A/N: Sorry for the delay, dear readers. Real life interferes yet again. Enjoy this latest chapter and everyone have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!
Mary's house
2:18AM
"NO! Don't, please. Get off me!"
"Mary, wake up – it's just a dream. You're safe now."
"GET OFF!"
"Ouch! Mary, please, wake up!"
Mary sat straight up with a gasp, her hands outstretched in front of her in a posture of defense as if to ward off another blow that was only coming in her dreams. Her eyes scanned the dark room and saw Brandi standing at the foot of the bed, rubbing the side of her face and guilt washed over her as she threw back the sweat soaked covers and scrambled to her sister's side.
"Oh, Squish. Did I hurt you?"
Brandi cradled her jaw. "I'm fine."
"Let me see."
"I said I'm fine."
"You're bleeding."
"You didn't mean it. You were asleep."
Mary bit her lip. "I – is it your lip? Please, God, tell me I didn't knock a tooth out."
Brandi shook her head. "No, just split my lip."
"Let's get some ice on it."
"I'll get the ice – you call Marshall."
"What? No. It's the middle of the night."
Brandi waddled out to the kitchen and Mary followed. "You're not going back to sleep until you do. This is how you operate and you know it. He's the only one that can keep your demons at bay-"
"When he's in his right mind, maybe! But he's not my Marshall right now – don't give me that look – you know what I mean! He's not my friend, my partner, hell not even my boss! He's a stranger with Marshall's face. I can't talk to him about the darkness-" she shivered and Brandi pulled her into a one-armed hug, keeping one hand on the ice pack against her lip.
"I love you, Mer, but he loves you in a way I can't and that is what you need right now-"
"Have you listened to a word I just said? He doesn't know who he is-"
"But being with you helps him and you, right? It's still Marshall – he's still in there somewhere and spending time with you will help him remember."
Mary shrugged. "I suppose – but it's the middle of the night. I have no doubt that Doofus is sound asleep right now-" She was interrupted by her cell phone and she swore. "Work on the other hand, never sleeps."
"Good night, sis." Brandi waddled back to her room and shut the door.
Mary answered her phone with a curt: "Shannon."
There was a pause before a whisper said, "Mary?"
She sank down on the couch. "Marshall? What's wrong? Do you know what time it is?"
He chuckled. "You never called."
"What are we, junior high students? I forgot to pass you a note between periods so you snuck out of bed in the middle of the night to call me?"
"Disappointed?"
A warmth had spread through her as soon as she had heard his voice on the other end of the line and since she didn't want to analyze it, she decided the best thing to do was change the subject. "How did things go with Scott and your Dad?"
"I remembered Mom."
"Marshall, that's great. Do you remember—"
"Don't misunderstand me, Mary. I have two specific memories of her and that's it. But it's enough to remember and miss her. It's enough for me to realize that you were right – we were close."
Mary pulled a throw blanket from the back of the couch and wrapped it around her. "I can't imagine what this must be like for you – you must feel like you've lost her all over again."
His gasp came over the line.
"Did I say something-"
"No, that's exactly how I felt earlier today – how did you know?"
Mary smiled. "Because I know you."
They sat for a few minutes in silence, simply enjoying being in each other's company over the phone. "So, what are you doing awake at this hour?"
"Who says I was awake?"
"Mary."
"Marshall."
"You had a nightmare, didn't you?"
"How did you-" she sighed. "Yes."
He cleared his throat. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"No."
"Are you talking to anyone about it?"
"Damnit, Marshall! I said I didn't want to talk about it!"
"And I need to know that you are at least talking about it with someone."
"Why?"
"You know why."
"I'm seeing my therapist in the morning. There, happy?"
"No, but it will do."
"What do you want, Marshall? Why did you call?"
"Because I had a sixth sense that you needed me tonight. I woke up and couldn't fall back to sleep – couldn't get you off my mind. Something – our connection maybe, said that you needed me."
Mary's throat went dry. "I – I don't know what to say."
"Was I wrong?"
"I had a nightmare about Kenny just before you called – that instead of getting away, he raped me over and over," Mary's voice was shaking and she felt cold all over. "And when I woke up, I found out that I'd split Brandi's lip. She had been trying to wake me up and instead I attacked her. What kind of monster am I?"
"Listen to me, Mary. You are not a monster – you were back fighting for your life in your sleep. What happened to Brandi was an accident."
"I would never hurt her."
"She knows that – she knows how much you love her."
"I wish you were here right now," Mary closed her eyes and buried her face under the blanket. "You always make me feel so safe – that's why I ran to you that night. Because you make me feel safe."
"I am here, Mary."
