A/N: Dear friends- So sorry for the long delay! Many thanks for those of you who have continued to read and favorite my stories, and send me messages to continue this story. No, it is not dead. Yes, I do intend to finish it. RL and other issues continue to get in the way. But here at last is another chapter! I think it is a perfect blend of fluff and suspense - but I'm biased. It's been so long that you may need to re-read from the beginning to refresh your memory! Grab a blanket, curl up and enjoy. xoxo


Marshall hadn't realized that he had nodded off until the sound of tapping made his eyes snap open and his head jerk up. He muted the TV and shuffled towards the door, noting that the time on the wall clock read 10:32. He frowned as he neared the door, wondering who was coming by so late and then relaxed as he heard the sound of whimpering coming from the other side of the door. He fully expected to see Brandi and PM on the other side, but he was wrong on both counts.

"Mark!" he exclaimed. "What brings you back to Albuquerque?"

The man glowered at him but Norah reached out her hands, her face tear streaked and a little swollen. "Sha-Sha!"

Marshall held his hands out to catch her. "What's wrong, ladybug?"

"She's getting a molar – and she's driving Mary nuts. She hasn't been able to soothe her all day. She was hoping you might-"

Marshall nodded as he began to bounce and hum as he slowly turned and walked towards the kitchen not waiting to see if Mark followed. He opened the freezer and scrounged in the back. "I think I still have some of her teethers back here- ah, here's one!" He handed it to her but Norah swatted it out of his hand, and screamed.

Mark shrugged. "Like I said, Mary tried everything she could think of."

"Hmm, how about a washrag? Did she try one of those?"

Mark thought for a minute. "I don't know – she tried so many things."

"It's worth a shot. I'll be right back." Marshall bounced Norah on his hip to the bathroom and back, not seeming to be bothered by her occasional shriek of pain. "I know, pumpkin, I know, the pain is excruciating but Sha Sha will make it better soon." He ran the rag under the tap for a minute, rolled it up like a tortilla and stuck it in the freezer. "Give that a minute and we'll try it, OK? Until then, here's my finger."

Mark watched in horror as Marshall let Norah grab his long index finger and shove it in her mouth. She bit down hard and Marshall winced but didn't say anything, just rubbed her back with his other hand.

"Doesn't that hurt?"

Marshall grimaced. "It's not comfortable – but look, she's calmer, and that's what important."

Mark shook his head. "There's no way in hell I'm sticking my finger in her mouth-"

"She's in pain, Mark. And her teeth aren't that –" he winced. "Sharp."

Mark grinned. "Oh yeah, right. You look like you're not in any discomfort."

Marshall looked down at Norah, who looked up at him and grinned around his finger, the drool running from her mouth. "It's worth it. So, what brought you by? Other than Norah's teeth?"

"Jinx called me."

Anger coursed through Marshall and he went to check the wash rag so Mark wouldn't see. He didn't begrudge Mark for being happy and in love and starting a new life – but not calling or texting or emailing for three months to check on his daughter? That was the one thing he couldn't understand. He grabbed the washrag and extracted his finger, much to Norah's displeasure. Amid her wails of protest, he was able to place the rag over her back tooth and when she closed her mouth and felt the cold rag, her eyes popped open and looked at him in surprise.

"There you go, ladybug. Doesn't that feel good?" Marshall soothed as he rocked her in his arms.

Norah slurped eagerly on the cold rag for a few minutes until her eyelids grew heavy. Her long day had finally caught up with her and she fell asleep in his arms. Marshall held a finger to his lips and motioned to his room, waiting until Mark nodded. Mary had left her extra pac-n-play set up at his place weeks ago and now Marshall gently set Norah inside, covering her with a light blanket.

Mark was leaning against the counter in the kitchen when Marshall came back out, talking quietly into his phone. Marshall put the washrag back in the freezer and looked for the teether Norah had tossed while waiting for Mark to finish his conversation.

"Sorry, that was Anne. She was wondering what time I'd be getting to New York."

"Does your flight leave soon?"

Mark nodded. "I'm on the redeye – I have to leave for the airport shortly. But I need to settle something with you first."

Marshall's eyebrow rose. "I'm listening."

"Look, Marshall, this isn't easy to say-"

"If you're trying to tell me to keep away from Mary and Norah, the answer is no. Aside from the fact that you no longer have any say in Mary's life-"

"Whoa, man. Take a breath, all right? I know things have changed between you and Mary- she told me how she feels and while I'm happy for you guys, I'm worried about the fact that you're on trial for murder one. I'm worried about how this will affect Norah if you're found guilty."

