*So, I haven't written a post S3 finale one-shot yet. I'm having too much fun writing this story, which rewrites S3 and eliminates Faber altogether! HAHAHA

**A/N: Mary has a confrontation, two phone conversations, and something is revealed at the end of the chapter. Enjoy!

"A good friend is cheaper than therapy." – Anonymous

"A friend can tell you things you don't want to tell yourself." – Frances Ward Weller

August 10, 12:05am

"Marshal Shannon!"

I had just turned the corner to enter the waiting room after leaving Marshall's room when I was stopped by Day's voice. He and Francesca were standing in the hallway deep in conversation that suddenly broke off at my approach. I slid my mask back in place and stalked over to the pair.

"Well, it's nice of you to finally show up, Day. We could have used your presence before Francesca moved herself into the worst drug neighborhood in the city and before she managed to get a US Marshal shot," my words, though whispered, were clipped and carried venom.

"Day's presence could not have prevented what happened, Mary," Francesca interjected softly. "You overreacted, just like so many others in my country do by judging those with brown skin."

"Listen here you south-of-the-border bitch!" I turned on her, releasing my pent up worry, fear, and guilt of the past few hours, letting it come crashing down around me. "Marshall was there tonight to cover me because that's what partners do – but he wouldn't have needed to do that if you had just stayed where Day put you in the first place. You keep saying that this is my fault for overreacting. Well maybe I should have just left you there alone to get yourself raped!"

Francesca gasped and I felt an arm tug me back a pace.

"Mary, that's enough," Stan murmured in my ear.

"This is the United States of America, chica! I think I know better than you do what was going down across that street and what those homeboys really wanted to do with you tonight. If I had let them do it, maybe you would be the one in there fighting for your life-"

"Inspector! That's enough! Let's take a walk," Stan pulled me further back but I shook out of his grip. Breathing hard, I backed away from the group and started to walk down the hall.

"You'll be lucky if I don't report Inspector Shannon for harassment of a federally protected witness!" Day taunted my boss.

Suddenly I heard the sounds of a scuffle and I peered over my shoulder to see that Stan had the taller man pinned against the wall, his arm across his throat. Day's eyes were bulging out of his sockets; I tried not to laugh.

"You've royally fucked up this operation from the beginning and now one of my best marshals is in the ICU with a hole in his gut. I highly recommend that you cut your losses and take Francesca and get the hell out of Dodge, Day."

Stan released him and without a word Day grabbed Francesca's elbow and left. I watched as Stan held his defiant posture until they were out of sight before his shoulders slumped. Leaning against the wall, I waited as he walked towards me.

"Mary-"he began.

"I lost it back there, sorry," I shrugged.

He lifted his head in surprise. "Why don't I believe you?"

"I don't know, chief, why don't you?" I tried to smile but it felt forced. "I have to call Marshall's folks – unless you already did?"

He shook his head. "No, I've been on the phone with Bobby and the CIA, trying to sort out this mess with Francesca."

I winced. "I am sorry for the headache it's causing you, Stan. What did Bobby say?"

"That you and Marshall are in the clear – he'll swear that the other guy shot first. He's still in surgery, by the way."

"I'm just glad we injured him enough so he couldn't run because I never got a clear look at him. Marshall was blocking my view-"the words got stuck in my throat as tears pricked my eyes again.

Stan tactfully changed the subject. "Have you called your house to let them know you're ok?"

I sighed. "No, I just don't want to deal with the Brandi and Jinx drama team. They both care about Marshall too, so I know I should. But I have other phone calls I need to make before calling them."

Stan nodded in understanding. "I think the waiting room is empty now. I'm going down to the cafeteria to see what I can grab from the vending machines. Do you want anything?"

I started to shake my head but then I remembered Peanut and the promise I had made to my doctor to take better care of myself. Sighing I said, "Bring me back some chocolate and a sandwich if you can find one."

I stared at the cell phone in my hand for ten minutes, trying to decide who to call first: Karen or Elizabeth? Knowing that I needed to call them both, I knew good and well that I was stalling. Scrolling through my contact list, I pushed the send button and waited.

"Hi, Mary! You're calling awfully late tonight."

Ah, the wonders of Caller ID! It takes all the mystery out of who's calling.

"I'm sorry to be calling so late, Elizabeth. I hope I didn't wake you?"

"No, dear. I was just heading to up to bed. Seth went to bed hours ago. He got in late last night and has been sleeping most of the day away, trying to catch up on all the sleep he missed out on while on the road."

My heart began to beat faster. Marshall's father was at home? Though I had never met the man, I knew he and his son had a somewhat strained relationship. I was really glad that Elizabeth had picked up the phone, but I knew I needed to break the news to both of them and I didn't want to repeat myself.

