Author's Note: Special thanks to JMS529, Jojo, BrittanyLS, JJ2008, and Jayne Leigh for the reviews!

QUOTE PROMPT #160 – MARY/MARSHALL/JINX/ETC

"It's hard to say what happened exactly. For the most part, it depends on who you ask. There are as many sides to a story as there are pairs of eyes. It's always been that way. One of those sides must be closer to the truth, but we'll never know which one"

"Norah did it!" Sarah exclaimed.

"I did not!" Norah yelled back. "I don't know who did it, but I know Grandma was near it."

Jinx looked aghast. "I can't believe you girls are accusing me. Really, Mary, I was nowhere near it. I seem to remember Marshall nearby."

Marshall frowned. "Really, Jinx?" He rolled his eyes when she shrugged. Marshall held up his hands. "You know that I didn't do it."

"Well, somebody did it," Mary growled, "and until that person fesses up, it's going to be hell around here!"

"Mare," Marshall said in a soothing voice. He put his hands on her shoulders, "why don't you go lay down? I'll be there in a minute to rub your back." He waited until Mary reached their bed, grumbling the entire time, to turn to Jinx and the girls. "Okay, you know what this means: Code Red. Jinx, take the girls back to your place. I'll let you know when it's safe to come back."

Jinx placed her hand on his arm. "Good luck, dear."

Marshall kissed the girls good-bye before following Mary down the hallway to the bedroom. He found her sprawled out naked in the center of the bed. Marshall began to remove his own clothes.

"You're going to have to find a new way to get some alone time," Marshall told her, kneeling on the bed. He ran his hands up her thighs. "We're almost out of coffee mugs."

QUOTE PROMPT #161 – MARY/MARSHALL

"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

"So, here, we are," Mary said.

"Here, we are," Marshall repeated.

Mary breathed out slowly. "How much time do we have?"

He glanced at his watch. "Jinx should be back with the kids in just about an hour."

"Perfect," she replied. "That gives us just enough time."

"What are- oh!" Marshall was cut off suddenly when Mary's lips thrust onto his.

Marshall was panting by the time she broke the kiss. Between work and the kids lately, they had had little time to themselves. He had nearly forgotten just how fast she was able to rev his engine. He stood there, lost in images of her under him and over him and beside him.

"What are doing standing there, doofus?" Mary asked, breaking through his thoughts. "We have less than an hour and I'd really like to get the kids' room cleaned out before they get back. You know they never let us do it when they're here."

"Wait, what?"

Mary shot him an exasperated look. "Didn't you listen to anything that I said?"

Marshall's eyes narrowed. "No, and it doesn't matter because we're not cleaning."

"We're not?" Her eyes twinkled and she began to tingle in a few places.

"No," Marshall told her. He stalked towards her. "And if you're not naked under me in two minutes, you're getting a spanking."

Mary's laughter echoed throughout the house.

QUOTE PROMPT #162- MARY/MARSHALL

"This is your prison. Your technology will not function here. There are no luxuries, no worshipers, no slaves to do your bidding."

This was exactly what she needed, Mary thought to herself. She was staying in a small cabin tucked in the Sandia Mountains. There were no computers, no cell phone reception, not even any electricity. She had planned to spend the week completely alone, but a last minute tantrum by her niece had her bringing the girls with her. They seemed to understand that Mary needed a respite and were content to play quietly for the most part.

They were doing just that, sitting on the porch playing with plastic blocks while Mary sat curled up in the chair, alternating staring at the trees and the girls. Her mind flitted between mistakes of her past and the direction her was currently moving. She had been completely engrossed in the memory of when Marshall found out about her engagement when Norah jumped up suddenly.

"Marshall!" she screamed, running as fast as her little legs would carry her towards him. "Marshall!"

"Hiya, Bug!" Marshall replied, tossing her into the air before covering her with kisses. He continued to walk to the cabin, carrying her on his hip.

Mary meet him at the top of the stairs, her niece in her arms. "What are you doing here?"

Marshall frowned, tickling the other girl. "I came to see you."

"You should be getting married."

"And you should be there with me. You're my best friend," Marshall countered. He smiled down at Norah, who was watching them, solemnly. "Besides, I'm not getting married anymore."

Mary's jaw dropped. "Wha-what do you mean?"

He took a step closer to her. "I'm not getting married, not to Abigail, anyway. See, it seems that as soon as I found out that you weren't going to be there, it just... all fell apart. I realized that I couldn't go forward with it without you and that made me rethink the entire situation."

"You're talking in riddles again," she told him, rubbing her forehead.

"Okay, how's this? I love you, Mary. I am in love with you. I can't remember a time that I wasn't. I've tried to get you out of my system, but I can't. And honestly? I'm not sure that I want to." Marshall raised an eyebrow. "How was that for straightforward?"

Mary grabbed the back of his and pulled him down for a wicked kiss. She was smiling when she finally released him. "It's not bad."

Marshall glanced down at the two little girls. "Why don't we take these little buggers for a walk? Wear them out so that we can talk?"

"I have a better idea. Let's go back to civilization and drop them off to Jinx for the night."

"Deal."