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What Happen In Vegas
Mary splashed some cold water on her face and stared at herself in the mirror. She couldn't believe she ever thought it was a good idea to lie to Marshall about Raphael but she had actually been doing it to protect him…At the beginning, he had doubts about her commitment to him and she didn't want him to think she didn't tell Raph because she still had feelings for him. Ironically, after spending a month trying to prove how much she loved him and wanted to be with him, it was crumbled because of a stupid lie. She thought back to the night when he had asked her to just be honest with him…It was the one thing he had asked of her and she couldn't even do that.
Her cell phone buzzed and she pulled it out of her pocket, praying it was Marshall but it was Brandi.
"What?" She answered.
"Mary? What's going on?" Brandi questioned. "It was Chico's first night back and you ran off…and you're not taking our calls…"
"Why didn't you tell me Marshall came over last night?" She questioned.
Brandi paused, surprised by the change of topic. "I don't know, it never came up…."
"He came over looking for me and you didn't tell me?"
"Mary, you didn't actually stay here long enough for us to tell you anything…We figured you would want to say hello to Raph before anything else…"
"Well, for future information I want to know about Marshall first….before anything…" Mary continued. "You have no idea what you've done!"
She knew deep down it wasn't Brandi's fault…She knew it was her own fault but she couldn't stop herself from getting angry.
"What I've done?" Brandi repeated. "Mary, what the hell are you talking about? Is Marshall okay?"
"No, Brandi he is not…" Mary told her. "He's not okay…"
"What happened?" She questioned concerned.
"Nothing…just...nothing…" She sighed.
She turned when she heard the bathroom door open and saw Eleanor stood holding a glass of water.
"I've got to go." Mary told Brandi.
"But Mary…" She heard Brandi say before she cancelled the call.
"Come to find out the gossiped?" Mary accused, turning back around and washed her hands.
"No…." Eleanor stepped fully into the room, letting the door close behind her. "I thought I would check on you to see if you were okay."
"I'm fine…" She shrugged.
"Mary, what Marshall said…"
"Look. That was nothing…Just a stupid argument." Mary claimed, scrubbing her hands harder.
Eleanor sighed and placed the glass on the sink beside her. "Mary, its okay to be upset."
She glanced across at the other woman. "It's complicated."
"Yeah, it always is when it comes to you and Marshall…"
"What is that meant to mean?"
"Just that you two are so close…I never seen two people with a friendship like yours." Eleanor stated. "It is if the two of you are in your own little world when you're together…No one else gets a look in…"
Mary frowned and folded her arms. "He's my best friend…my partner…"
"I'm not saying it's a bad thing…" Eleanor held up a hand.
Mary sighed and leaned back against the sink. "I screwed up…"
"Let him cool down and then talk to him…" Eleanor suggested. "He didn't mean what he said…"
"How do you know?"
"Because I saw his face as he walking away." She replied.
Mary closed her eyes and took a shaky breath as she felt herself starting to tear up again.
"For whatever reason, he said what he said to hurt you….but it hurt him too to say it." Eleanor said gently. "You two are too close…too strong to let anything come between you."
"I really hope you're right…" Mary whispered. "But I just don't know this time…"
"Just talk to him." Eleanor walked towards the door but stop before exiting. "Be honest with him…I'm sure that's all he wants."
Mary almost broke down again at that; even Eleanor knew what her husband wanted more then her.
XxXxX
Charlie glanced across at Marshall from the passenger's seat but before he could say anything, he changed his mind and closed his mouth. He normally liked working a case with Marshall because he always encouraged him to ask questions; no matter if it was about what they were working on, US Marshal Regulations, even just something that caught his eye or whatever was on his mind.
Today though, Charlie knew to keep his mouth shut.
They had arrived at Jimmy's house and found he had already passed out. After checking he was still breathing, they decided to just let him sleep it off. Marshall had advised his girlfriend, Melissa to go home but she was worried about him and wanted to stay. So, they called his sponsor and Marshall and Charlie hung around he turned up. Marshall left his number with both of them and told them call if they needed anything before they left.
They pulled into the Sunshine building's parking-lot but Marshall kept the engine running.
Charlie hand paused on the handle and glanced across at him. "Are you not coming?"
Marshall shook his head. "Tell Stan I'm taking an early lunch."
"Oh…Okay." Charlie opened the door; he hesitated again before getting out.
The second he had closed the door, Marshall pulled back out and drove off at speed.
