As the Seconds Pass Chapter 5: The REAL end!, a sound of music fanfic

This is the last chapter. For real this time. I hated Kurt's reaction at the end, so I changed it. It's the only thing different. Please read anyways and review!

OOOOOOO

At the von Trapp villa

"Maria? Fräulien? Maria? MOTHER! Mummy! Maria! Please!"

Marta sighed and buried her head in her pillow again, trying to drown out Gretl's cries for help. That was the worst thing about sharing a bedroom with her younger sister: the nightmares.

"MARIA!" Gretl shrieked again. Marta covered her head with her pillow and fell asleep, used to her sister's late night dreams.

"Maria?" Gretl's voice had quieted now that she was awake. She sat up in bed, wondering why her Fräulien hadn't answered her calls. She looked over at Marta's bed. Her older sister was sleeping soundly. Gretl slowly got out of bed, trying not to wake her. She tiptoed over to the door and closed it softly. Running down the hall towards Liesl's room, Gretl wondered if Maria and her father were still at the ball. They should be home by now. It was nearly four o'clock in the morning.

"Liesl?" Gretl whispered upon entering her older sister's room. "Liesl!" she said again, louder this time, bounding over to her bed and shaking her. Liesl groaned and rolled over to face the wall. "Liesl!" Gretl nearly shouted in her ear. Liesl gave a small cry and sat straight up in bed, looking around with a startled look on her face.

"What's going on? Maria? Gretl?" Liesl looked confused. "What's wrong, Gretl?"

"I had a nightmare, and Maria didn't come when I called her! She always comes! I don't know what's wrong? Did I do something? Is she mad at me?" The little girl's face looked fearful. She didn't want her governess to be mad.

"I suppose she's asleep and didn't hear you, Gretl. Do you really want to disturb her? I'm here, you know." Liesl's voice was quiet and soothing. She had lots of experience comforting her younger siblings.

"I want Fräulien Maria!" Gretl sobbed.

"Alright, I guess we can go see her. Come on." Liesl got out of bed and caught one of Gretl's hands in hers. She led her sister to their governess's room. "Knock, Gretl, knock," Liesl cautioned, grabbing Gretl's hand before she could open the door. Gretl knocked. There was no answer. She knocked again. Then, ignoring Liesl's warning, she flew into Maria's room.

"Fräulien Maria?" she whispered, noticing that the bed was made and there was no sign of her governess anywhere. "Fräulien Maria?" she said again, louder this time. Still no answer. "Maria!" she cried, desperate for her governess.

"I don't think she's here, Gretl," Liesl said softly. She didn't want to wake her other siblings, too.

"But it's four o'clock! She has to be here!" Gretl cried. "Maybe Father knows where she is!" Gretl ran out of the room and down the hall towards where her father slept. Forgetting to knock on his door, too, she burst into the room, only to find no trace of her father. "Father!" she cried, startled to find him gone. "Liesl, he's not here either!"

"Gretl, really, you're a big girl, do you really need Fräulien Maria or Father?" Liesl said tiredly. She loved her sister, but this was a little much.

"Yes! Hey! I know! Maybe he's in his study! Let's go!" Gretl grabbed her older sister's hand and dragged her all the way downstairs to their father's study. A thin strip of light was visible from under the door. "Told you!" Gretl whispered, knocking on the door. No one answered. She opened the door slowly, peeking inside the room.

"Father?" Liesl whispered, poking her head in the door. A large shape on the couch in front of the fire caught her eye. "Father?" she whispered again, entering the room with Gretl behind her.

Liesl slowly approached the couch. Somehow, it didn't seem her father could be the only one on the couch. Her breath caught in her throat as the whole piece of furniture came into view. It wasn't just her father. Maria was curled up beside him, her head resting on his chest, his arms around her, and they were both fast asleep.

"Father? Fräulien Maria?" Gretl gasped, mouth agape, staring at her governess and father with a look of utter confusion on her face. "Liesl? Do you think they fell asleep like that?" she asked, her face still confused.

Liesl sighed. Her sister was too young to understand. "I'm sure they were just tired, Gretl." Liesl sighed again. She was sure there was something going on between her father and Fräulien Maria, but she wasn't expecting this. At least they weren't sleeping sleeping together.

"Father!" Gretl ran over to her father and stood looking at him expectantly. "Fräulien Maria! Wake up!"

