Georg stared down at the parlor, where he could hear the children. Their voices nearly calmed him. "Why did I listen to her?" he whispered.
"I'm sorry?" Max asked.
"I should have stayed in there," Georg said, more to himself. "She didn't want me to worry, but she's never done this before; she –"
"This is how it's done, Georg, and you know it," Max said. "Who was with Agathe when Liesl was born?"
"Her mother," Georg said and his frown deepened. "Maria's mother is…"
"Stop that, Georg," Max said firmly.
The Captain's eyes narrowed as he tried keep his thoughts positive. He shivered. "Why is it so much harder this time, Max?"
"I have no idea," the other answered. Georg turned to see his friend watching him. "I would think this would be easier for you; you've been through this seven times before."
Georg shook his head. "It's always nerve-wracking," he confessed. "With each one, I was petrified for both Agathe and the baby."
"But they were always fine, Georg," Max said. He remained silent for a moment. "Just as Maria and this baby will be. You have to have faith."
Georg nodded, again feeling the cross in his pocket. He cast a look up at the ceiling, wondering if Maria was being watched over. Another yell caused him to set his jaw in barely contained panic. He turned to look over the foyer again, his wrists tightly clenched over the banister.
"This is ridiculous," he said.
"I don't think Maria would agree with that," Max mused.
The Captain turned and stood very close to his friend. "You're not helping, Max," he growled.
The thunder rumbled outside, and Georg absently noted that it was getting quieter. Max took a few steps towards the window.
"The storm is leaving."
Georg followed his friend's gaze. "That's one good thing," he muttered.
"There's another good thing going on in that room, Georg," Max said. "You know she'll be fine. The doctor has told you repeatedly that there's nothing to be worried about."
"Anything can happen," Georg said.
"I thought you were trying to be more optimistic," Max commented.
Georg looked over at the door. "I'm relapsing," he said, feeling his blood begin to pound in his head.
Maria cried out again, and he slammed his hand down on the banister, cursing loudly.
"Georg!" Max gasped, trying to hide his smile at the explicative. He looked anxiously down at the parlor where the children were sitting.
"What the hell do you expect me to do, Max, when she's in there?" Georg asked through clenched teeth, "She's never done this before. She doesn't know if everything is alright, and God knows how much longer she has to…" He trailed, unable to continue.
"She's fine, Georg," Max insisted. "Would you rather hear nothing at all? At least you know she's…"
Georg stepped closer to his friend and looked him in the eyes, his shoulders rigid with tension. Before he could reply, another scream pierced the air.
"Georg!"
Max barely had time to move to the side as Georg rushed past him to the door. Not hesitating, he swung the door open and ran inside. Almost immediately, he nearly collided with Liesl, who had been exiting to find him.
He put his hands on his daughter's shoulders. "Liesl?" he asked, his throat tight.
She smiled at him. "She's tired," she said and turned to guide him into the room. "But she's fine."
They walked over to the bed, and Georg cleared his throat.
Frau Schmidt looked up and scowled at him. "She was adamant, Captain," she said, clearly not approving of having an unnecessary man present during a birth. Dr. Kesler, blocking Georg's view of the bed, turned and nodded at him.
"Quite adamant, Captain," he affirmed.
Barely hearing them, Georg walked over and sat on the chair that had been placed beside the bed, his breath catching as he studied Maria. While he had seen Agathe almost immediately after the birth of each of his children, he had never seen a woman in active labor before. It didn't help his nerves that Maria would be his introduction to the sight. Sweat was soaking her face, and her eyes were closed, not with pain, but with fatigue. She was breathing hard and didn't seem to have an ounce of energy left.
"Maria," he said to her.
She opened her eyes slowly, and moved her head to the sound of his voice. A faint smile of disbelief graced her face, and he felt a silly grin plaster his.
"You're here," she whispered.
"Forgive me for not being here sooner," he said as he brushed some hair away from her face.
"Georg," she breathed, her smile vanishing. "I'm so sorry…"
He frowned. "Sorry?"
Tears filled her eyes. "I thought I could do this," she started. "I didn't want you to worry. But I…. this is…"
He put his finger to her lips and made a gentle silencing sound. "You know better than to try to stop me from worrying about you."
She shook her head. "I'm so happy you're here," she said, choking back a sob.
"Where else would I possibly be?" he asked her, leaning down to kiss her lips gently.
"Here, Father," he heard Liesl say behind him as a damp cloth came into his field of vision.
"If you must be here, then make yourself useful, Captain," Frau Schmidt instructed.
Georg took the cloth and dabbed Maria's forehead.
