Much to her surprise, Maria fell asleep within minutes of laying down in her old room, and she did not wake up until there was a knock at the door. "Fraulein Maria?" a voice called out tentatively. Maria blinked, trying to clear her mind from the haze of sleep. "Fraulein Maria?" the voice called again, even more hesitantly this time. The events of the afternoon came back in a rush, and Maria felt guilt suffuse her body once more.

"I will be right out, Brigitta. I must have fallen asleep." Quickly, she stood, smoothing out her skirts and glancing at herself in the nearby mirror. Her hair was a mess, so she took a moment to brush it out before stepping out into the hallway, She found the five oldest children there, their heads hung low. Another pang of guilt stabbed at Maria's heart as she realized that they looked not only guilty but a bit frightened as well. She opened her mouth to apologize, but Friedrich spoke first.

"Father says to tell you dinner is almost ready. He is helping Gretl and Marta get ready, and we are old enough to be responsible for ourselves." From the way he said the last part, Maria assumed it was a direct quote from Georg. Without hearing him say it, she was not sure whether to take it as a gentle admonishment to her of how much she had been helping the older children or a reminder to the children of what they were capable of. It seemed the children were assuming the latter, for as soon as Friedrich spoke, they all turned towards their rooms.

"Wait!" Maria called after them. Obediently, they turned to face her once more. "I wanted to apologize for this afternoon. I lost my temper which was wrong of me. I should not have yelled at you."

Louisa scuffed her feet on the floor. "We should not have been fighting. We're sorry, too." Friedrich and Brigitta nodded.

"And I should have watched where I was going," Kurt added.

"And I. . . can I talk with you and Father after dinner, Fraulein?" Liesl questioned. Maria could tell she was still upset. Once more, Maria admonished herself silently for shouting at the children. She knew Liesl had borne the brunt of the effects when Georg had distanced himself from his children after Agathe's death. Though his relationship with them had obviously improved greatly, Liesl remained quite sensitive to discipline from adults. Maria and Georg had learned to correct her gently which normally worked, but Maria was not surprised her actions that afternoon had hurt the girl a bit more than her siblings.

"Of course, Darling. And once again, I am very sorry for my actions this afternoon."

"It's fine." Liesl smiled, but Maria could tell it was forced.

Dinner was quieter than usual. Maria could tell that the children were still a bit wary of her, and they all continued to shoot glances her way when she thought they were not looking. Another wave of guilt washed over her, and she opened her mouth to apologize again. Before she could, however, Georg caught her eye from across the table and shook his head firmly. She closed her mouth, telling herself that things would surely be back to normal soon enough.

When dinner was over, the children shuffled out of the room. Friedrich, surprisingly, remarked, "Louisa and I can help everyone get ready for bed." He looked over at his older sister who was watching Maria expectantly. Maria nodded.

"Thank you, Friedrich. I will be up in a bit to help." As they left the room, she turned to Georg who had watched the entire exchange with a puzzled look on his face. With a slight incline of her head, she told him they needed to talk. He nodded.

"Why don't we go to my study?" he suggested. Maria and Liesl followed, and they soon sat on the comfortable sofa in his study, Liesl between Maria and Georg. Maria watched as the girl's hands danced nervously in her lap, and she wondered what could be worrying her so much. She was beginning to doubt that all of Liesl's nerves stemmed from Maria's lost temper that afternoon. She glanced at Georg over Liesl's head, and he nodded, covering her hands with one of his as he said gently, "Something is bothering you." Liesl nodded. "Can you tell us so we can try and help?"

Liesl wet her lips and looked between them for a moment before finally speaking. "Some of the older kids at school were talking, spreading rumors." She paused and took a deep breath, but Maria could guess where the conversation was going already. From the look on Georg's face, he could as well. "They are saying. . . all kinds of awful things, truthfully, but I just wondered. . . "

She trailed off. "You can ask us anything, Darling," Maria assured her. "We won't be angry."

"Why are you getting married? And so quickly?" Liesl finally blurted.

Maria saw Georg's jaw clench, but to his credit, he bit back his anger at whoever had made the remarks in the interest of comforting his daughter. "I am sorry you have to listen to those, Sweetheart," he told her, squeezing her hands. "But Maria and I are marrying for one reason—the only reason you should ever get married. We love each other and want to spend the rest of our lives together." Liesl's eyes slid to the side and Maria nodded in agreement.

