Disclaimer: I own nothing. The Sound of Music and its characters belong to their respective owners.

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The next morning Captain von Trapp was up and about much earlier than usual. The argument he had had with Maria kept repeating in his head the entire night, and there was a new sort of restlessness flowing in his veins. The loss he had been feeling, as deep as it had been, was brushed aside and was replaced by excitement and a new drive. There was no doubt in his mind that this new Maria was still wonderful. But even if he knew so little of this new her, he had made a vow, he had promised to be with her through thick and thin, and it wasn't something the Captain took lightly…. even if she couldn't remember. Sure, he had once been ready to marry Elsa to whom he did not feel as committed, but that was before his own foolish and desperate thinking was pointed out. It sounded almost ridiculous but a part of him felt like a teenage boy who couldn't wait for the next day to see the girl he fancied. Of course there was also his male ego and his pride to deal with for they put him in a rather competitive mood. He had to win Maria over and was well aware that there was another man in the house that wanted the same… if hadn't entirely succeeded already. Not that it would scare a sea captain away.

Yet again the irony wasn't lost on Georg. Life seemed to like pulling its funny twists on him because now it seemed their roles were reversed. While he had Elsa as his would-be fiancé back in Austria, this time it was Maria who was committed to someone else. He did not like it, at all. That was probably what had him up earlier than usual and only the staff seemed to be up and about as he strolled through the empty hallway. The very first impulse he had had upon awakening that morning was to barge into his wife's room and drag Herr Reinard out. In his shock and drowning in self pity, as well as confusion as to how not to scare Maria away, he had done nothing about the very thing that bothered him so much. It was unacceptable for the two to share a room – in his house anyway. Yet the most logical reasoning he could think of would apparently get him nowhere. As incredulous as it still sounded, his wife was not a believer in God anymore. Any kind of religious implication on his part would fall on deaf ears… and, frankly, would be highly hypocritical.

As it turned out, however, all his newfound determination to personally educate his guests about the house rules as well as impropriety was not needed after all. A quick, routine stop at the reception had him learn of the change in reservations. Not for the first time the Captain felt deep satisfaction about his very effective staff. They got Herr Reinard a room ready immediately upon request and, apparently, he and Maria spent the night in different rooms. Of course he was utterly intrigued why that had happened. Did they have a fight? Did they break up? Was he responsible for it? While normally he would have felt highly ashamed of having any kind of involvement if it was true, in this case he felt nothing but justification. Maria was his wife after all.

Dressed as sharp and elegant as he always was, the Captain set out for his daily routine, with one thing clear on his mind: Maria had fallen for him once… he would make her fall in love with him again.

As for Maria, she slept a whole lot better than she had anticipated the night before. There were no careful movements at night to make sure she didn't touch or wake Ben. While she was certain she felt for him, she found herself less and less attracted to him. He had tried initiating love making since they arrived to the lodge but she wasn't in the mood at all. Now that they had different rooms, she felt relief. Not only because she felt she had some room to breathe but because she didn't have to continuously reject him – in many ways. Of course she felt bad about it. Nearly everyone back in New York had considered them all but legally married. Maria was fine with that, there simply seemed nothing else for her in life – aside from Felix, of course. Yet she had been suffering from an inner struggle for a while now. She had realized at one point that her feelings for Ben resembled gratitude and a deep friendship much more than romantic love. He had been her world, the one person who knew of her missing past, the one person who knew of her scars and who still wanted her despite all that. Her choice was limited to him, for trusting anyone else just seemed impossible… and ungrateful towards Ben.

At one point it had begun to feel like she was trapped. She alternated between love and friendship, gratitude and commitment. Yet nobody else in their circle seemed trustworthy or understanding enough. She often wondered what status – if any—she had held in her previous life. Had she been just as rich as she was now? Her clothes, albeit torn and dirty, had suggested she was finely dressed. So how did she put up with the circles of society that came with that possible status? Had she felt just as ill-at-ease? Had she been born into it? All these questions soon became mysteries Maria had gradually given up on. Instead, she had decided that it was time to live in the present and to concentrate on the future, for while her past seemed hopelessly out of reach, she still had to go on about the business of living. That hadn't necessarily made her life easier. She had learned to close up even more, to shower her son with all her love and caring, but she, as horrible as it sounded, resolved to the one man that there was for her: Ben. He had never treated her bad and that was what made her feel all the worse… for despite all his selfless generosity, she felt something was missing. Maria could get angry, she could reach a certain intensity if she had set her mind on something: like singing. She could give herself completely to a song and she could feel the words and the beautiful music in her bones. And yet she could never ever feel that overwhelming passion with Ben.

