Okay, so you know when I said this only going to be four chapter….Well, I was wrong. This is turning into something a little longer. I hope you don't mind! You're reviews were what made me change my mind. Please keep them coming!
Enjoy!
A Point To Be Made
Delia and Jinx filled the silence with small talk since Abigail had returned to the waiting room and placed herself in the corner away from anyone else. Mary didn't blame her and if she thought it would help, she would go and talk to her herself but knew it would just make things worse. She believed Abigail when she said she was falling in love with Marshall and she knew the younger woman could make him happy. She would be able to give him a family that Mary knew Marshall desperately wanted.
She started to think about their relationship, she knew people assumed they were more than friends…She had heard the rumors going around but they both just ignored them. Being friends worked for them but she knew they didn't have a normal friendship. They depended on each other more than most friends would…Mary was sure that if she didn't have Marshall in her life, everything would fall apart. What she was beginning to realize now was that she needed him more then he needed her. Unless, she started to do something to show him how much he meant to her, then she risked losing him.
She thought about the baby and how a few weeks ago, she had been so set on giving it up for adoption but then Marshall went and assured her that he would support her, no matter. He had made her doubt her reasons and got her thinking…She was pretty sure, he was the only person in the world that could do that. She wondered what Mark was thinking. He hadn't asked her not the give the baby away…he seemed to understand but there had been so much happening lately, that they hadn't had chance to discuss it properly. He had seemed concerned about her and the baby's health, so much that he began fussing over her which just succeeded in annoying her. Fortunately, Stan came to the rescue and suggested that he go and grab the bag Mary already had packed at home for when she went into labor.
"Family of Marshall Mann?" A doctor walked onto the room, looking down at a clipboard.
"His family is on their way." Stan flashed his badge. "I'm his boss."
"Okay, well Marshall is out of surgery and is in recovery." The doctor informed them, as they everyone crowed around him.
Stan glanced at the two women either side of him, waiting for one of them to start asking questions but they both were staring at the doctor with the same look of fear and curiosity.
"How's he doing?" Stan asked when he realized no one else was going to say anything.
"He's doing well…The bullet pierced his lung but we were able to repair the hole and stop any bleeding…We'll monitor it and hopefully it will inflate itself, otherwise we may have to operate again."
"So, you think he'll be okay?" Stan questioned, slowly starting to relax for the first time since they found a member of the jury dead.
"There is a chance he could develop an infection which could cause a lot of complications but we're keeping him monitored….but yes, I believe he'll make a full recovery."
"Oh thank god…" Mary muttered, sat down into a chair and dropped her head between her legs. Jinx stepped closer to her daughter and put a hand on her shoulder, rubbing it gently.
"Are you okay?" The doctor looked at her closely.
"I'm fine…" She forced herself to sit up and was about to ask when she could see her partner when Abigail spoke.
"I need to see Marshall." She stated and continued when the doctor looked at her. "I'm his girlfriend…I need to see him…Please."
Mary's words died on her lips and she fought the urge to protest that she should be the one to get to see Marshall. The only thing stopping her was she couldn't explain the reason why.
"Of course…" The doctor nodded. "He has been taken to recovery at the moment but someone will be along to get you when he's settled… I wouldn't expect too much from him though, he's going to be out of it for a little while."
"Thank you, doctor." Stan reached out, shaking his hand.
"Just doing my job." He replied before leaving the room.
"Mary, maybe it's best if you went and led down for a bit." Jinx suggested. "You heard the doctor…You wouldn't be able to talk to Marshall yet anyway."
"She's right, Mary…" Stan added. "You know, he would be here telling you the same."
Mary glanced at Abigail, who was trying to look like she wasn't listening to their conversation. She suddenly felt like she was the outsider…That she didn't belong. Abigail had taken the main role in Marshall's life now and that terrified her because she didn't know where that left her.
"Come on." Jinx helped her stand up and pulled her towards the door before she could protest.
"I'll keep you update." Stan promised. "And I'll come by to see you soon."
Mary sighed and did as she was told for once; she was just too tired to argue. When she reached her room, she settled on the bed and turned so her back was to her mother in hope Jinx would leave her to sleep but she didn't get the hint or just ignored it.
"Mary…" She started. "Honey, do you want…"
"No."