"So there is not going to be a baby?"

"Not immediately, no, though I would not rule out the possibility someday." He gave Maria a small smile, and she felt her heart stutter in response. She could not help but imagine what a child of theirs might look like and act like. She knew it was up to God to decide and she would love any child or children he gave her, but she could not help but wish for a son who looked like his father.

"But why would they say such things if they were not true?"

Georg let out a long breath. "My marriage to Fraulein Maria is. . . unconventional. It is not something that most would consider and therefore they assume there must be another reason for it."

"Why would most not consider it? I mean, you said you love each other and I can tell it's true from watching you. Shouldn't everyone marry the person they love?"

"I wish life were that simple, Darling," Georg said. "Unfortunately, not everything ends like it does in a fairy tale."

"It did for you."

Georg met Maria's gaze again, his smile wider this time. "Yes, I suppose it did," he agreed, and Maria returned the smile, unable to form the words she wanted to say. It did not matter though—he knew exactly what they were already.

Things got a bit better after that. Liesl returned to her normal helpful self—though she had her moments of eye rolling and small rebellions which Maria attributed to the fact that she was nearly a teenager. The other children were, for the most part, as loud and boisterous as usual though Maria sensed a lingering wariness in them, and she heard some of the older ones give whispered admonishments to their younger siblings. She had mentioned her fears to Georg one night after the children went to bed earlier than usual, leaving them unexpectedly alone. He considered for a moment before remarking, "I think they are trying to figure out how things are going to change now that you are going to be their mother."

"Why do they have to?"

Georg smiled at her. "I know you have always loved them as a mother, my love, and that is one of the reasons I fell so hopelessly in love with you. But now that they know you are going to stay permanently, they are reassessing your role in their lives. Because as their mother, you are going to have more authority over them than you did as a governess. You will have a say in their education, in their discipline, in all aspects of their upbringing, really." Maria's eyes went wide. While she had known on some level that she would have additional parental responsibilities once they were married, she had never truly thought about just how wide reaching they would be. His smile widened. "Yes, it is overwhelming, isn't it? Don't worry, I do not intend to throw everything at you all at once—though I am sure you will handle it just as well as you have handled everything else so far."

"And I am sure your opinion is quite biased." He laughed, leaning forward to give her a short, sweet kiss.

"Give it time, love. I doubt it will take long for you and the children to figure out your new relationship dynamics." His eyes sparkled as he leaned closer again, his breath ghosting over her lips as he added, "By which point, we will likely have added another person to the family and upset the dynamics all over again." His kiss that time was far from short or sweet, and it was only Max's timely knock on the study door that kept them from losing themselves fully in one another.

By a week before the wedding, Maria had finally begun to feel that perhaps they would finish in time after all. She had just had her final fitting for her dress, and the seamstress had assured her that it would be ready the following day. Liesl, who was going to act as maid of honor given Maria's lack of female relatives or close friends, had her dress already hanging in her closet as did Marta and Brigitta who would be flower girls. All the RSVPs were in, the caterer had the final numbers, the ballroom had been thoroughly cleaned and decorations chosen for the reception, and countless other small details had been handled. The children had mostly relaxed around Maria, and she had spent many happy afternoons playing various games with them. The three society events she had attended after the embarrassing luncheon had included no gossip about her and Georg, and her fiance had been quite attentive and affectionate towards her—though he had still kept his affections quite chaste.

Six days before the wedding, Maria followed her normal nightly ritual—a quick trip to the washroom down the hall, changing into her nightclothes, and then saying her prayers. She slid into bed, pulling Georg's shirt from where she kept it hidden in her bed clothes. After that, it did not take her long to fall into a deep, dreamless sleep. However, she had not slept for long when something pulled her abruptly from her slumber. Her eyes popped open, adjusting themselves to the dark room. Fear prickled at the back of her neck. Something was wrong, but she could not figure out what it was.

