Chapter 6

It was Christmas Eve and the family had all just finished eating dinner and gathering together for singing in the parlor. The tree was lit and there were candles all around letting off a soft glow. Georg watched as the littlest ones began to yawn while strains of Stille Nacht faded into the walls of the room, their eyes drooping with sleepiness.

"I think it's time for you all to say goodnight and head off to bed. Christkindl will be here soon and I know you all won't want to miss out on all the excitement tomorrow." The younger ones eagerly rose from their spots while the older ones groaned their disagreements, but they all said their goodnights and headed upstairs.

Maria began to follow them, but was stopped by the Captain, "Uh, Fraulein, when you're done with them I could use your help down here if you aren't too tired. That is I ask you to, please?"

She smiled tenderly at him, "Of course, Captain. I would love to assist you."

He smiled tenderly at her as she turned to leave the room and began to pace the room nervously, muttering phrases to himself. He had wrapped his gift for her and his plan was to give it to her after they were done setting up all the presents. His stomach was turning in circles and he was finding it hard to breathe. Snap out of it, he chastised himself, you're acting like a nervous teenager. He wasn't even sure what he was going to say to her, nothing seemed right, but he knew it had to be tonight or he would never be able to sleep.

Maria came back down and stood at the door watching him pace back and forth across the room with his fingers running over the corners of his mouth. "Is everything all right, Captain? You look nervous."

He jumped out of his thoughts at the sound of her voice. "Um...no, not at all. I was just thinking about the doll house and where to put it in here," he lied.

"Well perhaps we should go get the gifts and start wrapping them so we aren't up all night."

"Hm? Oh yes, I'm sorry...er I'll go gather them together."

"Captain, are you sure you're all right? You're acting very strangely."

"Yes, I'm fine. I'll be right back." Maria sat on the couch waiting for him to return. She had never seen him so...so...nervous before. It was very uncharacteristic of the Captain, who normally had an air of confidence about him that was unmistakably dignified and refined. She watched as he returned with his arms full of gifts that needed to be wrapped and placed under the tree. He then went out and again returned with the dollhouse. He left a third time and came back with a phonograph in his hands.

"A phonograph, Captain?"

"Yes, I thought we could listen to some Christmas music while we wrapped the gifts."

"Sounds like a lovely idea." For the next hour they made small talk while wrapping everything and placing them carefully under the tree for the children. They were having such a lovely time with one another that they hardly noticed the time go by. It seemed so natural for them to be there together taking care of all the details for the next day.

Suddenly Georg stood from his position on the floor, holding his hand out to Maria as a Christmas waltz softly echoed through the parlor. "May I, Fraulein?"

She looked at his offered hand and then up at the crooked grin and dark eyes that were waiting in anticipation of her touch. "What," was all that could come out of her mouth.

"Please, Fraulein. May I have this dance?"

"Right here, right now, with me?"

"Well you don't see anyone else in the room do you?" He waved his fingers at her in a come hither manner, "Of course you, Fraulein."

She timidly reached out and placed her hand in his larger one and he pulled her towards him as he grabbed a hold of her. He twirled her around the small space and all around the room, taking her breath away as she relaxed naturally into his arms. She wasn't sure if it was the dancing or the fact that she was so close to the Captain, but her head began to spin in a state of complete bliss and she found herself enjoying the moment immensely.

She was having so much fun that she didn't even notice when the song ended and they were standing by the door of the parlor in the glow of candlelight and the light of the tree. He didn't let go of her, instead his dark blue eyes sparkled with a desire that she had only seen in them a couple of times, but his time the intensity of them caused her to breathing to become more shallow. He could see the affect his closeness was having on her.

In a voice, barely above a whisper he finally spoke, "I warned you not to get caught under the mistletoe, Maria."

He watched her as her eyes widened in surprise, fully aware now of his intentions, she found it completely impossible to breathe or speak. His eyes searched her's for the permission he was looking for and when he found it he moved his hands slowly up her arms, sending chills down her back and making her head spin in circles. He cupped her face with his hands and drew her lips closer to his. As they met he felt her respond to him and he deepened the kiss further.