"You didn't know what I was going to say…"
"You were going to ask if I wanted to talk…and I don't."
"Fine…but just let me ask this one thing."
Mary sighed loudly. "If it'll get me to sleep quicker…"
"If Abigail wasn't in the picture…If Marshall wasn't in a relationship…Would you be giving this baby up for adoption?"
Mary turned so quickly that she almost rolled off the bed. "What?"
Jinx held up her hands. "Your reason for adoption is understandable…that you don't want to raise your child alone and if Marshall wasn't with Abigail, you wouldn't be."
"I want this kid to have two parents that will love it and love each other!" Mary insisted. "That has nothing to do with Marshall."
"Oh honey, you're crazy if you don't think Marshall loves you…and that he doesn't love that child." Jinx shook her head a little. "And you're just scared if you don't think you love him."
"Mom…"
"Just think about what Abigail said." She leaned down and kissed Mary's forehead. "Think about how happy you would be if you just let yourself commit to someone."
Mary stared at her Mom, completely surprised and before she could work out what to say in reply, Jinx was walking out of the door. "I'll let you get some rest."
Mary leaned back against the pillow, a blink a few times when tears burned her eyes. She did not have a clue what she should do next.
XxXxX
The next two days were filled with a long wait for Marshall to gain full consciousness. He had opened his eyes and responded to questions a on and off throughout that time but he barely stayed awake for longer than a couple of minutes.
His parents had arrived and took turns along with Abigail and Mary at his bedside. The two women seemed to come a mutual understanding not to be there at the same time.
The day after the courthouse, Mary had been released from hospital under strict instructions to get plenty of rest. Stan had banned her from the office and threatened to talk to Jinx and suggest she move in with Mary until the baby was born unless she complied with the doctor's wishes. Mary had not been happy with Stan's dirty tactics but did not want to take the risk that the threats were empty since it had taken her hours to kick both Jinx and Mark out of her house, the night she returned.
She had been visiting her partner when he woke up the next time, his eyes flickers and he groaned quietly.
"Hey…" Mary stood up and moved so she was in eye line. "You okay? In pain?"
"You've been shot before…" He mumbled, his eyes drifting shut briefly before reopening them. "You know it hurts."
She pressed a button to call a nurse. "We'll get you some good drugs…they'll help."
He reached up a shaky and took hers. "Are you okay?"
"You're the one in a hospital bed…" She reminded him. "Don't worry about me."
"It's my job to worry." He replied, squeezing her hand weakly.
"Yeah…" She said slowly, that comment making her think about the last time he was shot.
"Mare?"
"Sorry." She shook her head a little. "I'm fine…The doctor had been worried I started labor but they managed to get things under control…I'm under orders to rest."
"Ha, now that'll be fun to watch."
"Shut it, buster because you'll be right there with me." She replied. "We can watch day time TV together."
"Not after last time…" He mumbled. "You throw a book at my TV and broke it."
"Well, what kind of morons go on a chat show, take a lie detector test when they know they're lying?!"
"Ah, the patient is awake." A cheerfully nurse interrupted as she walked into the room.
"Yeah and he's in pain…can you give him something?" Mary said before Marshall had chance to speak.
"The doctor is on his way."
Mary stepped back when the doctor arrived to allow him to examine her partner and by the time he was done, Marshall's parents had turned up. She excused herself, telling Marshall she would be back later but to call if he needed anything. As she left the room, she heard Marshall calling after her, telling her to take care of herself. She wished she had the courage to go back in there and tell him what had been happening since he was shot. She wanted to tell him what Abigail and her mother had said. She wanted him to assure her that everything was fine and nothing was going to change. They were best friends and no one would come between them but the truth was Mary knew he wouldn't be able to tell her that. She knew that one way or another, things were going to change.
XxXxX
The next day, Marshall was feeling a little more human although he was pretty sure there was something going on that no one was telling him. He had a phone call from Mary that morning, telling him she was bored out of her mind stuck at home but when he suggested she hang out with him and Abigail at the hospital, she declined and quickly ended the phone call. Then when he mentioned it to his girlfriend, she fell silent and just shrugged.
"Marshall?" Abigail shook his arm gently to get his attention.
"Sorry? What was that?" He looked at her.
