Confrontations Ch 1
Title: Confrontations
Author: JMS529
Pairings/Characters: Mary/Marshall
Rating: M for a little smut in CH 10
Warnings: Some Spoilers S4
Summary: Mary's father is arrested after leaving FBI custody to follow Mary & Brandi. Not all is as it seems but Mary will finally get to confront her father about his leaving & discover something else along the way.
Chapter 2 || Chapter 3 || Chapter 4 || Chapter 5 || Chapter 6 || Chapter 7 || Chapter 8 || Chapter 9 || Chapter 10
This story was written for a request for LoneButterfly05 who requested a story with a Mary and James reunion. Hope the story is what you were hoping for.
Thanks to Jamie for betaing this story for me.
Stan looked out his office window and saw his two best detectives behaving like juvenile delinquents. If he was honest with himself, they weren't being that bad, but both Mary and Marshall's desk areas were lined with spitballs that managed to miss their original target. This was the problem with having a slow week. The partners had turned in their paperwork, there were no witness problems, no new witnesses being brought in and currently no one was looking for two marshals to help them with anything. Stan was about to go yell at them when he heard the ping on his computer. Smiling he couldn't help but think that there was another case and he could get his miscreants out of the office for awhile.
Stan scrolled to the notice and his smiled disappeared. Reading the notice was about to get up and inform Mary, when his phone rang.
"McQueen."
"Chief McQueen, this is Agent Lowery with the F.B.I. We'd like to talk with one of your inspectors in regards to a suspect we arrested."
"Which inspector would that be?" Stan asked, playing dumb.
"Inspector Shannon. Her father was apprehended heading towards Phoenix. We have reason to believe he was in Albuquerque and would like to know what you're inspector knows about that. James Shannon is currently in transit to our holding cell in Albuquerque until he can be transported to Arizona," Lowery replied.
"Inspector Shannon and her partner will be sent over to talk about this as long as that's all it is. The F.B.I. had better not be on another witch hunt of my inspector," Stan said.
"Sir, he had photos of both his daughters and we think he was observing them from a distance. We just want to know if she saw anything or have any clues as to why he's here. I guarantee you there will be no witch hunt on our part," Lowery replied, knowing full well what happened to O'Connor.
"Marshall, my office now" Stan called out.
"The boy scout is in trouble?" Mary teased, but she could see the puzzlement on her partners face.
"What's wrong, Stan?"
"The F.B.I. just arrested Mary's father heading towards Phoenix. They think he was here in Albuquerque watching her and Brandi. They would like to ask Mary some questions. I figured she'd take the news better from you. I also want you to go with her and make sure that's all they're doing," Stan said, firmly.
"Please tell me it's not O'Connor," Marshall replied.
"No, you're to ask for Agent Lowery," Stan said.
"Marshall…" Stan started.
"I know, make sure they're not trying to railroad Mary. Keep her in line and don't let her do anything stupid," Marshall said, knowing the drill better than he should.
Marshall walked over to Mary's desk.
"Let's go outside and get a breath of fresh air."
Mary got up and followed Marshall out to the balcony.
"What did Stan want? Are you okay? Is everything okay?" Mary asked, whatever was said Marshall didn't want repeated in front of anyone else.
Marshall hated what he had to tell her. It felt like he was about to take a knife and stab her in the heart.
Mary could see the hesitancy on Marshall's face and got a sinking feeling in her gut. It wasn't bad news for him. It was about her and Stan knew that it would be better for her coming from Marshall. That didn't mean it was better for Marshall to have to be the one to tell her. She would need to talk to Stan about putting Marshall in the middle of her problems.
"Marshall, what did whoever in my family do wrong now? You wouldn't be hesitating if it was something about you. Just tell me. I'm a big girl and can take it."
Marshall brushed a strand of hair behind her ear before leaning his forehead against hers. He wanted to pull her into his arms and shelter her from the cruel hand of fate that continually finds her.
"Marshall, just say it."
"The FBI located your father. He was arrested in New Mexico and was apparently heading towards Phoenix. He's currently being held in Albuquerque before they transport him to Phoenix to stand trial.
Mary didn't even realize she gasped until she felt Marshall's grip on her tighten in support. "What was he doing in New Mexico?"
"Apparently, following you and Brandi. The F.B.I. would like to talk to you about the photos. I'm going with you. It's not O'Connor either. They promised Stan it was just some questions about things they found. Anything that crosses the line of being proper we leave."
"Marshall, you don't have to go. I don't want to drag you down another Shannon family mess."