"I'm so tired," she confessed. "I can't keep doing this."
"You don't have that much longer," he said, glancing over at the doctor for confirmation. The other man nodded quickly, and Georg felt some of the tension leave his body at the gesture. He looked down at Maria again. "You can keep going for a little longer, right?"
She opened her mouth to reply, but her face contorted in pain as a contraction took grip of her. She groaned in surprise; she seemed to have forgotten what was happening to her the moment she saw her husband sitting next to her. Liesl ran over to the other side of the bed, hoisting Maria's leg to a bent position and sliding her other arm under her mother's back.
"You can take my place, Captain," Frau Schmidt said, cocking her head to Liesl. "Position her leg as Liesl has done on the other side and help her sit up so she can push."
Georg made no response; he couldn't take his eyes away from Maria as she gulped in air, as if she couldn't get enough into her lungs.
"Captain!" the older woman exclaimed, irritated.
Georg's head snapped around. "Yes?"
"Please try to be useful and help your wife sit up so she can deliver this child tonight!" the woman instructed.
Georg stared at her for a moment, not understanding. He looked over at his daughter, who smiled sympathetically at him.
"She is a bully," Maria muttered.
"Help her to sit up and hold her leg, Father," Liesl said, more gently than the housekeeper. "It's time for her to push again."
Georg nodded and immediately obeyed. Together, the pair pushed Maria up to sit.
"I feel like I've been pushing forever," Maria gasped.
"Just a few more should do it," the doctor said as Maria bore down. "I need you to push harder, Maria."
She hung her head lowly as she yelled out and tried to comply.
"Push harder, Maria!" the doctor instructed.
"You try pushing harder!" she yelled and inhaled. Georg looked from his wife's sweating profile to the doctor's calm visage and back again. He felt anxiety fill him as a high pitched moan escaped from her throat.
"Okay, stop!" Dr. Kesler said. Maria exhaled loudly and fell back onto the bed, her entire body going slack.
Georg, stared down at her, worried at how tired she looked. "How much longer does she have to do this?"
"As long as it takes, Captain," Frau Schmidt replied. "You remember—"
"Do not mention Kurt!" Maria said lowly as she gasped for air. "I will not be able to handle seven hours of this."
In spite of the moment, the housekeeper laughed. "It shouldn't be that much longer, Baroness."
"Now you're lying to me," Maria moaned in exasperation.
"He'll be here before you know it, Maria," Georg said softly to her.
"What makes you so sure it's a boy?" Liesl asked.
"Because he talks to my stomach more than I do," Maria offered, trying to smile. She sighed and tried to calm her breathing. "How did Agathe do this seven times?"
Georg laughed. "You're doing fine, darling," he told her.
She looked over at him. "You just got here," she snapped. "How would you know?"
Georg stared at her in shock. He looked up at Liesl, who shook her head in defeat.
"She's really tired, Father," she told him.
Georg looked back down at Maria, whose eyes were staring back up at him with exhaustion.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
Unsure as to what to say, Georg just smiled and nodded. She tried to reach up for him, but another contraction prevented her from completely apologizing.
"Don't push yet Maria," the doctor said urgently. He stuck his hand out to Frau Schmidt, who handed an instrument to him. Georg's eyes widened for a second but then whipped his attention back to Maria, who screamed sharply in protest.
"Don't push, Maria!" Dr. Kesler repeated.
"Stop yelling at me!" she cried and closed her eyes in agony. "I have to, I can't…. I need…"
"Maria, stop it!" the doctor shouted, reaching up and pressing on her stomach. "Just a few seconds… the baby…"
"What about the baby?" Georg asked, his face paling as Maria opened her eyes and locked with his. His heart tightened at the pain he saw on her face. He quickly looked down at the foot of the bed.
"The baby decided to go back up a little bit," the doctor explained, unnervingly calm.
"What!?" Georg gasped and looked back to Maria. She twisted towards him, gritting her teeth and trying not to yell out. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and Georg was beginning to realize why Frau Schmidt hadn't wanted him in the room.
He stole a glance back over at the doctor. "Will everything be alright?"
The other nodded. "The baby's just making his mother work, that's all," he commented. Georg glanced down as Maria closed her eyes and choked out an exhausted sob as the contraction left her.
"Why isn't he doing what he's supposed to?" she moaned.
Before he could stop himself, Georg said, "Because he's your child?"
Her eyes flew open.
"Forgive me," he said quickly, taking a cold cloth to her forehead. "I'll be quiet."
"That's it," he heard the doctor say, but his eyes remained locked with Maria's. He could tell her strength was evaporating, and his heart broke to see her looking so drained. She barely had time to catch her breath when another contraction came and she groaned.
