A/N: Hugs and love to you all!

XXX

Mary woke up the next morning to the sound of rain still pattering on the wooden roof over her head, and a dull ache in her lower belly. The tower room to which she had been sequestered was tinted with a grey hue, as the cloud cover prevented the sun from shining through. She had no idea what time it was, but she felt like she had spent the night watching the sky turn from inky black to somber smoke.

Rest had not come easy. Exhausted though Mary was from so much mundane traveling, she hadn't been able to get comfortable the night before, her mind turning with everything that had happened since she and Marshall had approached Ted's door. Things that had not troubled her in the moment suddenly seemed worse when she was trying to achieve a good night's sleep.

Mary knew she should not take offense to Ted's attitude toward her, as Marshall had warned her many times that he was nothing but an uptight sourpuss who let nothing interfere with his meticulous plans. Insulted was not even what she felt – it was more the sense of what might happen if they didn't learn to get along. Granted, she didn't anticipate seeing Ted very often, but for some reason the idea that Marshall's brother didn't like her seemed more daunting under the cover of the night.

And even more pronounced than thoughts of Ted were thoughts of Brianna and her overseas adoption story. The little girl had no way of knowing what Mary's plans were for Mango, but her telling her tale so freely was enough to make her ponder far more thoroughly than she wanted to. She knew she was going to have to call Brooke and Chris again soon, as she and Marshall would be nearing Rhode Island as soon as they were finished in Pennsylvania. It was sneaking up on her faster than she realized, and thinking about it while she was attempting to catch a few z's made her all the more anxious.

With a foggy head and itchy, tired eyes, not to mention the mysterious pain in her stomach, Mary didn't greet dawn very cheerfully. To top it all, there was an odd, sorrowful sort of noise bellowing up through the floorboards – almost like a sick cow, but that could just be because the sound was muffled.

Knowing she was probably behind and that Marshall would be on the hunt for her sooner rather than later if she didn't get up, Mary pushed through whatever misgivings and twinges she might be feeling, located the towel Ted had left for her, and headed for the shower. The warm running water proved soothing not only for her churning tummy, but for her sore back as well, and she knew she was being too leisurely with her time, but it was hard to get out when it made her feel so much better.

Upon getting dressed, the woman decided that there was no point in drying her hair because of the weather outdoors, and resolved to let it air out on its own. Usually, when selecting her clothes she simply wore whatever she wore to the office, not including day one of the trip and the red striped shirt. But today, it made her uncomfortable to think about being strapped under her seatbelt in her blazer and boots. Wondering if Marshall would question her choice of attire, she pulled on a pair of jeans and unearthed a practically prehistoric T-shirt in the bottom of her duffel bag that she sometimes wore to bed. It was faded white, leftover from college with her school's mascot on the front, and it had always been too big, which meant it fit over her expanding belly quite nicely.

Certain she was going to catch it from her partner if he caught her trundling her own luggage down the stairs, Mary powered on anyway, coming to a stop at the bottom in the dining room. Lamps and overhead bulbs in the ceiling fan lit the room, only accenting just how drab it was outdoors. Ted, Leann, Avery, Brianna, and Marshall were gathered around the rectangular table eating breakfast, their forks clanging and clacking. The presence of June meant Mary was able to figure out what that solemn groaning had been about – she was practicing her cello over in the corner, although it sounded more pleasant in person.

Not surprisingly, Marshall was the first to notice her entrance, although Mary instantly felt she looked rather sloppy in the presence of the Manns, all of whom were already dressed. With her hair still dripping and her eyes bloodshot, she must be a real sight.

"Hey, Mare," Marshall raised a quick hand in greeting. "I was just going to come up and check on you as soon as I finished," gesturing at a plate of pancakes.

Somewhat unexpectedly, the blonde felt a flare of anger rise in the gallows of her belly that she hoped would not show on her face. Maybe her manners weren't always up to par, but she was supposed to be a guest in the house and she'd slept the morning away while the rest of them prepared for the events of the day. What had Marshall been thinking, letting her slumber on like that?

"I…I'm sorry for missing breakfast," she blurted out, which earned her a look of incredulity from Marshall alone, as the rest of the family did not know how poorly she typically articulated apologies.

