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Fairytale Ending
Marshall returned to work in a daze, going straight into his office and closing the door. He was grateful that Mary was out on a witness visits for the rest of the afternoon; he didn't think he could face her right now and keep control.
For a long time, he just sat and started at the framed photo on his desk. Mary and Norah were goofing around, pulling face at Evie who had only been about six months old at the time. He had snapped the picture just as Norah failed to keep a straight face and started giggling, Evie doing the same. He loved it. Mary claimed she hated it and threatened to burn it numerous times but after three years, it was still there.
The thought of leaving his girls broke his heart. He couldn't miss out on their future. He couldn't miss out on their high school graduation… first boyfriends…weddings…Children.
He couldn't miss out on knowing his son.
He shook his head, forcing that thought out of his head. The doctor had said that the chances of him surviving were strong. He had to positive…He had to stay strong. He could beat this…He knew he could…He had too.
He was a smart man, he knew about cancer. He had known people who had cancer…who had leukemia but right now he mind couldn't come up with any facts. All he kept thinking was that cancer killed people.
He turned to his computer and typed leukemia into the search engine, knowing that he would need to be armed with facts before facing Mary.
XxXxX
Once he got home, he shut himself away in his office, claiming he had work to get done. Mary didn't comment, thinking he got behind from having the weekend off. She grew a little concerned when he was silent through dinner and barely ate. If the girls hadn't have been there she would have questioned him.
He disappeared again after dinner but this time it was to help Norah with her homework and then to get both girls ready for bed. There was something off with him that Mary just couldn't figure out what would put him in such a subdued mood.
She was even more surprise when he didn't come back downstairs after the girls were asleep and found him led in the dark on their bed. He didn't move or say anything when she entered the room but she knew he was still awake.
Marshall kept his eyes closed, silently listening to her getting ready for bed. He had spent all afternoon reading up on Leukemia and thought he was ready to face his wife but as soon as he stepped through the door and saw his family, he backed out.
He was a coward.
He had shut himself away because the idea of telling Mary that he was sick scared the hell out of him. Everything had finally worked out for them…they were both finally happy and now this? It wasn't fair and he didn't want to be another person to break her heart.
Mary slid into bed beside him, flicking on the lamp on her side of the bed. She then moved closer to him, putting an arm around her waist and resting her chin on his bicep but he still kept his eyes shut.
"I was looking in that book you got today…" She said. "About baby names…Now we know it's a boy we could make a list…"
She felt him tenses and looked like it was struggling to keep control.
"Marshall?" She questioned, pushing herself up. "Marshall? What is it? What's wrong?"
She pulled on his shoulder, forcing him to roll onto his back and his eyes finally opened.
"Has something happened?" She asked. "Delia said you had a meeting today and then spent all day shut away in your office…"
"It's not work."
"Then what? Are your parents okay? Your brothers?" She asked. "You're starting to freak me out, Marshall… Is it Stan?"
"It's…it's me." He pushed himself up a little.
"What do you mean, it's you?" She frowned.
"That meeting I had today…It was a doctor's appointment."
"Another one? I thought you said it was just a bug."
"I did…I thought it was…The doctor said so." He stuttered a little and then sighed, running a hand through his hair. "He took some routine test…took some blood and stuff…He gave me the results today."
"Well…what did they say?" She asked, almost innocently; her mind wouldn't even come up with anything bad happening…not to Marshall…He was the rock in their family. The one that was always got others through bad time.
"It's cancer, Mare…" he whispered. "He said I have leukemia."
She stared at him for a long minute, her eyes widened slightly. "What?"
He sat forward, all those feelings of backing away, the fear of her finding out disappeared now he said the word. All he wanted to do now…needed to do was comfort her…assure her that everything was going to be okay.
"He said they caught it early…I got an appointment with a specialist at the hospital tomorrow…He said the odds are with me."
"You can't have cancer." She claimed. "You're Marshall…You don't get sick."
"Mare…" He laced his fingers through hers and tried to pull her to him but she pulled back.
"We have children, Marshall…We're going to have a baby real soon…You can't do this…You can't have this…Not now."
"Hey." He said softly, cupping her cheek and turning her face gently so she was facing him. "It'll be okay."