"Elizabeth, I hate to have to do this, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to wake up your husband. I need to speak to the both of you."

I heard her sharp intake of breath. "What's happened? It's Marshall, isn't it? Is he-"

"No! He's not dead, Elizabeth. Please, just wake up Mr. Mann. I'll hold on."

I heard her set the phone down and I waited what felt like an eternity before I heard an extension pick up.

"This is Seth Mann."

"Hello, Mr. Mann, this is Mary Shannon. I'm your son's partner." I swallowed nervously. "Is your wife back on the line?"

"I'm here, Mary. We're both here, ready to hear what you have to say."

Oh God, how did I say this? I had promised her that I would do my best to keep him safe and now he's upstairs in this hospital fighting for his life.

"Marshall was shot tonight in the line of duty."

Silence.

Great, Mer. Elizabeth has probably fainted and his father is in shock. Why, oh why, haven't you been blessed with some of your partner's tact yet? How I wish I was there to see their faces. Doing this over the phone is not the way to break this sort of news.

"What happened?" Elizabeth whispered.

"Beth, she can't discuss official marshal business with you," Seth admonished softly.

"Elizabeth, we were doing our jobs and Marshall got shot while protecting me," 'and my baby', I added silently.

"How bad is it?" Seth asked.

I swallowed again. "He was shot in the abdomen and lost a lot of blood. He-"I hesitated, but decided to tell them everything. "He coded in the ambulance but the doctor shocked his heart back into a normal rhythm. Right now he is in ICU on a ventilator. The doctor is waiting for his heart to get stronger and his blood volume to build back up before he operates on his wound." The tears were spilling down my cheeks but I was determined not to start sobbing on the phone.

"We'll be on the first flight in the morning," Seth stated and then there was a click, signifying he had hung up.

I heard soft sniffles coming over the wire and it about broke my heart. "Elizabeth, I am so sorry."

There was a small pause before the sniffles stopped. "Mary Shannon, you stop that right now. I'll not have you blaming yourself for this."

"Elizabeth, he was there because of me. He took the bullet for me."

"Well, of course he did. He's your partner."

"But – he shouldn't have been there! He told me he had a date and then all of a sudden, there he was!"

Elizabeth chuckled. "That sounds like my boy, riding to the rescue. He would never leave you high and dry. Partners don't do that. Remember the last time? How you told me he pulled himself up and fired his gun with a 'sucking chest wound' I think you called it? He will always protect you, Mary."

I sighed. "You don't know what the past couple of months have been like. Things between us have gotten – well, complicated. Since my engagement to Raph, nothing's been the same. If he should-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence! My boy's a fighter and his love for you will pull him through this."

I gasped.

"Did you really think I didn't know how he felt about you? You're all he talks about."

My head was spinning. Here I had called Marshall's mom to break horrible news to her about her son and she had turned around and started to comfort me.

"Could you adopt me? Seriously, you have been a better mother to me than my own has ever been," I leaned wearily back in my chair and rubbed my stomach. What would she think if I was to tell her that I was pregnant and it might be Marshall's? That it might be her grandchild?

Elizabeth chuckled again. "Mary, I've thought of you as a daughter since we met. Didn't you know that?"

I shook my head, realizing belatedly that we were on the phone and she couldn't see me. "No, I didn't. But then, Marshall says I often miss the obvious."

"And he's right. Now, I want you to do something for me, ok? Actually two things," she added.

"What?"

"As soon as they take Marshall for surgery, you need to get some sleep. The surgery is going to take awhile and you might was well be sleeping while the doctors are working on him, right?"

I swallowed. Part of me knew she was right but I knew that as soon as I lay down to sleep, it would only be a matter of time before I woke up screaming from the nightmares.

"I will try and get some sleep, Elizabeth. What's the second thing?"

"Try not to blame yourself. Marshall was doing his job as your partner – and you would have done the same thing. Seth and I don't blame you for what happened. It comes with the job."

I grunted. "Unfortunately."

"Give my boy a kiss for me, ok? We'll be on the early flight, Mary." Elizabeth paused to take a deep breath and I could hear how close the tears still were. "Tell him I love him."

1:15am

Stan brought me a tasteless cold cut sandwich and an ice cold Coke from the vending machines. I managed to eat half the sandwich before my stomach rolled over in protest and I stopped, fearing the food would come right back up. As I sipped my Coke, I asked Stan if the shooting had made the late evening news and he said that there had been a brief mention of a local law enforcement officer getting shot but the name was withheld. I sighed. It was a vague report and the hour was late but I decided to call Karen nonetheless. She answered her cell on the second ring and I was surprised to hear her sound wide awake at this hour of the morning.

