've had a night to ourselves," Maria commented, clearly delighted, "No children, no talk of festivals, or singing, or socialites. Just you and me."
"And our favorite restaurant," he added, equally as excited. "We haven't been there since before our wedding."
"Yes, I have been fantasizing about their apfelstrudel," Maria sighed dreamily.
"And I, their tafelspitz," Georg mused before snorting to himself. "I think we've been around the children too much; we're starting to sound like Kurt."
Maria's laugh sounded throughout the car before she responded, "I think you might be right, but remember, we promised no talk of the children tonight."
"Oh, yes, forgive me, darling. From now on, we will just talk about us," he promised, placing a kiss on the back of her hand.
Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the restaurant. Though small, it was a popular restaurant and a favorite of many elites in Austrian society. So much so, it was necessary to call in a reservation a month in advance.
Georg helped Maria out of the car. She wore a stunning chiffon white floor-length gown with long cuffed sleeves and pair of beautiful tan heels, though, she had to admit, they weren't necessarily comfortable to walk in. The dress had a cinched waist with beautiful flower detailing on the sash and a flowing skirt that fluttered nicely as she walked. Because of the chillier weather, Maria had a matching chiffon wrap that draped over her shoulders. Georg looked dashing in his tan suit and tan shoes, looking the very essence of spring. Once they entered the restaurant, they walked up to the maître d'. There was a couple there, waiting to be seated ahead of them, so Maria excused herself to go to the powder room. A moment later, the maître d' returned and attended to the first couple before greeting Georg.
"Good evening," Georg greeted. "I have a reservation under the name von Trapp."
The gentleman quickly scanned the list before looking up at Georg apologetically and shook his head.
"I am sorry, sir, there is no reservation under that name."
"What do you mean there is no reservation," Georg exclaimed in disbelief. "I made it myself!"
"What is the problem, darling?" Maria asked, having returned from the powder room.
"We don't seem to have a reservation," Georg grumbled before turning back to the host. "Are you sure 'von Trapp' isn't on there?"
The maître d' gave the captain an exasperated look before deciding it was worth another check. Georg craned his neck in an attempt to look at the list while Maria gently pulled him back.
"Georg," she chided quietly. "Be patient."
He huffed in annoyance and folded his arms while the maître d' checked not once but twice before looking up at Georg with a nervous expression. Her husband's jaw was set, eyes determined, and Maria felt sympathy for the man. She had been on the receiving end of that look before, and though she wasn't necessarily scared, she knew it wasn't pleasant. Anyone who had to go up against Captain Georg von Trapp with that expression on his face had their work cut out for them.
"I am sorry, sir, but there is no reservation under that name for tonight-"
"Tonight?" Georg asked through clenched teeth.
"Yes, there seems to be one for next month."
"That is quite impossible; I made sure to arrange it for tonight," he responded curtly.
The host shrugged. "That is what we have in our records."
Are there any openings for tonight by chance?" Georg tried one more time.
"Certainly not," the host looked affronted, puffing up his chest a bit. "We are completely booked. I am sorry, but you will have to go; there are other patrons we need to seat."
"But-" Georg began before Maria grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the stand.
"Darling, please, we can always come back. After all, we seem to have a reservation for next month anyway," she pointed out, trying to lighten the mood.
"I don't understand," he exclaimed as they exited the building. "I know I called and made a reservation for tonight!" Maria patted his arm that she held onto soothingly.
"It's all right, my love. Let's walk down the street and see if we can try another restaurant." The captain nodded in agreement and leaned over to kiss her cheek.
"I just wanted this night to be perfect. It's our first night out together in so long, and I wanted it to be special," Georg sighed. "And I really was looking forward to their tafelspitz."
"I think you can wait another month," she pointed out, causing Georg to grumble in response as they walked into another restaurant.
"I can't believe it!" Georg bellowed as he helped her into their car. "No one had a table open! Is everyone in Salzburg unable to cook at home?!"
"Georg, please take a deep breath. It will be all right," she placated, but that seemed to have the opposite effect as Georg practically slammed the car door shut.
Maria took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She knew his anger was not meant to be directed at her even though she was the only one here to receive it. Sure, their night wasn't going exactly how they thought, but they could just go home quickly and salvage their night with a good glass of wine from the cellar and a meal provided by Cook. Things weren't that bad; at least they were together, and they already had a date night planned in a month! She tried to mask her sigh as her husband turned the key in the ignition and drove them home.
Georg impatiently tapped his fingers against the wheel as he pressed on the accelerator. It wasn't too much to ask for a perfect night with his beautiful wife, who he barely had a chance to be alone with since they returned from their honeymoon. Max generously agreed to stay with the children, though Georg had the sneaking suspicion the impresario would make them practice singing. After about minutes of tense silence, he sighed to himself, realizing he shouldn't have slammed the door or lost his temper with the maître d' – it wasn't anyone's fault.
