An update! I think that this will be the last chapter, followed by an epilogue, unless someone gives me a fantastic idea. LOL. I've really enjoyed writing this little story, and I think there will be a sequel coming after this. I know that I glossed over a lot of the criminal element in this, but if you're a fan of my other works, you know that this is my M.O. LOL. And those of you who don't know, well, you know now. LMAO. So read on, enjoy the new chapter, and please remember to review!

Disclaimer: Not mine!

IPSIPSIPSIPS

When I'm a bullet shot out of a gun

When I'm a firecracker coming undone

When I'm a fugitive ready to run

All wide eyed and crazy

No matter where my reckless soul takes me

Baby, you save me

-Kenny Chesney, You Save Me

Mary and Marshall remained asleep for hours, tangled up together. None of the medical staff had the heart to separate them, so the nurses tried to stay out of the room. But when they had to go in, they were careful not to disturb the sleeping couple.

It wasn't until early the following morning that Mary finally stirred. Her vision was blurry as she opened her eyes. She yawned and rested her head against Marshall's. She had slept better the previous night than she had in months, and she attributed it to her partner.

Marshall also stirred as Mary yawned. The wounds in his back were painful, and he couldn't help burrowing further into Mary's arms. He wasn't sure when Mary would come to her senses and put a stop to all of this physical affection, but he planned on taking advantage of it for as long as he could.

Mary looked down at her partner. "Are you awake?" she whispered.

He nuzzled his face against her shoulder. "Yeah…"

"Good." She absently rested her head against his. "I need to talk to you."

"What about?"

Her hand came up and absently trailed along his arm. "If it's true…what are you planning to do?"

He knew exactly what she was talking about, and her unsettled tone bothered him. "I'm not sure yet."

This was it, now or never… "Whatever you want to do, Marshall, I'll support your decision."

That was not what he expected to hear. He craned his head so that he could see her eyes. "You will?"

"Of course I will." She gave him a soft smile. "If you want to go to Texas with your family… then I'll transfer out there."

His cerulean eyes widened with surprise. "What?"

"Marshall, you're my partner and my best friend. My only friend. I'm not going to stay here just so Stan can partner me up with some wide-eyed ingénue that doesn't understand the concept of personal boundaries. Forget it."

"I couldn't ask you to uproot your whole life…"

She let out a bitter laugh. "What life? And you're not asking." He wasn't that kind of man. Even if his life depended on it, he would never ask her to change her life to accommodate his. So she would have to do it. "It's my choice. If you decide to go to Texas, then I'm going, too."

He was stunned. For years, their partnership and friendship had largely revolved around her wants and needs, and he had been okay with that. But now she seemed determined to make it about him, and he wasn't sure how to respond to that. "But…"

"No buts, Marshall. You're stuck with me."

A soft smile touched his lips. That was the best threat he had heard in a long time. He yawned, still very weak from the injuries he had sustained protecting Mary. That was one thing he could never regret doing, taking those bullets to save her life. Even if it meant spending the rest of his life in a wheelchair, it was worth it.

Mary gently smoothed her hand over his hair. "You're still tired. Close your eyes."

He sighed. "I don't want to sleep… I want to talk to you."

"I'm not going anywhere, Doofus. Close your eyes and get some sleep. I need you to heal before I can kick your ass for taking three bullets for me."

A soft chuckle escaped him. "I'd do it again."

"I know you would." She took a chance and lightly kissed his head. "Sleep."

"Mm…" Sleep claimed him within seconds, leaving Mary alone with her thoughts.

Later that afternoon, Seth, Anna, Chris and Michael returned to Marshall's hospital room. Since he had been moved into a private room, there were less restrictions on who could visit and how many visitors he could have at a time, so the four decided to visit him together and see how he was doing.

They were quiet as they slipped into the room, but as it turned out, they didn't need to be. Marshall was sitting up in his bed, supported by a multitude of soft pillows. Mary was sitting beside him, looking quite comfortable as well, and they were both eating what looked to be cherry jell-o.

Marshall spotted his family first, and his pale face lit up. "Hi, Mom…"

Anna rushed across the floor and gently pulled her youngest son into her arms. "Hi, baby…" She was mindful of his injuries, and she could feel Mary's intense gaze on her. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay. The drugs make my head a little fuzzy…"

"But it's better than the pain," Mary concluded as Anna pulled away.

