The little girl and the sea captain Chapter 18: Partingagain?, a sound of music fanfic

Hello everybody! Before going further, I must sincerely thank all my reviewers! I'm very, but very glad that you seem to enjoy reading this story as much I had fun writing it! I wanted to do something a bit different and decided to share it for once, and I'm really happy you like this fic. So thank you once again, merci, gracias, grazie, danke, arigatou...

Well, here's chapter 18, one some of you seemed to have waited for so long!

Thanx to my prereaders who I give a huge amount of work... ^_^

Usual disclaimers here: if I owned a little bit of TSOM, I would have money, so I wouldn't need to have this bloody examination to become a teacher and I would be already enjoying the sun of Mexico...

Salzburg, Von Trapp's villa, August 5th 1937, evening

Maria went out Liesl's room quite exhausted. She finally had put all the overexcited children to bed. Of course, Mani's eldest daughter had tried to ask her father if she could stay a little longer. And, of course, he had said no, much to her disappointment. He could be so stubborn at times! Ivan had authorized Matthias to stay with the others and he was only two years older than Liesl. But, in the teenager's case, it was different, she was a girl and he was quite conservative about that, if not overprotective. Ingrid and the other women were right, Mani really was ill-tempered when he wanted to, which was part of his charm. That thought made her think about their dancing a few moments ago. What had happened? Why had she melt in his arms in such a way? They were dancing, then, before she could realize anything, he was holding her tightly and she was not resisting at all, on the contrary. When he had tried to kiss her, all her being had wanted to give in. She did not understand what was happening at all. Of course, all she wanted was being next to him. Of course jealousy submerged her when she thought about his upcoming marriage. Yet, she never had imagined that she could feel such a bliss in his warm embrace.

Still shivering at the sweet remembrance, Maria did not hear Elsa slowly approaching.

"I see that putting all these children in bed is a quite difficult task, you look exhausted my dear."

Startled, Maria looked up to see the Baroness standing in front of her. Suddenly remembering that the older woman wanted to have a little talk with her, she answered with a fearful voice.

"I'm sorry Baroness, I almost forgot you wanted to speak to me. I didn't think that convincing the little ones to go to sleep would take so long this evening."

"Oh, there's no need to be so sorry Maria!" Elsa answered gently. "I have noticed that those children give you a huge amount of work I would not able to cope with at all..." she went on with a sad smile.

Maria looked at her with utter surprise. Where was she going to? Did she really want to talk about the children in the middle of the party? Yet, she certainly had seen her dancing with Mani...

"You know, it's not that difficult once you won their trust. They really are loving and sweet children," she finally said not knowing where this discussion was going to.

"You may be right," Elsa almost whispered. Then, taking a deep breath, she added: "However, if you'll excuse me, I was thinking about discussing another topic with you, Maria."

Maria had gone up to put the children to bed. Elsa soon had followed her silently. And none had come back and joined with the guests again yet. What were they doing? What had he wanted to do? Georg was at a loss. He was standing alone in the main hall, not paying attention to his guests at all. God knew how much he had tried to hide his changing feelings, how much he had tried to get away from them. In vain. He had desired her since her first day at the villa and discovering her real identity had made the things get worse. He desired her as a woman and he did not want her to get out from his life again since she was his little angel. That was a fact. He just could not imagine his life without her anymore. However, she was a postulant, she was the girl he had tried to adopt in the past, so he had fought his feelings and needs with all his might, until tonight. Utter confusion filled his heart and soul once again while he was contemplating his hands. It was as if he still could feel the touch of her little and sweet hands, of her slender waist and back. Unconsciously he touched his lips. Her warm breath was so soft that he had forgotten everything. Nevertheless, at the last moment, she had got away from his tight embrace. Since that instant, the same unbearable question had been plaguing him. Had he misunderstood her feelings? Maybe she was seeing only a father in him and nothing else. That thought was torturing him as well as knowing she was upstairs alone with Elsa was killing him. He nervously looked at the stairs once again and saw nobody. What the hell were they doing? He could not stand this horrible waiting any longer. What if Elsa was making suffer Maria for his own faults? She had seen them of course! She had seen him on the edge of cheating on her trust and affection. So, what else could she do? Submerged by utter fear and guilt, Georg was about to run upstairs when an unwelcome voice stopped him.

