NIGHT TERRORS

chapter 6

Not a minute after Georg's wristwatch stroke ten, precise hour, the Von Trapp family was up and ready for the next leg of the hike.

Arranged in a row, Kurt, Friedrich, Brigitta, Louisa and Liesl carefully followed the path their parents' feet were tracing. For the time being, Georg had decided to lead the row by Maria's side, this way the two little daughters would have kept each other good company and avoided to stumble and waste time recollecting oddly shaped pebbles and, most importantly, he could have kept his wife under control in case she suffered another heartburn episode.

Earlier in the morning he had obsessively worried about her conditions, asking if she felt good enough to hike repeatedly, as if he knew no other words than those ones.

I'm fine, I swear!, she would constantly repeat, soon learning to reply even before the question was nothing else but a tangle of sounds travelling from his throat to the mouth.

It would almost bother her at times, she was totally unaccustomed to complain and even more unaccustomed to be cared for. She had always done everything by herself, she had been forced to.

But his worrying was more than understandable. Almost twenty years spent commanding ships afar from home, had made him completely oblivious to the troubles some family members could get through. He had seen men dying under his own eyes, loosing a leg or an arm in battle, spilling bright red blood after being shot or hurt but these men were his crew - his friends at best - but not his family.

And his family was far away from that reality, so much that whenever one of the children or Agathe fell ill and he would surprisingly happen to be at home, their health conditions seemed to be incredibly silly compared to what he had seen in the previous days. As if a couple of sneezes and a cold were something to worry so much about, they could be easily overlooked.

Well, actually, they really couldn't.

He shouldn't have underestimated them.

Not when those same silly symptoms – high temperature or a sore throat – handed his poor wife Agathe directly into the engulfing arms of death.

And now it didn't matter how much Maria would complain, nor how annoying she would find his behaviour, he wouldn't have made the same mistake twice.

He couldn't afford to lose the dearest love of his life again.

And this meant that no detail was to be overlooked, never, ever again.

These thoughts were making such a noise inside his mind to the point of rendering him mute on the outside. He didn't realize how silent the hike had been so far until his wife was out of his sight, quite a noticeable thing when he had been mechanically following her steps for the past hour or so.

Finally brought back to reality, Georg realized she was only a few steps away from him but her look was focused on his opposite side. And even though his vision was quite blurred from the distance and the curls of dark hair that kept brushing and bothering his eyes, it didn't take him long to notice that the expression on her face was not the happy and determined one she had sported that morning, but an uneasy one. Her lips were pursed into a tight line, the corners of her eyes turned downwards and the skin between her brows furrowed.

At first, he had approached her quickly, fearing she was about to feel sick again, but when her sight came into better focus, he knew it was not that but something far more intimate, something she felt deeply inside herself. But he was too close to retrieve.

"It's- ... hard to say goodbye to something we love" his words caught her by surprise as did the hand he eased above her shoulder, soothingly.

Her eyes fell close and as her head lowered, a stray tear descended on her cheek, as if it was too painful to look at her beloved Untersberg again, one last time.

"Tell me about it?" Georg suggested once not a word seemed to be able to come out of her mouth.

Maria raised her head, bringing herself back to eye level and noticing the familiar grin in his icy blue eyes, the brisk alpine air unkempting them both.

Why was he asking?

She had been talking about it in almost each of the talks they had been sharing during their engagement. She was confused.

"You know everything about it" she pointed out, wiping the wetness on her cheek with the back of her hand

"No, I don't. You were about to tell me everything about it yesterday, just before you fell asleep like a baby".

The grin on his lips widened, wickedly, which made the dimple in his cheek stand out and caused her to hint at a smile, loving the sight of him as much as that of her mountains.

"Well, you know how I discovered the hill, and I intend sparing every cry spill" her shoulders bobbed at a weak giggle, "when I ran away from my uncle's shack, I would go straight to a well that used to be there for I would get so thirsty that I wouldn't get enough water until my face was completely soaked! ... Unfortunately, it was removed some years later, I'm not sure when because I was probably at the Abbey by that time. That's why we haven't seen it earlier" she continued telling after a brief pause

"How could you know from there?"

