The breeze was cool, yet the sun was warm and brilliant as she ran with the children to the meadow upon her mountain. She hadn't been there in quite a while, perhaps in years, if she cared to count. She used to go whenever she felt lonely, whenever she needed to talk to God about things that required privacy and attention. When she left the villa years ago, rather than seeking guidance as she should have, she had mostly taken to her bed and cried when she tried to talk to God. And then one day she had just stopped altogether.

She wasn't sure why she had stopped, as she didn't feel any sort of anger toward God, as far as she could tell. She still believed and did her best to act how He would expect of her. But so many years of unanswered prayers, dreams falling though, talking and talking only to feel a constant, nagging sadness in her heart, she felt as if she had been left behind. She had wanted to dedicate her life to serving Him, and after that fell through, she wasn't sure how inclined He would be to listen after such a failure. She had failed herself, and she had failed Him miserably.

But it was amazing how, the moment she stepped into the lush grass of the meadow, the clouds billowing over the crest of the mountain, her heart lifted in joy. She came to the mountains to be closer to God in her youth, and suddenly she felt his presence more than she possibly ever had. The children ran ahead, claiming the best spot for their picnic lunch while she stayed behind for a moment. She began to weep uncontrollably, smiling brightly through her tears as she felt more empowered and enlightened than she had in years. She was certain her heart would burst.

She was so thankful to be in the presence of the children once again, laughing and carrying on as if no time had passed. She felt so young and free again, if just for the day, and her spirit felt as if it could lift right out of her chest as it soared. She took a deep breath, taking in the scent of the nature surrounding her. She was overwhelmed with the impulse to take off her shoes and set her feet in the grass.

"Fraulein Maria?" She wiped her eyes as Brigitta spoke from her side, shaking her from her ascent into euphoria. The girl looked worried, her hand touching her former governess upon the arm.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what's come over me." She laughed a bit as she wiped her cheeks once more. "I feel so blessed to be with you all."

"We feel the same way." Brigitta moved to hug her, and she wrapped the girl in a tight embrace. It all felt so unbelievably right. They wrapped their arms around one another as they moved to join the others.

"You know, I haven't been up here since the last time I brought you children." The girl looked at her, stunned. "I think I couldn't bear to face the memories."

"We came up here looking for you. Quite a few times, actually. If only we'd known." Maria's heart nearly broke, knowing how hard it must have been for them to have lost the one woman in their lives they had felt a connection with since their mother.

"I will never stop regretting the time we've missed together, the pain you were caused."

"You've always taught us to live in the present, haven't you? This doesn't sound like you at all." They approached the others, sitting upon the blanket while Kurt and Louisa passed out the food. She smiled, giving a small shrug.

"You're right. I suppose I've forgotten a few things."

"You haven't. You're still the same wonderful Fraulein we love." Gretl cuddled into her side, and she nearly fell over as she wrapped her arm around the girl, laughing happily.

"Well, you're all the same children I love too, except you're all so much taller now. I've never felt short in my life." They laughed, Friedrich beaming at the compliment. He looked the most grown up of them all, seventeen and strikingly handsome. He looked so much like his father, she couldn't believe it sometimes.

They chatted for hours, playing games and enjoying one another's company. It was more than she could have ever asked for, more than she could have imagined it would be, and she cherished every moment as if it would be the last. She knew it wouldn't be, though. They were going to be inseparable as they had once been, she could feel it. Life was certainly different, but that didn't necessarily mean it had to be a bad kind of different, she reminded herself.

Suddenly, the clouds began to roll in, and she smelled a storm on the air. Sighing in frustration, she and the children packed their belongings and began to make their way down the mountain before the storm arrived. The clouds looked dark, and she didn't want them to become stranded if things took a turn. They made it to her apartment just in time as the skies opened and the streets began to flood with torrential rain. She looked out the window in her small kitchen, biting her lip in uncertainty

"Is it ever going to let up? We'll never make it home in time for supper." She smiled at Kurt, of course he would be worried about food. Some things never changed.

"No matter, Kurt. I can make us something." He gave her a concerned look, and she scoffed in offense. "Why is this always the reaction I get? I can cook some things."

"Do you remember the time we made cookies?" She crossed her arms, remembering very well how she had accidentally mistaken a tablespoon for a teaspoon and over salted the entire batch. The cookies were atrocious, everyone gagging and rushing for their glasses of milk.

"Well how do you think I've stayed alive these years? I must not be too bad." She opened her cabinets, wondering what she had that could possibly feed six children and herself. Not much, she was afraid, and she cringed a bit as she closed the cabinets. "Or, we could order in. There's a restaurant down the street that I pick up from occasionally."

"It's pouring rain." Marta spoke up, the cat proudly purring in her arms as she stroked its fur.

"I don't mind. There's an awning that will cover me most of the way." She began to walk to the phone to call the order, when Friedrich stepped forward.

"Fraulein, you will not be going out in the rain. If you phone the restaurant, Kurt and I will go and pick it up." She smiled, such a chivalrous young man.

"Alright, it's a deal." She picked up the phone and called the restaurant as the children made themselves at home, somehow completely comfortable in her space. She would have had it no other way.

xxxxx

Georg was standing in his study, watching the rain through his window when the ringing of the phone made him jump. He hadn't expected a call, and he was caught off guard. He immediately wondered if the children were alright, as they were quite late to coming home.

"Hello." He answered gruffly, too impatient to wait for anyone else to answer.

"I'd like to speak to the Captain, please." Maria's voice sounded sweetly through the phone, the melody reaching his ears like an aria. They hadn't spoken since he drove her home the morning after Liesl's wedding, though he supposed they'd had no logical reason to speak. He was trying to give her space, to allow her some room to breathe before he could decide how he would like to pursue her.

"Maria, it's nice to hear your voice." She didn't speak for a moment, and he could have hit himself for speaking his mind so quickly.

"Oh, um, hello." He could hear the children chattering in the background, which meant they were thankfully safe, at least. "We're at my apartment. The rain brought us in a bit earlier than we expected."

"Welcome to Austria." She gave a small laugh, turning her back to the children a bit as they spoke.

"I thought I would feed them supper while we wait for the storm to pass. If it doesn't pass by nightfall, I was thinking I would offer them a sleepover, if that's alright."

"Of course, I trust you completely with them." She smiled, imagining what he looked like on the other end of the line.

"Thank you, we have had a wonderful time today."

"I'm very pleased to hear that. If you wouldn't mind just phoning to let me know if they're staying or not."

"Of course." She smiled, the sound of his voice caressing her ear in a gentle way. "I'll talk to you later then."

"Maria…" He didn't know what to say, he simply wanted her to stay on the line a moment longer.

"Yes?"

"I…um, well I…" She smiled, somehow understanding. "Can we talk soon?"

"I think we should, yes."

"I'm so glad you said that. I'll pick up the children one way or the other, and we'll make a plan to do so." She felt nervous to see him again, for whatever reason. Suddenly, two of the children began bickering in the background, and Georg chuckled.

"I suppose that means I should go." She gave a small laugh, turning to see who was the culprit of the argument. "I'll talk to you soon."

"Good luck." She smiled as she placed the phone on the receiver.