Warning: Slight spoilers for episode 4.01. Turn back now if you don't want to know anything about Season Four just yet.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. I just wanted to get this story out of my head and onto paper, so to speak. Thanks for letting me borrow the characters, IPS!
Author's Note: The basic storyline came to me in a dream a few weeks ago and it took me longer to get it completed then I wanted, sadly. Thought I'd share it with whoever in case anyone's like me and devouring any IPS fanfic possible. (Seriously, I have read every single story on here at least twice, about 70% of them at least four times, and about 50% five or more times. I love having the internet on my phone at work). Anyway, hope you enjoy the fluff (and sorry for the rambling):
Marshall came awake slowly. It was Saturday and he had no plans for the day other than working around the house. He opened his eyes and found himself gazing into the sleeping face of his partner. Marshall chanced studying her, the curves of her face, the softness of her skin. Her lips were parted slightly and every few minutes, she made a sigh of contentment. Marshall itched to move the hair from her face, but he didn't dare. He was sharing a bed with Mary, but they didn't touch. In fact, this was the first time since the first few nights that he could remember Mary even turning towards him in her sleep.
She had held him for three nights while he cried after his break-up with Abby. Truthfully, he had only cried over Abby the first night. The other two nights, his tears were his heartbreak over Mary and the loss of the dreams he had with her, not that he would ever tell Mary that. She had shown up on the fourth night, but Marshall was practically back to his old self. He liked Abby a lot, and she had been a great person, but he hadn't loved her and he knew from the start of the relationship that it wasn't going to be long term.
Marshall wasn't surprised when Mary didn't show up all evening that fifth night. What did shocked him, and caused him to lose his words, was when she showed up at nearly midnight, changed into her pajamas, and crawled into his bed with only a "good night." Marshall managed to regain his speech enough to return the sentiment before quickly turning off the light. Sleep was a long time coming that night as his brain tried to wrap around this new situation.
Now, nearly four weeks later, Marshall no longer questioned when Mary showed up at his house. Sometimes, she came directly after work. Sometimes, she didn't come until midnight or later. One weekend, she spent all of her time at his house, though he suspected she was avoiding wedding plans with her mother and sister. They didn't talk about sharing a bed; they just accepted it. Marshall was afraid to ask her why she showed up night after night; afraid it would drive her away. He liked having her there too much, even if they only slept, hardly ever even brushing against each other.
Mary shifted slightly in her sleep, causing Marshall to shake himself from his musings. He didn't want to stay in bed any longer while awake, worried that his thoughts would somehow cause her to wake. Quietly, he slipped out of bed and went to the kitchen to start coffee and read the morning paper.
Mary stumbled into the kitchen a little while later, her hair knotted and her eyes bleary. She immediately went to the coffee pot and poured herself a cup. Marshall chuckled as she bumped into the counter on the way to get some sugar. Her glare had him raising his hands in surrender.
"Do you want me to make you some breakfast?" Marshall asked.
Mary sat on one of the kitchen's chairs with a thump. "Nah. Cereal's fine."
"So, what are your plans for the day?" Marshall asked, placing a bowl and spoon in front of her.
"I think Brandi's dragging me dress shopping." Mary rubbed her eyes. "You?"
"Housework."
"Exciting."
"Hm," was all Marshall replied before taking another sip of coffee. They finished breakfast in relative silence. Mary showered and changed. She left the house with a smile on her face, leaving her dishes on the table, her pajamas in the bedroom, and her towel on the bathroom floor.
Marshall chuckled as he cleaned up after Mary, putting her dishes in the dishwasher, her pajamas and towel in the laundry room. He spent the rest of his Saturday cleaning his house top to bottom and getting in a few hours of yard work in. Dinner had been from the new Chinese place a few miles away. Absently, he ordered extra in case Mary showed up. She hadn't.
Marshall glanced up when he heard the front door open. He was sitting in bed, reading. Turning his head slightly so that he could better hear the noises, Marshall grinned when he recognized the sounds of Mary's jacket being thrown on a chair, her keys dropped on the kitchen counter, and her boots kicked off in the hallway.
Mary entered the bedroom and headed straight for the bathroom with a soft, "Hey."
"How'd it go today?" Marshall asked, laying the book on the nightstand. He chuckled slightly hearing Mary groan around her toothbrush. She emerged from the bathroom in her pajamas, pulling her up.
