So...this is my first stab at a IPS FF and I'm in love with this show. I hope I did it justice, read and review! Spoilers for entire show, small references here and there.

Sitting opposite an irritated Mary was nothing that would have usually fazed Marshall, but today wasn't any other day and the reason for her irritation was one that was out of her control which made everyone within a sixty foot radius fear for their life. Mary came in slamming the door behind her, throwing her bag on the floor, stomping to get coffee and dropping herself into her chair. These are also habits that didn't usually affect Marshall either, until she decided that it was appropriate to lash out at him to try and understand why his gender was a mass of mindless idiot that never knew when to back off and when to keep it in their pants.

"I mean seriously, what the fuck does it take to get a man to understand that 'Leave me alone' isn't code for bother me until I break down and tell you. Usually if I say that, the next step is handing them their balls on a silver platter for being so damn clueless!" she exclaimed, and Marshall didn't know whether or not to stand up for himself or to let her go on insulting his fellow man, so he stayed quiet until she delivered a low blow that left him reeling.

"Do you do the same thing numbnuts? Do you constantly keep asking questions until a girl wants to hand you your balls, or do you use that genius IQ of yours to know when to think with the head above your belt instead of below?" she sneered, looking at him challengingly until she realized that she hit a nerve by the way his hands clenched around his mouse and the way his eyes turned that dark blue when gearing for a fight.

Getting up, Marshall unclenched his hands a few times, and stalked his way across the room in measured strides to stand behind a smug looking Mary, knowing that her intent was to hurt him and that she had accomplished just that. She knew that Marshall was right behind her, but refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing the confused look on her face. He leaned forward to take the arms of her chair and spun her to face him, giving him the advantage to use his height against her. She stared defiantly up at him while he debated between yelling at her and shaking sense into her. He chose the former due to an immense amount of consideration for his own well being afterward. He drew himself up to his full height and looked down his nose at her, noticing the way she shrank back just the tiniest bit, not knowing what his next move was, but quickly straightening up as to not appear weak and mimicking his crossed arms. He took a deep breath to steady his anger, but made sure that his words were just as hurtful so she could understand what she had done to him only moments ago.

"Unlike most men, I know when to offer comfort and when to back off. But you wanna know the difference between all of those 'mindless idiots' and I?" he asked rhetorically, and continued on without giving her a chance to insert an answer, "The women I'm with act their age and not their shoe size. I gain their trust by knowing that it is something I can work towards, while you take men with the IQ of a walnut and never let on that you're so damaged and untrusting that they never knew it was something that wasn't on the table to begin with" he said, and the air in the office stilled as he watched the hurt expression flash over Mary's face, only to be replaced by one of anger that could make any other man crumble, but only made Marshall that much more determined to stand his ground. He knew that what he said was low, but both of them knew it was true. The way it came out made it seem harsh and insensitive, but he was only telling her what she already knew. Getting up out of her chair caused Marshall to take a few steps back, but both moved into a slight combative stance as if they were going to physically assault one another, but both knew that their words had bruised the other far more than any kick or punch could have. Shielding herself from any pain that those words caused, Mary delivered one crushing blow that would make anyone surrender. She replied in a calm tone, knowing that Marshall couldn't undermine her authority if she wasn't yelling at him.

"You're right, they don't know that I don't have trust to offer, but you wanna know the really pathetic thing Marshall? The one man who does think there's a chance doesn't realize that the last time I've truly ever trusted a man was when I was 8" she replied, and saw his face void of any emotion, "The truth hurts, doesn't it?" she asked him, and finally every defense he had against Mary Shannon crumbled along with his heart. Just the sheer realization that she'd imply that she doesn't trust him knocked the wind out of him and made him wish he was anywhere but in their office at that very moment. Even Stan and Eleanor stepped out of his office to see why they were fighting now, and stood there shell shocked as his two top inspectors, people that he saw as family, tore each other apart right there in front of him. He was just about to intervene when he realized that Marshall had backed up away from Mary as if she had hit him and made his way to his desk in an eerily calm manner. After he grabbed his gun, badge, and anything else he needed, he turned to Stan with a look on his face that made the knot in Stan's stomach tighten. Looking worn down, Marshall said,

"I'm going home. I need a break to figure a few things out and decide whether or not this is where I want to be right now…" he said and glanced at Mary who stood rigidly against her desk, waiting for him to announce that he was kidding. "I have time saved up so don't worry, I'd give you more notice if you needed to replace me" and with that he walked out the door and into the elevator without so much as a glance back at the people he just left. Mary continued to stare at the elevator, waiting for him to come back in, but realized with a quick rush of panic that he didn't want to come back right now. She then wheeled around to Stan with a panicked fury that made him glad she wasn't armed at the moment.

"You're just going to let him go!?! What the hell Stan, he can't leave and he knows that!" and in a lower voice that only made her harder to understand, but not impossible, "He promised me he wouldn't ever leave me…" she said and his heart, as well as Eleanor's, broke for her. She looked like she just lost her best friend, and that's exactly what had happened, but wasn't the total extent of it. She cared for him, and knew he cared for her, but never thought in a million years that he would be one of those guys that left her without a second thought. Holy shit, I finally pushed Marshall back to arms length like everyone else and he walked away from me. Jesus Christ, how do I make this ok? She looked up at Stan and decided that he wasn't a replaceable boy toy, he was her partner, and she refused to accept that that was all she was getting as a goodbye. Hell, she wasn't planning on coming back until either Marshall came back with her or she died trying. Grabbing her badge and gun as well, Mary grabbed her things and made it to the elevator before turning around to address them,

"I'm going to fix this" she said strongly, then continued in a voice that suggested she was on the verge of tears had it been anyone else, "I don't know what I'll do if I can't" and she turned and strode away from the office, hoping Marshall would at least hear her out.

Eleanor stood next to Stan and finally came out of her stupor to ask one simple question,

"What, the hell, was that?" turning toward his office, Stan offered the only answer that made sense to him.

"That was two people in love breaking each others hearts".