"Sit her up!" Frau Schmidt instructed.
"Can I push now?" Maria asked weakly as Georg and Liesl supported her.
"Now would be good, Baroness," the older woman answered and Maria inhaled and bore down. The doctor's slow countdown seemed an eternity as Georg watched Maria's face tighten with the effort. The interval finally ended, and she yelled in release as she relaxed in their arms.
"Keep her sitting up," the doctor instructed. "I can see the head. One more push should get the shoulders out."
"The last time you said 'one more push,' he went backwards," Maria snapped, rolling her head close to Georg. She reached out and grabbed his hand.
"You're doing it," he whispered to her, returning the fierce grip she had on his hand. He kissed her cheek. "Just a little more."
"I can't," she confessed. "This is too… oh…not again…"
"Push hard, Maria!" the doctor told her. Georg and Liesl sat further on the bed, putting all of their weight behind Maria so she could use all of her energy to push.
Midway through the doctor's count, Maria sobbed loudly and shrunk into Liesl and Georg's arms. "Please stop," she cried. "I can't. I can't do it anymore."
"Yes you can, Maria," Doctor Kesler said.
"No."
"You don't have a choice."
She looked over at Georg. "I'm sorry," she whispered.
He kissed her forehead. "You're almost there, Maria. The baby's almost here," he said, smiling in encouragement to her. He brought her hand up to his lips. "You can do this."
"It's almost over, Mother," Liesl offered.
Maria shook her head, staring in defeat at Georg. "You do it," she told him.
"If I could, believe me, I would," he assured her. "But this is something you alone have to do."
She cried harder as the contraction tightened around her.
"Maria, you need to push," the doctor told her. "You can't stop now."
"She's exhausted," Frau Schmidt said, sympathy softening her face.
Georg, trying to give Maria the energy she needed, smiled at her. "Remember how angry you got with me when I said the pretzel vendor was flirting with you?"
Maria looked up at him as if he was crazy.
"I still can't believe how brazen that man was," he continued, and he heard Frau Schmidt try not to laugh. "I wanted to punch him."
Maria's eyes flared. "You're going to bring this up now?" she asked, her words barely escaping her tight throat.
He nodded, getting more energized. "And you didn't think anything of it!" he accused. "You were perfectly willing to let that man act like a shameless flirt."
"Georg, you can be such… a… pigheaded…overprotective…brutish…ow!" Maria cried out as she remembered the contraction gripping her body.
"Push!" they all chorused around her.
With renewed energy, Maria squeezed her eyes tight and bore down harder than she had the entire night. Her piercing scream filled the room as the eighth von Trapp child finally made his way into the world.
Georg's mouth dropped open as he watched the doctor reach up and pull the baby safely into his arms. Liesl and Georg slowly set Maria down to rest onto the sheets, and Georg stared, mystified, at his newest child. He had never before witnessed a life entering the world.
The silence filling the room was deafening. Georg watched as Dr. Kesler and Frau Schmidt fussed over the infant, who had yet to make a sound.
Georg looked over at Maria and saw her melted into the pillows, her mouth gaping open and sweat soaking her face. She was breathing lowly, as if even that took more energy than she possessed at the moment. She stared straight up, not seeing anything as her body, still in shock from what it had just been through, lay motionless on the bed. He stared down at her, amazed at what he had just seen her do.
The doctor turned the baby over and patted the infant's back. After a tense moment, the shrill cry of the newborn filled the air.
Instantly revived by the sound, Maria gasped and blinked several times. She turned her head to Georg, and stared at him. "Georg?" she breathed.
The Captain leaned down to her, a huge grin spreading across his face and tears welling in his eyes. "You did it," he whispered to her.
"A boy, Captain, Baroness!" Frau Schmidt declared.
"A boy?" Maria repeated, a smile forming on her face. Georg took her hand in both of his and kissed her cheek.
"A boy," he answered, his throat too tight to say anything more. Their child's piercing scream filled the room, and Georg was sure he had never heard a more beautiful sound before.
"Is he alright?" Maria breathed, her eyes bright.
"His lungs work," Dr. Kesler commented above the din. "Yes, Maria, he's completely healthy, thank God." He and Frau Schmidt cleaned the baby and wrapped him in a small blanket. The latter held the infant for a moment and smiled to herself. She walked over and placed him at Maria's side.
"Your son, Baroness, Captain," she declared, beaming at the couple, who were too emotional to speak. The housekeeper looked up at Liesl, who also bore a radiant smile as she wiped tears from her eyes.
