The first time it happened, they weren't even married. Georg knew that Maria worshiped children, all children – not only theirs, so when it came time to discuss having children together biologically, he thought that it would be a no brainer for her.

It was a muggy summer evening, uncomfortably hot even, and Maria was slumped in the window of Georg's study with her red, sticky, face pressed against the cool glass.

"Darling, it really is far too hot" she said with a grimace, hoping to absorb all the cold from the glass.

"Yes, it does feel claustrophobic, I must say" Georg mused from his position by her feet. He had been surprised upon finding her in his study, but sharply realising it was the coolest room in the villa, he discarded his tie, rolled up his shirt sleeves to reveal tanned, veiny forearms and sank to the cold, dark-wood floor next to his fiancée where they had both been for the past 30 minutes.

Ordinarily their chaperones would never have left them alone for this long, but Georg could only assume everyone was passed out from the heat.

Groaning, Maria shared, "that reminds me, your cousin Helena says that the Elster suite is far too small, and she refuses to stay in such close proximity to her children without the nanny" fixing Georg with a look of annoyance, she rolled her eyes and turned back to the cool window.

"Helena was never meant to be a mother, it's a good job she married for money and can afford a governess." he replied with a teasing smirk, too warm and sticky to solve the issue of guest rooms for the wedding right now.

After a few moments of silence, Maria chimed "Georg," hesitating before finding the courage to continue, "do you think I'll be a good mother to the children?"

Quickly, opening his eyes from his heat induced snooze, Georg retorted, "where on earth did that come from?" he chuckled, playfully nipping at her toes.

Maria smiled a tight smile whilst climbing down from the windowsill and onto the floor. Georg reached for her clammy hand, bringing it to his lips "you know, I can't wait to have a little Maria running around the villa" he murmured against her wrist.

Without acknowledging his comment, Maria slipped her hand out of his briskly made her way over to his desk, fiddling with some random papers she found there. Georg clocked her behaviour as being odd, but decided it was probably due to the heat.

Maria felt ill.

She hadn't thought that Georg would want more children. She certainly thought the seven the now shared was enough. Anyway, she had vowed long ago never to have any children biologically, she couldn't risk it.

She had to bring this conversation back to his children before she lost it all together.

"I was thinking about what Liesl had said today, maybe I'm not going to be a very good mother after all" she said picking at her nails, looking anywhere but at her fiancé.

Still struggling in the humidity, Georg huffed out an exasperate breath, angry at the audacity of his daughter "darling, Liesl didn't mean it…".

"She said that the Baroness would have been a better mother to her because she is from Viennese high society." interrupted, Georg closed his heavy eyes, still battling the heat, as Maria continued "Liesl is right! The children have a noble background, and I don't. I have an awful background filled with pain and abuse!" she said with a pained expression, still staring at Georg's mahogany desk.

This wasn't the first time Maria had alluded to coming from an abusive home, but Georg was fearful that if he brought it up, it would cause her pain…so he let it lie between them.

"Maria, my love, Liesl didn't mean it! She was trying to hurt you because she wanted to go to the party" by now, Georg had moved to stand behind Maria and gently wrapped his arms around her waist. Maria immediately felt calmer in his secure embrace, until she noticed that his forearms were bare. If the sight of his forearms got her so worked up, she didn't know what would happen when she saw the rest of him. She couldn't stop herself from softly tracing patterns up and down her arms with her fingernails (freshly manicured thanks to her new status as Baroness von Trapp to be).

Peering over her shoulder, he whispered in her ear "if it makes you feel better, Liesl came and told me how sorry she was just before I found you in here, she was rather upset too. She said the heat was altering her sensibilities.".

Maria chuckled at the last part, "She definitely has your dramatic streak, darling".

Georg gave Maria a kiss on the shoulder. And then the collarbone. And then the neck. And then the cheek. "Good, I can't wait for our future children to have my dramatic streak too…along with all of your amazing qualities" he nuzzled her neck.

Georg spent a lot of his time imaging how perfect his life with Maria would be. He liked to think about how much time he would spend in bed with her on their honeymoon, teaching her pleasure she could only dream of experiencing. He could spend all day just replaying the perfect image of her over and over in his head. He was slowly becoming obsessed with her.

Part of that obsession was dreaming of the perfect children they could have if they decided to. A little boy with a penchant for the sea, dark wavy hair from his father and pink, rosy cheeks from his mother or a sweet little girl with a talented singing voice and a shock of golden hair from her mother and dark olive skin from her father. He had already picked out their names too, Evangeline Maria and Tobias Alexander.

