A/N: This is my first Sound of Music fic so please forgive me if it sucks. It picks up just as the children and Maria finish singing 'The Lonely Goatherd' and of course it is a Maria/Georg fic. I own nothing related to this film, well except two copies of the dvd, and the album, but ya know no rights or anything.

This is dedicated to all my peeps on the Julie Andrews Forum.

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Maria heard the children cheer as Max told them that they could keep the puppet show. They had come along way in the last month or so, gone were the mini sailors and in their stead were bright, happy, loving children. As she came around the side of the stage Maria could not hold back the sigh of exhaustion. Taking care of seven children could really take it out of you.

The sigh did not go unnoticed by Georg as he took in the sight before him. She truly was amazing, as a governess, as a singer, and of course as a wom….Georg stopped his thoughts dead in their tracks, he couldn’t think about her like that. She was going to become a nun for crying out loud. And yet Georg had found himself thinking about the young governess more and more since he had come back. The way she laughed, the way she spoke, the way she sang.

‘Dear god she has the voice of an angel.’

Even singing children’s songs you could hear her amazing talent, her voice so strong for someone her age.

‘How old is she anyway?’

Maria could not keep her eyes off the Captain as she saw him coming towards her, a big smile on his face, his eyes aglow with love for his children.

‘He has such a lovely smile and those eyes…..’

Maria stopped herself before her mind wandered where it wasn’t supposed to, again. She was a postulant, she was not supposed to think like that.

“Well done fraulein.”

“Well they’re your children captain.”

Georg was about to put out his hand to escort her into the family room when he saw Elsa coming towards them. He was instantly nervous and was afraid that she would see through him straight away.

The arrival of the baroness reminded Maria of the other reason why she was not supposed to think of him that way. He was going to marry the baroness. Maria fought back the pang of jealousy he felt as he held out his arm to the baroness and they began to leave the ballroom.

“My dear is there anything you can’t do?”

Elsa Shraeder was not blind. She knew a threat when she saw one, and this governess was most certainly a threat. All Georg talked about since their return from Venice was Maria, how Maria had reconnected him with his children, how Maria brought music back into the household, and how the children loved Maria. It was really starting to grate on Elsa’s nerves.

“Well I don’t think I will make a very good nun.”

It was true. While becoming a nun was all Maria had ever wanted, she often found herself wondering if she would be a good one. Given the amount of trouble she got into in the abbey she seriously doubted it.

Elsa held back her sigh of relief on Maria’s mentioning of becoming a nun. At least the girl remembered where she belonged.

“Well if you are having any problems I would be happy to help you.”

As Elsa walked away from them Georg turned to Maria and rolled his eyes. As if Elsa knew anything about being a nun, it was positively laughable. He stood there for a few seconds just looking into Maria’s eyes. Those beautiful eyes. When he realised he was staring he broke eye contact and gestured for her to leave the room ahead of him.

When Max suggested that the Von Trapp children should sing in the festival Maria’s heart soared. She always knew that the children were talented but had felt that maybe she was a little biased. Her heart sank again when the Captain made his decision and she thought that maybe he hadn’t changed as much as it appeared.

‘Why does he not want to share his children’s gift?’ Maria asked herself.

‘Because as you know he is a very private person.’

Maria accepted this answer and decided to change the subject.

“Children who shall we hear from next?”

Georg felt his anger rising as max pressed the issue of the festival. He knew that he was over-reacting but he did not want his children performing in public, especially not for Max. Could they not just enjoy the way things were now? His children were finally free to enjoy their lives, they didn’t need the stress that performing in the festival would bring.

‘I only want to protect them’

Georg was thankful when Maria changed the subject. His thankfulness was short lived however as his children came to their decision.