A/N: I don't own TSOM and This is just written for fun and not profit. That being said this is a story written for the wonderful fanfic writer Utility_singer in response to the gift exchange on the proboards. I hope you like it. Love our group so thankful to have found the board and join in the fun this past year. Merry Christmas all!

Christmas Surprises

Chapter 1

Georg was sitting at his desk in his study looking through all of his bank statements. He sighed wondering if this might be the last Christmas they would spend in Austria. He had been slowly moving money, as to not cause alarm to the Nazi party, over into Swiss and British banks in anticipation of the impending Aunschluss. He hated the idea of having to leave his homeland that was so dear to his heart and perhaps even more so, leaving behind any chance of ever being able to see again the one and only woman to capture his heart since his wife had died

His thoughts slowly drifted off to Maria and not for the first time did he wonder how she was doing. The children missed her a great deal; he missed her a great deal. He just couldn't understand why she had left them. She had seemed happy to be with his family and he knew she loved the children. It just didn't seem plausible to him that she would run back to the abbey without even saying goodbye to any of them.

His mind raced rapidly to try and make sense of it all. She had left the night of the party, the night he had realized just how captivated he was with her. Up until that moment he had dismissed all thoughts of the sprightly governess as being merely an infatuation. He had struggled with his feelings for her, but as he looked deep into her soul through her gleaming bright blue eyes as they twirled around closely to each other, he had not been able to take his eyes off her and he could feel his breath catch in his throat.

It wasn't until Elsa's voice cut through the thick night air that he was able to stop staring at her and breathe again. He knew in an instant that what he felt for her was more than a mere infatuation; he loved her.

For a split second he thought he had seen that same intense emotion displayed in her eyes, but he must have been wrong because by the next morning she was gone and had made the choice to return to the abbey.

The abbey, he thought, why not? It had worked in his favor the first time, perhaps they would have someone else they could send out to help care for the children during the Christmas break. He picked up his phone and placed a call to the Mother Abbess.

"Hello," he answered, "this is Captain Von Trapp...um...well you see I was wondering if you perhaps had someone you could send to me for the Christmas break to help look after my children. The last governess you sent me was so wonderful that I thought I would try again to see if anyone might be available?"

There was a long silent pause at the other end of the line that made the Captain a bit nervous and then he heard her voice, "Captain," the Reverend Mother replied, "When Maria returned to us early from her job last summer she seemed quite distraught. When I asked her why she was back early she said that you were getting married and that her presence was no longer needed because the children were going to have a new mother."

Georg inwardly groaned and cursed himself for not having thought of that reason earlier. He felt a wave of disappointment and guilt flow over him as it occurred to him that she may have actually ran away because of him. "Reverend Mother, I'm not married. I realized by the end of the summer that it was not going to workout between me and the Baroness. I couldn't bring myself to marry her and I slowly came to realize that there were a lot of things that we just did not see eye to eye on."

"Oh, I see Captain." There was another long pause at the other end of the line, "I think I may be able to help. When will you need someone by?"

"The children are out of school this Friday, so maybe by Thursday, if possible, so she can meet them and get settled in before the weekend begins."

"Fair enough Captain. I'll see what I can do for you. I think I have just the right person for the job. She'll be at your place by Thursday afternoon."

"No need, I'll send a car for her around noon. Thank you Reverend Mother," he went silent, trying to form his words carefully, "um...please tell Fraulein Maria that we all miss her terribly and that we hope she has a nice Christmas."

"I will relay the message, Captain. Thank you." With those last words he heard a definitive click from the other side. He sighed, knowing that whoever she sent this time would never live up to the reputation of Maria.

He had slowly gotten use to the idea over the last few months that he would never have the kind of passionate relationship that he had shared with Agathe again because he had let slip through his fingers the only woman who had elicited those kind of feelings in him since his wife's death. He had his children though and he was thankful for the joy of having a renewed relationship with them.

He heard a soft knock at his door, "Enter."

It was Frau Schmidt, "Sir, lunch is ready and the children are waiting."

"Thank you Frau Schmidt. I will need you to get the governess' room ready. A new one will be coming Thursday to help over the holidays."

"Um...'her' room, sir," she asked, putting an emphasis on her.

"No we will take care of that one later. Set up the room next to it."

"Yes sir. Will that be all, sir?"

"Yes, thank you Frau Schmidt." She exited the room, closing the door behind her. As soon as he heard the door click, Georg hurriedly put everything he had been working on away and locked the drawer to his desk. He then quickly walked out of the room to go and join his children for lunch.

When he reached the dining the room he drew in a short breath and gently released it as he glanced around the table at his children. He wasn't sure what their reaction would be. He cleared his throat and all seven pairs of eyes were turned in his direction.

"Oh father," Friedrich shouted, "we wanted to ask if we could go sledding this afternoon since the snow has stopped falling."

"I think that's a wonderful idea. In fact, I'll join you all. I've done enough work for one Saturday." There was a quick buzz of excitement that moved around the table. "Children I have something else to discuss with you. As you know next week begins your Christmas break. I have arranged for a governess to come and help out during the break."

The children all stared at him blankly.

"A governess," Liesl questioned.

"I know what you all are thinking and no, things won't go back to the way they were last year. I plan on spending lots of time with you all, but I need a little help while you are all out of school."

"Will it be Fraulein Maria," asked Gretl.

"Shhh, don't ask him that," whispered Kurt.

Georg thought for a moment, would they really even think to send her back? He shook his head, that was a preposterous idea. Even if they asked her, she would probably refuse the assignment and he wasn't so sure he could be that close to her and not be able to touch her. He was certain that she had probably taken her vows already. "No darling, I seriously doubt it."

The children all looked at each other cautiously, uncertain how far to question him and then Marta spoke up, "but I want Fraulein Maria, Father. Why can't you go after her and ask her to come back?"

"I wish it were that simple Marta, but it isn't. Fraulein Maria has to make her own choices and I can't interfere with them...Now come on children, enough talk. Go and get changed so we can go on that sledding adventure."

They all finished their lunch and then eagerly ran out of the dining room to get ready for the afternoon with their father.

The only one who lingered behind was Liesl, "Father, you love her too, I know you do. Why don't you just go to her and tell her?"

He stared towards the other end of the table at the empty seat once occupied by the young Fraulein. "I can't Liesl. She needs to make her own choices. I can't force her to stay with us. If you love someone then you have to be willing to let them fly free. Sometimes it shows more love to let them go then it does to hold onto them."

Liesl wasn't quite sure she understood what her father met by that. She hadn't much experience with loving someone and the one time she thought she did, it didn't turn out so well for her. Maybe this growing up thing wasn't all it was cut out to be.

She sadly turned to leave and get ready for the afternoon, "All right father, if you say so."

Georg finished the last bites of lunch and then walked back to the master suite to change, determined that he was going to have a fun afternoon of sledding with his children.