She heard a sound then though it took her a moment to place it. It was a floorboard creaking. But that could not be right—no one should be in her room at such a late hour. She tried to turn her head in the direction of the sound, but no light entered the windowless room, so she could not see anything. Slowly, she reached out her left hand, intending to turn on the lamp beside her bed. Before she reached it, however, a hand clamped over her wrist. Her mouth fell open, but a second hand covered it before she could utter a single sound. "Now, now, none of that," a deep voice whispered. It was familiar, but Maria could not place it at first. However, it sent another, longer shiver of fear down her spine. Her quick mind assessed the situation, trying desperately to recall everything Georg had taught her of self defense. There was nothing in the room she could use as a weapon—the lamp she had wanted to turn on was bolted to the wall and the only other objects nearby were a Bible and a small nightstand. She supposed she could try to thump the intruder over the head with the Bible, but she doubted it would be effective.

"Now, I just need you to come along like a good girl and everything will work out for you. We just have a few questions." He pulled hard on her arm, forcing her to stand. Maria stumbled slightly before finding her balance. There was a washbasin near the door that she could perhaps use to knock him out, but she was not sure she would be able to find it quickly in the dark, and she knew she would only have a second to do so. She would have to rely on only the skills Georg had taught her.

The man began to pull her towards the door, and Maria stumbled again, reaching out a hand this time to grasp the cotton of her captor's shirt. As she had hoped, the move took him by surprise, and he paused momentarily. It was enough for Maria. She bit down hard on the hand across her mouth, and he let out a muffled curse as he pulled it back automatically. Immediately, she began to scream for help as the hand still grasping his shirt pushed him backwards, using his own momentum to propel him further. It was his turn to stumble, but he had unfortunately not let go of her arm, so she stumbled as well. Remembering Georg's instructions, she wrenched her arm upwards, and it pulled free of his grasp. Without giving him time to grab her again, she swung her leg in the direction of his crotch. She missed her target but did connect with the flesh of his thigh which caused him to grunt. She could hear sounds in the corridor, so she knew she had attracted attention, but she also knew she could not assume victory yet.

Maria scrambled away from the intruder, grasping for the door handle. She felt him grab her nightgown, and shoved her elbow backwards, gratified when it hit flesh. Though he did exhale forcefully, he did not let her go, and she redoubled her efforts to escape. The sounds outside were coming closer now, something he seemed to realize as well, for he suddenly let go of her nightgown. Maria reached for the door handle again, but she suddenly felt his full weight collide with her back, knocking her against the door. The handle prodded her stomach as the impact knocked the air from her lungs, causing her to lose her concentration long enough for him to yank her aside, tossing her against the nearby wall. Maria heard Georg's voice in her head instructing her how to fall with the least likelihood of injury, and she followed the remembered instructions, slamming into the wall with her shoulder and dropping to the ground under her own volition. In a moment, she was standing again, but the man had already yanked the door open and entered the corridor which was now lit as others approached. Maria caught a glimpse of his profile and gasped as she recognized Dr. Lorenz. He glanced back briefly at her, his jaw set and his eyes hard, before running out into the corridor. Maria started to follow, but a throbbing in her ankle told her that perhaps she had not escaped the fight unharmed as she had supposed. Before she had gone more than a couple meters, he had disappeared around a corner.

Shouts from the opposite side told her that others were near, and she turned to see a number of postulants as well as Sister Berthe coming towards her. "What happened, Maria?" Sister Berthe asked once she was close enough to talk. Her eyes swept Maria's figure, and her usually stern expression relaxed into one of concern.

"I don't know. I woke up and there was a man in my room."

"A man?"

"Dr. Lorenz. I met him once. He attacked me. . . I just. . . I need Georg!" And she did need him, desperately, for she knew he would keep her safe and make everything alright. He could help her make sense of the situation. Sister Berthe studied her a moment longer before nodding, stepping forward to place a kindly arm around her shoulders.

"Come with me, my child. I will take you to the Reverend Mother's office, and we can telephone the von Trapp villa." Maria gratefully fell into step beside the older woman, barely registering the crowd of others who parted to let them pass. She heard their whispers, but she could not make out the words. There was a buzzing in her head that drowned out all else. Sister Berthe said something to someone before steering her down the corridor. Maria followed automatically, soon finding herself in the Reverend Mother's office. Sister Berthe settled her into one of the chairs. "Can I get you anything?"

