So, I'm back! I just can't stay away from IPS - LOL. March 14th is National Pi day - and my IPS muses woke up and went nuts. This will probably be a 2 or 3 shot. This chapter is all pre-series. Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own IPS - is it still on the air? Then nope, not mine :(

March 14, 2005

Marshall's eyes slid to the left as his partner breezed past his desk. "You're late."

"I know."

"Traffic?"

"No."

"Forgot to set your alarm?"

"No."

"Your car break down again?"

"Geez, Marshall, what's with the third degree?"

"You missed staff meeting."

"Shit!" Mary threw her coat on her desk chair. "How pissed off is he?"

"Lucky for you, he's not here right now – he got called down to the courthouse. When he left he was muttering under his breath about unreliable inspectors who don't even bother to call in-"

Mary tossed her head. "Stan loves me – I'm his favorite."

Marshall tilted back in his chair, his eyebrows high on his forehead. "What universe do you live in? We've been partners for almost two years now and in that time you've been nothing but a glorified pain in his ass."

"What crawled into your coffee and died this morning?"

"Maybe I'd be in a better mood if my partner would actually start doing her share of the work." Marshall lowered his head and began scribbling again in his file.

"Here-" she crossed the space between them. "This will help – at least, you always say it does." She placed a piece of pie on his desk and stepped back with a small smile. "It's the reason I'm late – well, that and the fact that I overslept because I was out late last night at this-"

He held up a hand. "Please, don't – I really don't want to know about your nocturnal activities, Inspector. As long as you're not breaking the law or comprising our partnership – keep it to yourself."

"God, Marshall, you're such a girl."

He poked the plastic container on his desk with the eraser end of his pencil, as if the pie was poisoned. "What's the occasion? Don't take this the wrong way – but you're not a treater-"

"Hey!"

He held up his hands in surrender. "Just an observation, not a criticism!"

She shrugged. "I was listening to the radio on the way in and the DJ's said it was national pie day. So, I figured since you love pie and you deserve a little something for putting up with me-" She broke off at the strange look on her partner's face. "What?"

Marshall was trying hard not to laugh. "Mer, you do know that there are two kinds of pie, right?"

She rolled her eyes. "Uh, I think there are actually a lot more than two, Doofus."

"I'm not talking about flavors – I'm talking about pie and pi."

She frowned and Marshall swallowed his laughter as he picked up the plastic container. "There is pie, the food," he explained, holding it up in one hand. "And then there is pi, the Greek letter."

"Are you talking about mathematics - geometry?"

He nodded. "Yeah, exactly. 3.14159-"

"Stop, I get it. So today is actually-"

"Pi day – the day us geeks and mathematicians celebrate the circumference of the circle and tell jokes like 'Hey, pies aren't square, they're round.'"

Mary groaned. "That isn't even remotely funny. Give me back my pie." She made a grab for it as he pulled it out of her reach.

"What? No, it's mine – you gave it to me."

"Yeah, when I thought it was pie day – not the national day of some stupid unending Greek letter."

"It's not stupid – where would we be if Archimedes hadn't-"

Mary slapped her hands over her ears. "Enough! Keep your damn pie – if it shuts you up." She stomped back to her desk. "But you have to cover for me with Stan."

Marshall looked up from inspecting his pie. "Wait – why? You're the one who could be poisoning me right now – I'm taking my life in my hands here."

She smirked. "So don't eat it."

"But it's my favorite."

She glared at him. "You don't have a favorite – you love pie, pure and simple."

"That just shows how well you know me - for your information, I do have a top ten list of pies and banana cream is on it."

Mary shuddered. "Well, you're welcome to it. I hate bananas."

He grinned as he took a big bite. "I know."

She crumpled up a scrap of paper and threw it at his head but he dodged easily. "Jackass."

"Well, Inspector," Stan called as he entered the office. "So good of you to join us this morning-"

"Stan, I-"

"Her car broke down, chief."

Mary shot her partner a look of surprise and noticed that the piece of pie had completely disappeared. Stan grunted. "And you didn't think to call?"

