"You're upset with me." She blinked a few times, her husband's words bringing her out of her trance. She met his eyes with a smile to ease his worry.

"I'm not. What makes you think so?" He shrugged, looking out the window as they were driven to their hotel from the train station.

"You're very quiet." She took his hand between them upon the car seat, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I haven't been home in a while. I suppose I'm afraid that too much will have changed." He chuckled, seeming relieved that he wasn't the cause of her mood. She wasn't in a bad mood, necessarily, just feeling a bit introspective. She didn't really feel inclined to talk about it. What she really felt she needed was a bit of solitude, time to breathe in the fresh air and be alone with her thoughts.

"Home. Vienna is your home now." She smiled, nodding in agreement. Vienna was nice, her home with him was nice, but none of it would ever compare to her love for Salzburg, for the mountains and the nature surrounding her whenever she chose to find it. It felt familiar and safe, she knew everything she needed to know there, and she was comfortable in her space. She felt weighed down by insecurity in Vienna, always trying to be better than she was. It was quite overwhelming at times.

While she was certain that something would have changed in the two months since she had left, everything was remarkably the same. It was early Spring, and the birds were beginning to nest, the flowers beginning to bloom, and she felt the excitement she used to feel at the knowledge that she would soon be able to go up to her mountain. She wasn't sure her husband would allow her to go with the air still being a bit damp and chilly, but it was on her list of things to try while she was in town.

She also needed to see the Von Trapp children immediately. She missed them with her entire heart, and she couldn't wait to be in their presence again. Her life felt restless and empty without them, and, judging by their letters to her, they felt the same way. The time they spent together the summer prior was a time they would all cherish in their memories for the rest of their lives. They fell in love with one another, and she dreamed of a different time where perhaps she wouldn't have had to leave their sides.

And then there was the Captain. She tried not to think about him, always pushing him from her mind whenever he decided to appear. It was nearly impossible to do that while she was in Salzburg; the city he loved in the country he loved. They drove past the bank he used, several cars that looked like they could be his, his favorite restaurant…he was everywhere. His power and presence was painted all over the town, and her heart began beating faster at the thought of seeing him, which was inevitable if she wanted to spend time with the children.

She had been so confused after they danced at his party, their bodies intertwining in a magical, almost sensual, kind of way. She left after Baroness Schraeder confronted her about her feelings, and she did all she could to draw a line in the sand when it came to him. And then, just as she was losing her resolve and began rushing back to him, she saw the front page of a newspaper with his engagement announcement upon it. Her heart shattered, her entire soul shattered, and she knew for a fact that he would never be hers. She had loved him more than she ever realized, and it took losing him to someone else to make her see her true feelings. It was the reason she couldn't bear to open the letters he had written her; she needed to put him behind her.

It wasn't enough for her to simply feel heartbroken and do her best to move on and heal. In true Maria fashion, she mused to herself, she had taken things twenty paces more than they needed to go, and she rushed into a quick marriage with a man she barely knew at the time. They were a good match, she reminded herself, and she knew she was very fortunate to have him by her side. And yet, there was a part of her that felt asleep. A part of her was lying dormant or stagnant as she tried to navigate through the maze that was her new life, the new Maria. She had left the old version of herself in Salzburg, and suddenly she found herself longing to be that woman again. To laugh and run and feel free, to enjoy the sunshine upon her face and dance idiotically with seven delightful children…to dance closely with their delicious father and be able to understand what she was feeling. They had never even shared a kiss between them, which was something she knew she would always regret. So many regrets.

"What?" She jumped, not having heard a word her husband said and feeling a bit ashamed that she had gotten so lost in her thoughts.

"Really, Maria. I asked if you're excited to see your mountain?"

"Oh…I, yes, that's what I was just thinking about, actually." He smiled, perhaps hoping she would notice how much attention he had paid to her interests, she wasn't sure. It seemed he often liked his intentions to be recognized, to feel special for remembering something that was important to her. She smiled, knowing exactly what he was needing. "I can't believe you remember me mentioning it."

