I don't think I've said this for this story so here it is: I don't own IPS or its characters. Only Will/Liam Mann is mine - and I'm not sharing! ;)

Raph stared at the documents in his hands, his brow furrowed and a frown on his face. "These are copies – where are the originals?"

"In my safety deposit box at the Albuquerque First National Bank and Trust."

"You live in Albuquerque?" Mary piped up from her end of the sofa where Marshall had insisted she sit with her broken ankle elevated on the coffee table.

He nodded. "Will and I moved there when I graduated college and became a US Marshal – he barely remembers the East Coast."

"But surely you've taken him back to visit your parents?"

Marshall didn't answer and she watched as a pained expression crossed his face. "Mom's come out to visit us every summer-"

Raph cleared his throat. "If we could get back to these-" he waved the papers.

Marshall blinked. "Of course – what do you want to know?"

"How do I know they're not fake?"

"Raph!" Mary gasped. "Why on earth would Marshall fake our wedding and Will's birth certificates?"

Raph shrugged. "Like I said, maybe he needs something from you."

She threw up her hands. "Like what? He's a US citizen so he doesn't need a green card or a VISA, unlike you," she pointed an accusing finger in his direction and watched as he wilted. "And I know he's not after me for alimony or child support after all these years-"

"No, Mary, Raph's right. I do want something."

Mary's mouth fell open slightly as Raph sat back with a smirk.

"I want you get to know our son – I'm sorry that I kept him from you all these years. I should have known that something was wrong, that the girl I fell in love with and married would never have stayed away so long without something interfering – something like an accident. I should have come looking for you. I know you're mad – but please, be mad at me, not Will. He's a great kid – well, not really a kid anymore," Marshall grinned. "He really would like to get to know you."

Mary blinked her tears away and gave him a small nod. "And I'd like to get to know him."

Raph was scowling again. "I still don't know that I believe all this-" he waved the documents in the air.

Mary leaned forward and tore them from his fingers. "I really don't care what you think about all this. I believe him, Raph."

"Just like that?"

She locked eyes with Marshall and nodded. "Just like that."

Marshall released a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Look, Raph, I'm not here to take your girl from you. All I want is for Mary to get to know her son. I had no idea that she didn't remember him-"

Raph shot to his feet. "Well, she's hardly my girl when she's still married to you!"

"That's merely a technicality that can be resolved quite easily." Marshall reached into his bag and pulled out another set of papers. "I've already signed – they just need your signature, Mary."

Her heart was in her throat. "Are these-"

Marshall nodded. "Divorce papers. Don't worry, I'll still answer all your questions to the best of my ability but I don't want you to think that I'm here under some misguided notion of trying to resurrect our marriage-"

Raph snorted.

"I'm serious, Raph," Marshall turned towards him. "We were kids, and haven't seen each other in eighteen years," he shrugged. "I'm sure we've grown into two completely different people – maybe we wouldn't even like each other now-"

Mary smiled sadly as she traced his signature on the page. "I don't know about that."

"Well, maybe that's going a bit far," Marshall admitted. "But we were kids back then and now we're adults, right? Surely you haven't spent the last eighteen years waiting for-" he bit the words off, realizing what he was about to say.

"That's not fair!" Mary snapped. "I didn't know I was married! How could I wait and look for you if I didn't know? You can't blame me for something I can't remember, Marshall!"

Marshall winced and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry – that was thoughtless of me. I should go – Will is waiting for my call-"

Mary dropped the papers and lunged for his hand. "Oh no – you're not going anywhere, Marshall Mann. You promised me answers and I'm not letting you go until I get some."

Raph cleared his throat. "I think I'm going to shove off – maybe go hit some balls before our game this afternoon."

Mary's eyes landed on him. "Raph, wait. I – I'm sorry-"

He shrugged. "It's OK. I know you need answers-"

"Yeah but-"

Marshall got to his feet. "I'm going to step outside and give you both a minute."

The tang of the ocean air did its magic and cleared his head almost immediately. Tension and emotions had been running high inside and Marshall knew that if he had remained inside for much longer he would have snapped and would have either said or done something he would have regretted later.

"I was in love with him."

Her words still rang in his ears and nearly sent him to his knees as he began walking towards the sand. She had never, ever said them in all the time they had been together – but she had come close. Their wedding night she had said it had never been like that with anyone else, ever. The day Will was born she said she couldn't have done it with anyone else – that he completed her and made her stronger than she was alone. He hoped that meant she loved him, but she had never said the words.

Today, after an eighteen year separation, hearing her confess to her fiancé that she had been in love with him had nearly moved him to tears and the urge to take her in his arms and kiss her and forget everything that had happened was so strong that he didn't know how he had fought it off. If Raph hadn't been in the doorway blocking the way, he feared that he very much would have. Then what would he have told Will – so much for his words about not falling into each others' arms and kissing her!