"I asked if you were okay." She replied. "You looked pretty deep in thought there."
"Did something happen?" He asked.
"Other than you getting shot?" She said jokingly.
"Abs…"
She sighed. "Mary and I may have had words…"
"Words?"
"Okay, maybe I said some things."
"What kind of things?" He questioned. "What happened?"
"Everyone was upset…we didn't know how serious your injuries were….God, Marshall down in that tunnel, you all but said goodbye to us both." Tears filled her eyes and Marshall reached out to take her hand.
"I know it must have been hard…" He whispered. "I know what the waiting is like."
She swallowed the lump that had risen in her throat. "Do you remember what you said to me? About choosing between Mary and me?"
"Abigail, Mary and I are friends…" He started defensively and she put a finger to his lips to stop him.
"You said something about choosing and how your Dad made you choose what you loved more when you were 8."
Marshall frowned a little before realizing what she was talking about. He didn't remember their conversation but he remembered thinking about it beforehand.
"He wanted me to focus on one thing… playing obey or baseball...He asked me to choose what I would save in a fire and I couldn't pick." He explained.
She nodded slightly, understanding a little more now. "You said you couldn't choose between Mary and I…that you would die trying to save us both."
Marshall stayed silent, he vaguely remembered saying that and he had meant it. He just wasn't sure how Abigail felt about that.
"I understand that…I get that…I do…I would never want anything bad to happen to Mary." Abigail continued. "But this is going to end us Marshall…"
"What?" He looked up at her in alarm. "Abigail…"
"No, listen…" She stopped. "Please just hear me out?"
"Okay…"
"I got a story from when I was little too…something my grandmother used to tell me and sisters whenever we fought over toys." She laced her fingers through his, hoping he would relax a little. "She would tell us the story Judgment of Solomon."
Marshall knew the story but didn't say anything, wanting to see where Abigail went with it.
"How two woman claimed to be the mother of a child…when King Solomon decided to split the child in two and give each woman half each…the real mother protested and said she would rather the other woman have the child alive then to kill it."
"And her actions proved that she was telling the truth and the king gave her the child." Marshall finished off but was unsure how this was related to their situation. "I'm not something you and Mary are fighting over…"
"Yeah, you are…"
"What can I say to convince you that Mary and I are just partners and that nothing has happened….?"
"You don't need to convince me, Marshall…I know that…I know you would never be unfaithful." She assured him.
"Then why can't you accept that I can be with you and have a best friend who happens to be a woman?"
"It's more than that and you know it." She replied. "Don't you see how this is not going work…that our relationship will suffer or your friendship with Mary will…That you'll try you hardest not to let either of us down…that you will die trying to be there for us both."
"Abs…"
"It's going to destroy us…it'll destroy Mary…and it'll destroy you." She cut him off. "And I can't watch that…I can't be a part of it…"
"Please…"
"I would much rather walk away then see you hurting." She reached over and stroked his cheek. "And this isn't some kind of an attempt to trick you to picking me because I know Mary would do anything to protect you too…And I don't want to give you an ultimatum…"
"But?" Marshall promoted when she trailed off.
"But I think I have to before we get too deep." She choked back her tears.
He shook his head a little in disbelief at what was happening. "You're breaking up with me?"
"No," she replied firmly. "Marshall, please understand that's the last thing I want…"
"Sure sounds like you are…"
"Then you need to listen." She turned his head so he was looking at her again. "I know you care about me, do know that but more than anything I want you to be happy…even that means not with me."
"I don't know what you want me to say." He whispered his own eyes now filled with tears.
"Don't say anything…I don't need an answer right now." She assured him. "All I want you do now is concentrate on getting better….We'll talk more about this when you're recovered."
"I don't want to hurt you." He told her.
"I know." She managed to give him a small smile. "I was thinking…that once you're back on your feet, I might go and spend some time with my family."
"In Texas?"
She nodded. "It might be good for us to be apart for a while…Let you think about everything and give you chance to talk to Mary about anything you need to discuss."
Marshall sighed. "Okay."
"But I'm not going yet…I'll be here to look after you when you get released." She squeezed his hand again.
"You don't have to…" He told her softly. "I mean maybe you are right that we need to figure out where we both are in this relationship and if you'll find it easier to be away, then don't worry about me…I'll be fine."