Charlie sighed and shook his head, hoping he wouldn't have to tell Mary that Marshall had left again.
XxXxX
Mary had visited Susan Young and helped her fill in some job application forms before returning to the office. With no other witnesses to visit or any problems to deal with, she spent the rest day of the afternoon catching up on paperwork. She wanted nothing more than to go home for the day but she couldn't face going to her house and she didn't know if Marshall's house was her home anymore.
It was almost 4pm before Marshall came back but he didn't speak to her and she didn't speak to him. Everyone else in the office made excuses to stay out of both of their way.
Mary glanced up a few times and caught Marshall watching her but as soon as they eyes met, he looked away quickly. She hadn't been able to concentrate on her work since he had returned but she stayed sat at her desk, pretending because she knew it was only way she could be near him right now.
"Marshall?" Stan called from his doorway. "Can I speak to you for a minute?"
Marshall sighed loudly and stood up. Mary watched him walk across the room and into Stan's office. She was pretty sure their boss would try and find out what was going between the two of them and she wondered what Marshall would tell him.
Stan closed the door and gestured for the younger man to take a seat but Marshall opted the stay standing, leaning against the filing cabinet.
"So, this morning…" Stan started once he sat behind the desk.
"I want to apologize for that," Marshall cut in. "It was inappropriate behavior and I was out of line…"
"Marshall, I didn't call you in here to reprimand you." Stan told him. "I wanted to make sure you're okay."
"I'm fine."
"You took Charlie out with you today instead of Mary and then you spend the rest of the day out of the office…" Stan stated. "Since you've got back you can cut the tension out there with a knife…"
"It's….personal but it should have never been brought to work…"
"Eleanor spoke with Mary after you left….she was quite upset." Stan told him. "She didn't actually said what happened between the two of you but she did say she was the one that screwed up."
Marshall ran a hand over his face; he wished it didn't hurt to hear that she had been upset and that it was his words that caused it.
"I know even the best partnership can go through rough patches…" Stan continued. "What I need to know is, is this fixable…"
Marshall looked up but he didn't know what to tell him.
"If you don't feel safe working a case with Mary…"
"There is no one better at their job then Mary." Marshall interrupted. "I know she would never put me in danger….Like I said, I was out of line with what I said."
"And that the problem is personal…got it." Stan stood. "But you still didn't answer my question…Is this fixable?"
Marshall sighed and shrugged in defeat. "I really don't know, Stan….I hope so."
"Look, it's a quiet day…if you want to take the rest of the afternoon and get out of here…"
"Thanks, Stan…" Marshall nodded. "I appreciate it…"
"And if you want to talk about anything…my door is always open." Stan added. "I don't want to lose either of you…You're the best pair I've ever worked with."
"Thanks, Stan…"
"And tell Mary she can go to…" He added. "If she wants."
Marshall gave him a small smile and nodded his understanding before leaving the office. He returned to his desk, tidying up his files and logging off his computer. When he stood back up, he noticed Mary watching him silently. When he glance around the office, saw everyone was trying to look busy and uninterested in them but for a bunch of Marshals, they were failing miserably.
He stepped over to Mary's desk, walking around the other side, so his back was to everyone else and leaned his hands on the desk so he was blocking Mary from their view too.
"Stan has given me the afternoon off…" He mumbled, quietly. "He said you can go to, if you want."
"It's not like I'm getting any work done anyway…" She looked down at pile of paperwork in front of her.
"I'm going straight home…" He continued. "If you wanted a ride…."
Her head snapped up to him again, quickly in surprise at his invitation.
"I mean, we need to talk…" Marshall said when she stayed silent. "If you're not busy...If you want to."
"We do…and there is nothing I need to do that is more important." She told him.
"Okay…" He stood up straight.
"I got my car here, so I'll meet you there?" She put all her paperwork into one pile. Despite, not wanting to let him out of her sight again, she thought it might be a good idea to use the ten minute drive to get her thoughts in order.
"Okay…" He repeated, this time with a nod.
She watched him grab his jacket and leave before standing up herself. Checking her cell, she saw she had another miss call from Raph. She knew she would have to talk to him, even if her marriage was only short lived, she and Raphael were over, but right now all she cared about was sorting things out with Marshall.
It took 30 minutes for her to get home, deciding to stop for some beer on the way. She had a feeling it was going to be a long night and they would need it. She hesitated when she reached the front door, wondering if she should knock or just let herself in. Shaking her head and telling herself that she was over thinking everything, she pushed her key into the lock.