"If you think that I'm not going with you then you've apparently injured your head and are in dire need of medical attention. You're stuck with me, Mare. We do this together or it doesn't get done at all."
Mary couldn't help the brief smirk that crossed her face. She would never really understand what she did to deserve Marshall in her life, but she would be eternally grateful that he was.
"Do you need a few minutes before we go or do you want to get it over with? This is a lot to take in," Marshall said, watching the emotions that flashed over her face briefly.
"Let's just do this and get it over with" Mary replied, fighting the urge to cry.
This was the day she had longed for all her life. The man she had worshipped as a child was coming back into her life. The problem was she was torn by the excitement of seeing him again and the anger, no pain of his walking out to start a new family elsewhere. She felt numb and figured it was better to go before everything sunk in and her heart had time to register whatever was to come next.
Marshall grabbed his keys on the way towards the elevator. Mary grabbed her things off her desk, but had yet to say a word. He knew that she had to prepare herself, because she wouldn't want anyone to see the emotions that were going to rage inside of her. She was building up the walls to make sure the F.B.I. got nothing from her. She didn't trust them for good reason and she wasn't going to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing her react to her father's arrest. That would be done in private and with any luck, she would allow him to help her heal.
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Marshall kept stealing glances at Mary to make sure she was okay. She still hadn't said anything since the balcony. He could only imagine the emotional turmoil that she was going through. The question was which of her defense mechanisms were going to kick in during the questioning. He wished at the moment he had a crystal ball for that. It would at least help him prepare on how to keep Mary from getting in trouble.
"What do you need, Mare?" Marshall finally asked.
Mary couldn't help the small smirk that escaped. The one person in the world she'd want to do this with, was sitting next to her still asking what she needed. It was the only constant she had ever had in her life.
"For this to go away. Do you have any idea how this is going to go?" She snorted. "Wait until Jinx and Brandi find out. The melodramatics followed by the outrage. With my luck Jinx will end up on the wagon again. Then I'm going to have to hold their hands," Mary replied, irritably.
"I can help you with Jinx and Brandi, but I want to know what you need me to do for you," Marshall said.
"I need you to be you. Do what you always do. I need my partner and best friend to have my back," Mary whispered, softly. Her confession to Marshall made her sound weak to her ears.
"Always," Marshall responded, while reaching over and squeezing Mary's shoulder.
They parked and headed inside. Marshall wasn't sure which of them was more concerned about the questioning. The idea of once again having the F.B.I. coming after Mary's badge didn't appeal to him. Although he knew it wasn't O'Connor and was thrilled it wasn't Faber they had to deal with. He also had to remind himself to stay calm and if turned from questioning into an interrogation he had to pull Mary out of there. He wasn't putting her through another round of that crap.
Mary was tired of the family drama coming to bite her in the ass. It seemed like it also always dragged Stan and Marshall into it. She hated that they had to help her continually bail out her family. She was hoping that this Lowery was really just going to ask questions. She just wasn't going to let her guard down. She wasn't sure if the F.B.I. learned their lesson the last time.
Both their thoughts were interrupted as a tall older agent walked towards them.
"Inspectors Shannon and Mann, I'm Agent Lowery. If you would come this way we can talk in one of the conference rooms."
After they got settled into the conference room, Agent Lowery opened up the folder he'd been carrying.
"Inspector Shannon before we get started I just wanted to reiterate the fact that I'm not investigating you. I want to get a timeline on how long your father was here. I know that you've had problems with this agency in the past, but hope you'll be willing to work with me on this," Lowery said.
"How exactly are you expecting Inspector Shannon to help you with the timeline?" Marshall asked, feeling a little hope that this wasn't going to go sour in a hurry.
"When we arrested James at his hotel he had a slue of photos of both of his daughters. Some with notes and others just the photos. I was hoping the Inspector Shannon would be able to look at them and tell me the dates. I do have to warn you that some of the notes are opinionated. It looks like her father was keeping an eye on both the sisters from a distance," Lowery replied.
"Let's get this over with," Mary said, as Lowery handed her the folder of photos.
Lowery and his team had left the notes attached to them as that's how they were found and Mary could tell what he meant about them being opinionated. The first one that fell out of the folder was of her and Mark kissing on the way into her house. Her father expressed his clear displeasure over the situation. Not that he was necessarily wrong, but being absent from her life for so long didn't give him a right to any opinion in her mind. There were photos from her and Brandi shopping for her wedding dress, some of her and Marshall, Marshall by himself, Marshall and Abby, her at the adoption agency, coming from a doctor's appointment and some of her mother.