"From the Abbey? I would run away from there too, darling!" she softly chuckled again, "the hills have always been my safe place, I just couldn't stay away from them"

"So, you indeed were much more trouble there"

"Will you actually stop it?" she adorably pouted, yet unable to hide how delightful the teasing of Georg's grin was being, "I remember one time when I left the Abbey to come here, I'll never forget it all my life …"

I saw the sun shining brightly in the sky from the small window of my little room and then a flock of skylarks flew by. I had never seen something so beautiful and I knew right there it was a signal, after long days trapped into the Abbey I finally had to go there. Once I was outside, I kept my eyes up to the sky and when the flock appeared again, it brought me directly to my mountain, it wanted me to go right through the clouds with it.

Oh, the sky was so blue, and everything was so green and fragrant.

I had never seen so much beauty in the place. As a matter of fact, I got so mesmerized that I lost track of time that it was only when the bell ringed for mass that I knew I was late, again.

I entered the Abbey quietly and noticed Sister Sofia and Sister Berthe standing near the fountain, my heart was beating so fast I thought I would be discovered even without speaking for how loud it was. So, I decided to look as casual as I could, took a deep breath and began to whistle, walking down the stairs to reach the church without wasting time to change.

Well, eventually, Sister Berthe indeed chastised me and made me say hundreds of Holy Marys while she reported about the tears on my dress and the scrapes on my knee to the Revered Mother.

"But it wasn't my fault, really! I didn't have particularly strong limbs at the time, the children learned how to climb much faster and easier than me. And the burks of the trees were always so rough and splintery that with the morning dew it was easy to slip and fall and scratch myself. It was a little bit like … like the one of this tree".

Her piping voice stopped suddenly as reality dawned on her.

They were much ahead in their hiking schedule and the Untersberg was far behind their shoulders.

Of course, Georg was interested in her stories, but the actual aim of his previous request was just to help her getting through it.

He knew exactly what he was trying to do from the very beginning.

And had succeeded indeed. Maria had led them through new paths with the same knowledge and audacity of a master commander and without even being aware of doing so. He couldn't be prouder of her.

And he was right.

She was attached to that place beyond words, but a mountain would always be a mountain.

Flourishing nature, clear and blue skies, bright and warm sun would have always been with her.

But they wouldn't have meant nothing if she wasn't with the people she loved the most in the entire world.

Thick, dark grey smoke fogged the large office whose windows were closed, not allowing the tiniest breath of fresh air from coming in. That stench permeated everything, from the old armchairs to the men's uniforms.

"How can you be so sure?"

An angry fist was slammed over the desk, lips pursed into a pensive mood and yet another cigar held between two fingers.

"Grown up men always know" Zeller snarled, eyes narrowed

Subtle yet frustrating as ever, the rebuke didn't go unnoticed to the eighteen years old boy as he remembered Georg's words.

You're only boy.

Rolf regretted not to have proven him wrong earlier, if he was ever given another chance, he wouldn't have wasted it. Not anymore.

A knock was heard at the door and soon a tall, skinny man with hollow cheeks and thick eyebrows was introduced into the room

"Herr Reiter, do sit down".

The old, neatly dressed man made a contrast with the greenish uniforms of the three other men in the office: one exiting it after being dismissed by the one behind the desk, and the other, much younger, sitting on another armchair, close to the one he had been invited to occupy soon.

"Rolf, I'm sure that you already know Franz" the man spoke, lowering the cigar into the ashtray.

A thin line of smoke was left raising from the burning ash, Rolf's eyes never leaving it, not even when Zeller got up from his desk. His hands clasped behind his back, and he began walking back and forth along one of the largest walls of the room, clearing his throat before speaking.

"Since our last encounter, your information have proven very useful. I've summoned you here trusting you will be able to provide us the information we need now"

"What sort of information, Herr Zeller?"

"The family has managed flouting our controls, we've perlustrated every nearby town without any positive response, their tracks are lost. But I have my orders to oblige, and I won't allow Captain Von Trapp escape us again. In other words, Herr Reiter, we need to find the family and give the Captain no option of choice"

The mousy faced man stopped on his steps, his eyes unblinkingly directed to Franz now, aware that he, either, had other choice but collaborate with them.

The old butler distracted his eyes from the papers on the desk and pensively ran his forefinger over the skin between his long nose and thin lips.