She placed her bag next to the door and hung up her jacket, before going to look for Marshall. She found him the kitchen, cleaning but he didn't turn around when she entered the room.
"Sorry I was so long…" She said softly. "I stop for some supplies."
"About what I said early…I shouldn't have…I do trust you to watch my back….to do your job." He told her. "I just…."
"Wanted to hurt me." She finished off. "It's okay; I understand…I deserved it."
He stepped out the way when she pulled opened the fridge to put the beer away. When she closed it again, she back against it and watched him wiping over the counters.
"So…." She started after a few second. "Do you want me to start?"
He finally looked up at her. "Just tell me why."
"Raphael's uncle died so he had to go home…that's where he's been for the past four weeks." She told him. "I felt I owed it to him to do it face to face and not over the phone…And I didn't think it was fair to tell Jinx and Brandi before him."
"That explains why you hadn't told him but not why you told me you did…."
"I thought…I don't know why I thought it was a good idea." She admitted. "I do know that I didn't want to upset you."
"So you lied to me?"
"You were so concerned about my true feelings about this…about us that I was worried you would think there was another reason for me not telling Raph."
"I don't believe you…"
Mary frowned. "What do you mean, you don't believe me?"
"You know me, Mare…You know me better than anyone else and you would have to know I would understand." He stated. "You even knew I didn't want to tell my parents over the phone… Why would you think I would have a problem with you wanting to speak to Raph in person?"
"You asked me to tell him straight away…You told me he had to know…"
"I didn't know he was out of the country!" He exclaimed.
"This is getting us nowhere…" She rubbed her forehead.
"I want to know why you kept this from me…"
"I told you…"
"Mary!" He cut in. "I know you…I know that's not the reason."
"Well, if you know me so well then I guess I don't have to tell you anything!" She snapped, pushed herself off the fridge and stormed out of the room.
Marshall stood still for a few minutes before picking up the cloth again and carried on cleaning.
Mary threw herself onto the couch, pulling her legs up to her chest and rested her forehead on top of her knees. She hadn't wanted to hurt Marshall by him finding out Raphael still didn't know their relationship was over…That was the only reason she never told him. Why would he think there was more to it? What else could it be?
She waited thirty minutes and she could still hear him moving around in the kitchen. Letting out a frustrated groan, she stood up and went back. She stopped in the doorway when she saw him cooking.
"We haven't got much food in and I'm not in the mood for takeaway so I figured we could just have pasta with sauce…" He glanced at her and saw her staring with his mouth open. "What?"
"We're in the biggest argument we've ever had…You spent all day not speaking to me because I hurt you but you're still making dinner….for me?" She questioned. "You really are insane…"
"We have to eat…"
"Marshall…"
"When I told you that I didn't tell my Mom about us…Why didn't you tell me the truth then?" He cut in.
"Because you already thought he knew…Tell me you wouldn't have been upset…"
"Of course I would have been…" He replied. "But being upset is nothing compared to what I felt last night…Having to stand there and listen to your family excitedly talking about your wedding to another man…"
"I never ever wanted you to find out like that." She insisted. "I thought I would be able to tell him and you would never need to know…"
"That doesn't make it okay, Mare…"
"I know…It just got out of hand…I didn't realize he would be gone for so long." She admitted. "And I did try and tell him over the phone but I just couldn't…"
Marshall turned back to the food again and she watched him getting everything he needed to make the sauce.
"Can I help?" She asked, quietly.
"I need some tomatoes chopped." He replied.
"I can handle that." She grabbed a knife and stood beside him.
They silently worked together and after she had finished chopping she set the table. Once she was done, she sat down and just waited. They passed another ten minutes in silence until Marshall carried two plates of pasta to the table.
He sat opposite her and picked up his fork but he just pushed the food around, not bothering to lift it to his mouth. He sighed and dropped it again, bringing his both his hands to cover his face.
"I am sorry…" She whispered. "If I could go back and do it over, I would."
"What would you do over?" He asked. "Telling Raph the truth…telling me the truth or making sure I don't find out."
"Marshall, just tell me what I need to do to make this better."
"Just be honest with me!"
"I am!" She pushed her plate away from her.
"You're not! I know when you're keeping something from me!"
"Really? How has that worked out for you in the past month?" She shot back but even as she was saying the words, she regretted them.
Marshall stood up so fast, that the chair fell backwards and he was out the room before it hit the floor. She was about to get up and follow him when he stormed back in; she recognized the same look of anger from that morning.
