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Different Road, Same Journey

Jack quietly made his way up the stairs; everything had been silent over 30 minutes and he didn't want to wake the girls if they had fallen asleep. When he reached the top, he saw his younger brother sat on the floor, leaning against the wall next Alexis' closed bedroom door. Ava was curled up on his lap, her head rest on his chest as she slept peacefully.

He paused for a moment, as he thought about the best way to approach him. Kelly had offered to stay and help but he sent her home with Tom and Lizzie. He had a lot of practice when it came with taking care of Marshall and the girls.

He had wanted to jump on a plane as soon as he found out that Ellie had gone into labor with Ava but because of work commitments, it was three weeks before he was able to get out to New Mexico. Jack had arrived to find his brother trying his best to carry on like normal. Their parents were also there and Jack knew Marshall would be putting up a front for their sake. Ava had been born 9 week early and only weight 3lb 2oz. Her lungs hadn't matured and had a machine helping her breath as well as a tube feeding her.

Alexis had been only been three years old at the time and didn't understand what was going on. So, Marshall made sure he was there every morning when she woke to give her breakfast and then again at night to make her dinner and put her to bed. The time in between was spent at the hospital, right by Ava side, listening to every word the doctor said and then researching it. He had excuses to why Ellie wasn't around, saying she had gone to stay with her parents while recovered, despite having been discharged from the hospital two weeks earlier.

Then one night, Jack had been at Marshall's house with his parents but he hadn't returned in time to put Alexis to sleep. An hour after her bedtime, she was still crying for her Daddy and her Mommy so Jack left his parents to try and get her to sleep while he went to find his brother. Predictably, he was at the hospital but Jack grew concerned the moment he saw him sat outside, leaning back against the concrete wheelchair ramp. He had finally broken down after being told by the doctors that Ava's progress had been pushed back once more due to another infection. He admitted to Jack that Ellie wasn't just staying at her parents to recover but because she was leaving him…she had packed a bag and already spoken with a divorce lawyer. Jack did nothing at first, just sat beside him and listened to his brother asking when he was going to get a break…when was it going to get easier. He had no answers then but he had promised him that he would be by his side no matter what. He had took his younger back into the NICU and they spent the night with Ava and although Jack kept assuring him everything would work out, he had been terrified when he saw just how small and frail his niece was.

Now looking at pair now, he couldn't help but still see the similarities except Ava now slept securely in her father's arms.

"Why don't you let me put her to bed?" Jack suggested softly, crouching down beside them and then placed a hand on his shoulder when his brother didn't reply. "Marshall?"

"She's okay…" He tightened his hold on his youngest slightly. "I've got her."

"Come on, she needs her bed." Jack reached out to take his niece and relieved to when Marshall allowed him.

Ava whined quietly and tried to hold onto Marshall but stayed asleep so Jack was able to pull her to his chest.

"Shh, it's okay…" He said gently as he stood up and crossed over to her bedroom. He led her down on her bed and tucked the covers around, staying for another minute or two until he was sure she wouldn't wake up.

When he left the bedroom, he saw that Marshall now had his knees pulled up to his chest and his forehead resting on top of her forearms.

"Things might look bad…" Jack started, this time sitting fully on the floor next to him.

"She won't even talk to me…" Marshall whispered. "She has never not talked to me…"

"She's a kid, sometimes they like to do the silent treatment…" Jack tried to reassure him. "I remember one time Lizzie wouldn't speak to me for a two days because I picked her up from a party at 8 when apparently all her friends were allowed to stay till 10."

"She hates me…" Marshall didn't seem to hear what his brother said.

"She doesn't." Jack insisted. "You know that she didn't mean that."

Marshall raked his hands through his hair. "I messed everything up…"

"You need to listen to me." Jack pulled Marshall's hands down so he could see his face. "This is just a little hitch…You'll figure it out."

"I moved out here for the girls, so they can have the life they deserve." He claimed. "I wanted them to be happy…"

"They are happy." Jack claimed. "Come on, you know kids say stuff…"

"She wants her Mom!" Marshall cut him off with a hiss. "She is a six year old and wants her Mom just like every other six year old…She is just not saying stuff!"

"Well, what are you going to do about it?" Jack shot back. "Because your head needs checking if you even consider trying to get in touch with Ellie again."

"No, of course not but god, she's six years old…Her mom should be here."

"I agree with you but she's not here and to be honest, I think the girls are better off without her."

"You try telling Alexis that." He whispered.

Jack sighed. "It's going to be rough, you always knew that but you're doing a good job, Marshall…You're a great father and they both adore you."