"He's been in Albuquerque for awhile; at least if he's the one that took the photos" Mary said, angrily.
"Why the hell was he taking photos of me? I mean I understand if I was with you at the time, but it's like he was following me around also" Marshall asked. It didn't make sense and of course there were no notes on those.
"Do you know if he was actually taking the photos? I would think he'd have been caught sooner if he was hanging around that long," Mary asked, Lowery. She didn't even want to think what her Dad taking pictures of Marshall's personal life implied.
"We think someone was helping him. I would agree with your assessment that he'd have been caught before now if he wasn't. Can the two of you tell me when the photos were taken?" Lowery asked.
He could tell by the inspectors' reactions that they didn't have any clue as to the fact that they were being watched by James Shannon. He left them both with a pen and paper and had them mark the photos by the numbers they had assigned them to the dates that correlated to them.
They had both waited until Lowery left before they talked. They knew enough to not trust the FBI to be listening in.
"Mare, why would your Dad follow me around?"
"Marshall, I have no idea. I don't know why that man can't just stay the hell out of our lives. He walked out on us without a single word. What gives him the right to pretend his interested in what happens. He never came back no matter how long I waited for him or how many nights I prayed for his return. I hope he rots in jail," Mary hissed out.
"Mare, I know you're angry with him and rightfully so, but some how I don't think any one would wish someone a life in prison. He's still your Dad and while you may not be disillusioned by him anymore; a part of you still loves the man he was for the seven years he was in your life," Marshall said, knowing he was pushing his luck. "Tell me what you need."
"I need answers, Marshall. I want to know why we weren't good enough and why he turned to a life of crime. I need to know why he started over with another family and never once thought about the one he left behind. After all the crap Brandi and I went through growing up he doesn't deserve any part of our lives," Mary replied, swiping at the single tear that escaped. She felt like the eight year old girl who sat by the window staring at the cars driving by; waiting for the right one to pull up in the driveway and her father to step out and make everything okay.
"We'll ask him when they allow us to talk to him," Marshall replied.
"We and us?" Mary asked.
"You're not going by yourself. I've got your back," Marshall said, shrugging.
"Are you glutton for punishment?" Mary asked, trying to hide the smirk sneaking at the corner of her mouth.
"Apparently, I've been putting up with your abuse for awhile," Marshall replied, smiling when she slugged him in the shoulder.
They both went back to going over the photos. Finally finishing them up they realized just how long they had been watched. The photos showed everything in their lives and Brandi and Jinx's over the last year and a half. The pictures had ranged through Mary's pregnancy to the adoptive parents, Marshall and Abby moving in together and Abby moving out after their breakup. There were pictures of Mary and Marshall together afterwards and then Brandi dressed in her wedding gown through her crying as she called the wedding off. The only person that was rarely seen in the photos was Jinx.
"He's been watching the entire year," Mary whispered.
"I know," Marshall said, sympathetically. His mind trying to figure out why James had been having him followed also. It didn't make any sense.
Mary was mad enough that her father had invaded her and Brandi's personal life, but the fact that he felt the right to follow Marshall infuriated her. She had a feeling he was trying to tell her something, but it was something she had already figured out. Between her jealousy of Abby and her need for Marshall and only Marshall to be there for the birth of her son. While she knew Marshall had hoped in some ways that she'd keep the baby, he understood her reasoning for giving him up. She wasn't ready to be a single mom and it was in the best interest of her son to give him to a loving couple. Yes, she had almost changed her mind, but seeing Mark again and thinking of all that she had been through since growing up without a father; she realized she didn't want to make that mistake. After doing a serious background check, she had decided the Templetons were a good home for her child. They had to send pictures in to the agency and Mary could look at them if she wanted to see them. She knew she wouldn't be able to. It would hurt more than it already did. Whoever had said making the right choice wasn't always easy was a very smart person.
"I'm sorry he followed you," Mary said, honestly.
"It's not your fault Mare. Nothing that happened because of James is your fault," Marshall reassured.
"I'm going to have to tell Jinx and Brandi that he's been arrested. I'm not in the mood for more drama. Between the adoption and the cancelled wedding I think we've had enough for awhile. Why does he have to come back now?"
"I'll come with you. See if we can keep the drama to a minimum," Marshall offered.
Giving Lowry the information they quickly called Stan and let them know they were heading to talk with Brandi and Jinx. They didn't want them to hear it on the news or from someone else.
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"What could Mary possibly want to talk to us about? You don't think she's pregnant again, do you?" Jinx asked.