"On the plus side, I got her to go with the green bridesmaid dresses and not the hot pink ones."
"Well, that's good. So, what's the problem?"
Mary climbed into bed with a sigh. "Hookers would be uncomfortable with the shortness of this dress."
Marshall burst out laughing, causing Mary to glare at him. He ran his eyes over body in a fake assessment. "It's a good thing you have great legs then."
"You're such an ass," she replied, laying under the covers. She faced away from him so he couldn't see her grin. "Good night, Marshall."
"Good night."
Marshall closed his eyes and willed himself to sleep for the fifth time. Sleep was elusive as his brain refused to shut itself off. Mary lay less than two feet away from him. Though this was a nightly occurrence, the fact that she was laying on her back, wide awake, was not. Mary normally laid down and was asleep within minutes. This was completely unnerving Marshall. He was beginning to wonder if she was regretting the past six weeks that they spent sleeping together and was now trying to find a way to tell him.
Mary sighed quietly as she turned to face him. "You still awake?"
"You need something?" Marshall asked her sincerely, also turning to face her, even as his heart fell through his stomach. He watched as uncertainty danced across her shadowed face.
"Today was your brother's birthday?" Mary asked, her eyes darting from his face to the wall and back again.
"Yeah?"
"Which brother?"
Marshall raised an eyebrow, searching for hidden meaning in her question. Finding nothing but earnestness, he replied, "Tommy, the oldest. He just turned forty-six."
"And William is the one between you?"
"Yeah. He turns forty-three next month."
"And you turn forty the month after that." Mary paused as if working something out in her head. "What are your brothers like?"
Marshall grew quiet. He stared at her long enough to make her squirm.
"What?" she asked, sharply, embarrassment creeping into her cheeks.
"It's just... you've never wanted to know about my family before."
"I want to know about them now." Again, Marshall grew quiet, long enough for Mary to begin to fidget. Mary sighed. "Okay. I can't sleep and I figure your boring stories ought to do the trick."
Marshall analyzed her statements, surprised and more than a bit thrilled to find that Mary was being truthful about wanting to know more about his brothers.
"Well, they're both U.S. Marshals."
"Naturally."
Marshall smiled. "Tommy works for the TOD and William followed in Dad's footsteps. He and his wife, Kelly, live in New York. They were college sweethearts; got married a year after they graduated. Matty was born a year after that. He's studying Criminal Justice at Penn State. Ryan graduates from high school next year. He wants to be a physical therapist specializing in sports injuries. Sean just started high school and he absolutely lives and breaths soccer."
"Do you get to see them often?" Mary scooted slightly closer to him, resting her hand between the two of them.
"Usually only once or twice a year, but I talk to them every week and the boys and I are always exchanging e-mails. I try to send Matty a care package every few weeks. William and I are not particularly close; he's too much like my dad. It drives him more than a little crazy that Matty and I are so alike. He's a good guy, though. There's nothing he wouldn't do for any of us."
"What about Tommy? Is he married?"
"Yes, to Cecilia, who is eleven years younger than him. They met, fell in love, and married in less than eight months and are probably the two most happiest people I've ever known. They just celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary. They are amazing people to be around. They always want you to feel at home. Cecilia cooks the most amazing meals I have ever had in my life."
"Any kids?"
Marshall chuckled. "They're kind of the family baby factory. They have four and another on the way. Alexis - Lexi - will be eight this year. The twins, Ethan and Tyler, are five, and Olivia will be three on my birthday."
"And they have another one on the way?" Mary asked, incredulously.
"Yep, another girl: Chloe Grace. They live about an hour away from my parents, which just absolutely thrills my mom. I get to see them a few times a year since they're closer. Lexi learned how to use the webcam last year so now we have video chats a few times a week. All the kids, even Olivia, love to squeeze into the camera."
Mary ran her fingers lightly over Marshall's. "That sounds nice. You sound like a good uncle."
"I try," he replied, focusing on keeping his breath even.
"So, what was it like growing up with two older brothers?"
"Well, it was never boring." Marshall regaled her with story after story of his childhood for over an hour before they fell asleep. Mary's fingers never leaving his.
Marshall woke up a week later to the smell of coffee. He groaned loudly and reached out blindly. Finding the bed empty, he ventured to open his eyes and glance at the clock. It was nearly eleven-thirty. He had been stuck with a new witness until nearly three-thirty. Marshall staggered to the bathroom to use the toilet and brush his teeth.