Marshall scrubbed a hand down his face. "Believe me, I've thought about it. Mary and Norah are what's keeping me going but if I'm found guilty-" he sighed. "I honestly don't know how it will affect my girls."

"Did you kill him?"

The question hung in the air for a minute or two before Marshall answered. "I don't know – I know that I could have done it – that every time I think about what Kenny did to Mary I get angry all over again and if he wasn't already dead I might-" Marshall cleared his throat. "But then I think about my life without her and Norah, and that's unacceptable. So I have to agree with Mary that while I might have gone over there to issue a warning and rough him up, no, I don't believe I killed him."

"But you don't remember what happened that night?"

Marshall shook his head. "No. I can recall things that happened about two days before Mary was attacked – and I don't remember the first time I woke up in the hospital."

"Wait, you woke up twice?"

"Evidently I woke up in the hospital not remembering anything about myself: my name, my job, nothing. Then a blood clot traveled to my brain and I had emergency surgery and when I woke up the second time, I was back to myself."

Mark grinned. "That sounds like a movie."

Marshall grunted. "Yeah, the nightmare movie of my life."

Mark checked his watch. "I need to get going."

"Wait, you never said what it was you came here to settle."

Mark waved Marshall's words away. "It's not important. I know you'd protect Mary and Norah with your life, but I know you didn't kill the S.O.B."

"Then what do you need from me, Mark? Just say it."

Mark sighed. "If the unthinkable happens and you're found guilty – I want you to call me. Mary will be devastated, and Jinx and Brandi will be so busy trying to console her that they will forget to contact me. I want your word that you will contact me, for Norah's sake. Our daughter will need me if you are no longer in the picture."

The emotions were thick in Marshall's throat and he had to clear it a couple of times before words could be formed. "You have my word, Mark."


Luxor Hotel – Bar

"Excuse me, could I have a mineral water with a twist, please?"

Sugar looked up from wiping down the beer taps and froze. She hadn't seen this woman in months – and the last time she'd seen her, she definitely hadn't been pregnant. Had she?

"I'm sorry – what did you say?"

Julie sighed. "Mineral water with a twist?"

"Of course, coming right up."

Julie frowned. The young woman behind the bar looked familiar but she couldn't place her.

"Here you go," Sugar set the tumbler down in front of her and turned away but Julie's words stopped her.

"Wait – you look awfully familiar- have we met somewhere – perhaps at a fundraiser or something?"

Sugar gave the woman a small smile and shook her head, as she finally placed where it was she had seen her – leaving Kenny's house in the middle of the night, on more than one occasion.

"No, ma'am. I don't think I've ever-"

"There you are! I thought I'd lost you-" another woman's voice interrupted their conversation and Sugar eagerly took the opportunity to melt into the background.

Julie turned her head in time to meet Melody's kiss on her cheek. "I just needed some air and somewhere to put my feet up for few minutes."

The older woman smiled. "I understand, my dear. When I was pregnant with the twins-"

"Do you recognize that bartender?" Julie broke in, nodding her head in the direction of Sugar, who had moved to the other end of the counter.

Melody's brow furrowed. "No, I don't think so. Should I?"

"She looks familiar to me and I can't think why. I thought she had perhaps served at some of the recent fundraisers or – oh!"

"Julie, what is it? Is it the baby? You went awfully pale just now."

"No, I'm fine, the baby just kicked me in the wrong spot is all."

"Are you sure? Maybe I should get Kirk-"

Julie's hand came down over the other woman's forearm like a talon. "No, please don't. I'm fine, really."

Melody clicked her tongue. "You don't look fine. You look like you've had a terrible shock."

"Here's where you've been hiding."

Julie jumped at the sound of her husband's voice and released her hold on Melody's arm.

"Ah, there you are, Kirk. I was just about to come find you. Julie isn't looking well – perhaps you should take her home."

"I'll look after her, Mel, don't you worry. Stephen is looking for you."

Melody sighed. "Duty calls." She leaned forward and bussed Julie's cheek. "Get some rest, my dear. I'll call you tomorrow."

Kirk sat down in her vacated stool. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing-"

"Don't lie to me."

His words were like a slap and Julie began to shake. The bar was nearly deserted at this late hour but they were still in a public place. That was her only saving grace; if they had been at home, the words would have been accompanied by a physical slap.

"See that bartender over there?" She waited for him to look over his shoulder and then refocus on her. "She looked familiar to me and I just remembered where I had seen her before."

When she paused, Kirk growled, "Spit it out, woman."

Julie licked her lips and stared at a spot over his left shoulder, not wanting to look him in the eye when she said this next bit. "She's one of Kenny's neighbors. I saw her out walking her little dog a couple of times-"

He leaned forward and grabbed her upper arms, shaking her. "Did she recognize you?"

