Disclaimer: All right! Another chapter! Let me just make a quick dedication to my reviewers and you can carry on to the story (that is if you even read these things).

I'd like to thank Tennischica for being a hardcore fan and a great supporter.

And a quick reassurance to scoobygang101: no Brandi/Marshall. Don't worry.

And finally, a big thank-you to the 290 (and growing) readers who have witnessed my story. That number may not be too impressive to some of the other authors out there but, for a newbie to like me, I'm ecstatic!

All right, enough dilly-dally. Here's the next chapter. Enjoy.

I'm Not as Think as You Drunk I Am

"You owe me," Marshall mouthed to her as Brandi led them to a smaller room.

The room had been hastily swept and wiped up with a few crumbs and stains remaining. A table had been set up between two couches where various refreshments had been placed. To Mary's dismay, a large, half-empty bottle of champagne stood in the middle of the snacks.

"Welcome!" Jinx chimed as Brandi entered, towing Marshall and followed by Mary. Mary groaned at the sight of her.

Jinx was stretched out on the couch, her feet on the table – upsetting a pile of chips – and a previously discarded shirt being swung in her hand. She was drunk, that much was certain.

"Come sit with me Marshall," she whined through puckered lips. She extended her hands, reaching for Marshall.

Marshall tried to back away but Brandi was still pulling him forward. He turned his head to stare pleading at Mary. His hand reached back for her, asking for help. She took pity on him.

"Actually, Marshall and I can sit together," she offered; to Marshall's relief. She didn't mention that he was the one that would be able to tell to relax in case her nerves misfired. No need to get into details.

"Oh," Jinx pouted.

"But I want to sit with him," Brandi whined, clutching Marshall's trapped arm closer to her. She must have been drunk too.

Marshall shot Mary another pleading look, although it was a little less urgent than before. So that's how he wanted to play it. Still, Mary felt more comfortable if she had him next to her to keep a hold on her "leash".



"That's ok," Mary offered as she reached to free Marshall from Brandi's grasp. Brandi shooed her away.

"Oh let the nice couple sit together," Jinx slurred.

Mary and Marshall exchanged looks and Mary opened her mouth to protest.

Brandi interrupted her. "But Mary gets to stay with him all day at work. I want to sit with him. I don't get to see him as often as she does."

Mary couldn't exactly argue with that and Marshall didn't look like he was in too much danger. The jerk actually seemed to be enjoying the attention Brandi gave him. Sure, Mary didn't give him too much attention… or respect, but he was used to that. It came in the package of working with her. It's wasn't like they could have a real strong relationship at work. They were just friends; best friends.

Mary shrugged at Marshall helplessly as she moved around him to sit next to Jinx. Brandi smiled triumphantly and plopped down on the opposite couch, forcing Marshall to sit next to her. He didn't put up much of a fight.

Now it was quiet again: Marshall and Brandi sat together; Brandi hanging on Marshall's arm, and Mary and Jinx sat across from them, somewhat awkwardly since Mary had little room to sit with her mom spread out on the couch. The table of refreshments sat between them, untouched.

Jinx was humming to herself, Brandi was nuzzling her check against Marshall's arm, – not to his discomfort of course – and Mary and Marshall were staring at each other over the table.

"Now what?" he mouthed. Mary rolled her eyes with a shrug in response. All she cared about was that it was quiet.

In a more cheerful mood, Mary leaned forward to pour herself a glass of soda. It was the only thing to drink besides the looming jar of alcohol. The fizzy drink sizzled; a loud sound in the quiet. Mary relished in it. Maybe taking a day off wasn't so bad. She was usually edgy when she had to stop but it felt kind of good to sit back and – dare she say it? – relax.

Mary smiled to herself and lifted the cup to her lips to drink the cool liquid.

"So, are you two dating?" Jinx giggled suddenly.

Mary choked on the soda and coughed into the cup in surprise.

"Mom?!" She shouted incredulously. She slammed the cup down on the table.

"It was just a question," Jinx murmured innocently.



Mary turned her gaze to Marshall to see if his reaction was the same. To her shock, and possibly horror, he had peeled Brandi's hands off of his arm and was walking towards her. He shifted through the contents on the table and picked up a handful of napkins. Then he continued his advance towards Mary.

"Marshall?" Mary hissed with growing confusion.

Marshall knelt down on one knee and reached up to Mary's face. She cringed.

"You spilled," he explained simply. Then, he started to wipe the soda off of Mary's face. "You should clean it up before it gets sticky."

Mary stared at him as he examined her face and patted the napkins around her mouth. She quickly grabbed the napkins from his hand and dried her face in a fury. She hadn't even notice that she had spilled the soda. She was too busy thinking of reasons to prove that she and Marshall were just friends. But now, with Marshall's action, it would be harder to explain.

Marshall stood and waited in front of Mary while she finished drying her face. She crumpled the wad of damp napkins in her fist and shot a glare at Marshall. He held out his hand, palm up, in expectance. Mary thrust the wad into his hand and he closed his fist around it.

Then, he lowered his face down close to Mary's. "Relax," he murmured near her ear. Mary suppressed herself from jumping out of her seat. Instead, she just glared at Marshall with less vigor than before.

Marshall smiled as he straightened. "Good girl," he whispered in a voice meant for Mary's ears only. Then he turned and left the room in search of the trashcan.

"Who wants champagne?" Jinx asked, completely forgetting her unanswered question. She pulled herself into a sitting position and reached eagerly for the champagne.

"Me," Brandi said, raising her hand, also forgetting her former prisoner.

Mary shot out of her seat and swiped up the bottle before the drunks could get it.