"Morning, partner," Mary said, cheerfully, as he walked into the kitchen. She was sitting at the table drinking coffee and eating a donut while reading a magazine. "What time did you get in?"
"About four-thirty," he replied, sitting down across from her with a cup of coffee. He snagged a donut from the box. "He... asked a lot of questions."
"Better you than me. I would have shot him around two." Mary cleared her throat, "Thanks for the donuts."
"I was passing by just as they were opening. It seemed like kismet."
Mary rolled her eyes. "Right."
"So, what are your plans today?" Marshall grabbed another donut as Mary slowly banged her head off the table.
"More wedding plans. Flowers, I think. I don't know." Mary stopped banging her head and looked up at him. "I don't understand why people feel the need to have a wedding."
"Says the once married, twice engaged woman."
Mary sat all the way up. She glared at him without any real fire behind it. "Hey, that first engagement lasted all of twenty minutes waiting in line to get married and Brandi and Jinx didn't even know about the marriage until two years ago. And that second engagement never made it to any planning stages."
"True."
"What about you? What are your plans for the day?"
"I've got to meet someone from my origami class for a few hours this evening. They're having some trouble with a few of the forms."
"What's his name?"
"Her name is Christina and she's a very nice lady." What Marshall failed to mention was that she was a very nice engaged lady who was trying to finish origami flowers as decorations for her wedding. He agreed to help her after finding her in tears one night.
Mary stilled almost undetected, but nearly jumped out of her skin when her phone rang. She cursed softly when she saw the caller ID. "Yeah, Brandi?"
She stood, grabbing another donut. "Yeah, I know. I'm not at home. None of your business. I'm on my way. Yeah, yeah..."
Mary waved to Marshall as she left the kitchen to get dressed and head out the door. When she left Marshall's house, once again, leaving a trail of items behind her, she was still on the phone. Marshall cleaned up the kitchen before heading in to take a shower.
By the time Marshall pulled in front of Mary's house later that night, it was nearly midnight. His evening with Christina had gone on longer than he anticipated, but they had nearly finished her decorations. She would be able to complete the rest on her own. As a thank you, she gave him an invitation to the nuptials, just a few months away.
Marshall had initially gone back to his own place, but found it empty. The quiet unnerved him in less than five minutes and he decided, almost unconsciously to see if she was at home. He smiled when he saw the Mustang in the driveway and a light on in the kitchen.
"Mare?" Marshall called out as he stuck his head in the door. He didn't want to risk her shooting him by surprising her.
"In here!" she yelled back from her bedroom. Marshall found her sitting on the bed, several binders lay in front of her.
Marshall leaned against the doorway, folding his arms. "What are you looking at?"
"Flower arrangements. Brandi sent three binders home with each of us. We're supposed to pick our favorites and report back to her." Mary looked up from the binder and raked her eyes over her partner. He seemed to be staring expectantly at her and it made her uneasy. "So, what are you doing here? Date didn't go well?"
"It wasn't a date. I was helping a friend with decorations for her wedding."
"Oh." Mary's voice held surprise, confusion, and just a hint of ease. "So, what are you doing here?"
Marshall shrugged sheepishly in response. Mary looked back down the binders, allowing her hair to cover her slightly flushed cheeks. "There's a spare toothbrush in the bathroom and some of your clothes in the bottom drawer."
Marshall was unable to stop the grin that spread across his face as he bent down and pulled pajamas from her bottom drawer. As he stepped into the bathroom, he swore he heard Mary sigh in relief. He changed and cleaned-up quickly. Stepping back into the room, he found Mary had pushed the binders to the floor and curled herself under the blanket, away from him. Marshall slipped into bed and turned off the light on the nightstand. He faced Mary, watching as her body breathed in and out. Mary reached behind her until she found Marshall's hand, holding it tightly in hers.
"I'm glad you came."
Marshall squeezed her hand. "Me, too."
"How long have your parents been married?"
"Huh?" Marshall replied, opening his eyes lazily. He had nearly been asleep when Mary spoke. Marshall ran his hand over his face to shake off the beginning of his dream.
"How long have your parents been married?" she repeated, slowly.
"Um, almost forty-seven years."
"Oh, wow." Mary grabbed his hand and began to play with his fingers just as she had the night she asked about his brothers.
