Maria awoke to the early morning rays of sun streaming into her bedroom. She glanced at the clock on her nightstand and saw that it read 6.45. Sighing happily, she pulled back the covers and left the warmth of her bed and kneeled on the side of the bed.

"Dear Lord. I pray for the happiness today of Leisl, Friedrich, Louisa, Kurt, Brigitta, Marta, and Gretl. I pray to you for the safety of the children, the captain, and I on the mountain." She paused. "Thank you, Lord, for bringing the captain back to his children. I pray for his heart to heal and for him to find peace and love once again. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen."

She stood from her position and began her morning routine: making her bed, tidying up her room, and changing into her outfit of the day. She wore her brown dress that the captain had gifted her on her first day. Satisfied, she went to wake the children for breakfast.

It was quiet at the breakfast table, as it normally was everyday, the children all taking time to wake up. The Baroness and Max had yet to arrive to join them. The Captain sat at the head of the table observing all of them. He would catch Leisl watching him at certain points and give her a smile and she would smile right back at him. He knew last night he couldn't stop looking to Maria, so he only dared one glance to her.

But of course, almost like she could sense it, she looked to him at the same time. His heart fluttered as her blue, doe eyes caught his. She gave him a smile and slight nod, as if to say, Why don't you tell them now?

He cleared his throat and all eyes turned to him. "Children, what would you say if I were to join you today for your picnic?"

Happy and shocked gasps could be heard from all around.

"Really, Father?" Gretl excitedly asked.

He nodded and brightly smiled at his children.

There's those dimples again. Thought Maria and immediately looked down at her plate, almost ashamed.

After the Captain had let the children know about their plans, breakfast continued, much louder than before, the buzz of excitement in the air.

"Alright children. Let's get upstairs so we can begin your studying." Maria said.

All of the children got up and began to run excitedly out of the room, Maria following them.

Maria had to admit that it was a little difficult to get the children to focus on their studies, especially the younger ones. They were all excited to have a picnic with their father and their excitement was evident.

Thankfully she had been able to focus them in and before they knew it, it was 10.30 and they all changed into their play clothes and bounded down the stairs. The captain had pulled his car around to the front of the house and was waiting for them.

They all walked toward him and that's when Maria looked at him and was taken aback by the his appearance. He wasn't in a suit and tie like was used to seeing him in. He wore a light brown button up shirt with the sleeves slightly rolled up and a pair of brown slacks. The children began climbing into the car but Maria couldn't tear her eyes away from him.

"Something the uh- matter, Fräulein?" He smirked, his hands behind his back as he took a step away from the open door to allow her to climb in.

She could feel her cheeks turning pink. "I didn't think you owned anything other than suits." She said frankly.

He looked down at his outfit and back to her and smirked. "These are my play clothes."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes with a chuckle. She walked past him, climbed into the car and sat next to Leisl in the front, pulling Gretl onto her lap.

Georg smiled and closed the car door behind her. He enjoyed seeing her turn that shade of pink, not because he wanted to make her uncomfortable by any means! He thought the natural color suited her very well.

He walked over and climbed into his seat and started up the car.

Their drive to the mountain passed quickly and comfortably, with conversation never ceasing. Once they made it to the base of the mountain, Georg grabbed one of the baskets and handed it to Leisl, another basket for Friedrich, and finally he grabbed the large blanket and handed it to Maria.

Their hands met briefly and Georg felt as though electricity was shot through him. Her touch was warmer than he was expecting but he didn't want to linger on that thought and turned quickly to grab the last basket and follow the others up the mountain.

With lunch eaten, the children were playing a game of tag with their father while Maria sat on a large rock observing them. He was laughing, evading Kurt, who was currently "it", and before he knew it, he was tackled to the ground by the boy and Friedrich.

"Alright, alright! You got me!" He laughed and tapped his older son on the arm. "Now I must take a break!" The boys climbed off of him and he ruffled each of their heads, got up and walked over the blanket on the ground next to Maria and sat down with a huff.

