A/N: I own nothing related to In Plain Sight

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If it were anybody but Marshall.

This was what Mary told herself over and over and over again as she stood behind the chain link dome at the park, watching Sarah, Sophie, Daniel, Quinn, and Claire throw the kickball to one another, waiting for their designated baby-sitter to split them into teams.

How exactly did she do this? She didn't even have decent clothing to parade around in. She'd resorted to jeans that were fast becoming too tight and a shirt borrowed from Marshall – an old one, the Marshal logo printed in faded blue against the white. As for her feet, she knew better than to don her usual boots and was lent a pair of – God forbid – flip-flops from one of his sisters-in-law. It didn't exactly matter anyway. Marshall had told her not to run the bases so many times he was practically blue in the face. As if she'd consider it.

So she hid behind her sunglasses, trying not to scowl at the group of children, who kept glancing her direction for approval. They hadn't exactly been thrilled with the change in plan either, pouting about the loss of Uncle Marshall for the afternoon.

The arrangement was for Mary to take the kids to the park, frolic until about 3:30 and then either Griffin or Julian would arrive to pick up the group and take them back to Carolyn's. Somewhere on the way home, one of the brothers was supposed to drop Mary at some shop-front in town so she could grab an outfit for the services the next day, leaving Marshall to pick her up there once he finished whatever it was he was doing. Mary sincerely hoped it was getting in a good nap.

However, she'd been dressed before anyone else was ready to go, and so she slipped off in a cab to the store while Marshall was down at the funeral home with Carolyn. That way, he could get some more sleep if he ever succumbed and wouldn't have to worry about picking her up later. Her chosen outfit for the service wasn't atrocious – the best she could do in her current state.

Running over all of this in her mind, Mary realized her group of heathens was getting a little antsy. She knew it to be so when Daniel hollered from the pitcher's mound.

"Are we gonna play or what?"

Mary groaned; the space between her big toe and second itched from the flip-flops. It was too hot for this kind of aggravation.

For Marshall. For Marshall. For Marshall.

Slowly, she ventured out from behind the safety of the chain link and approached the Mann gang.

"We could," she said. "Depends on how you want to do this."

Okay, rule number one. They were kids. Not witnesses.

"How we want to do this?" Daniel raised his eyebrows. For an eight-year-old, he was pretty sharp. "Haven't you ever played kickball before?"

"I might've, in my day," she answered, sticking her hand on her hip. "So we pick teams, right? Get that out of the way first?"

"Uh-huh," he said with a nod. "But we don't have enough people."

"What?" Mary wrinkled her nose in confusion.

"He means it's not even," Sarah, the dark-haired twin translated. "Only three on two."

"Uh, hello?" she said, feeling slightly nettled not being counted, even by a group of rug rats. She ran an arm up and down her figure, as if they needed a better look. "You think I can't handle this?"

"Uncle Marshall said you couldn't," Sophie chimed in, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Cause you're having a baby."

Jesus God. The man didn't quit.

"Well, I got news for you sister," Mary pointed a threatening finger and then, seeing how big it was just in shadow across the dusty dirt, decided she needed to reign herself in a little.

She cleared her throat and tried to tone it down just a smidge.

"Your Uncle Marshall worries about me too much. I'm good to go."

But was she really? For a little rough-and-tumble, maybe, despite Marshall's protests. But for an afternoon with a gaggle of children? She'd have to ponder that one a little harder.

"Daniel and I are going to be on the same team!" Quinn piped up. "Boys versus girls!"

"But then we get Claire," Sophie whined, stamping her foot in the dirt. "And she can't even kick straight!"

"I can so!" Claire stood on tiptoe to get in her cousin's face, all righteous indignation. "Maybe it's 'cause Daniel can't throw the ball right!"

Mary had to laugh at this display, but covered it quickly and knew better than to let it get much further. Otherwise she'd have a bunch of squalling cats on her hands and that wasn't her idea of a fun afternoon. Neither was the supposedly more appealing prospect, but just the same.

"All right sluggers," she stepped between Claire and Sophie; Claire staggered backward and crossed her arms, scowling. "Men on women sounds fair to me. I'll bat for the guys so they'll have an even three."

"Works for me," Daniel stood from his spot; he'd been sitting on the ball. "It's not like you're really a girl anyway."

Mary raised her eyebrows at the kid, wondering if she ought to have a word with Julian about his mouth but then decided it was kind of endearing. At least he knew how to take care of himself. Wasn't afraid to hold his own against some strange woman he barely knew.

"Cheers," she decided on. With that, she snatched the ball from his fingers and bounced it in the dirt. A cloud of dust flew up, nearly choking her. Bad idea in this heat.

"Ladies first," she said to the three girls. Sarah and Sophie giggled, undoubtedly at the fact that Mary was counting herself as a boy, but scurried off to home plate to kick first, Claire practically running her legs off just to keep up.

Thus ensued one of the most bizarre afternoons Mary had experienced to date. She felt like a herder just trying to corral the five of them at first. They screeched at each other, the twins complained about the pitches and Daniel called them names when they didn't get any hits. Quinn mostly bounced around in the field and Mary suspected he might've been chewing on the grass out of boredom when they couldn't strike out the girls. She couldn't help wondering how differently their afternoon would've gone with Marshall in the mix. A lot more laughter and a lot less crabbiness, she could guess.

But then, around the fourth inning (she was beginning to lose track) things started to pick up a little. Daniel smacked a spectacular kick into right field which Sophie almost caught and Mary could tell he was impressed against his will.

