A/N: Please read and Review!!! Enjoy!
Ch. 1: The Harmonica
Maria stuck the note on the table and looked over the house once again. She stepped outside in denial that she was leaving. Just moments ago the Baroness had scared her away from the house by telling her that the Captain was in love with her. She stopped at the realization that she was leaving because she knew in her heart that she was falling deeply in love with him. As she walked to the gate she could not help but think what would happen if she were to stay. If she left she would become a nun and never know any love except God's. If she stayed though, what could happen? She realized September was only a few months away, surly she could be strong enough to stay for two more months. Maria would give anything to just have two more months with a family so full of love. The worse thing that could happen was in two more months she would go back to the abbey and be heartbroken and would become a nun. Her original plan anyways. Maria contemplated what to do and without thinking began to walk back inside.
Maria grabbed her note from the table and quickly wrote another note excusing herself from the dinner party. Part of her wanted to go just to know what the Captain and the Baroness were up to, but the other part of her knew it was none of her business. Maria walked up to her bedroom and decided to rest for the night. Little did Maria know that she had forgotten to take the note from the front of the house back with her.
When morning came Georg read the most unexpected note. He had thought Maria had been happy there and was surprised that she would leave. His heart sunk as he made his way up stairs. He noticed that the door to the room was still shut. He walked up to it and knocked.
"Hello?" He asked hoping for a reply. He knocked again. Maria stunned from hearing his voice jumped in her bed shivers running down her spine. In her disarray she forgot to grab her robe and flung open the door.
"Yes!" Maria asked looking deeply into the eyes of the Captain. He looked at her with surprise seeing her without a robe. He slightly chuckled as a smile began to form on his lips. Maria looked down and tried to grab for her robe sitting on her bed. "Sir, I am sorry did you want something? Did I oversleep…"
"No, I am sorry did I wake you?" Georg asked her grinning sheepishly.
"Well no I was up for a few minutes…" Maria's voice trailed off as she met his gaze. He knew she was lying to him. She hated nothing more than when a person could tell she was lying. However she knew she was terrible at it. "Well yes you did, if you have to know."
"Many apologizes then. I was just very curious if you were still here or not. I read that note you gave me. I thought you left and I was not looking forward to dealing with it." Georg told her. He did not add that his heart had started to race when he had heard of her departure or how alone he felt in those few moments.
"Oh I am sorry Captain. I did not mean to leave it there. I was planning on leaving, but I thought better of it."
"Well I am glad you did. May I ask why you wanted to leave?" He asked wishing that the answer might have to do with him.
"Well I missed the people in the Abbey. They are the only family I have ever known. I don't know I guess I was just homesick." Maria's lie could be heard loud and clear, but Georg did not press her to explain. As Maria said this she realized that the Abbey would never be her home. She loved some of the sisters dearly, but she never was really loved unconditionally there. How could a home be somewhere where she constantly ran from? Confused in her thoughts Maria barley heard the soft words of Georg.
"Maria, I am delighted you changed your mind. I would be happy to escort you there to visit for a day if that may be your wish. I honestly do not know what I would have done if you had gone. Things certainly would have not been the same." He told her honestly. Maria blushed a little, as she hated being the center of compliments.
"Thank you Captain." She stated. "I will be down for breakfast in a moment." Maria looked far away remembering the cruel events of her past. She still dreaded thinking of homes. In a way she was even jealous of what the Captain and his children had. Georg looked back sensing something was wrong with her. Her bright blue eyes became gray and not as shinny.
"Are you alright, Maria you look very…"
"I'm fine." Maria told him her eyes returning to normal. He looked at her unconvinced. "I really am okay…thanks for asking."
"Maria…" He trailed off as her blue eyes stared at his. He was hesitant to speak in fear of sounding so pathetically dumb. However his curiosity was at an all time high to learn more about the person that had influenced him so greatly. He wanted to know everything about her and mostly why she suddenly was filled with pain at the talk of family. "Maria…if you ever need to talk…I well…I am here." He finished. A smiled spread across her face. She nodded and mouthed the words of thanks and shut the door. Georg couldn't put his finger on it, but Maria reminded him of someone.
At breakfast the children were in their same cheery state as before. Most of the talk was how beautiful the party had been. Maria had made her way down to the table, finally to Georg's enjoyment. She wore a smile but he could still sense something was wrong.
Before lunch a small package was delivered with Elsa's name on it. The children tried to grab it, but Maria held it out of reach.
"Oh please Maria can't we open it and put a dead rat in it?" Kurt asked. Maria hid her inward giggle and held her own desire to do the same thing inside.
"No children it is extremely rude to open other people's packages." Maria told them. She herself was interested to see what was inside. She hoped it was not anything that had to do with engagements.
They walked into the kitchen where the Baroness and Georg were sitting. Maria noted the closeness of the two and tried to hide her feelings.
"I am sorry to interrupt…but um Elsa a package just arrived for you." Maria told her handing her the small brown box.
"Oh you were not interrupting anything Maria. Tell the children they can come in as well." Georg told her. Maria smiled and motioned for the children. Elsa snarled as she realized he had called her by her first name. Georg however did not care and he was not about to be phony and call her Maria while not in Elsa's presence and Fraulien Maria while in her presence.
"Oh this is what I have been expecting!" Elsa cried happily. She took the box and pulled out a harmonica.