Part 15

He voice was barely a whisper as she found it again, "Oh my God...Max." She could say nothing else, words escaping her as Max, a man she had come to know as family, stood before her. She blinked as her heart raced "I…" her tongue still tied.

Max smiled but not his usual full on cheeky smile, it was almost sad, laced with disappointment and her heart sank deeply, it hitting rock bottom and then sinking even lower if possible. He had trusted her, asked her, made her promise that she would take care of georg, her love, and she had betrayed her words.

Max adjusted his hat and cleared his throat "Hello Maria" he said warmly "I think we need to talk" he said looking at her intently.

All Maria could do was nod as the vulnerability that she had adopted in the Von Trapp house hold took over her once again.

Maria started walking towards the hotel where she was staying as Max followed her in silence.

He did not want to believe what Elsa had told him but as the minutes past by and the silence between them got longer his doubts became stronger and any hope he had left was slipping away at an alarming rate.

Half way there Maria sighed and closed her eyes, her footsteps slowing as Max watched her with a perplexed look on his face.

"Maria?" he said concerned and quite bluntly disturbed by her rough and almost dull complexion.

Maria shook her head before opening her eyes, both of them glistening with unshed tears "I failed you" she whispered looking at him, the warm colours of the sunset making her relax slightly.

He looked at her sadly and immediately knew all his fears were right they had been confirmed in those few words but what he couldn't understand was how, they had been so in love, so inseparable. Slowly he walked forward and enveloped her smaller form in a hug, Maria clinging to him desperately.

"What happened?" he said pulling away.

Maria looked around and spotted a fountain, exhaustion and the day's events taking its toll "I will tell you but I need to sit" she said smiling.

Max nodded and soon they were sat on the edge of the big fountain as Maria looked at her worn reflection in the rippling water. She wanted to speak but still words eluded her and her eyes were finding it hard to look at him. The same words kept spinning round her mind, he trusted you. She wanted to tell him, oh by good she did but what could she tell him? Where would she start? She, herself, the one who had lived it, didnt even know where it had begun and to go through it again, twice within the spance of a day or so, she felt like she was going to break, shatter into the tiniest peices.

Max watched, his heart breaking at the woman who used to be so full of life, now broken and scarred. His sympathetic yet confused eyes followed as she put his head in her hands and thought it best if he started.

"So it's true, that you are once again involved in the Nazi's sordid affairs?" he said trying hard not to sound so harsh.

Maria nodded "Yes, but not for the reasons you must think Max"

Reasons? There were no reasons to be involved with them. Once you were, you were branded, how could have he have been so stupid as to think this woman could change! "Maria don't play games with me" he said angry.

Maria looked up, her defences now up "Max I could never, you are like family to me so don't accuse me when you do not understand any of the facts!" she snapped back her emotions catching back up with her.

"Then explain them to me!" he pleaded "You and Georg were inseparable! I don't understand how that could have been torn so easily" he said searching her eyes for any kind of answer.

Maria's mouth dropped open and fury crossed her face "Are you questioning my love for him?" her voice catching as tears came back to her eyes.

"You tell me?" he said angrily.

"He's DEAD!" she shouted standing up, her pulse beating rapidly beneath her smooth skin.

Max looked at her in shock "Well whoever you got your information from must be wrong because according to my sources he's still very much alive" he said standing up.

Maria spun around in anger "Well your sources must be very much wrong because I saw him die!" she sobbed. What was he trying to do to her! "Max I know this must be hard for you but I saw it!" she said.

Max's heart was beating rapidly, his head so confused. "Maria you're wrong you have to be. All his accounts are running and all the preparations he made for your escape are still going ahead"

Maria wiped away her tears and took a breath, too many things overwhelming her "Max… did you ever think that after I was ripped away from my family that he told Fredrich his plans" she said pacing as she tried to breathe in, oxygen feeling so far away.

Max shook his head "He couldn't have there was too much information and what do you mean ripped away?" he said watching as she paced.

"I was taken Max! The Nazis took me and shot Georg! What did you think happened! That I just took off, that I left the only people I have ever truly loved!" she shouted.

Max groaned remembering a few mornings before Georg and Maria had been married and everything swept up in this confusion how Maria and Georg had fought, her anger carrying her away and as always her winning "What was I supposed to think?" he said trying to reason with her.

