Author's Note: Special thanks to JMS529, Jayne Leigh, BrittanyLS, JJ2008, and redbrainbluebrain for the reviews! We've hit over 100! Thanks so much! I'm so sorry for the delay. My baby sister got married last weekend and everything's been focused on that lately.

PROMPT #070 – BRANDI/MARY

"I challenge you to do the right thing. Not an unreasonable request to make of a man."

"Mary, why are you doing this?" Brandi asked her as Mary tried on her fifth wedding dress of the day.

"I told you," Mary huffed. "Kenny's mother wants a real wedding since she wasn't there for the last one."

Brandi rolled her eyes. "I meant, why are you marrying this guy? You don't love him."

Mary glared at her. "Of course, I do."

"No, you don't," Brandi challenged. "You're just... comfortable with him. He'll let you do whatever you want." Mary shifted uncomfortably. "He's divorced, you know."

"I know. I wouldn't be marrying him otherwise," Mary told her, haughtily.

Brandi fought to not smack her sister. "No, I mean, Marshall. I ran into him last week. He mentioned that he called to tell you that he was back in town, but that you never called him back. He said that he and Abigail were divorced."

Mary shrugged as she bit the inside of her mouth. "Well, good for him."

"Is that why you agreed to marry Kenny? Because Marshall was back in town? You accepted Kenny's proposal right about the same time that Marshall called you," Brandi pushed. Mary grinded her teeth as her eye twitched. "It is. You're still mad that Marshall married the Texas cheerleader so you're doing this to punish him."

"Let it go, Squish," Mary ordered. "I'm marrying Kenny in a few months and that's that."

Brandi stood in front of her sister. "Don't you see? Now's your chance. Go tell Marshall that you love him. You can have your happily ever after!"

Mary shook her head. "I won't be his second choice."

"Isn't that what you're doing to Kenny? Making him your second choice?" Brandi smiled to herself when she saw the realization in Mary's eyes. "Marshall married Abigail because you never gave him any indication that you loved him as anything more than his best friend. Unlike, Kenny, he wasn't willing to live that way for the rest of his life. But, Mare, all you have to do is admit to Marshall that you love him and he will be yours."

"I already agreed to marry Kenny," Mary protested, softly.

Brandi made a face. "I'm pretty sure that Kenny will bounce back. In fact, I'm willing to bet that he'll be relieved."

Mary closed her eyes, letting Brandi's words sink in. She thought about her time with Kenny, her friendship with Marshall, and her feelings for them both. Mary opened her eyes and gazed at herself in the mirror, decked out all in white, suddenly feeling like the biggest fraud out there.

She turned to Brandi. "Help me out of this dress. There's a conversation that I need to have."

PROMPT #071 - ABIGAIL

"Some people get to you more than others, I know. But when you do everything that you can, sometimes even more than you thought you could, you've got to walk away knowing you fought the good fight."

She hadn't been invited to the wedding, but that hadn't stopped her from showing up. She sat in the back of the church, away the guests. That there were few attendees didn't surprise her; neither the bride nor the groom had much family. It did surprise her that it was in a church, but she supposed it was his mother's doing.

His mother. The single most important influence in his life and she had barely known the woman, despite how close she and Marshall had been. That alone should have been a sign. But she hadn't recognized it for what it was and now she sat in the back of the church watching as the love of her life married another.

They had had a good run. She wouldn't let anyone say differently, not even the bride standing up there. In fact, she was pretty sure that neither of them would be here right now if not for her relationship with the groom. She wouldn't expect the rigid bitch to admit any of it. But she had loved him and she had left him when he couldn't leave her because it was the right thing to do.

She had let him go.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to present for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Mann," the minister announced to a roaring crowd.

With one last glance, Abigail slipped out of the church.

PROMPT #072 – MARY/MARSHALL

"Sometimes the only sane answer to an insane world is insanity."

"Marshall! What the hell are you doing here at four in the morning?" Mary demanded as she threw her front door open. Marshall had woken her from a deep sleep with a consistent pounding on her door. "If you wake these kids up, I'll kill you."

"I'm sorry, Mary," he replied, managing to sound chagrined in the middle of his excited tone, "but I've had an epiphany and I had to come see you right away."

Mary sighed as she ushered him inside. She fought against her natural inclination to throw him back out the door. He had had a rough few months with his engagement to Abigail ending in a giant pile of flames and she had promised herself that she would be a better friend to him. "So, what's this great epiphany that couldn't wait a few hours?"

Marshall grinned widely. "You and I need to pack up the kids, run away to Vegas, and get married. Today."

"Are you crazy?"

"Possibly," Marshall admitted with a shrug. "Give me one good reason that we shouldn't."

Mary pursed her lips. "You're not in love with me."

Marshall huffed. "Please. I've been in love with you for years."

"We haven't even dated," she countered.

"Why bother?" he threw back. "What more could we possibly know about each other that we don't already know? You've been my best friend for years as I've been yours. We've seen each other at our best and at our worst. We've supported each other, hurt each other, loved each other. We've been courting for years. What else you got?"

Mary had glanced away during his speech, letting his words wash over her. When she faced him again, she had a gleam in her eye. "You haven't asked me."

Marshall's smile grew. He fell to his knees, grabbing her hand. "Mary Elizabeth Shannon, I love you; I have always loved you and can't imagine a day where I wouldn't love you. Would you do me the honor and privilege of becoming my wife? Today?"

"Sure," Mary agreed flippantly.

"Really?"

Mary nodded. "We're off and didn't really have anything planned anyway."

Marshall breathed a huge sigh of relief. He stood and pulled her into his arms, kissing her soundly. "Come on. Let's go get everyone packed."

"Now?" Mary laughed.

"Absolutely," he replied. "Now, that I've caught you, I'm not letting you go." He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the bedroom. "Today begins the first day of the rest of our lives."