A/N This is my first fanfiction. I hope you like it! All the characters don't belong to me... but the story does. I guess I'm supposed to write that or something. Enjoy and please review!

The Captain had returned from Vienna, bringing Baroness Schraeder and Max Dettweiler. Maria walked along the halls to her bedroom, wanting to change out of her wet clothes. The events of the past few minutes still baffled her.

What a wonderful day it had been with the sky so blue and the sun was shining. She took the children out rowing with the boat and then a walk on shore, where they had discovered a perfect set of trees by the road to climb. Everything had been so perfect until the harsh and commanding Captain appeared, forcing his children back into the line that they had forgotten during their time with Maria.

Maria shook her head to herself, still amazed that she had stood up to the Captain like that, but after all, she had always been outspoken. But the sudden change that had come over the Captain as the children sang…. And then when he began to sing. Maria leaned against her bedroom door thinking, still able to hear him singing in her head.

She had been caught off her guard when the Captain called to her, his voice softer, lacking the commanding edge. When he began to apologize, she was even more bewildered.

"Fraulien… I behaved badly," the Captain said, looking up at her. It had been a long time since he had apologized to anyone. In the short time that Fraulien Maria had been with him, she had never ceased to amaze him. She stood up against him and, whether he liked it or not, told him what he needed to hear. She was probably the only woman who had ever left him without words.

"I apologize…" Georg said, barely able to speak.

"Oh, no. I'm far too outspoken. It's one of my worst faults," Maria replied, sadness lingering in her voice.

"You were right… I don't know my children…" As Georg said it, something clicked inside, like he finally realized and was able to admit something he should've recognized before.

Caught up for a moment, Georg heard Fraulien Maria speak again. "There's still time, Captain. They want so much to be close to you."

Maria had seen something come over the Captain. Almost to himself, it seemed, he spoke again, "And you brought music back into the house… I had forgotten…"

Maria turned away as the Captain dreamed off. She felt somehow uncomfortable experiencing the Captain like that. She had started up the stairs again, when she heard that soft voice again and she turned to look at the Captain. Their eyes met and Maria felt her heart stop for a moment…

"Fraulien…" Georg didn't want her to go away. He still needed to see that she stayed with them, but when she looked at him, he couldn't even speak. After a moment, he spoke, "I want you to stay…" Georg realized how demanding he must have sounded after he said it.

"I… ask you to stay…" Maria noticed his gentle rephrasing.

"If I could be of any help…"

"You have already… more than you know…"

Their eyes locked for a moment. Georg suddenly realized where he was and looked away, walking back to the parlor.

Maria suddenly realized what had just happened. She wasn't leaving!

In her room, Maria stepped out of her wet clothes and turned on her shower. As she waited for the water to warm up, Maria began humming "My Favorite Things". She was so happy at the sudden change in the Captain. She was glad that the children would finally have the father they needed.

As she stepped into the shower, Maria's thoughts drifted to the Captain, the warm water flowing over her body. She had never seen the Captain like that before. His voice was soft and gentle with a sort of tender expression gracing his face, softening the hard edges. He looked younger and even attractive…

'Attractive?' Maria thought, suddenly realizing that she was still in the shower. 'When did I start thinking of the Captain as attractive?'

But the way he looked into her eyes… Maria shook her head trying to get the feeling of his eyes on her out of her head.

Realizing she had probably been too long in the shower as it was, Maria stepped out, yawning. She walked into her room and dressed, yawning again more loudly. Covering her mouth, she figured she'd rest her eyes for a moment and proceeded to lay down on her bed.

Downstairs, after assuring his children multiple times that Fraulien Maria would be staying and settling on the coach next to Elsa, Georg found his thoughts wandering from what the beautiful woman next to him was talking about.

His little governess had been right – he didn't know his children. He looked over at Liesl seeing that she had blossomed into a beautiful young lady. 'So much like her mother…' Georg thought.

He sat just admiring what wonderful people they had become – without his influence even.

'And I never would've realized it,' Georg thought, staring out the doorway where she had stood. '…if she hadn't come…'

She. She, who had had the nerve to stand up to him. She, who started shaking up the house the moment she walked in the door. She, who the children seemed to love. She, who had opened his eyes. She…

"Georg?"

That voice… Georg blinked back, turning to Elsa.

"Georg? Were you even listening to me?"

"Sorry, darling," Georg said, snapping back to the sharp voice, and taking her hand. "It's been a rather long day, the traveling and all."

After a few more moments sitting in the parlor, Georg realized it was near seven and therefore time for dinner. The children led the way to the table, hungry after the day's adventures, while Georg led Elsa to the dining room. Max walked slowly behind them, a glint in his eyes.

Max had seen the dazed look that had come over his friend when he reentered the parlor from talking to the governess. Fraulien Maria... she was rather pretty, Max thought. Shaking the idea from his head, he made his way to the table, sitting on the far end from Georg and Elsa, next to the governess's chair.

At five after seven, with Maria still not at the table, Liesl suggested that she go look for her. Georg, curious as to where the Fraulien was, said he would take care of it. As he was getting up from the table, a small voice cried out, "Please don't make her leave. She doesn't mean to be late!"

Georg turned to find Marta close to tears, looking up at him. He smiled reassuringly saying, "Don't worry, Marta, I wouldn't fire her for being late for dinner."

Chuckling, Georg left the table and walked up the stairs, figuring that Fraulien Maria was in her room. Knocking softly, Georg waited outside the door. After knocking a bit louder with still no answer, Georg slowly opened the door to reveal the little governess asleep on her bed.

Stunned to see her in such a vulnerable state, Georg paused for a moment, finding himself unable to breathe, almost not wanting to breathe, as not to wake such an innocent sleeping figure. This was not the same woman who had yelled at him not an hour ago. She seemed so peaceful that Georg had not the heart to wake her.

Suddenly realizing that the others would probably be wondering where he was, Georg softly shut the door and walked downstairs. After informing the children, Elsa, and Max that Fraulien Maria was sleeping, dinner was served and the noisy bustle, which had taken over the dinner table since the Captain's departure, commenced. Georg assured the children that the cook would fix up food for their Fraulien when she awoke.

Georg found that he didn't mind talking with his children during the meal and he found himself wanting an opportunity to be with them.

"Children, how would like to do something with me tomorrow? You can choose," Georg said, watching his children's faces light up. He tried to ignore the small sigh coming from the seat next to him, as he knew that Elsa probably expected him to spend all of his time with her.

Louisa was the first to speak. "Father, can we go on a picnic up in the mountains? Fraulien Maria knows the most beautiful place!" The others nodded enthusiastically. Georg agreed and the rest of the meal was filled with excited plans for the "outing with Father."