"I am really enchanted to have been able to meet your adoptive daughter. It's the correct way of describing her presence in this household, isn't it?" Herr Zeller said with a wicked smile. "She is a stunning young woman, and a quite cunning one, I might add."

Georg stopped in dead tracks.

"What are you implying exactly, Herr Zeller?" he icily asked, not even bothering to turn and face the man.

"Oh nothing at all! I am just saying that she is a young woman who had moved on with life in a marvellous and astonishing way, that's all..." the other answered with a knowing smile. "A few months ago, she was just some anonymous postulant and now she is Captain von Trapp's adoptive daughter, or maybe more..."

Georg did not let him finish his offending sentence. All of a sudden, he was facing Herr Zeller and began to went down the few stairs that separated the two men. Cold anger was filling his blue eyes.

"What are you implying exactly, Herr Zeller?" he asked again, his voice full of venom and hatred. Gone was the cold politeness. Gone was the sophisticated aristocratic behaviour. "I'm not in the mood to hear your bloody insinuations at all," he growled, slowly stressing on each word. Only a few centimetres were separating the two men now.

Silently sipping his glass of champagne, Ivan walked slowly towards Max. He was thinking about what had just happened between Georg and Maria. Part of him was relieved to see that his friend had been able to cope with his feelings at last. A blind man could have told that he was desperately in love with the young woman! Nonetheless, part of him was afraid of what was coming next. Maria was obviously in love with him too, even if she did not know it yet. However, the way she had got away was not a good omen in the Hungarian's opinion. Moreover, he had seen the infuriating Baroness following her without being able to stop her and that was making him fear the worst. He looked up at Georg's friend. The only friend he had who had not been in the Navy. However, their escape from Serbia had tied an eternal bound between the two men even if they were as different as night and day. "Sometimes, you don't really chose your friends..." he thought amused. Max seemed to be as thoughtful as he was. Some middle-aged woman who he was not paying attention to at all had tried to have a little chat with him and had given up when she had noticed that he was not answering to her playful remarks. The tall Hungarian decided to talk a bit.

"Something on your mind, Max?" he asked, finally joining him.

"Maybe..." was all that the other answered with a sigh.

"I just hope that your friend of yours won't do any harm to the ship-girl," Ivan went on, not hiding his obvious disdain a single bit.

"You never liked Elsa, did you Ivan?" Max said with a knowing smile.

"No. Not at all. Knowing Mani as we do, we all know that she's not the woman that he needs," Ivan went on with a cold tone.

"I agree on that point. But you must admit that since Agathe's death until Maria's return, he has not been himself. If there is someone who witnessed that change, it's you, Ivan," Max answered, looking at the tall Hungarian straight in the eyes.

The other sighed in defeat. Of course Max was right. He remembered the argument that almost had broken their friendship too well. God! He almost had lost one of his dearest friends because of that woman!

"But don't be afraid," Max went on with a reassuring smile. "Elsa is an intelligent woman. She perfectly know where her place is..."

The older man could not finish his explanation because a worried Isaac rushed to them.

"Max! Ivan! That little nazi crap has provoked Mani! He's mad! He's going to kill him! Come! Now!" he almost shouted frantically.

The two men stared at each other incredulously As if there were not enough problems tonight!

"If you'll excuse me, what did you want to talk about, Baroness?" asked Maria with an unsure voice.

Elsa looked at the young woman in front of her. She seemed to be so afraid of her, of what she was about to say. The Baroness had made her decision today. However, she did not how to begin that much-needed talk. However, as painful as it was, she had to talk, now.

"I've seen you dance with the Captain, you know," she said abruptly.

The younger woman gasped, shame and guilt covering her face. Elsa went on with a sad smile.

"I also noticed there was some unique link between both of you, a link that nobody or nothing can destroy."

"What do you mean?" Maria asked out of confusion.

Elsa sighed. How could Georg have fallen in love with such an innocent young woman? It was beyond her understanding. However, she tried to explain herself better.

"I mean that none of you can live without the other, it's obvious. Still, you can't go on with that ambiguous relationship forever. This only will make you suffer. This only will make suffer people around you," she added, tears forming in her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she went on. "It seems that Georg finally had chosen what kind of relationship he wanted to have with you. Now, it's up to you to acknowledge which your true feelings for him are, Maria." Elsa was fighting against her tears. Here she was, accepting her defeat in front of her rival. She had not thought that it would be so painful. However, it was the price to pay not to lose Georg's friendship and esteem.

