A/N: Please please review!  I hope you like this chapter! 

Ch. 1: Something Always Goes Wrong

            Once upon a time not very long ago, there lived a Father with his seven children.  The family was once a very happy family that loved one another very much.   Recently, though the children's Mother had died.  Leaving the Father, Georg, alone with his seven children.  His wife, Agathe, was very dear to him and he missed her.  Though he loved the children he couldn't bare looking at them because they reminded him of her.  He began to grow far away from his children.  He was still a gentleman and to the villagers he would forever be the noble and brave Captain von Trapp who won many battles in WWI.  In reality though he was very sad and if I must mention it, bitter.

            A year past and Agathe knew the fate of her husband was not getting any better.  So she asked God for help.  So one on stormy winter night in Austria and old beggar woman came to the door of the villa.

            "Please, may I come in until the storm has passed?"  She begged.  Georg would normally not have the heart to turn her away.  At that specific time however he was in his more bitter states of feeling sorry for himself.  He felt sick and tired and all he wanted to do was sleep.  He turned her away nicely telling her he was sure the next house would help her. 

            "I am very sorry." He added as he began to close the door.  As he turned away she stepped closer to him and turned into a glowing white angel who looked very similar to Agathe.  He looked at her in shock.  "I am sorry, please, come in."  The angel took one step inside. 

            "I can't stay long.  I have to do this to you…I don't want to, but I have too.  We have to set a sort of spell; you can call it I suppose on your family. 

            "Me why?" He asked astonished. 

            "Well because you are miserable and are not going to fix it on your own free will.  So we have to come in and help.  For five years, or until Gretl in six in other words you will have the opportunity to find someone you love that loves you back.  All she has to do is say the words and the spell will be broken.  Without you telling her first about this of course."

            "And what if I do not find someone I love?" He asked. 

            "You mean who loves you?  Well if not then you will forever have a miserable unfortunate, unhappy life." She told him frowning.  "Sorry, like I said we have to do this."  The angel went on about some last parts of the rules to the spell.  Georg stood in plain silence wondering why the angels in heaven were bugging him. 

            "…I would perhaps start by getting younger governesses."  He rolled his eyes not liking the idea.

            "Maybe I will just marry Elsa." He said thinking of a friend he had met in Vienna.  He was certain that he did not love her, but at least it was someone. 

            "Remember it must be true love." The angel reminded him. 

            "But how am I supposed to fall in love with anyone after Agathe?  No one can replace her.  No one is as good as her!" He told her miserably.  She patted his shoulder. 

            "Georg there are a lot of wonderful people in the world like me." She told him.  He looked up in shook. 

            "Agathe?" He questioned.  She nodded her head. 

            "I have to leave now, but please, try to change.  I don't want the rest of your life to be miserable just because of me.  I want it happy.  Here." She told him as she handed him an Edelweiss.  "Take this.  It will remind you of how much time is left.  Goodbye Georg." With that she was off.  Georg sat down with a huff, clutching the small white flower.

            "Darn it!"  He cried upset.  "Why does everything bad have to happen to me?"

            Even though the spell had been put on him he seemed to almost forget about it.  Nothing changed for four and a half miserable years the children grew up and more distant from their once beloved Father.  They still loved him, but it was like they had lost both their parents, not just one. 

            One night Georg suddenly remembered what had been haunting him for so long in the back of his mind.  He had to do something. 

            "Fine!" He yelled to himself in his study.  "I will hire a younger governess!"  He decided to walk to town to post his sign for a governess himself.  He walked to the city and was about to pound the notice to a post when he realized a young woman was standing right by it and he had just bumped into her. 

            "Are you alright Miss?" He asked.  She looked like she was in a daze.

            "What?  Oh yes I am fine.  I am sorry I didn't mean to run into…"

            "No apologies it was my fault." She looked him in the eyes for the first time.  She instantly was out of her trance and into a new one as she stared into his dark blue eyes.  "Oh I'm Captain von Trapp." He told her extending his hand.  "Its nice to meet you…" He told her waiting for her to say her name for a name. 