"My love, I'm sorry," he sighed. "I'm sorry for my temper and for how I acted at the restaurant."
"I understand, darling. Thank you for apologizing," she assured.
"I was just so excited to spend a night with you all to myself. You are well aware of how little time we've been able to truly spend alone since we came home, and I don't want you to feel as though this night has been wasted."
"Oh, Georg," she smiled, shaking her head. "You are so terribly sweet, but a night with you could never be wasted."
He glanced over at her for a moment and smiled at her. With his eyes momentarily off the road, they hit something, causing a large boom. The car shook for a moment, and Georg immediately hit the brakes. Once they stopped, he reached over to Maria.
"Are you alright?" he asked desperately, checking her over for any injury or bruising.
"Yes, yes, I'm alright," she promised. "Are you?"
"Only my pride is injured," he responded gruffly. "I'm going to check the tires; one of them might have popped."
The color drained from Maria's face, and her eyes widened. "Oh, dear."
Georg weakly smiled as he opened the door and stepped out. "Not to fear, we have a spare. I'll be but a moment. Just wait here." He took off his suit jacket and placed it on the driver's seat.
Maria nodded, settling back into the seat. There was a rustling as he opened the trunk and searched for the spare tire. Then as quickly as it began, the shuffling stopped, and the trunk closed with a slam so hard the car shook. Maria's eyes widened as she opened the door and stuck her head out.
"SON OF A B-"
Maria shrugged off her wrap and immediately opened the car door. She hurried around to see her husband pacing back and forth, using some words from his navy days to express his frustration. His hair was almost sticking up from how many times he ran his hands through it, and he had some dirt on his suit pants.
"Georg?" she gently asked, approaching him as if he were Marta or Gretl in the middle of a temper tantrum. "Darling, what's the matter?"
"We don't have a spare tire," he answered through gritted teeth. "Franz forgot to replace it."
"Well, aren't we fifteen minutes away from home? We can just walk!"
"By car," he muttered. "It will take us thirty minutes to walk."
"That's not too bad!" she responded, trying to lift his spirits. "We'll be home by nine if we begin now. Though, I don't think my feet will last in these shoes." She stepped out of her high heels and reached down to pick them up before walking down the road. The young woman turned around when she noticed he wasn't following her and tapped her bare foot against the ground. "Georg, please, stop brooding. The night isn't ruined, we're not too far from home, and we can still salvage the night. Come along, please."
Georg leaned against the car while he bit the inside of his cheek for a moment, considering her words as he watched some trees in the distance blow in the breeze. He knew he was acting childish. The dinner and his plans didn't truly matter. He only wanted to treat his wife to a special night, and who's to say that couldn't involve a nice meal at their home. Resolute, he reached over and grabbed the shoes from her hand, put his arm around her. The couple made their way down the street at a leisurely pace; both lost in their thoughts. After about ten minutes of comfortable silence, Georg finally spoke.
"Well, I suppose we are always trying to get a walk by ourselves."
Maria smiled and leaned into his side as a gentle wind rustled his already tousled hair. She gently reached up to smooth it back as she praised, "Look at you trying to find the bright side."
"It's hard not to find a bright side with you." He kissed her cheek and pulled her closer. "I am sorry for my abhorrent behavior, my love. I shouldn't be angry. All I really want is to spend time with you."
"You don't need to apologize anymore, darling, I understand. I know you put a lot of thought into the night despite it not going exactly how we hoped," she soothed, caressing his arm. "It could be worse, right?
"Hm," he mused, watching as the trees along the side of the road curved at a stronger gust of wind. He noticed the dark clouds coming over the mountains, and he stopped walking for a moment. "I think it just might…" he trailed off, nodding to the clouds.
"What?" she asked, following his line of sight.
Her eyes widened as another gust of wind blew past them, and a flash of lightning lit up the sky. In the distance, they could see the brewing storm blowing over the mountain's peak, and Georg tightly grabbed his wife's hand and turned back towards the way they just came. Once the sky darkened, an enormous clap of thunder seemed to shake the ground, and the couple broke out into a run.
Once the car was in sight, though still a sizable distance away, the sky opened over them. The rain came down in large, heavy drops that quickly left the captain and baroness drenched from head to toe. Maria grimaced as she felt the mud against her bare feet, and she almost tripped on the damp fabric of her dress. To remedy the situation, the young woman let go of her husband's hand for a moment. He turned back to her in disbelief and called for her to continue running.
"Maria, I know you can find a silver lining in any situation, but this is ridiculous. We're almost back to the car!"