It was all the confirmation he needed to know that her feelings for him were mutual. He marveled at how soft her lips were and the taste of them was better than any dream he had ever had. He could feel his own heart quicken it's pace and he felt every nerve ending in his body stimulated by her touch.

He finally drew away from her and every desire he felt in his own heart he now saw displayed in her beautiful sparkling blue eyes that were now shining brightly with love for him. Maria collapsed into his chest as a sigh of relief escaped her lips, not able to trust her legs to keep her upright any longer. She heard him tenderly say to her, "I love you, Maria," and in that moment every barrier that had been between them had now been crumbled to the ground.

He took her by the shoulders and gently moved her away from him so he could see her face, "Did you hear me Maria? I love you. I don't just desire you, Maria, I need you, more than I've needed anything in a long time. You've brought love and music back into our home. I could never repay you for that, but I will spend the rest of my days trying if you'll let me. I want to give you your gift from me now."

He led her over to the couch and sat her down on it and then turned to pull a small package wrapped in brown paper and tied up in string from under the tree that Maria had not noticed was there before. He turned and handed it to her. "One of your favorite things, I believe, brown paper packages tied up with string." He sat nervously beside her.

Maria's water filled eyes widened in surprise. There was only one thing that a package that small could contain. "I don't know what to say Captain. This is more than I could have ever hoped for."

"Open it, please," his eyes begged. She took one end of the string and tugged at it and then did the same with the other end, loosening it from around the small package. The paper fell away to reveal a small blue velvet box that matched the color of her eyes. She looked up at him has her heart began to beat more quickly at the sight of what she was holding. She swallowed hard and then opened the box to reveal the gold diamond ring inside. A small smiled spread across her face at the sight of it and she sat their stunned, unable to speak or breathe.

"Maria," his voice jolted her from her thoughts and she looked up at him, "please marry me. I want you to be my wife and the mother of my children. I can't live without you and I need you. You showed me what I was missing out on by shutting myself off from my feelings and you did what no one else was able to, you opened my heart up again. I've been in love with you for a long time now and I thought you were gone for good after you left the night of the party. The past few months without you were almost unbearable. I want you to stay and never leave again. Please say yes."

Her eyes bright with joy responded before she could say the one word her heart had already spoken, "Yes." He couldn't contain the smile on his face as it widened and he let out the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. He took the ring out of the box and placed it on her right ring finger. He then leaned in and kissed her again drawing her closer into his arms. That finally parted and she settled into his arms on the couch reveling in the strong safety of them.

"What do you think the children will say?"

"The children," he questioned, "they will be thrilled, Maria. They love you and I know that they are going to love having you as a permanent member of this family."

She relaxed further into his arms, not wanting to be separated from him. "I don't really have anything for you, Captain," she sighed.

"You've already given me everything I wanted this Christmas love, and it's Georg now."

"Georg," she said thoughtfully, "I like the sound of that, but I don't know that I'll ever get use to it."

He chuckled, "No, I suppose it will take some getting use to."

"I love you, Georg."

"I love you too, Maria. I'm so glad you came to us."

"I'm glad that the Reverend Mother sent me back. If she had told me where I was going. I might have refused, but I think she knew that and that's why she purposely kept it from me. I thought you had married the baroness and I was frightened by all the feelings that I was having for you. I've never felt like that before."

"I promise you will never want for anything, Maria. I will meet all of your needs and give you anything your heart desires."

"I have everything I want, you and the children. I'm looking forward to our future together. I've finally found my home."

He smiled at her, "Welcome home, Fraulein and thanks for making my life complete again." He placed a small kiss on the top of her head and they both settled back onto the couch staying that way with his arms wrapped around her. He smiled while drifting off to sleep, finally content with the road ahead of him and at peace with the road behind him. "Merry Christmas, love."

THE END