Disclaimer: I have yet to accomplish the task of owning The Sound of Music…

Author's Note: Originally in chapter 3 it is said that the children decide to go to the abbey the next day. I have just changed that. Leisl does not decide that the children are going to the abbey. I did this because of reasons in this chapter and I thought the story would flow better if I did. So here it is, chapter 4!

Chapter Four

The seven von Trapp children sat at the dining table the next morning in utter silence. All were upset that they did not get any farther in their investigation of their beloved governess' sudden disappearance.

The Captain didn't mind the silence, he was lost in his own thoughts to care whether or not the room had exploded. What could he possibly be running away from that he needed to use Elsa as an escape? What?

"Father?" Brigitta broke the deadly silence.

"Yes, Brigitta." Georg replied half-heartedly.

Taking a breathe, Brigitta began to ask the question her brother's and sister's were all wondering, but not daring to ask. "Since, uh, since, Fraulein Maria isn't coming back, who is our new governess going to be?"

The Captain was completely knocked off balance by the question. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Elsa try and suppress a grin. Inhaling deeply, he placed his hands on the table, stood up and began to walk over behind his ever so lovely Baroness.

"Well," he began, considering how to word his explanation. "You're not going to have a governess anymore."

"We're not." His comment had grabbed the attention of all his children.

"No, you're going to have a new mother." Apprehensively the Captain placed his hands on Baron Schraeder's shoulders.

"A new mother." Leisl asked, wide eyed, not quite getting the full blow of what was just said.

"Yes, we talked about it last night and we're all going to be very happy." His children stared at him like cod fish. With an inward sigh, Georg jerked his head, telling his children to welcome their new mother.

Starting with Leisl the children, very slowly, rose from their chairs and planted a kiss on the newest member of their family.

Once everyone returned to their seats, the dead silence filled the room once more. Only this time the silence surpassed the expression of dead silence, it was worse, much worse.


Maria woke with a sigh. Last night was the first night she had a peaceful sleep in a long time. She hopped out of bed and noticing the time. Running she began to get ready, if she didn't hurry she would make herself and the children late for breakfast. As she threw open her closet door Maria realized where she was. She was in her tiny room at the abbey.

Sighing, she flopped back down on her bed after getting dressed. She missed the children so much. Maria threw her leg into the air, as if attempting to kick something. Why did she leave! Why did she leave the house she loved so much!

'You left because you were scared.' she told herself. Upon realizing why she was scared the same butterfly effect appeared in her stomach as they did last night.

Knock, knock

Slowly Maria rolled out of bed and headed towards her door. Opening it up she found the smiling face of Sister Margaretta. In response, Maria gave a half smile.

"Hello Maria, it's nice to see a smile on your face again. I just came to tell you that Reverend Mother would like to speak with you today."

The butterflies in Maria's stomach suddenly turned to heavy pieces of lead and her smile disappeared She knew what the Reverend Mother wanted to talk to her about. Giving a nod Maria replied in a whisper; "Thank you Sister, I'll see her this afternoon." and she closed the door.


Kurt threw the ball at Fredrich, miss judging his strength, and hitting his brother right in the stomach. "OW!" Fredrich stood up, rubbing his stomach and his bum which he landed very hardly on.

"Don't take your anger out on me!"

"Sorry, Fredrich."

"I can't believe it. Father is going to marry Baroness Schraeder." Louisa said, staring at the lake.

"I wish Fraulein Maria was here." Marta replied.

"When Fraulein Maria was upset she used to sing that song, remember?" Brigitta questioned.

"Yes, let's try it." And so they began to sing My Favorite Things.

The Captain watched the scene before him, from the terrace. The children had been quiet and kept to themselves. To add to his concern for them they hardly ate anything at lunch, very unlike Kurt, thought the Captain. Suddenly an idea popped into his head.

"Children!" He said brightly. "What do you say to the idea of the eight of us going on a picnic tomorrow?" Smiles began to pass over the faces of the children.

"Just the eight of us? Really!" Kurt asked, excided. The Captain nodded in response. A wave of "yes" could be heard coming from the group before him.

"Why don't you all go into town and get some things for our lunch?" Georg continued on, handing over a little money so the children could buy the necessities. Giving himself a satisfied smirk the Captain returned to the house as the children quickly made their was into town.


Maria slowly made her way towards the Reverend Mother's office, the sound of her feet hitting the floor, echoing loudly. Each step echoed in her head, never leaving and the next building on the last until she couldn't take it anymore. She knew she would have to explain to the Reverend Mother why she returned.

Even though she had felt happy when she admitted to herself she loved the Captain, she still felt a little uneasy. She was after all sent to the von Trapp house hold under God's will. And now, she was about to say how she felt out loud, confirming it.

Maria looked up from staring at the ground just in time to stop herself from running head first into the door. Sighing, she knocked. "Ave." With another sigh, Maria faced her future.