The baby, once cleaned and warm, stopped crying and stared up at his mother, weary from his ordeal. He blinked several times, and Maria found herself unable to take her eyes off her child.
"Hello," Maria murmured to her son. "I have been waiting forever to meet you."
Frau Schmidt smiled warmly at the sight. She looked over at the doctor, who was finishing up at the end of the bed, taking care of the afterbirth. Once he was assured that both Maria and the baby were completely healthy, he looked over and nodded at Frau Schmidt.
"Thank the Lord," he stated. "Everyone is fine."
The housekeeper nodded and smiled over at the trio on the bed. Turning back to the doctor, she grabbed some soiled linens. "Let me get you something to drink, Doctor."
Liesl inhaled deeply and wiped her forehead, watching the doctor and Frau Schmidt leave. She picked up some more sheets and towels and looked over at her parents and youngest sibling.
"Friedrich and Kurt will be pleased that there's finally another boy," she commented. Georg looked up at her and her breath caught at the expression she saw on his face. It had been years since she had seen such pure elation in his eyes.
"I'll go tell everyone," she said, wanting to give her parents a moment alone with their son.
Georg rose and walked over to her. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly to him. "Thank you, Liesl," he whispered.
She returned the fierceness of the embrace. "I love you, Father."
He pulled back, and she was surprised to see the moisture in his eyes. "And I you, Liesl," he said.
She hugged him again and looked over at Maria, who was still staring in awe at the baby. She opened her mouth to say good-bye, but smiled instead and started to leave.
"Liesl?" Maria's voice sounded peaceful.
The girl turned and saw her mother looking up at her with a tear stained smile.
"I couldn't have done this without you," Maria said, her voice tight. "Thank you so much for everything."
"It was the least I could do, Mother," she said and smiled brightly. "Now, I'll go tell Friedrich and Kurt that they're no longer the only boys in the family."
Georg shut the door behind her and walked over to the bed. He sat next to Maria and reached down to stroke the baby's face.
"I can't believe he's here," Maria whispered, studying her son's fingers.
"He's so tiny," Georg commented and smiled at how the baby curled his hand tightly around Maria's finger.
"He didn't seem so tiny a few minutes ago," Maria said and she looked up at her husband for the first time since the baby had been placed next to her. His heart filled at the joy he saw in her eyes.
"You were wonderful, Maria," he told her and leaned over to kiss her forehead.
"I'm sorry for snapping at you," she said and sighed.
He shook his head. "I must admit," he started, "that I wasn't prepared to see you like that."
Her cheeks reddened. "I can't believe you never were there for the births of any of the children," she thought aloud. "Agathe didn't mind…"
"It was a different time, Maria," he told her. "But I was there immediately afterwards."
He studied her. "I'm glad I was here for you, though," he whispered. "Even if you called me overprotective and brutish."
"I did?" Maria's eyebrows knitted closer together.
Georg laughed and studied her tired face. "How are you feeling now?"
"Tired but wide awake at the same time," she said. "Does that make sense?"
He nodded. "Perfect sense."
She sighed happily and reached up to caress his cheek. "You were right," she said.
"Right?"
"I love him more than I thought I could," she whispered and looked back down at her son. Georg reached over to rub the infant's head, and felt Maria's hand gently stroke his cheek. Her touch was warm and soft, and the Captain felt a sense of peace wash over him. He leaned into her hand and kissed her palm.
"Hello, Master von Trapp," Georg murmured to his son, kissing the infant's cheek delicately. The baby's eyes looked upward for an instant at the new sensation, and then they immediately closed. Maria laughed.
"Stefan's had quite an adventurous day," she whispered, looking up to meet Georg's gaze.
His heart warmed at the tears glistening in her eyes.
"Yes," he said. "Stefan and his mother are entitled to have a little rest."
Maria studied her husband. "As does his father," she commented with a soft laugh.
Georg sighed. "I hate feeling so helpless," he confessed.
"I know," she said. "But you were wonderful. Thank you for being so…"
"Overprotective and brutish?"
She laughed again. "More like sweet and supportive."
"It was the least I could do," he said, leaning over to kiss her cheek, suddenly too emotional to say anything more.
The trio lay there on the bed, all completely content in the serene atmosphere as the storm faded away outside, leaving a clear, moonlit sky. Stefan's parents were both lost in the loving thoughts of how complete their lives were now that he had finally joined them.
A faint tapping noise caught Georg's attention. He stopped shaving and placed the blade onto the bathroom sink, seeing, in the mirror, his wife standing in the doorframe. She was tapping her foot with an air of mock impatience.
