Mary waited anxiously in the hotel room pacing back and forth while muttering and it was driving Stan nuts. "Mary he'll be fine but you won't be if you don't stop pacing."

"I don't like it that one of us isn't outside protecting him." Mary admitted.

"The snipers are on the roof tops and Dershowitz will protect him. Joey and anyone else he might send would recognize the two of us by now." Stan knew they had to see them at some point entering and leaving the hospital.

They both heard through their earpieces Marshall announcing his arrival at the hotel. Stan and Mary drew their weapons and peaked out the slits between the curtain and window.

Marshall parked the SUV and looked down at Bobby. "Here we go."

Marshall got out and headed to the hotel room. Getting the key out, he opened the door and fell forward as the bullet impacted the vest. Lying still on the ground he waited for the word to get up .Through his earpiece he heard. "We have the shooter. Repeat we have the shooter."

Mary and Stan moved over to help Marshall up. "Crap that hurts." He started rotating his shoulder to try and ease the pain and make sure nothing was broken.

"Take off your shirt and vest. I want to make sure you're okay." Stan demanded.

Marshall rolled his eyes but complied. "You're going to need ice on that bruise. You owe the man who invented the bulletproof vest." Stan let out a sigh of relief.

Marshall smiled. "Casimir Zeglen of Chicago Illinois is credited with producing the first commercial bullet proof vest. It became available to the public in the late 1800s."

"You would know that." Dershowitz commented as he entered the room. "He okay?"

"Bruised but not broken." Mary supplied.

Bobby nodded. "If you want to get back to the hospital, I can get your report later." Marshall nodded buttoning up his shirt.

They were all heading out to their vehicles when Bobby and Stan stopped briefly to discuss a few details. Mary was walking a foot behind Marshall. When the night was pierced with Mary's warning.

"Gun!" Mary tackled Marshall to the ground.

Bobby and Stan both pulled their guns at the warning. The two fired at the shooter and advanced on his location. They turned the shooter over and checked the man's wallet for identification. "Joey." The men nodded and called for an ambulance.

Marshall released a breath. "Mary, you can get up now." When she didn't answer he became scared. "Mare? Oh please not again." It was then that he heard her irregular breathing. Tilting her face so he could look into it, he noticed the blank expression. "Mary, look at me." She still didn't respond. "Mare, look at me." The change in his tone seemed to snap her out of it.

Mary blinked rapidly and tried to move off Marshall but he gently restrained her from doing so. "You okay?" Mary asked trying to control her trembling.

"What just happened?" Marshall could feel her shaking.

"Flashback." She shrugged.

"Are you hurt?" Marshall waited while she looked herself over.

"No." She whispered. Stan and Bobby came up.

"Are you both alright?" Stan asked.

"Yeah. We're okay." Marshall answered allowing Mary to gain her composure.

"Marshall, take Mary just as an added precaution." Stan insisted as he saw Marshall getting ready to leave.

"Sure. Let's go." Marshall made sure Mary moved to the other side before getting in.

The first few minutes passed in silence neither knowing what to say before Marshall finally broke the silence.

"Thank you." Marshall spoke softly. His hands were trembling from thinking Mary had been shot again.

"You're welcome." She whispered softly back.

Marshall knew they would be okay. "Mare, we're bruised but not broken." He saw the slight tug on her lips appear as he repeated her words from earlier.

"I'm upset that you told Raph but I know that you did it to try and make things better. I could've spoken up, informed Stan that you had but I didn't. My dad was right; you'd never pass that information on if you'd thought someone would be hurt. We'll be okay in time." Marshall reassured. The panic he felt when she didn't answer him, confirmed that.

"Promise?" Mary was still worried.

"Promise." Marshall agreed as they pulled into the hospital parking lot. He knew it wouldn't take long to forgive her, part of him realized he already started to.

"It's not your fault that you didn't say anything either. You had my back and should've never been put in that position." Mary wanted him to be clear on that.

"We made choices and they had consequences. I don't hate you Mare, I'm not sure I ever could. I feel guilty but in time I'm sure it will fade." Marshall tilted his head and looked at her. "When you didn't move I thought you'd been shot again." He shuddered at that.

Mary reached over and he let her hold his hand. "I'd rather die than have you dead. On the other hand I'd prefer we go together. It would be much more convenient for both of us." She flashed a smile trying to lighten the mood. Marshall chuckled slightly.

Marshall pushed the door open and was greeted with the most beautiful sight he'd seen since the mess began. His mom was awake and talking to his father. Both turned their heads towards the door.

"Marshall, look who decided to join us. I was telling your mother what's been happening since she took her power nap. Everything go okay?" Ryder asked.

"Thanks to Mary." Marshall shrugged.

