Author's Note: Special thanks to BrittanyLS, JJ2008, and thena-ditey for the reviews! And to thena-ditey (and for hitting the 200th!) and BravoExpressions for the catch-up reviews!
QUOTE PROMPT #115 – MARY/MARSHALL/BRANDI WARNING FOR CHILD ABUSE*
"How did your brain even learn human speech? I'm just so curious."
"How could you have been so stupid?" Mary hissed at her sister. "You've known this guy for two weeks and you left my niece alone with him! What were you thinking?"
"I had to run out to the store for diapers. She was asleep. I didn't think it would be a problem!" Brandi cried.
Mary wrung her hands. "That's just it. You never think! And now my niece is in the hospital with a broken arm! What is wrong with you?"
Marshall placed his hands on Mary's shoulders and massaged them lightly as Brandi's sobs grew louder. "She's going to be okay, Mare. Let's just focus on that for now."
"I never should have let her go with you," Mary muttered.
"She's my daughter!" Brandi yelled.
"When it suits you!" Mary shot back.
Brandi stood, her face red. "What's that suppose to mean?"
Mary brushed Marshall of her shoulders and stepped forward. "It means that I've been more of a mother to her during her first two years than you have. You flit in and out of her life like she's a hobby."
"How dare you!" Brandi shouted. She geared up to smack Mary, but was stopped by Marshall gripping her wrist. He sent Brandi to one side of the waiting room and Mary to the other. They both seethed quietly until the doctor entered the room followed by a police officer and a nurse.
"How is she?" Mary asked, jumping up. Brandi, too, rose to her feet, but she eyed the cop warily.
The doctor smiled. "She'll be fine. Her arm's in a cast and she has a few bruises on her arm, but other than that, there are no injuries. Now, she'll-"
Mary's thoughts trailed off as the doctor explained what they needed to do with the cast, knowing that Marshall was hanging on every word. Her only thought was of her niece laying on the hospital bed, crying for her. Mary interrupted, "Can I go see her?"
"You're her aunt?" the doctor asked. Mary nodded. "She's been asking for you. The nurse will take you to see her."
"Thanks," Mary muttered, tossing a quick glance at Marshall. The tiny blond threw herself at her aunt when Mary entered the room, startling the nurse watching her. Mary pulled her into her arms and held her as tightly as she could without hurting her niece until the tears stopped. Mary crawled into the bed, keeping the two-year-old close to her chest, singing to her until she fell asleep.
Marshall entered the room quietly sometime later. "They're going to release her in a few hours."
Mary tensed. "I'm not letting Brandi take her."
"She's agreed to let her come home with us for now," Marshall told her.
"I'm not doing this again," Mary said, pointedly. "If Brandi won't give us custody, I'm fighting her for it."
Marshall pursed his lips. "It'll get messy."
Mary sighed. "I know. But it's what I have to do."
"Just tell me what you need."
QUOTE PROMPT #116 – MARSHALL/NORAH
"And that's exactly how I live my life - from one dream to the next. Hating every update of reality."
"I can't."
"Yes, you can," Marshall said, patiently.
She shook her head. "It's too far. Just leave me here."
Marshall stretched out his hand. "It's not too far. I'm right down here to catch you."
"I can't," she repeated after a few moments.
"Do you trust me?" he asked, stretching out a hand towards her.
She was quiet again, contemplating his words. At last, she nodded. "Yes."
Marshall grinned. "Then, jump, baby!"
"Whee!" Norah shouted, jumping from the platform of the jungle gym into his waiting arms. She smiled, proudly. "I did it!"
"You certainly did, Princess." He kissed her cheek and hugged her tight.
Norah wiggled to get down. "I'm going to do it again!"
Marshall beamed, though inwardly he cringed. He had created a monster.
QUOTE PROMPT #117 - DELIA
"I have nothing to apologize about!"
"She's really coming?" Delia whispered, excitedly to her boss.
Marshall shrugged. He, unlike Delia, was not excited. In fact, he was praying that his stomach wasn't about to show up all over the floor of the WitSec office. "That's what Stan tells me."
Delia scooted closer to him. "And how are you doing with all of this? I mean, have you heard from her at all the last three years?"
"No," he whispered before shaking his head. "It doesn't matter. We're both professionals and we can handle a few days together."
"If you say so..." Delia's voice trailed off as the elevator doors opened to reveal Mary Shannon. She looked as nervous as they felt. Her hair was shorter and had more brown than blond in it. It was pulled back into a ponytail, a few strands fallen loose. There were dark circles under her eyes and the tension was visible from the distance. Still, Delia pounced as she let Mary through the doors. "Mary! It's so good to see you! How are you? How's Norah? How's Atlanta?"
Mary stepped back, avoiding eye contact with anyone. "Good. Growing like a weed. Hot."
Marshall turned towards the conference room when it was clear that Mary wasn't going to elaborate any further. "Well, we should probably get started."
"You know, Mary, it's not my place to say anything, but I think if you would just apologize for leaving like you did, you and Marshall could get your friendship back on track," Delia suggested.
"You're right. It's not your place to say anything. And I have nothing to apologize for." Mary brushed past her. "I'm just here to do a job and get home as soon as I can."
Delia frowned as Mary followed Marshall into the conference room. She sighed when Mary took a seat as far from Marshall and immediately began to look through her phone. They were once an impenetrable team and now they were like strangers. If only she could get one of them to bend...