Seth walked across the floor next and took his son's hand, squeezing it roughly. "Looks like you have good company here."

Marshall smiled. "I do." Just as she had promised, Mary had been there when he awoke again after his unexpected nap.

Michael finally approached his brother's bed. "You're not as talkative as you normally are, so you haven't scared her off."

Mary snorted at that. "His talking doesn't scare me."

"Nothing scares you, Mare."

At his words, she looked away and took another bite of her jell-o. That was where he was completely wrong. Plenty of things scared her, and losing him was at the top of that list. Before she met Marshall, her life had been all about her and taking care of her mother and sister. And her job, of course. But after she was partnered with him, and especially after he was nearly killed by a loser posing as a witness, things between them had changed. She had changed, as clichéd as that sounded. It was the truth. As much as she tormented and teased her partner, she was also the first to protect him and fight for him. She wasn't convinced that he believed her when she said she would go to Texas for him, but she was dead serious. After all, what did she have here, other than him? An alcoholic mother and co-dependant sister, both dependant on Mary to rescue them from bad situations on what seemed like a weekly basis. There was also her job, but without Marshall, it was just that. A job. And she wasn't prepared to let him go without a fight.

Marshall noticed Mary's sudden introversion, but he didn't say anything. He would talk to her later about it, though he suspected he already knew what was bothering her. He turned his attention to his family.

Anna glanced at Mary, then back at her son. "You look better, honey." Extending her hand, she smoothed it gently through his hair. "We were all so worried about you."

Marshall smiled softly. "I know you were, but I'm going to be fine." He nodded toward one of the empty chairs by his bed. "Please, sit down, Mom. I want to talk to all of you."

Curious, she took the chair nearest to him and sat down.

Seth took the other empty chair, and Michael stood behind him, while Christopher remained close to the door.

Without consciously thinking, Marshall reached out and touched Mary's arm, seeking comfort from the mutual contact. Mary looked at him with interest. "Dr. Reilly hasn't told me whether or not I'll walk again, and he won't be able to tell me until after another CAT scan."

"Sweetheart, you're going to get better…"

Marshall cut his mother off. "Mom, there is no guarantee that I'm going to walk again." He had already come to terms with that. He had to be realistic, or else he would eventually crash and burn. There was a chance that he would recover completely, but there was also the chance that he would be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. His grip tightened slightly on Mary's arm.

Mary took that as her cue to step in. "As his family, I know it must be hard for you all to think about the fact that he might not walk again. But it's a very real possibility."

Chris finally stepped into the conversation, his arms crossed over his chest and a resolute look on his face. "Which is why you should come home with us, Marshall."

A look of contempt and anger crossed Mary's face, taking Marshall by surprise. What had happened between Mary and his family while he was unconscious? Hoping to calm her, Marshall ran his thumb lightly over her skin. Then he looked at his oldest brother. "Chris, whatever happens, I can make decisions for myself." Ever since he was young, Chris had influenced many of Marshall's decisions, and had seen himself as a protector. But Marshall could take care of himself, even though he knew that his family only had his best interests at heart.

Mary looked at Anna and Seth. "If Marshall decides to go back to Texas with you, I'll request a transfer and go with him."

All four looked stunned by the revelation, but Anna was the quickest to recover. "Are you sure about that, Mary?"

"Why would you do that? I thought you and my brother were just friends." Chris gave her a disarming look.

"He's my best friend," Mary confirmed as Marshall tried to gather his thoughts. "I would do anything for him. And honestly, I don't trust anyone else with him."

Chris' frown deepened. "Not even his family?"

"No."

Sensing that his son was losing his hold on his temper again, Seth spoke up. "Marshall, what do you want?"

All eyes turned to Marshall, who had become pale and uncomfortable.

Anna reached out and touched his cheek. "Marshall?"

"I think…" He swallowed hard, struggling with himself. "I think you should all go back to the hotel for a while."

"Are you sure, son?" Seth asked gently.

"Yeah… I'm sure."

Seth stood up and helped his wife to her feet. Then he motioned to his two older sons. "Let's go."

Anna hesitated. "Okay, sweetheart. But call us if you need anything at all." She leaned over and kissed Marshall's cheek lightly.