"They ran off and got married when they were still in high school. Tommy was born less than a year later. It's a bit of family tradition to have your first within a year of getting married. My grandfather was so angry about my parents getting married, he didn't talk to my father until after I was born."
"So, did your mom stay home with all of you?"
"She did until I was in third grade. Then, she went to school to become a teacher. She's been teaching fourth grade for over twenty years at the same elementary school."
"And she does crafts, right?"
Marshall nodded. "She started when they were just married to save money, but she's really good at it. She even sells her stuff at the local flea markets and craft shows on the weekends and during the summer. She's made blankets for every one of her grandchildren."
"You sound really proud of her."
"I am."
"What are your parents like together?"
"At first glance, it looks like my father rules the roost, but that couldn't be further from the truth. He's loud and obnoxious, quick to put up a fight... well, you met him."
Mary smiled at the memory of meeting Seth Mann.
"My mother can be just as stubborn as he is, but she also great at manipulation. She knows exactly what to say to my dad to get him to do what she wants all the while making it seem like it was his idea. But don't underestimate her. She can be as hot-headed as he is when she's pushed far enough. I remember this one fight they had in the middle of the hardware store because my father and the salesman decided they didn't need my mother's input on redesigning her sewing room. She chewed both of them up and spit them out as if they were sunflower seeds. The town talked about it for years."
"Why do you talk to her every day? Even when I lived with Jinx, I didn't talk to her every day."
Marshall impulsively tucked a piece of hair behind Mary's ear before pulling his hand back to his side. "When I was a kid, I always got the impression that my mom was a little lonely. I mean, she had Dad and us kids and eventually, she had her career, but Dad was gone a lot and my brothers wanted to be just like him so they were always off playing cowboy. I wanted to be like him, too, in my way, I guess, and that included taking care of my mom. So, every day, I would sit down with her after dinner and we would talk about everything and nothing. I never stopped talking to her."
After several moments of silence, Marshall sighed. "Okay, lay it on me. Tell me how I must be the daughter that my mom always longed to have. Ask if I sewed my own prom dress. Demand to know how many knitting stitch patterns I know."
"Actually, I was think that you may be the sweetest man I know." Mary rolled over and gently kissed his cheek. Instead of scooting back to her side of the bed, she laid her head on his shoulder. "But, seriously? How do you know what a knitting stitch pattern is, Martha?"
"Good night, Mare," he replied, pointedly.
"Trust me. Go with the flowers on page three. They're elegant and classy and yet, they still have a certain flair," Marshall whispered into the phone. He was sitting on the floor with his back against Mary's bed. He held Mary's cell phone in one hand and was using his free had to flip through the wedding binders that Brandi had forced upon Mary. He paused, listening to Brandi rapidly switch topics. "No, I think a choice of three entrees is plenty, especially with the three that-"
Marshall dropped the phone suddenly when he felt a hand on the back of his neck. Mary leaned down from the bed so that her lips were nearly touching his ear, causing Marshall to shiver slightly. "Whatcha doing there, slick?"
"I, uh, I-"
"Hello? Marshall? Are you there?" Brandi called through the phone.
Marshall quickly picked up the phone. "Just a second, Brandi."
"Brandi? As in my sister, Brandi?"
Marshall turned to face her, expecting to find ire, but found her eyes dancing with amusement instead. "Yes, your sister, Brandi. She's been calling you for the last two hours to finalize wedding details. When you didn't stir, I answered your phone."
"Hm," was all Mary replied.
"You'll thank me when you see the bridesmaid dress I got her to switch to." Marshall turned back around and spoke again into the phone. "As I was saying, Brandi, I think the three entrees that you've chosen will give people enough of a variety to select. Plus, you have tons of appetizers. No, only if you add anything else."
"Oh, make sure she has those little hot dogs with the sauce!" Mary demanded, excitedly. She draped her arms over Marshall's shoulders to grab the binder with the appetizers. "Ooh, and the crab thingies."
"Appetizers are already set. It's the one definite detail we had complete," Marshall informed. "No, Brandi, don't listen to her. Bran-"
Marshall sighed as Brandi began to second guess her decisions. He glanced over at Mary only to realize that her breast were tantalizingly close to his face. He felt the blush starting deep in his chest and working its way upward. "Comfy?"
Mary looked over at him. Seeing his red face, she rolled her eyes and snatched the phone. "Brandi, why don't you just come over and you two princesses can finish planning in person. Sure. I'll even get Marshall to make breakfast. See you then."