Now everything was in an entirely different perspective. There were seven wonderful children who seemed to know an awful lot about her, and there was an infuriating and confusing sea captain who seemed to know even more. Alarmingly more. That was one aspect Maria felt both intrigued and uncomfortable about. Given her need to hide her scars and her innermost feelings, it was downright frightening that someone that she hardly knew apparently knew a lot about her. Despite all her past resignation, Maria's curiosity returned with great intensity. Of course she wanted to know all about herself and her past. But would Captain von Trapp reveal all that information or would she need to go through such awkward and heated arguments as the night before? Of course she felt bad about that incident. Her mind had been reeling ever since she got out of bed and only now did she realize she wasn't entirely fair to him either. While he had undoubtedly crossed the line, she realized she had been brutally honest with him. There had been no lie in anything she told him but she now realized her own words may have trigged his already off mood. What had caused that mood to begin with, she didn't know. And while she may have been a little insensitive, she did think he had been rude.

This morning she also finally remembered that her own memory may have been misleading. After a good night's sleep she could now recall the story she had been told: she used to be the governess of his children before she became his wife. While Maria herself would never speak to a servant like that, in that aspect her surfacing memory didn't seem as shocking. What seemed shocking was that she had, apparently, fallen for him. He was snappy, arrogant, rude, overly disciplined and, as she could recall from the previous night, also condescending. How on earth could she fall for anyone like that? Or did she have other reasons to marry him? Did she… fall into bed with him first and got pregnant?

Something else that had immediately struck her about the Captain, however, was his masculinity. Despite his unpleasant attitude, he seemed exactly the type of person who had his very own and clear way of thinking and was a firm believer in his ideals. Someone stable, someone who would make one feel safe if trusted. Could she trust him? Should she? And did he want her to trust him at all? There were way too many questions and confusions that she had not expected of a possible reunion. There were only two things she was certain of at the moment. One, that she wanted to know more about her past. Two, as annoying as he had been, Maria owned him some sort of apology for the way she lost control of her tongue.

Shortly after she had gone downstairs with Felix walking right beside her and holding on to her hand, she was given a note from Ben at the reception. He had left for the local library. It wasn't really surprising, unlike his father and brother, Ben had always found more enjoyment in books and literacy than in military. That he may have been hurt by her request to be in separate rooms was also a strong possibility and Maria wished she hadn't had to hurt him. So after having breakfast with Felix, and seeing no sign of the Captain or the von Trapp children, she headed outside. The fountain that was in the middle of the backyard should have been a popular spot but apparently the guests of the lodge were much more interested in the surrounding hills in the beautiful weather. Maria couldn't blame them. She had considered taking Felix out on a little walk, too, but all her plans were diminished the moment her son set his eyes on the fountain. In light of his father's naval past, Maria was now not surprised that Felix was so fond of his little ship as well as water. She couldn't have dragged him away from the fountain without a major tantrum. So opting to spend the beautifully warm day in the empty garden, Maria sat comfortably seated on the edge while Felix thoroughly enjoyed pushing his ship along the water surface.

"What an adorable little tyke."

Maria raised her head upon the unfamiliar voice. What greeted her was the smiling face of an elderly lady, dressed elegantly but comfortably. Maria could spot a few stray grey hair sticking out but most of it was hidden under a rather stylish hat. The smile on the woman's face indicated she didn't fire off an insult, but Maria, despite how much progress she had made, still had occasional trouble with the English language, particularly with words she hadn't came across before.

"I'm sorry. Tyke?" Her brows furrowed in confusion.

"Little boy." The elderly lady offered an explanation, immediately picking up on Maria's accent.