"I don't want to leave you while you're hurt."
"Maybe I should get away too…I could go back with my parents…spend some time with them and my brothers."
She closed her eyes and felt a few tears escape, rolling down her face. "If you're sure you will be okay."
"I will." He assured her, wiping away the tears. "Just promise me, you'll call me…that we can talk about this."
She nodded as she stood up and leaned down, pressing her lips to his. "Make sure you take care of yourself…"
"You too." He pulled her back down for another kiss before letting her go.
"Bye." She whispered, glancing back at him when she reached the door.
She made it down the corridor, out of the hospital and into her car before breaking down. She was pretty sure her relationship with Marshall had just ended.
XxXxX
Stan jumped up from his chair and rushed out of his office when he saw Mary walking through the door.
"Excuse me, Inspector…" He started, warningly.
"Hey, Stan." She smiled brightly at him.
"What are you doing here?" He questioned. "I thought I banned you."
"I brought lunch." She held up a paper bag.
"Mary…"
"Relax…I'm not here to work." She rolled her eyes. "I just needed to get out the house so I brought you a sandwich from that deli you liked."
Stan snatched the bag she was waving in front of him. "Why do I get the feeling I'm going to regret this?"
"That's the sprite!" Mary patted him on the back and grabbed her own lunch, following him to the table in the small kitchenette.
"I'm surprised you're not at the hospital, actually." Stan commented as he unwrapped his sandwich.
Mary shrugged. "I don't want to get in the way."
She hadn't spoken to Marshall since the day before when he invited her to join Abigail and him. She didn't go to the hospital because she didn't want to risk running into Abigail but if she was honest, she was a little disappointed she hadn't heard from Marshall, asking where she was.
"You didn't want to see Marshall before he left?" Stan questioned.
"Left?" Mary's head snapped up. "Left for where?"
"You don't know?" He frowned. "Marshall is being released today and he's going with his parents back to Phoenix."
"What?"
"Yeah, apparently, the doctor weren't too happy about him discharging himself but he seems determined." Stan informed her. "He didn't tell you?"
"I got to go…"
"Mary?" Stan called, as she crossed the office towards the exit but she didn't stop.
She headed straight for the hospital and it wasn't until she was pushing open the door to Marshall's room that she realized Abigail might be there. Fortunately, Marshall was alone in the room, sat in a wheelchair and looked startled when the door hit the wall with a bang.
"Mare?"
"You're leaving?"
"I'm just going home for a week or so." He explained. "They won't let me leave if there if there is no one to help me at home."
"From what I hear they didn't want to let you leave now." She crossed her arms. "And why can't Abigail help you at home?"
"I've just had enough for hospital and anyway, my mom used to be a nurse…She'll know how to take care of me." He answered.
"And what about Abigail?" She questioned. "If she has work or whatever, you know I can help out…"
"She's gone."
"What?"
"To spend some time with her family…just for a little while." He sighed and ran a hand over his face. "She needed some time away…"
"Did you have a fight?" Mary asked in surprise and also a little bit hopeful. "Did you break up?"
"I don't know…" He admitted. "We both need to figure some things out."
"And that's why you're going home with your parents?"
"Yeah…I need to work out how to fix this whole mess before I talk to her again."
She felt her heart drop when he said he wanted to fix things. Did that mean he loved Abigail and wanted to spend his life with her?
"Did…did she tell you about our conversation?" She asked after a few seconds of silence.
"She did." He nodded then looked away. "Sorry that you got dragged into our relationship…"
"Did she tell you that loves you?" Mary cut him off. "Did she tell that you would have to choose between the two of us or it will never work…?"
"Mary…" Marshall started, not wanting to get into this now.
"Do I get my turn?"
"We can…" He stopped mid-sentence. "Your turn? What do you mean, your turn?"
"My turn to convince you to stay…here….with me." She said quickly before she lost he nerve but then took a step closer to him. This was all she could think about for the last few days and knew it was going to be the only chance she got. It was nothing personal against Abigail but it was time she started fighting for what she wanted.
"To tell you that I love you."
TBC
I'm a sucker for writing cliffhangers….I'm sorry. Please review and let me know what you think!