"Anything but that!" she said not looking at him, her head spinning.

Max sighed in regret "Maria…"

Maria who was breathing hard interrupted him "Don't Max, I know this is hard, I had trouble dealing with it at first but I will not… I will…" her vision swayed slightly and she swallowed, blinking hard "I will not tolerate you… your ac" she didn't have the chance to finish her sentence as her vision went black and her legs collapsed beneath her, Max only just managing to catch her as he lowered her to the floor.

-SOM-

Elsa didn't know when she dropped off but she knew it had been sometime since she had seeing as the sky was turning to night as she heard the phone ring.

Jumping out of bed she quickly ran to the phone and answered it "Hello?"

"Er Hi I was wondering if a Max Dettweiler is there?" the voice spoke and Elsa gasped in shock, she knew that voice, never would she forget it.

"Georg? Is that you?" she said with hope.

Georg who was on the other end of the line laughed in realisation "Elsa?"

Elsa laughed as well "Yes it's me. Oh it's so good to hear your voice! How are you? How are the children?" she paused wondering whether she should ask about Maria given what she knew but passed up on it for the moment.

"I'm well thank you and the children are coping. Is Max there by any chance?" he said his voice sounding urgent.

Elsa looked around and suddenly saw his note "I'm sorry Georg he's gone out for a bit but I'm sure he will be back soon if you wanted to call back" she said sounding sympathetic.

Georg nodded even though she couldn't see him "I see. Well thank you anyway…"

Elsa knew he was about to abandon the line and she still had so many questions spinning in her mind "Georg wait!" she shouted down the line.

There was a pause before she heard him again "Yes?"

She bit her lips but continued "Maria. She is not with you is she?" there was a long pause and she feared he had left "Georg?"

"I'm still here. And no, she is not with us" he replied his voice thick and her heart broke, knowing that he was probably breaking again his hard façade taking back is firm place.

"Oh Georg…" she whispered.

"Don't" he said back.

Elsa wanted to tell him what she had seen but would it be wise? After everything he had been through could he take it? Could the children? She felt like everything was lying in her hands, that if she said the wrong thing the world would surely start crashing around them. But she owed him, even after she had everything between them she felt like she owed him.

Taking a breath she spoke, her voice shaking slightly "Georg, there's something I need to tell you" she said pausing slightly "I… the other day, I saw someone. I'm not completely sure, but I am pretty certain it was Maria" as soon as she finished she knew all hell had broken loose on his end.

"WHAT? When? Where Elsa? Tell me I beg of you!" he said so fast that she barley caught his words.

"Calm down Georg! That is not what concerns me! You see not only did I see her but I saw her in a Nazi uniform" she said quietly.

Again the line went quiet and her heart suddenly fell. What if she had made the wrong decision what if she now crushed his every hope? Oh you stupid woman she thought as she heard his breaths get slower.

"Are you certain" he said his voice broken and unsure, so unlike his usually oh so sure and defiant voice.

"I…"

"Elsa"

She sighed closing her eyes "No, not completely" she said trying to give him at least some hope.

"But she may be somewhere in Innsbruck?"

Elsa out her hand to her forehead "Georg for all we kno…" suddenly the front door burst open Max storming in with a young girl in his arms. Her head spun and max looked like he'd seen a thousand ghosts "Max what happ… Oh my god!" she said suddenly recognizing the frail woman ensconced in her lovers arms.

Putting the phone back to her ear she poke quickly her voice shaking violently "Georg where are you?"

Georg frowned hearing her voice shake "A small town in Switzerland. Why?" he said completely confused.

"You need to come here straight away! I assume you know where we are seeing as you know the phone number" she said looking back and forth between the wall in front of her and Maria behind her whom Max was placing on the couch.

"Well yes but I don't understand why Elsa!" he said getting angry and confused.

Elsa groaned at what seemed were ridiculous questions "Because your beloved sponge just walked through the door WITH YOUR WIFE!" she yelled leaving Georg in an utter state of shock.

-SOM-

Georg swallowed the words just shouted at him running through his body like electrical waves. He looked around the small office trying to process everything in his mind "If I borrow my friends car I… I think I can be there within an hour 2 hours maybe" he said running his shaky hand through his hair.

Elsa nodded "Okay good and hurry she doesn't look good" she said looking back at the frail woman again, fear racing through her.