Mary tossed her cell phone onto the stack of binders and moved slightly closer to Marshall. She got a mischievous gleam in her eye, causing Marshall to swallow nervously. Mary inched closer to Marshall's neck, her lips puckering subtly. Mary released a warm breath causing Marshall to half-close his eyes.
They both jumped when Mary's phone rang.
"Brandi," Marshall announced, handing her the phone. He stood when Mary crawled back onto the bed and gathered the binders together. "I'm going to set these up in the kitchen."
Mary nodded, chewing on her bottom lip, wondering just what she had come close to doing.
"Do you care if I shower first?" Marshall asked, walking behind Mary into the hotel room, carrying both of their go-bags. He tossed them on the floor near the dresser.
"No," Mary sighed, falling into one of the beds, face first.
It had been a long day, most of which was spent in the car transporting a whiny witness who refused to fly. Mary and Marshall had turned around immediately after hand off, but were still half a day away from home when they decided to give up for the night. All they could about was cleaning the grime of the day off and sleeping for a solid eight hours.
When Marshall returned to the room barely twenty minutes later, he found Mary fast asleep in the same position that he left her. He tried waking her by shaking her shoulder, but Mary didn't move an inch. Chuckling slightly to himself, Marshall carefully removed her shoes, gun, and badge. He managed to remove her jacket without disturbing her. Marshall contemplated rolling her under the comforter, but decided he had pressed his luck enough for one night so he merely tucked the comforter around her. Marshall climbed into the other bed, glancing at his partner once last time before closing his eyes and crashing into sleep himself.
He awoke hours later to the sound of crying and the slight shaking of his bed. Marshall ran his hand over his face. "Mary?"
Marshall opened his eyes to find Mary slowly crawling across the bed, tears streaming down her face. He sat up slightly and pulled Mary close to him, stroking her hair to calm her down. "Mary, what's wrong?"
"I had a dream." Mary was taking deep breaths, trying to calm herself.
Marshall waited for her to continue. When she did not elaborate, he prompted, "And?"
Mary clenched his t-shirt with his fist, shaking her head. Her voice was low and shaky. "I couldn't find you. I was in my house, in my room, and I heard you call for me. I went to try and find you, but I couldn't. I looked everywhere. I could hear you calling, but I couldn't find you. Everywhere I looked was empty: my house, your house, work, the diner. And then..."
Marshall again waited for her to elaborate before speaking. "And then?"
Mary tucked in closer to him, interlocking her hand with his. When she spoke next, her breath danced across his neck. Marshall forced himself not to shiver. "And then, I woke up and reached out for you, but you weren't there. I woke up all alone. It was just so much like my dream."
"Ssh. It's okay. I'm right here," Marshall reassured her, squeezing her tight. Summoning all his courage, he kissed her timidly on the forehand. "It was just a dream. I'm not going anywhere. When I got out of the shower, you were already asleep. I didn't want to disturb you anymore than necessary."
"What are we doing, Marshall?" Mary whispered after they were both quiet for a few minutes.
"Well, I don't know about you, but I was drifting off to sleep."
Mary sighed. "That's not what I meant, moron, and you know that."
Marshall froze, not wanting her to go on.
"It's not normal what we're doing here," she continued.
"We've never been normal." Marshall tried to keep his voice light, even as heaviness set in his gut.
"Do you know why I showed up at your place the fifth night, even after I knew you were okay?"
"No."
"I hadn't slept well for months before you broke up with Abby. I got enough hours to get by, but that's it. Then, I stayed that first night with you and I slept solidly for hours. I woke up feeling better than... well, frankly, better than I ever have."
"I've been sleeping really well, too. So, if you're sleeping well and I'm sleeping well, then why are you questioning this?"
"Because what happens when you find someone and I don't know how to sleep alone anymore?"
"So, you're saying I won't be able to find someone willing to share a bed with both me and my partner?
"Only in your dreams there, slick." They both chuckled.
Marshall sighed as he stopped laughing. "Mary, in the history of our eight year partnership, how many times have I been in a 'serious' relationship?"
"Define 'serious.'"
"Someone who's name I mentioned for longer than two weeks."
"Two."
"Exactly. I don't think you have to worry about it. I think it's more likely the other way around and I'll have to get used to sleeping without you."