"But, but... He's the one who looked after me when I was a child... He wanted to adopt me... I can't have such feelings!" Maria exclaimed, still denying her feelings even if Elsa's words were beginning to make her see things from a different point of view. She had felt so happy in his warm embrace, she had not wanted the sweet moment to end. She had wanted him to kiss her, she could not deny it.

As if Elsa had understood her most inner thoughts, she spoke again.

"You're not a child anymore, Maria. Georg had noticed it too well, since the beginning I'm afraid. You're a woman now, and a beautiful one I must say, and sometimes women do fall in love, even if they have known the object of affection since their childhood. You can't be his daughter, you know that perfectly. Besides, I have the feeling that you don't want to. Stop lying to yourself."

Maria stared at Elsa with disbelief. Was she trying to help her to recognize her feelings, to accept them? Why was she doing that?

"Why?" was all she was able to utter.

"Because you're part of his world and I'm not. Don't be mistaken. I'm not doing that for your sake but for his. Make the right decision, Maria. I don't want to leave him to some coward woman who isn't able to acknowledge her feeling," Elsa answered bitterly. "Make the right decision." With that, the Baroness left a confused yet hopeful Maria. However, the two women did not have the time to recover from the painful discussion since some angry shouts resounded from downstairs. It was Georg. They stared at each other fearfully. None of them ever had heard such aggressiveness filling his voice. Without a word, they rushed downstairs.

"I'm asking you one last time, Herr Zeller. What are you implying exactly?" Georg repeated slowly. His face had turned pale with cold rage. His fists were clenching. His blue eyes were staring at the other man aggressively.

"Come on Captain. There's no need to get that angry for some girl coming from nowhere," Zeller answered trying to hide his growing uneasiness. He was beginning to understand why Captain von Trapp had such a reputation.

"Don't make me repeat myself, Herr Zeller. Austria isn't part of the Third Reich yet. For the moment, you're nothing at all but some madman's contemptible zealot. You don't have any right to come here and insult my country as well as my family. Get out of here at once or you'll regret it bitterly, Herr Zeller," Georg said with a tone which one could not misunderstand.

"Your family? Oh, excuse me, I forgot. She's your daughter, isn't it? Well, never mind. Daughter or lover, she's very lucky. There aren't many men who would stand up for such a poor girl in such a chivalrous way..." was Zeller's ironic answer. However, he had not enough time to go on with his endless provocations. Georg had caught him by the collar, his eyes filling with pure hatred.

"That's enough, Zeller. You're going to get out from my house at once and never come back again, understood?"

Zeller shivered frightfully when he noticed that he was nothing but dead meat in the eyes of his opponent. However, noticing that people were gathering around them curiously, he smiled gallantly once again and he managed to say:

"Now I understand why some people in the Kriegsmarine want you to join them so bad after the conclusion of the Anschluss. You should calm down if don't want your precious daughter to see what kind of man you really are, Captain von Trapp. The war is over and Austria had lost it. Austria is dead if you haven't noticed it yet."

With a growl, Georg threw him down to the ground not paying any attention to his guests' incredulous stares.

"I've had enough with you, you bloody traitor! Get out from here!" he shouted between clenched teeth while dangerously walking towards the man laying on the floor. He was about to hit him again when Ivan and Isaac caught him by the arms, telling the other guests to go back to the ballroom while Max was helping Herr Zeller to get up.

"Go away! There's nothing to see here!" Ivan shouted to the frozen guests. Then he whipered in his friend's ear: "Mani, calm down! Listen to me! Calm down!"

"He isn't worth it!" Isaac added even if all his being pushed him to lurch at the Nazi throat.

Held tightly by his friends, Georg stood still, watching Herr Zeller standing up with as much dignity as he could.

"Max, would you make that man get out from here please?" he asked with a calmer voice.

"As you like it, Georg," his friend answered with a relieved smile. Then, turning to the other man: "If you'll excuse me, Herr Zeller, I think it's time for you to go home."

