A/N: No cliffy this time. I decided to be nice given it's Sunday, at least for me here in New Jersey, USA. I'm overwhelmed by the response to this, I truly am.

I am struggling between two ideas for my Brigitta story, but once I make up my mind I'll have that one shot published. I hope to have it finished before I finish posting this so that it's ready to go up when this story's posting has been concluded.

Chapter Thirteen

Maria didn't know what to say at first. She never dreamed the Captain…Georg would ever ask her to be his wife, and never under these circumstances. "Oh, Georg," Maria gasped. "I can't. I can't ask you to make that sacrifice. You have so much time ahead of you where you might find true love again, where you could be truly happy; I couldn't stand in the way of that."

"You wouldn't be," Georg said with so much conviction Maria nearly believed him. He rose from the crouched position and once again sat across from her, taking her hands. "The truth is Maria, I have had feelings for you, deep feelings for a long time now. The night Elsa left, and I went to see you at the gazebo, I wanted to tell you then how I felt but when I tried to touch you…you were frightened of me. I thought I'd just take my time; let you get used to me acting like a civilized human being instead of a mean wretch and we would see. It would be no sacrifice for me, Maria. It would be, if the cause was anything other than you being hurt, my pleasure to be your husband. I wish the circumstances were different, but they aren't. I can promise you one thing though, whether you say yes or you don't, nothing like this will ever happen again. I won't let anyone hurt you again, not ever. That's a promise."

Maria listened carefully to Georg's words. Had he really cared for her all that time? She remembered the night he came to find her, the night the Baroness left. He had started to talk to her about staying on and he did try to touch her arm and her knee but the thought of that had shaken her.

Georg was nothing if not painfully honest. Maria wasn't stupid, she knew if the doctor told him about her condition first, he could have arranged it so there was a condition no longer, it would have been his right as the man charged with her protection, given she had no family. Only he hadn't, he'd been truthful with her even though it was embarrassing for them both.

Maria couldn't deny the feelings in her own heart. She loved Georg, she truly and honestly did, but she'd been broken. What kind of woman didn't want a handsome suitor to touch them? Could she ask him to have that kind of life? Would he expect more than she was able to give?

As if he read her mind, Georg spoke. "We wouldn't have to be married in every sense, Maria, and if you think on it logically, we are already in many ways. We share the love of the children and of music, we enjoy each other's company, and we fight like cats and dogs. It would never have to be more than a legal arrangement between two very good friends, two best friends."

Maria was about to answer when she felt the unwelcomed but familiar feeling of nausea come over her. She rushed to get up from the chair so she could be ill over the side of the railing.

Instead of recoiling at her sickness, Georg moved to her side and placed a firm, but gentle hand on the middle of her back. "Breath in…and just let it go, just let it go and relax. It's all right."

Maria hadn't eaten much, so there wasn't much to expel. When the spasm passed, she looked up at Georg and smiled at him. "No, it's not all right," she sighed. "It might never be all right. I am…I'm damaged goods, as they say, Georg, truly, but your offer is so sweet and generous. I suppose from time to time we could…that is if you needed to, or I could look the other way if you were to…"

Georg wanted to hug her, but he thought better of it. Instead, he rubbed her back and kept the distance open between them. "Not necessary and not in my character, Maria. Now, is there anyone I should go to to ask formal permission to marry you?"

"Well, why don't we ask…" Maria began then finished with Georg. "The children?"

They chuckled softly and Maria leaned into Georg just a little bit. They were quiet for a few minutes, just standing close to one another before Maria spoke. "When will it be? The birth I mean?"

"Given the time frame late June, early July I'd suspect. It's going to be hot, but we'll do our best to make sure you're comfortable. Marta was born in August after all."

"Yes," Maria sighed. "And the wedding? When would you like for us to have that?"