Marshall fell silent, wondering how true what Jack was saying. After he had gotten shot, he had realized how selfish he was being by having a job in Wit-Sec. He was putting his life in danger when he had two little girls that counted on him. He had moved the New Jersey to give them more security and to have a safer job. Then he ruined it all by putting himself ahead of their needs.

"I should have focused on them." He stated. "I shouldn't have complicated things."

"You need a life too…"

"They're my life."

"You know what I mean...You need time for yourself."

"Not at the cost of my kids, I don't." He replied. "It's hard enough trying to do my job as well as being a father…"

"Okay, I'm going to be honest with you, when Kelly come home that night and told me you had met someone, she was all excited for you but I told her to forget about it…that you wasn't ready."

"Yeah, looks like you were right…"

"No, I wasn't." Jack shook his head. "Kel tried to tell me that you needed to get out there and have a bit of fun and even if nothing came of this relationship, it would do you some good… but I can see that this isn't just you guys fooling around…You care about each other."

He leaned his head back against the wall. "Doesn't matter now…"

"Marshall, come on…"

"I tried to have too much too soon…"

"Okay, so maybe it was too soon to introduce Mary to the girls or maybe you should have talked to them more about her but you're new at this…You can't just give up."

"Mary will be long gone by now." He shook his head. "She kept telling me she wasn't interested in being around kids…that she wasn't that kind of person."

"But she came tonight." Jack pointed out. "She came and she stayed…She may not have felt completely comfortable but she wasn't hating it, well not until Alexis kicked off."

Marshall groaned and pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes.

"The girls are asleep…You should go talk to her."

Marshall looked across at him quickly. "Are you crazy?! I can't leave them…"

"They're sleeping." Jack stated. "I'll be here."

"And if they wake up?"

"They won't." Jack shrugged. "And even if they do, you're not going to be able to fix things tonight."

"Jack…"

"Listen to me, I'm your big brother….Go."

Marshall thought about it for another couple of seconds before pushing himself to his feet. He patted his brother's shoulder in silence thanks before heading down the stairs.

Jack waited until he heard the front door closes before standing up to. First, he checked on Ava and saw she was where he left her, her little arms curled around a stuffed dog that once belonged to Marshall. When he moved into Alexis' room, he took extra care to be quiet, knowing if the youngest woke up he could deal with it but if Alexis woke up before Marshall returned then he had no idea what would happen. When he entered, he found his oldest niece fast asleep on top of the covers. He crossed the room, knelling beside her and couldn't help but sigh when he saw her tear stained face. As gently as possible, he managed to get Alexis under the cover and then realized she had something clutched in her hand tightly. Uncurling her hand, he found a photograph of her and Marshall, taken just after they had arrived in New Jersey. Marshall had known his oldest was upset about leaving New Mexico so spent extra time making sure her new bedroom was special. Her old bedroom had everything pink, fit for a princess but Alexis had said she was too old for that so instead Marshall painted the walls white and the boarder purple with sliver stars. There was a large bookcase in the corner that was too big for her small collection but she was slowly filling it. The photograph had been taken after Marshall had showed her the room for the first time and the two of them were led on their backs on the bed. Marshall had one arm wrapped around Alexis' shoulder while pointing up to the stars on the ceiling, teaching her about constellations but instead of looking at the stickers above her, she was looking at him adoring, her chin resting against his chest.

Jack carefully straightened out the photograph and placed it on the nightstand, before placing a kiss on her forehead; wondering if this was all about Alexis missing her mom or if she was scared she was losing Marshall too now Mary was in the picture.

XxXxX

Mary had never been so grateful at the sight of her apartment door and once she was inside, she leaned back against it heavily; trying to hold on to her emotion. It took a minute for her to realize she wasn't alone and when she opened her eyes, she saw Brandi sat on the couch, the TV remote in her hand but looking at Mary confused.

"Mare?"

"What are you doing here?" She asked. "You don't live here anymore."

"I wanted to see how it went over at Marshall's…" She answered, watching her sister cross the room and drop down into the armchair. "Did something happen? Was he not happy to see you?"

"It's was fine…It was no big deal."

Brandi frowned. "Are you sure?"

"What did you expect? Me to start playing happy families?" She rolled her eyes. "You know me, I don't do kids and kids hate me…"

"Kids don't hate you." Brandi calmed. "Sure, you haven't really been around them…"

"Just leave it, Brandi…"

"What happened, Mare?"

"Nothing…"

"You look like you've been crying."