"We understand," Leann stated at once, although Ted remained silent as he chewed. "You have a long day ahead; you will want to get as much sleep as you can. Marshall explained."

Mary didn't really know what there was to 'explain' but she was just glad one half of the couple remained blasé about her snoozing past a reasonable hour. In actuality, it was only a little after seven thirty, but as the two inspectors had planned to be on the road around seven, they were definitely behind. The fact that three girls under thirteen were already dressed before eight o'clock on a Sunday spoke volumes about the kind of morning behavior expected in this house.

"Would you care for a bite to eat, Mary?" the sister-in-law wanted to know when the woman said nothing in response to her understanding. "We have pancakes and waffles; there's juice in the fridge. I am sure Ted would be happy to pour you a glass."

It was unclear and highly doubtful that Ted would be anywhere close to happy about catering to a guest that didn't join the family for the first meal of the day. However, Brianna took care of responses when she all-but spoke over her mother in her liveliness.

"You can have the rest of my waffle, Mary!" she offered, whipping around in her chair and holding the plate up for her to see, which quickly became in danger of tipping right over onto the floor. "I'm full!"

This shook Ted right out of his reverie, "Absolutely not," he intoned, taking care to swallow first. "You finish what's on your plate; you know that."

"Can Bri and I share the waffle, daddy?" Avery broke in meekly, her eyes barely leaving her own serving to meet her father's in something resembling fear. "She already had a whole pancake, and her tummy might start hurting if she…"

"Avery, I said no," the man shut her down immediately, Leann suddenly almost absent from proceedings, making quite a show of gulping down a mug of coffee. "You worry about your breakfast, and Brianna will worry about hers."

"Daddy?" the youngest daughter piped up, tilting her head to one side and sounding weary but determined. Taking a deep breath, "Can you call me Bri instead, please?"

The quiet that settled amidst the seven of them was so palpable and heavy, a pin could've dropped and gotten lost in it. The only sound was June turning pages on her music stand, for she was between tunes at the moment, and the sprinkling of rain outside. Otherwise, all had paused at Brianna's perfectly reasonable request, but something told Mary that the line Marshall had rehearsed with her right in front of her parents would not be well-received.

Staring his daughter down with a look of pure coldness, Ted's answer was just as frosty as the glare in his eyes.

"Those games might work with Uncle Marshall, but they do not work with me," he claimed matter-of-factly. "I wouldn't use your full name so much if you could learn to pay attention and listen when I used your nickname. Finish your breakfast."

Mary had no earthly idea what to do, even as the eating resumed in a stony silence. She couldn't seem to move from where she was at the bottom of the stairs, although June's practicing helped her to gather her thoughts. The sound of the cello was mournful, a deep and resonating hum that warbled through the eves and seemed to flow right into the woman's increasingly mystified soul. It was Mary's fault that Brianna had attempted to defy her father in such a manner, and although Marshall had encouraged it, there was no denying she had set the dominoes in motion. And Ted clearly did not appreciate it.

When the stillness had persisted long enough that Marshall was obviously beginning to rush his meal in hopes of speaking to his shell-shocked partner, Leann finally broke it with her original bid.

"How about that drink, Mary?" a nervous smile appeared on her lips, complete with a cagey glance to her husband. "Waffles? Pancakes?"

The addressed said what she said not so she could get out of the house faster – although that was certainly motivation – but because she didn't trust her stomach not to send her breakfast in reverse in a half hour's time.

"I would love some juice, but I'll pass on the waffles and pancakes," turning down the latter. "Thank-you, though. I can get the juice myself, so don't worry about it…"

"Oh, don't be silly," Leann insisted, standing up and throwing her napkin on her plate. "It's no trouble."

"I'll come along anyway," if for no other reason than to get away from the tension created by Ted. "I want to make sure I've left the guest room the way you want it."

This was a stupid excuse for tagging along behind Leann, but at least it was plausible in this house. She could regale the other woman with tales of having made her bed and emptied the dresser drawers of all personal belongings, much like she would at a real hotel. That ought to please the anal Ted, if anything could.