The Nazi zealot began to walk to the main door. However, before he opened the door, he turned back and smiling wickedly, he spat:

"I wish you a good evening, Captain von Trapp. You won today. Nevertheless, the next time I'll meet you, you can be sure I'll have my litte revenge. The Anschluss is almost here and hopefully the time when Jewishs, wops or traitors like you won't tarnish the German territory anymore is near, believe me."

Isaac and Ivan were too shocked by this unexpected last comment full of hatred to stop Georg from tearing himself out of their grasp. He was about to lurch himself at Zeller's throat in front of his powerless friends when a pair of sweet arms encircled his chest.

"Please, Mani, please don't do that," Maria pleaded.

Maria never had seen him in such a state of rage. Ivan and Isaac were grasping him tightly. Herr Zeller was retreating towards the main door, adjusting his collar as well as he could. Everything seemed to be alright again even if she could see that Mani still was trembling with anger. However, Herr Zeller's last injurious comment made him snap once again. When she saw that he had escaped from his friends' grasp, she did not thought twice and ran to him, throwing her arms around his chest, hoping that her presence would wake him up from his trance.

"Please, Mani, I'm begging you, calm down," she repeated, holding him tighter.

He was about to hit Herr Zeller again when he felt her arms encircling his chest tightly. He stood still all of a sudden, breathing heavily. What on earth was he doing? He had not felt such a urge to beat somebody for years. Since his meeting with Maria and Agathe, the violent instincts he had developed during the war had disappeared. It was what he believed until now. How could he have lost his self-control in such a way? He closed his eyes, concentrating on Maria's soft and pleading voice, on the feeling of her arms around him, trying to forget the man in front of him. He was calming down little by little, Maria's warm presence soothing him, his anger, his frustration. He was so absorbed in her embrace that he had not noticed that Max had made the nazi zealot go out definitely. He had not noticed either that his friends had left the main hall to join the guests in the ballroom, leaving them alone for the first time of the evening.

As she was coming out the hall along with Max, Elsa shot one last glance at the standing couple. She could not believe how easily Maria had been able to calm Georg down. Another thing she would have not been able to do, she thought bitterly. She was beginning to understand why her ex fiancé had fallen in love with such an innocent young woman. She was his guardian angel, that was all. Elsa smiled sadly. She had made the right decision.

Georg and Maria stood motionless for a few minutes, not uttering a single word. The young woman still was holding him tightly, her face resting against his back. He had covered her naked arms with his and stroked them gently. All his anger had gone. The only thing which he could focus on was the feeling of her warm embrace. He was so afraid to break that marvellous spell that he did not dare utter a word.

His back was so warm. She did not want let him go. She could not let him go. The feeling of his hands gently stroking her arms was intoxicating. Deep inside, she knew they had reached the no turning back point. They had reached it an hour ago and she cowardly had run away. Now, she wanted to cross it with all her might even if she could not find the courage to make the first step yet. She could not believe how much her life had changed within a few weeks. Two months ago, she was a postulant who wanted to dedicate her life to God. Then she had met those adorable children and their unsufferable father. Out of instinct, she had wanted to help them, to give them the love they needed so badly, inconsciously repeating what Mani had done with her in her childhood. Seeing little ones in pain was just something she could not bear. So she had stood up against their father who happened to be her dear Mani. From that moment, things had gone out of control. While she had been happy that he had been able to show his affection to his children again, while she had rejoiced in finding her place in his family again, she had not been able to stop unknown and devastating feelings to haunt her more and more. Indeed, she loved being in his arms more than a simple daughter or a mere postulant should. She loved the sound of his baryton voice, the way his timid smile formed on his lips, the feeling of his hand in her hair. So many details she already had been fond of as a child. However, now everything was different. Even if she had tried to deny it, his voice, his smile, his touch did not awake the same feelings in her as they had seventeen years ago.The Baroness was right. As well as she was certain she would not go back to the Abbey, she would not leave this family ever, now she was sure she did not want to be his daughter or the children's sister at all. When she had seen him in such a state of rage, everything had become perfectly clear. There was nothing she desired more than staying by his side forever, soothing his inner pain and anger, helping him, loving him. Gone was the confusion she had felt a few moments ago. Still, the courage to let him know it was failing her still. So she resumed resting her head against his back, holding him a bit tighter.