She swallowed. "I – my phone is at home, charging. I'm sorry, chief, it won't happen again."

"This is the second time this month, Shannon-"

"She can't control her car breaking down, Stan," Marshall interrupted. "I'll start calling her in the morning to check in, see if she needs a ride, how's that?"

Stan grunted again. "All right – just make sure you have your phone with you at all times. What if one of your witnesses had been in crisis?"

Mary nodded and Stan stomped into his own private office.

"Thanks," she whispered.

He shrugged. "We should probably get out of here for awhile, go check on our witnesses, give Stan a chance to cool off."

She grabbed her coat. "And we can pick up my phone too."

Marshall groaned. "Where is it?"

"I'm hoping I left it at the bar last night, otherwise it's at-"

He held up at hand. "Please, don't." He gave a long suffering sigh. "I'm going to need more pie."

She grinned. "Do you want me to buy you a whole one this time?"

"Please."

2006

Insistent hammering on the front door woke Marshall from the fitful slumber he had fallen into on the sofa. He had finally found a somewhat comfortable position and he really didn't want to move, nor did he want to speak to the person on the other side of the door. He turned the volume up on the TV, hoping she would get the hint, but the pounding came again, louder and more persistent.

"Marshall, open the fucking door! I know you're in there!"

He sighed as he muted the TV. "Mary, use your key – I really don't feel like getting up."

There was a pause and then he heard a scrap and a bump, before his apartment door swung open and his partner stepped inside. "Hi," she said shyly. "How are you feeling?"

He grunted as he shifted slightly on the doughnut under his ass. "Like I've been shot."

"Marshall-" she cleared her throat.

"Mary, could you just say what you want to say and go? I was sleeping and I'd really like to go back to sleep, if you don't mind."

"Oh," she swallowed. "I thought I'd make you some dinner."

His eyebrows rose on his forehead. "Are you trying to kill me? Shooting me in the ass wasn't enough?"

She slammed her bag of groceries on the counter beside her as she crossed to stand in front of him. "That's not funny! Do you honestly think I'd kill the only partner who's been able to stay with me for three years? God, Marshall, when I realized I'd shot you and not Stephens, I-" she choked back the tears, not letting them escape.

Marshall held out a hand. "Come here."

Mary looked at him warily. "Why?"

"Because getting up hurts like hell and I realize I'm being an ass – now come here."

She tentatively placed her hand in his and he pulled her down onto the sofa beside him, but she pulled her hand free as soon as she was seated. "It was such chaos out there – and when we got separated-" she shrugged. "We should have been wearing earpieces so we could have communicated with each other. My motto has always been to shoot anything that moves when I get in situations like that but I've never had a partner to back me up before and when I saw something move out of the corner of my eye, I thought it was Stephens so I just turned and shot-" she shuddered as her hands came up to cover her face.

Ignoring the pain the movement caused, Marshall slid the few inches between them to pull her against his chest. She stiffened until she felt his hand cup the back of her neck and then she dropped her hands to her lap, letting go of the tension in her shoulders.

"I'm all right, Mary. You didn't kill me and we still got Stephens. We're just lucky that I'm a better shot than you-"

She pushed him away but he was smiling down at her and she felt her lips quirking up as well. "Jackass."

He laughed and moved away, hunting for his doughnut. "So, what's for dinner?"

"Chef Boyardee." She shrugged. "Sorry – I only know how to open cans and heat things up – unless you want me to make you my famous tuna casserole."

Marshall winced. "I'll pass, thanks."

"You are such a food snob."

"Guilty."

She began to move around his tiny kitchen, unpacking groceries and humming under her breath. Instead of asking where things were, she just opened drawers and banged cupboard doors until she found what she needed. Marshall dozed on the couch until she woke him by placing a steaming plate of ravioli under his nose.

"Smells good," he smiled at her.

"Let's just hope it tastes good."

"What's for dessert?"

She smiled. "It's pie day-"

"Is it?"