Once in the kitchen, which was situated behind the dining room and down a curved hall at the back of the house, Mary immediately felt herself relax a little. She hadn't gotten to know Leann very well the night before, and although she didn't agree with how stern she was with her daughters, at least she was more pleasant and personable than Ted. Or, in Mary's mind, more normal.

"I hope that you and Marshall enjoyed your stay here," she began, reaching in the fridge for a carton of orange juice once Mary indicated which kind she would like. "If you're passing back through on your way to New Mexico, we'd love to have you again."

Mary couldn't truthfully say the same and was wondering how she could talk Marshall out of dropping in on his relatives again when Leann had already gone on.

"You really…" her voice dropped significantly, which meant it was partially drowned out by June's cello playing in the other room, but this might've been the point. "I really hope that…" now she glanced around, as though they were being watched. "I mean…I know that Ted can sometimes be a little…" clearing her throat. "Difficult. But, he means well…"

This was stretching it, but Mary was willing to overlook the exaggeration in favor of Leann recognizing and acknowledging just how prickly the man could be.

"I know that Marshall wishes the two of them got along better, and it was wonderful of him to make the effort like this," she continued. "I just wish I could get Ted to be more receptive."

Mary couldn't help noting as she chugged from her juice glass that Leann acted like she was afraid of her husband, which didn't bode well for anyone. As a seasoned inspector, she didn't suspect any abuse from the few interactions she'd observed, but a marriage where one spouse was only willing to bow down to the other wasn't healthy. Mary was hardly an expert, but her own parent's dysfunction had helped her to spot many inadequacies in other people's unions.

"Marshall missed the girls," the taller teed up for something to contribute, perhaps to give a theory as to why an attempt was being made at all. "And, he realizes that things have been touch and go with Ted – at least that's what he told me. Mind you, I'm not his messenger. I'm just a friend."

A distinct, knowing sort of grin suddenly replaced Leann's look of mild terror and her whisper turned far more secretive.

"I think you're more than that," she assumed, startling Mary so profusely that she almost dropped her drink. "Marshall talks about you more than he's talked about any girlfriend he's ever had. I'm not implying anything in the least – in some ways, I don't really know that much about Marshall. But, he cares very deeply for you. If there's anyone who can encourage some sort of relationship between him and Ted, I would think your influence would be the best shot."

Utterly bewildered, Mary couldn't immediately discern if she was being asked to bridge the gap, because if she was that was just ridiculous. Leann had seen the way Ted had reacted to her; he wasn't likely to value her opinion in any way, even if Marshall did. Plus, if she had any insight into Mary's personal life – which she obviously didn't – she would know that familial bonds were not something she was an authority on. She'd be running for the hills the first chance Jinx and Brandi gave her.

With nothing else to say, Mary found herself focusing on probably the most innocent portion of Leann's proposal.

"What…what do you mean Marshall talks about me?" she wondered aloud, and nearly incoherently. "He made it sound like you all…" what was the best way to put this? "That you weren't…overly social; that you didn't speak a lot."

"Oh, well, not with me and Ted, no," she clarified. "But, he Skypes with the girls," this rang a bell from the night before. "Unfortunately, he misses getting to speak to Bri because she loses her computer privileges so often."

Mary's heart sank upon hearing this, and she had half a mind to ask Leann what the hell she was thinking laying down the law so frequently on that kid, but decided those were waters better left unchartered for the moment. She could deal with how to foster some sort of connection between Marshall and Ted for a later date, instead zeroing in on Brianna to ask something that had been festering in her mind since the evening prior.

"I was glad I got to spend some time with Bri last night," she said, which caused Leann to produce a smile with a hint of pride. "She was telling me about how…" upon stalling, Mary reminded herself that if she was going to ask, it was better to do it with Leann rather than Ted, and she might not get another opportunity. "Well…I mean, Marshall shared with me before we got here that all three of the girls are adopted."

Fortunately, Leann gave her the verification she had been searching for before continuing.

"Yes, they are."

"Right…well, Bri was talking to me about it, and she seemed really comfortable with it…" it was important to make this whole thing sound very casual. "She's obviously well-adjusted," compliments always helped. "Are June and Avery the same way? I just think it's great that Bri doesn't seem to feel any bitterness or anything like that."

