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When the Hero Falls

"How's our boy doing?" Stan asked when Mary buzzed into the office.

"They're really pushing him to get moving…" Mary answered, dropping her bag beside her desk and sitting down. "He's getting there but slowly."

"Well, that's fantastic…" Eleanor replied. "How about his speech? Is it getting any better?"

"He's trying." She shrugged. "But gets frustrated when people don't understand what he's saying."

"I'm sure he'll get there." Stan added. "He's come a long way already."

"Yeah…" Mary agreed quietly but was getting tired of people trying to put a positive spin on everything. It was hard seeing Marshall like this and it was heartbreaking to watch him getting worked up just because people didn't understand what he needed. He had always been cool, calm and collected. Even when someone was trying their best to get a reaction out of him, he never let it bother him because he knew that would annoy them more.

"I'll try and stop by sometime this weekend." Stan continued. "I wish I could be around more…

"It's okay, Stan…With Marshall out of action you're busy." Mary tried to assure him. "And I really appreciate how much time you've let me have off."

"Glad I could help." Stan replied.

When this had first happened, Stan never imagined Mary taking this much time off work and even now, she only worked four days during the week. He somehow managed to convince the higher ups to allow the three inspectors that had been covering for both Mary and Marshall to stay permanently. Although Marshall had come a long way so far, a return to work was nowhere in the near future, Stan even doubted whether he would ever be able to come back.

Sadly, he had lost Mary too. With Marshall's parents down, it did give Mary the chance to come to the office but he knew her heart just wasn't in it anymore. He could tell that while she was there, she worrying about her partner.

The heartbreaking thing was that he was pretty sure that she had realized her true feelings for Marshall and although, he knew that Mary would be there for Marshall more than ever after what had happen , it made him sad that they may not have the future together that they both deserved.

"Stan?"

He snapped back to the present and found Mary stood in front of him frowning.

"You okay, Chief?"

"Yeah, sorry…just thinking."

"About what?"

"Just…" He started but then stopped, deciding that it wasn't his place to say anything. "Just that I wish I had more chance to get to the hospital to see him."

"Well, I'm taking him some pie for lunch…You could join me." Mary offered, moving back to her desk.

"Yeah…" He nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Yeah, that will be good."

"You take him pie for lunch?" Eleanor questioned. "I didn't think he would be eating too much."

"He's not but who would with hospital food. " Mary replied. "He may only be able to manage a few small mouthful of pie but it makes him smile."

"Hmm…" Eleanor raised an eyebrow but didn't say anymore.

"What?" Mary narrowed her eyes at her. "What's with hmm?"

"I didn't think you were the type of person to do something to make someone smile…"

She rolled her eyes. "It pie…Marshall likes it…I like it…its win, win."

"Whatever you say."

"Maybe we should all get to work…" Stan suggested, playing peacemaker. "So we have the time to take an extended lunch break."

"Now you're talking my language…" Mary replied, turning to her computer.

XxXxX

On the way to the hospital, they had stopped to pick up a whole key lime pie, figuring between the three of them, Marshall and his parents they would need enough to go around.

Stan let Mary led them through the hospital. She walked with purpose, so used to being in there and Eleanor was right behind her. He hung back a little, unsure now they were here. Mary had kept him update with Marshall's progress and there was so much that needed to be done around the office, he had been a few weeks since he had visited. The last time he had been here, Marshall could barely move and couldn't even talk. The only person he seemed interested in was his father and Stan was struggling to get that out of head. Marshall had become a big part of his life, just like Mary. It was hard seeing him suffer like that.

"You okay?" Eleanor slowed a little to walk in line with him.

"Yeah, sure…" He tried to reassure her with a smile but he knew he hadn't convinced her.

Thankfully, they reached Marshall's room before she could question him any further. Mary knocked once before opening the door and walking in, seeing just Seth sat at Marshall's bedside.

"Hey…" She greeted then nodded her head towards Stan and Eleanor as they stepped into the room. "Look who followed me over…I tried to shake them off but you know how sneaky Stan can be…"

She got no response from her partner, who was turned on his side with his back to his father. Seth managed a weak smile before standing up and shaking Stan's hand.

"Okay…What's going on?" Mary questioned, looking from him to Marshall.

"Just a disagreement of sorts." Seth answered. "Nothing to worry about."

"Uh-huh…" Mary replied, not believing him but decided to let it go. "We brought pie."

"If you can get him to eat then great." Seth said with a sigh.

"What does that mean?" She frowned.

"Wouldn't touch his breakfast or lunch." He answered. "Refused to get up and do his excises as well…"

"Not a-a…ch…child…" Marshall stuttered, his back to them all still.

"Then stop acting like one…" Seth replied in frustration.

"Okay, let's go outside…" Mary pushed the older towards the door, looking at Stan and Eleanor. "You talk to him…"

Stan's eyes widened a little, his mind going blank to what kind of conversation he should have with his inspector. Fortunately, Eleanor took over, moving to the seat Seth had vacated and started talking to Marshall about things he had been missing out on in the office; not seeming bothered about his lack of response.

Seth ran a hand over his hair once he was out in the hall before turning to face Mary when he heard her close the door.

"Want to tell me what that was all about?"

"It's nothing…I guess, I should probably take a walk or something." He sighed. "I lost my cool."

"Why is Marshall in a mood?" Mary asked, folding her arms although a part of her couldn't blame her partner. If it was her, she would have probably pushed everyone to the brink by now.