But the moment had passed and Raph had demanded proof. Marshall had been surprised Mary hadn't demanded it as well she had already seemed to be past the shock and well into the acceptance stage. She had barely glanced at the photocopies of their wedding and Will's birth certificates before Raph had ripped them from her hands, and merely locked gazes with him waiting to ask her questions.

Marshall had meant what he'd said: he should have known something was wrong. Mary wouldn't have stayed away this long without a damn good reason. If he hadn't been trying to protect himself and Will from more heartache, he could have found her years ago and maybe there would have been a chance for them to be-

"Stop beating yourself up, Marshall."

He didn't turn at her words, just continued to look out at the ocean. "You better have your crutches, Mer, or I'm carrying you back to the house to get them."

She grunted. "It's just a broken ankle-"

He whirled at her words, and took in her appearance, noticing how she was leaning to one side to keep the weight off her injury. "Shit, woman! Doesn't anyone look after you?" he crossed to her side swiftly and placed his hands at her waist.

"Marshall – what are you-"

He lifted her easily onto the nearby driftwood log, swinging her leg up so her injured ankle was elevated. "Now stay there- I'm going back to the house for your crutches."

She grabbed his arm. "No – don't."

"Mary-"

"Raph is packing up some clothes and I don't think seeing you would be the best thing right now."

He dropped onto the sand beside the log. "What happened?"

She shrugged. "I asked him to stay with one of his buddies while I get this all sorted out in my head."

"But I gave you the papers-"

Mary gave a short snort of laughter. "It doesn't change the fact that I just found out yesterday that I've been married for the past eighteen years and have a son. I'm in shock here, Marshall – I need some time."

He nodded. "I'll go then-"

Her eyes snapped back into focus. "Sit your ass down. I need answers."

"You don't need them right this second – or even today. I don't want to add to your pain and confusion right now-"

"So don't. Tell me a good memory of us. Will told me yesterday that we eloped to Atlantic City after graduation but the last thing I remember is you fighting with your dad on the lawn and me running off – remember that?"

Marshall nodded.

"So what happened next?"

He grinned. "You proposed to me."

"I did not!"

"Oh yes you did, Miss Shannon!"

She crossed her arms. "I think you better tell me what happened, Mr. Mann."

On the Jersey Shore

June 1995

"Mary! Mary, wait!" Marshall cut the engine of his bike, kicked the stand, ripped off his helmet and ran after the figure of his girlfriend that was sitting on the shore.

Mary turned her head at the sound of his voice and got up, brushing sand from her long skirt, and began walking away from him. "Go away, Marshall!" she called over her shoulder. "There's nothing more to say-"

He'd caught up to her by this time and swung her around to face him. "How can you say that?" he panted. "I love you, Mary. You know that – I can't just let you go."

Tears were streaming down her face. "It's over, Marshall. We've graduated and in the fall you're going to Harvard and I'll go to community-"

His lips captured hers and for a moment she let herself fall into his body, running her fingers through his sweaty hair. But with a cry, she pulled away, twisting her face to the side. "NO! Listen to me – we're over. It will be easier if we just end things now."

Marshall snorted. "Easier? We're going to be working side by side all summer at the diner and you think I'm going to be able to keep my hands off you? Or watch as you start dating someone else?"

Mary groaned. "So what are we supposed to do? Stay together until you leave for Harvard and then break up?"

He cupped her face. "I'm not going to Harvard – I'm not leaving you."

She shook out of his hold. "I'm not letting you throw that opportunity away – not for me."

"You're worth it – we're worth it." He crushed his mouth back to hers and this time she didn't fight him as she wound her arms around his neck and held on tight. When air became an issue, she pulled away and rested her forehead against his.

"You're not leaving me?"

He kissed her nose. "Never."

She shook her head. "Your father won't let us be together – he'll find a way to break us up."

"He can try – but he'll fail. It's you and me forever, Mer."He kissed her softly. "I'm not afraid of my father. We'll just have to think of a way to outfox him-"

She gripped his hands in hers. "What if we got married?"

The grin slid from Marshall's face. "Are you serious?"

She nodded. "Then he couldn't break us up and if you're forced to go to Harvard in a few months, I can go with you-"

He kissed her.

"Is that a yes?"

"I don't know – was that a proposal?"

"Marshall Mann, will you marry me?"

"Mm – yes." He kissed her soundly before he grabbed one of her hands and began running towards the stairs that led to the parking lot.

"Where are we going?" she panted.

"Atlantic City-"

"What!"

He handed her his extra helmet. "Weren't you serious?"

"Well – yeah, but – Your parents are going to be pissed!"

He shrugged. "And your mom's not?"

Mary thought for a moment. "She'll be sad that she missed my wedding and that I'm not there to take care of Squish- oh!"

Marshall paused. "Shit – Bee, I forgot about her. Is someone staying with her?"

"Yeah, our neighbor. I was just thinking how disappointed she's going to be when she hears that I married you and she lost her chance."

Marshall flushed. "Really? She's a little young for me, don't you think?"