"Oh." Maria exclaimed before a proud smile spread across her face. "Thank you."

"May I?" The lady asked.

"Yes, of course." Maria watched as the lady took a seat right next to her, giving Felix yet another warm smile.

"He makes me think you may have chosen the wrong vacation spot." The lady joked and Maria laughed.

"Maybe. But he loves nature altogether, he enjoys it here." If there was one person who was definitely having fun, it was her son. And Maria was delighted about that.

"And what's the little sailor's name, if I may ask?"

"Sea captain." Maria corrected her jokingly, realizing too late what she had said. "His… his name is Felix." She stuttered slightly.

Sea captain? She could hardly believe she had just said that. There certainly wasn't that much to admire about the resident sea captain for he was way too infuriating. And hadn't she said it herself? Her son was just fine enough without being commanded around. So what was she doing insisting he was sea captain just like his… father?

"Lovely." The lady smiled and her voice brought Maria back from her musing. "My name is Trudy. My husband and I are taking a long overdue vacation but the old fox decided to sleep in."

"Oh." Maria laughed softly. "I'm Maria. We're also on vacation…" That didn't really begin to cover it at this point but she didn't even try to explain.

Maria noted that the lady had a reassuring smile and a rather confident body language, but no way threatening. She didn't really address Felix – or her for that matter – the way ladies her age usually did. There was a real friendly aura around her without having the feeling that she was speaking down to her. She struck up a conversation herself and seemed pleasant.

"I heard you sing yesterday." Trudy said. "You have a beautiful voice, dear."

Maria had gotten used to compliments ever since she had begun performing on stage. Yet it never failed to get to her whenever she felt the honesty in a compliment, especially one in such a personal environment.

"Thank you." She said and her cheeks reddened a little. She wasn't sure if it was the surroundings or just that she was so close to her past but her walls she had carefully built in the past years seemed so much lower. She felt more sensitive and much less guarded since they arrived. Thankfully the hills and the beautiful nature also made her feel much freer and safer, considerably different than back in New York. Even with all the uncertainty surrounding her background and her current relationships, this was the first place she could imagine as her home.

"Do you often sing?"

"I do." Maria answered, finding the lady's interest in her oddly comforting. "I love it. I've been singing ever since I can rem… remember." She finished somewhat awkwardly. Maria was certain Trudy thought she was singing since her childhood but the truth was… Maria had no idea.

"My son, George, is an avid music lover." Trudy smiled. "In fact he teaches music at a local school in Shelton. I believe he would be quite enthusiastic about you right now." Trudy laughed and Maria did the same, even if she wanted nothing but to stay away from men at the moment.

"I've noticed your accent." Trudy went on. "Sounds german." Maria's smile faltered slightly but there was no hostility on Trudy's face.

"I'm from Austria." She felt the need to correct her. The ongoing war had taken its toll on the whole world and while Maria was sure there were many civilians in Germany who opposed what was going on, she wanted to make sure it was clear that she had nothing to do with the Third Reich. And as for her revelation that she was from Austria… there was great relief for her in the fact that she could finally, for the first time, positively and confidently share an information about herself..

"Oh, such a beautiful country." Trudy exclaimed. "Arthur, my husband, and I visited once. Back in our heyday." It was easy to tell from Trudy's smile that she was remembering as she gazed into the distance. "We stayed in Salzburg for a couple of weeks, it was so gorgeous." Maria felt sadness return to her heart upon those words. She now knew some facts about herself but she still couldn't remember it. "That's why we came here." Trudy turned back to Maria. "We have heard about Captain von Trapp and that he's from Austria. We heard he re-created some of the Austrian atmosphere over here and we longed to be back. Of course with the war it would be insane to visit Europe so we opted to spend some time here. I have to say, this lodge does it for us just fine. The man couldn't deny where he is from even if he wanted to. I really admire that, you know. He took his family and brought them to safety. It's common knowledge around here that he used to be a great sea captain but I believe he made the right choice when he took his family away from that pit of horror that is now Europe."