For all her cowering when it came to Ted, apparently Leann wasn't so docile when she was out of his presence, because the look on her face told Mary she knew where this type of prodding was coming from. Way back on Thursday when Marshall had suggested that they stay with his brother and sister-in-law, he had told her that adoption was something Mary would be able to discuss with his relatives. This indicated he had let them in on her plans, probably to spare her unnecessary embarrassment about nursery preparations and booties that would not exist.

Whatever Leann knew, though, she wasn't going to reveal it too soon, and got on with replying to Mary's inquiry.

"Well…Bri always asked the most questions about the adoption, so she got more answers," she rationalized. "Ted and I never had any intention of hiding it from the girls, although he did want to gauge how he thought they would react to being adopted as they grew up and their personalities formed…"

"Like I said, Bri doesn't seem like she's that affected by it…"

"She really isn't," Leann agreed, leaning against the counter to survey Mary. "Curious as they come, but nothing more than that. Avery is pretty close-mouthed about hers; she wanted the basics and we gave them, but not much else."

Judging by Avery's more timid temperament, this made sense to Mary. It would follow that she might feel more apart from her peers being adopted, especially when she didn't resemble her parents, although in this day in age the fact that anyone could goggle at adoption seemed silly.

"And June…" Leann was about to conclude her little story, but the mention of her eldest daughter obviously took her back to a memory that was less than lovely; her eyes were cast downward and she stumbled around in finishing. "June was our guinea pig," a would-be-confident smile. "She was our first; we were running in blind on how to approach that kind of a discussion…"

"Of course…" Mary was growing more intent by the second, hankering for more.

"And actually, when she was very young, she was a lot like Bri in terms of how she handled it…" this seemed to be a happier recollection, but it didn't last. "She didn't ask as many questions, but she seemed content with the information. But, as she got older…" and the skittish look in her features suddenly returned. "She wanted to know more and she's…struggled with reconciling that she was…"

The inspector could almost read the words forming on Leann's lips, but knew that she wasn't going to say something so stark, something so bald. And so, she finished the phrase for her.

"Given away?"

Fortuitously, Leann seemed glad for the nudge and nodded somewhat solemnly.

"Yes," she murmured. "I have done what I can to help her work through it, but Ted has really made it worse. He doesn't like that she wants to dig deeper and so he tries to shut her away from that part of her life. He doesn't understand that where she came from is a part of her life, whether we can give her any knowledge of it or not."

Mary frowned, uncertain, "What do you mean, no knowledge?"

"Well, we know what we went through in order to obtain June and bring her to the United States – all the court proceedings and paperwork – but adoptions vary widely in China," she explained. "We met Bri's biological mother and Avery's – several times – but not June's. We know almost nothing about her, and it's doubtful that we ever will."

A sudden, brutal pang of sympathy suddenly swept over Mary; it fit neatly, though rather painfully, next to the knot that was already forming in her gut. To be so needy and hungry about your past and hit a brick wall had to be frustrating, especially for a twelve-year-old. Stoic, polite, well-mannered June clearly had a few demons she was battling, if not as intensely as Leann made it out to be.

"Anyway…" Leann was clearly keen to wrap this up before they talked about anything too intimate. "We have always been very open with the girls about the adoptions, even Ted, but he balks on sharing too much with other people. Deep down, I think it bothers him that his children know so little about their heritage and that's why he lashes out when it comes to June."

Mary could've guessed all this, and hurried to the reason why she had begun this awkward conversation in the first place.

"And, what do you think?" she pressed. "I mean, when it comes to how much or how little to share?"

A sigh accompanied this question, undoubtedly because Leann was careful about speaking up or speaking out against her husband. But, he wasn't around at the moment, and she was smart enough to seize the chance to broadcast her own opinion.

"Marshall's told us both what your arrangements are regarding your baby," she began with a brief bob of her head toward Mary's stomach. "Whether I agree or disagree is immaterial, because it's not my life," Ted probably didn't feel so hospitable. "But, I think that if you're comfortable with it, you need to give the adoptive family as much as they can hang onto as humanly possible – not for them, but for your child. One day, he or she will want to know where they came from, and I have seen the heartache up close from those who don't have a clue how they got where they are today. It may seem small to you, but it will aide so much down the road, even if you aren't there to see it."