She nodded. "So I picked up a cherry pie."

"My favorite."

She leaned over and wiped a bit of sauce from his chin with her napkin. "I know."

2007

"No, you can't claim Jinx on your taxes."

"But why not?"

"Because she's your mother," Marshall laughed.

Mary snorted. "She doesn't act like it – I'm only the one who picked her up off the floor, cleaned up her vomit, and bailed her out of jail my whole life."

Marshall gave her a sympathetic look.

"Don't look at me like that, Doofus. I had a great childhood, it just wasn't the 'Leave it to, Beaver' childhood that you had."

He nearly choked on his sip of coffee. "You think I had an idyllic childhood just because I wasn't bailing a parent out of jail? Oh how little you know me, Shannon."

"Enlighten me, then."

He pursed his lips as he broke their eye contact and glanced back at the house they were watching. "Maybe someday I will."

"Oh come on, we've been partners for four years now. I've told you about my druggie sister and alcoholic mom – although you've actually had the pleasure of meeting Jinx, now. And I've mentioned my less than law abiding father."

"Once or twice."

"So, spill. The only things you've shared are that you're a momma's boy and that being a US Marshal runs in your family. What about your dad? Are you close?"

Marshall's jaw clenched as he took another sip of coffee. "Not especially."

"You mean I'm not the only one in this partnership with daddy issues?"

He winced. "I do not have daddy issues – we just have never seen eye to eye on – well, most things."

The front door opened and their witness peeked out. "Time to go to work."

"To be continued," she clarified as she undid her seat belt.

Marshall was already out of the car and striding up the walk. He rang the bell and a moment later, a scared face peeked out.

"Marshall, how did you-"

"Find you? That's my job, Sawyer. And you can bet if I found you, your partner isn't far behind. We have to go, now."

Sawyer swallowed. "I had to come back. My mom's dy-"

"Marshall, gun!"

Mary swung into position to shield her partner and his witness as Marshall pushed Sawyer back into the house. He pushed Sawyer to the floor as bullets began flying outside. "Stay down," he ordered. "I've got to cover my partner – if you move there's a very good chance you'll be hit-"

A vase shattered just over their heads, emphasizing Marshall's words.

Sawyer's head bobbed up and down vigorously. "I won't move."

"Good."

Marshall crouched behind the door and slowly swung it open a half inch. He could see a beat up sedan had pulled up outside and two men had taken cover behind it and were firing at the house. Mary was behind a porch post and her eyes met his, communicating silently. He was about to join her when she shook her head violently.

"One went around back," she hissed.

He swore and took aim as one of the shooters came out from behind the sedan. The man went down, leaving one for Mary to deal with. She nodded and he shut the door, turning back to Sawyer – who wasn't there.

"Sawyer?" he hissed. "Where are you? Damn it!"

"Drop your weapon and turn around slowly, US Marshal."

Marshall turned slowly to see Sawyer with a gun to his head, his eyes wide and panicked. "I don't think I've had the pleasure – you must be Graeme, Sawyer's partner."

The man tightened his hold on Sawyer. "EX-partner, that's right. We had a good thing going until Sawyer here grew a conscience and turned state's evidence on me."

"Funny how that happens." Marshall kept his tone light and his posture relaxed. The longer he kept Graeme talking, the more time he gave Mary to get the drop on the man.

"But once I tie up this loose end, I'm home free."

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

Graeme smiled. "I don't think so-"

"As a US Marshal, I can't just let you walk out of here."

"Well then, it looks like I have two loose ends to tie up."

Marshall raised his gun. "I can't let you go."

"What are you going to do – shoot your witness?"

"If I have to, yes."

Sawyer whimpered as a weapon fired and Graeme fell groaning to the floor. Mary stepped into the room, crossed to Graeme's side and cuffed him.

"I need an ambulance! I've been shot!"

Mary rolled her eyes. "It's only a flesh wound – you'll live, don't worry."

Marshall stepped over to Sawyer. "You OK?"

Sawyer was shaking uncontrollably. "Would you really have shot me?"