"Mary? What's wrong?"

"Karen, it's Marshall."

"Oh God."

I heard crying in the background and it didn't sound like Jamie. "Kare? What's going on over there? That doesn't sound like Jamie."

"It's not – it's Katie. She woke up from a nightmare a few minutes ago. It was about Marshall."

I felt a chill run down my spine. I knew that the two of them had an amazing connection, but this practically bordered on a telepathic bond. I struggled to focus on Karen's words.

"She went to bed upset because Uncle Mars called earlier and said he couldn't come to dinner and she had gone to all the trouble to make cookies for the first time. She cried herself to sleep. But then she woke up screaming and I haven't been able to calm her down since. Mary, is he-"

I washed down the waves of guilt. Marshall hadn't had a date after all. He was supposed to have had dinner with Karen and the kids. Katie had made cookies and cried herself to sleep when Uncle Mars had canceled. If it was possible, I felt even worse knowing he had broken a little girl's heart to come watch my ass and had gotten shot for his trouble. "No! Karen, Marshall's not dead. He was shot in the abdomen. He stepped in front of me and took the bullet."

I heard her sigh. "Is he in surgery?"

"No, he's not stable yet. Karen, he coded in the ambulance. I thought I lost him tonight-"I broke off as my tears escaped again.

"Mary, he's a fighter. He'll be ok. Come on, I can only handle one crier at a time, please!"

I managed a weak smile as I listened to Katie's muffled sobs over the phone. Then I heard Karen talking to her and she came back to me. "Mary? Katie really wants to talk to you – she's worried about you, too. Can I put her on?"

I agreed and after a pause I heard, "Aunt Mary? Are you crying too?"

I smiled in spite of myself. "Hey, kiddo. Yeah, I got scared tonight just like you."

"Have you seen Uncle Mars?"

"Yes, about an hour ago. He has a tube to help him breathe but he's okay. I think the doctor will be taking him to surgery soon."

"Are you ok? The bad guy didn't hurt you?"

"No, kiddo. Uncle Mars protected me," I choked out.

"Can I come see him?"

"Well, let's talk to your mom about that, ok?"

"Ok." Katie sighed. "Will you come see me, Aunt Mary?"

I swallowed in surprise. While Karen's kids called me 'Aunt Mary', it was Marshall they had bonded with. Katie's request caught me completely off guard.

"Well, I don't know when I'll be leaving the hospital."

"Please? I want to see you."

I felt a tug on my heart. Is this what it feels like to be a parent? "How about I call you when I'm leaving here?"

Katie seemed satisfied with that response. Before she handed the phone back to Karen she said, "I love you, Aunt Mary."

I blinked in shock.

"Mary, are you still there?"

"She's never said that to me before."

Karen chuckled. "Caught you by surprise, didn't it? She may not be as open in her affections with you as she is with Marshall but that's because she can read you like a book. She knows you're not the touchy feely type. But she's always loved you."

I sighed. "I'm not good with saying the words."

"I know that, Mer. Actions speak louder than words, anyway. Those of us who know you, know you love us without you having to say the words."

"Even Marshall?" The words were out before I could check them.

She sighed. "You do love him, don't you? The problem is, you're not ready to admit to yourself how much you love him."

My vision grew blurry once again. "I can't lose him, Kare."

"And why is that, Mer?"

"Because I –"I choked. "I just can't."

"Mary, can I ask you a question?"

"I guess."

"Who was the last person you actually said the words 'I love you' to?"

I squirmed. "I don't remember."

Karen laughed. "Is that 'it's been so long I don't remember' or 'I don't want to talk about it so I don't remember'?"

"The second one." I mumbled.

"I see."

"Look, Kare, I'm not like you and Marshall and most of the people on this planet who had somewhat healthy, happy childhoods. At least you didn't have a gambling father who walked out when you were barely seven and an alcoholic mother who couldn't pick herself up off the floor. I didn't have a picture of 'family love' when I was growing up – I have no idea what that looks like. Happily ever after existed only in the story books my father read to me. I learned very early on that it was better to go through life without saying 'I love you' because people who said they loved you ended up leaving you anyway. And if you didn't say 'I love you' to them, it didn't hurt as much when they did leave – and everybody leaves."

There was a pause before Karen said softly, "So the last person-"

"My father, ok? The last person I said 'I love you' to was my father. Those were the last words I said to him."

*Oh, Mary! No wonder those words are hard for her to say. . . . Will Marshall stabilize for surgery? Will Mary ever go home? Please review!