If he hadn't been so preoccupied, Georg would have realised that at his words his fiancée stood up straighter and pulled away from him ever so slightly. Why couldn't he just drop it! Maria was perfectly happy with the nonbiological children she was gaining, and she hoped this was the last conversation about little Marias they would have.

The second time Georg broached the topic of children was on their honeymoon.

They had just spent their morning climbing up the Eiffel tower, wind sweeping through their hair and the cold breeze blistering their cheeks. Hand in hand, the happy husband and wife meandered through the Saturday afternoon markets on their way back to their hotel room.

Maria had never loved her husband (she still felt giddy saying that, even just to herself) more than in Paris. They had been here for two weeks already, and this is the first time they had spent the day out of their hotel room. If Maria was honest her legs were a little sore today, she couldn't complain though, she had never known as much pleasure as when she was naked with Captain von Trapp. Blushing, she left that train of thought there,

Taking a quick break, they found a wooden bench along the banks of the Seine and perched themselves there. Maria, leaned against Georg's shoulder, before tenderly bestowing him with a kiss and closing her eyes in sweet contentment. She couldn't get enough of him.

"You know, darling, I don't think I have ever been this happy in my life" she confessed dreamily, watching him as he looked out at the water. He really was a sailor through and through.

In all honesty, Maria's confession affected Georg deeply. Did she truly realise the significance of her admission? He didn't know how much longer he could pretend he didn't suspect trauma in her past. NO! I will not let my prying ruin our honeymoon.

Before he could stop himself, Georg queried, "I'm glad to hear it, my love…but surely you had some happiness in your childhood?" hesitating he wrapped her in his arms, hoping he didn't show how sad he was for her.

Maria gave a non-committal shrug, snuggled further into his arms, and said evasively "not everyone has a childhood as wonderful as our children".

Maria's comments did nothing to ease Georg's suspicions, so he decided to try and cheer her up.

Tilting his head to press a kiss to her hairline, he murmured softly "you know…our children will never know heartache in their childhood, and that goes for our future children too".

Maria didn't acknowledge his words but instead sprung up from her position on the bench and demanded they began making their way back to the hotel again. Her eyes were wild and before Georg could speak, she was metres ahead of him, moving with large strides towards the hotel.

Something was wrong. Every time he brought up children Maria shut down completely. He had to find out what was going on but for now he wanted to enjoy his honeymoon with his bride.

Back at the hotel, Maria was sat on the end of their large bed when her husband slammed open the door and stalked towards her.

"Maria don't storm off from me" Georg bellowed, put out by his wife's erratic behaviour, "it's dangerous walking alone in Paris as a young woman, I refuse to let anything happen to you" he lay his hands on her cheeks.

He was beginning to build a connection between her uncharacteristic behaviour and their conversations about children. It was a tenuous link, but it was there. Georg just couldn't fathom why she wouldn't just say that she didn't want any more children, he wouldn't have an issue with it. He married her, not her reproductive system.

Maria's heart melted. How on earth did she get this lucky? He truly cared about her more than everyone else in her life combined (well…besides the children). She had been waiting for Georg in their suite for 5 minutes, hoping his anger would make him forget about the future children conversation. At the thought, Maria shuddered imperceptibly. She had to make a plan to distract him.

"Darling, I'm sorry! I just suddenly desperately needed to be back at the suite." Ahh this might work!

Concerned, Georg lay a hand on his wife's head, "What is it? Are you ill?" he asked, immediately fearing the worst, as per usual.

With a tempting smirk Maria continued, "No, but I am rather hot".

Georg knew exactly what she was doing. She had grown into an extremely confident lover and had no issue initiating things. Growing excited already, Georg took a step back from his vixen of a wife.

"Maria, I know what you're doing…we need to have a serious conversation, darling. You can't just act like things never happened".

Maria knew that Georg was referring to the baby conversation, so she had to think quickly.

Coyly she approached her husband like a cheetah on the prowl, looking up at him with big blue eyes she knew Georg couldn't resist.

"I am ever so sorry Captain! How can I ever make you forgive me…" without waiting for an answer, Maria grabbed her husband hand and pulled him to the edge of the bed. Keeping eye contact, she reached between their bodies and slowly unbuckled his belt, letting it drop to the floor. She was determined to make him forget about making children and there was only one way she knew how to do that. Next, she slowly pulled down his zip, letting his pants slide to the floor. Dragging her hands over his hips, stomach, and chest, she arrived at his shoulders, giving his muscles a slow squeeze before pushing him down onto the bed and kneeling between his muscular legs.

Georg's mouth went dry. He was torn between confronting his wife about her prior actions or thoroughly enjoying her take the lead but when he felt her tongue tease him through his undershorts, he knew she had won this time. They had all the time in the world to discuss children but right now he wanted to be thoroughly devoured by his siren of a wife.