"Not gonna happen," Mary told him, sleepily. "There are only three men in my life from now on: you, Stan, and Peter."
Marshall grinned widely. "Then, don't worry about it and get some sleep."
Mary nodded as she drifted off to sleep, still clutching close to Marshall.
"Where the hell have you been tonight?" Mary demanded, storming into Marshall's bedroom.
Startled, he dropped the book in his hand. He hadn't heard her enter the house. "What?"
"Where have you been?" Mary accentuated each word as she began to pace.
"I've been here."
"Exactly!" Mary threw her hands in the air. "It's my night."
After Marshall had spent the night at Mary's a few weeks earlier, they had come to the unspoken agreement to rotate nights at each other's houses. This lead to a few awkward conversations with Stan when one of them answered the other's phone. It also lead to Brandi's strong belief that Mary was hiding a boyfriend as she kept finding Marshall's things in Mary's house, much to Mary's horror and Marshall's amusement. Mary refused to say anything to Brandi one way or the other.
"Mary, you had a date," Marshall told her, quietly.
"So?"
"So, how were you going to explain the presence of your partner in your bed if you brought your date back to your house?" Marshall refused to look her in the eye. This was the closest they had come to talking about their nightly ritual since the night in the hotel and the first time either of them had a date since Abby.
"You think I just go around sleeping with anyone on the first date?" Mary felt the anger she entered the house with building inside her.
"No," Marshall replied without hesitation, "but if you really liked him, you might have brought him back to your place for a drink or coffee or just to extend the evening."
Mary flopped on the end of the bed. She studied Marshall's bedspread, picking at a loose thread. The anger she had felt was rapidly disappearing. When she spoke next, her voice was low. "It wasn't a real date. It was Peter's best man and Brandi thought we should get to know each other before we had to spend the entire day together for the wedding."
Inwardly, Marshall sighed in relief. "Did you have fun?"
"No! The guy's an accountant and that's it. Everything he discussed involved accounting. I don't think he has any outside interests. And I couldn't even drink. This wedding's going to suck."
Marshall gave her a small sympathetic smile. "So, are you going to stay here or are you going to drag me out of my nice warm bed to go to your place?"
"I'll stay," Mary grumbled, but the ends of her mouth were turning upward as she made her way into his bathroom. Marshall slid down further in the bed, picking his book up to resume reading. Mary returned a few minutes later dressed in a white camisole and a pair of Marshall's pajamas. She turned the overhead light off, leaving only the small reading light on the nightstand. Mary crawled under the comforter and over to Marshall, much to his surprise. She laid her head on his chest and threw her arm across his chest.
"Good night, doofus," Mary muttered, already drifting off.
Marshall took his arm and laid it on her back, his hand drawing small circles. "Good night, Mare."
Marshall awoke early in the morning to the feeling of someone stroking his abdomen gently. Groaning slightly, he slowly opened his eyes to a sea of blond hair. He glanced down in time to see Mary kiss the base of neck. Marshall's body stiffened.
"Mary? Mare?" Marshall croaked. He grabbed her hand to stop it from wandering further south. Mary moaned kisses into his neck and behind his ear as Marshall rolled his eyes in pleasure. Summoning strength all the way from his toes, Marshall pulled away from her just enough to see her face. "Mary!"
Mary sighed, a small smile of ecstasy escaping her lips, while her eyes remained closed. She puckered her as if she was still kissing him. Marshall chuckled in both relief and disappointment. He held her away until her breath slowed and she ceased making noises.
Mary half-opened her eyes, remaining asleep. She hovered over Marshall's face, caressing his cheek. She leaned down and kissed him gently, before whispering, "Thank you, Marshall."
Marshall cleared his throat, but was at a loss for words. Mary closed her eyes once again and tucked herself into him. Marshall breathed out slowly as she settled into him. There was no way he was getting anymore sleep now.
Marshall lay in bed watching the lack of Mary's form, having long ago given up the pretense of reading his book. She was quiet, too quiet, and had been since they returned from the reception. Mary had gotten changed and into bed without uttering a word. It was unnerving him.
Brandi and Peter's wedding had been beautiful with only a few disasters that had to be diverted. Marshall spent his time solving crises for Brandi and keeping Mary calm. Brandi had had the foresight to allow Marshall to sight at the head table with Mary. She didn't even protest when Mary danced the bridal party dance with Marshall instead of Peter's best man. Overall, it was one of the best days that Marshall had had in a long time as he spent most of the evening in Mary's arms. She had requested that he dance all night with her.