Georg felt that her arms around his waist tightening the sweet embrace in a silent message. He sighed out of contentment. Maybe he had not misunderstood her feelings. Smiling, he turned back so he was facing her and took her by the shoulders. She was smiling too, in a timid but loving way. He had noticed that she had grown into a beautiful young woman since the first day. However, his growing feelings had kept him from seeing how mature she had had become until that moment. He was still wondering at the way she had been able to help him calm himself down so easily. When she was by his side, it was as if all his inner pain and anger disappeared miraculously. How ironic! He was twenty years older than her, he had fought a war, he already had seven children but he was the one who needed her presence most. Staring at her deeply, he found in her shining eyes the silent answer he did not hope to find anymore. Not wanting to break this almost sacred silence, he took her in his arms gently and whispered in her ear: "Thank you for everything, angel."

The couple was so absorbed in the sweet moment they were sharing at last that they did not notice that the gang intently was staring at them from the door of the ballroom, smiling broadly, exchanging knowing looks. However, even if he was happy to see his friend finding his path in life again, even if he did not want to disturb them at all, Max felt he had to find a way to make the couple join the guest again without raising any suspicion. Leaving the group who was still contemplating the sweet scene curiously, he walked to the band and whispered something in one of the musicians' ear. Then he turned to Ingrid who had followed him and invited her to dance.

They stood still for a few seconds, enjoying each other presence, almost forgetting the world around them. They were aware of nothing but their quiet breathing, the sweet feeling of each other embrace. Still, Georg had a hard time not to kiss her hungrily as every part of his body wanted to. That was not the right place or the right moment. Moreover, he was not sure she was ready to go further yet. So many things had changed tonight! However, unable to help it anymore, he kissed her lightly on the cheek. Surprised, she looked up at him, blushing a little. Then, with a timid smile, she reached up for his face and gave him a feathery kiss on the cheek too. Suddenly, breaking the spell, the first notes of a joyful dance that was very special to both of them resounded in the ballroom. Smiling broadly, they exchanged a knowing look. Max had found the most discrete and delicate way to call them back to reality. Georg gallantly offered his arm to Maria and led her to the ballroom where they joined the couples already dancing on the Fifth Hungarian Dance by Brahms.

Salzburg, Von Trapp's villa, August 5th 1937, late at night

As soon as the last guests finally had left, Elsa had retired to her room to get her things ready for her departure. She had played her role as Captain von Trapp's almost fiancée on last time tonight. The painful comedy was over at last. Downstairs, Georg and his friends were enjoying the night fresh air on the terrace, chatting cheerfuly. From time to time, she could hear Ivan's loud laughter, Ingrid's sarcastic comments, Max's playful remarks and, above all, Maria's happy giggle. Elsa did not fight her tears anymore as she closed the windows of her bedroom. She did not want to know how close the young woman was sitting next to Georg. She did not want to see him taking his ship-girl in his arms. She was jealous. What had hurt her most during her staying in Salzburg had been discovering that she was not part of Georg's world at all. They had dated for more than a year, still she had to admit that she never got to know him. How ironic! Usually, she was the one who was playing with men's feelings. Now she was the one left apart. She was really jealous for the first time of her life. Jealous of the love Maria and Georg shared, of their unbreakable bond, of their entire world where true and honest friendship seemed to be the only thing that mattered. A world where there was no place for a woman as cynical and artificial as she was. She had made the right decision but she never would have expected it to be so painful. Tomorrow she would go back to Vienna where her real place was. Still, somewhere, she could not help to have the feeling she was missing something.

The group of friends had been chatting for the major part of the night. Much for the men's delight, Georg had opened the last of the bottles of rum he had brought back from Cuba years ago, precising that he had waited for some special occasion to open it while staring mischievously at a blushing Maria. The night air was fresh, the rum was delicious, happy remembrances came back. Svetlana was sitting on her husband lap, trying to help him from talking too loudly. Ingrid was annoying Max as usual. Sarah and Isaac were simply enjoying the quiet end of the night, forgetting their desperate condition for a few hours. Maria was cuddling lovingly against Georg's shoulder under Stefan's gentle and understanding gaze. They chatted for hours, losing the track of time until nightingales stopped singing. Max stifled a yawn and looked at his watch.

"God! It's not I'm getting bored but I think it's time to get some sleep. I'm getting too old for that kind of things," he said aloud while standing up.

