It was a warm day, the sun gently touching her face along with the slightly cool breeze coming through the car window. Fitting seven children into the car was an amazing puzzle, she found. They all seemed to jump in and know exactly where to sit, Gretl unceremoniously plopping herself on her lap in the front seat. The Captain laughed when Maria let out a quick groan of discomfort at the fast weight of the girl as she jumped on her, but he hid his amusement well.

The Baroness and Max were supposed to join them on the drive to take the children to the train station, but something came up. She heard them cackling and drinking around one in the morning when she went to the kitchen for some water, so she had a feeling she knew the reason they weren't there. She rolled her eyes, doing her best not to be judgmental. God would have wanted her to mind her own business and leave it all up to Him anyway.

They helped the children carry their baggage to the train, everyone hugging and the little ones crying, just a bit. She even received a hug from Louisa, which was not common. It may have been a first, if she had to think about it, but it caused her to smile. It was obvious that they were nervous, but they were equally excited to see their grandparents. She could tell the Captain was nervous to send them alone on the train, but was relieved when Liesl took charge and let him know that everyone would be fine under her care.

As the train left the station, they all waved through the windows. And suddenly, Maria realized that she and the Captain were alone, left to return home together in a silent, empty car. She became incredibly nervous, knowing she would have to say something, anything, to keep the car ride from being pure silence the entire way. It was perhaps a half hour drive, but she was worried it was going to feel like hours. They certainly had nothing in common.

He opened her door for her, which caught her off guard, but she smiled and stepped into the car. She wasn't necessarily used to being treated like that, but the gesture did feel nice. He smiled at her when he entered the car, and she took a deep breath to calm herself. He had a very radiant smile, she thought. It was nice to finally see him show it.

"They were so loud on the way here, I don't know what to think about this silence." She laughed a bit, feeling the same way. In all actuality, she knew he was trying to break the quiet tension between them. She wished she had thought this through a little more carefully and perhaps stayed at the villa instead.

"They certainly are a lively bunch. But they're great kids; I've had such fun with them."

"I'm glad...they really have needed some fun in their lives." More silence. She bit her bottom lip and tapped her foot, unsure what to say next. It wasn't that she was fearful of him in any way, she simply knew he found her off-putting a lot of the time, and she felt the same about him. "Fraulein, are you stomping a hole in my car?"

"Oh goodness, I'm so sorry." She felt her face go red, and he laughed.

"Are you nervous?"

"No, of course not." A blatant lie. How could she not be nervous around him? He had such a presence.

"I suppose we don't know one another very well, aside from me treating you terribly and you putting me in my place."

"Captain, I do apologize for the things I said. I have a terrible habit of letting my mouth run off before my head can catch up."

"I needed to hear what you said. I will never stop being grateful to you." She smiled at the warmth of his words, feeling a bit more at ease. He seemed slightly embarrassed at his admission, and changed the subject quickly. "Well, they're gone for two weeks. How will you spend your time?"

"Oh, I imagined I would just go back to the Abbey until they return."

"You don't have to do that. I would very much like you to stay at the villa, read some books, relax." She wasn't sure about that at all, as she had no idea what to do without the children present.

"I'm not very good with idle hands, I'm afraid."

"We'll get you some more material for a new dress, then. Or perhaps you have family you've been missing?" She smiled to herself; if he only knew.

"No, actually."

"Then take advantage of the library or play your guitar in the garden. Perhaps we can take the opportunity to get to know one another a bit better before the children return." She was still uncertain, but his eyes asked her to truly consider staying. If she were honest, she hadn't been missing the Abbey too terribly during her time with the children. She had been having too much fun to want to go back before her time was up. This of course made her feel terribly guilty, but she shook those thoughts away.

"Alright, I'll stay. But you've been warned that I can't sit still."

"Perhaps I'll teach you to drink then." She laughed, his words sounding completely serious, but the twinkle in his eyes letting her know he was joking. He was quite a complicated man, she thought.

The ride back to the villa was met with more comfortable conversation as they drove, breaking the ice it seemed. It was her first time speaking to him alone since her first night as governess, but she found she liked this version of the Captain much better than the one from before. The transformation had been astonishing.

When they parked the car, she began to open her door, but he stopped her. He walked around the car and opened her door for her, and she did her best to conceal her body's natural reaction to blush. But of course, in her typical, clumsy fashion, she stepped on some loose gravel as she exited the car, and her feet flew out from under her. That's all she needed was to fall in front of him, she thought cynically on her way to the ground.

However, his warm hands grasped her arms, saving her from the embarrassment of falling. She felt weightless as he held her up, as if it took no effort at all on his part. She met his eyes with surprise, a jolting warmth in her stomach at the unexpected physical contact. She could feel the heat of his hands through the thin fabric of her dress.

"Thank you." Her words came in a whisper, though she didn't know why. She should have been completely embarrassed, but his eyes were boring deeply into her own, almost like a trance. He blinked quickly, clearing his voice.

"Be careful, Fraulein." She nodded as he released her arms and motioned for her to go inside ahead of him. She couldn't help but wonder if God had shown her a double meaning to his words, or if the warning had come directly from the Captain himself.