She sat in Georg's study and read a book as he cleaned out a few files, deciding to burn some things just in case they appeared incriminating in any way. She wasn't sure what exactly he had in his desk, but she was more concerned about simply being in his presence. Ever since they had made up, she found herself wanting to spend every waking moment with him. Not to mention the fact that she had something quite important that she needed to tell him.

She had finally chosen to accept that morning that she was late for her monthly cycle. Ever since her miscarriage her cycle had been a bit strange, spotting here and there and starting earlier than usual, definitely not the clockwork cycle she had grown accustomed to her whole life. However, she was five days late, and that was extremely uncommon for her. She simply knew she was pregnant.

With her first pregnancy she was completely distraught, scared and weeping hysterically in her bathroom while Hede made arrangements and rushed her to the doctor. She had been a complete mess, and she felt like rolling her eyes at her past self. She felt much more secure with the knowledge of her second pregnancy. While her body was reacting the same, she felt completely different for some reason. It simply felt right to her, so much more permanent than she had felt the first time, and she wondered if God was sending her a sign, some kind of signal that she didn't need to be afraid of the past repeating itself.

"Georg?" She looked up from her book, watching him for a moment.

"Yes, darling?" He was sifting through a drawer, half-listening, but she knew she could get his attention soon enough.

"Do you remember a month or so ago when I came in here and took off my clothes for your attention?" He laughed, looking up to meet her eyes with a large smile upon his face.

"I should say so. You were quite remarkable in the following moments as well, if I recall correctly." She smiled, biting her lip at the memory. Yes, he had also been very remarkable that day…before they inevitably argued, of course.

"I suppose something remarkable did occur. I think I'm pregnant." He chuckled again, digging through another drawer, but suddenly he stopped when her words sank in. He looked up to meet her eyes in question, smiling even more brightly than before.

"You're sure?"

"Well, not completely, but I'm very late." She smiled as he rushed over to her, pulling her to her feet and wrapping her in a hug, and she laughed at his excitement. "I'll have to go to the doctor."

"I'll take you." He kissed her upon the lips, pulling away with a smile. "Have you already made an appointment?"

"No, I've only just accepted it myself."

"Good, I'll call for you." He kissed her once more, smiling excitedly as he rushed to the phone and looked around for her doctor's number. After finding it he paused, looking back to his smiling wife. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, perfectly fine."

"You seem calmer than I'd expect." She shrugged, moving to stand next to him and placing a gentle hand upon his back, her head upon his shoulder.

"God is in control, after all." He smiled, resting his head against hers for just a moment before picking up the phone and scheduling an appointment for the following day.

She closed her eyes and took in his scent as she rested against him, feeling his warmth beneath her cheek as he spoke excitedly on the phone. He truly was overjoyed at her news, and she couldn't stop herself from smiling at his reaction. She was a little bit nervous to react too much until they knew for certain, but even she felt a few twitches of excitement in her chest when she told him.

She tried not to think about the fact that she had been pregnant throughout their recent troubles, particularly when she had been tossed around a bit. Not to mention that she had kissed another man while carrying her husband's child. She shook her head at the thought. They were forgiving and moving past their problems and transgressions of the past month, but it still stung when the memories crossed her mind.

"Your appointment is tomorrow at ten o'clock. Perhaps I could take you to lunch after?" She raised her eyebrows as he turned to take her hands in his.

"You want to take me on a date?" He laughed, leaning forward to place a quick kiss upon her lips.

"Well, I suppose I never have. I feel a bit terrible about that." She scrunched her face, sure that wasn't true.

"My goodness, we've really never been out, just the two of us?"

"No, and it's a complete shame. I'm going to make it up to you tomorrow. It's getting a bit warmer out, perhaps we could walk around town a bit." She chuckled, unused to him acting so carefree. She wondered if he was wanting to see his city once more before the Anschluss occurred…it was inevitable, though they still had both been nervous to breach the topic with one another. She was afraid he still had hope. He sighed, squeezing her hands. "I know what you're thinking."