Maria wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. She was supposed to be a part of that family, too, yet life had complicated everything. Felix chose that moment to remind the adults that he was very much present, too. While getting carried away with his ship, he made quite a big splash, grinning at his mother mischievously when she yelped as the water made contact with her skin.

"Felix!" She gasped, as much as his grin made her heart melt, getting people wet wasn't what he should be busy with. But Trudy merely laughed as she wiped the little wet spot on her neck and face and Maria felt relieved. She playfully grabbed Felix and lifted him off the ground, tickling him as a means of punishment and smiled as his adorable laugh hit her ears. She pressed a kiss on his cheek but his son was evidently way ahead of her, for he did his best to squirm out of his mother's grasp and return to his ship. After making sure that Felix was preoccupied once again, she turned back to her companion.

"I'm sorry, he gets a little carried away sometimes."

"Not to worry, dear." Trudy reassured her. "I've raised three boys, I have weathered much worse." She chuckled. "Arthur always says he credits me for our sons turning out so decent after all. But he was just as crucial as I was."

Maria could feel her heart tighten a little. With so much uncertainty in her life, she couldn't help but wonder about Felix. Would he grow up to be a decent man? Ben had been a father figure in his life but Maria never quite managed to shake that feel of… emptiness, that there was something missing from her son's life. His real father, of course. But that was all so much more complicated now.

As if sensing some of her thoughts, Trudy spoke up. "Mischievous or not, I'm sure Felix will be a fine man one day."

"I hope so." Maria said gently, running a hand tenderly through Felix' hair. A part of her, oddly, felt compelled to blurt out all her doubts and worries she was having regarding his future. She realized for the first time how very much she needed advice, how much she needed to share her worries and have a second opinion. Yet her walls, even if lower, were still standing strong and despite the reassuring presence of Trudy, Maria had gotten so used to her own little world that the words didn't come. She suddenly longed to share and to seek reassured from someone trustworthy. Did she ever have anyone like that?

"God will guide you along the way, dear." Trudy said. "He always does."

For the very first time Maria found comfort in that statement. That she had no particular faith in the God that stripped her of her life and memories was something she didn't particularly hide but she never bad mouthed God either. Why she felt compelled to believe the statement that God, indeed, would guide her now was something she didn't know. She smiled at Trudy appreciatively and while words never left her mouth, Maria wondered if the elderly lady actually felt the gratitude that she had been trying to convey.

"Trudy!" There was a huff right after the grumpy call that reached Maria and her companion. They both turned their heads to the direction of voice but there was no one in sight.

"Ah, that's Arthur." Trudy explained and slowly rose from her seat. "Seems like the old fox finally dragged himself out of bed."

"He sounds grumpy." Maria stated her observation, making Trudy laugh.

"You have no idea, dear. He has got out of bed like this every since day in the past 40 years. But I wouldn't have him any other way."

Maria smiled at the sentiment which widened upon seeing the love reflecting on Trudy's features.

"I better go." She told Maria. "I'm sure I'll be seeing you again later, dear. Have a good day with your son."

"Thank you." Maria nodded but just as she turned back to Felix, Trudy stopped.

"We're in room 37 if you ever want to talk." With a last smile, the elderly lady departed. Maria was surprised and… touched. She wasn't sure what gave Trudy the idea that she needed a talk, she hadn't entirely admitted it to herself either, yet there was something liberating in the knowledge that she was just a couple of rooms away. Not for the first time since they started talking, Maria wondered if she had had anyone she could seek advice from before she lost her memories. Was she seeking advice from fellow postulants or the nuns in the abbey? Was it the Captain?

Yet it was again Felix who pulled Maria right out of her reverie. "Momma! Momma!" There was despair in his voice as he both pulled on her skirt and tried to climb over the stone wall, right into the water. Turning her head, Maria realized his ship had gotten away and too far in for him to reach. Frankly, the fountain was big enough for the ship to get out of reach even for her.

"It's alright darling, I'll get it." She kissed the top of his head before rising from her seat.