"You want to know what this is really about?" He exclaimed, his voice raising. "This about him! About him and your inability to let him go!"
"No! You're wrong! I don't love Raph…I don't think I ever truly did…"
"Not Raphael! Your Father!"
Mary blinked in surprise. "He's got nothing to do with this…"
"Of course he has…He's everything to do with whatever you do…" Marshall claimed. "You've built your life around him…"
"He wasn't even there for most of my life!" Mary said defensively and stood up.
"But you let him affect your choices..."
"Marshall, I didn't tell you because I thought you would be hurt by it!" She insisted again. "Why can't you just accept that?"
"You didn't tell me because you wanted to keep me separate from your life!" He shouted back. "Because you like to keep the people in your life in different bubbles… Your family... Work colleagues… Then your father and me."
She stared at him incredulous. "You're crazy…Why would I lump the most important person in my life in with the man who abandoned me and wreaked my childhood…"
"Because he was the most important person in your life for such a long time." Marshall lowered his voice.
"Marshall…" She whispered. "He wasn't….He was my Dad and he left me."
"I know…and you don't know why…You know he loved you…the two of you had such a close relationship so you can't work out why he left you behind." Marshall continued. "It had to be something else…someone else… So, you think by keeping me….our relationship away from everyone else…away from the real world it will protect it…."
"Is that such a bad thing?" She asked. "That I don't want anything to wreak us."
"No, Mare it's not a bad thing but you can't control everything." He said softly. "It's not healthy."
"We have been doing pretty well the last four weeks." She claimed. "We've been happy, right?"
"You know, I've been happy but you were wrong earlier when you said I had no idea you were keeping something from me." He replied.
"I never should have said that…"
"I love you, Mary….and I loved being with you the past month…It's been the best time of my life…" His voice cracked with emotion. "But I knew you were holding back….and I ignored it…I ignored because I wanted to protect us just as much as you do…"
"So, you don't hate me?"
"No, I don't hate you…"
"You think we can work this out?" She walked towards him. "You'll stay with me?"
"I want to…but not if it's going to be like this." He told her. "You've got to believe in us, Mare…That's what love is about…taking a risk on someone else and trusting them not to break your heart."
"I do trust you."
"I'm not your father….I'm not going to leave when things get tough….and I'm not going to start drinking to handle things…I'm not going to make you deal with all my problems or ask for money….I'm not going to sleep with random women because we had an argument…And if I get a new partner or a new job, it doesn't mean I'm going to like it better than working with you…"
"I know you won't….but don't you see…that's why I didn't want them to know." Mary told him. "My family…they ruin everything and they drive people crazy… I don't want you getting drawn into all that!"
"I hate to break to you, Mare…but I'm already drawn into that." He replied. "The only way we're going to work is if you let us to be a real married couple…You've got to ask yourself if you really want that or if you just want this…what we've had for the past month."
"I want people to know, Marshall…please, you've got to believe me…I admit I'm worried that Jinx and Brandi will drive you over the edge and that Stan will split us up…but I want them to know…I want to live my life with you without hiding it."
"Promise me, that there is nothing else that is going to come out and knock me on my back again…" He whispered, slowly reaching out and link one hand with hers.
"There's not." She shook her head.
"What about Raphael?" He asked. "Did you….?"
"Did I what?" She frowned. "Did I sleep with him?"
He sighed and looked down at the floor.
"No, Marshall…No, I would never…" She insisted. "I was surprised last night when I got home and he was there…I made an excuse and left as soon as I could because I wanted nothing more than to see you."
"Okay."
"I can call him…Tell him it's over…" She suggested taking her cell phone out but he reached out and took if off her.
"Not tonight." He told, placing it on the table and then pulled her closer. "Tonight should be about us…"
She had never been more regretful in all her life when she felt his lips against hers as he backed her in the direction of the bedroom. She held onto him tightly and deepened the kiss, she really thought she had screwed everything up and she was going to lose him.
XxXxX
Marshall woke up the next morning and found Mary looking at him.
"Were you watching me sleep?" He question, rolling on his side to face.
She shrugged. "Just surprise you're still here…"
"Mare, I'm not going to say that what happened didn't hurt me but I refuse to walk away without even trying." He reached out and brushed some hair off her face. "I think, we are both still getting used to being together and its normal for us to make mistakes but we just need to be honest with each other…"
"Thank you….for not giving up on me and not with just with all this….You have always been there for me, no matter."
