Reread and rewritten

Happy to be back. Happy Reading!

I own NOTHING from IPS

~B

Sometimes I think rolling over and going back to bed would be the greatest thing in the world…today, I'm so sore I couldn't move if I wanted to!

Ch.1

"Vacation! What is that?" Mary snarks.

"An extended period of recreation, one spent away from home or work," Marshall responds. He walks into the office with his routine coffee offering to his exotic creature and all who dare to brave her company daily.

"So, where are you going?" Marshall continues the conversation as if the glare sent his way was not meant to set him a blaze.

"I am NOT going anywhere! I have been told that I have 2 weeks of mandatory time off. If I even show my face in the building to get messages, I will be escorted to my car!" comes the snarl from behind the USM coffee cup.

"Ah…Marshall…..My office, Please." Stan drawls as he walks from the kitchen to his office.

"Don't fall for it; that is how he got me! All pleasant and relaxed!" Mary muttered. "That should have tipped me off, to begin with," She griped.

As she finished completing her work, she noticed the door was closed. She then looked to see if all the other Marshals were busy. When the coast was clear, she casually wandered over to where Marshall had placed his coffee and a bag containing cinnamon, sugar, and yeast. Her mouth was watering, and she was within range when it was suddenly snatched away from her.

"There are reasons I hand them out," whispered her partner. As he straightened after picking the bag up and out of her reach. "We wouldn't want you to prove you can't share."

Marshall is amused that she had been so distracted he could sneak up on her. He had seen the furtive glances to see if anyone was looking. Marshall had seen how she picked up that folder. When she had headed for his desk, he had decided to agree to the Vacation time Stan was trying to force on him. He couldn't remember the last time he had a vacation. He quickly agreed and silently crept out of the office, hoping to save the pastries he had bought for breakfast.

Somehow she had missed that he had come out of Stan's office.

Mary shivered as Marshal whispered in her ear, sending shivers over her body. Her brain went from sugar, cinnamon, and yeast goodness to Jesus! She finally shook the thought from her head, realizing that it was too late to make a grab for the pastries she had been drooling over.

"C'mon, Marshall, you know you want to share." She said sweetly

The gagging sound coming from the kitchen could only be Eleanor, who, unlike most people, stood up to Mary and called her on MOST of her bullshit.

"Don't Fall for it, Marshall; all she wants are those pasties." Eleanor quipped as she sat down at her desk.

Eleanor had been watching the inspectors interact for almost 6 months and had always wondered if she was missing something. They worked so well together that if you were not looking, you would never notice the subtle communication exchanges between them. Today was not different except perhaps the reaction by Mary. Does she even know what those shivers could mean? She looked like Marshall had whispered a suggestive comment, and she forgot that food was even present. The conversation between the partners brought her out of her musings.

"Oh, I know it was the thought of me sharing that had me agreeing to the vacation time. I had to save the pastry!"

"NOT you too!" "What are they doing sending us out so they can clean house or something!"

Eleanor could not resist. "No, they are decontaminating and bug bombing ONLY your desk Mary; all the food hoarding has the bug armies making camp."

Marshall wisely kept silent nothing like stepping in the middle and becoming a target. Been there and done that, he thought.

"Oh, I don't know. I always wanted a pet; maybe I'll go big and have a few hundred," sassed Mary. "You will feed them for me, won't you, Eleanor?" Mary was grinning her nicest grin, which honestly was just a barring of teeth.