Mary laughed. "Don't tell her that."

He pulled her against him. "So – are you ready to become Mrs. Mann?"

Mary ran a hand down his chest. "I should be asking you if you're ready to be deflowered."

He blushed deeply. "MARY! No one says 'deflowered' anymore."

She laughed as she swung up behind him on the motorbike, hiking her long skirt up to her knees. "Let's do it," she leaned forward to whisper in his ear.

Marshall grinned as he revved the engine and took off down the highway.

"Wow," Mary exhaled softly.

Marshall smiled as he continued to scan the Atlantic Ocean in front of him. There was something about telling that story here, on a beach on the right side of the USA with the woman who had been his child bride. He hadn't looked at her once during the story, afraid to see the emotions cross her face, afraid that she would see too many of his own in his eyes.

"I wish I could remember that."

Her words cut through his skin like a knife, and he flinched. With all the scenarios he'd played out in his head over the years about meeting up with Mary, amnesia had never entered the picture. To hear her say that she didn't remember their wedding, marriage, and the birth of their son was like losing her all over again.

"Marshall?"

He turned his head in her direction, wanting her to know that he heard her, but not wanting her to see the pain in his eyes.

"I've hurt you."

"You can't help your memory loss, Mary – but yes, it pains me that you don't remember one of the happiest days of my life."

Mary swallowed. "There's only a nine month difference between our wedding and Will's birth-" she cleared her throat. "Is he – did we-"

Marshall finally lifted his eyes to hers and was surprised to see a faint blush across her face. "Why, Miss Shannon, are you blushing?"

"Stop teasing me and tell me what I want to know!"

He grinned. "Yes, we made love on our wedding night and Will is our honeymoon baby."

"Wow," she whispered. "You didn't waste any time."

"We didn't waste any time," he corrected her softly.

"So I take it you didn't go to Harvard in the fall?"

He shook his head. "No, we moved into the city with my Aunt Gina and took a few classes at NYU. I had a part time job at Macy's and you worked there too until you got too big."

Mary made a face. "I'm not sorry I can't remember being pregnant."

"You were a bit grouchy and demanding at times-"

"Hey! It was all your fault-"

He paled. "You remember saying that?"

"No – it just came out. Why?"

Marshall shrugged. "Your hormones and emotions were all over the place when you were pregnant. You would be sweet and loving one minute and the next you'd be a screaming-"

"Bitch?" Mary smiled.

He nodded.

"Well, from what I've heard, that's normal."

"Your mood swings were more extreme than most women and I'd often come home to find you crying and in bed, and Aunt Gina would tell me that you hadn't moved all day. Both of us were worried about you but we didn't try as hard as we should have to get you help for your depression."

Mary was silent for a few moments after this revelation and Marshall feared he had shared too much too soon. But she reached for his hand and he laced their fingers together. "What happened after Will was born?" she whispered.

"At first, you felt better. But then Will wouldn't nurse and he had a hard time taking the bottle and you took it personally – you said that something was wrong with you that you couldn't even get your own son to eat. Finally he started to nurse a little and take a little formula and you perked up some. I thought things were getting better. But then-" he swallowed.

She squeezed his hand. "Tell me."

"I came home from work to find my dad in our basement apartment, holding Will. I asked why he was there because he hadn't been really speaking to us since the wedding. He said had been in the city and wanted to see his grandson. I asked where you were and at first he said you were at the store but I thought that was odd and I went into the bedroom looking for you and that was when I saw your ring lying on our bed with this note-" he released her hand to pull out his wallet. He extracted the well worn piece of paper. "Here."

She took it from him and read the words silently. "That's it? That's all I said?"

Marshall nodded.

"What did your father say?"

"Not much – I went back out and yelled and pleaded and demanded to know where you were but he insisted that Will was alone when he got there and that he'd seen the note the same as I had. But the whole time he was talking he wouldn't meet my eyes and I just knew he wasn't telling me the truth. I took Will from him and told him to get out and not come back until he was ready to tell me the truth or help me find you – that was the last time I spoke to him."

"Oh, Marshall," Mary's voice broke as she scooted forward on the log and wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him into her. "I wish – I wish I could remember that day so I could tell you what happened! I don't remember anything until I woke up in that hospital – and it doesn't change the fact that I left. I walked out on my newborn son and my husband – why?"

He pulled back so he could see her face. "You were suffering from post partum depression, Mer-"

"But that's still not-"

"I know in your eyes it's not a legitimate reason but it's a real medical condition. I have no proof but I believe that my father played on your fears and insecurities and used them against you. We both know that you wouldn't have stayed away so long if not for the accident."

She cupped his face in her hands. "I am so sorry, Marshall."

He took a deep breath as he felt a little of the past baggage leave his shoulders. "I know."

"But this is all conjecture – both of us need answers to get closure. We need to talk to your father."

Marshall shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid it's too late, Mer. Dad died three years ago."

A/N: How is Mary going to get her answers now? Reviews are LOVE!