He smiled and kissed her forehead. "We should get up…I said I would check on Jimmy Matson this morning and I'm starving…how about I do us some eggs for breakfast?"
She pulled a face. "Maybe just toast for me…I feel a bit sick."
"Sick?" He repeated with a smirk. "You're not pregnant are you?"
"Don't be an idiot." She rolled her eyes and got out of bed. "It's probably because I didn't eat yesterday."
"Well, let's get some food and get to work."
"Have you got a lot on today?"
"Just Jimmy and paperwork…."
"I was thinking we should go over to my place and talk to Raph….and we might as well tell Stan today to."
Marshall nodded. "Okay, sounds good."
She smiled and reached over to take his hand as they left the bedroom.
XxXxX
"Oh no…"
"What?" Mary looked across at him as they pulled up outside Jimmy's place.
"Look." He nodded his head across the street to where Bobby Dershowitz was stood talking with a couple of officers.
"Great."
"How's our favorite detective doing?" Marshall asked, as he walked up behind him.
Bobby groaned and spun around. "I might have known you two would turn up."
"Aw, isn't that sweet." Mary said sarcastically.
"So, what's going on?" Marshall questioned.
"A woman by the name of Melissa Gorman was found beaten this morning…" Bobby explained. "She's lucky to be alive….I take it she's one of yours?"
"No, she's not but we do know her." Marshall sighed.
"We've spoke with the neighbors and it looks like the boyfriend is in the frame but they don't know much about him….care to shed on light on it?"
"Let us do our thing and we'll get back to you with what we know." Mary told him, glancing at Marshall and could see the guilt in his eyes.
"I hate it when you say that." Bobby muttered and walked away.
"Marshall…"
"I left her here with him…"
"You can't babysit them….She isn't even in the program…She knew what he was like and was willing to stay…there was no way of you knowing what was going to happen." She assured him. "Look, I'm going to go talk to some neighbors…see if any of them saw anything….you keep Dershowitz busy."
Marshall nodded and cross the street to join Bobby.
"So, ready to talk to me?" Bobby asked and then rolled his eyes when he stayed silent. "Is there anything you can tell me?"
"Let's just say that when we find the person who is responsible for this, it's going to be me cuffing him and locking him up."
Bobby looked at him for a second, over the past couple of years he had got to know the pair of Marshals quite well and despite hating them at first for giving criminals a second chance; he knew they were very good at their job and he respected that.
"Fair enough." The detective shrugged. "So, what was the deal with that phone call I got from your partner yesterday...She tells me you've disappeared and then I get a text message five minutes later to say you're safe and sound at the office…"
"A little mix-up due to lack of communication….It's complicated."
"Well, I had never heard Mary so freaked…" Bobby trailed off when saw the look on Marshall's face and turned quickly to see a car speeding down the road towards Mary.
"Mary!" Marshall shouted, pushing Bobby out the way as he sprinted towards her.
Mary looked from the lady she was talking to, to Marshall and was surprised to him running towards her. She froze when she turned and saw the car but quickly snapped back into action, shoving the lady back onto the sidewalk just in time.
She felt her feet leave the ground and as she was falling, she heard a bang and the sound of breaking glass. The next thing she knew, she was on the floor with pain shooting up her arm.
"Mary?"
She shook her head a few times, trying to clear it as she slowly moved. She surprised and relieved that the pain seemed to be just in her arm.
"Mary?"
She remembered Marshall had called her before she had seen the car but that didn't sound like him…It sounded like Bobby. A police officer crouched down beside her but Mary pushed her away and sat up fully to look around; there were people beginning to crowd around to see what was going on and the few police officers that had been on the scene already was trying to push them back. When the crowd parted slightly, Mary finally saw Bobby in the road, knelling next to a still body.
"No….no!" She crawled into the road.
"Are you okay?" Bobby asked her when she reached his side.
"Marshall?" Mary ignored him, not being able to take her eyes off her unconscious partner. "Marshall, wake up…"
"Mary, don't move him…" Bobby grabbed her hands.
"This can't be happening…" she shook her head, her eyes moving down Marshall's body. His right arm was in stick out at the wrong angle and there was a pool of blood already forming of the tarmac. She gently ran her fingers over his face, not caring about the blood. "Marshall, don't do this to me…don't go…don't leave me…Please…"
TBC
Okay, I'm sorry but I do love cliffhangers! I think some of you, guessed something like this was going to happen! Please review and let me know what you think.