"Gretl, no!" Liesl warned, but it was too late. Her sister had started shaking her father and governess.

"Father! Maria! Wake up!" Maria groaned and moved about slowly.

"Maria! Wake up!"

Maria's eyes opened groggily, but she closed them the next second, murmuring "five more minutes…"

"Father! Maria! Please get up!" Gretl cried, shaking her governess harder.

Maria groaned again and opened one eye, looking rather like an owl. "Gretl? Liesl? What's going on?" she asked in a hoarse voice.

"You and Father fell asleep together, Fräulien Maria! I had a nightmare and you didn't come! I was scared!" Gretl said tearfully.

"We WHAT?" Maria shrieked, jumping up from the couch and looking around. Her eyes found the Captain on the couch, sleeping soundly. "Oh dear Lord…" she murmured.

"I had a nightmare!" Gretl cried.

"I'm so sorry, dear." Maria pulled the girl into a comforting hug.

"Maria?" Liesl said gently. Maria turned around to face her.

"Yes Liesl?"

"Would you like me to take Gretl back to bed?"

"No." She shook her head. "Let me do it. We should all be going to sleep," she said, looking around at the still sleeping Captain. "Why don't you two go upstairs and get in bed, I'll be up in a minute. I have to wake your father.'

"Alright." Liesl guided her sister out of the room, but sent her upstairs by herself. She wanted to investigate what was going on between her father and Fräulien Maria.

"Georg," Maria whispered, bending over him and shaking him slightly. "Georg." Liesl was slightly alarmed by Maria's use of his first name.

"Hmrumph mmgh mmm."

"Georg," Maria giggled. "Darling, wake up."

Darling?

"Lemmelone."

"No. You have to get up. Please," she said, shaking him harder.

"Prince Charming can't get up until Sleeping Beauty gives him a kiss," he joked, fully awake now, but with his eyes still closed.

"Isn't it the other way around?" Maria giggled.

"Just kiss me, you fool."

"Mmmm." She bent down to kiss him fully on the lips. Outside the room, Liesl gasped.

"Much better," Georg said, opening his eyes to find his beloved hovering above him, hoping for another kiss.

"You'll never guess what happened," Maria said a moment later, sitting down beside him, all hopes of kissing lost.

"What?" he asked, turning towards her and gathering her in his arms. He buried his face in her hair, inhaling the scent that was her. Liesl smiled.

"We fell asleep together."

"Just like I've always longed to."

"Georg."

"I'm a man, what do you expect?"

"Oh, I don't know… Anyways, Liesl and Gretl found us together. Thankfully, Gretl accepted the excuse of our just falling asleep, but I think we'll have to have a talk with Liesl. And the rest of the children too."

"Tomorrow," Georg murmured into her hair.

"What do you think they'll say?" Maria asked, turning into him and placing her hands on his upper arms. He shifted so she was lying half on him with her arms around him and her chin resting on his chest. Liesl watched these actions with a half smile, half grimace on her face. Their romance might be ideal, but that didn't mean she enjoyed watching this sappy affectionate stuff.

"I think they'll be happy. They love you," he said, looking at her with utmost adoration on his face.

"As their governess. But what will they think about their governess marrying their father?"

Again, Liesl gasped, but this time it was an excited gasp. Married? She certainly hoped the wedding would be soon! She loved Fräulien Maria as a mother already. And Maria had brought happiness back to their home. What would everyone's reaction be when she stayed forever? As their mother?

"They'd never forgive me if I didn't marry you," Georg said, looking at her with a smile.

"Neither would I."

He chuckled. "And I wouldn't forgive myself for losing such a wonderful woman."

"Now really, Georg," she said, squirming around in his grasp. He let her get comfortable, then lifted her chin up to his face with his index finger.

"Have I ever told you that you're beautiful?" he whispered.

"No," she breathed, suddenly nervous with the way he was looking at her.

"You are." He brought his lips down to hers and kissed her deeply. She eagerly responded, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer. He gave a small groan. Ignoring her protests, he pulled away. However, she didn't mind his lips leaving hers to travel up her jawbone to her ear where he said "I love you" in a barely audible whisper, didn't care when his hands roamed her back, didn't object when his lips returned to her skin, only moaned when she felt butterfly kisses all over her neck, across her collarbone, his hands gently pushing away the fabric of her dress to kiss her shoulder, the feel of his lips traveling downwards to the V-neck of her dress, the feel of his warm breath on her chest, the sensation of his lips on hers once more, her moan of protest as he finally pulled away, breathing heavily.