"If I may, Her Zeller, you are focusing your moves into the wrong direction. As I informed you already, the Captain and his family had planned to cross the border and head to Switzerland. That was all I heard so I can't give any other information" he stopped, adjusting his position on his seat, "but if he has some sense left into him, he's probably sticking to that plan. He's a disciplinarian, doesn't like change"

"The borders are closed and strictly supervised, so if they intend carrying out their plan they must be on foot, a car would only trouble them" Zeller observed, resuming to walk.

The room fell silent for several seconds, the men's minds lost in their own thoughts, although all focused on the same intent.

"They mustn't be far, not even difficult to recognize" Zeller pointed out

"A family with seven children never could" Franz hinted to a mocking chuckle, crossing his legs

"I was not referring to the children" Zeller reprimanded him immediately, "families are quite extensive, especially in rural villages"

"But the Captain would never have his children confused with the locals, he's always been very firm and protective of them, at least before Fraulain Maria arrived. He trusts her completely" Rolf spoke up, hoping to positively contribute to the conversation

"Easy target, that lady" the butler commented, casually taking the floor again.

That was it.

The pivotal point of the entire conversation had been finally served to him like a delicacy on a silver platter.

"What is that you say?" Zeller looked back at Franz, his expression interested as ever

The man was confused at first but quickly composed himself and went on explaining further "well, she's a very smart, clever lady but I've known her in her early days as a governess and she's quite flighty" the man commented, hoping to make up for his last, inappropriate statement.

"Excellent, Herr Reiter, stay available for further necessity".

Zeller dismissed him from his office immediately, now that he had obtained what he was looking for, there was no reason for the butler to waste any minute of his precious time. His steps directed him back to the desk where he caught a glass between his fingers, waving the whiskey in it in circular motions while a devilish grin set on his swollen face.

Easy target.

"Cheers!" the man gestured with the glass right in front of the young boy's face, "we'll get that lovely little thing that our target is as a blackmail and the Captain will be between our hands before we even know".

Zeller threw himself onto his chair, raising a thick cloud of dust as he did, and laid his short legs on the desk in the most relaxed position.

"Call Admiral Shneider and address him directly to me" he commanded, taking a drag on the cigar, "oh and Rolf, you see? Grown up men do know".

There was sheer satisfaction in the tone of his voice, aware that his plan was unfailing as the brown paper of the cigar rolled between his two fingers once again.

It's you we want, not them

Put that down

Not another move or I'll shoot!

You're only a boy, you don't really belong to them

Stay where you are

Came away with us! It's not too late

Not another step, I'll kill you!

You give that to me, Rolf

Did you hear me? I'll kill you!

Rolf, you'll never belong to them.

This would have been the last time she would hear his voice before a bullet shot to his stomach would take him away from her forever.

"No!" a loud gasp awoke Maria from that awful nightmare.

Her eyes were ripped open and brimmed with tearful fear, her cheeks steamy red, her hands trembling like leaves at each of the restless sobs her crumbling shoulders were making, if her breath was inaudible, it was only because she was unconsciously holding it back from anxiety.

"It's me, Maria, I'm here" Georg woke up not more than two seconds later, immediately providing to help her, cupping her hot cheeks into his palms, "Do you recognize my face? Please breathe now, long breaths in through the nose ... hold it ... and now out through the mouth" his voice was firm, worried.

But he couldn't let this worry get him, at least not until she remembered how to breathe, which she began to do after a few more, painfully long seconds.

"Okay, just like that" he soothed, "again now, breathe with me" he invited her once more.

Her lids began to slowly go back to normal as her chest rhythmically expanded and shrunk whenever the fresh, nightly air would be allowed into her lungs. But her body was still curled into a tight ball, her throat still dry and utter fear still ripping through her.

"He didn't give you the gun, he kept it pointed and shot a bullet right through you … you- you collapsed on the floor and you were gone, and children and I were alone, I didn't know what to do, I- ... I ..." a new flow of tears took over her

"I'm here now, I'm not going anywhere. Come here, my love".

Georg felt a visceral squeeze to his heart at the terrifying sight of his wife in such a miserable state and quickly gathered her into his arms, puling her close to his chest aware of how it calmed her to listen to his heartbeat. Even though his own heart as well was pounding now.