"I told him…" He started but paused for a second. "I told him I was retiring."

"What?"

"I was planning on it being next year but with everything that has happened…" He shrugged. "I've taken a lot of time off already and my office has been more than helpful with that but they need to know when I'll be back…Marshall's not ready for me to leave yet….I can't just abandon him."

"You're giving up your job?" Mary stared at him.

"It's that big of a deal…it was coming around anyway."

"And you told Marshall this and it upset him?"

"To be honest with you, I didn't really expect him to understand." Seth leaned back against the wall. "I thought he would be happy we're staying."

"Look, he's getting better…everyday he's getting a little further…I'm here…I'll be here for him." Mary told him. "Maybe it is time for you go home…"

"I appreciate you saying that but no… there is no one on this planet that could convince Rachel to leave and I just know I need to be here." Seth replied. "Please trust me when I say it has nothing to do with you or your ability to take care of him…It's me…I'm his father…It's what Dad's do."

Out of nowhere, Mary thought about her own Dad. Seth was right….Dads was meant to be there for you except hers wasn't…never had been. He hadn't been there since she was seven…He hadn't been there for Brandi to guide her when she started down the wrong path…He hadn't been there when she had been abducted… or to help Brandi at the bar that night… He hadn't been there when Mary's life fell apart…He still wasn't there to tell everything would be okay…that he would make sure of it.

"I know we got off on the wrong foot…" Seth continued, taking her silence to mean she doubted his trust in her. "And I don't think I've thanked you for not giving up on him…Even when the rest of us did...It'll be something I regret for the rest of my life and the only way I can think of to start making it up to him is being for him now…."

"Seth…"

"I don't know why he reached for me that day he woke up…It should have been you or his mother but for some reason it was me…I can't ignore that."

Mary gave him a small smile. "It's what kids do when their father is their hero."

Seth looked at her in surprise. "I don't think I've been his hero since he was about seven."

Mary shook her head. "Despite your difference, you've been there for him and he knows that…Everything he has done is to make you proud…You need to know that."

Seth leaned his head back against the wall. "I am proud of him…"

"I know…" Mary nodded. "And so does Marshall…You guys had your issues but you raised a smart kid…He knows you love him despite everything."

Seth was quiet for a few seconds, letting her words sink in. He wasn't used to having this kind of conversation with anyone, let alone someone who up until a few months ago was a stranger.

"Look, I'll talk to him…He's probably just fed up and who can blame him, being stuck in that room all day." Mary reasoned.

Seth nodded a little. "Thanks, I think I'll go for a walk…grab some lunch."

"Good idea." Mary agreed. "I'll stay with him."

"Mary?" Seth called before she had chance to open the door.

"Yeah?"

"It's not despite everything…"

She frowned. "What isn't?"

"You said, he knows I love him despite everything…There's no despite." He corrected.

Mary smiled a little, understanding what he was saying. "He's lucky to have you as a Dad."

Seth never replied and instead just watched her disappear back into Marshall's room.

"Hey…" Mary shot Stan a look, surprised to find him leaning silently against the far wall. "Everything okay in here?"

"I think he's asleep…" Eleanor spoke quietly as she stood up.

Mary peered down at Marshall and didn't know how she knew but she could tell he was faking it.

"Seth has gone to grab a bite to eat…Why don't you join him." She suggested. "Come back when Mr. Social here is a little bit more welcoming…"

"Yeah, good idea…" Stan pushed himself away from the wall and walked towards the door.

"He okay?" Mary asked Eleanor.

She shrugged. "I'll talk to him."

Mary nodded and waited until she had followed their boss out the room before grabbing a chair, scrapping it across the floor so Marshall knew she was bringing it closer to the bed.

After a few seconds, he opened his eyes finding her sat directly in front of him and glared at her.

"Oh quit giving me that look." She rolled her eyes. "Talk to me."

"Ca…can't…"

"Yeah, you can…its okay." She assured him. "You know I'll be on your side."

"No." He shook his head. "Can't…"

"Marshall…"

"Head won't…go right."

She frowned, a little trying to work out what he was trying to tell her. Sometimes, he got his words mixed up and then it dawn on her that was what he meant.

"Try." She took his hand. "I'll figure out what you mean…"

"Ti…tired."

"Of being like this?" She guessed and he nodded a little. "Yeah, it sucks…"

"Sucks." He muttered looking away; repeating words was a habit he had developed after his speech therapist recommended him do it to help him relearn but Mary often wondered whether he realized he was doing it.

"What happened with your Dad?" She asked. "Are you upset with him?"

"Yes." He mumbled.

"Why?" She asked and when he wouldn't answer, she placed a finger under his chin and forced him to look at her. "Don't you want him to stay?"

"Wo…work."

"You don't want him to retire?"

"Five…People." He shook his head a little before trying again. "Fifth marshal…"

"You're the fifth marshal…You're from five generations of marshals." Mary worked out.

"No…I'm no…I'm no now."

"Marshall…" She squeezed his hand, unsure what else to say. It was the first he had even mentioned the job.

"Do…don't want...da...dad…stop."

She reached out and brushed his hair back. "He just wants to be here you…to take care of you."

He looked up at her for the first time willingly. "Why not you?"

She gave him a small smile before pressing her lips against his forehead. "I don't worry….I'll be here too…I'm not going anywhere."

TBC

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