"Is there something I can do for you, Fräulein?" he asked.
"You said you'd tell me," she stated.
"Tell you what?"
"Which names you had thought of for the baby," she said.
Georg laughed. "Right now?"
"You said you'd tell me when we were home and if I had eaten my lunch," she said, crossing her arms and wearing an expression that could easily be interpreted as indignation. "Remember? When we were in the café, after we had picked up Marta's birthday present?"
He laughed harder. "May I finish shaving first?" he asked, picking up the blade.
He saw a flash cross her eyes. "May I help you finish?" she asked, her voice an octave lower.
Georg whirled around to stop her from attempting to seize the blade from him. "Has your technique improved since Paris?" he asked with feigned apprehension.
"I don't know," she started, walking slowly towards him. "You're the expert. You tell me."
Georg scanned her once over and narrowed his eyes at her in calculation. "I'd say you're picking up on a thing or two." He turned back to the mirror and finished his final stroke up his cheek before she could get to the blade.
"Oh, really," she said and walked up behind him. She reached past him and grabbed a damp cloth. Her one hand resting on his shoulder for balance, she reached up and wiped some shaving cream from his cheek. As she brought the cloth down to rinse it off, she rubbed her other hand along his back, making his skin tingle beneath the thin material of his night attire.
He slowly turned to face her as she brought the cloth back up to wash his face. He watched her expression as she gently wiped the remaining cream off his face before leaning over to kiss her.
Surprising him, she backed away.
"You promised," she insisted, trying to prevent her chin from trembling with amusement as he scowled.
"You shouldn't tease me like that, Fräulein," he said lowly, refusing to let her get any further away. He grabbed her around the waist.
"And you shouldn't strike a bargain and not follow through," she said, not even bothering to attempt escaping his strong hold on her. He heard her sigh and knew that in a matter of moments, all thoughts of baby names would be driven from her mind.
"Oh, I can follow through," he whispered into her ear, and she laughed huskily.
"You're avoiding the subject, Captain," she said, wrapping her arms around him. "You promised –"
"I promise to tell you later," he finished, breathing in and losing himself in how sweet was. "Stefan can wait."
"Stefan?" she asked, pulling back to look at him.
Georg sighed and cupped her face in his hands. "Either Stefan for a boy and Rosemund for a girl."
She smiled. "Stefan," she repeated. "I like that."
He lowered his arms to wrap around her waist again. "What about Rosemund?" he asked. "If it's a girl?"
She smiled. "I like Stefan," she said. "If it's a girl, we'll think of something."
He smiled back at her and brought his lips to hers. The kiss was gentle, sweet, and full of promise. He heard her moan lightly and when they parted, she sighed and rested her head on his chest. He reached up and rubbed her back.
"Shall we go to bed, Baroness?" he whispered.
She nodded and kissed his cheek. As they walked over to the bed, she paused. He turned and looked at her.
"What is it?" he asked.
She shook her head. "You're really wonderful, Georg," she told him, her eyes shining. "I don't seem to have a care in the world, not even wondering what to name our child."
He grinned at her. "It's my job to make you happy," he said.
"Well, you certainly are going above and beyond the call of duty," she said as he helped her into the bed. He walked around to the other side and climbed in next to her. Lying down, she rested her head on his shoulder, and he reached over to cup her cheek in his hand.
"Does that mean I get something for my efforts?" he asked, leaning closer to her. "A medal of honor, perhaps?"
She laughed. "Don't you think you've gotten enough?" she asked, coyly playing with his hair.
He smiled and reached down to rub her stomach. "More than you'll ever know."
Fin
A/N: To answer the question many have asked: how did they know it's a boy? They don't know. I drew from my personal experiences when my co-workers and sister-in-law were pregnant. For practically all of them, I had a gut feeling what the baby was going to be, and I'd say I was right about 85% of the time. I thought that everyone had those gut feelings, but my mother just told me that they don't. Oh, well.
Anyway, another reason is that I don't really care to refer to a pre-born child as "it." That never sat right with me, and I figured the von Trapps would call their child 'he' or 'she' before they would use 'it.'
Also, this story is set in the same 'universe' as Eight on Wednesday. That story takes place rather early in Maria's pregnancy, and there are many discussions involving the mystery of the child's gender. I thought to do the same thing here would have been repetitive, and we all know that annoys the Captain to no end (to paraphrase Jelpy, there).
So, they don't know which gender the baby is, they feel that the baby is a boy, and so they go with it. If those reasons don't satisfy anyone who asked, I'm sorry!
Thank you all for your wonderful feedback ~ imnotacommittee