A/N I'm posting this in 2 parts. Takes place prior to Marshall joining the Marshal Service, when he's still is gaining law enforcement experience.
Making A Difference?
Being very quiet as not to disturb his neighbors due to the late hour, Marshall Mann wearily climbed the steps to his second floor apartment and let himself in. The day had been one that no one ever wants to go through and left him questioning his own abilities to help people. Feeling completely physically and emotionally drained, he switched on the light.
Perched on the back of his welcoming recliner was a burnt orange fur ball preparing to launch herself at him. Holding out his hands Marshall deftly caught the kitten and cuddled her murmuring, "Hello, Tribble.," and smiled as he listened to he rumbling purring while she washed his cheek with her rough tongue.
After a moment he reluctantly put her down and she scampered over to her food dish in the kitchen where she looked up at him meowing plaintively.
"Okay, okay. You can quit with the starving kitten act. I know better," he said pouring a small amount of kitten kibble in her dish.
Tribble rubbed herself against his ankles purring and then dug into her food.
The young man slowly made his way to the bathroom where he stripped off his uniform and the rest of his clothes before stepping into the shower. Letting the hot water flow over his body he placed his hands on the wall and leaned his forehead on them finally giving into the frustration and helplessness he'd experienced. It was only when the hot water gave way to cold that he pulled himself together enough to finish showering and go get dressed.
Tribble had moved from the kitchen floor to the table by the time Marshall emerged from his bedroom dressed in his race car pajama pants and a comfortable long sleeved t-shirt.. Scooping up the kitten de deposited her on the floor saying, "Go play with your toys while I get my supper." She rolled over onto her back playfully waving her paws and he couldn't resist tickling her fat tummy until she sunk tiny needle sharp claws into his finger.
"Ow!" Marshall exclaimed extricating his wounded digit from her grasp He looked at the blood drops. "That's enough of that." Getting to his feet a he grabbed a frozen dinner at random and stuck it I the microwave. When the small appliance beeped, he took it out and carried it over to the table to eat. But after a few bites he pushed it away as it was making him start to feel nauseous despite the fact the last thing he'd managed to eat was breakfast. After throwing it in the trash he sank down in the recliner and turned on the TV not watching it but letting Tribble distract him.
Watching the kitten furiously attacking a catnip mouse Marshall had to admit he was glad he'd let all common sense fly out the window when he'd found her abandoned and starving during on of his patrols. He could tell that wasn't a wild kitten, she'd started purring the minute he picked her up so he'd taken her home, cleaned her up and fed her. Once her tangled fur was all dry and combed out, she resembled a ball of fur and in a fit of whimsy he named her Tribble after the fur balls in one of the funnier Star Trek episodes.
Having slain her mouse Tribble picked it up and triumphantly carried it over to lay at Marshall's feet while waiting expectantly for praises and petting. "Good girl," he murmured picked her up to sit on his lap. As he absently stroked the kitten, his mind began replaying the events of the day that has so affected him.