"So Captain," Maria teased. "What happened to that 'very important announcement' you had to make?" The couple were together in the warmth of Georg's study.
"Circumstances changed," Georg said, crossing the room and sitting beside Maria on the sofa.
It was true. By the time they had arrived back at the villa, both Georg and Maria were completely soaked and had to dry off and get warm as soon as possible for fear of illness. By the time they had both finished cleaning themselves up, dinner had finished and with the host unaccounted for, the party was winding down much quicker than it would've otherwise.
Georg didn't mind at all though. He had never enjoyed parties much at any point in his life, but this party held his interest the least by far. And after finding Maria's note, nothing else had mattered except finding and stopping her before he lost her forever.
In addition, the situation had also provided Georg with an opportunity to talk to Elsa. He knew that he couldn't officially begin a relationship with Maria until he had ended things with Elsa. It wouldn't have been fair to anybody involved.
Elsa had taken the news much better than Georg had expected. He knew that he had upset her a great deal, but she had made it quite clear that she understood the situation, wished him the best for his future and agreed to pack her little bags and return to Vienna first thing in the morning.
"Maybe you could make the announcement here," Maria suggested, bringing Georg out of his thoughts.
"Mm-hmm". 'That might just work,' he thought.
"Maria," he began seriously, turning so he was looking directly at her. "You've changed me so much. You brought the one thing I thought I had lost forever back into my life. I meant what I said earlier tonight. I love you. I love you and I will always love you. I didn't think this would ever happen to me, but I can't imagine my life without you."
He paused, looking up to brave her glance. She was looking at him seriously, her eyes full of genuine love for the man in front of her.
"Maria, would you consider marrying me?"
Maria gasped, but she knew what her answer would be immediately.
"Yes," she cried, tears forming in her eyes. "Yes of course I will. I don't have to consider it, Georg. My answer is yes."
Georg smiled, before wrapping Maria in a tight embrace. He couldn't remember being this happy in a very long time.
"Maria," he asked softly. "Is there anyone I should go to to ask permission to marry you?"
"Well," Maria began, lifting her head from where it had been resting on Georg's chest. "Why don't we ask-"
"The children?" he cut her off, having known exactly what she was going to say before the words had left her mouth. Maria nodded as their faces drew closer and their lips met.
She knew the next teardrops to fall on her guitar would be for an entirely different reason than before.
Everybody wanted me to continue this one (and then continue it again) so I finally did. It took me a while to work out how I was going to do it and make it different enough, but I hope you're satisfied with the ending. Thank you for loving these stories so much, and pushing me to write more.