(Here's the deal, I will be as CREATIVE as possible, vivid even, if you'll cut me some slack and deal with the occasional Season 5 Episode 1 Script references in this chapter- some of them are just too good to exclude, so anyway, this is my interpretation of all of the gaps in the first episode- slightly adjusted to fit into this very fanfiction! Please enjoy, comments are appreciated! Thanks for this successful piece! You're awesome readers!)
Mary looked at Marshall, her eyes like daggers digging deep down into his pupils, looking for even the slightest bit of understanding, or knowing of what now had become her dream. How could she of all people, dream of a life with her partner? For five years she hadn't dreamt of him once, not once! But, even though those years were filled with dreams excluding Marshall Mann, she still knew there had always been something that had been drawing her to him, closer and closer. Inch by inch, sarcastic comment after nasty remark he had become the only person she could stand to be around for the majority of her time, it would only make since that he be the one she loved right? Was she drugged? Were her rationalizations irrational? Or did they just seem irrational because she had apparently just awoken from a three day coma?
"Mary, I think you should just try and stay calm, you're probably just a little lagged or something from just waking up, it's a lot to take in, Mark, Jinx, being in labor-
"WHAT? I'm in labor?" Mary asked in disbelief.
"Well yeah, but they managed to slow it down, while you were-
"So basically, what you're saying is, while I was a vegetable, they used me as a human incubator?" her eyebrows raised as her eyes glittered with rage.
"No- Mary, they slowed down the progression of your labor to prevent the baby from being born prematurely, really it was a perk you were comatose because you weren't getting yourself worked up like you are now!"
"Gee I'm sorry, maybe you could explain to me a list of steps I should be taking as not to panic in this situation, because I would certainly like to know okay?" she asked, her face slowly reddening.
"Okay Mare, take a deep breath, remember? That class you took?"
"It was one class Marshall, one class and I'm not having a contraction, I'm pissed! And if you don't remember that wasn't necessarily a positive experience for me, I had to straddle a coke whore for two hours! TWO HOURS! While she panted like a dog and the whole class stared as I awkwardly was forced to stroke her god damn hair! That's what I took out of the whole thing! Strategies on hair stroking, which I can't do very well when I'm the one in labor!" she yelled, yanking her fingers through her hair.
"Well, maybe, you could verse Mark in the art of hair stroking-
"Don't be smart with me!" she replied, pointing a finger at Marshall menacingly.
"No, I'm serious, because you're about to have a contraction."
"I don't feel a- HOLY MOTHER OF JESUS CHRIST!"
"And she's found religion!" Marshall cried playfully, chuckling to himself, setting down a suit case in the corner of the room, "Abigail and I picked you up a few things. If there's anything I can do…" he began, getting serious, his brow furrowing.
Mark, stepped forward,
"No, I think we have everything under control, Thanks anyway man!" he answered, patting Marshall on the back with his palm, and throwing a smile toward Abigail.
As they left the room, Mary watched, nearly shaking from the pain radiating up and down her lower and upper back and through her stomach, almost crying out at the sight of Marshall leaving,
"Good luck!" he called from in the hallway.
Even though it seemed like he had felt nothing of just leaving Mary, his heart truly ached as he furthered from the room. He could hear her crying out in pain as the elevator "dinged" to announce its arrival on their floor and although he would have rather stayed to help out, fetch some ice or just pace outside the room he grabbed Abigail's hand as she led him away from the place he truly wanted to be… With his best friend.
Mary, through sweat and tears bit her lip, even three hours later. Doctors had come in and out, checking everything from cat scans to the baby's heart beat as Mary braced herself for contraction after contraction. They came faster and faster, apparently, Marshall had been right, relaxation was the key to this whole mess, but even if she could make it seem like she was relaxed on the outside, her heart would still climb at the sound of Mark's voice, the whining petulance of Jinx, who was slowly, but surely becoming more and more impatient with her, or a mere fraction of a thought about Marshall. It had seemed so real, she could swear just by closing her eyes she could feel the warmth of her son in a little bundle, all snug and safe in her arms, but she had to wipe those memories away. There was no Xander. Marshall wasn't there. The closure she had felt for that short time while she was under no longer comforted her when she was left alone with her thoughts during each bout of silence in between each pain. And finally, she wasn't happy. It figured, how could she have possibly believed she would ever be happy? Every time a contraction began, she closed her eyes, wretched and hoped that they would be over a little sooner than the last one had ended.
She turned to Jinx,
"OH MY GOD, YOU HAD TO DO THIS TWICE? NO WONDER YOU DRANK!" Mary screamed, awaiting a scolding, but none came. Apparently, being in labor was a get out of lecture free card.
"Honey just breathe through it.." Jinx soothed in her pitchy undertone as yet another doctor came in.
"Ms. Shannon, let's just see where you are here." Mary could have sworn she had been through this already. She feared the blood, the black out, and coming in and out of consciousness… Especially this time, because she knew, when and if she woke up, Marshall wouldn't be there.
"Anyone wanna take bets? I'm thinkin 8 centimeters?" Mary screeched, biting her bottom lip, turning her head back and forth between Jinx and Mark.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but you're at ten. Who's ready to push?" The doctor looked up to make eye contact from in between Mary's legs to reveal her smile.
Mary shook the surprise off of her face,
"OOH ME!" she teased, raising her hand, the sweat rolling down her face.
"Okay, Ms. Shannon, when I say 'push' I want you to as hard as you can, got it?"
"I GOT IT! JUST GET THIS KID OUTTA ME!"
"One, two, three and PUSH!"
"AHHHHHHH FRIGGIN' A!"
The doctor grimaced,
"I'm going to need another big one, but let's wait for the height of this next contraction." She mentioned between Mary's legs.
"OH YEAH, THAT'S EASY FOR YOU TO SAY, GAH!"
"And PUSH! Beautiful ! You're doing great!"
"THERE IS NOTHING BEAUTIFUL ABOUT THIS!" Mary screamed.
Mark look around nervously, shut the door completely, and walked back over to the spectacle currently occurring in the hospital bed.
"I just don't want to scar anyone in the waiting room…" he replied embarrassed, rubbing the sweat from his forehead away with his palm.
"WAY TO MAKE ME FEEL LIKE A PREGNANT FREAK SHOW MARK!"
"Well Mary you wouldn't want to ruin the surprise for all the other ladies out there do we?"
"Mark you're not helping." Jinx, eyed him, her hand being crushed by her daughter.
"All right Ms. Shannon, the baby is crowning, this is where it really counts okay! Another big big push!"
"CAN'T YOU JUST PULL IT OUT OF ME? MEET ME HALFWAY HERRREEE"
"I think you know this is something you have to do yourself Ms. Shannon!"
"HOLY HELL!" Tears streamed down her face, the pressure, the pain, and the feeling of the baby's shoulders was excruciating plus some. She wanted Marshall, she needed Marshall. She let her head hit the pillow, sighing as the pain went away. Her eyes closed, awaiting another contraction, but instead there was a tiny cry.
"Congratulations Mama, You have a baby girl…" But Mary didn't get to see her, Mary didn't get to hold her, and it felt too familiar for never having actually experienced it. She was proud of herself, but she would have felt much more proud if Marshall had been there, if he had seen her do what she told him so many times she would never do, never could do, but he wasn't there, he had run away to be with Abigail, which quite possibly could have been where he belonged.