He leaned into her for just a moment before withdrawing again. "I will, Mom."

She gently brushed his hair back, then stepped away from the bed.

Seth squeezed his son's shoulder before ushering Anna, Chris and Michael out of the room.

Once they were alone again, Mary turned toward Marshall. "What was that about?"

He inhaled slowly, his face void of any color. His chest was constricting, and he could feel his heart racing. "I don't… I need…"

"Marshall?" She turned fully toward him and gently took his face into her hand. "Marshall, what is it? Tell me what's going on."

A nurse suddenly hurried into the room as the monitors went wild. She gently brushed Mary's hands away and retrieved an oxygen mask. She secured it over Marshall's face and began checking his pulse.

Mary looked terrified. "What's wrong with him?" she demanded, disguising her concern with anger, as she was so apt to do.

"He's having a panic attack," the nurse explained, her tone just a bit too calm for Mary.

"A panic attack?" Mary watched Marshall's face intently. His eyes were closed, and his chest heaved as he greedily took in the fresh oxygen.

"It's not unusual, especially given his situation. He'll be fine in a couple of minutes."

Mary barely heard her. All of her attention was focused on Marshall.

Finally his heart rate began returning to normal. The nurse did not remove his oxygen mask. Instead she continued to talk to him, keeping her voice soft and soothing. It took a little while longer, but eventually he started to come around again.

His chest ached and his eyes burned as he slowly came back to the present, and he became very aware of a familiar body pressed against his. Instinctively he inched closer to her.

Mary studied his features intently. "Marshall? Can you hear me?"

Slowly he nodded.

The nurse gave an approving look. "Marshall, you just had a panic attack. I need you to keep the oxygen mask on for a little while, until you calm down. Do you understand me?"

He nodded again.

"Good."

Mary laid her hand against Marshall's cheek again, feeling the stubble that rubbed harshly against her skin. The thought that he needed a shave occurred to her out of nowhere. "You scared me," she whispered, the words flowing out of her mouth before she could stop them. When did anything ever scare her? She had been abandoned by her father as a child, and she had been taking care of her mother and younger sister ever since. Nothing really scared her anymore…nothing except Marshall.

He leaned into her hand and closed his eyes, reveling in her comforting touch. Before this had happened, he would have never believed she would drop everything to follow him to Texas. But ever since he had woken up, and especially after he realized that he could not feel anything from the waist down, Mary had barely left his side. She had proven over and over again that she was going to stay by his side, and that was more than he could ask for, or ever repay. It suddenly hit him just how much she meant to him, and all of the feelings that he had fought so hard to hide from her came bubbling up to the surface. She was everything to him. He had known how he felt about her for so long; what man wouldn't love her? But because they were partners, he couldn't have her. Now the very possible truth was that he would never be a marshal again, but he would be free to love her. Was it worth it?

Of course.

Mary saw the look in his eye, and the intensity of it made her heart jump. But she kept her hand on his cheek, and for the longest time, they simply sat there. Skin on skin, eye to eye, heart to heart.

Drained of any energy, Marshall fell asleep shortly after his panic attack, much to Mary's relief. His panic attack and the subsequent touching that followed had her reeling. Once she was certain he was deeply asleep, she slipped off of the bed and sat down in the chair beside him, her mind buzzing anxiously.

Something between them had shifted. That much was obvious. But was she really ready to step into any kind of relationship with Marshall? He was the perfect son, the perfect (or the closest thing to it that she could ask for) partner, an amazing friend, and one day he would make the greatest husband. She knew that she loved him, but did she love him in a way that would enable her to be there for him for the rest of their lives? Could she see herself married to him in thirty or even ten years? Could she be everything that he needed, everything that he deserved? Could she put him before herself all day, every day, for the rest of her life?

Sighing quietly, she leaned forward and cradled her head in her hand, watching his passive face intently.

"What have I gotten myself into, Marshall?"

That evening, Mary reluctantly stepped out of Marshall's room and discharged herself, against her doctor's orders. She had lost some blood, but the pain in her arm was a welcome one. After only a short argument, Mary won and filled out the necessary paperwork, absolving the hospital of any responsibility for her. Then she left the building and went around the corner for a decent cup of coffee and something to eat.

