It was what would have been a normal day at the office except for a couple key facts:

A: It was not a normal office; no it was the Albuquerque Headquarters for WPP, or Witness Protection Program.

And B: It was U.S. Marshall Mary Shannon's wedding day.

The wedding was set for 6:00, a sunset wedding. Mary was not the romantic kind, hell she wasn't even kind. But she was a girl, and even the toughest, most tom-boyish girl in the world can't say they never dreamed about the perfect wedding growing up. Where the wedding was to be held, at Southern Gardens, a garden with flowers from around the world, and her dress were the only things Mary decided on. The rest she left up to her mother, Jinx, her sister, Brandi, and her fiancé's mother.

It was increasingly quiet in the cool office and the tension was growing increasingly fast. The clock struck noon, the church a couple blocks down ringing loud and clear, causing the companions of the office to jump.

Mary sighed as she started to pack up; she had strict instructions to be home by 12:30. She looked around the office one last time. Eleanor was filing stuff away; Stan was in his office doing something on the computer- she'd probably have a witness ready to go when she came back from the honeymoon. And Marshall. She was surprised to see that the ever diligent worker was in fact not working. Instead he was staring at her. So she did the only reasonable thing. She stared back.

Eleanor stopped filing and watched the two best friends have a conversation with no words. She briefly wished that she could have that kind of relationship with someone but quickly brushed the thought off. She could see the mistake that Mary was making here. She'd worked in the office for two years now and she could see how much the two Marshalls loved each other. They were just too blind to see it. It was when Marshall slammed down the file that he had been holding that she decided that maybe it was time for her and Stan to go get to coffee.

Mary jumped as Marshall dropped the file he was holding. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Eleanor grabbed Stan and walk out.
"Jesus, Marshall, what was that for." She breathed when her heart caught back up with her.

"Shouldn't you be getting home for your wedding?" The way he said it made it seem almost like a curse word.

"What's your problem?" She asked, standing up. Marshall stood up as well.

"Nothing. You should get going. Wouldn't want you to be late to your own wedding, now would we?"

"You're still coming, right?" She asked, her voice for once was not harsh or condescending or sarcastic. It was an innocent question, spoken by a girl who wanted her best friend there for her wedding.

"Yeah, sure. Ok." He brushed off the question, a casual answer. She could see something in his eyes, something not familiar, but easily recognizable. Hurt.

"Marshall..." she trailed off and stepped to him.

"No Mary. Just leave it." His words were harsh, his eyes conveying her to just drop it. She took another step.

"No, I won't. You're my best friend."

"Mare, just drop it. I don't want to talk about it." Another step closer to him, only a foot away.

"Marshall, when have you even known me to listen?" Another and they were nose to nose now. Marshall groaned angrily.

"It's none of your business!" That was a lie. It had everything to do with her. She could tell.

"Liar." She called his bluff. The hurt

"And if I am?" Their voices had gone from loud to hushed, their closed space aware to them.

They were leaning closer together. She searched his eyes, trying to see his soul. Did he want this? Yes. Did he need this? Yes.

Their lips finally clashed. Heated, harsh, passionate,...love. They moved in sync with each other, lips matching the others' movement. His tongue brushed against her lower lip, hesitant, afraid he would scare her away with the slightest touch. She eagerly parted her own, letting their tongues danced an age old battle for dominance. Salty tears slipped down, neither could tell you whose they were though

When they broke apart he rested his forehead on hers.

'Stay. Stay with me.' She read in his eyes. Oh she wanted to. How she wanted to. She wanted to forget Raph. Forget everyone but him. Run away to some obscure island (not like they didn't have the resources). She wanted to screw her responsibilities. Screw her job, her messed up family. She wanted to. But she was scared. She didn't want to be left loveless. Alone.

"Ask me." Her voice was low and she stared into the chocolate pools, conveying how she felt, what she wanted, needed.

"Ask me, damn it."

Marshall stared at her, saying nothing. He just stared. She could see his mind calculating, whirring, buzzing, but still he said nothing. Couldn't he see that it was killing her? She needed him to ask, say it out loud. She needed him.

"Alright, fine. I get it." She pushed herself away from him and grabbed her purse, ready to walk out the door.

"God damn it Marshall!" She suddenly turned. Tears that she didn't know had been there filled up her eyes.

"Stop me Marshall! Stop me from walking out the door and making the biggest mistake of my life! Stop me! Grab me and kiss me senseless and make me stay! Chain me to the damn desk and don't let me leave! Tell me you love me." She whispered the last part. "Tell me not to marry Raph. Tell me. Don't ask. Tell me."

He gazed at her, his eyes never wavered. But still he said nothing.

"Ok. You don't love me. You're still coming to the wedding or I will kick your ass." She brushed passed him to leave.

When her hand touched the door she hesitated. She prayed he would speak up.

'Come on Marshall.' She urged him. But the hesitation was only momentary and she pulled the door open and reached for the elevator.

And then she was spun around. His lips were on hers. He was filling all of her senses. His tongue was pushing through her opened lips. He was pushing her up against the wall. It happened so fast she didn't know what was happening.

He pulled away from her in what could have been seconds, could have been minutes.

"Stay." The word was casual and so was his tone, like he was blurting out one of the ever random stream of facts. But his eyes, his eyes were serious.

Mary stood up straight.

"Ok." Her eyes didn't leave his until she sat down at her desk.

And life continued on like a normal day in office, if that office was anything but WPP headquarters, and if the employees were anyone but Marshalls Mary Shannon and Marshall Mann.