"Hmm," she sighed sleepily. "Tell me about your mom – what you remembered today."
He laughed. "It's not much but all right. It all happened when my dad called me 'Sport'. Suddenly I was five years old again. . . ."
Brandi found Mary later that morning curled up on the couch under the blanket, still clutching her cell phone. On the other end, she could hear Marshall's soft snores.
"Good morning, Marshall," Brandi giggled, as she ended the call, noting that the duration time was over five hours.
Albuquerque Police Station
9:05am
"Chaffee!"
Abigail tossed her empty latte cup in the trash and stepped into her chief's office, noting the time on the big wall clock as she did so. "Sorry I'm late chief, but the line at Lindy's-"
"Save it, Chaffee. I'm sure you remember our ADA Stella Wilkes."
Abigail nodded at the slender blonde who was reading a file at the chief's desk. "Stella."
Stella looked up. "Detective, good morning. I was just perusing your notes from yesterday's interview with Sugar Wilson. Can you tell me why you haven't arrested Marshall Mann yet?"
"I haven't had the opportunity to question him yet."
Stella pursed her lips. "And why is that?"
"He only awoke yesterday from a two month coma and is suffering from complete amnesia. He didn't even recall his own name."
"How convenient."
Abigail choose not to rise to the bait. "I am going back to the hospital later today-"
"And if he still doesn't remember? What will be your course of action then?"
"I –" Abigail looked at her Chief for direction.
Stella nodded. "Let me help you out here, Detective. "I have not been idle while Mr. Mann has been having his extended cat nap. The grand jury has met and convened and returned with a verdict. There is enough evidence for him to be charged with Kenny Evans murder – memory loss or no. So you are going to go back to the hospital without delay and arrest Marshall Mann and advise him of his rights. If he suddenly regains his memory and wishes to make a statement, so much the better. But that will in no way impact the state moving forward in getting justice for Mr. Evans."
"But he's still in the hospital, receiving treatment – we can't just throw him in jail until his bail hearing," Abigail protested.
"Detective," Chief Cox barked. "You have been given your orders. Until Mr. Mann has been released from the hospital, I will have an officer posted to make sure he does not escape – but this is hardly your concern. Your duty is to go to the hospital and arrest Marshall Mann for murder. Understood?"
"Understood, Sir."
Therapist's Office
9:15 AM
"I spent so many hours by his bedside praying for him to wake up – and now he has and nothing's changed. He might as well still be asleep."
"What do you mean?"
Mary shrugged. "He's a stranger masquerading in my best friend's body. He looks at me with Marshall's eyes but the warmth, the humor, the –"
"Love?"
She squirmed on the sofa. "I was going to say affection, Doc."
"Why? What is it about the 'L' word that scares you so much?"
"Because people who say it don't really mean it."
"So Marshall didn't mean it when he said he loved you?"
Mary got up and began to pace. "How did we get off on this topic?"
"I think we were talking about what you see in Marshall's eyes-"
"And I was going to say affection, and that's what I meant. Affection – the caring and empathy he has for the witnesses in his charge and his care, the way he plays with Nora, and the way he makes me feel safe."
"Do you need someone to make you feel safe?"
Mary shivered as she dropped back onto the sofa. "I didn't used to. I used to love the danger, the rush of adrenaline as I rushed into dangerous situations, dodging the bullets and explosions. Ever since I had Nora, really ever since I got pregnant, Marshall has begged me to be more cautious but it took nearly being raped to heed that advice. Now I feel like I can't get comfortable in my own skin. I wonder if I'll ever be able to be intimate with someone again."
"Someone – or Marshall?"
Mary gasped. "I – Marshall and I are not together."
"Do you want to be?"
"How dare you ask me that – it's – I can't even – he wouldn't want me now. I'm broken."
"Mary-"
"It's the truth! Before I had commitment issues and family baggage and past relationship crap but now-" Mary buried her face in her hands. "This is all a moot point anyway. Marshall's lost in his own head somewhere without a road map and I don't know how to help him."
"Maybe you're the road map."
Mary lowered her hands and looked at the Doc like she'd lost her own marbles. "Are you crazy? I can't even sleep through the night without nightmares! And did you miss the part where I attacked my own sister last night?"
"I heard you, Mary. But perhaps by helping him you can help yourself as well."
"That's a good one – did you read that in a fortune cookie?"
"Did anyone ever tell you that you use sarcasm as a defense mechanism?"
"Only Marshall."
"Interesting."
"And that would be the Marshall version that is still asleep somewhere inside his brain, thank you very much."
"Marshall hasn't remembered anything?"
"Just a few random bits and pieces – and nothing about what I need him to remember."