She rolled her eyes as she gathered her floor-length dress in her arms, feeling the hemline coated with mud and rain.
"I know, and I'll be able to beat you now that my dress isn't in the way," she called after breaking out into a sprint, arms filled with the skirt of her dress. Maria heard Georg let out a laugh as he chased her back to the car. The rain continued to come down in sheets, and by the second thunderclap, they managed to reach the vehicle. Georg opened the back door and motioned for Maria to enter first before he hurried in behind her.
Once they were sheltered from the rain, the only sounds were the tapping of rain against the glass and the labored breathing of Maria and Georg. After they caught their breath, the two shared a wry look, and they burst out into laughter. They both looked ridiculous – soaked to the skin, clothes ruined and caked with mud, and hair askew.
"I don't suppose these will be of use to you anymore," Georg said in between laughs, holding up Maria's heels. Maria leaned back in the seat in delight as he carelessly tossed them to the floor.
"On the contrary, I think those are the only part of my outfit not completely ruined." She glanced down at her dress and sighed. "I wonder if it can be salvaged."
"I'm sure Frau Schmidt will share some of her sage wisdom with the laundresses and work her magic. Somehow the children's clothes manage to get clean; no matter stained they seem to be," Georg pointed out.
"That's true," she nodded, beginning to shiver. "At least we're out of the rain."
"You're going to catch a cold if you stay in that dress, my love," he said while he unfastened his tie.
"I don't have anything else to wear at the moment besides my slip, darling. What do you suggest I do if someone finds us?" she asked sardonically.
Georg thought for a moment as he unbuttoned his sopping shirt, and his face lit up.
"Your wrap – it's still dry and right in the front seat!"
Maria's mouth dropped open, and she leaned forward to peak in the front passenger's seat to see her wrap right there and completely dry! She shook off excess water from her hands and reached over the seat to drape the wrap over the seat.
"Oh, I could kiss you!" she exclaimed, after turning back to Georg, who now had his shirt off. She practically pounced on him and planted a kiss on his cheek. He quirked his mouth in amusement.
"I didn't do much, but I'll gladly take a kiss from you anytime," he replied, reaching over to unbutton the dress after she presented him with her back. He helped her strip the fabric from her skin, and after some maneuvering, she was able to slide the rest of the damp material from her body. Georg momentarily was distracted by the sight of her looking extremely enticing in her slip before she pulled the dry wrap over her body.
"I think this will do, at least until the storm is over," she sighed. "I do wish we had some towels to try off a little more." She ran her fingers through her hair, attempting to make it look halfway presentable. "Or who knows, maybe Max sent for us, and Franz is on his way."
Georg wrinkled his nose.
"I'd much rather Max collect us than Franz. I don't want him to see you like this."
Maria rolled her eyes.
"You're ridiculous. You know that, right?"
"But you love me anyway," Georg gave her a winning smile that she couldn't help but respond with one of her own.
"I do indeed. You're the only person I would willingly race in a thunderstorm."
"I'll be honest, my love, I thought you were going to begin dancing and singing "My Favorite Things" for a moment before you began running," he admitted with a chuckle.
Maria shook her head. "I only dance in thunderstorms if I'm safely inside with our children." They shared a smile at that memory for a moment before Georg began chuckling again.
"What?" she asked curiously.
"It is amazing," Georg mused for a moment.
"What's amazing?"
"How fast the night changes," he answered, shaking his head. "We were on our way to a fancy dinner to spend a romantic evening together, and everything that could have gone wrong… went wrong."
"You do have a point," she giggled in agreement. "I didn't think we would ever be in the car together like this, as all hell still seems to pour down outside."
Both glanced out the window, rain still pounding against the car, and another roll of thunder sounded overhead.
"Though I have to admit, I wouldn't want to be trapped with anyone else in a car in the thunderstorm," he murmured into her ear as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. She leaned with her back against his chest and sighed as he rested his head atop hers. They sat in silence for a moment; Georg gently ran the back of his fingers against her arm.
Maria let out another sigh and closed her eyes for a moment, or so she thought. The next thing she remembered was a light nudging and Georg's soft voice in her ear.
"Maria, darling, wake up; I see car lights coming down the street. I'm going to flag them down. Perhaps they'll be able to give us a lift home."
At the potential of being rescued, Maria opened her eyes and sat up. Rain was still pouring from the sky. However, when Maria leaned over to see out the windshield, there were indeed lights in the distance. Georg quickly put his still-damp shirt back on before climbing out of the car.
The young woman bit her lip for a moment, conflicted. While she hoped the person in the car would help them, Maria was also somewhat embarrassed at not having proper clothes, despite the wrap covering everything necessary. She began to wish she hadn't removed her dress.