"Of course not. Now, if it had been Mary-" he grinned as his partner came to his side.

"What lies are you telling your witness about me?"

"The truth, Mer, only the truth. Excellent timing, by the way, as always."

She grinned. "I try. His other two counterparts are dead, by the way."

"Good. Let's call this in and then get the hell out of here."

"But-" Sawyer stuttered. "My mom-"

Both inspectors turned to glare at him. "You think this is over? He's still alive." Marshall pointed to Graeme.

"You're a dead man, Sawyer."

Marshall raised his eyebrows in a silent question and Sawyer's shoulders slumped in defeat. He marched his witness out to the car and Mary sat on Graeme until the FBI arrived.

When she climbed into the car, Marshall told her their flight was leaving in two hours.

"Is that enough time to stop for pie?"

He grinned. "I think there's a place on the way."

"Good."

"Pie?" Sawyer questioned them from the backseat. "Seriously?"

"Pie makes everything better," Marshall stated calmly, slipping on his sunglasses and grinning at his partner.

"And it's national pie day," Mary smiled back as she slipped on her own pair.

2008

"Honey, does this dress make me look fat?"

Marshall poked his head out of the bathroom, cocking it to one side. "Actually, it does accentuate your posterior more than the red one – but isn't that what you were going for?"

Mary picked up a pillow from the bed and threw it in his direction but he disappeared back into the bathroom and it sailed harmlessly across the floor. "You're such an ass!"

"True, but you looove me!"

She rolled her eyes dramatically. "I can't for the moment think why-"

Marshall came out of the bathroom, barefoot but dressed in slacks and a dress shirt, though it wasn't buttoned. He crossed the room to stand in front of her, cupping her face in his hands. "Everything's going to be all right."

"Are you sure? We've waited so long-"

He dropped a kiss on her forehead and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Just a few more hours and we'll finally have the family we've always wanted."

She buried her face in the nape of his neck, whispering, "And we'll be done with this case."

"Shh," he whispered back, reminding her of the eyes and ears that were constantly monitoring them. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes, but you're not." She moved away and swiftly buttoned his shirt.

"What would I do without you?" He gave her a wide smile and Mary swallowed as it did something unexpected to her insides. She rubbed her hands on the sides of her dress.

"Now you just need shoes. I'll grab my purse and meet you downstairs."

"OK." He leaned in and placed a feather light kiss on her lips and she felt the flutter in her stomach again. This case with the FTF had gone on too long; nearly a month of playing house with Marshall, being watched by the good guys and the bad had been playing havoc with her emotions. She just needed to finish this job, catch these bastards and go home and sleep for the next week, in her own bed alone.

Mary frowned as she scooped up her purse and went down the stairs. Alone, in a bed without Marshall spooned behind her? That was going to feel strange. She had gotten used to falling asleep with his arm around her waist, his breath in her ear.

"Ready?" he asked, breaking into her thoughts as she looked up to find him standing in front of her, holding the door open.

She nodded. I've got to get home, away from him. This is ridiculous. I can't have feelings for him. This is all an act – I'm sleep deprived, that's all.

As they walked down the sidewalk, he swung an arm around her waist and she tried not to stiffen under his touch. "Is this really necessary?" she hissed, smiling up at him.

"They're watching, Mer, you know that." He caressed her lower back. "We're almost done and then you take some vacation time, get away from me for awhile."

She stopped and really looked at him, seeing the pain and strain around his eyes for the first time, and wondered how hard this playacting had been on him. "I'm sorry," she reached up and cupped his left cheek. "I didn't mean-"

He nodded out of her hold. "It's OK."

Without thinking, she rocked to her toes and kissed him full on the lips. Only when she felt him respond, did she realize what she had done and tried to pull away, but his arms had wrapped around her tight. "Marshall-"

"Don't," he whispered in ear. "We have a tail."

She shivered against his chest. "Ours or theirs?"

"I don't know – we need to go." Keeping an arm around her waist he resumed walking. "Remember the plan?"