"The sooner the better," Georg replied. "By the end of the week if we can arrange the paperwork. The doctor has ordered for you to rest today but perhaps tomorrow if you're feeling strong enough, we can handle the legalities. I can probably get a priest to forgo the formalities with a generous enough donation."

"We'll talk to the children tonight then?" Maria asked. "I do feel like I need to have a few moments to myself to absorb everything."

"Of course," Georg replied. "But first you eat a little something for me, I'll have cook warm up your tea."

Maria nodded and sat back down while Georg gathered the teacup and stepped back toward the house. "Maria," Georg said over his shoulder before he entered the house. "I keep my promises. It really is going to be all right."

Maria closed her eye and took a deep breath, she wished with all her heart she could believe him.

When they had finished their light breakfast, Maria retreated to her room for a rest and to clear her head, Georg did the same, retreating though to his study. He wasn't surprised when Max appeared before him mere moments after he'd shut the door.

"Do you knock?" Georg asked his old friend as he debated whether to have a drink at 10am.

"Would you have let me in if I did?" Max countered. "I heard Fraulein Maria's bedroom door closing. Don't worry, I headed off the children for now, Liesl and Friedrich are so grown up, you should be so proud of them Georg."

"I am, Max," Georg replied. "We'll be talking to the children shortly about things, letting them know what's going to happen from here on out, sparing the more gory details of course."

"Did she tell you anything? Were we right? Was it Mueller that did this to her?" Max was of the mind to see Heinrich Mueller about this himself. He knew Georg couldn't he had too much responsibility, but he most certainly could and would do especially if Maria confirmed he was the one assaulted her.

"No," Georg sighed. "She doesn't remember the attack itself, not very well. We have narrowed down the time frame, it was the night she went missing and I found her on the mountain all scraped up, but she didn't identify anyone. She wasn't sure it was real until I just confirmed what she remembers…in her dreams. That bastard even haunts her dreams."

"How did she take the news? I mean, it is hard to swallow, becoming pregnant and not even remembering…"

"She was upset of course, but it was a little dissociative, like she wasn't really there having the experience, even while I talked with her," Georg tried to explain. "Still, think I managed to convince her, at least for now, to trust me and let me handle this situation for what it is. We are going to speak to the children about being married and do our best to have the ceremony by the end of the week."

"Georg, the talk is going to…" Max began as if Georg needed reminding.

"My name will have to suffice, Max," Georg replied. "It's a good strong name with my entire career to pull it forward. I think it will be fodder for a while but die down by the time it matters. If not, well, we'll see, one step at a time."

"So, she's agreed?" Max pressed. "Maria's agreed to marry you, become the new baroness von Trapp?"

"She has Max, though I don't think she fully absorbed a title other than wife and mother comes with the decision and I don't want her reminded, is that clear?"

Even if Max wanted to argue, he wouldn't not when Georg spoke like that. "Crystal," Max smiled. "Well, I better go and get on with writing the toast, we'll at least have to have a special meal to celebrate. It's a good thing to do regardless of the circumstances, you are highly suitable for each other."

"Whatever gave you the idea that you would need to come up with a toast, Max?" Georg asked. "Isn't that something a best man would do?"

"Georg, even if you had another friend that was in town and able to attend a whirlwind wedding, you would never have one more colorful than I," Max laughed.

"I was only being facetious Max," Georg confirmed. "But nothing that will embarrass Maria, please. We have to be careful, I'm not sure we know all the physical damage she suffered yet, and I know we have no clue about the emotional."

"I'm going to be as supportive as I can," Max said seriously. "You tell me what you need me to do, I'll do it. Apart from the terrible reason, I am happy for you, Georg. You are getting what you wanted, you are going to marry the woman you love."

Georg nodded slowly, "What does it mean that I would give up the idea of her in a second if that meant she hadn't had to suffer through what she did?" he mused mostly to himself, though Max answered him anyway.

"That you love her more than even you understand," Max stated flatly before he turned on his heel and left Georg alone with his rapidly spinning thoughts.