"I'm sorry if I'm going too fast," he said breathlessly, looking at her regretfully.

"Sometimes I feel you're going too slowly," she replied, her eyes glistening.

"Oh, don't say that," he groaned, and leaned down to kiss her again.

Liesl pulled her head away from the door, shaking her head. They were madly in love, she could tell. However, now wasn't the time for these antics, with Gretl upstairs waiting for her governess, especially at four o'clock in the morning. As much as she hated to interrupt their moment of passion, she felt she had to. Liesl knocked.

Maria pulled away from Georg as she heard a knock on the door. "Took you long enough to wake up, Captain," she said rather loudly.

Again, a knock.

"Maybe if you hadn't danced with me so much, I wouldn't have been so tired," he replied, straightening his shirt.

"Well excuse me." Maria tried desperately to even out her breathing.

Knock, knock.

"Come in," Georg said, sitting up on the couch, while Maria stood and smoothed her dress.

Liesl entered. "Are you going to come up, Fräulien Maria?"

"Yes, I am, it just took me a while to wake up your father."

"Really? He always seemed to be a light sleeper to me," Liesl said, hiding her wicked smile.

"Um, well, maybe he was just- uh-" Maria searched desperately for an excuse.

"I was tired. It's been a while since I was at a ball until two in the morning, dancing my feet off," Georg cut in, rescuing his new fiancée from what could have been an interesting situation.

"Oh. Well, Gretl's waiting for you, Fräulien Maria, so maybe you should come up now." Darn. Liesl had wanted to put them in a sticky situation.

"Mind if I join you?" Georg asked, standing up. Maria and Liesl looked at him, surprised. When was the last time he had tucked in his children? "I'm not allowed to tuck in my children?" he said, eyebrows raised. Maria just shrugged and led the way upstairs to the children's' bedrooms.

"Fräulien Maria?" Gretl's sleepy voice came from inside hers and Marta's bedroom.

"Yes, darling?" Maria whispered, entering the room and kneeling beside Gretl's bed.

"Are you and Father in love?"

"It's too late to get into that now, dear. Just go to sleep, it's too early to be up and about," Maria said hurriedly. Liesl noticed and smiled wickedly. Out of the corner of his eye, Georg noticed this, and realized that she knew more than she was letting on.

"Goodnight, Fräulien Maria," Gretl said, almost inaudibly.

"Goodnight, Gretl." Maria kissed the girl on her forehead and walked over to the door. She and Georg both reached for the light switch at the same time, his hand covering hers. She smiled at him, he smiled back, and Liesl's evil grin widened. They were caught.

Liesl led the way to her bedroom, but stopped outside the door. "So tell me, how was the ball?" she said, smirking at the dumbstruck look on her governess's face and the warning glance her father gave her.

"Perhaps we should talk about that in the morning, when we're all well rested," Maria tried to say, but Liesl stopped her.

"No, really, tell me all about it. Who was there? Did you dance all night? Did anyone do the whole 'first kiss of the new year' thing? I want details!"

"Liesl, I promise I'll tell you all about it in the morning, now it's really time for bed." Maria's tone was one of finality.

"Oh, alright," Liesl sighed, giving in at last. There was no mistaking that evil glare of her father's.

"Goodnight Liesl." Maria offered her arms for a hug.

"Goodnight Fräulien Maria. Goodnight Father." Liesl hugged them both, then entered her room to go to bed. But she didn't go to bed. When she was sure her father and governess were gone, she sprang out of bed and ran down the hallway to the room Louisa and Brigitta shared. She didn't bother knocking, knowing it wouldn't wake her sisters. When she opened the door, however, it was to find her two sisters sitting on Louisa's bed, talking in hushed tones. Their heads turned toward the door as she came in.

"Liesl? What are you doing here?" Louisa asked, getting up from the bed.

"You shouldn't be up now," Liesl said, entering the room.

"Neither should you!" Brigitta exclaimed.

"I happen to have classified information," Liesl said, a smug smile on her face.

"Classified information?"

"Concerning our father and our governess. Wait, why am I telling you, come see for yourselves!" Liesl led the way out of the room and stopped when she noticed her father and Fräulien Maria standing in the hall outside Maria's bedroom, conversing softly. She motioned for her sisters to hide with her around the corner, where they peeked their heads out to watch.