"What do you need him to remember?"
"I need him to remember the night Kenny died."
"Why?"
"So he can tell the police what happened – so he can help find the real killer and then this whole nightmare will finally be over."
"Will it?"
Mary shivered and drew her knees up to her chin. "Won't it?"
"When Marshall tells the police what he knows, what really happened, you think it will be over then?"
"I think I won't have this constant fear that he'll be arrested and go to jail for Kenny's murder. I can't bear the thought of living without my best friend."
"What happens if he is arrested?"
Mary's eyes clouded over. "I don't know."
"You don't know."
She shook her head. "I can't afford to pay bail –but he can't go to jail for this! He's innocent!"
"Mary, this isn't your fault."
"Yes it is. Don't you see? I ruined his life. He fell in love with me and I broke him. Not intentionally, of course, but just by not setting him free so he could love someone else - because I wanted him for myself even though I didn't feel the same way. I was selfish and look what that selfishness cost us. A broken engagement and two careers in ruins. And you ask me if I want to be with him now? I can't – I won't go there. I broke him and now I'm broken. It's over and done."
Marshall's hospital room
9:30 AM
"So you and Peter?"
"Yes, but you can't tell Mary – or mom. We're still taking this one day at a time," Brandi held a finger to her lips as she arranged the daisies in the crystal vase by the window.
"Why?"
Peter frowned. "Well, you know-" he broke off and laughed uncomfortably. "No, I guess you don't, since your memory is still a little foggy."
"That's an understatement," Marshall quipped. "So, what's with all the mystery?"
"Long story short? Brandi stood me up at the altar on our wedding day."
"Peter!" Brandi cuffed him on the arm. "It sounds terrible when you say it like that!"
"Hon, I'm sorry, but it's the truth."
"You could still phrase it better. How about: 'I got scared and ran away?'"
Peter laughed. "That's better? You still left me on our wedding day-"
She kissed his cheek. "We'll talk about it later."
Marshall watched their interaction in silence. Whether or not they were taking it slow, it was obvious that the spark was still there. Peter's eyes glowed with affection and Brandi was giggly and her cheeks were flushed with love. "So, I take it the baby is yours?"
Brandi went pale and Peter's arm went around her in comfort. "Uh, no," Peter explained as he squeezed her softly. "But we're working on that too."
Brandi offered him a watery smile before turning back to Marshall. "Oh, don't feel bad, Marshall, I know you don't remember! I got pregnant in Florida, while I was away. About four months ago, you and I were at an ice cream shop here in town and we ran into Peter. He made a bit of a scene when he saw us, asking if you were the father, and you decked him."
"I did?" Marshall looked at Peter in surprise.
"Yup. Man, you have a wicked right cross." Peter massaged his jaw.
"Anyway, the manager asked us to take it outside, so we did. The three of us calmed down enough to talk and another long story short, Peter followed me home and we talked things out that night. We've been seeing each other ever since. You were the only one who knew we had started dating again."
"I can't believe I kept a secret like that from Mary."
"Once your memory comes back, you'll find that you're a great one for secrets, Marshall."
There was a knock on his open door and the three of them turned to see Abigail standing in the doorway with another officer.
"Hello, Detective," Marshall greeted her. "Come to see how I'm faring today? You won't find much improvement, I'm afraid."
"Actually, I'm here for a much more serious reason. Marshall Mann, you are hereby charged with the murder of Kenny Evans-"
"What!" Marshall, Peter, and Brandi gasped.
"You have the right to remain silent, if you give up that right anything you say can and will be-"
"Peter!" Brandi clutched her boyfriend's arm.
"I'm calling my attorney right now – you call Mary."
"You have the right to an attorney – if you cannot afford an attorney one will be provided for you-"
"Peter!"
He grabbed her upper arms and gave her a little shake. "Brandi, go now and call your sister!"
Brandi nodded dumbly and waddled from the room.
"Do you understand these rights as I have read them to you?"
Marshall stared at the Detective, shock rendering him speechless.
"Marshall, do you understand?"
He nodded woodenly.
"Do you wish to make a statement at this time?"
He shook his head.
"Very well. Until you are released an officer will be posted at all times outside your door." Abigail turned on her heel and left.
Peter leaned down and whispered in Marshall's ear. "I'm calling my lawyer, Rietta Stone. Just sit tight and don't say a word until she gets here, all right?"
He nodded and watched Peter leave the room, an officer shutting the door behind him, shutting Marshall in his very own hospital prison cell.
A/N: Oh snap! They actually arrested Marshall! Our hero can't be guilty! Stay tuned - Reviews are LOVE!