"What time is it?" Ivan asked, yawning too.

"5.30 am. If you'll excuse me ladies and gentlemen, I'm going to bed. I won't make a fortune on talented singers if I stay up all night," Max answered, stifling another deep yawn. "Thanks for the bottle, dear Georg. I always said you had the finest cellar of Austria," he added and came in the villa.

"Is it that late?" Ivan wondered. "No wonder, I'm a bit sleepy too."

"That's because you've enjoyed Mani's rum a bit too much, darling," Svetlana answered playfully. "However, I'm going to bed too. I don't want to hear my sons' jokes about their forty-six-year-old mother staying up all night like some teenager!" With that, she got up and, taking her reluctant husband's hand, she led him to their bedroom.

The others followed soon, not without warmly saluting the new couple.

"Have a good night, you two," Ingrid said before whispering in Georg's ear. "And behave, my dear sailor..."

He stared at her with a surprised and warning look. Not answering to his silent question, Ingrid left the terrace, mischievously smiling at him one last time.

Georg sighed happily. They were alone at last. Wrapping his arms around Maria, he pulled her to him tightly.

"Do you want to go to bed, too?" he asked gently. "You look very tired."

"Not yet," she simply answered, cuddling in his warm embrace.

They stood still for a few moments, enjoying each other closeness. Now the blackbirds had begun their early morning singing. Finally, Maria broke the silence.

"You know what? Today, I'm grateful that my relatives had wanted me back twenty years ago. It was painful at that time but now I'm really grateful," she said simply, lovingly stroking Georg's chest.

He looked at her intently. She was right. He never had been very religious, but he had to admit that their previous separation could be interpreted as a sign from Heaven or anywhere else. He took her chin between his fingers and pulled her face closer to his.

"You know what? I think I'm beginning to believe what your Mother Abbess keeps on saying," he answered with a loving smile.

"When the Lord closes a door, somewhere else he opens a window?" she asked playfully.

"Yeah, something like that..." he whispered dreamingly. Then, more seriously, "May I, Maria?"

She looked at him deeply, finding in his eyes the same longing she felt at the moment. She nodded timidly and shivered when their lips met for the first time.

Maria threw her arms around his neck, stroking his hair, his shoulders. They were free at last. Free to give in their love without paying attention to people around them. The kiss was gentle at first, their lips barely touching in a sweet and longing caress. Maria shuddered as she felt Georg's hands lightly stroking her bare shoulders and arms and let a silent moan escape from her throat. She moaned again when his hands made their way down her sides with butterfly touches. Those new sensations were overwhelming and she discovered she would not have wanted to experience them with anybody but her dear Mani. When his tongue tentatively brushed her lips, she closed her eyes and willingly parted her lips.

Feeling the way she was cuddling against him, she was timidly responding to his kiss was intoxicating. Slowly, he stroked her slender waist and bare shoulders. Deepening the kiss, he let his tongue entangling hers, enjoying the slow yet passionate dance of their mouths. Lost in his passion, he unconsciously let one of his hands roaming up her side, slightly caressing her breast and pulled her closer to him, his other hand lazily resting on the small of her back. Abandoning her mouth, he began to let feathery kisses on her jaw, neck, shoulder, décolleté...

"And behave, my dear sailor!" Suddenly, Ingrid's words came back to his mind. The feeling of being able to take Maria in his arms the way he had longed for months, to kiss her at last had been so intoxicating that he almost had lost his self-control. He reluctantly broke the kiss, much to the young woman disappointment. Smiling, he took her chin between his fingers and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"What?" she asked, her eyes brightening with passion.

"I was thinking I was forgetting something really important," he answered, fighting the urge to cover her mouth once more.

"And what's that?" she insisted a bit confused.

"Well, I don't remember saying how much I needed you. How much I love you, Maria."

"Mani," was all she could answer at first as tears began to form in her eyes. Then, tightly pulling him to her, she whispered in his ear:

"I love you too. I don't want to leave you ever."

"Then you won't ship-girl. Then you won't," he said, stroking lightly her hair. They stood still for a little while, enjoying each other embrace. Then, Georg tried to break the silence once more.

"Maria? Would you be..."