Long, deep kisses were pressed to her crown and while a hand ran up and down her spine, the other held her close to him as he tangled his fingers through her damp and unkempt hair and curled his fingers back and forth to brush caresses to the back of her head.

Soon her breathing regularized, heavy tears vanished into sobs and slowly, Maria started to become aware of her surroundings.

After long, exhausting hours of walking, climbing and hiking, the family had decided to nestle into a deep valley for the night, safe that it would protect them from any danger. The children were right by their side, cuddled into each other to keep themselves warm and still peacefully asleep, their sweet faces serene and relaxed from the deep slumber they were enjoying after a tough day.

The evening breeze of the afternoon was still blowing, becoming cooler when in contact with the stray tears poured from her swollen eyes, and a duvet of stars had blown away all the grey clouds that had accompanied them in the morning.

Her husband's arms were around her firmly, reassuringly, and his lips were pressed to her temples, reminding her that it had only been a nightmare.

A night terror.

"You were there" the long silence plunged between them was broken by Georg's voice.

It seemed to tremble, maybe for the shock, maybe from the fear, she couldn't tell from the state she was in.

Maria took a deep, shaky breath, wishing she didn't have to answer yet but she owned it to him and gulping the huge lump lodged in her throat, she forced herself back to that awful evening.

"When you told us to get into the car, I- let Liesl guide the children there. I don't know what, but something compelled me to stay, I couldn't follow them, I just had to know what was happening to you. I stopped halfway down the stairs so that I could both keep the children and you in sight. I saw your profile standing in the half light, teasing, challenging, provoking him. He would threaten you and you wouldn't stop, you would approach him closer and closer until I couldn't see you anymore. If I took another step, Rolf would have certainly seen me so I could only rely on your voices … And when I heard that long, utter silence I was petrified with fear, I was so ready to hear a shot. I would have risked my own life to see you one last time, Georg, it seemed I could remember nothing about you – the love in your eyes, the edelweiss in your voice, the way you use to hold me – it was all gone. It slipped away from my hands and my mind too and I- ...".

Another painful spell of tears overwhelmed her cheeks, the bobbing of her shoulder increasing with each passing second, her lower lips beginning to tremble restlessly.

"… I didn't know what to do. Not even where to start. Where would I find the strength to tell the children they'd lost their father too, where I would find the strength to keep the family and myself going without your guidance. I felt so lost already at the thought, that it has been torturing me ever since" her shoulders curved inwards as if she wished to disappear into his arms.

Her breath had succumbed again to a messy pace that didn't show any sign of recovery for how many hot tears she was spilling.

"Stop, Maria, please breathe" he reminded her, "none of that happened, you can see me I am here. You'll just hurt yourself if you keep thinking about it, you will never have to do anything like that, I will never leave you. And even if I did, I know you would do just fine, as you've alw-" he spoke softly, slowly, convincing her of his vivid presence

"Don't say that Georg, please" she interrupted him, a weak cry stabbing her heart at the thought.

She held onto him for dear life, her fingers tightly curled around the collar of his shirt when she lifted her head and met his gaze.

"Maria, my love, nothing will ever do us apart" his voice was firm, loving, affectionate as ever

"Promise?" a weak mumble left her lips

"Promise" he echoed her words, with a sincerity in his tone that made her realize once again that what they had was something unique in the world.

He sucked in a shaky breath as he looked into her puffy, watery eyes, hoping to swallow with the same ease the thought that for as much as he believed in it, life always kept surprises in store.

One thing he was sure about, though. Had anything happened tomorrow, in a moth or a year, he would have protected her with all his might, relentlessly, fiercely, with every glimpse of strength left in his body. Was it the last thing he did.

His nose grazed on her skin, brushing the golden strands of her fringe away before his lips pressed a long, deep kiss to her forehead, steaming from all she had been through.

"I love you" she managed to whisper despite her face being stuffed into his shirt

"I love you too" he replied in a lower pitched whisper, confirming that she was the one.

The only one for him.

Then, now, and forever.

Author's Note: Finally back to this fic after a short break, I'm sorry it took me so long. But I am very appreciative of those who are still here and took some time to read, I'm looking forward to hear of you about this chapter that was quite a though one to write, seeing Maria in pain just tears me apart. That said, I hope you enjoyed it and I'll see you next week!