Disclaimer: Since I haven't updated in a while I suppose you all are wondering if I finally obtained the rights and finally own The Sound of Music…but I don't….darn….

Author's Note: MY GOODNESS! I am a horrible person, not updating in 13 days! EEEKKK! I've been so busy the thought of updating hasn't even crossed my mind…and for that I apologize! But none the less, here I am! So on with the story!

I Trust In My Heart-
-Chapter Twenty-Four: Fix

Maria slowly pulled away from the kiss and rested her head on Georg's chest. She inhaled deeply, taking in his scent. It was strong, masculine. It was the one thing she would always remember about him. She couldn't quite place what it was. It didn't smell like anything else she knew, it was unique. It was…him.

She felt his beating heart against hers. The two rhythms meeting perfectly to make one. His even breathing was nice, a soft pulse that could lull her to sleep. So calm, so smooth again her rugged one. The past days had been so hard, Maria was happier than she had been in a while, and she didn't want the moment to end. She sighed, and dug her head moved her forehead along his chest, hoping to dig deeper into the embrace.

He laughed slightly, his chest moving up and down.

"My offer still stands." he whispered lightly into her ear, making her shuddered slightly as his warm breath came into contact with her cold skin.

"Offer?" she asked, resting her cheek against his chest and looking at Austria below them.

"Mhm. Starting over. You and me." he said, not really knowing how else to say it.

Maria pulled looking at him in the eyes. "Starting over?" she paused, nothing would make her happier. Nothing. But she wasn't sure she knew exactly what he meant. "I-er-" she paused, boy did she feel dumb for not knowing what he meant. "What exactly do you mean. Like-like-engaged?" she asked, her voice quiet. When that thought crossed her mind, Maria felt like pulling away. She didn't know if she could be engaged just yet. Sure, she loved Georg more than anything, and she wanted nothing more than to be with him. But engaged? She trusted him again…but she wasn't sure if jumping into being engaged would be the right thing to do…not yet.

Georg laughed slightly, seeming to read her mind. "Not necessarily. Just…be together. You and me. A couple." he said, feeling slightly stupid for the way he put it.

Maria beamed. "I would love to."

Georg's smile equaled Maria. He kissed her on the forehead. "I'm glad to hear it." He paused and they looked at each other again. Then he sighed. "We-we should go."

Maria was slightly taken aback at how Georg stumbled on his words and his voice sounded shaky. She couldn't remember a time hearing him speak like that. It was daunting to say the least. She nodded. "I just need to sit and rest a moment before we do." she said, feeling the stress of standing on her ankle and in her chest.

Georg nodded and helped Maria sit in the car, with her legs hanging out the open door. She immediately sighed with relief at sitting down. Georg quickly went to the back of the car and retrieved the picnic basket that was in the back, before returning to Maria and setting it in front of her.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Have you never seen a picnic basket before?" he asked playfully, smirking slightly.

Maria smiled, almost peevishly, "I meant what are you doing with it." she said, obviously, rolling her eyes.

He laughed. "I've got a change of clothes for both of us, and all the food and water we had in here."

"You crammed that all in there?" Maria asked, taken aback. The basket was larger than most, but it still wasn't very big.

He nodded, rummaging around, making everything fit. "We wouldn't be able to take everything we have with us. One, it will be difficult. Two, it would look very suspicious. We may be close to Switzerland but there could be Nazi soldiers still close by."

"You make good points." Maria said, thoughtfully.

Georg nodded, not looking up from the basket, shoving more fruit into it. "And as you were sleeping I got to thinking. The basket gives us a perfect excuse for being on the mountain if we do get stopped. We're merely a couple having a nice peaceful picnic in the mountains." he paused, and sat on the ground looking up at Maria. "Hopefully, if we do get stopped it will be close enough to the car to make our story believable and we can get in a drive off, making our story more believable. We'll just drive to a different part of the mountain." he finished.

Maria smiled, "That's a wonderful idea." she said, showing she agreed that it would work, but not really sure what else to say.

"Glad you think so." Georg said, as he stood wiping the dirt off of his pants. "Are you ready?"

Maria nodded. "I think." she stood without Georg's help and regretted it instantly. She felt herself buckle between her own weight, but was stopped from falling to the ground by Georg who helped steady her. "Thanks." she said. "We'll just have to go slow." she said, looking down and blushing. "I'm sorry."

Georg smiled and took Maria's chin in his fingers, making her look at him. "It's alright. It's not your fault."

