A/N I made a correction to Marshall's fake accent from German to French.
Chicken Soup
Mary hated being sick. Always had and always would. Being sick meant that she was usually stuck in bed feeling miserable and no one to take care of her and provide much needed TLC. And this time had proved no different. As soon a she had felt the beginnings of a cold, Jinx and Brandi had both fabricated rather flimsy excuses to head for New Jersey.
Since it wasn't doing her any good being at home alone sick and miserable, Mary decided that she might as well be at work. Still sick but no longer alone and making those around her miserable.
Looking up fro the computer Mary sneezed and automatically reached for the box of tissues that Marshall had automatically held out for her. "Tank bu," she said rather indistinctly and wiped her nose.
"You're welcome," he answered.
She sighed and resisted the urge to rub her burning eyes when all she wanted to do was pluck the eyeballs out and submerge them in a bowl of ice water. But since that option being virtually impossible she wanted to at least lay a cold wash cloth over them. Reaching suddenly for the tissue she sneezed again.
That sneeze happened to a particularly loud one and Stan emerged from his office to say, "That's it. Mary, I've listened to you cough sniffle and sneeze continuously all morning. It's time you got out of here."
"Okay, I'll go check on Marnie Halifax then," the woman decided reaching for her jacket.
"No, no seeing witnesses. You are going home and staying there until you're over this cold or whatever," Stan said firmly.
"Okay, okay," Mary said giving in. She got to her feet and grasped the chair for support as a wave of dizziness swept over her.
"Take it easy. Are you all right?" Marshall asked putting an arm around he r shoulders to steady her.
"I'm okay. Just stood up too fast is all," Mary answered.
Stan sighed and said, "Marshall, make sure she gets home okay."
"Will do," he answered helping her on with her jacket.
"I can mabage," Mary said once they arrived at her house.
"Allow me," Marshall insisted getting out and opening her car door,
Once inside Mary headed for her bedroom where she undressed and put on her most comfortable sleep pants and T-shirt. Crawling under the covers she told the young man, "You bow you can leabe now."
Marshall had busied himself in the bathroom getting a glass of water washcloth and some aspirins. "Here you are," he said handing her the water and aspirins.
Grabbing the washcloth she placed it over her burning eyes letting the cool dampness sooth them. "Tanks."
"You're welcome," he replied and quietly his mind already going over a list of things he needed to go get at the store.
Mary was awakened by the sound of interesting noises coming from the direction followed by a string of curse words in French, Russian Spanish Croatian and a few other languages she couldn't immediately identify.
Entering the kitchen she found Marshall chopping up carrots and celery a couple of band-aids on his finger and wearing an apron that said Paula Deen wants to know "What's cookin', y'all "
"What are you doing up?" he asked turning at the sound of footsteps.
"I needed a drink of waber and some pain killers," she answered.
"Go on back to bed and I'll get them," he said
"Nice abron," Mary commented, still standing in the doorway.
"Thanks. It was the donor gift at the last Red Cross blood drive," the young man answered as he went to pour a glass full of cold water.
"What are you dobing?" she asked the odor of simmering chicken broth finally penetrated her somewhat stuffed up nose.
"Making you some chicken soup. It's an old family secret recipe," Marshall answered.
"Which I bet you got fromb an old family," Mary joked.
"Ah, ze patient iz feeling better," Marshall said in an exaggerated French accent.
"Ibzen't Stan expebing you back at work?" she asked after a moment
"I called and him and said you really shouldn't be staying by yourself," Marshall answered
"You dibn't habe to do that," Mary protested. "But I'mb glad you are." Glass of water in hand she left him to his task and headed for the bathroom to get the aspirins.
"Dinner is served, Madam," Marshall said placing a tray on her lap containing a bowl of the aromatic soup a package of crackers and a bottle of water. He'd even taken a hurricane glass and added a few flowers from her garden.
"Well, it certainly smells good," Mary commented. She quickly took a bite. "In fact it's the best damned chicken soup I ever had."
"I'm just gonn asleep out on the couch tonight just in case you need anything," Marshall told her as he picked up the tray to carry it back to the kitchen.
"All right," she said, snuggling down under the blankets.
The sun was trying to shine through the closed curtains and blinds by the time Mary awakened the next morning. Feeling much better she wrapped the blanket around herself and wandered into the living room. Finding the note on the coffee table she picked it up and quickly read over it. Duty calls but I'll check on you later. Meanwhile gets lots of rest and drink lots of fluids and have some more chicken soup. I made plenty and the leftovers are in the fridge. Marshall
A week later Mary returned to work feeling much better to find Marshall coughing sneezing and generally looking miserable as he worked at the computer. "Gud borming," he said reaching for the already depleted box of tissues on his desk.
Stan was standing by with folded arms and said, "Now that you're finally here, you can take him home and put him to bed."
"Looks like you caught my cold," Mary commented.
"Cot sumbeng," Marshall answered.
"And I'll be damned lucky that I don't catch it from either of you," Stan groused. "Don't either of you have enough common sense not to come to work sick?"
"Guess not, Stan," Mary replied. She helped Marshall with his jacket and then kept a hand on his shoulder as they made their way to the door, just in case he got dizzy like she had.
"Are you gobing to make me chikn soub?" Marshall was asking.
"Sure. What do you want? Canned or deli?" Mary asked in return.