Mary rolled suddenly so that she was laying on top of Marshall. She folded her arms over his chest and watched as his eyes widened and heard his breath sharpen. He stilled completely, waiting for her next move.
"Let's get married."
"Are you drunk?" Marshall's voice was calm, despite having every nerve in his body lit on fire.
"There wasn't any alcohol, goofball."
"Is that why you were able to catch the bouquet?"
Mary turned her head to glare at the flowers on the dresser. "Brandi did that on purpose."
"Where would we live?"
"My place."
"Why's that?"
"We'll never get what I paid for my house, at least, not right now. Plus, I have three bedrooms and you only have two."
"I thought it would be because of the pool."
"That, too. I know how you like to see me in a swimsuit."
Marshall smirked, willing his body to remain in control. "What about Stan?"
"I'm pretty sure he wouldn't mind seeing me in a swimsuit, either."
Marshall sighed.
"They're not going to split us up, not completely. They'll scrutinize us for awhile, make Delia come along with one of us when they won't let us team up until we ditch her like an ugly prom date."
Marshall chuckled at that one and then wished he hadn't, hyper aware of every part of Mary that was touching him and his body's reactions to that. "When do you want to do this?"
"Three weeks, after Brandi and Peter get back. Vegas."
"Vegas?"
"Yeah. Think your parents can make it?"
"Pretty sure. Guess you've thought about everything."
"Guess so." Mary paused. "I'm serious, you know."
"I know." And he did.
"I love you."
"I love you. Always have."
Mary crocked her head, slightly. "Could it really be this easy?"
"Easy? Mary, it's been eight years in the making."
"True. So, you have three weeks to change your mind."
"I won't."
"Good. I won't, either."
Marshall swung his hips so that she landed on the bed on her back and followed behind her. He hovered over her, his weight on his forearm.
"Only one thing left to do," Marshall muttered in her ear.
Mary's eyes darkened and she tingled all the way to her toes. "Oh yeah? What's that?"
"Celebrate," he whispered before lowering his mouth to hers, a million bursts of happiness exploding in his brain.
As Mary slowly came to consciousness, she became aware of two things: one, the hand resting on her hip was stroking her gently, and two, someone was staring at her. Mary lazily opened one eye to see the solemn blue eyes of three-year-old Noah looking back at her.
"Morning, Mama," he said, softly, resting his head on the mattress.
"Morning, Noah," she whispered back. Mary scooted away from Marshall, hearing him whimper a little at the lose of her. She reached down and pulled Noah onto the bed before moving them back into Marshall. Marshall sighed contently as he wrapped his arm around Mary's waist, still sleeping. "We have to be quiet. Daddy had a late night."
Noah nodded, drowsily, as he settled against his mother with the same sigh his father had given just moments earlier.
"Mama, look who's up," five-year-old Alyssa said, proudly, walking into the bedroom, carrying her one-year-old brother.
"Lyssie!" Mary hissed as Alyssa dumped Zane on the bed and climbed up herself. "You are not supposed to pick your brother up!"
"But, Mama, he was awake!" Alyssa protested, keeping her voice low. Mary sighed, exasperated, gearing up for round two. Alyssa was too much like her mother for her own good; always ready to argue her point.
"Alyssa Rose, what is the rule about picking up your brother?" Marshall asked, sternly, his voice deep with sleep as it rumbled in Mary's ear.
"I'm not allowed to pick Zane up unless you or Mama say I can," Alyssa sighed. "I'm sorry, Mama."
Mary smiled warmly at her before turning her head back to Marshall. "Do you want me to take them to the living room so you can get some more sleep?"
"And let you get all the cuddle time?" Marshall teased. "Absolutely not."
Mary kissed him, reflecting briefly how her lips always felt as if they were on fire when they touched his, even after the thousands of kisses they shared. She turned back to the three kids, who were snuggled together. Alyssa and Noah lay on either side of Zane, talking a mile a minute. Mary couldn't even begin to guess about what topic. Zane, for his part, babbled along with his older siblings.
"You have that look," Marshall informed her, placing a warm kiss below her ear.
"What look?"
"The 'my baby's growing up so it's time to start thinking about the next one' look."
"That is so not a look," Mary huffed.