She nodded. "We can't reveal ourselves until we actually have the baby – but maybe you can hold it?" she whispered hopefully.

He chuckled. "You're the mother."

She winced. "That's a cop out – Marshall, I'm not – you know I don't-"

He squeezed her waist. "Just think of Brandi."

All too soon, they arrived at Deek's office, the shady lawyer that had been finding infants for wealthy couples. It had taken the FBI and FTF time, but they had finally discovered that he was the one who was smuggling in illegal children from Mexico and Central America and placing them with American families. Mary and Marshall had been called in to pose as a wealthy couple looking to adopt and for the past month had been watched by both Deek's men and the FBI. Today was finally the day they were getting their own baby and this whole operation would be shut down.

Marshall held the office door open for Mary and Deek came forward to greet them. He pumped Marshall's hand and gave Mary a hug that made her want to take a shower, even though she kept her smile firmly in place.

"Well, well, well! Today's the big day! How are you feeling?"

Marshall and Mary exchanged a long glance as he reached over and took one of her hands in his. "I think I speak for both of us when I say we're excited and scared at the same time."

Deek laughed and slapped Marshall on the back. "Of course you are, son. Big step you're taking. Your life's never going to be the same after today."

There was the sound of a baby crying from the other office and Mary took a step in that direction. "Is that – our baby?"

"Yes – but hold on there, girlie. We have just a few more papers to sign first-"

"I thought we'd already signed everything," Marshall frowned.

"Oh, just a few more – the legal system is so complicated." He steered Marshall over to the desk.

"While my husband is going over the final papers, could I see-"

"Her?" Deek smiled.

Mary's heart beat faster. "It's a girl?"

"Yes."

She looked at Marshall and he smiled at her encouragingly. "Go ahead, honey. I'll just read this over real quick and join you and our daughter."

Deek hesitated. "Well, usually I wait until all the papers have been signed-"

Marshall picked up a pen and hastily scrawled a signature across the pages. "There – now may we see our daughter?"

"My, you folks sure are eager."

Mary's danger sense was pinging. "Aren't all new parents eager to see their child for the first time?"

Deek looked back and forth between them before breaking out in a loud guffaw. "I guess so – let's go meet your daughter."

He stepped to the other office door and swung it open. Mary was surprised to see no one in the room caring for the baby as she hurried inside and crossed to the makeshift play pen. She leaned over the side and stared down at the dirtiest, tiniest baby girl she had ever seen.

"Oh," she exhaled softly. The baby opened her eyes, dark brown, and let out a wail. Biting her lip, Mary thought of Squish as she lifted the baby into her arms. Brandi was never this tiny – or dirty.

"Well, what do you think? Isn't she a beaut?"

Mary turned furious eyes on him. "I think you're under arrest."

Deek turned to bolt out the door but ran into the solid wall of Marshall. "US Marshals, freeze."

Suddenly the office was filled with the FBI and the FTF members. Marshall handed Deek over to them and crossed to Mary's side. "Is she OK?"

Mary raised teary eyes to his. "She's filthy, Marshall – and she's hungry," she explained as the baby suckled on her thumb.

Marshall rooted around in the diaper bag. "There's a can of formula and a couple of bottles in here. I'll make her one – unless you want me to take her?"

She shook her head. "I'm OK."

He kissed her forehead. "And you said you were no good with kids."

She shrugged. "I'm not – I just took your advice and thought of Brandi."

He smiled at her and left to find some water. Later, after the baby was fed and changed and sleeping, he brought back dinner for the two of them.

"And for dessert," he announced as he pulled two pieces of pie out of the bag. "Peach – my favorite."

She swallowed and tried to smile even though her emotions were all over the map. "Pie doesn't make everything better, Marshall."

He reached across the desk and took one of her hands in his. "I know – but it helps, doesn't it?"

"A little."

He did a fist pump in the air with his free hand. "That's my girl."

A/N: So what do you think? Want more? I'm not responsible if this fic produces intense cravings for pie! Reviews are LOVE!