"But I feel awful! We have to go slow and take our time, which we don't have, might I had, and all because I got hurt!"

"It doesn't matter. All that matter's is that your ok." he said, kissing her lightly on the lips.

"I still don't like the fact." she said stubbornly. Georg just laughed as he put his arm around her waist so she could lean on him and picked up the picnic basket in his right hand.

"Ready?" he asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." and they were off. The trail they would follow immediately started ascending from the spot they were at, a nice slow steady rise. When they had walked a few steps they stopped at the point where the trail started going up. Simultaneously Maria and Georg looked back.

The car they abandoned stood still by the cliff, all of Austria sitting quietly below as a gentle breeze swept through the air and they began their ascend.

The mountain air was icy and thin. Maria was having trouble enough breathing, but this unfriendly air was making matters worse. Maria had to use Georg to help her walk, and half the time she felt as if he were dragging her along. They had to stop every hour or so just so Maria could rest and get her strength back. The higher they got the later it got and the later it got the colder the air got and the thinner the air got. It was never ending. She was getting frustrated and losing her strength. By the fourth (or was it fifth) time they stopped Maria was sure she couldn't go on any further.

"We can stop here and rest for the night." Georg said, taking notice of Maria's condition. They had gotten to a small clearing, it was the perfect place to stop.

Maria nodded. "Please." she said, referring to stopping.

They sat and Georg made sure Maria was comfortable before taking out some food for them to eat, which Maria took gratefully. They sat in silence and Maria's thoughts consumed her.

She had been thinking about it all day. Ever since she and Georg decided to give their love another try. It had come out of no where and hit her hard. She blamed half of her weakness on it. Now that she and Georg were back together she needed him to know she needed him to understand. Because the last time she had tried explaining it hadn't worked and they had parted. Well, if it would lead to them parting again she would rather it be done in the beginning then in the future. She took a long drink of water.

"Georg?" she asked quietly.

"Yes, Maria?"

She paused, and sighed. "I just want you to know. I need you to know that…that Ubel.." she paused as she felt Georg tense. She wasn't looking at him, her eyes were fixed solely on the ground. "I want you to understand that I never…I would have never, I would still never do a thing like that- he was the one who started it and--" she stopped, she was rambling.

She felt a hand on her cheek and she looked at Georg who was, to her surprise, smiling slightly. "I know. I should have known. That's the kind of man he is. Frankly, I never really understood why I was friend's with him. But that's not the point. I overreacted and I refused to hear what you were saying. I was stressed and worried and confused. I'm sorry I didn't listen." he said.

Maria smiled brightly and leaned into kiss him. "I would never do anything to hurt you." she said.

"Nor I you."

Patience in the cottage was running low. The children were tired of being cooped up like chicken all day. Max was becoming troubled and trying desperately to find any evidence of Georg any where. But most of all everyone was worried.

Liesl sat staring out of the bedroom window, watching the sunset. She hadn't seen or heard from her father in so long. It had only been a week, or so but it felt like a life time. It wasn't fair. She had just gotten him back…and they had almost been a complete family again. They had almost had a mother…but everything was changed. And now they didn't even have a Father at the moment.

Maria. Liesl hadn't thought about Maria in so long, she hadn't seen her in so long. Liesl prayed that she was alright. That she wasn't hurt and that her life was still peaceful. The last Liesl knew Maria was still in Austria, stuck there with the Nazi's. Maybe, just maybe she had gotten away like they had. She would probably never see Maria again, and the thought brought tears to her eyes. She, along with her other siblings, hadn't exactly been welcoming to the idea of Maria being their mother, but by the time Maria and Liesl's father's engagement had ended Liesl was looking forward to having Maria as a mother. But now, she would most likely never see the spirited woman again.

Well, where ever she was Liesl hoped Maria was safe…her and her father alike. Hopefully some higher force would fix everything soon, because Liels knew that she couldn't...all she could do was wait.

"Liesl?"

"Yes, Gretl?" Liesl said, snapping from her thoughts as her youngest sister entered the room.

"Will you read me a story?" the little girl asked, climbing on to the bed by Liesl and handing her a children's book that she had brought along.

Liesl smiled. "Of course." with one last look at the eastern mountains Liesl turned her attention to the book. "Once upon a time…"

Author's Note: Ok, I know, not exactly the best…but at least it's something. I just wanted to get something down since I hadn't in so long…hope you enjoyed…more to come soon!

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED! YOU'RE AWESOME!

Until next time,
Your humble author,
The Lonely Goatherd