Hey, thanks for the reviews! Please keep them coming! Sorry it's taken so long to update. My laptop has died on me so I'm sharing one until I can get a new one. Please stay with me! Thanks for reading.

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Two Marshalls and a Baby

"Good morning," Stan called out as he entered the office but he looked from the folder in his hands when he did not get a response. First, he looked at Marshall, who was sat, typing away at his computer; if it wasn't for the silence then he would not have thought there was anything wrong. He then turned to Mary, who opened her desk draw forcibly then slammed it shut before shooting her partner a glare.

"Delia?" Stan called the young woman over when he spotted her watching the scene from behind some paperwork. She rushed to his side and Stan nodded his head in his senior inspectors' direction. "What's with them?"

"Well, they seem to be giving each other the silent treatment now." Delia whispered. "When Marshall arrived this morning, he brought her a coffee as some kind of peace offering but she poured it away in the plant pot…After several attempts to get her to talk, he gave up and declared a silent war…Which seemed to irate her more and she's been slamming and throwing things since."

Stan looked back over to his inspectors and saw Marshall's eyes were still on the computer but Mary was glaring at them, knowing that they were talking about her.

"Alright, out with it." Stan said loudly, gaining Marshall's attention too. "What's wrong with the two of you?"

They both looked at each other before turning back to Stan and immediately started to tell their side of the story at the same time, raising their voices to be heard over each other as they stood up and walked over to him.

"Stop!" Stan yelled and they both fell silent again. "One at a time…Marshall, you go."

"She's being unreasonable and acting like a child!"

"She's being unreasonable and acting like a child!" Mary mimicked, mockingly.

"See!" Marshall said in frustration, gesturing in his partner's direction.

"Mary, what's going on?" Stan asked massaging his temples.

"She said his name."

Stan looked back to Marshal who sighed and looked at the floor but stayed silent.

"I'm sorry."

"She said his name… The first time she says a full word and it's his name!" Mary threw her hands in the air and started to pace around. "Not Mom…or even Ma…but Marshall…"

"Mare…" Marshall tried to cut in but she kept talking.

"She didn't even break it up…Marshall...clear as day…not even Marsh…or Shell…oh no, Marshall!"

"Mare, I'm sorry but you can't blame me for it." Marshall stepped in front of her to stop her from pacing.

"I'm her Mother and she won't say my name." She folded her arms across her chest. "You and your mind games…"

"Mind games?" Marshall repeated. "You think I planned it?"

Mary gave him a 'duh' look before continuing her pacing.

Stan looked the between the two of them. Marshall looked like he had been slapped in the face but Mary was oblivious.

"I said I would check in on the Thompsons…" Marshall moved over to his desk grabbing his badge and gun. "I'll see you later."

Mary stopped and watched him leave, frowning a little at his behavior.

"Y'know, when my sister's boy was a baby, they used to have this dog…a little thing was always jumping on everyone and everything so they were always shouting at him to get back outside." Stan started and Mary turned around, wondering where he was going with the story. "Anyway, when he was a little older, they were in the park and he saw a dog…and he started shouting 'out' at it."

"Stan…"

"The point is, Mary…" Stan stopped her from cutting him off. "He had been watching and listening every time they told that dog to get out…and he thought that's what you said when you saw a dog."

Mary sighed. "I just…she's my daughter and I've been waiting for her first words…"

"And she says Marshall…your best friend, the one that spends so much time with the two of you…possibly the one person, you're always happy to see…Maybe she was just copying her Mom."

Mary looked towards the elevator, what her partner had disappeared into. Suddenly, feeling bad for taking her disappointment out on him.

"Well, I guess I could have handled that a bit better." She rubbed her forehead. She did not really blame Marshall and never wanted to upset him.

"Just talking to him…He'll understand." Stan smiled before turning and going into his office.

xXxXx

Mary glanced at the clock as she cleaned up the kitchen. It was almost 6pm and she was hoping Marshall would turn up before she put Jessica to bed. The day had turned out a little more hectic as time went on and they kept missing each other. So, she left him a message inviting him over to make up for acting crazy today.

She grabbed Jessica out of her highchair and carried her over to the couch just as there was light knock on the door. A second later, it opened and Marshall stepped into the house.

"Hey, I got your message…" He said, cautiously but couldn't help but smile when Jessica squealed and reached her arms out to him. "You wanted to talk?"

"Yeah but first you're on storytelling duty." She stood up and handed Jessica to him.

Jessica babbled and bounced a little in his arms.

"Go on, she's all excited to have her Uncle Marshall put her to bed." Mary nodded in the direction of the bedrooms. "I'll order us a pizza?"

