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Enjoy!

Different Road, Same Journey

Marshall had gone back to the bar the next night, hoping to talk to Mary but was told she had a three days off. He knew her address but wasn't sure if he would be crossing a line if he just turned up. He couldn't explain his feelings towards her. They had appeared so suddenly and although he knew he made the right decision about stopping things before they went any further, he hated that he had hurt her feelings. He wanted to make things right. He wanted to be friends and hoped she would understand why that was all he could be for the time being.

He ended up working late on Tuesday night and rushed towards the bar, hoping to get there before last orders but was too late. He was about the head home when he noticed a light on and decided to hang around to see if Mary had been doing the closing shift. He leaned back against the wall, shoving his hands into his pockets as he waited.

It was another 40 minutes before the door opened and he heard Mary talking to Nick as they exited.

"Hey." He stepped away from the wall and Mary turned quickly.

"What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk…" He glanced across at Nick but he wasn't paying them any attention and instead tapping away on his cell. "Please?"

"There's nothing to talk about." Mary insisted.

"Just let me walk you home." He offered.

"Sorry… Nick's got that covered." She nodded her head over to him causing him to look up.

"Sorry, darling…I have a date." He informed her. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Mary glared at him as he headed in the opposite direction with a smirk on his face before she looked at Marshall.

"Doesn't make a difference…" She started to walk away. "Like the said the other night…I don't need an escort."

"Come on, Mary…" He followed her. "I just want to talk…"

"Just forget what happened happened…" She told him. "I've already have."

"I didn't mean to hurt you…"

"Oh please…" She said sarcastically with an eye roll. "It was nothing…I was just looking for someone to have some fun with but should have known it was a mistake…That you wouldn't be with someone like me."

He jogged a little so he was in front of her, walking backwards. "What does that mean?"

"Seriously?" She questioned, trying to walk faster to get past him but he won't allow her and she suddenly stopped, throwing her hands up. "You're a Marshal…I'm sure you've seen my family's history…"

"That has nothing to do with it."

"Yeah, right."

"Mary." He took her arm when she started walking again. "You think I didn't know exactly who you or your family was that day we raided your sister's apartment? Her boyfriend is connected with one of the biggest drug cartels in the country and it was my job to research her and by association you and your parents."

"Oh great…I'm sure you had some reading then."

He sighed. "Mary…"

"Just forget it…" This time she managed to get past him.

"You think I stopped you the other night because of your dad?" He called after her and he was relieved when she stopped again, slowing turning back to face him.

"You can't really be involved with the daughter of a fugitive."

"Do you know where he is?"

"Of course not!" She glared at him.

"Then there's nothing more to say." He shrugged. "I know the year he disappeared; you could have only been a kid… I very much doubt you were involved."

She folded her arms protectively across her chest. "So, the reason you stopped the other night was because you just didn't want to?"

"It's complicated…"

"Y'know, I think it preferred it when it was your job that was stopping you…" She walked away again and Marshall let out a frustrated groan.

"Would you just listen to me?!" He followed her again, grabbing her arm gently and spinning her around to face him.

"Oh, don't worry I know the speech…It's not you…it's me…." She started sarcastically but was cut off by his lips on hers and before she realized what was going on, he pulled back. "What was that?"

"Me trying to shut you up." He replied. "Do you ever let anyone get a word in?"

"Not when they're talk a load of shi…" Again he cut her off with a kiss and this time she was ready, moving her hands to his hair, holding him to her.

"I can't do this…" He whispered when he pulled back but his hold on her didn't loosen.

"Are you kidding me?" She glared at him. "You kiss me…twice and now you're saying you don't want this…"

"I do want this." He corrected. "I can't."

"Right…" She tried to maneuver out of his grip. "You're a Marshal and I'm just some girl who works in a bar…"

"That's not it."

"No, its fine…I get it." She insisted. "I just don't like being played with…"

"Mary…" With one hand he stopped her walking away and with the other he reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out his wallet. "This is why."

"What am I looking at?" She took it from him before focusing on the photograph.

"My daughters." He said softly.

"Daughters?" Her head snapped up to look at him. "You're married?"

"No." He said quickly. "Not anymore, anyway…"

She frowned as she looked at the two little girls, pulling faces at the camera. "I still don't understand."

"This is Alexis, she just turned six." He pointed to the older looking of the girls. "And this is Ava, she's three."

They looked a lot like each other, both with long dark hair, that had a slight curl to it and both with bright blue eyes; their father's eyes.

"Remember I told you, last year I had a bad year?" He continued. "Well, their Mother and I finalized our divorced…"

"You had to fight for custody?" She guessed.

"Nope." He shook his head. "She wanted to walk away….Didn't want to be a Mom anymore."

"Oh."

"Apart of me is grateful that she didn't want them because with my job, I didn't think a court would have given me custody but then I look at them and my heart breaks for them…How could a mother do that?" He raked a hand through his hair.

Mary sighed. "I'm sorry, Marshall."

"It's hard for Alex…she remembers Ellie and I know she misses her."

"And Ava?"

"She was still a baby." Marshall shrugged. "Ellie had a difficult second pregnancy and Ava was premature…I almost lost her…Ellie walked out on us while she was still in the NICU…so small that they couldn't even find a hat that would fit her…"

Mary didn't know what to say. She didn't especially like kids but she couldn't help but feel touched by his story.

"At first I figured that it was some kind of postpartum depression and I begged her to see a doctor which she did…Eventually Ava got better and came home but Ellie never…Alex cried for her mother but still didn't come." Marshall told her. "In the last three years, the girls have seen her twice and even then she wouldn't talk or play with them…she just wasn't interested."

"Where is she now?"

He shrugged. "I don't know…Don't care…At the divorce hearing, she told me she just wanted to move on with her life."

"Without her kids?"

"Apparently so."

"So, that's why you moved her?"

"Yeah, I had some good friends in Albuquerque but there were too many memories… I wanted to give the girls a new start and my brother and his wife help out with the childcare so I can carry on working." He told her. "But that's why I can't do this with you…I'm still trying to recover…Still hurting from what happened and there is something about you that makes me think…."

"Makes you think what?" She prompted.

"That we couldn't just fool around…" He said softly. "That we would be more."

"Okay…If that's what you want." She shrugged; trying to act like she was wasn't disappointed.

"I want us to be friends, though…If that's okay with you?"

"I don't really do friends…"

"Come on, can't you make an expection for me?" He said teasingly. "I promise I won't kick down anymore of you doors."

She rolled her eyes. "God, you're such a dork."

"I really do like you, Mary…" He turned serious again. "I'm just can't risk my heart again right now…and I can't risk yours or my girls either."

"I understand." She said softly. "And I guess, if you're in bar and I'm taking a break, we could hang out."

He smiled a little. "I'd like that."

She gave him a small smile in returned and stepped away from him. "Well, I live right around the corner…I'll be alright from here."

"Are you sure?" He asked. "I don't mind…"

"I'm sure." She nodded. "I'll see you around."

"See you…"

"Oh and Marshall?" She called after him, causing to turn around again. "Your daughters are beautiful…You should be proud of them."

He nodded. "I am."

She gave him another smile before setting off towards her apartment. Sure, she was disappointed that Marshall only wanted to be friends but she knew he made the right decision. She wasn't good at relationships and she didn't like kids… it would have only ended in disaster. At least now she had a friend who wasn't just after money or her body. It would be nice to able to trust someone other than herself for a change.

TBC

Do you think the whole 'friends' thing will last? Please review and let me know what you think!