Author's Note: Special thanks to JJ2008, Jayne Leigh, MegManning, and Hannanball13 for the reviews! Some of the ideas in some of these just might end up a future fic.

QUOTE PROMPT #010 - MARY/MARSHALL

"There's always a choice between what is right and what is easy."

"Why are you here?" Mary hissed as she stood in her doorway at three in the morning. "You're getting married in twelve hours."

"No," Marshall replied, hoarsely, "I'm not."

Mary flinched as lightening flashed behind him. "What are you talking about?"

Marshall sighed. "We broke up. She's keeping the house, the dog, and the ring."

"Why?"

He hesitated. "Why is she keeping the house, the dog, and the ring?"

Mary rolled her eyes. "Why did you break up?"

"Because I don't love her enough."

She stumbled back slightly as the words of her own broken engagement washed over her. "That's crazy. I've seen you with her. This is just nerves; cold feet."

Marshall took a step forward. "It's not. I don't love her enough to tease her all day just because I can. I don't love her enough to let her see the dark side of me, the side that hurts, the side that's ugly." He reached out and grabbed her wrists, pulling her flush against him. "I don't love her enough to give up my dream of a sarcastic wife and two little blond girls running around. I don't love her enough to stop loving you."

Mary's skin tingled where his fingers stroked her. "You love me?" He nodded. "Enough to put up with my corrosiveness?" Again, he nodded. "And my fear of intimacy?" He smirked as he nodded. "And my insane family?"

"I love you, Mary," Marshall breathed out. "No other woman will ever be enough."

Mary's heart pounded in her ear and she struggled to breathe. She dragged her eyes to his, bathing in his warmth and love. For the first time since she was a small child, she felt peace. "I love you, too."

QUOTE PROMPT 011 - BRANDI

"One day I shall come back. Yes I shall come back. Until then there can be no fears, no regrets, no anxieties. Just move forward in all your beliefs and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine."

"You were suppose to be her last week," Mary whispered as loudly as she could into the phone without disturbing the two children playing with Marshall nearby.

"I know. I'm sorry," Brandi replied. "It's just that this job is taking longer than I thought it would."

Mary sighed, rubbing her forehead with her hands, catching Marshall's attention. "When do you think you'll be back?"

Brandi frowned. "I'm not sure. Things are going really well. Did you get the money that I sent you?"

"Yeah, but you really don't have to do that. We're fine. You should save up whatever you can."

"Has he asked for me?" Brandi asked, almost shyly, changing the subject.

Mary glanced at her two-year-old nephew. "Sure."

"Really?"

"No!" Mary shouted. "It's been over six months since he's seen you. He doesn't ask for you anymore." Mary bit her bottom lip as Marshall wrapped his arms around her, rocking her slightly to calm her down. "You need to come home."

Brandi forced down a sigh. "I'm going to send some papers making you and Marshall his guardian."

"Brandi-"

She continued as if she hadn't heard. "It's just that with my job so crazy right now, I want to make sure that he's protected, that he's safe."

Mary laid her head against Marshall's shoulder. "Fine."

"I have to go," Brandi said, abruptly. "I'll try to call next week. Bye."

Brandi hung up the phone before Mary had a chance to respond. She tossed the phone on the seat beside her before gripping the steering wheel. She watched through the windshield as Marshall leaned down to give Mary a reassuring kiss. He released her just as the kids leapt onto him. With Mary's help, they knocked him to the ground. Brandi could hear their laughter from across the park. With one final look, she turned on the car and drove away.

QUOTE PROMPT #012 – MARY/MARSHALL/NORAH

"I tried to convince myself the reason I didn't come earlier was because of you coming in to work drunk, but that's not it. I was scared. I guess after all this time I still think of you as like this superhero that'll help me out in any situation I'm in. I needed that."

"Mary," Seth interrupted, gruffly. "I've tried. His mother has tried. His brothers. Stan. None of us can get through to him. He just lies there in bed all day long. You're kind of our last hope."

"Then you really are screwed," Mary retorted. She sighed when Seth didn't reply. "I haven't talked to him since a week before the wedding."

"At his bachelor party," Seth said.

Mary grew quiet, recalling that night. "Yeah."

Seth huffed a puff of air. "Please."

"Have everyone out of the house in thirty minutes."

When Mary arrived at the house exactly thirty-two minutes later, she found the driveway deserted. She gathered Norah up from the backseat, along with her diaper bag before entering the house. The house felt sad, though nothing in Mary's sight appeared out of the ordinary.

"Okay, Bug. Time to do your thing," Mary muttered to her daughter. She quietly snuck the one-year-old into Marshall's bedroom where he was curled into a tight ball, fast asleep. Mary kissed Norah's forehead before placing her on the bed. Mary stepped outside of the bedroom and waited.

Nearly ten minutes later, Marshall appeared with Norah in his arms. His eyes were red, but his cheeks had some color in them. He wordlessly handed Norah back to Mary, but instead of returning to the bedroom, he padded down the hall to the bathroom. A few minutes later, Mary heard the shower turn on.

Smiling to herself, Mary took Norah to the living room. She sent Norah up with some toys on the floor before sitting on the couch, her foot shaking nervously as she waited for Marshall to return. Mary heard his voice float down the hall before she saw him.

"Yes, Mom, I'm fine. I'm sorry I worried you. No, I think you and Dad should stay at the hotel tonight. No, really, I'm fine. I'm going to hang out with Mary and Norah tonight." Marshall rounded the corner to the living room. He leaned against the doorway as he listened to his mother speak, his eyes following Norah as she played. "No, Mom. I think I just needed to be reminded that I was still someone's hero. Why don't we meet for breakfast tomorrow and I'll tell you all about it."

Marshall hung up the phone and sat beside Mary on the couch. He grabbed her hand as he smiled at Norah. Marshall kept his face forward as he said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome."