Author's Note: Special thanks to thena-ditey, JMS529, JJ2008, Guest, and BrittanyLS for the reviews! I like reading the opinions on that last drabble as it's the very condensed theme of my next IPS chapter story...
QUOTE PROMPT #118 – MARY/OC NIECE
"Everything matters. Everything you think, feel, but most of all - everything you do - it all counts."
"What do you want to do today, Sprout?" Mary asked her four-year-old niece as the little girl stumbled towards the breakfast table.
"Norah wants to go swimming," Kayla mumbled.
Mary studied her for a minute. "We did what Norah wanted to do yesterday. It's your turn to pick."
Kayla shrugged. "Swimming's fine."
"Okay." Mary switched tactics. "Okay, let's try this. If you could do anything, anything in the whole world, what would it be?"
"It doesn't matter."
Mary frowned as she was reminded of Marshall's "everything matters" speech. "It matters to me. What do you want to do?"
Kayla hesitated. "I want… I want to go to the museum… with Uncle Marshall."
"Well, the museum part I can arrange. The Uncle Marshall part may be a bit trickier," Mary told her frankly.
"It's okay. I'm fine with swimming," Kayla sighed, sliding from the chair.
Mary groaned. She and Marshall had been having problems lately as he had been subtly pushing her to expand their relationship and she, in a panic, had been pushing him away. Mary had taken the week off to spend with her daughter and niece so that she and Marshall had a break from each other. The last thing that she wanted to do was call him, but she didn't want to disappoint her niece who so rarely spoke her wants aloud.
"Marshall Mann."
"Hey, Marshall, it's Mary. Are you doing anything today?"
Marshall paused, analyzing her voice for any hidden meaning. She had claimed that she was taking the week to spend some long overdue bonding time with the girls, but he knew it was really to get away from him. "Nothing important. Why?"
Mary took a deep breath. "Kayla wants to go to the museum… with you. I wouldn't bother you on your day off except that she doesn't usually ask for anything. Do you think you'd be able to spend a few hours with us today?"
"Of course," he replied, immediately. "What do you say I pick you guys up in two hours?"
"Sounds good," Mary said, a bit surprised at his eagerness. She quickly hung up the phone and padded down the hall to find Kayla. Kayla was sitting on her bed, brushing her doll's hair. "Guess what, Sprout? I just talked to Uncle Marshall and he is going to be here in a few hours to take us to the museum."
Kayla's eyes lit up. "Really? Really, really?" She laughed when Mary nodded and jumped out of bed, throwing her arms around Mary. "Thank you, Aunt Mary! Thank you! Thank you! Uncle Marshall is the bestest guy in the whole world, isn't he?"
Mary grinned as the young girl's jubilance was contagious. "He really is."
QUOTE PROMPT #119 – MARY/MARSHALL
"If I ask you to change too many things about yourself, you're not going to be the man I fell in love with."
"Mary?" Marshall called out, walking into the kitchen. "What are you doing?"
Mary huffed. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm cooking."
Marshall frowned. "You don't cook."
"Your entire family is coming over here for the first time," she told him.
"And?"
Mary shot him an exasperated look. "And I don't want them to think I can't cook for my family. I have spent years listening to your tales about your mother's home cooked meals."
Marshall grimaced. He had to refrain from smacking his own forehead as he realized that Mary had been comparing herself to the idolized stories of his mother that he had told her. Marshall grabbed her hands to stop her from stirring. "Mary. You don't have to impress my mother and really don't have to impress the rest of my family."
"But-"
"No, listen. My mother won't care whether or not you cook. She made dinner because she liked to do it. The only thing that my mother cares about is whether or not you love me." He kissed her lips lightly. "And you do that very well."
Mary smiled, faintly. "You want me to stop cooking?"
Marshall nodded. "I think it would be safest for everyone."
"How do you think your mother would feel if I gave you fat lip?"
QUOTE PROMPT #120 – MARSHALL/MARK
"I think, in her heart, she forgave me for what happened to our kid. She just... couldn't forget."
"Hey, Marshall," Mark said as the inspector met him at the airport gate.
"Mark," he replied, evenly. "How was the flight?"
Mark shrugged. "It was okay. I can't really complain. So, is it just you this time? No Mary or Norah?"
Marshall nodded, grabbing Mark's carry-on bag. "Mary thought it would be easier if you saw Norah at the house where things are a bit calmer. Jinx has taken the boys for the afternoon so you'll have her all to yourself."
"Her and Mary and you, you mean," Mark clarified. "Mary's not going to let Norah out of her sight while I'm around."
"Mary is just a little uncomfortable-"
Mark held up his hand to stop Marshall's explanation. "Look, I get it. I screwed up. I let Norah get. hurt on my watch. I just wish she could remember all the times that I didn't screw up."
Marshall frowned. "Just play by her rules for a little while longer and she'll come around."
"You really believe that?" Mark asked.
"I believe it's possible," Marshall admitted. "I think it would help if you came to visit more often. Six months is a long time to a three-year-old."
Mark scowled. "It's hard... to be here; to know that I screwed up and let my kid get hurt. It's hard to see just how happy she is with you filling the role as her father. Norah and I used to be so close, but the day that she shrunk away from me to cling to you, a part of me died."
Marshall clapped his shoulder, sympathetically. "You're still her father, Mark. She can love us both. We'll work through it."
"Sure," Mark replied, though he didn't really put any faith in Marshall's words. "Come on. I'm looking forward to seeing Norah."