"I don't want to go to bed yet," Maria was whispering to Georg, who had his arms around her waist.

He was surprised by the glistening of her eyes. "Neither do I. Why don't we go back to my study and talk?"

"Alright." She yawned.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to bed?" he chuckled, clutching her closer to him.

"Don't laugh at me," she said, slapping his shoulder. "Quiet, we don't want to wake the children. Anyways, I don't trust Liesl; she's probably still up and about spying on us, right Liesl?"

Liesl was surprised that her Fräulien had noticed she was there. However, she didn't say anything.

"I don't think she's here, Maria," her father said, looking around.

"Hmmm. Well, we probably should go to bed, just in case. Besides I'm tired."

"Alright then. Goodnight darling." He kissed her on the forehead.

The girls and Maria were disappointed it wasn't a big passionate kiss, but they didn't let it show. "Goodnight Georg." She opened the door to her bedroom but hesitated. Georg watched her with raised eyebrows. Maria turned around to look at him.

"Yes?"

"Oh, I…" She stopped, looked around to make sure Liesl really wasn't there, then threw herself into his arms, kissing him fully on the lips. He was taken aback for a moment, stumbled a bit, then regained his footing and tightened his hold on her. Around the corner, the three girls suppressed giggles.

Maria pulled back, breathing heavily. "Goodnight, then," she said, backing up towards her room.

"Hem. Goodnight, Maria."

"Goodnight."

"Oh, blast it all!" she exclaimed and fell into his arms.

He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "Do you want me to tuck you in?" he asked, smiling, eyes gleaming.

"Georg, don't be indecent."

"I didn't say anything indecent! It's your mind that's indecent, not mine."

"Will you tuck me in?" Maria begged, looking at him with those big blue eyes of hers.

He sighed. "How can I resist?" Even if it might be a bit indecent, he still wanted to.

She smiled in triumph and led him into her room. She went into the bathroom to change, much to his disappointment. She came out in her nightgown and he inhaled sharply at the thought of just the thin fabric between him and her sweet body. She smiled at him and climbed in bed. Georg tucked the covers around her and kissed her on the forehead.

"Goodnight, my darling Maria," he murmured.

"Goodnight Georg," she said, yawning. He smiled and leaned down for a last kiss on the lips before she fell asleep.

OOOO

Everyone was gathered at the breakfast table, awaiting the arrival of Maria, who was late as always.

"Sorry I'm late," she exclaimed, hurrying into the room.

"Oh, it's quite alright, Fräulien. You had a late night, it's no wonder you overslept." Georg looked at his fiancée over his glass of orange juice. Her hair was flying all over the place, her cheeks were flushed, and she had a goofy grin plastered on her face from a joke Friedrich had just told her. She looked beautiful.

Hiding his sudden smile behind a sip of orange juice, he noticed Liesl look pointedly at Louisa, who kicked Brigitta, who glanced between her father and Fräulien, nodding. The three girls smirked at each other, then Louisa began the questioning.

"You had a late night? How long did you stay at the ball? When did you come home? Did you have fun? Who was there? Were-"

"Louisa, one question at a time. Yes, we had a late night. We stayed at the ball from eight to two, so six hours. We got home at 2:30. I had a lot of fun, but you'd have to ask your father about his time. There were loads of people there, I can't remember half of them, but Josef, Anna, and their son Jakob were there of course," Maria explained, hoping that was the end of the questioning.

"Jakob was there? Oh I bet he flirted with you, Fräulien Maria. He always did with me," Liesl said, her smirk growing wider. It seemed like Jakob hadn't been the only one flirting with Fräulien Maria.

"Actually, yes, he did flirt with me," Maria said, blushing. She wasn't exactly proud of the fact.

"I'll bet he wasn't the only one!" Brigitta exclaimed, looking at her father expectantly.

"What?" he asked, feigning innocence. Just because he had flirted with Maria didn't mean the whole world had to know. "Anyways, Brigitta, everyone there was from the Navy, and they're all married."

"You're not," Friedrich pointed out. He had some inkling of what his sisters were up to.

"What are you implying?" Georg looked at his son suspiciously.

"That you flirted with Fräulien Maria!"

"What's flirting?" Gretl asked. She didn't get what was going on.

"Can't we just drop the subject?" Maria cried over Liesl, Friedrich, Louisa, and Brigitta's jumbled explanation of flirting. Everyone quieted after Maria's outburst. "Thank you," she said quietly, relieved that everyone had stopped talking about flirting.

