A/N: I have been reading a lot of IPS stories since I got into the show, just dabbling and glancing around, seeing what's what. I've had this idea for awhile but it definitely came from pieces of a lot of other fics I read. I certainly tried to make the creation my own – my own spin, own plot, all that. It starts out similar to some, but turns later on; trust me on that. Just wanted everyone to know I had no intent to 'steal' ideas!

Anyway, this is supposed to take place in season four, roughly between "Kumar vs. Kumar" and "The Rolling Stones." Characters and show don't belong to me and all that jazz.

XXX

It was a foggy and hazy Wednesday in Albuquerque – clouds hung low over the Sandia Mountains, big and grey against the peaks. The air was thick and palpable with humidity, the occasional burst of sunshine poking its way through the stubborn masses of fluff above.

It was a typical July for the southwest, but as Mary exited her car atop the parking garage at the Federal Building, she couldn't help hoping she wouldn't have to go hunt a witness in the wilderness today. Anymore, she'd been longing for a good throw-down given her current condition, and the fact that it made Stan sweat just thinking about rules and regulations – but not today.

Riding up in the elevator, sipping begrudgingly from a Styrofoam cup of disgusting herbal tea that made her want to hurl, she peered under the rims of her sunglasses into her bag to make sure she had the files she was supposed to go over with Marshall. A testy witness and his irksome paperwork had zapped most of her weekend while she dealt with Jinx, Brandi, and their haranguing questions about the baby. Why wasn't she keeping it? Couldn't she just let Brandi and Peter help? Grandma Jinx was practically salivating at the idea, but the whole thing gave Mary a headache. She was no mother. They should know that better than anyone.

The elevator dinged, signaling Mary's arrival on the top floor. She stepped out and was surprised to see that Marshall wasn't in yet. Unusual. She glanced at her watch and saw that it was close to ten o'clock. Definitely peculiar – Marshall rarely came in after 8:30 unless he was out dealing with witnesses. But he would've called or texted her about that.

Swiping her badge, she marched across the floor to her desk, dumping her cup, bag, and sunglasses on the papers strewn about. She peered into Stan's office and saw that he was consulting with Delia. Ordinarily, this wouldn't be entirely unexpected but something about it gave Mary an uneasy feeling. First glancing at her computer screen to make sure she didn't have any pressing e-mails, she grabbed her phone out of the bag and went to see what was going on.

"Knock-knock," she called, entering without waiting for an answer.

"Morning Mary," Stan said distractedly. He and Delia were hunched over a roadmap of the city, Stan pointing out various directions and murmuring under his breath.

"You heard from Marshall this morning?" Mary asked casually.

Stan looked up, hands still spread on the desk in front of him. An awkward pause followed, made more so when Mary realized Delia had the same look on her face that Stan did.

"Didn't realize this was such an earth-shattering question," Mary joked, hand going to her hip.

Stan shot Delia a glance before righting himself and facing Mary.

"Marshall didn't tell you?"

"Uh…no," Mary shook her head slightly. "Tell me what?"

She was definitely getting unnerved now. Someone had better fill her in on what was up – and soon – or she was likely to cock her gun.

"Marshall's dad died," Stan said bluntly. "He's going to be out all week; he flew to Kansas City yesterday morning."

The words slammed Mary like a freight train. Whatever she'd expected Stan to say, it wasn't this.

"Kansas City?" she repeated dumbly. Why was she zeroing in on that?

"Marshall's from a suburb in Kansas – Shawnee, I think? MCI is the nearest airport," Stan explained.

He was clearly completely thrown by the fact that Mary didn't already know. He folded the map splayed on his desk and asked Delia to grab him a cup of coffee, which she abided at once.

"How…?"

Mary was lost for what to say. The whole thing had made her strangely numb. It was as though she wasn't processing correctly. Realizing she was staring blankly, she attempted to finish her sentence.

"How did this happen? Seth wasn't sick was he?"

"Not as far as I know," Stan shrugged. "He was barely a year out of retirement. Marshall said he had a heart attack."

A million things started to whirl through Mary's mind – like her brain was on fast-forward. Marshall had flown home to be with his family. His dad – his hero, the man he'd idolized, wanted to be and then became – was dead. Unexpectedly, from the sound of it. Dimly, she recalled that Marshall was the oldest of three brothers. He would have to take care of a lot of the arrangements. A thousand miles away with relatives he barely saw and without a friend to comfort him.

And then the most staggering thought in the bunch.

Why didn't he tell her?

"Mary?" Stan was talking again.

She shook her head, trying to focus on her boss for the time being.

"What?"

"Where'd you just go?"

She wasn't sure. So she opted to swallow and make something up.

"Nowhere. Just thinking."

"I'm sure Marshall was just floored – had to get out there as soon as possible," Stan was attempting to placate her. "He'll call with an update soon."

He thought she was offended. She wasn't – strangely enough. What she was feeling was difficult to describe. Just that she knew Marshall well enough to know he would've had a very good reason for not including her in something like this. Could it be because of her – the way she was; the fact that she pushed others away to avoid having to deal with anything emotional? Marshall was a good guy who thrived on such things. It was only because of his job that he didn't have a social life. Mary was it for him. Thus, the mystery of the secret became all the more puzzling.

"He told you," she was saying.

"Well, I'm his boss, Mary. He just wanted me to know where he'd gone," the excuse sounded feeble even to the older man but Mary had to admire his ability to come up with it.

"Right," she said, granting him some relief.

Stan allowed her to stand there, contemplating the situation, while he went back to his map, marking routes, consulting papers nearby.

Meanwhile, Mary was trying to figure out what to do. She could send something – some sort of consolation. But what would she send? Flowers, a card? That scarcely compensated. She could call him up; make him talk to her, get the scoop. But this wasn't some witness, someone over at the police department who she needed to get a story out of. This was her best friend who was carrying the burden of a windowed mother and the rest of his family without anyone to take care of him.

"I'll need you to take the Stone case until I can get Delia up-to-speed; figure out how we're going to wrangle this with you out-of-the-field…" Stan was rambling again, back on work.

But Mary wasn't listening. Without answering, she strode out of Stan's office, back to her desk.

"Mary?"

She grabbed her bag, shoved her phone back in the front pocket, and slipped her sunglasses onto her head.

"Inspector!"

She hardly heard him. Straightening the mass of papers on her desk, she tossed the half-drunk cup of herbal tea into the trash with a loud thud. She could clean up later.

"Inspector Shannon!"

Stan bolted out of his office and snatched her arm just as she was walking by. He had his 'tough boss' face on, but there was a hint of compassion behind the authority. A glimmer of understanding, or at least of compliance.

"If you think you're going out to check on that Stone character, you've got another thing coming," he said sternly, still gripping her arm firmly. "Not unless I or another Marshal is with you."

"I'm not," she answered truthfully, jerking free.

She started scrolling on her Blackberry, trying to get the Internet open while Stan stood next to her, clearly considering his next move. She could practically hear him huffing and puffing while she waited for him to crack. Just when she managed to bring up Google, he sighed.

"Give Marshall my best."

"Will do."

A/N: Just the intro! Let me know what you think! I LOVE reviews!