"How could I forget? The way you've described it, I feel like I must be shown the wonders of it myself while we're here. Would you take me one day?" Her smile froze, but she thought she hid it well as she nodded happily.

"Of course, as long as it isn't too cold." He seemed content with her response, but her heart raced at the realization that she didn't want to share her mountain with him. Not that they wouldn't enjoy the time together, but she was fearful that he wouldn't be able to see it for what it truly was. It was her sacred place, the place she went to pray and mend her heart when she was lonely or out of sorts. It was a place she had bonded with the children, and the place she felt was most personal to her. She was stunned by her own thoughts. He was her husband; why on earth wouldn't she want to show him?

xxxxx

He packed his bag, knowing he was a fool for doing so, but he couldn't stop himself if he tried. The children were none the wiser…well, perhaps Liesl, but she remained silent about it when he told them he would be staying in town for a couple of nights for business. And he just so happened to be staying in the same hotel as Maria. He made it sound as if he had no idea, as if he had forgotten she was even in town that week, but Liesl saw straight through him. He rolled his eyes at himself. If he was lying about so many things, he couldn't have just lied about where he was staying too?

He told himself that he simply needed to see her. He needed to be certain that she was happy and safe, doing well with a man she loved and who loved her the way she deserved. He told himself that he owed it to the children to see to it that she was living a life that was pleasing to her, so they wouldn't be concerned or see her unhappy in any way. He could tell himself anything he wanted until he was blue in the face, but he knew in his heart that he wanted to see her because he loved her. He had no intention of compromising her marriage, he was an honorable man after all, and she was an honorable woman. He simply needed to be in her presence for just a moment, just to know what it felt like to be alive again.

He grumbled, chastising himself for being so sentimental and dramatic. He hardly recognized himself when he was like that. He needed to remember that he was Captain Von Trapp! He was a man of great power and esteem, not a lovesick schoolboy. He would not allow some woman he had merely known for a summer dictate the way he lived his life, the way he thought or felt. Looking down at his packed bag, ready to go with anything he could possibly need for a couple of days, he laughed to himself. Wouldn't let her control his life, she had him under her power the moment she blew his own whistle at him on the day they met, that teasing, flirtatious look in her eyes. He was hers, and he would never be free.

"Father, will you be having lunch before you leave?" His eldest daughter appeared in his open doorway, giving him a smile in silent understanding.

"Yes, of course. I plan to leave shortly after though. If you're certain you can manage?"

"Of course we can, we'll be fine. Uncle Max is quite capable." He laughed, and she gave him a cheeky smile. He was taken aback by how much she looked like Maria when she did that, and he had to stop himself from reacting too much. She had certainly left the mark of her sense of humor behind.

"I should stay, honestly. This business is…" He didn't know what to say, but he knew he was feeling more nervous about leaving than he ever had in his life.

"We will be fine. We have school both days you'll be gone, so there's hardly time for us to be too mischievous." He laughed, knowing they would absolutely find the time if they wanted, but he had faith that they had changed for the better in that regard. "Will you invite her to supper when you see her? Please, for us."

"I…who?" She gave him an amused look, eyebrows raised as she tilted her head in disbelief. He smiled and nodded, grabbing his bag from the bed. "I will make sure she is invited for supper. Though, knowing her, she will not need an invitation. Nothing can keep her away from you children."

"I certainly hope you're right. Sometimes I fear she'll forget about us. Her life seems so glamorous now." He smiled, placing a hand to her cheek, and he met her eyes.

"Last summer is a time we all cherish very deeply in our own ways. She will never forget one detail, I can assure you that." Liesl smiled, nodding her head happily before making her way back to summon her siblings for lunch.

He met his own reflection in the mirror before leaving his bedroom, shaking his head at the fool looking back at him.