"I don't cry…"

"Did he hurt you?" Brandi's eyes widened a little. "Do you want me to go over there?"

Mary stared at her for a second before laughing out loud, the mental image of Brandi confronting Marshall was too much. "And what would you do when you got there?"

"I don't know…" She shrugged. "I could break the windows in his car…Or teepee his house…"

"Oh god, Brandi…What are you? Fourteen?"

"If he's hurt you…"

"He hasn't…He's a good guy, remember?"

"So, what has upset you?"

Mary sighed. "I don't fit in…"

"What?"

"With Marshall and his family, I don't fit in." She claimed. "They were having this cozy night in, Marshall and his kids…his brother, sister in law and their kids….I just didn't belong."

"They said that?"

"No, they didn't need too…" She sighed; deciding Brandi didn't need to know about Alexis' outburst since her little sister seemed to be intent on sticking up for her.

"Oh Mare, I'm sorry."

"I knew it was going to happen." She tried to shrug it off. "It's not a big deal."

Brandi knew she was lying but also knew that it would do no good trying to push Mary into talking about it anymore.

"We could put on a movie, not a chick flick…One of your horror movies." Brandi suggested. "And I'll make us some popcorn…"

Despite wanting nothing more than climbing into bed and hiding under the covers, Mary found herself nodding her agreement.

"I'm going to change out of these clothes first." She told Brandi but as she stood up there was a knock on the door.

She paused for a second, guessing it was going to be Jinx. She always seemed to sense when her daughters were spending time together and always acted like a child being left out of the fun but when she opened the door, she found Marshall stood leaning against the wooden frame.

He was staring at the floor and when he did lift his eyes to her, she could see he looked as devastated as she felt. She swallowed the lump that rose in her throat, knowing that it might be last time she saw him. One of the things she admired about him was his dedication to his girls and she was in no doubt that he would put them first.

Without being able to stop herself, she grabbed hold of his shirt collar and pulled him to her, kissing him deeply. If this was going to be the last time she saw him then she was going to make the most of it. Forgetting her sister sat on the couch, watching them, she maneuvered him through the apartment and into the bedroom.

"So, you don't want to watch a movie?" Brandi called out and the only reply she got was the bedroom door slamming shut, she smirked to herself as she grabbed her purse and jacket. "I'll take that as a no, then…"

XxXxX

Marshall glanced at the clock on the bedside table, knowing that he should probably head home but he hated the idea of leaving Mary. He had come to talk but they had barely spoken a word since he arrived over two hours ago. They both just seemed content being in each other's arms.

"I understand, you know…" Mary whispered, breaking the silence.

"Understand what?"

"If you have to go…" She sat up, taking the sheet with her to wrap around her body. "Alexis and Ava need you."

It was almost 2am and Jack would have called if there was a problem with the girls. "I've got some time…"

"I don't want to drag this out." She sighed.

He frowned a little and moved to sit up, beside her. "Drag what out?"

"Come on, Marshall…We both know what's going to happen here."

"We do?"

"I've had a great time with you, I mean, I never ever expected to be in a relationship with a guy like you but we should probably quit now before anyone gets hurts more than they already have."

"You're breaking up with me?"

She looked at him in disbelief. "You're telling me that you didn't come here tonight to tell me the same?"

"No…"

"Yeah right…"

"I came to tell you I want to make it work."

"We tried to make it work and it didn't…We're just too different."

"I didn't take you as a quitter."

She glared at him. "Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Try and bait me into continuing this."

He sighed. "Mare, I just don't want to lose you."

"It's best for everyone…"

"Please, let's just try again." He took her hands. "I know I messed up, I should have told the girls more about you before you met them and we should have planned a time and place for you to meet them properly instead of just throwing you into the deep end…"

"You can't take all the blame…I was the one that turned up at your place." She cut in. "If anything, I jumped in at the deep end."

"That might be and maybe you'll never be ready to meet them or they might not be ready for you but I just can't walk away from you, Mare." He stroked her cheek gently, leaning over her.

"It's best for everyone…" She repeated.

"Not for me." He shook his head. "I know it might be selfish but I want you in my life."

"Marshall…"

"I'm falling in love with you, Mary Shannon." He took the risk to say after taking a deep breath. "Please, don't break my heart before giving us a second chance."

She stared up at him in surprise, not knowing what to say as he watched her, expecting her to kick him out there and then. Instead she reached up and pulled him down to kiss him again. She had no idea what she was going to do but it seemed she was going to find it just as hard to let him go as he did her.

TBC

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