However, she wasn't able to dwell on her fears too long because Georg opened the door and stuck his head in the car. She wrapped her shawl tighter around her body.
"My love, you will never guess who was sent to fetch us."
Suddenly, the other door opened with Max's cheerful face on the other side.
"Hello, Maria! Dreadful weather we're having," he brightly greeted.
"Max?!" she gaped. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, it is the most interesting story, but I'd prefer to tell it on our way back to the villa," he responded, reaching for her shoes and Georg's dry suit jacket.
"Come along, darling, slide over, and I'll take you to the car," Georg encouraged. Maria rolled her eyes but did as she was told, and he scooped her out of the car and quickly transferred her to the other vehicle. Ever the gentleman, he even went back for her still-damp dress before settling in the backseat with her as Max slid behind the driver's seat.
"I'm happy to know I was able to find the two of you," Max began, breaking the momentary silence. "Otherwise, the children would have organized a search party themselves."
"The children sent you?" Maria asked with a brow raised. "What time is it? Shouldn't they be asleep?"
"Of course they are! It's nearly eleven! What do you think I am – an irresponsible babysitter?" Max retorted indignantly. "They woke up because of the storm about an hour ago, and since you hadn't returned, they were worried, so they came to find me and demanded I go out to search for you. It took about thirty minutes for them to convince me I should sacrifice myself out in this weather, but alas, they did, and voilà!"
"Oh, the poor dears," Maria cried. "We'll have to check on them once we return."
"After a nice warm shower first, my love," Georg responded. "I don't want you to catch a chill, and I'm sure the children are already fast asleep; the thunder stopped a good while ago."
"I just don't understand why they were willing to sacrifice me in this storm," Max grumbled. "At least the two of you had each other. I was all by myself."
"Ah," Georg began, "But now you get to bask in the glory the children will undoubtedly bestow on you tomorrow at breakfast for rescuing us." Max nodded in agreement, momentarily placated as he turned into the courtyard and parked the car. Max again grabbed Maria's shoes and Georg's jacket, along with her slightly damp dress, while Georg once again lifted Maria from the vehicle, and they walked into the villa.
"Captain, Herr Detweiler, Baroness," Frau Schmidt greeted, surprised. "What happened?"
The housekeeper ran her eyes up and down Georg and Maria, noting the state they were in. Although they were, for the most part, dry, their hair was a mess, they were covered in dried dirt, and of course, Maria was merely wearing her wrap and shoeless.
"We got caught in the storm and popped a tire, Frau Schmidt, but we're perfectly all right," the captain assured. "Just a bit worse for wear. Franz will need to collect the car in the morning – it's about fifteen minutes down the road. Make sure he can get another spare as well. The Baroness and I also require a light meal to be sent up to our room; we haven't eaten anything since this afternoon."
The housekeeper nodded as she reached over to take the damp clothes from Max.
"Very well, Captain. Is there anything else you need?"
"No, that should be it, thank you, Frau Schmidt," he answered, turning to walk up the stairs with Maria still in his arms.
"I'll leave the tray in the sitting room of your suite," she called before taking the soiled clothes to the laundry room and finding some leftovers for them to eat.
"Alright, you two, I expect a veritable thank you in the morning and accompanied with some of the best wine from the cellar at dinner," he warned as they walked up the stairs to their rooms.
"Of course, Max," Maria promised. "We know the way to your heart. Perhaps Cook can even make some of that delicious strudel you enjoy so much."
"You certainly speak my language, Maria," he responded with a smile as he turned down the gallery to walk to the guest rooms. "Well, good night."
"Good night," they called.
Maria wrapped her arms tighter around Georg's neck as he carried her down the family wing to their suite and rested her head on his shoulder. She let out a light yawn while he opened their suite.
"Someone is exhausted from our nighttime adventure, hm?" he teased, setting her feet on the floor.
"Yes," she admitted. "Even though you did not need to carry me all the way from the car."
He shrugged and began unbuttoning his shirt.
"I don't often have the opportunity to be the gallant hero and to carry my beloved over the threshold, up the stairs, and into our bedroom."
Maria shook her head, despite the smile on her face.
"There are other ways you can be gallant."
"Like?"
"Like you being the one to tell Max we request his services in a month for our next dinner date."
Georg groaned and sighed. "Only for you."
"Oh, and there's one more thing you can do," she smiled playfully, pushing her wrap off and exposing one of her shoulders as she headed towards the bathroom.
"What?"
She stopped and looked over her bare shoulder at him with a glint in her eye. Georg had come to know very well during their honeymoon.
"Help me shower?"
Georg's eyes widened and immediately followed her.
"I think I can handle that."
There you have it! I hope you enjoyed it. I had far too much fun writing it. Please let me know what you think. Thank you for reading, and I hope you'll hear from me soon! x