"Okay, great…" Marshall smiled and held Jessica out, so Mary could give her a kiss goodnight.

Mary rolled her eyes as she heard him, start telling Jessica about the hummingbird as he carried her into her bedroom. After she ordered their pizza and doubled checked, there was beer in the fridge, she wondered around, picking up a few thing and putting them back in the rightful place. She could not work out why babies needed some much stuff and how it always ended up scattered around everywhere.

Once that was done, she went to see what was taking Marshall so long. She stopped in the doorway when she heard the one sided conversation.

"Come on, Princess…Mama…I know you can say it," Marshall said softly. He sat beside Jessica crib and she was at up, looking at him through the bars. "You would make your Mom's day if you said…hell, you'll probably make her year…I know, you made mine, when you said Marshall."

"Marshall?" Jessica copied, pushing her fingers through the bar to touch his face.

He sighed and kissed her fingers, causing her to giggle.

"Okay, how about you say 'mama' so your Mom stops being mad at me?" Marshall suggested.

"I'm not mad at you." Mary said, startling him. "You're meant to be telling her a story, not giving her a speech lesson."

"We were just talking." Marshall shrugged, watching as she pushed herself away from the doorframe and walked over to join him on the floor. "I'm sorry, Mare…I never wanted to take her first words away from you."

"It's okay, I'm not mad at you." Mary tried to assure him.

"If you think I'm too close then I'll back off…"

"Don't you dare!" She glared at him. "We like having you around… we need you and if you stopped coming over, you would break her heart."

They both turned and looked at Jessica, who wasn't pay them any attention and instead was playing with a teddy bear that wore a t-shirt with a Marshal star on it.

"She loves you…you can see it, every time you walk into the room." Mary said softly. "I don't know what I did to deserve to have a best friend like you, who has stuck by me through so much and who is willing to play such a big role in my daughter's life….I'll never be able to thank you enough for it…"

"You don't need to thank me…I love her too…and you…God, Mare…I would do anything for either of you, you know that." He frowned a little; it wasn't like her to like this.

"I know, I know…" She gave him a small smile. "If I was going to have a one night-stand with anyone and end up pregnant, why couldn't it be with you?"

He's eyes widened in surprise and his mouth fell open. She couldn't help but laugh a little at the look on his face.

"Relax, cowboy…I just meant, Jessica…She deserves to have a Dad like you."

"Mare…"

"I know Mark tries but visiting three times a year is not enough…" She continued. "She doesn't know him and how does he expect to get to know her?"

Marshall turned his eyes back to Jessica, who looked back and grinned at him.

"One day, she's going to realize all her friends have a Dad who they love and idolize and this crazy fun Uncle…Whereas she has an Uncle... who she loves and idolizes with all her heart and a Dad who only shows up for the good times."

Marshall turned back to Mary and reached out to take her hand. "We'll work it out."

"I know." She nodded, with a small smile.

They both silently watched Jessica for the next ten minutes until they heard the doorbell ringing.

Mary used him, to push herself up. "You got ten minutes to get her sleep or I'm eating your half of the pizza."

Marshall rolled his eyes and chuckled lightly before standing up and looked down at his goddaughter.

"Okay, Miss Jessie…It's way past your bedtime."

"Marshall…"

"Come on…" He leant down and picked her up, holding her closely to his chest. "Tomorrow, we'll practice more of your talking…"

"Marshall…"

"Yeah, that's me…Uncle Marshall." He swayed gently, glancing down at her when she placed her head on his chest and put her thumb in her mouth. "But tomorrow we're going to learn how to say Mama or maybe Doofus, she'll appreciate that…"

"Doof?"

He sighed, shaking his head. "I shouldn't have said anything…Mama will never let me live it down if that's your next word."

"Ma?"

"Hey, that's it…Mama…" He looked down at her again. "Mama."

"Ma…ma." She babbled.

"That's my girl." He kissed the top of her head. He wanted to call Mary but knew if he did then, with all the excitement, they probably would not get Jessica to sleep anytime soon. "Remember that for tomorrow and we'll surprise mama."

"Marshall?"

"Yeah, me, you and Mama." He assured her.

"Mama…Doof."

"I swear, kid, if you start calling me Doofus, then there's going to trouble." He joked lightly.

"Dada…"

He froze and looked down to see her staring up at him. "Uncle Marshall…"

"Mama…"

He rubbed her back gently and she settled back down on his chest.

"Dada…" She said again with a sleepily sigh.

Marshall closed his eyes, feeling tears start appeared. He kissed the top of her head again and held her a little tighter.

"Yeah, princess…I'm here." He whispered, softly.

TBC

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