"You do?"

"We do need to make a plan for when it happens." She looked at him in surprise, eyebrows raised. "You said Elsa told you it would happen within six months when you had lunch. That's soon."

"Yes, provided she wasn't just trying to upset me." She knew she wasn't. Elsa had seemed quite serious when she let the information slip. They weren't supposed to know anything about the supposed timing of it all. Looking back, she wished she had asked more questions, pushed for a bit more information.

"In any case, let's be thinking about what we'd like to do."

"I've told you before, I want to leave Austria." He sighed, and she felt nervous for his reaction. He had been so angry with her the last time she suggested leaving. "Georg, you must know there's a target on our backs."

"Just mine, remember? Everyone thinks you're on their side."

"Stop. A target on your back means one on mine as long as you're my husband." He smiled to ease the tension, and she stepped closer into his arms, placing a gentle kiss upon his lips. Suddenly, they heard a footstep, perhaps someone stumbling, but it was right outside the door of his study. Their eyes met knowingly, Franz was spying yet again. "So tell me what you'd like to do for lunch tomorrow?"

"Well, after your appointment and before we eat, I would like to take you to that dress shop you like. I want you to buy a new dress in celebration. And then perhaps to that little restaurant across the street?" She laughed, unbelieving that he would actually offer to go shopping with her.

"Celebration. We don't even know if I am yet."

"Maria, you know yourself well. Are you?" She couldn't stop a smile from gracing her lips, bright and full, and he chuckled.

"Yes, I am." Suddenly, the phone rang, causing them to jump in surprise. They didn't receive a lot of phone calls, particularly midday, so her heart sank just a bit as Georg answered the phone. He sounded frustrated immediately, and by the time the conversation was over, he nearly slammed the phone upon the receiver.

"Your son…" He began to walk away, and she followed quickly behind as he exited his study.

"Which one?" He straightened his tie in front of the mirror by the coat closet.

"Friedrich. He got into a fight at school." Her eyes widened in shock. Truly she would have expected Kurt to have been mouthy or start trouble before Friedrich.

"What? Why?" He opened the coat closet and took out his coat, slipping it on as he prepared to leave.

"I don't know yet. I was told to come to the school immediately."

"I'm coming with you." He nodded and held out her coat, helping her into it, and she grabbed her purse as they rushed out the door. She hadn't been to the children's school much, only a couple times to pick them up if one of them fell ill during the day, but she had hardly been a presence there. Georg had suggested she join one of the mothers groups, but she quickly decided that she was not interested in spending so much time with the women in their social circle. She was still carrying around that blasted reputation, of course. It would have been quite uncomfortable.

As they entered the school, Georg took her hand to lead the way. He had apparently been to the school enough times to know his way around, and he led them straight to the office. Friedrich was sitting upon a chair in the hallway, leaned over with his head in his hands. He was obviously distraught about the fight, and Maria could feel the tension beginning to pour from her husband at the sight of the boy.

"What is the meaning of this?" Georg's voice was cold, making the boy jump up and stand at attention. Maria could see he also had a bloody nose and what looked like the beginning of a black eye.

"Mother, Father, it was wrong of me…"

"You're damn right it was. I should never have to come down here for…" Maria's gentle hand upon his arm stopped his rant, and she raised her eyebrows at the shaming tone of his voice. He met her eyes, doing his best to calm his temper.

"I'll wait out here with Friedrich while you have your meeting." He nodded, meeting his son's eyes one more time before entering the office. Friedrich sighed, relief and a bit of his own frustration showing, as he sat back down. Maria thought for a moment, searching for the best way to discuss the matter with him.

"You know, if someone had asked me to bet money on which of you children were going to get into a fight today, I would have surely said Louisa." She sat in the chair next to him, and he gave her the smallest smile she had ever seen.

