Nico thinks back. How could he have missed all of the clues that it was Maggie. The one he could never
find was right in front of him. Nico looks at Maggie. He opens up his arms. "Come here." Maggie just
buries her face in his chest for a minute. It has been a hell of a day but she is glad that Nico finally
knows. It takes some of the weight off her mind. Nico pulls her in tight and kisses her on the top of the
head. "So how long have you been on the road?" Nico has realized that Maggie must have landed and
drove right to New York from Virginia. "A while." He wipes the last of the tears away.
"Well, let's do this the civilized way. Come on…. Let's get dinner and talk. Really talk." Maggie smiles
and leans into him. This talk has been a long time coming. "Definitely." They head to the car.
"By the way how the hell did you get this?" Maggie smiles. "He gave it to me. A lot of fond memories
are attached to this car." She winks at Nico as she gets in the car. Nico rolls his eyes as he gets in.
Maggie and Nico are seated across from each other at a diner they eat and talk. It has been too long
since they have done this. They used to do it all of the time when they were younger. "So when did it
start with you and Marshall?" Maggie looks up at him. If Nico is anything, he is direct." A soft smile
crosses her face. "It didn't just start. It evolved. It was more Darwin than Harlequin I assure you." She
takes a bite of her Mac and Cheese. This is definitely a comfort food moment. "We were friends for a
long time, you know that. He was there for me during some pretty dark days." Nico realizes that
Maggie is talking about Ben's death. Maggie and Ben were together from the time they were 18. When
together, they were quite a pair, the handsome Annapolis midshipmen and the Harvard debutante.
They got married right after graduation. The happiness only lasted so long. Ben was killed in action.
In the aftermath of Ben's death no one could reach Maggie, not her brothers… not even him.
Somehow, some way, Marshall got through to her. "Ben?" Maggie looks up at Nico. The mention of
Ben's name still hits home. "Yes. All of you tried to fix me. I never expected the bottom to drop out of
my world. Not like that. Marshall let me go crazy and kept me company on the journey." Nico actually
smiles. He realizes what she is saying to him. They were trying to make her better when she needed to
grieve. "I have to ask. What the hell did you two do when you took off?" She smiles. "Candlepin
bowling with the Southies." Nico looks up in disbelief. "It's true. We went bowling." Nico shakes his
head. "Don't laugh… I really like bowling." Nico thinks for a moment. He knew Marshall loved her. He
just didn't know how deeply. How involved they were. Maggie is opening up. He needs to keep this
going if he is going to figure out what is going on. "So when did it change?" Maggie gives him a sly look.
"It's not all about sex, Nico, so tread lightly unless you are ready to open up about Gabrielle and Dani or
are ready for fifty shades of Marshall." Nico looks up. "Touche or too much information. I am not so
sure on that one." Maggie winks and then takes a few more bites while she thinks for a moment. "Nico,
I know Marshall was, at times, insane but that was what I loved. With Marshall, there was no veil and certainly no
filter, he never lied to me. My life is lies. With what I do, truth is fleeting. Marshall drove me insane….
Completely crazy… but God Nico… I loved it. The insanity was like CPR for my soul. It would bring me
back to life. I miss him more than you could ever imagine."
Nico looks at Maggie. "Why did he react to the divorce like he did?" Maggie thinks for a moment. "He
was losing someone he loved Nico." Nico gives Maggie a confused look. "Wouldn't it be a shame if we
were only able to love one person. The world would be such a sad, sad place." Nico surveys Maggie's
face a moment. "You weren't jealous?" Maggie meets his gaze. "Nico, it was never like that. I was
never looking to become Mrs. Pittman. I never want to get married again. I don't think I could go
through that again. The dysfunction made it work. Marshall and I were on equal terms. I never needed
anything from him but the relationship. I have my own eight figure trust fund to fall back on and I
dislike Gabrielle for what she did to you and for what she did to Marshall at the end. That is it." Nico is
kind of shocked by what he has learned about this relationship but suddenly so much makes sense.
"Nico, I love love… I'm just not good at it." Nico thinks amen to that sister of mine. Me either… "Can I
ask you something?" Maggie looks up not sure as to why Nico is suddenly asking her permission. "Ok?"
"Maggie, what is going on with Juliette?" She thinks for a few minutes. "Nico, Marshall asked me
to teach her what Gabrielle is unable to." Nico looks at her with a curious look for a few minutes. "You
cannot teach what you do not know." Maggie pauses for a moment. "Nico he asked me to teach
Juliette how to save herself." Nico gives Maggie his undivided attention. "I was to the manor born
and look how my sisters turned out. Marshall did not want Juliette to turn out like my sisters." Nico
looks up at her with comprehension. He understands what Marshall wanted. "Are you really going to
let her sell the team?" Maggie looks up at Nico with a smile. "Honey, I will water board that child
before I will allow her to sell this team. I told you that I was a trained professional… I never mentioned
the profession." Maggie is glad to see a genuine smile on Nico's face. "And the
Russians? How did you know?" Maggie stops abruptly. "Nico, I didn't know about the Russians. I just
remembered something Marshall had mentioned and I guessed." Maggie thinks for a moment to figure
out how to explain it to Nico. "Nico, I have been in this game for a long time. I made an educated
guess that's all." Nico is ready to get to the nitty gritty. "Maggie, do you think Marshall is alive?"
Maggie stops dead. "I don't know Nico but only about three people in my life know certain details; you,
Marshall, and Teddy." Nico looks up. "Did Marshall have keys to your apartments?"
Maggie looks up. "Yes, same as you, Dear." Nico sits back and sips some coffee. "Who knew about you
and Marshall?" "Teddy and now you." Nico is surprised. "Really?"
"Nico, at one point I was an officer in the Marines having an affair with a married man… aka conduct
unbecoming an officer… the only Marshall I would have ended up with was one with the first name of
Court and at what point do you think I could get that passed my Irish Catholic mother? You have
experienced a beating with the rosary beads… My gay twin brother… it was a mutual exchange of
information… a sib protection policy. This whole situation freaks me out, Nico."
"Mags, it freaks me out too. I was just getting used to the idea of Marshall being gone myself. We have
to figure out the Russians." Maggie looks up at him. "I know."
Later that evening:
Nico arrives at Dani's door. Dani opens the door with a smile. "So where did you disappear to?" Nico
kisses her on the cheek. "Needed to talk with Maggie about some things."
"She seems to have a way with Juliette too." Nico laughs. "Yes she does… like the Pittman whisperer or
something." Dani opens a bottle of wine and pours a couple of glasses. They walk into the living room.
"So what's on your mind, handsome?" Nico settles into the couch next to Dani. He leans his head
against Dani's shoulder. It has been quite a day. So much is rattling around in his head. He thinks back
to the last few hours. He realizes that Gabrielle was what Marshall wanted but he knows
Maggie was what he needed. In a lot of ways, Marshall was what Maggie needed too. Like Marshall,
Gabrielle was what he himself wanted… but not what he needed.
"Do you think love is ruled by what you want or what you need?" Nico takes a sip of wine. Dani is
wondering what in the hell Maggie and Nico were talking about this evening. "If you are lucky, they are
the same thing I guess." Nico places his glass on the table and takes Dani's from her hand and puts it
next to his. "Well at the moment, I know what I want and what I need." He leans in
and kisses Dani with a renewed passion. "and both are you." Dani thinks to herself with an inner glow. I
don't care what in the hell you were talking about this evening… but you are doing it more often.