A/N Poor Marshy!! The original 2 chapters of this story were written before his abduction but the rest of this story will try to work that storyline in (next chapter.) Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Keep reviewing, please!

Marshall and Mimi were sitting in the coffee shop chatting and sipping their drinks. Marshall felt so nervous sitting so closely to such a pretty girl. He couldn't believe he had asked her to have coffee with him. Go, Marshall! And she said yes! Unbelievable!! He was feeling very proud of himself. He was having a wonderful conversation with Mimi about where they went to school (they both had doctorates and knew some of each others old classmates and professors. Small world if you're a brilliant tech wizard.) They were both originally from small towns and came from close knit families who encouraged their love of electronics and computers and experimenting with both, even when the results were sometimes messy, expensive and even dangerous. The only sad moment for Marshall was when he had to lie to his new friend Mimi about where he worked.

"I, uh, I work for a bank. I run their global I.T. services," he said with a sad heart. He wanted to be honest with her but he knew the fatal consequences of that.

"That sounds really glamorous to me! Do you get to travel a lot?" she asked admiringly.

"I guess so, but I prefer to stay right here in the good old U.S. of A. How about you? I don't mean about traveling, I mean what do you do, Mimi?" he asked trying to steer the subject away from his own job.

"I, uh, I work at the State Department," she replied with her eyes looking down at the table.

"Whoa. So you're helping to keep this great country up and running," he said happily, wanting to scream to her 'Me, too!!!! Me, too!!!!' But he didn't. He couldn't. What she doesn't know won't hurt her, but what she does, might.

"At least its computers. Up and running, I mean." She smiled shyly at him. She was happy the store hadn't been open when she got there. Marshall was the nicest guy she had met in a long time. And so funny!!! And kinda cute, too in his own way, she thought.

The flavored coffee had piqued Marshall's appetite and he leaned in toward Mimi and asked her gently if she would mind if they left. At first Mimi was disappointed that he wanted to end their time together. Didn't he feel any chemistry with her? Didn't he want to stay and talk a little longer? She sure did! But then Marshall explained.

"The artificial maple flavor in my coffee gave me a hankering for some hot fluffy pancakes and I know they don't serve them here. Would you be interested in taking this conversation over to that IHOP across the street?" He pointed to the restaurant through the window beside them and raised his eyebrows questioningly at her.

"Sure," she agreed, pleased that he did want to continue their --- date? Was this a date?

She glanced at her watch for a moment and couldn't believe what time it was. They had been sitting there for over 2 hours together! The Sharper Image was certainly open by now, she could see it right through that same window he was pointing at. The pretense for their coffee had been to wait for the store to open. So was it a date now?

Who cares? "I think we both deserve a special day-off-work breakfast, right?" she added.

They stood up together and Marshall fumbled for his wallet so he could pay and leave a tip. The waitress had been awfully nice to let them linger over 2 measly coffees for so long!

*****

Four plates of pancakes, syrup and whipped cream later, Marshall looked admiringly over at Mimi. The girl could eat!!! She had matched him bite for bite in the pancake department and was now licking the last of the whipped cream from her fork. Where had she put it all? She was tiny! Marshall was wondering if the two of them could split an entire pizza pie by themselves. But he was getting ahead of himself. He had to get her phone number first and see if she was interested in going on an actual date with him. Not just a coincidental coffee while they waited for a store to open. The store! Their time together today didn't have to end. After all, they had both intended to go the Sharper Image anyway, why not go there together?

"Do you, um, do you still want to go to The Sharper Image?" he asked tentatively. "Because, you know, we could go there together. Or if you just want to go I could wait here and go another time so we wouldn't have to be there TOGETHER together. You know what I mean? I mean I'd like to go with you but you don't have to just because-"

"I would very much like to go there together. Together." She smiled at him encouragingly, proud of herself for being so forward.

The two of them were like little children walking through the store wide eyed, totally in their element with all the gadgets and toys. Marshall was showing off for her as he put his hand on the static electricity ball and rubbed his feet on the carpet and made all his hair stand up straight. Mimi laughed at him and Marshall was sure it was the sweetest sound he had ever heard. He would have to record that sound and program it into Mona so he could hear it all the time. He was smiling like a fool, so happy that he had made her laugh.

They strolled through the entire store talking about ways to improve some of the gadgets they saw and they were each very impressed with each other's ingenuity and expertise. Marshall found her intellect very very attractive. Not to mention her laugh and her smile and her shy eyes behind those glasses.

They both didn't want the day to end but Marshall was afraid to push it by asking her to do something else together. He had to think of a suave way to get her phone number. He had to see her again. He didn't know what to say-

"Hey, Marshall? I had such a great time with you today," she began.

"Me, too. It's the best day off I've had in years. Well, it's the first day off I've had in-"

"Do you want to catch a movie with me? They're playing the new Star Trek movie at 3 o'clock down on Broad Street. I was going to go alone...but I'd much rather go with you," she said hopefully looking him in the eye.

Marshall was feeling lightheaded. Was this was a swoon felt like? He was pretty sure he was swooning over her. "You bet your Next Generation I want to! Set the course to Broad Street at Warp Factor 3 ," he said as he gestured with his arm. Mimi locked her arm in his and they began the three block walk together to the theater.