It was the 'aren't there to see it' part that sent shivers down Mary's spine for some peculiar reason, but she had no reason not to take Leann's words to heart. She'd been there; she had lived it. And, although they were on opposite sides of the coin in the adoption ballgame, that didn't mean the advice wasn't sound. The more Mary thought about it, the more she wanted Mango to know anything and everything about her, whether she saw him beyond those first fateful minutes or not. She couldn't explain, even to herself, why she longed to hang on to that connection, but Leann had just confirmed she was entitled.

"I'll…definitely bear that in mind," was all she could manage to say, however, suddenly feeling self-conscious that they were talking about something so serious. "I had planned on leaving things unlocked anyway, but…" her voice tapered out, but she was sure Leann knew what she was getting at.

"I appreciate that it is not an easy decision, Mary," Leann acknowledged. "Whether I ever laid eyes on them or not, my gratitude toward my girls' biological parents is endless. I am sure the people that you have chosen will feel the same way."

"I'm pretty sure they do," Mary remembered the phone call with Brooke, who hadn't been able to stop stammering her thanks that she was driving to Providence. "But, we'll see in another day or so. Marshall and I are going to meet them after we're through in Pennsylvania."

Nothing else to throw into the conversation, Leann settled for another nod before shrugging her shoulders and glancing toward the hall they had just come down, indicating that she would be exiting soon.

"I'd better head back in…" she declared. "Avery and Bri will be asking to be excused and Ted won't let them until I've taken their plates away from the table."

Knowing she shouldn't be appalled by this rule, Mary cast out her palm as a way of saying she approved and Leann went on her way, probably assuming that the taller was going to follow her back to the dining room. Staying behind in the peace and quiet to process everything she had just heard was looking better to Mary, however, and she allowed the footsteps to disappear without vocalizing to Marshall's sister-in-law that she was coming.

Adoption came with so many twists and turns; so many uncertainties. Mary had known this going in, of course, but all she'd ever really thought about was moving Mango to a family that could care for him in a more traditional manner than she could. She'd never really considered how he would feel in the future, let alone how much she would want him to know. It didn't make her upcoming choice any more welcoming, a thought that frightened her to her very core.

She was giving the baby to the Harmons. She had to. It was what she had always planned. Keeping the child just so he could 'know' her made no sense at all. Love had to be involved; love and tenderness, togetherness, and maternal hormones coming out her ears. None of that was happening, and so none of that was a good reason to become a mother. Simple as that.

Unfortunately, nothing was simple about this morning, and just as Mary was about to join the others in the dining room once more, she heard voices in the tiny hallway just beyond. Forced to hang back and eavesdrop because the tones were undeniably argumentative, Mary just hoped she could appear nonchalant when the speakers finally appeared.

"You are not going to tell me how to act in my home."

"It has nothing to do with it being in your home, Ted. It has to do with behaving like a decent human being, both here and in the real world."

"There is nothing wrong with how I behave, and I certainly am not looking at you for guidance, baby brother."

The first voice was obviously Ted's, the second one Marshall's. Mary listened further.

"For someone who lives and dies by the golden rules, you aren't the master at following them," Marshall accused, something his partner could be certain would not go over well. "The next time you're so boorish to someone I bring by to visit for one night, it'll be the last time I show up in Indiana, and you can be the one to explain why to the girls."

Oh no, the woman thought with a mental groan. He was talking about her – defending her. Her unparalleled confidence that made her say whatever popped into her head, her not joining the family for breakfast, her putting ideas in Brianna's brain.

Ted started to hiss, "Boorish? You're going to throw around your Webster words and call me boorish?"

"When you make a pregnant woman feel guilty for sleeping until seven thirty and giving her the silent treatment, I would call that boorish," Marshall stuck to his guns. "And don't tell me you expected me to let that line about being a woman and an inspector slide. If you want to head back to the academy, Mary would kick your ass every time."