Marshall placed another kiss on her neck. "It is with you." He kissed her shoulder. "And you get it about this age, which," he kissed her temple, "is why our kids are all two years apart."
Mary scrunched up her face. She itched to disagree with him, but he was right. She had gotten pregnant with Alyssa for him, to give Marshall the child he desperately wanted with her (and in the grand tradition of Manns, had gotten pregnant within the first year of their marriage), but by the time she felt Alyssa kick for the first time, she had completely fallen in love with the idea of being a mom. She was the one who brought up having the next one and the one after that.
"Well, what do you say, partner?"
"I say we start tonight." Marshall kissed her sweetly on the lips.
"Daddy?" Alyssa asked, her voice half-singing.
"Yes, darling?"
She giggled. "Can you make us pancakes?"
"Of course." Marshall's body groaned as he got out of bed. It had been a long night. He groaned aloud when Alyssa and Noah jumped on him.
"With chocolate chips!" Mary called after him, sitting up and pulling Zane on her lap.
"Of course!" he yelled back. After a moment, he stepped back into the room, Alyssa and Noah in his arms. "Oh, I almost forgot. Brandi and Peter are dropping Hannah off for the day. They're going to finish up the nursery."
"Should I be worried that my sister always calls you for help?"
"No, you should be glad I got you out of the forty-minute debate over sky blue versus baby blue."
"I knew there was a reason I loved you."
Marshall chuckled and made his way with the two kids into the kitchen. He sat them on the counter and began to pull out everything he needed to make pancakes.
"You don't want to be the baby, do you?" Mary asked Zane as she changed his diaper. He shook his head as he always did when he was asked a question. "Uncle Stan's gonna kill me."
Zane blew a raspberry at her in response. Mary tickled him. She picked him up when the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it!" Alyssa shrieked.
"I'll get it!" Noah echoed.
"Mama will get it!" Mary yelled to both of them, racing to the door first, Zane laughing in her arms. She flung the door open to reveal Peter, Brandi, and Hannah, her four-year-old niece.
"Hannah!" Alyssa and Noah said in unison. All three children hugged each other at the same time, causing them to tumble to the floor in a heap, laughing like hyenas. Hannah was normally a reserved child, but her inner wild beast came out to play around her cousins.
"Come on in," Mary told Peter and Brandi. "Marshall's making chocolate chip pancakes if you're interested."
"Thanks, but we already ate," Peter declined, politely, side-stepping the pile of children.
Brandi hit him in the stomach. "Speak for yourself. I'll take some."
"My mistake."
"Hey, Marshall," Brandi greeted, giving him a quick peck on the cheek before sitting at the counter, rubbing her swollen stomach. "You'll be happy to know that we are going with the baby blue."
"Oh, good. He was up all night worrying about it," Mary commented, sarcastically, strapping Zane into the high chair.
Marshall glared at her as he put some pancakes on the plate in front of Brandi, not wanting her to have to wait to eat. "An excellent choice. I think you'll be very pleased."
Mary and Peter glanced at each and rolled their eyes. Peter left to check on the kids while Mary sat down next to Brandi. She stared into space, listening to Marshall and Brandi discuss nursery ideas until their voices became background noise.
"Ow!" Mary exclaimed when Brandi pinched her.
"Sorry, sis, but you were sitting there with that look on your face."
"What look?" Peter asked, returning to the kitchen with Noah in his arms and Alyssa and Hannah hanging off his legs.
"The 'I want another baby' look. Are you trying to give Tommy and Cecilia a run for their money?"
"I do not have a look," Mary scowled. "I think that pregnancy is eating your brain."
Brandi laughed to the point of shaking. "Whatever you say. Just let us know if you want us to take the kids tonight. You know, the headboard-shaking, primal-screaming se-"
"Brandi!" Mary, Marshall, and Peter all shouted, but Brandi only laughed harder.
"What's so funny?" Alyssa asked, her hand on her hip.
"Oh, see your mom wants-"
"Breakfast is ready!" Marshall announced, cutting Brandi off. He and Mary settled everyone at the table before standing back to watch the chaos. Mary turned to him suddenly and hugged him fiercely.
"What's going on in that head of yours?" Marshall asked, kissing the top of her head.
Mary looked up at him with a wide smile. "Nothing. I'm just... happy."
THE END
A/N2: Sorry for the sappy ending. I'm just a sucker for them.