He sighed and chuckled. "How you keep up with them, I will never know Fräulein."

She laughed. "I manage. Most days, anyway. They do keep me very busy!"

They sat in a comfortable silence as they watched his children run and play.

"I have missed them, you know." Georg said breaking the silence.

"I know."

"They have such beautiful singing voices. Thank you for teaching them to sing."

"I really just taught them the basics. The rest was all their natural talent."

Georg hummed and gave a quiet chuckle. "What other songs have you taught them?"

"Oh not many, I'm afraid. I was going to teach them my favorite next."

"Oh! And what is your favorite?" He asked inquisitively.

"Edelweiss."

He snapped his head to look at her. "Edelweiss?" He said softly.

"Mhm! Do you know it?" She asked and turned to look at him. His eyes had glassed over as if deep in thought, sadness apparent in them.

He nodded. "I do." Of course he knew the song. It was, after all, what he had sung to his wife before he asked her to marry him. In his opinion, it was the perfect song that represented his love to her and to their country. And of course it was Maria's favorite.

He shook his head slightly. "May I ask why it is your favorite?"

She sighed. "It reminds me of happier times. My foster mother used to sing it to me when I was a little girl."

"Foster mother?"

"Yes. My mother passed before I was a year old. My father was distraught and left me with his cousin. She was wonderful, from what I remember anyway. My father then passed when I was about Brigitta's age and I was sent to live with my uncle." She didn't know why she was telling this all to the captain. She found rather quickly that it was easy to talk to him, as though he was a someone she had known her whole life.

She was wringing her hands on her lap and something in Georg, a very strong urge, compelled him to grab her hand. They locked eyes and he gave her a small smile and an encouraging and comforting squeeze. He understood the grief and pain that her father had felt. She returned a smile and squeezed his hand back.

Their eyes stayed locked and hands lingered together for a moment before they pulled away, silence overcoming them once again. Neither would admit it, but they didn't want to let go.

A low rumble came from the distance which finally broke the spell and made Maria sit up a little straighter.

"Was that-"

"Mhm" Maria nodded. "We better start packing. We wouldn't want to get caught in the middle of a thunderstorm."

"Children! It looks as though we have to cut this short!" Georg called out to his children, the same time as another little louder rumble and a crack of lightning came across the sky.

The packed quickly, grumbles could be heard all around, and began heading down the mountain when Maria began to feel raindrops.

"Here children, everyone under, we don't want you to catch cold. Friedrich, Louisa you grab the corners here and get in the front. Leisl, stand in the back, dear." They did as they were told just in time as it began to downpour.

By the time they got to the car, Maria and Georg were positively soaked. Georg was thankful he hand driven with the top of the vehicle up, he was sure had he not, they would be swimming.

"Everyone in." She shuffled everyone in, a pause from Leisl, who was holding the blanket above her. "Leisl?"

"Oh no. I'm not sitting between you and father. I would be soaked by the time we got home!"

"Oh alright!" She quickly climbed in the car, Leisl behind her. She handed the blanket to her father. He threw it in with the baskets and climbed in to the car, pushing his now sopping wet hair, which clung to his forehead back.

Maria had not been this close to the captain before. Their legs were pressed together as close together without being on top of one another so that Maria didn't get Leisl soaked.

He was deliciously warm and it made her heart beat furiously in her chest. She realized this would be the longest ride of her life.

Oh, help!

A/N: Let's ignore the fact that the car could definitely not fit 9 people xD we'll be using good ol' Hollywood magic and imagination that they did fit lol

The outfit that Georg is wearing is one I saw in a behind the scenes picture where Christopher and Julie are standing together and there is a mountain behind them. If you are able to see it, it is the cover photo for this story. If you cannot see it, I recommend looking it up so you can picture it too because it's a cute picture! :)

The bit with Maria's foster mother, birth mother and father comes from the real Maria von Trapp. The edelweiss part I threw in because of the way Maria reacts when Georg sings it in the movie, there had to be some sort of backstory!