"Young man, I hope you're not still giving her a hard time." Elizabeth scolded. "You have no idea what it's like."

Marshall raised an eyebrow and his dad chuckled. "Did you tell her to say that?"

"I speak for myself Marshall. Now get over here and give me a hug." He complied. "Where's that partner of yours? I still haven't had a chance to meet her."

"Why aren't you mad at either of us?" Marshall asked.

"Please I'm too old to be holding grudges for decisions made while trying to do the right thing." Elizabeth stated.

Marshall noticed her trying to cover up a yawn. "Why don't you get some sleep and I'll make sure Mary's here when you wake up." His mom smiled and soon fell asleep.

Mary knocked lightly on the door before sticking her head in. "Can I come in?"

"No need to ask Mary." Ryder replied.

She had an ice pack in one hand. "Marshall." She passed it to him.

Ryder had noticed Mary's worry when looked at him. "Marshall, can you get me a coffee?"

"Sure, Mare do you need anything?" When she said no he left the two of them,

"Mary, neither of us blames you. Stop fretting. As a matter of fact, Elizabeth is still itching to meet you." Ryder tried to put her at ease.

"Why aren't you upset with me?" Mary didn't get it. She'd have been tearing someone apart.

"Elizabeth and I know what it's like to be engaged to someone in this job, Marshall hasn't had any experience with that. He dates, but when it's more than dating it gets complicated. I also know that you care deeply for my son and would do nothing to hurt him intentionally. You handled him rather well when he was upset, that doesn't come from a person that would deliberately hurt someone. What's the ice pack for?" Ryder asked.

Mary had to switch gears at the quick change in topic. "Marshall bruised his shoulder getting the people responsible for the shootings."

Marshall returned and the three talked for awhile. Elizabeth began to stir and Mary felt panicked briefly but Ryder gently squeezed her hand to remind her of the early conversation.

Marshall smiled at his mom. "Mom this is my partner Mary. Mary this is Elizabeth Mann."

"Nice to meet you." Mary tried to be as pleasant as possible. Marshall gave her a strange look.

"You boys go away and let us girls talk for awhile." Elizabeth indicated for them to leave. "They hover too much."

"They've been very worried." Mary informed. "I need to apologize to you for all that has happened."

"They filled me in and I don't blame you." She hadn't missed the guilty look or the worry in Mary's eyes. She had suffered just as much as Marshall and Ryder had. "Marshall is already coming around. He's never been good at staying angry with the people that matter most to him. Things will be fine of that I'm sure."

"Thank you." Mary meant it more than Mrs. Mann could ever know.

"Alright, enough of that, what would you like to know about Marshall?" Mary beamed a smile at her.

Ryder and Marshall had given the woman an hour together. They figured it should be safe to return. Marshall could hear the laughter in the hallway. He groaned and his dad patted him on the back.

Ryder smiled at his wife but could see her eyes drifting again. "Stop embarrassing your son and get some rest."

"You just might be right for a change, Ryder." She started drifting off again.

"Could I get that in writing?" Ryder teased as she fell asleep again.

A month and a half passed and Mary was waiting for her temporary suspension to end. Elizabeth and Ryder Mann had returned to Texas. Elizabeth was healing and promised another visit. Mary and Marshall had been working through their issues. Joey had been brought up on charges but was now in the witness protection program as he turned evidence on Vance Smith. Wayne Rogers was sentenced to prison and Raph was entered into the program as a safety precaution because of his help with setting Joey up and his agreement to testify.

Marshall drove to Mary's. She had been restless since she wasn't allowed to work. Brandi let him in as she was leaving.

"Mary's out by the pool. Bye Marshall." Brandi called over her shoulder.

"Doofus! What brings you by?" Mary was always glad to get updates on her witnesses from her partner. She lived vicariously through him currently.

Marshall smiled it was the first time since they found out Raph was involved that she'd called him by her pet nickname. "Hold out your hands and close your eyes."

"I hate surprises." Mary reminded gruffly.

"Some are good. Just do it or you'll never know." Marshall teased. Mary reluctantly agreed. "Welcome back partner." He stated placing her gun and badge into her hands.

"Really?" She felt like a piece of her was missing without them.

"It's official." Marshall didn't tell her about the favors his dad and Stan called in. She didn't need to know the effort it took to get her job back.

Mary was so happy she threw herself at Marshall and hugged him. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She did a victory dance by the side of the pool much to Marshall's amusement. "We should celebrate. You should treat me to dinner."

"Why should I treat you? It's your happy dance shouldn't you be treating me?"

"Now that I think about it, no." They both smiled. Mary stopped and looked at him before they were about to leave. "Marshall, we're not bruised anymore are we?"

"No, no we're not." He walked up and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.