Okay, I'm pretty new to 'In Plain Sight' but I quickly fell in the love with it and could not help but write this. Like I said, I'm new, so it might not be perfectly correct to the show but I hope you like it. Please let me know what you think!

Enjoy!

Setting Free

Marshall dropped down on the sofa with a loud sigh. Glancing at the clock, he noticed it was only 7:30pm and he was so exhausted that he was considering just going to bed. Mary had insisted on working late ever night for the past week and they had pretty much done twice as much work as they would normally do.

He groaned when the sound of his cell phone filled the room. One night off that was all he wanted.

"Yeah..." He answered without looking at the ID.

"Marshall? You got to help me..." Mary said urgently. "I've been ambushed..."

"What? Are you okay? Where are you?" He was already on his feet, reaching for his gun and badge, suddenly wide awake.

"At home." She replied. "Brandi decided tonight was the perfect night for my bachelorette party."

He stopped and rolled his eyes, willing his heart to slow down. "So, you're not in danger?"

"Depends what you mean by danger..."

"Physical, gun held to your head, danger."

"No but someone mentioned manicures, so I can't be held accountable for my actions..."

"Mary..."

"I mean, there's not even proper drinks...No beer or tequila just this bright coloured, iced things..."

"Where are you now?" He asked, rubbing a hand over his tired eyes. He could hear music in the background and would not put it past his partner to have this conversation in front of her sister and Mother.

"I'm in my bedroom." She told him.

"You're hiding from your own bachelorette party?"

"Manicures, Marshall." She reminded him. "And I'm pretty sure I saw some face-packs and a whole crap load of make-up..."

He knew that Brandi probably meant well by organising this for Mary but it sounded more like something, she'd want for a bachelorette party. Part of him would love to watch Mary suffer through this but she had called and asked for his help. He had no choice.

"I'll be there in five." He sighed before hanging up and heading for the door.

When he arrived at Mary's house, the party was in full swing. As soon as he stepped inside, everyone's eyes were on him, questionable.

"Marshall, what are you doing here?" Jinx walked over to him with Brandi in tow. "It's a girls only night!"

"No, Mom, its okay...He can stay." Brandi wrapped her arms around one of his and pulled him further into the house.

"Uh, is Mary here?" He asked, nervously. He didn't like the look in Brandi's eye.

"She's around somewhere," she waved a hand around before turning the room full of women. "Look, girls...The stripper is here!"

"What?" Marshall exclaimed, eyes wide as the women cheered and whistled.

"We did say it was a girls only night but we could make an expectation if..."

"MARY!" He shouted, hoping not to be drowned out by the women or the music.

"What's going on?" She appeared and saw the terrified look on her best friend's face. "Marshall? Brandi, let him go..."

Marshall moved away from her quickly when she let his arm go.

"Aw come on, it's only a bit of fun!" Brandi grinned. "Besides, we didn't have time to get a real stripper."

"Stripper?" Mary repeated and looked at her partner. "For god sakes, Brandi, he's a US Marshall."

"Relax! I was joking!" She rolled her eyes. "But this is meant to be girls only."

"He's more of a girl then I am." Mary replied.

"Hey!" He shot her a 'do you want me to leave you here' look.

"Maybe he should have be your maid of honour...I bet he would have thrown you a party you actually liked!" Brandi folded her arms and pouted a little.

"Believe me, you're not the first person to suggest him but you're my sister...I wanted you." Mary told her, suddenly feeling guilty, knowing Brandi had been so excited when she had asked her.

"Well, he's your best friend," she shrugged. "What is he doing for your wedding?"

"I have to do something?" Marshall looked at Mary questionable.

"He's...there's nothing really for him to do but turn up and enjoy himself." Mary stuttered a little. She had not told anyone about how she suggested to Raph, that he ask Marshall to be one of the grooms-men but her husband-to-be claimed he already had too many.

"Maybe he should walk you down the aisle."

"What?" Mary and Marshall said in unison as they both tensed up at the thought of him giving her away.

"Yeah, I mean unless you've got some kind of plan to sneak Dad in, then you need someone to give you away..." Brandi continued. "And let's be honest, Marshall has been the most important man in your life for a while now, being your partner and all that...He'll be perfect."

Brandi wanted to see what kind of reaction; she would get from the suggestion. She knew Marshall was her sister's best friend and that they were close but she never gave their friendship much thought. Then a few days ago, Raph had admitted he sometimes felt like second best whenever Marshall was around. From that moment, Brandi had silently watched Mary with her partner and she didn't know what to make of their relationship.

Mary looked across at Marshall, trying to read his reaction. Part of her wanted him to be by her side, to help her through the day but another part of her felt; it wouldn't be fair to him. The look on his face, told her, he felt the same.

"Actually, I was going to ask Mom to." Mary said suddenly.

"Ask me to do what?" Jinx frowned a little, confused.

"To talk me down the aisle." Mary replied. "It's no big deal but I thought you'd like to be a part of the ceremony."

Tears filled Jinx's eyes. "Oh, Mary...I would love to."

