A/N: This is the episode Stan By Me, in Marshall's POV. With an ALTERNATE ENDING.

It was any typical hot day in Albuquerque. I was usually always the first one in the office. I wanted to get a head start on some of my paperwork because who knew when and if Mary would come through those doors. Whenever Mary would come through those doors, she would need help with a witness, and I would happily oblige, and almost never to get work done after.

I was finishing a file update when she called. I half expected her to ask me to her at a Wit's house. She frantically told she was on ninth and saw her mom dressed as a prostitute walking down it. I wanted to say something, just to be smart, I mean come on it was nine in the morning, but I knew it wasn't the time or the place for a smart comment so I stuttered for a word, but she said good-bye without another word.

I finally finished all my work for the first time in like forever, and I decided to catch up on recent WitSec news. Stan, god help us all, came out with his tie and tried to get me to look at it. It was an ugly tie, I had seen it before, but I told him it looked fine. I suddenly became entranced in the computer as the line said, 'Two FBI Agents Michener and Kern killed in Northville, NJ' The name of the city stumped Stan but I knew exactly where I had seen it before. Brandi lived there.

I looked further into the story and realized Charles 'Chuck' Johnson, or rather Brandi's boyfriend, was supposed to be brought by the two dead agents for entrance into WitSec, but that he was missing. This was not looking good at all.

Mary's desk phone rang, and Stan answered it. I realized after a couple seconds that the person on the other line was asking for Mary, because 

Stan answered that he hadn't seen since the day before. Then my phone rang, I answered still engrossed in the story on my computer. An Agent O'Conner introduced himself, and as I scrolled down aimlessly I saw his picture as lead investigator. I looked at Stan and I knew Mary was in trouble.

Stan got the address from Dershowitz and we got out of there as fast as the car could take us. My mind was going nuts over the different scenarios Mary could be in. I was afraid to think of them but being the Marshal I am, they came at me, like second nature.

We got there and I went inside to ask if anyone had seen her. They described the incident of how her mother shouted at her for stealing this part away from her and storming out. I was slightly befuddled by this, but I didn't press on, I thanked them and left.

Outside Dershowitz was searching Mary's car and Stan was on the phone. I choke back unwanted tears as I approach them both. D told me he found her emergency pistol underneath the passenger seat and a sheet of notes from the notepad she attached to her car. Neither made sense at the moment, but I knew something was on that paper, and I was determined to find out before we….lost Mary.

I couldn't lose Mary, I tried to shove that into the far reaches of my brain, but it wasn't helping, A missing Marshal, my best friend, a missing sister, and a missing witness this was getting ridiculous. Before heading back to the office we went to Mary's house and Jinx and Brandi were both there, one down, two to go.

While some FBI agents searched the house for any trace of Mary, Stan and I sat with Jinx and Brandi for some routine questions. Then we told Brandi about Chuck. I wasn't buying her story of how she was going back to New Jersey to see Chuck if they had broken up a week ago. Mary had told me that she had bought brandi a plane ticket back there, and her story was not really adding up. Then out of the blue her mother blurts out that she was at Raph's apartment, I was dubious, something was definitely not right.

We decided to stay at the Shannon house. Stan ordered pizza then ordered me to eat. I was literally on eggshells worried for Mary. Someone the burst through the Shannon door, once he Asked for Stan by name we both dropped our pizza and walked up to him.

It was the O' Conner guy, he told us that a press release was being issued for Chuck and inspector Shannon. We advised him kindly that Mary's name was to remain anonymous for security purposes. He said he would "take it under advisement" He was really pompous and I wanted to slap that rookie look off his face.

He then asked for Brandi, I reminded that jerk again that releasing her name was again hazardous to her career, He again said the advisement phrase. I wanted to hit him, but sort of wished Mary was there to do it for me. O' Conner went on to pull out rap sheets for Brandi first, than Jinx, and the thing that I think pissed me and Stan off the most was that he pulled Mary's file too. He pulled a frikin' Marshal's file. Again with the I want to hit him. But Stan got to him first, he demanded we leave under jurisdiction of The Attorney General. We did but not before I slapped his papers to the floor and walked out refusing to pick them up.

All we could do know was go back to the office and hope for a break in the case. Dershowitz had APD on every forensic detail and I was running cams from the last piece of road she traveled to the theater. I kept watching a blue car behind her at every cam I pulled. We tried to run plates, but to no effect. I then remembered the notepad from Mary's car maybe she already got it. I shuffled through papers and papers and found it. Stan found the number on the jumble she called notes and D called it in. As the plates were running I was hoping for a break. We had to find Mary.

The car was reported stolen but no actual paperwork had been filed yet, Stan banged his fist on my desk. I had a worried gut feeling in the pit of my stomach. Where was Mary?

We sat there digging through anything for a clue, and Dershowitz got a call, saying they found the stupid green car. Finally a break, we grabbed our coats and ran. On the way out, we stopped at the TV as a Manhunt bulletin was scrolling. They said an unidentified Female Marshal. I hope that the people that had Mary weren't smart to pick up on it. I wish I could kill that O'Conner freak.

We raided upon James Bartler's house, my heart racing the entire time, thinking we are one step closer to Mary. All I could think about was getting her back. She is my best friend and I would do anything to get her back.

The woman inside the Bartler house said he had been gone for three weeks and that he usually vacated a friends home, we loaded up and went to the house of Jason Payter.

We got to the Payter house, and shots were going off. Stan and I looked toward each other and freaked. Mary was in there we just had to get to her. We opened the front door and took control of the house, getting everyone but "Spanky". Securing the main floor we proceeded down the basement stairs. Mary swung a shovel at Stan but he ducked just in time and I came around seeing the fear and relief in her eyes.

A/Ending

She dropped the shovel and I pulled her into a hug as she landed against my chest, it was a comfort to my health knowing she was okay and in one piece. I held onto her for as long as her arms held me.

I felt her body suddenly go weak and I caught her behind her back and under her legs and carried her up the stairs and out the door to a waiting ambulance. I held her hand all the way there. I een flashed my badge when we got to the hospital, saying she was recently kidnapped and couldn't be alone, there was no way I leaving her alone anytime soon.

Twelve hours went by and Mary was in her own room, asleep. I of course never left her side once. Making my presence known to all the nurses that I wasn't leaving due to Protocol was important.

I then started to think about what would have happened if we didn't find her in time. There are only a couple people that actually know what we do, Only Stan and Mary, know that I place witnesses in Albuquerque. He didn't want to know what its like to not have Mary in his life. She knew everything about him and Him about her.

I looked back upon her face, and clutched her hand tightly but not painfully.

I fell asleep with my head lying against our hands. I only slept for an hour because I felt her move. She smiled and I smiled back. At that moment I knew that I wouldn't let this happen again. Mary was safe and that was more than I could hope for, for now.