"Just Georg." The older woman nodded, stepping toward the phone. Maria only half paid attention to events after that point, barely noticing when the Reverend Mother entered the room. It was not until the matronly woman sat down in front of Maria and asked what had happened that Maria acknowledged her presence. Maria simply shook her head, and the other woman seemed to understand. She moved out of Maria's line of vision, but Maria sensed she had not left the room.

In less time than she had expected, the door opened again, and Maria heard heavy footsteps crossing the room to where she was still sitting. Two hands pulled her up, and she fell into his familiar embrace, breathing deeply to inhale his scent. "Oh, my love," he remarked, and the words seemed to trigger something in Maria. Suddenly, all of the emotions she had been keeping bottled up came spilling out, her tears wetting the fabric of his shirt. He simply held her, murmuring endearments as he let her cry until she could shed no more tears. When he sensed she had stopped, he pulled back slightly, cupping her cheeks gently as he looked into her eyes. "When you are ready, we would all like to hear what happened tonight. But take your time."

Maria took a deep breath, gathering her confidence. Reaching up, she took one of his hands in hers, letting his presence soothe her. "I woke up and sensed someone in the room," she said, speaking mostly to him though she noticed that both Sister and Berthe and Reverend Mother were still in the room as well. "I was going to turn on a light when a hand grabbed my arm and another went over my mouth, stopping me from calling out. Whoever it was told me to get up and go with him and everything would be okay. He said they just had a few questions for me." Maria felt Georg tense, his arms tightening around her. Looking at his face, she noticed that his jaw was set and his eyes much darker than usual.

Before she could say anything to calm him, Sister Berthe remarked, "When you spoke to me, you seemed to know who he was."

Maria nodded. "We fought, and he eventually ran. When he ran through the light, I recognized him as a doctor that I worked with years ago. Dr. Lorenz. I don't know his first name." Maria could feel the anger radiating off of Georg, and she quickly reached up a hand, cupping his cheek. "Georg, this is not your fault."

"The hell it's not!" he shouted, and out of the corner of her eye, Maria saw the two nuns' eyes widen. However, she knew she needed to focus on the man in front of her who was currently vibrating with fury. "He could have killed you, Maria! He could have taken you to God knows where and-"

"But he didn't!" Maria interrupted.

"No thanks to me. What kind of man cannot even protect the woman he loves from a vicious attack?"

"But you did. Don't you see, Georg? I knew what to do because of you, because of the self-defense skills you taught me. As soon as I realized what was happening, all I could hear was your voice in my head, telling me what to do, and it worked. You give me strength, even when you're not physically present." She watched the emotions flicker across his face. Though self-recrimination was still one of the most prominent, she noted others as well—pride, relief, and, above all else, love. Finally, he let out a deep breath, reaching up to grab the hand which was still against his cheek.

"I still do not like you here alone without any protection," he said.

"You cannot be near me at all times. What about when you need to travel for business?"

"I've been considering hiring a new driver anyway. I will just make sure it is one who can perform the additional duty of protecting the family when I am not around." Maria gaped at him for a moment, and he nodded firmly. "I am serious, Maria. I refuse to put you or the children in danger."

"Perhaps I could make a suggestion?" the Reverend Mother remarked. Georg and Maria both started, for they had been so wrapped up in one another they had forgotten the two nuns were still in the room. Maria saw Georg grimace as he turned to face the other women, obviously berating himself for how much he had revealed in their presence. Fortunately, they were two of the least likely people Maria had ever met to gossip, so she knew that his secret—or as much of it as they had guessed—was safe. "There is a convent high in the mountains of Tyrol. It is very isolated—only one road leads to it and the nuns there are very selective about who they allow into their walls. I know a couple of them, however, and I am sure that they would welcome Maria for the last few days before her wedding. It would not be the first time that a young woman making such a massive change to her life needed some time to herself to pray and reflect. And though no one would be able to join her there, like I said, it is quite isolated—anyone wishing to reach it would need to pass through the small town nearby which would be very obvious." Georg raised his eyebrows, obviously impressed by the plan but a bit confused about the person it originated from. The Reverend Mother gave him a small smile. "Not everyone is able to make a clean break with their past when they come to us, Captain von Trapp. There are those who need such isolation in order to most effectively serve God."