Julie gasped through the pain of his grip. "I don't know – I didn't ask her." She neglected to tell him about asking Sugar who she was. "You're hurting me, Kirk."

"You've been very careless and stupid, Jules. Why must I continue to clean up after your mistakes?" he hissed as he gave her one final shake and then released her.

Julie rubbed her upper arms, trying to get the throbbing to stop. "I – I'm sorry for what happened, Kirk. You know I want to make our marriage work."

He sneered at her. "Then why did you have an affair in the first place?"

Julie remained silent, knowing that any response she gave would be equivalent to setting a match to a powder keg.

"Did the bartender see you at Kenny's that night?"

"I don't know – I didn't see her."

"But that doesn't mean you weren't seen. Fuck, Jules."

"What are we going to do, Kirk?"

He laughed dryly. "You aren't going to do anything – you've done more than enough. I'll take care of it."

Julie shivered as Kirk grabbed her wrist and pulled her off the stool.

"You just remember to do exactly as I told you."

"Yes, Kirk."

Sugar watched the couple leave the bar and she was deeply troubled. She wasn't sure what she had just witnessed but she knew that the woman was in trouble and needed help – more than she could provide. She remembered seeing her leave Kenny's house one night and he had run after her, holding out a bra, and the two of them had laughed and shared a passionate kiss. They had seemed happy and in love. To see the woman in an abusive relationship broke Sugar's heart. Should she say something to Mary and Marshall – was it her place?

And what, if anything, did it have to do with Kenny's murder? Was the woman there that night? Had she been one of the last people to see him alive? Was the baby she carried Kenny's or her husband's?

Questions whirled around Sugar's brain until closing time and as she locked up, she was still so preoccupied that she didn't notice the man in the shadows that followed her home.


"Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, in the case of Marshall Mann, on the charge of murder in the first degree, how do you find?"

"Guilty, your honor."

"NO!"

"Mary, don't-"

Mary vaulted the railing separating us and wrapped her arms around me. "I can't do this without you, Marshall. I can't raise Norah alone – I can't be alone – I can't-"

"Hush!" I cradled her face in my hands, drawing her into my lap, ignoring the chaos around us as the judge banged his gavel for order and the bailiff tried to separate us. "You and I are meant to be together and we will find a way through this – I know it!"

"How can you be so sure?" she sobbed, the tears streaming down her face.

"Because you love me and I refuse to let you go now that you've admitted the words I've been waiting so long to hear." I pressed my lips to her hungrily even as I felt myself being ripped from her arms.

"NO! NO! I need you! Don't go – we haven't had enough time!"

"Mary, you can do this! Be strong for Norah – I love you!"

"Marshall!"


2:15 AM

Marshall woke up with a gasp from his nightmare to the sound of his phone buzzing next to his head. He picked it up and read the text from Mary: U Up?

Knowing instinctively that she needed to hear his voice, he hit speed dial 2, and she picked up on the first ring.

"Hey, Doofus."

"Hey, Sunshine."

"You didn't call," her tone sounded accusatory, and he smiled in the darkness.

"Yeah, well, I was busy with a little lady who had tooth trouble."

"How is my bug?"

"Sound asleep, lucky girl."

"Did I wake you?"

"Nope."

"Bad dreams?"

"Just restless."

"Liar."

He smiled. "How about you – bad dreams?"

"Let's just say I sleep better with you than without."

"And you already know this based on one night?"

"I'm a quick study, don't you know that by now?"

"Yes, yes I do."

There was a bit of a pause before Mary whispered, "I miss you."

"Mary, I could get Norah and-"

"No, Marshall." Her sigh came over the line. "We have to stay apart for now – the press is having a field day with us as it is."

"Have you thought about the fact that your daughter is over here and I have to get her back to you somehow?"

"Joanna will come pick her up tomorrow afternoon and bring her back home."

"You certainly know how to take all the fun out of things," he pouted.

"You'll see me in court Monday."

"But I won't be able to touch you."

"You've lasted ten years without touching me."

"Things are different now, Mer," he growled.

She laughed. "I suppose they are. Look, if you're a good boy between now and then, maybe we figure out a way for you to kiss me on Monday."

"I'm going to hold you to that."

"You do that. Good night, Marshall."

"Hey, I love you, Mary."

There was a slight pause and he was worried that he had pushed her too hard tonight. But then the whisper: "I love you too," came through the phone before the call was disconnected.


A/N: So what was your favorite part(s)? What do you think Kirk is going to do? Reviews are LOVE!