Everyone was done with breakfast now and was standing in the foyer.

"I still don't get it," Gretl said softly.

Maria sighed. "I don't know how to explain it."

"Why don't we demonstrate?" Friedrich said, turning to Liesl, who blushed.

"I am NOT going to flirt with my brother, Friedrich."

"Why don't you and Father show us, Fräulien Maria?" Gretl said innocently. Maria looked at Georg, frightened. What if they got carried away?

"I don't know if that's such a good idea, Gretl," she said, looking down at her feet.

The family started moving into the living room. Maria walked towards the back of the group with Georg, swinging her hips. She had an idea.

"She's flirting," he whispered in Liesl's ear. She grinned and nodded, then pointed out the fact to Louisa and Brigitta.

"What shall we do today, children?" Maria suddenly asked, turning around and clapping her hands together. She looked at Georg, batting her eyelashes a bit and giving him a sweet smile. "Any suggestions, Captain?"

"None at all," he replied, smiling in return. She really knew how to flirt.

"I think we should sing!" Marta pronounced. She had been quiet all morning and noticed something different about her governess, but was afraid to mention it.

"Wonderful idea, Marta," Maria said, beaming. "Shall I get the guitar?" She bounded past the children, reaching the Captain. "Want to come?"

"I would be delighted," he replied, noticing the looks on Kurt's and Gretl's faces. They seemed to be the only ones who hadn't noticed something strange this morning, but now they were catching on.

Georg accompanied her upstairs, placing his hand on the small of her back as they ascended the staircase. Once in Maria's room, Maria strolled over to the corner where her guitar was and brought it back to the bed. She dropped it on the bed and motioned for Georg to come to her.

"What?" he breathed, loving the way she was looking at him.

"I haven't kissed you all morning," she said intensely.

"Such a disappointment." There was no sarcasm in his voice as he said this.

"I missed you," she said, coming closer.

"I missed you too, even if you were only on the opposite side of the table."

Maria couldn't help herself anymore and quite literally threw herself at him. He caught her in those strong arms of his and commenced to kiss her senseless.

Outside the open door, the children gave one collective gasp. They had been spying. Liesl looked at the others triumphantly and mouthed the words "told you!"

Maria heard a noise and quickly pulled away from Georg, wondering what it was.

"Children!" she exclaimed, blushing furiously. "Oh! I- uh- we- uh-"

"Children, what if I told you that you were going to have a new mother?" Georg asked, waiting for their reaction. Liesl, Louisa, and Brigitta were smiling, Friedrich looked exultant, and Marta and Gretl currently resembled codfish.

"Who would be our new mother?" Gretl asked.

"Maria," Georg said simply, looking at his fiancée with a proud look upon his face.

"Yes!" Gretl cried, flinging herself upon her governess. Maria looked surprised, then hugged the little girl tightly. When Gretl pulled away, Maria found herself drowning in a sea of hugs. From everyone except Kurt, that is. He was glaring at his father, arms crossed. Maria wondered what was going on.

"Took you long enough!" Kurt finally exclaimed, coming over to embrace Maria tightly. She laughed and ruffled his hair.

"Oh Kurt," she said, then sniffled.

"No crying," Georg scolded.

"Sorry. It's just I'm so happy," she choked back a sob.

"We're all going to be a big happy family!" Gretl cried, running around the room. Everyone was smiling.

"When will the wedding be?" Louisa asked.

"Not soon enough," Georg said, looking at Maria intensely. She didn't blush, but in the back of her mind, she agreed.

"A wedding! A wedding! A new mother! Oh, I'm so happy!" Gretl hugged everyone in the room, beaming. Her family couldn't help smiling back.

Epilogue (kinda)

Five years later

Maria rolled over, her body coming into contact with her husband. She smiled in contentment and snuggled closer to him. He stirred.

"Up already?" he mumbled, stretching a bit, then putting his hand on her bare waist.

"Did I wake you?" she asked, gazing at him adoringly.

"It's quite alright," he said, smiling and pulling her close. "I'm not one to turn down quality time with my wife."

She giggled. "I never doubted that for a minute."

He was suddenly aware that he held his naked wife in his arms and that they had made love not three hours before.

"Tell me something, Maria."

"Anything."

"Have you ever tangoed?"

So that was the real end. In my opinion, it was much better than last time. Please review!