"Nice one, lead foot!" Mary called from home plate while Daniel grinned on second base, straddling the bag to make his sprint to third.

Now it was Quinn's turn. His face was shining with sweat; he kicked his feet in the dirt like a real player, eyes glinting in anticipation.

"Knock this one out Q," Mary hissed in his ear, crouching so she was on his level. "We gotta catch up to those girlies."

"Don't worry," he said knowingly, tongue sticking out the side of his mouth in concentration.

Mary grinned as Sophie sent the ball bouncing down the pike; thumping along, it emitted clouds like smoke, sucking the dust from the ground. Quinn ran, foot at the ready, and swung with all his might.

Mary was shocked to see it go careening through the air, into the gap in left field, Sarah running madly to try and grab it. Quinn seemed so surprised himself that he forgot to run.

"Run!" Mary hollered.

"Quinn, run you moron!" Daniel bellowed on his way to third.

Unfortunately, the delay cost him. Daniel was only able to make it to third without going home and Quinn had to stop at first, tottering excitedly on the bag, thrilled with his accomplishment.

Now what? Mary hadn't been needed to bat before now; the girls had gotten three outs so quickly on Daniel and Quinn in the prior innings; they'd just taken turns. But now they were both on base and somebody had to bring them home. Her feet were practically burning against the dirt, the air hung in high anticipation. Mostly she just longed to do something she knew she wasn't supposed to. Feel like the old Mary again.

But Marshall's words came back to her and she knew better than to get herself in too much trouble. He'd feel awful if anything happened to her – even if it was miniscule.

"Hey Claire!" she called while Sarah threw the ball into Sophie.

The littlest came running, pumping her arms and landing in an ungraceful halt at Mary's feet. Something about this one was intoxicating to Mary. She was the smallest, the most picked on, chosen last, forgotten. And yet she pressed on. She never quit. Small but mighty.

"What do you say you pinch-run for me?"

"What's that?" she asked, looking so suspicious it was amusing.

"Well your Uncle Marshall doesn't want me racing around. Since I'm having a baby and all," she reminded her, unable to keep her eyes from rolling. "So I kick and you run. Sound legit?"

Claire shrugged.

"Okay."

When the two older girls saw Claire standing at the plate, they started squawking their disapproval, not quite grasping the concept that their cousin wasn't switching teams – just being Mary's legs. Eventually, Mary managed to talk them down and they conceded.

"All right, girly," Mary said under her breath as Sophie sized-up the pitch. "You sprint like your life depends on it."

She grinned and nodded - a fresh determination on her face. It wasn't until that moment that Mary realized how much she wanted the little girl to score the run.

"Like Uncle Marshall?" she inquired suddenly, scuffing her shoes in the dirt.

"Is he fast?" Mary found herself asking back.

"So fast!" she declared. "He said he has to be 'cause he catches bad guys like grandpa."

Mary smiled against her will just thinking about the hero-worship these kids placed into Marshall. Griffin had been right, really. With Seth's passing, they needed that more than ever.

"Here it comes!" Mary shouted as she saw Sophie release the ball.

Knowing her toes wouldn't thank her for the effort, the ball jounced down the pike and Mary swung her foot back – feeling the resounding thud with the contact, nails stinging with the kick and saw the ball go sailing over second base, out of Sarah's reach.

"Run! Claire – run! Go!" she instructed her little protégée.

Claire took off and Daniel was rounding the bend; he slid into home even though the ball was nowhere nearby, flushed with his victory. He stood up and dusted off his shorts and immediately turned his attention to Quinn and Claire, who were still trying to stay ahead of Sarah, fast returning with the ball.

"Quinn run!" he hollered, bouncing up and down.

"Go Quinn – fast, go-go!" Mary was shouting too, heart racing in the excitement. She didn't even stop to think about what a change of character it was; so caught up in the moment.

Quinn almost fell onto home plate trying to make it and Daniel let out a strangled cry of triumph.

"YEAH!"

He pulled his cousin from the ground and smacked him on the back, dust flying everywhere.

That just left Claire, barely staying ahead of Sarah, who was clearly reluctant to throw the ball and tag her out for fear of losing the target all together. Instead, she just tried to catch up.

"HURRY CLAIRE!" Daniel bellowed.

"Come on Claire!" Quinn was leaping from side-to-side, hanging all over Daniel trying to bring his cousin home.

"You can do it Claire!"

And there was Mary, joining right in. And she felt something then – seeing Claire's little face blazing with resolve, all grit and determination, pooling all of her willpower into reaching home plate. A four-year-old who, without effort, lived in the moment. All that mattered was making it – for who knew what reason. Because her brother and cousin wanted her to? Because she was the youngest, the smallest, and she never did anything right? Because it was simply fun to win and taunt her older twin cousins for once? All that and more – so simple and yet so satisfying all at once.

And she dived, belly-flopped actually, right onto the diamond – just ahead of Sarah who heaved the ball in a last-ditch attempt to catch her.

"Safe! Safe! She was safe!" Daniel declared, pumping his fist in the air and yanking his sister to her feet. "Claire, you were awesome!"

Mary was alight with happiness as she untangled the little one from the high fives to give her a solid pound, which she accepted at once, pure joy shining in her four-year-old face.

"Mary, I did it!"

Mary laughed and gave her a hearty pat on the back.

"You sure did."

A/N: I hope this wasn't too cheesy! By the way, the little description at the beginning of where everyone is and what time people are supposed to be picked up does matter for the next chapter – just that one – but thought I should point that out. Thanks for those who have reviewed and those who will in the future! ;)