            "You don't look anything like a Sea Captain sir."

            "Thanks…" He told her as he looked up and saw her beauty and began to be very uncomfortable. 

            "That was meant as a compliment right?" He added to assure himself. 

            "Of course being rude and vulgar isn't in me." She told him sweetly.  He smiled at her. 

            "What is your name?" He asked interested.

            "Maria!" Came a sharp shout from the crowd.  "There you are.  Come you will be late for your meeting with Lukas." Maria rolled her eyes and her gaze returned to the Captain for a brief moment. 

            "It was nice meeting you sir."

            "You as well…Maria." He told her.  She looked up and smiled. 

            "Oh and I hope you find what you were looking for when you ran into me." She added as she walked away.  Little did Maria know that Georg had found what he needed…her.  He stared at her as she left in awe.  He had never felt that way before by just bumping into someone.  He posted the sign and walked home in a trance.  The only thoughts he had was of Maria and how he could find out more about her.

            Maria's father was not happy to discover her talking with a man. 

            "You do realize that was Captain von Trapp, the biggest hero in all Austria." He told Maria when they were far enough away from him. 

            "Yeah, am I not allowed to talk to him?" Maria asked in disgust. 

            "You were not just talking, Maria."

            "Then what exactly was I doing?" She asked. 

            "You were flirting with him."

            "Father what are you talking about?" Maria said in exasperation.  "I didn't say anything to…" 

            "No but it was the way you looked Maria.  You looked like you had just fallen head over heals in love with that spinster of a sea Captain.  He will not fall in love with just anyone from the street Maria.  He married a very wealthy young lady and was in love until her death.  There is no way he would ever love you…"

            "Father I am not in love with him I was just trying to be…"

            "Now Maria you know not to talk when I am talking just listen…" Maria rolled her eyes as she quietly walked away toward their simple house.  "…Now he just rots away, doesn't even care about his seven children.  It seems odd he never used to be like this.  Now then Maria now that I told you about him lets get on to more important matters like Lukas.  You know that he is one of the bravest men in all Austria and I just…Maria?" He looked around him and realized he was talking to no one.  "That girl!" He exclaimed as he got into the house.  "Maria!" He yelled.  Maria whirled around clearly lost in some sort of fantasy dream. 

            "Yes Father?"

            "Where did you go I was talking to you, where were you?" He asked. 

            "I decided to…"

            "How many times do I have to tell you not to talk while I am talking?  Dear, if your mother was still alive.  She would do something with your rotten manners.  Finishing school didn't work the Abbey didn't even work.  I do not know what to do with you except marry you off, but there is no way Lukas is going to want to marry a girl with your manners."

            "Father I don't want to get married to him." She answered.

            "Silence!  You are disrupting my train of thought." He paused for a moment.  "Where did you go to today?  You were supposed to go and see Lukas this afternoon."

            "I went to the mountains." She replied rather sheepishly.  "I just want adventure…"

            "The mountains!  Do you know how dangerous the Alps are?  That finishes it, before you get married you will go and watch seven children and learn how to be disciplined." He told her.  He did not want to send her to the von Trapp home, but he figured he would have to make some sacrifices.

            "No Father!  Don't make me go to someone else's house please.  I can be good, trust me!" She pleaded. 

            "Nope it's done.  I already told Captain von Trapp to expect you tonight."  He said those words and Maria froze.  The Captain. 

            "Whatever is your wish it will be done Father." She told him.

            "Good.  That's what I like hearing.  Now go and pack your things.  When you get back you will marry Lukas." Maria nodded and headed to her room.  She could not believe she was going to be a governess to the man she had met in town.  Even if he was sad and depressed who knew?  Maybe Maria could help.  He had seemed nice enough when she bumped into him.