Stan's Going Away Dinner, Revised

by littlemisspotential

Ever wonder how USA could have thrust Mary and Marshall together after that heart-wrenching balcony scene without breaking character? Here's an easy out that maybe wouldn't have left you heartbroken. Written as a screenplay, one-shot at this scene just to prove IT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE DAMMIT. I don't usually write in screenplays so my apologies if I screwed up the format.

*Balcony scene happens as it did, cue to ending scene of Stan's going away dinner*

MARY is standing beside an empty seat at table in which JINX, BRANDI, STAN and LIA are already seated. JINX is holding NORAH and STAN is cooing over her. MARY watches with a slight smile, and looks up to see that MARSHALL is approaching the table. She goes to greet him before he reaches his destination. Despite their earlier balcony conversation, she takes a stab at their usual sarcastic banter and comments on his outfit upgrade.

MARY: Well look at you bringing your A-game. Did you put on a different belt?

MARSHALL: [opening his arms with a smile] It's Stan's going away party. I thought one of us should acknowledge the formalities one usually dons to bid farewell to a beloved superior, and somehow I doubted it would be you.

MARY: [condescending] You gelled your hair, didn't you?

MARSHALL: I may have dabbled in some mousse recommended to me by my hairdresser.

MARY: A hairdresser who I can only assume has frosted tips and a name like Jean Pierre.

MARSHALL: Enrique happens to have natural highlights and a complete disgust for artificially blonde men.

MARY: You know, Marshall, it really sucks the fun out of it when you make it this easy. [notices the lack of Abigail] Where's Nancy Drew? I thought Dershowitz gave her the night off for this.

MARSHALL: Abigail's not coming. She and I...decided to break off the engagement.

[There is a pause while MARY searches his face, trying to get a read on him. Her eyes widen, she changes her posture so that her arms are folded across her chest, and when she speaks her voice is low and sincere.]

MARY: Jesus, Marshall, I'm so sorry-I don't know what to say. What happened? I-I mean was it- [She trails off and makes a small, instinctual, half-hearted motion to herself as if to ask if she is to blame or if she needs to explain anything to Abigail.]

MARSHALL: No, no, nothing like that, it's just that Abigail and I- [pause] You and I had our...conversation...today.

[MARY stiffens; it is exactly what she feared.]

MARY: Yeah. What-

MARSHALL: We had our conversation today and I asked you to release me.

MARY: [her voice is still low and soft] And I did, Marshall. I do.

MARSHALL: You're right. You did, you freed me. And I went home and I told Abigail and she was so relieved and I-I should have been relieved but just...it felt wrong. I panicked-and then I-[MARSHALL inhales and cuts to the chase] I figured that freedom was overrated.

[There is a pause where MARY still looks blank-faced and MARSHALL wonders if he's made himself clear]

MARSHALL: I don't want you to free me, Mary. I don't think I can be freed.

[There is a pregnant pause while the gravity of what MARSHALL is saying dawns on MARY. This is the moment of truth and MARSHALL waits to see if she will run. JINX interrupts by calling from the table.]

JINX: Mary, for goodness sake, work can wait! Let Marshall have some time with the rest of us.

[MARY is startled out of her reverie and looks over at the table. BRANDI and LIA are in animated conversation on either side of STAN, who is now holding NORAH. JINX is smiling pleasantly at the two, but there is an undertone that suggests she thinks her daughter is being rude. STAN is alternating between toying with NORAH and eyeing his two inspectors warily.]

MARY: We better get back. Hardly fair to leave Stan with my family when it's supposed to be his night.

MARSHALL: Mare-

MARY: Marshall, clearly this conversation isn't over and we can talk about it tomorrow or whenever else, later tonight. But right now...let's just go eat and drink overpriced wine and tell a few embarrassing stories about Stan.

[pause]

But for the record, you're probably on to something.

[MARY gathers the courage to actually look MARSHALL, who breaks out in a grin and extends his arm towards the table]

MARSHALL: Well then. Let's commune.

MARY: Don't say commune.

[The two walk to the table as music starts to play. MARSHALL is looking at MARY and he grins at something she said. They sit down at the table as the camera pans back , STAN hands NORAH to MARY, and she and MARSHALL share a smile before the group as a whole settles into comfortable conversation. ]