"Okay and thank you" he said sincerely.

"It's fine, now go!" she said before putting the phone down.

As soon as she was gone Georg froze. Everything he had dreamed of and everything he had hoped for for the past few months had come true. She had been found, she was safe, well partly, so why wasn't he bursting with relief and excitement? Was it Elsa words? What he had told her of Nazis? What if this whole time Maria had still been lying to him and the whole thing had been planned?

He shut his eyes and slammed his hand against the wall, no, he could not think like that, for all he knew she could have been forced, he didn't know. Taking a breath and standing up straight he soon set into action grabbing his coat and keys before finding Margret and Helen. He burst into the kitchen his chest rising and falling at a severe pace and he knew he looked like a mad man.

Helen and Margret's eyes shot up at him, both looking at him with concern as Helen put her tea down on the kitchen table "Georg? Is everything alright?" she said looking over his frightful complexion.

Georg out of breath and so very confused spoke "Yes and no and i… they… Max, he found her, he um found Maria" he said watching as happiness crossed over the two women's faces "I'm going, now, to Innsbruck to see her"

Helen stood immediately "Let us come with you!" she begged.

Georg shook his head, he knew Maria was like a daughter to both of these women but the situation was far too complicated at the moment and he needed someone to take care of the children in his absence "No its too far and the situation is complicated Helen, I know you love her but I need you to look after the children, please Helen" he said hoping she would hear his desperation.

Helen bit her lip and nodded "Okay" she said reluctantly "But you bring her back or by god I will rip your head off!" she said firmly as she pointed her finger at him.

Georg laughed and for the first time in months, despite his doubts even now, he had hope. Walking forward briskly he enveloped the woman in a hug before kissing her cheek and doing the same to Margret who once again had tears in her eyes.

As they watched Georg walk out to get Maria, Margret stood and walked over to a tearing Helen and laughed Helen looked at her and wiped her tears away viciously "Oh hush Margret, I should have never gotten so seriously close to all of you. Look what you're doing to me! Every five seconds I ball up with tears!" she said trying to sound serious but a smile gracing her lips and then before she knew it the two women were hugging each other tightly.

Margret sniffled "He's bringing our girl back home" she whispered and Helen nodded gripping the short plump lady tighter.

-SOM-

Maria's head hurt terribly and her eyes just seemed too tired to open as she slowly came round. Something seemed amiss, not quite right, she swore she had fallen somewhere outside but now even without opening her eyes she knew she was inside and lying down on something soft. Suddenly her hearing kicked in and distant voices resounded around her.

"So?" a man's voice spoke gently, it seemed so familiar.

"So what?" a woman's voice replied.

"Well is she alright? What's wrong with her?" another woman's voice cut in yet again seeming so familiar.

"Oh she's fine, more than fine actually but it seems stress and everything has gotten to her, especially in her condition" she said and Maria could almost feel their gazes against her skin.

The man again spoke "Condition?"

"Well yes, isn't it obvious?" the woman's voice replied.

The other woman, her voice elegant yet soft spoke "Rashel please stop talking in riddles and tell us what is wrong with her"

Maria suddenly recognized the woman's voice and her mind woke more.

"She is pregnant. I would say 2 or three months along" she strange woman's voice said.

Maria took her queue and gently started to open her eyes, the image blurry.

Elsa noticed as Maria stirred and quickly rushed to her side stroking Maria's hair away from her eyes "Welcome back to the land of the living" she joked gently and Maria smiled. Oh she had missed them, even Elsa who she had not always been on friendly terms with. She gently took Elsa hand and squeezed it gently "It's good to see you" she said quietly.

Elsa smiled and nodded "It's very good to see you too! We missed you terribly, though we wished to be seeing you under different circumstances" she said sadly.

Maria swallowed "I know I'm sorry" she replied.

Max walked forward and rose a cheeky eyebrow, trying to lighten the mood "Pregnant?" he said smiling.

Maria blushed and looked down before she spoke quietly "It looks like I have some explaining to do" she said looking at the three faces in front of her.

Authors note: Okiedokie! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and didn't feel it was too rushed! But that said I really really enjoyed writing this chapter! Please please review and tell us what you think! thank you! And if another chapter is not posted before then MERRY CHRISTMAS! :D