He did not finish his sentence, noticing that the young woman had fallen asleep in his arms. Sighing, he settled himself more comfortably on his chair, trying not to wake her up. After all, there was no need to hurry. He could ask her tomorrow, or the day after. They had all time in the world... Finally, giving one last sleepy look at the upcoming sunrise, he let a much-needed sleep claim him as well.

Author's notes:

I hope you liked it... No joke this time, it's not over yet! Brace yourself, there's much more to come... ^_^

Omake act 2 (just for fun): same timeline as the first one

Georg had finally surrendered to his children's endless reclamations and had accepted to show them the photographies he had taken during the traditionnal trip around the world every class of cadets did in the last year at the Academy. For hours on end, the children had watched the pictures with awe, gladly listening to their father's stories, Ivan's remembrances, Isaac's sacarstic comments... The blue whale in the North Atlantic ocean. Cuba and its marvellous colonial architecture. The Horn and its horrible tempests. The port of San Francisco, Frisco as every sailor referred to it, dreaming about that wonderful city between sea and hills. The blossoming of cherry trees in Tokyo. The always foggy bay of Halong in Indochina with the high peaks coming out of the water... The von Trapp children could not believe that their father had been to so beautiful places and never had told them about his trip. However, while Georg was telling Friedrich how he had bought the katana that was in his study, Ivan suddenly exclaimed maliciously:

"Hey Mani, there are some photographies missing here!"

"What?" the other asked doubtfully, not liking his friend's mischievous look at all. "Everything is here. I don't lose my stuff, unlike you," he answered, intently stressing on the last part of his sentence.

"No, no, there are some missing, I can tell... Y'know, the ones I took in the Caribean sea..." the Hungarian went on with broader smile while Isaac and Stefan had a hard time not to burst out of laughter.

Georg started to blush a little at the unfamous remembrance under his children's surprised stares.

"Just like I said, everything interesting is here," he answered again, silently hoping that would put an end to this pointless discussion.

"What a pity!" Ivan joked. "I wanted to see them again for a while now... They are the most impressive to my mind..."

"Some day, gonna kill this guy..." Georg muttered between his clenched teeth, blushing harder. "Sure you had a marvellous time taking those stupid photographies while I was in the water with those beasts..."

"Father?" Liesl asked a bit confused, not knowing what they were talking about at all.

"Sorry but I must say your expression then was really great. One could have said you had just swam across the devil himself!" Isaac added with tears in his eyes.

"Shut up!"

"If you had not wanted to be the first one in the water as usual..." Stefan remembered between two caughs. He was laughing so hard he was beginning to lose his already broken voice.

"Shut up!"

"Of course, the leading seaman had told us there was no danger, but you should have checked it before jumping in the water," Ivan told with a big smile. As a matter of fact, he enjoyed it very much. At last he was able to have his sweet little revenge after the tarot game thing...

"Ivan! Shut up, you bloody Hungarian peasant!"

"Father?" Marta asked, shocked at the idea of hearing her father say such a bad word.

"Nonetheless, I will always remember your shouts! Poor beast, you must have frightened them, making so much noise... Nobody had ever told you that sharks could not stand it? You monster..." Ivan joked at last and burst out of laughter.

"Shut up you damn bastard! Those bloody beasts nearly got me and the only thing you did had been taking those stupid photographies! I don't like sharks and don't want to remember them ever! They're naughty, they're rotten, they're stupid! My plate is the only place where I can stand them!" Georg finally exploded. "I always thought I should have thrown you into the water. I'm sure they would have liked the meal!"

However, when he noticed that his children were staring at him with big, incredulous eyes, he stopped his angry diatribe and blushed harder. Even worse, he heard giggles behind him. Turning a little, he discovered that the women had just come in the foyer. Sarah and Svetlana had a hard time not to burst out of laughter. Ingrid was shaking her head with a sarcastic expression. Maria was giggling helplessly. Elsa, who was not used to his frequent fits of bad temper, stared at him with incredulous and disapproving eyes.

"Ivan, remember me that I have to kill you before you go..." he said while standing up.

"Father?" Brigitta almost shouted.

He was about to walk out of the hostile room when Maria gently took his arm.

"Where are you going, Mani?" she asked, desperately trying to contain her giggles.

"Drowning myself in the lake..." he answered flatly, wondering if it had been such a good idea to invite those stupid guys.