"Mary, give it back," Jinx slurred, changing direction to grasp at Mary. Mary side-stepped out of her mother's reach.

"No more for either of you," she ordered. "You've both had enough."

Mary clutched the bottle close to her chest and hurried out of the room before Jinx or Brandi could stop her. The word "meanie" drifted after her as she left the room.

She trotted through the house towards the kitchen, avoiding trash, and looking for Marshall. She groaned at the sight of her home. It was a mess and would take a long time to clean up.



By the time she reached the kitchen, she was in a sour mood.

She stopped in the doorway at the sight of Marshall. He was leaning against the counter, a glass of water in his hand, as he looked out a window to his right.

Mary took a deep breath and entered, heading straight for the fridge. Marshall turned his head at the sound of her footsteps and smiled.

"You managed to escape too?" he asked in a carefree manner. He lifted his glass to her in congratulations and took a sip.

Mary threw the champagne in the fridge and slammed the door shut.

"What's your problem?" she asked with controlled anger. She moved to the dining table and placed her hands on it and leaned forward to glare at Marshall. She made sure to keep the table between them. A little punishment would teach him.

"What do you mean?" Marshall asked suspiciously as he placed his glass on the counter.

"Don't act innocent," Mary retorted. "You just… helped me… so you could get out of there." She folded her hands defiantly over her chest.

"So did you," Marshall replied. "And here you are."

"That's not the point."

"Then what is?"

They glared at each other. Marshall moved forward and placed his own hands, palm down, on the table.

"You would have done the same thing, leaving me alone," Marshall said with slight disdain.

"That's different," Mary said, her previous anger dwindling.

"How so? We're both uncomfortable here but this is where you wanted to come and I agreed to come with you. Now you're getting on my case?" Marshall took a breath and stopped to wait for Mary's response.

"I only came here because you said you would," Mary began slowly. Then, with growing force, "If it weren't for you being here, I would have stayed at work."

"If that's the case, then I don't see why you're angry," Marshall replied with less anger.

"Because," Mary started, took a deep breath, and plunged on, "because you said you'd stay with me, at all times."



There she said. Marshall had said he'd stay with her to hold her leash and keep her calm. But then, he had just left, leaving her alone with two drunks. She felt slightly betrayed. She couldn't blame it all on him though. She had asked him to come and, against his better judgment, he had. It wasn't entirely his fault but he had still failed to take care of her as he had promised he would. That promise, of course, had been made months ago in a rundown old diner in the middle of nowhere. It felt like it had been years to Mary.

Marshall sighed and Mary swallowed nervously. Great, now he was going to leave and she would have to fend for herself in this hellhole. Life officially sucked.

"I'm sorry," Marshall said, breaking Mary from her thoughts. "You ok?"

"Y-yeah," Mary stuttered in confusion.

Marshall sighed and rubbed the back of his neck distractively. He moved around the table to stand next to Mary. She turned to face him.

"I shouldn't have left you. I was being selfish," Marshall said with sincerity.

Mary blinked in puzzlement.

"I promise I won't leave you on your own like that again," Marshall continued with the same sincerity.

Mary was taken aback.

Marshall placed a reassuring hand on Mary's shoulder and smiled at her. "Ok?"

"Yeah," was all Mary could say with a nod of her head.

"Good," Marshall smiled. "Then let's get back there before they start another party."

Marshall removed his hand and turned. He started towards the doorway.

"Marshall," Mary called after him.

He turned.

"Thank-you," she said with a crooked grin.

Marshall nodded in acknowledgement. Mary moved next to him and together they made their way back to the sitting room where laughter was drifting from. Not a good sign.

Mary and Marshall stopped at the doorway to the sitting room. Mary's eyes widened at the sight and Marshall shook his head disapprovingly beside her.



Jinx and Brandi were both lounging on the same couch, laughing up a storm. They both held a glass full of a red liquid that was sloshing around with their movement. A bottle of wine was on its side and empty on the floor.

"Oh, Mary's back," Jinx sang between fits of laughter.

"Wine Marshall?" Brandi asked, ignoring Mary.

"Mom, where'd you get the wine?" Mary asked with growing anger.

"From between the couch cushions of course," Jinx laughed like it was the funniest joke. "Have some. It will cheer you up."

Mary inhaled sharply and clenched her hands into fists. She left her family alone for a minute and they still, somehow, managed to get alcohol in their systems. Worse yet, Marshall was here to witness it. "So this was Mary's true family," he was probably thinking. How embarrassing.

"Sorry," Mary muttered with obvious disdain.

"Relax," Marshall said nonchalantly.

Mary looked up at him and he gave her an understanding smile. This was her family. As long as they were connected to Mary, his best friend, he would accept them… no matter how crazy or drunk they were.

"Come join us you lovebirds," Jinx encouraged, sipping from her already empty glass.

"Easy," Marshall murmured as he placed his hand on Mary's wrist to control her in case she snapped.

She was close to doing just that but she didn't want Marshall to see her crazy side, most likely passed down from her mother.

"I'm fine, for now anyway," Mary assured.

Marshall kept his hand on hers. "Let's try to keep it that way a little longer," he said.

Mary smirked.

Marshall frowned.

Mary frowned in confusion. Marshall had gone still; tense. His brows were knitted together and his eyes were dark; grimly looking away from Mary and over her disoriented family through the only window in the room.

"What it is?" Mary asked. Marshall was all business. Something wasn't right.



"I think I just saw-" Marshall began but was instantly cut off by an explosion of gunfire.

Bwahahahaha! I just love cliff-hangers. Stay turned for what happens next.

By the way, hoped you liked the little Mary/Marshall scene. I'm sorry if they seemed a little out of character, but soda can do that to you.