Elliot Stabbler found his composure and set the young woman back onto her feet, discovering that her grin was infectious and soon found herself smiling right along with her. He waved her to Fin's empty chair and he sat in his own.

"Gosh Marie, you leave for a few years and you go grow up on me." He motioned towards her and she nodded in understanding. The last any of the detectives had seen her she was a little shy of four feet, had no curves to speak of, and her hair was similiar to that of the imfamous 'bowl cut.'

"Sorry Elliot," Stabbler's eyes bugged out a bit at her statement, a hint of disappointment hiding on the edge. Marie's southern accent was all but gone after so many years of living in New York. It only came out if she focused on doing so or if she was extremely pissed. "So where is everyone else? I kinda expected a welcoming party or something." Marie indicated the near empty squad room, "certainly not this."

Stabbler laughed a bit at that before ticking off, "Fin ran out to grab the crew lunch,Olivia is in court and Munch is in crib catching forty winks." Marie's smile grew into a devilish grin and she rubbed her hands together excitedly.

"Who's the girl and why is she scheming in my seat?" Marie turned around to find Detective Fin standing next to the desk, arms full of white Styrofoam boxes and soda.

Her grin fell as her hand flew up to her heart, "why, sir, would you accuse me of some vile acts?" Marie watched his upped lip twitch and he set down the boxes before passing one off to Elliot with a bottle of soda from the pack. He separated the other orders with the appropriate drinks and shrugged at her question.

"My partner thinks he gets paid to scheme, so I've picked up on what the scheming process looks like."

Marie smiled, "you're Uncle Munch's partner, aren't you? Boy do I feel sorry for you."

Fin was struck speechless. That was the second person today to claim his partner as their uncle, unless. He glanced down at his watch then mentally slapped himself. "You're the one who called earlier, aren't you?"

She nodded, "sure am. The name's Marie." She extended her to the man and firmly shook his own. "Let me guess, you're Detective Fin."

"Yeah, that's me," he scratched the back of his head, wondering at how any of it was possible. How in the world could Jon Munch have a neice!

Marie turned her attention back to Elliot after the brief introduction and eyed the Chinese he was presently scarfing down unrelentlessly. with suspicion "I could make a comment about your poor eating habits, your distasteful table manners, or your lack of style. But I've sure you've heard it all before from Uncle Munch." Stabbler shrugged noncaringly as he took a rather large bite out of his egg roll. "Speaking of Uncle Munch, I think I'll go get him so he can join the festivities." With that said, Marie rose from her chair, nodded her leave to Elliot and Fin before ascending the stairs that led to the holding tank.

Once she was out sight and out of hearing range, Fin pointed his fork to the spot she had just moments ago occupied, "so who was that chick and why is she hooked onto Jon?"

Elliot swallowed hard on his kong-pow chicken before answering the young detective, "a few years back when we stumbled upon her, Munch was the only one who could get through to her and once the case was over, she hung around here helping with sorting paperwork and what not. It started out as a way to show her gratitude and appreciation for us doing our jobs, but it soon became something else entirely. She took to Munch, like you wouldn't believe and we even started calling her Marie Munch. Jon protested to the name at first, but I think he secretly liked the idea. Anyways one day Marie gets a check in the mail from an attoney and a lettersaying she was the sole recipient of a quarter of a million dollars in money and assests. She put most of it away in a bunch of different bank branches and put a bit in our account as a donation before heading to Canada. She always wanted to take a road trip there and she finally had enough money to pull it off. We were all sad with she left, even though she promised she'd be back. Munch took it the hardest though. I mean, for weeks he would absorb himself into his work, he wouldn't talk to anyone in a socializing manner, and he drank a lot more often. When Marie left, she unknowingly took Jon's heart and spirit with her." Stabbler concluded the story as he finished the last of his noodles. His friend whistled in awe before speaking.

"Well now she's here that's good right? I mean, Marie coming back isn't a bad omen, is it?" Fin asked apprehensively.

Stabbler shrugged, "my gut says she's not here to stay."

Their conversation ended as a rush of running feet came down the stairs and a shriek of laughter reached the men's ears. The squad room's occupates turned to see Jon Munch chase the little nymph like woman who rushed down the stairs with ease.

"When I get my hands on you!" Jon threatened as he suppressed his laughing fit.

She swirved her head swiftly around and raised her eyebrows at him, "you'll what? Beat me with your cane?" She pointed to the wooden stick Jon was waving around his head. Marie continued her taunting towards the older man as she continued down the flight of stairs, failing to see the doors next to them open up and Captain Cragen enter the room.

She turned her head back to facing which direction she was running in time to see the look of horror on the Captain's face as she crashed into him. Her speed and momentum was enough to knock the two off their feet and leave them spawled ungracefully over the entry way. Marie shook her head to oriented herself before rising back to her feet. She dusted off her pants and extended her hand to the Captain who looked up at her in an insulted manner.

Marie flashed him an innocent grin, "sorry Captain. Didn't see you there. Did ja miss me?" Silence had struck the squad room as the detectives waited for Cragen's response to the incident that had just unfolded.