"Mother, I am sorry. I know it was wrong of me to handle the situation with violence." She placed a hand upon his shoulder, rubbing his back a bit in an effort to comfort him.

"Then tell me what happened." He sighed, clasping his hands together upon his lap.

"A classmate of mine was being very inappropriate to a girl, and he wouldn't stop when she asked. I was just trying to stand up for her, and then it all happened so fast."

"You were trying to do the right thing. I'm certain this girl appreciates the help you gave." He shook his head, uncertain of himself.

"I just couldn't stay silent. He was flipping up her skirt and saying hurtful things to her. I imagined if it had been you or one of my sisters, and I just couldn't ignore it." Her heart felt warm at his admission, he was such a wonderful young man.

"While I will never condone fighting, it sounds like you didn't have much of a choice."

"I hit him first. I'm the one who gave him no choice. There was a better way, and I chose the way my father would have handled it." Maria frowned, unsure exactly what he meant by that. Georg could be very harsh, cruel even at times, but he was not a violent man. She shook her head, he was once, though, and the boys had not been able to look at him the same way since.

"Friedrich, if I can forgive him for that, I should think you can try too." He met her eyes, seeming surprised that she would address it so directly.

"I'm sorry." She smiled, placing a gentle hand upon his back.

"You can't always help how you feel or react to something. But now you know you don't want to react this way, and next time will be different." He shook his head, anguish falling across his face.

"It does feel terrible." She sighed, wishing she could make him feel better. He was punishing himself enough on his own, she didn't feel much need to add anything to it. He was clearly wondering what his father would have to say about it all upon his return.

"You know, I was in a fight once. Probably around your age, actually." Eyebrows raised, he looked to her in question.

"You fought someone? I don't believe it." She chuckled a bit at the memory, as she hadn't thought about it in many years.

"Yes, a girl named…oh goodness, what was her name? No matter, I suppose. She was being quite rude to me, and I probably was to her too. I remember she said something particularly cruel, and I gave her a shove…and then I proceeded to hit her like my life depended on it, I was so angry."

"I can't believe you would do that."

"Well, I certainly wouldn't now!" She laughed, and he gave a gentle smile. "But that's my point, I felt so awful afterward, and I knew that violence was not the right way to handle a situation. There is always a better way, you simply have to learn to control your anger and find it." He nodded, and she sincerely hoped he was learning the lessons she thought he was.

"What do you think Father will do to punish me?"

"Once he hears the full story, I think he'll understand. He and I will discuss it when we get home." He smiled, seemingly glad to know she was on his side and understood his plight.

"Thank you. I don't know if we say it enough to you, or ever have for that matter, but my siblings and I love you very much." She could have cried at the sincerity of his words.

"Oh, Friedrich, I love you all with my entire heart." She reached forward and pulled him into a hug, hoping she wasn't embarrassing him by doing so at school, but he hugged her back with no hesitation. They sat together for a while as Georg finished his meeting, and she saw another boy down the hallway in a chair stand as his parents arrived. She assumed it was the other boy in the fight, as he looked quite frazzled and messy. Her son had certainly done a number on him.

Suddenly, she met eyes with the father of the boy, and he began to make his way toward them. She felt her heart sink a bit at his approach, concerned about what she was getting ready to experience. She had found over the years, after she had lived through such a wicked childhood, that men in general made her a bit nervous, especially when she didn't know them. Being approached by a stranger the way she was at the moment made her put up her guard quickly.

"Baroness Von Trapp, I presume?" His voice was curt, but she nodded as she and Friedrich stood to greet him.

"Yes, nice to meet you, Herr…?" She held out her hand, waiting for him to introduce himself, but he only scoffed.

"Your son is a disgrace. I will be seeking legal repercussions for this injustice." Eyes wide, she couldn't stop a quick chuckle from escaping her lips. He seemed to become enraged by her reaction.

"I'm sorry, but don't you think that's going a bit far for a disagreement at school? They're fifteen."

