Author's Note: Special thanks to JMS529, BrittanyLS, and JJ2008 for the reviews!
QUOTE PROMPT #088 – MARY/MARSHALL
"Sometimes we search for one thing but discover another."
"Marshall! Have you seen Norah's shoes?" Mary called out, rushing to pack up her daughter's things so that she could drop Norah off at her grandmother's before work. They had spent the weekend holed up in Marshall's house as was an increasingly common occurrence lately.
"Um, try the armoire!" he yelled back, feeding Norah her breakfast.
Mary sighed and mumbled, "You couldn't just say dresser like everyone else."
Rifling through the shelves, she found her hairbrush, the dvd case for "Die Hard," and Norah's shoes. She was shutting the door to the armoire when a small, shiny bag caught her eye. Pausing to make sure that she could still hear Marshall in the kitchen, Mary snatched the bag and looked inside.
"Oh... my... God," Mary whispered.
"Did you find the shoes?" Marshall asked, walking into the bedroom, carrying Norah on his hip. His eyes widened when he saw what Mary had in her hand.
Mary's eyes flicked from the bag to Marshall. "What is this?"
Marshall held Norah closer, almost as a shield. "It's, um, it... It was suppose to be a surprise."
"A surprise?" she repeated.
"Mary," Marshall took a deep breath as he stepped forward, "I love you. I know that you love me, too, even if you never say it." Mary let out a nervous whoosh. "I absolutely treasure the time that the three of us spend together and I'm lost whenever you and Norah aren't here.
"I want to come home and eat dinner with you. I want to help you put Norah to bed, then take my wife to bed and make love to her half the night. I want to wake up tangled up with you in the morning and have you harass me to make breakfast. I want to spend my life with you. Mary, will you marry me?"
Mary licked her lips. She took a quick glance to Norah, who was watching her intently. She shrugged. "Okay."
Marshall breathed in sharply. "Okay?"
"Sure, why not? It'll save us a few bucks not paying for two houses."
Marshall grabbed her and pulled her close, careful to not squish Norah. "If I knew the saving money angle would be the key to you saying yes, I would have asked you years ago."
QUOTE PROMPT #089 – MARY/MARSHALL
"You know, that's maybe what sucks most about getting older. Somewhere along the way you just lose the butterflies"
"So, are you and Kenny celebrating your anniversary?" Marshall asked Mary as they packed up the office for a long weekend.
Mary scoffed. "Anniversary?"
He nodded. "It's been a year since you two have... you know."
"Yeah, I don't think that's something to really celebrate."
"Why not?" Marshall peered closely at her face in a way that made her shift uncomfortably.
Mary shrugged. "We're just not those kind of people. We don't even see each other week." She frowned at his almost appalled look. "Hey, we're adults. We don't get that butterfly in the stomach feeling when we see each other. It's just companionship."
In a flash, Marshall moved in front of her, standing close enough that she could feel his body heat. He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "You should never live without the butterflies, Mary. It's what keeps life exciting and fresh."
"Oh?" she squeaked.
Marshall lowered his lips so that they were just out of reach of her lips. His eyes remained locked on hers. "Do you feel the butterflies, Mary?" A hot flush crept up her neck and she nodded. "Good." With that, he released her and began to walk towards the elevator.
Mary glared at the back of his head. "What the hell? You can't just... do that and walk away!"
He turned back around, placing his hands on her shoulder. "You're not free to feel the butterflies with me, Mary. Not yet, anyway."
"What are your plans for this weekend?" she asked, abruptly.
"Working around the house," Marshall replied, a bit of confusion lacing his voice.
Mary nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow." She gave him a crooked smile before strolling out the door, leaving him standing in the middle of the office. She had a conversation that she needed to get to, but tomorrow; tomorrow she would let her butterflies soar.
PROMPT #090 – MARY/MARSHALL
"I know that you're confused about who you are, so I'm going to tell you. You are a hero who helped your people."
Marshall walked into his house after a long day at the office that started at four in the morning. It was a little before 9PM now. He nearly burst out laughing at the sight in his living room. His wife sat on the floor, her back against the couch. Their three-month-old son lay in her lap, sleeping, while his sisters, Norah and Kaylee, flitted around, fixing Mary's hair and make-up. From his position near the door, he could count thirteen barrettes, alone.
"Hello, ladies," Marshall said, causing them to look up.
"Marshall!" Norah squealed at the same time that Kaylee shouted, "Daddy!"
Marshall picked up both girls and kissed them. "Have you guys been driving your mother crazy today?"
Norah and Kaylee exchanged guilty looks before Norah replied, "No."
"I'm sure." He put them on the floor. "Now, it's pretty late so why don't you go into your room and get your pajamas on? Pick out a book to read. I'll be there soon."
"Okay!" they yelled in unison, skipping down the hall.
Marshall turned his attention to Mary. "You look ravishing."
Mary glared at him. "Three kids. You were suppose to shoot me if I ever ended up with three kids. You remember that?"
"Rough day?" His smile faded when tears welled up in her eyes. "What's wrong?"
"I have spent all day being used for food and entertainment," she replied. "I can't even remember the last time that I took a shower. I don't know who I am anymore outside of Mommy." She sighed miserably when there was a loud crash from the girls' bedroom. "Can you hold him while I go check that out?"
Marshall took the baby and helped her up. He kissed her forehead, but refused to let her go. "I'll go sort out the girls and take care of the baby. You are going to march into the bathroom and take a long, hot bath. And later, after the kids are in bed, I'm going to remind you that you are not just a mommy, but my gorgeous, sexy wife."