Walking past her from the room was what Maria expected to be a new postulant, smiling brightly at her. Feeling obligated to smile back, she did, but only half smiling…it was the best she could do.

"You've been unhappy, I'm sorry."

"Reverend Mother." Maria replied, sheepishly standing from her kneel.

"Why did they send you back?"

"They, uh, didn't send me back, I-I left." Maria started, sitting in a chair.

"Left? Why?"

"I was scared."

"Scared! Were they unkind to you!" worry straining the older woman's every word.

Kicking herself inwardly for giving the wrong impression of the family she loved so much, "NO! No, I was frightened, I never felt that way before. I knew I would be safe here, here I would be away from it."

"Maria, these walls are not to be used as an escape, what is it that you cannot face."

"Him." the younger replied, barely above a whisper, letting her eyes fall to the ground.

"Him? Captain von Trapp?"

Maria slowly nodded.

"Are you in love with him."

Even slower, Maria nodded again.

"My daughter, there is nothing wrong with being in love." the Reverend Mother stated, smiling.

"But there is Mother! I was sent there on God's errand, to have asked for his love would have been wrong. No, I couldn't stay."

"Maria, the love of man and a women is holy too. You must find out how God wants you to spend your love. You have a great capacity for love what you must find out is how God wants you to spend your love. Yes, you must go back."

"Go back! Please Mother, don't ask me to do that, I beg of you!"

The old nun looked at the young postulant, knowing she should not make her do anything against her own will. Nodding her head she replied, "Alright, don't go back, just yet. But please Maria think of what I have just said. Please."

Sighing with relief Maria nodded gratefully and turned to leave the room, knowing her conversation here was done. "Yes, Mother." She said before disappearing behind the closed door. With a slight shake of the head the Reverend Mother sat down at her desk.


Leisl and her siblings had been shopping for about an hour now and were making their way back to the villa. Louisa and Brigitta led the group talking excitedly to one another about their outing tomorrow, Leisl had Marta on one hand and Gretl on the other following closely, with Kurt and Fredirch bringing up the rear carrying the baskets of food the bought. Suddenly Leisl was stopped as she collided with her sister's back.

"What? Why did you stop." The only thing she got in response was Brigitta pointing to the building near them. Following her gaze, Leisl gasped, Nonnberg Abbey. The seven children stared on, She was just on the other side of those walls.

Louisa broke their stunned state as she approached the front gates and pulled on the chord next to them.

"Louisa what do you think you are doing?" Leisl asked, whispering.

"I want to see her." No sooner did the words come out of their mouths did a nun approach them.

"Hello."

"Uh, my name's Leisl."

"Yes, Leisl."

"Uh, we, my brother's and sister's, we want to see Fraulein Maria." She couldn't believe they were doing this.

"Fraulein Maria? Oh, Maria. Please come in." the nun said as she opened the gates. "Wait here."

The nun that showed them in went and got another nun who approached them. "I'm Sister Margaretta, I understand you've been inquiring about Maria."

"We have to see her, will you tell we're here please?" Fredrich quickly answered.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. Maria is in seclusion, she hasn't been seeing anyone."

"Oh, but you've got to."

"She's our governess, we want her back."

"She'll see us, I know she will."

"We have to talk to her."

"I want to show her my hurt finger."

"Yes."

"All we want to do is talk to her."

Protest after protest came from the seven children in front of her. "I'm sorry, perhaps some other time." She said moving the herd of them towards the gates. "I'm so, very sorry children." Sister Margaretta said as she closed the gates and regretfully walked away from their pleading faces.


"Uh, we, my bothers and sisters, we want to see Fraulein Maria." Maria froze. That couldn't be. Not here, not here at the abbey. Quietly moving forward some more to hear better, Maria hid behind a pillar.

"..I understand you've been inquiring about Maria."

"We have to see her, will you tell her we're here please." There was no doubt in her mind now, that was Fredrich.

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

"Oh, but you've got to." Brigitta

"She's our governess we want her back." Marta.

"She'll see us, I know she will." Fredrich again.

"We have to talk to her." Louisa.

"Yes." Kurt.

"I want to show her my hurt finger." Maria had to bite her lip to stop herself from giggling at Gretl's remark.

"All we want to do is talk to her." Yes, that was definitely Leisl.

She listened as Sister Margaretta walked the children to the gates again, and she heard the latch close. They had been so close, but they were gone now. With a confident, comforting nod of the head, Maria turned on her heals towards her room, her mind made up.

Author's Note: There you have it, chapter four. So as you can see, I am changing making this a different way of Maria and the Captain "finding each other". Hope you enjoyed more to come soon.

BlueStrawberries: Glad to hear that you liked the capital H's, and the fact that you thought I captured the characters well. Thank you for the loverly review!

Hepburn-Monroe: Yeah, I created what the movie did not. What a loverly comment. I will definitely continue this story….thanks again for the great idea.

The Lonely Goatherd