"Great, that's sorted." Mary turned to look at Marshall. "So, what did you want?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Why are you here?" She glared at him and then nodded slightly to the front door, indicating that he should be helping her escape.

"Oh right!" Marshall suddenly remembered why he was there. "Uh, there's an emergency at the office..."

"You need me to come in?" She cut in.

"What? No..." Brandi started.

"I'm sorry, Squish but its work." Mary shrugged. "Let's go, Marshall."

Marshall smiled apologetically at the other two women before following his partner out.

"I owe you one." Mary commented as they walked to his car.

"By now, you owe me more than one." Marshall replied.

"Whatever! Just get me out of here." She rolled her eyes.

"You call and order the pizza; we'll pick up it on the way to my place."

Mary nodded and pulled her phone, not needing to ask what he wanted. Once they reached Marshall's, he headed into the kitchen to get himself a plate and some napkins, while Mary placed the pizza box on the coffee table and grabbed the TV remote. Then she followed him into the kitchen, pulled open the fridge and took out two beers. They both dropped down beside each other on the couch. He flipped open the pizza box and placed a slice on a napkin while she opened the beer. He exchanged the pizza for a beer before putting his own slice on the plate.

"So, are we going to talk?" Marshall broke the silence after a few minutes.

"About what?" She questioned, her eyes not leaving the TV.

"You're getting married in three days."

"I knew there was something I had planned!" She said sarcastically.

"Mary..."

She sighed and turned to look at him. "What?"

"You're getting married in three days."

"Is this the part where we have a heart to heart and you try to talk me out of it?"

"Do you want me to talk you about of it?"

"Marshall..." She whined and ran a hand over her face. "I'm getting married in three days... What are you trying to do to me?"

"I'm trying to make sure you want this."

"I course, I do... You think I would have agreed to it, if I didn't want it?"

"You have not agreed to hardly anything...Is there anything you made a decision about?" Marshall countered. "Your sister and mother picked out your dress...Raph decided where and when..."

"God, Marshall, you know me...I hate planning for anything, let alone a wedding, I just got lucky that my family and fiancées actually enjoyed all that stuff."

"So, lucky that you had to call me to rescue you from your own bachelorette party?"

She rolled her eyes again. "That's nothing to do with what we're talking about."

"Of course it is!" Marshall exclaimed. "I'm so worried that you're just going along with this to please everyone because none of this is you."

She glared at him. "I left the party because I'm not into the whole make-over pamper thing... I'm not marrying that...I'm marrying Raph."

"A man, who wants a wife and a whole bunch of kids and a man who hates your job!"

"He's not marrying my job...and whether or not we have children is none of your business." She exclaimed. "Actually, none of this is!"

"Are you crazy?" He stared at her. "I'm your best friend, your partner..."

"Yeah but our relationship has nothing to do with Raph and I."

Marshall let out a small laugh and turned to face the other way, rubbing his hands over his face. Mary watched him closely, trying to work out what was going through his head.

"Are you worried that things will change once I'm married?" She asked, softly. "God, Marshall...That won't happen...Nothing will change. We'll still be the same..."

"Maybe that's the problem."

"What?"

He spun around to look at her again. "You're my partner; you come first, no matter... When the bullets are flying, you better damn well know, it'll be my body protecting yours...That's my job as your partner... When you have a crappy day and need to blow off steam by going to the shooting range or getting drunk, I'll be there handing you the ammo or the scotch bottle... that's my job as your best friend...but..."

"But what?"

"The other stuff...I can't keep doing." He whispered, sadly. "I can't be your 'keeper' when you have a husband at home, wanting to be all those things."

"Marshall..."

"Has he ever seen you cry? Does he even know about the nightmares you have? Does he know you're one click, on the computer, away from finding your Father?" Marshall questioned. "Does he know that you hate when someone else is right, not because you hate being wrong but because it makes you feel like you failed?"

"Stop..."

"Does he realize you would not only die for the people you love but for people you don't even know, for people you don't even like?" Marshall continued. "Does he know your hesitance to have children is because you're scared you'd love them too much and they'd end up breaking your heart somehow?"

"Marshall, stop!"

"I don't doubt he loves you, Mary...I don't doubt you love him but do you love enough to be in love with him for the rest of your life?" Marshall voice grew softer. "He wants to know all those things, he wants to be there for you but you need to be able to let him."

"He knows more about me then you think he does."

"I don't think he does..." Marshall shook his head. "You want everyone to think he does, including him. You think by telling him your real job will convince him how much you trust him but in fact, you told him to convince yourself he's the one for you."

"This is crazy."

"Where are you going?"

"I can't stay here and listen to you telling me, that marrying the man I love is a big mistake."

"I didn't say that." He stood in front of her to stop her from leaving. "I'm trying to look out for you."

"I'm a big girl, Marshall...I can make my decisions."

"Mary..."

"Thanks for picking me up tonight and for the pizza." She pushed past him and out the door before he could stop her.

He sighed loudly and sat back down. That had not gone well but it went exactly how he expected.

TBC

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