Maria woke later, suddenly aware that she should be watching the children. Sitting up, she found no one around her, though the baskets and food were still laid out around her. After a moment, she thought she heard voices being carried by the light breeze that was blowing through the hills. When she stood up, brushing the grass from her dress and moving her hair out of her eyes, Maria saw the Captain and the children sitting on the grass down the slope of the hill. She walked towards them, figuring they should be heading home soon, to hear them singing.

Maria stopped as she heard what they were singing – My Favorite Things. The Captain was playing the guitar, while his children sat around him, singing one of Maria's favorite songs. 'This is what a family should be like,' she thought, smiling brightly as she took in the sight, somewhat shocked at the change that had become more and more evident in the Captain.

As she got nearer, the group noticed her presence and a small, "We didn't wake you up, did we?" was heard from Marta.

Maria laughed, "No, I figured I should get back to doing my job instead of sleeping on the job."

"Oh, we were just singing with Father," Gretl piped up. "We taught him our favorite things song and told him all of your favorite things."

"Well, I see…" Maria said, somewhat embarrassed to have such attention on her, especially to have the Captain looking at her. Whenever he did, she felt a sort of funny feeling in her stomach, but she always had the urge to look back at him. "Now… we should probably head back to the house if we want to make it with time to get ready for dinner. So, children, pack up your things. Liesl, will you help me with the blankets?"

The children jumped up, running back to the picnic area, leaving Maria and Georg walking behind. "I'm sorry that I fell asleep, sir," Maria said, breaking the silence. "You should have woken me. It's my job to look after the children after all."

"Oh, it was nothing. I should spend time with my own children every once and a while, shouldn't I?" Georg replied, not knowing himself whether he was being sarcastic or serious. In the few hours he had spent with his children, Georg had seen already what Fraulien Maria had taught them. She had taught them how to sing, bringing the family together with music. 'Like it had been…' Georg thought. She had also shown them that it was okay to play and be children, instead of being forced to be adults.

Maria smiled at the Captain, somewhat uncomfortably, glad when she was finally in the company of the children as well.

The children insisted on a song for the walk home, bursting into Do-Re-Mi rather enthusiastically. Maria took Marta's hand and led the way, skipping and swinging her large guitar case next to her.

'Oh, I can feel my age,' Georg thought, as he brought up the rear, secretly because he was so exhausted he couldn't keep up with the children. He looked in awe at his children's governess, whose energy seemed to have no end. 'How can she keep up with them all day?' he thought. 'It must be because she's closer to their age than to mine… I wonder how old she is…'

Georg studied the energetic young woman presently kicking her feet up to the song and singing with the children. She certainly didn't look ancient, like the previous governesses of the von Trapp children had been. Fraulien Maria didn't even look much older than Liesl, maybe in her early twenties. And yet, she still seemed as innocent and youthful as Liesl, especially since she was training to be a nun. 'A nun?' Georg thought. 'Why on earth would she want to be a nun? She loves children so much… wouldn't she want to be a mother?' Fraulien Maria continued to occupy Georg's thoughts until they arrived back at the villa, where Elsa and Max where lounging on the veranda, ready for dinner.

During dinner, Elsa complained at how she had missed Georg, while Max acted insulted that he hadn't been a good enough substitute.

"Can we relax around the villa tomorrow, darling?" Elsa said, coyly, taking Georg's hand.

"I would but I already promised the children that I would take them into town tomorrow," Georg said, looking around the table at his children who were excitedly but quietly chatting about what they were going to get their Fraulien for her birthday. Ignoring the sound of dismay coming from the woman next to him, Georg looked to the other end of the table to address Fraulien Maria. "Uh, Fraulien…" Georg said, pausing for the governess to look up from her dinner. Almost immediately he wished he hadn't stopped talking because when her eyes met his, Georg found he couldn't speak at all for a moment.

Maria had heard the Captain address her from across the table and looked up, to see him staring at her, almost frozen for a second. At first Maria felt comfortable with him looking so deeply into her eyes, but suddenly realizing where she was and in what company, Maria blushed and spoke to break him from his trance.

"Yes, Captain?"

"Oh, yes… well, um… yes, I will be taking the children into the city tomorrow. Oh, and I believe Liesl will be taking you with us for something." Maria looked at Liesl with a questioning glance, who smiled up eagerly at her father and then at her governess.

"Oh, well all right," Maria said, realizing that she would just have to wait until tomorrow to find out what this surprise something was. "The children have had a long day and it looks like they will be having another busy one tomorrow, so if you'll excuse us, Captain, I should get the children ready for bed."

Maria felt a warmth rush up to her cheeks as she felt the Captain's eyes on her again, as she eagerly left the room, ushering the children along ahead of her. Half of her felt relieved to be out of the Captain's presence and away from the stare of his deep blue eyes. But Maria felt part of her spirit sink as she left the dining room.

A/N: This is actually all I've written so far... Hopefully I'll get the next part ready soon! Thanks for all the great reviews! It's really encouraging for a first time fanfic writer like me.