Marshall was still asleep when Mary finally returned to the room. She was tired and unsettled after leaving him, something she didn't fully understand. When did that start happening?

She was pulled away from her thoughts when Marshall suddenly jerked in his bed. A pained cry tore out of his throat, causing Mary to drop everything and rush to his side.

"Marshall?" She leaned over and rested her hand on his shoulder. "Marshall…"

He twisted again, his brow furrowed and his fists clenched. He muttered something that sounded like, "No, stop…" followed by her name.

"Marshall. You're having a nightmare. Wake up." She gently squeezed his shoulder, slowly applying more pressure.

Finally his eyes flew open, and there was a look of terror in them. Mary froze.

"Mary…" Without hesitation, he reached up and flung his arm around her, pulling her down against himself. Then he buried his nose in her shoulder.

Pressed so tightly against him, she could feel the violent shudders that rippled through his slim body.

"Mary…"

Her good arm snaked around him, returning his fierce embrace. She didn't try to reassure him, or even speak. She just held him and let him cry into her shoulder.

After a while, his sobs subsided into breathy sighs, and his trembling had almost subsided. Mary had no idea what had brought on his nightmare, and she felt inadequate for being unable to stop it or even to know the right words to comfort him.

"Mary?"

She was surprised by the meek voice. "What is it, Marshall?"

"What if… I never walk again?"

She didn't dare say that he didn't know that, he might walk again. He was a man who was always prepared, and he needed that now more than ever. "Then you won't walk again. But you'll still be you, Marshall." With a soft grunt, she sat down on the bed with him. He continued to cling to her, avoiding her eyes. "You'll either stay here and find a new job, or we'll go to Texas so you can be closer to your family."

Her use of the word we did not go unnoticed by Marshall. "We?"

"Of course, Doofus. I already told you, you're stuck with me. Whatever happens, I'll be here." She wasn't the best with words or feelings, but she was honest. They both knew that if she made a promise, she would die before she broke it. "I promise." Her fingers began playing with his thick hair. "If you don't want to go to Texas, I'll kick Jinx and Brandi out, and you can take one of my spare bedrooms. Either way, you're not going to be alone, Marshall."

That soothed him more than she would ever know. "Thanks…"

"Don't thank me, Marshall." He would have done the exact thing for her. He had already taken three bullets to save her life. She wasn't about to let him think that he was going to be alone, even for a little while.

"I still want to," he whispered.

"Fine. You can thank me with some pie when you get out of here." She smiled down at him. "Deal?"

He smiled softly.

"Deal."

After Marshall's emotional firestorm, Mary didn't leave the hospital that night. The nurses weren't surprised, and several of them couldn't help wondering why she had bothered discharging herself, only to stay in the hospital. In the end, they didn't question it. Most had learned to avoid asking her questions, or getting too close to Marshall. Mary was fiercely protective of him, and a dangerous force to be reckoned with. Marshall was very sweet and kind, but not very talkative, which was understood. His doctor knew he would need to speak with a professional to sort through the pain and confusion currently running rampant in his head, not to mention all of the changes associated with the upheaval he had been forced through. It wasn't very fair, but then again, life rarely was.

Mary was settling in for the night. She had changed into sweatpants and a t-shirt, and she was eyeing the second bed with distaste. Her mind was weighing the pros and cons of sleeping in that bed, as opposed to climbing into bed with Marshall. He wouldn't mind, and truth be told, neither would she.

She was just about to move when Marshall cracked an eye open.

"Are you coming over here or not?"

Mary tried to scowl, but it gave way to a smile. "Cocky bastard."

"Of course. Though I'm not a bastard in the technical sense, since my parents were married for fifteen years before I was born…"

"Shut up." She made her way over to his bed and lifted herself onto it, taking care not to jostle Marshall.

As she settled in beside him, Marshall grinned. In spite of all the uncertainty in his present and future, there was one constant he knew would always be there. Mary.

Mary made herself comfortable, but as she did, she bumped Marshall's leg. She didn't say anything and didn't really think about it until she saw the look on Marshall's face. "Marshall? Are you okay?"

He grasped her arm, and the words that came out of his mouth floored Mary.

"Mary… I felt that!"

To Be Continued...

A/N: YAY! As I said earlier, unless I get a fantastic idea, the epilogue will be the last of this little story. Thanks so much for reading, and please review!