"Tell me it's not true…" She whispered. "Please…"
"Mare. " He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to him and this time she allowed him. "We'll get through this…There's treatment and the doctor said he believes I can beat it…"
"I don't want to lose you."
"You won't." He tightened his hold her, hoping he hadn't just lied to her.
XxXxX
When Marshall woke up the next morning, he was blinded by the sun streaming through the window. He rolled over and saw Mary's side of the bed with empty and the clock on her bedside table told him it was 8:05. Mary wasn't due to work today and he had already told Delia the day before that he had meetings and wouldn't be in but to call if she needed him. When Mary had gotten pregnant with Evie, she had scaled back her work hours and handed the majority of her witness over to Delia. They had also brought in a new Inspector, Neil Harris who was partnered with Delia so even after Mary return when Evie was a year old, she didn't do as many hours as she did before. Now she was pregnant again, Marshall had convinced her to take an extra day off a week. He was thankful for that now because it meant that there wouldn't be too many questions asked to why they both wouldn't be the office today.
He knew neither of them had gotten much sleep during the night. After the shock had worn off slightly, Mary accepted what was happening and they actually discussed what to do next. They were going to wait to see what the doctor said today before they told anyone else. They agreed they should be honest with the girls and that was something Marshall was not looking forward. He had also decided that they should invite Stan to come down so they could tell him to face to face. Marshall knew he would need some time off and thought Stan would be the best person to talk to about that.
He was snapped out of his thoughts when something landed on the bed, causing it to bounce, then he heard a giggle before Evie came into view, crawling up the bed to him.
"Morning, Princess…" He greeted, pulling her to him.
She cuddled up close to him. "Mom said to come say goodbye…Aunty Brandi taking me to pre-school."
"Oh, well have a good day." He kissed the top of her head.
"I'd rather stay home with you…" She sighed.
He smiled a little, tempted to allow her but knew it wasn't a good idea. "Ah, you'll get bored."
"Hey Dad…" Norah walked into the room, dropping down onto the edge of the bed, beside him. "How come you're still in bed? You still sick?"
"Nah." He shook his head. "Just being lazy."
Norah pulled a face, an identical one to Mary when she was just about to say something sarcastic. "How come you can be lazy but I always have to clean my bedroom?"
"Because…" He reached a hand out and began tickling her. "I'm your Dad and I'm allowed.
Norah laughed and squirmed away from. "Dad, stop!"
"Girls! Brandi's here!" Mary called up to them.
"You better go." He sat up properly, letting both girls out of his grasp.
"Bye, Dad." Norah jumped up first, kissing his cheek before skipping out the room.
Evie was a little slower getting up, hugging him tightly around the neck.
"How about both Mom and I pick you up today? We can go out for dinner?" He suggested. He couldn't help but wonder if his youngest was picking up some kind of vibe.
"Really?" She looked up at him. "All of us?"
"Yeah…What do you say?"
"Okay!" She grinned excitedly.
"Well, first you have to go to school." Marshall told her. "And I want to know everything that you learn today."
"Okay." She gave him a kiss, just like her sister before hopping of the bed. "Love you."
"Love you too." He replied, watching her leave the room.
10 minutes had past and he was just about to get up when Mary entered the room, carrying a tray.
"Hey…" He frowned. "What's this?"
"Breakfast." She handed him the tray.
"Mare, you didn't need to do this." He sighed.
"I wanted to." She sat beside him. "Just let me do this, okay?"
"Okay." He nodded a little before picking up some toast. "I promised Evie we would all go out for dinner tonight…Thought we should treat them."
"Sounds good." She agreed. "What time is your appointment?"
"Mid-day." He answered.
"Right…" She fell silent for a few minutes, allowing him to eat. "Marshall?"
"Hmm?"
"I know you said the doctor said you should make a full recovery…I know that the treatment for leukemia has come a long way but…"
"But what?" He prompted when she paused.
"Cancer is a scary word…" She whispered. "What if you're not okay?"
He covered her hand with one of his, squeezing it gently. "We'll get through it, Mare…I promise."
She sat back, leaning her head on his shoulder and didn't say anymore. He had to be okay… she needed him…Their children needed him.
TBC
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