Georg considered for a moment. "It sounds like a solid plan," he finally agreed. "I would need a few hours to work out some details, but I could drive Maria there tonight. That is, assuming you are amenable to the idea." He turned to Maria who glanced nervously around the room.

"Oh, I don't know," she said, biting the inside of her cheek. "Who would watch the children?"

"I am sure Frau Schmidt and Fraulein Anna and I will manage just fine. After all, they will be watching the children with only Max for back-up while we are on the honeymoon, and I daresay he is far less helpful than I am."

"But I would not want to burden them with such a task when they are already committed to it for a month!"

"I believe it is you who told me multiple times that my children are not a burden."

"What about the wedding?"

"What about it? I was under the impression that all the planning was complete. Are there any other details that you still need to work out?"

"Not that I can think of right now, but there are always things that pop up last minute."

"Then I can handle them. If nothing else, think of this as a chance to relax and recover from the ridiculous amount of work you have been doing these past couple months."

Maria opened her mouth to object again, but she truly could not think of any other objections. She conceded with a sigh, unable to stop herself from adding, "I would much rather just stay at the villa."

Georg chuckled a bit as Maria's ears reddened when she noted the stares of the two nuns still in the room. "All in due time, my love," he promised. "I can take you to the villa for the day. You can say goodbye to the children today. Reverend Mother, thank you for your help in this matter. If you are able to make the arrangements, just let me know where to go."

"Of course, Captain. Maria, if you do not mind, I would like to speak with you for a few minutes before you prepare to leave. Captain, Sister Berthe?" Both nodded, leaving the room. Maria felt her ankle twinge again once she no longer could lean on Georg for support, and she reached out and grabbed the chair to steady herself before turning to the Reverend Mother who wore a serious expression on her face, her hands clasped behind her back. She wondered if the venerable older woman wanted to ask more questions about the intruder, but why would she not have been able to ask those in front of the others? And how would Maria answer them if she did without revealing Georg's secret activities?

However, the Reverend Mother seemed to have something entirely different on her mind. "Maria, I was planning to have this conversation closer to the wedding date, but given the circumstances, it seems prudent to have it now instead. I know this would normally be reserved for a mother, but as yours is with God, I thought it best if I talked with you about the wedding night." Maria blushed furiously, biting her tongue to keep from blurting the first thought that entered her mind—a question about how the Reverend Mother would know anything about that.

"There is no need to talk about that," Maria said. The Reverend Mother looked at her sharply, and Maria realized how her comment had sounded. Quickly, she added, "I mean, I am not worried about what will happen. I love Georg, and I trust him." Those statements were true enough though Maria still felt guilty for leaving out the other major reason why she had no worries—she knew as well as anyone that a lie by omission was still a lie.

"Nevertheless, I know anticipating it can be frightening. Just remember that the love between a man and a woman is holy as well, and once you are joined in holy matrimony, expressing that love in whatever way suits you both is perfectly acceptable in the eyes of God."

"I understand."

"Do you have any questions or concerns about the wedding night?"

"No."

"You are sure? There is no need to feel embarrassed."

"I am sure." The older woman stared at her a few moments more before seeming to decide that Maria was truly not going to ask anything. She nodded that Maria could go, and Maria hesitated a moment before saying. "Thank you for everything, Reverend Mother. I know God took me on a different path, but I am very grateful for my time here."

"You are most welcome, Maria." The two women shared a smile before Maria joined Georg in the hallway, walking slowly to prevent herself from limping. He looked at her curiously, but she simply gave him a smile to show it was nothing to worry about, watching as he visibly relaxed. She leaned on him, and they walked out to his car together, reaching it just as the sun was beginning to peek over the horizon. Maria startled, having not realized what time it was.

"Thank you for coming to get me," she said as he opened the door for her. "I am sure you were probably sleeping, and-" He stopped her words with a finger to her lips.

"If you need me, Maria, I will always be there," he promised. The words warmed her, and she leaned forward impulsively to press a kiss to his lips. For the first time in her life that she could remember, she had someone else to rely on and share her burdens with. It was a heady feeling and one that she knew would take some time to grow accustomed to, but she would not have it any other way.