Yet as she turned to grab the toy, Maria realized it indeed was out of reach for her, too. She leaned against the stone that she had been sitting on as far as she could and extended a hand. No success. Biting her lower lip, Maria weighed her options. Since no one else seemed to be around, she decided to forget about class yet again and just get her son's most beloved toy without agonizing over it. Stepping out of her shoe, Maria lifted her skirt and swung a leg over the stone wall of the fountain. The water was a little cool but nothing she couldn't handle as she slowly stepped into it. The water reached as high as her mid-thigh. She put her weight on the leg that was in the water and, holding her skirt up not to get it any more wet, she leaned forward. Her fingertips were already grazing the toy when…

"Have you lost something?"

The Captain's unexpected voice startled Maria beyond belief. She jumped as she started and that was enough for her foot in the water -- on which she was balancing her weight—to slip. She was only slightly aware of the yelp she let out before she hit the water with a splash.

Georg's eyes went wide as Maria fell into the fountain. The inevitable feeling of deja vue hit him and he stood rooted to the spot… this time trying not to smile as his wife re-surfaced. He had been busy all morning, first with making his usual errands and then with the children before he decided to look for Maria. He had found out that Herr Reinard wasn't in today and he wanted to take the opportunity to be alone with her again. Yet by the time he found her and Felix, she was standing in the fountain, doing something very Maria like. While a part of him had considered making his presence known in a more subtle way, like clearing his throat, instead he had opted to make sure she couldn't ignore him in case she wanted to -- in light of their previous fight. Evidently he wasn't ignored.

She surfaced almost immediately but even that couldn't help the blush rapidly creeping up to her cheeks. She spat out some of the water that she gulped down and rubbed her eyes and face to get the water off and to clear her vision.

Felix was staring at her in awe. The little boy didn't even blink as he watched his mother come up, soaked to the bone in the fountain. Then his eyes shifted and to his delight, his ship sat in Maria's hand, unharmed. He immediately reached for it, standing on his tiptoes as the fountain's wall was too high for him. Maria rose from the water to hand him the toy and that was when she realized her fine dress, which was made of silk and which felt fine when dry, now clung to her like a second skin. She was slapped with feeling of being awfully exposed and she promptly sunk back into the water.

"Captain." She exclaimed when she appeared to take note of him. He didn't fail to note the exasperation in her tone.

"Maria." He responded. "Are you alright?" He asked while his brows furrowed, genuinely concerned.

"I'm… yes, I'm alright." She nodded, yet didn't move. The Captain raised his eyebrows in question. He noted the still considerable pink shade of her cheeks and the sight of her now wasn't any less desirable than during the incident back home. It was only her attire that was much different.

He took a step closer and extended a hand. "May I help?" He asked like a true gentleman. She eyed his hand at first and he saw her biting her lower lip, maybe in consideration, before she shook her head no.

"Thank you but I'll ah… I'll manage." He wasn't really surprised to receive that answer, she could be incredibly stubborn. He nodded and stepped back but not before playfully ruffling Felix' hair. The boy gave a little giggle but continued to play.

The Captain crossed his arms then and turned back to Maria who seemed somewhat puzzled. The Captain could easily see her discomfort. Now that he had set his own mind straight, he was having a clearer picture. While there were still many things for him to learn about this new Maria, there were certain reactions on her part that made sense in the aftermath. He also had the advantage of being able to read her littler gestures and expressions, features that were essentially hers, with or without memories.

"Are you planning to stay in there all day?" He asked nonchalantly, a small, amused smile making the corner of his lips twitch upwards, well aware that her mind was reeling. Her eyes shot up to his face, evidently noticing his amusement with the situation.

"Certainly not." She replied and glared at him.

"Well, I was just… wondering, since… you don't seem inclined to move. In fact you look quite comfortable." The Captain was immensely enjoying her discomfort. There was a stubborn, almost pouty expression on her face that he had seen many times. Frankly, he had missed it. Seeing her alive right in front of him, looking as beautiful and adorable as she had always had made his heart swell. That she wore different clothes and had longer hair made no difference whatsoever at the moment. He just wanted to relish hearing her endearing huff again.

"I assure you, I'm not." She blurted out before giving Felix a quick glance, noting he was much more interested in his ship than in the adults.

