She sighed as the night air hit her face, warm and calm, safe. Summer evenings were always her favorite. The breeze blowing against her as she opened the gate by the lake, comforting her as she began to walk. The water glistened beneath the moon, rippling against the breeze. It was the most perfect night she had experienced in so long, she thought as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Suddenly, a hand firmly took her own, and she jumped in alarm.

"Georg!" She held a hand to her chest as he placed a quick kiss to her lips and smiled. "You scared me, what are you doing?"

"Coming for a walk with you." He threaded his fingers through hers and began to walk along the lake with her. She smiled, enjoying the feeling of their intertwined hands.

"Well, I didn't invite you."

"Yes, I've invited myself." She laughed, bumping her shoulder against him in jest as they walked. They were hidden from the view of the villa by the trees and felt incredibly free for the time being. "Were you headed anywhere particular, darling?"

"No, not really. I thought about sitting on the doc for a bit." He nodded, and she knew without his confirmation that they would do just that, as they continued walking.

"Is something troubling you?" She sighed, he could always tell when her mind was heavy.

"I need to speak to Reverend Mother. I'm afraid I've been very cowardly putting it off."

"What will you tell her?"

"The truth. I could never lie to her." He nodded, but she could tell it made him uneasy. "She will keep it confidential, I promise."

"It's not that at all. I simply wish you didn't have to face her alone." She smiled at his sentiment, stepping upon the edge of the doc as they made their way to overlook the water.

"You're sweet, but it is something I must do. I just have no idea where to start." He sat upon the edge of the doc, and she joined him, dangling their feet over the water. The water itself wasn't high enough for them to touch, so they felt a bit like they were suspended in the air together. He wrapped his arm around her waist, and she rested her head against his shoulder.

"Start at the beginning."

"Which, I suppose, was right here? You put your hand up my dress." He scoffed, causing her to laugh at the memory of the people they used to be. It seemed like ages ago.

"No, I believe the beginning was when you helped me to my room, and we kissed."

"You kissed me, you mean."

"No, no, we kissed. You wanted desperately to let go of yourself that night, but I was a drunk fool." She smiled at the memory, looking up at the stars. He looked up as well, cradling her against him in the moonlight. He loved how soft and delicate she felt in his arms. "My father died when I was very young. My uncle, who was a lot like a father to me, used to take me and Hede outside to look at the stars. He knew the names of all the constellations and everything, it was utterly amazing."

"Do you remember any of them?" She smiled, adoring the way his eyes sparkled as he reminisced.

"Not a chance. We were too impressed by him to retain anything, I'm sure." He laughed, taking a deep breath. It was good to see him relaxed, she thought. He had been quite tense lately, but hadn't wanted to talk about it much. Every time she tried to get him to discuss his mood, he would make a joke and change the subject.

"It does sound wonderful." She smiled, closing her eyes to the breeze as they fell into a comfortable silence. He placed a kiss against her hair, feeling its softness beneath his lips as he took in her scent.

"You've never spoken about your life before the Abbey."

"Of course I have." She laughed, brushing off his words. Perhaps she actually hadn't; she had never spoken to a soul about her childhood, other than the few bits and pieces that slipped over the years. She felt a bit guilty. He had told her many things about his own life, and she had simply allowed him to, keeping hers to herself.

"You absolutely haven't. If I'm being truthful, I don't even know your last name." She frowned at the notion, unaware that she had guarded herself that drastically.

"Impossible. You really don't?"

"I have no idea."

"Rainer." He smiled at the softness in her voice, pressing a gentle kiss to the side of her head.

"Now was that so hard, Maria Rainer?"

"I can't believe you didn't know that." She looked into his eyes apologetically. He only smiled to ease her mind. "How could you make love to someone when you don't even know their name?"

"Well, I don't make love to your name." He laughed, brushing a strand of hair from her forehead. She felt herself blushing a bit. "Where were you born?"

"Oh...well, on a train, actually."

"On a train? How on earth?" She smiled, shrugging.

"My parents were on their way to a hospital in Vienna, but they didn't make it in time, I suppose. I never learned any details." And she hadn't, nobody was around to tell her anything. She sighed, thinking about her life. "My mother died when I was two, then my father left. I saw him sometimes, but he died when I was nine."

"Do you have any siblings?" He seemed nervous, as if he understood how hard it was to let her guard down and share personal details. She had simply locked them away.

"I have an older brother, but I've never met him. He may be dead now too, for all I know." She met his eyes, giving him a soft smile in apology. "A lot of death in my life, I'm afraid."

"Where did you go when your father left?"

"My uncle." She couldn't stop herself from grimacing at the thought. "Yours sounds like he was quite wonderful. Mine was not."

"Do you want to talk about it?" She bit her lip, looking up at the stars once more.

"Not particularly. I've never talked to anyone about it, ever." He placed his fingers gently under her chin, pulling her to him for a soft kiss. She smiled when he pulled away, somehow finding that her heart felt lighter from just one kiss.

"I am your first lover, after all. You could try starting with me." She looked down, feeling a blush creep upon her cheeks for one reason or another.

"He was absolutely crazy. He'd be fine one moment, and then he would be screaming at me the next. I never knew where I stood with him, but I found myself constantly in trouble for things that didn't make sense."

"Were you alone with him?"

"Not always. My aunt died when I was a teenager. He was very cruel to her as well, but it seemed easier when I wasn't the only target. I think I was sixteen when he..." She licked her lips, frowning. It was suddenly difficult to continue. "He, um, would hit me, very often. Mostly with his belt, sometimes his hands."

"I'm sorry that happened to you, Maria." She smiled, meeting his eyes. He truly looked apologetic, as if he could have made a difference.

"Well, it can't be helped now."

"And then you swore off men and sought out the Abbey?" She laughed, leaning her head against his shoulder once more.

"No, I went to teaching school first. I had a boyfriend at the time who was quite controlling, so that's when I swore off men." He laughed, but understood that it wasn't a joke at all. She gave him a soft smile.

"Did he hurt you too?"

"No, not in any way that wasn't easy to overcome. He was controlling about little things, the length of my hair, that kind of thing. He liked it long." She smiled, running her fingers through her short hair and raising her eyebrows. He laughed, wrapping her in an embrace.

"You are not one to be controlled, I can confirm that." She giggled, glad he was keeping the conversation light after her confessions.

"Thank you."

"You're thanking me? For what?"

"Listening. Being you, I suppose. Not making me feel ashamed." She looked into his eyes, giving a soft smile. "You're really the only man I've ever been able to trust."

"And I take that quite seriously." He wrapped his arm around her again and they looked back at the stars, sharing little touches and kisses as they shared stories and secrets of their lives, some good and some bad.

Eventually, the air chilled enough to let them know it was time to go inside. They reluctantly stood and walked toward the villa, their hands clasped tightly together. She smiled at the fact that they had held hands and taken a walk together, something silly that she had desperately wanted to do with him for a long while. She didn't even care if they were hidden by the dark of night.

He kissed her for a while before they got too close to the villa, passing comfort and tenderness to her. It was difficult not to feel a certain closeness after their discussion. When they finally stopped kissing, he allowed her to go ahead of him and enter the house, waiting a bit before entering himself.

What neither of them noticed was the woman drinking in the dark ballroom, witnessing them entering the house one after the other; observing how strange it was that they were both outside at such time of night.