"My son will not be subjected to such…"

"Please be careful with the words you choose to say next." She stepped between the man and Friedrich, feeling the need to protect him from the harshness of the words. The man clearly felt that his own son had no fault in the matter. "They had a disagreement. Let's not make it more than it is."

"Your son attacked mine, you should see his face."

"My son will be punished appropriately for his actions, as I'm sure yours will be too." She nodded to him as an end to their conversation, a hand upon Friedrich's back to lead him away from the conversation. She supposed it would be best if they waited in the car for Georg.

"Do you have any idea who you're speaking to?" His words were harsh as he followed. She turned to meet his eyes, her eyebrows raised in question. She could feel her son's nerves next to her, hoping she was at least doing well to hide her own. The man seemed quite aggressive.

"No I don't, and forgive me for not having much interest. I see no reason to continue this conversation. Good day." She turned to walk away once more, but could feel the man's footsteps behind them. Was he following them to the car? She sighed in frustration as she turned around once more, eyebrows raised. "What is it you have left to say?"

"I feel you are everything they say you are, Baroness. It's clear your son is a product of your example." Friedrich looked to her, confused, but understood quite well that it was an insult. She missed the days where hardly a soul knew her name, let alone anything about her life. She nodded in acceptance, maintaining her composure as she always did. What she wouldn't give at times to scream and shout when such comments were made.

"Fritz, how are you?" Georg clapped his hand upon the man's shoulder, startling him. "Aside from accosting my wife, of course."

"Georg, it appears our sons have had an altercation." The man seemed unarmed, caught off guard by her husband's appearance. It seemed they knew one another, possibly from their own childhood, she had no idea, but she had never been so relieved by his presence.

"Yes, and it appears that your son is over there." He pointed in the direction of Friedrich's classmate, still seated with his mother down the hallway. He leaned closer to the man, his eyes filled with intimidation. "You have no need to address my wife, ever again. And you'll be quite interested to know the reason for their disagreement, I assure you. Perhaps a product of your own example?"

Georg wrapped his arm around Maria's waist and led her down the hall, his hand upon his son's shoulder as well. The man retreated to his family, giving up on whatever his intentions were. As they made it to the car, the clouds parted a bit and allowed the sun to shine through. Maria bit her lip in frustration as she sat in her seat, looking out the window of the car. She tried to focus on the brightness of the day rather than dwelling on the conversation at the school. It wasn't worth it, after all.

"Father, I apologize for my actions." Friedrich spoke up after they pulled away from the school, and Georg smiled.

"No need, son. From what I'm told, there is a young lady who very much appreciated your protection." The boy nodded, a bit fearful to continue in case he would say something wrong.

They drove in silence for a bit, and Maria continued fo watch the shops and buildings pass outside her window. For some reason, she couldn't shake the feeling that what the other boy's father said to her may have been true. Was she truly such a bad example for the children? She had to admit, on days she was feeling low, she did wonder the same thing. But even out of all of her transgressions since she came into their lives, she was certain they knew of none of them. It wasn't as if she and Georg hadn't protected them from the nonsense of their societal gossip, and she had always tried so hard to be a good example for them. And then there was the example she would need to set for the child growing inside of her. How could she ever be certain she was doing all of the right things?

"What are we doing?" Friedrich's voice brought her out of her thoughts as she turned to face Georg. He was putting the car in park in front of a small shop.

"We're getting your mother an ice cream so she'll stop taking that man's words to heart." She rolled her eyes, scoffing.

"Oh, stop it." Georg and Friedrich laughed as they exited the car. She didn't move, crossing her arms. Georg opened her door, leaning in to place a quick kiss upon her lips. He looked into her eyes and pouted, immediately causing her to laugh as he took her hand and led her into the ice cream shop. They spent the rest of the day sharing time with their son, who couldn't have been more thrilled by the time together, reveling in the small moments.