"Well you have always had an affinity for falling into masses of water." The colours to her cheeks returned once again but this time he suspected it wasn't only embarrassment but frustration, too.

"You startled me." She defended herself and the Captain didn't keep the amused smile back anymore. One way or another, he always seems to be involved in her getting wet.

"In that case, I apologize." Yet there was still clear hint of amusement in his voice and it further increased her discomfort. Her son was the living-breathing proof that she had been intimate with Captain von Trapp, yet Maria felt shy.

The pointed gaze she gave him held a message, one the Captain was all too happy to play ignorant about. He raised his eyebrows once again, giving her a mock confused glare.

"Thank you, I'll accept. But I'm sure you've got business to attend to, don't let me keep you from it."

"No I've got nothing in particular planned today. In fact I was just looking for you." He could tell she wasn't necessarily pleased with that information. "Besides, it would be highly rude of me to leave a damsel in distress behind."

Her eyes slightly narrowed before that all too familiar pleasant smile appeared on her face. "We're not at sea, Captain, I won't drown."

"Thank God. For a moment there I thought you might just need the help of an experience captain, after all."

"Prince Charming on a U-boat? I feel much safer." The Captain realized he had had it coming. Her mockery met its target but it didn't annoy him, on the contrary.

"I'm getting out." She informed him promptly but again, failed to move. The look she was giving him was expectant but when he didn't react, she gave him a pointed gaze. "Turn around, please." Maria practically commanded.

"O-ho. I assure you, there's nothing there I haven't seen before."

Maria's jaw dropped in shock, this time not only her cheeks but her chest was burning from the redness, too.

"Ooooh… you…." Despite the conclusion that she had been unnecessarily harsh with him the night before, there was a still considerable amount of annoyance left in her which was further compelled by her current situation. If that hadn't been enough, he had the decency to actually tease her about such things. To make matters more confusing, she wasn't only feeling hot from the rage but from the aspect of the truth behind his words.

There was no doubt left in Maria why the Captain had appealed to her on a physical level. He had the kind of charm she was sure mesmerized many women. Broad shoulders, very handsome features, neatly groomed hair that practically screamed to be ruffled lovingly. But then there was his personality, rude one day and then joking on her expense the next. To say he was volatile was an understatement. But Maria had her strong reactions, too.

She shot him a death glare and stubbornly rose to her feet in the fountain, emerging almost like a mermaid. She covered her bosoms by crossing her forearms in front of her chest and she pressed her lips together in annoyance as she waded through the water to get out. The Captain couldn't keep his eyes from roaming over the body that she was trying to hide. He had been vastly familiar with it, he had explored every inch and curve during that blissful month of their honeymoon in Paris. He licked his lips unconsciously, it was only now that he realized it wasn't only his heart that had missed her so terribly.

All of that was lost on Maria as she tried her best not to slip again. Oh why did she have to be so clumsy, she wondered. Of course it was partially his fault, too. He had startled her. Yet she refused to think more about just why did she have such a strong reaction to his voice. It wasn't an easy task to climb out with how tightly she had been guarding her now nearly see through dress over her chest, but she had managed. She did jump a little again when, as soon as she stood on the ground, felt something warm around her shoulders.

The Captain knew Maria refused help and would have done it again had he asked, so without offering, he simply removed his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. She looked startled at first before but after a few hesitant moments she pulled it tighter around herself and murmured a silent "Thank you."

"I'll watch Felix while you change." The Captain told her and again, she looked contemplative. It was easy to tell that her son was still immensely enjoying himself, and each time that happened, he was persistent about keeping up with his fun to the point that he would refuse to leave. Since carrying him would only get him wet, too, Maria had to conclude the Captain's offer was the best solution.

"I'll be back shortly." She told him and turned to leave.

"Maria." He called after her, the lack of use of Fraulein not lost on her. "When you're back, I believe it's time for a talk." There was no teasing, nor any amusement in his voice anymore. She could tell that he was serious but without any sign of hostility. Despite how riled up she had gotten the night before and despite the time she had needed to be ready to digest the unexpected reunion, that talk was what she had been waiting for all along. She merely nodded in agreement before she ran inside to change.

To Be Continued…