Somewhere between touched and annoyed, the blonde hoped that they would pick up the pace on their little spat, because her feet were beginning to hurt from standing and her belly was really cramped up. She wanted to sit down. She wanted to get in the car and get out of this house.

"Well, perfect Marshall has a potty mouth," Ted taunted. "You don't want to make a pit stop in Indiana, fine," he allowed. "Why don't you go join Eric and his office in an igloo?"

"At least Eric knows when to loosen up now and then," Marshall countered, far more spiteful than Mary had ever heard him. "And he doesn't treat everyone in the human race like the enemy just because they scuff up his floors."

"Spare me the boy scout routine, Marshall," Ted requested. "Take your girlfriend and get on the road, would you?"

"She's not my girlfriend, Ted."

"You're kidding yourself, buddy," he scoffed. "June told me all about that bimbo detective you're supposed to be dating. Evidently, she was so insignificant in your last conversation that June couldn't even remember her name, but she sure remembered Mary's."

This bit of insight finally rendered Marshall speechless, and it would've done the same to Mary had she been speaking. The insinuations were flying left, right, and center about what she and Marshall meant to each other, and she didn't like it one bit. These people did not know anything. They did not understand Marshall the way she did, nor did they understand their unique connection. If they did, they would never be dropping hints the way they were.

"We have to get Avery started on the breakfast dishes; it's her turn to do them this week," Ted finished, sounding pompous about one-upping his little brother. "Get your things and say your goodbyes."

And, lucky for Mary, Ted must've gone back into the dining room, because he didn't enter the kitchen. After a second or two, Marshall materialized, however, which left his friend trying to make it look like she had been busying herself rearranging the juice cartons in the fridge. He was putting on an act as well, pretending he hadn't just sparred with Ted, she feigning that she hadn't been able to hear.

"Hey," his hello was short before he moved on. "You um…are you ready to go?"

"We're going now?" Mary asked, playing her part.

"Yeah, I thought we should pack it in; the rain will slow us down," he invented. "Delia and Savannah are scheduled to arrive in Philly tonight, so we'll want to make sure we're there to meet them."

"Okay."

Her one-word answer obviously struck a chord in Marshall, and he didn't take long in analyzing her vacant stare, her shifting frame, and her unusually casual outfit.

"You all good? Packed and everything?" he prodded, though Mary could tell by his eyes that he was worried she had overheard, but the hall was long and it was possible she hadn't been able to pick anything up. "I really thought I was doing you a favor by letting you sleep in, but I didn't mean for it to be awkward for you…"

"No-no…" Mary cut him off, not wanting him to feel badly when he had already defended her honor minutes before. "No, don't worry about it. I just, um…I'm not feeling very well, but it's nothing serious."

"Wait, are you sure?" this was unexpected.

"Of course I'm sure," she promised. "My stomach hurts, but it's nothing I haven't had before. It'll go away once I'm up and around, which is another reason we need to get going."

Marshall, though still scowling, opted to take this at face value, mostly because it was so rare that Mary would confide any sort of health-related troubles in him. She was always so concerned with her physical ailments making her look weak or lesser that she always kept them to herself. But, given everything on her mind this morning, she was going to have to disclose something, and the cramps were the most neutral choice – the one she couldn't control, the one that didn't involve her feelings.

"Okay...I'll go load up the car and we can be on our way," the man announced. "Is your stuff still in the dining room?"

"Yeah, but…" Mary couldn't let him escape that way. "I'll take care of all that. You stay and say goodbye to your family."

Marshall, to his credit, looked less than thrilled about playing make-believe in some weepy farewell, but it wasn't going to be because of her that they became even more distanced from each other than they already were. She was pulling Marshall from his relatives, just like she was racing away from Mango.

How many more relationships could Mary spoil before she ended up far more alone than even she wished to be?

XXX

A/N: I had to turn it into this eventually – first comes the disdain from Mary and Marshall toward Ted, but then the frustration and the guilt. They can joke about it, but we all know Marshall won't let anybody stand by and insult Mary! ;)

I will be taking a little weekend trip and I leave tomorrow, but with any luck I will still be able to post, it just may be later than normal. But, if for some reason I am not able to pop on in the next few days, know that I haven't abandoned you and will be back soon! Hope to still be around, though!