"I'm pretty sure you can rule that out Mom. That would require her actually dating someone and she hasn't done that since the adoption. We'll find out soon enough. Just sit down and relax," Brandi replied.
"Relax, after everything I've been through this year? First I was supposed to be a grandmother, but my daughter gives the baby to another family and you were supposed to be marrying a very nice man and called it off. Nothing positive has happened yet this year," Jinx whined.
"Don't start on that again. Mary did what she thought was best for the baby and in hindsight I don't think she was wrong. Her job isn't good for being a single Mom and it's not like you and I are the best babysitters. Peter and I were moving faster than I was ready for. I put way too much pressure on myself to try and please his family and associates. It was my fault and not Peter's but it was the best decision for me. Mary and I both did what we had to for us. This has nothing to do with you. It was done for the best interest of all involved," Brandi replied. "I should've stayed out of Mary's personal life and not pushed Mark on her. It would have saved them both a lot of grief. It's way past time for us to stop trying to influence things to go the way we want them and not what the other members of this family want for themselves."
It had been a hard lesson learned, but realizing what kind of pain Mary had gone through Brandi finally realized her mistakes. She may not be the brightest bulb on the block, but she did eventually learn. Just so she remembered the mistakes. Her thought was interrupted by the sound of a SUV pulling into the driveway and two doors closing. Mary brought Marshall with; she had a feeling this wasn't going to be good.
Mary entered with Marshall following behind her. Seeing Jinx pacing, Mary wanted to roll her eyes. Her mother had been playing out drama since her and Brandi 'ruined' her life. Trying not to roll her eyes she took a calming breath before proceeding.
"Jinx, sit down," Mary ordered.
"Don't tell me what to do. I'm not a child," Jinx complained.
"Trust me, you'll want to sit down," Mary replied.
Jinx finally complied and looked towards Mary. "Happy now?"
"So what's going on?" Brandi asked.
"James Shannon has been arrested in Phoenix. I don't have any information on when he can be seen or the date of the trial currently. The FBI will want to talk to both of you more than likely; especially you Brandi. He's been following you, me and Marshall for over a year," Mary said.
"Marshall?" Brandi asked, confused.
"We don't know why he was following me," Marshall said.
"You know this how and was he following me?" Jinx asked.
"We had to talk to the FBI to give them a time frame that the photos he had were from. We're not even sure he was doing all the following. He might have hired someone for some of the time. We just don't know. It doesn't appear that he was following you. The only pictures they have at this point with you in them are when you were with Brandi or me," Mary replied.
"I see. I'm not important enough to follow," Jinx said.
"That's something you'll need to ask James or it could be that they don't have all of the photos," Marshall said, trying to cut Mary some slack.
"How soon before we can talk to him?" Brandi asked.
"The earliest would be after the processed him and possibly not until after the trial. That is up to the FBI," Marshall supplied.
"Does his other family know?" Brandi asked.
"I don't know what the Griffins know. The FBI didn't mention them," Mary replied. "Look, we have to get back to work. I'll let you know if I find out anything else."
"So, we just wait and do nothing? He's my husband. I have a right to know what is going on," Jinx said.
Mary wanted to roll her eyes at the dramatics again. Jinx was in full swing and she figured it was just a matter of time before the baby and wedding came up. She looked to Marshall and hid the smirk that wanted to escape when she realized he was already thinking of a way to put things politely.
"For now it's best to keep your distance from James. Anything else will put you under a fine microscope by the FBI and could get you charged with crimes you didn't commit. The best thing you can do is wait until the trial is over and then confront him. It's truly in your best interest to avoid contact with him. Mary and I are also doing the same. Mare, weren't you going to grab an away bag for a few days?" Marshall asked, knowing full well Mary needed to be away from Brandi and Jinx to wrap her head around what was happening. The two could brainstorm and try to figure it out.
Mary almost didn't realize Marshall was offering her an escape. She stared at him for a few seconds before it registered what he said.
"You're leaving? Don't you think you should be staying with us during this crisis?" Jinx asked, shocked.
"I have a job to do. James was a part of my life for less than eight years. It's not a crisis for us. He's the one on trial. Marshall and I have our own work to do. I'll call you in a few days to make sure everything is alright," Mary said, walking to her bedroom to get packed.
"How do you know Dad was following you and that you weren't in photos just because?" Brandi asked, curiously.
"There were photos of me on dates with Abby. Mary wasn't around. Don't get me wrong there are some with me and Mary and there is also one with you, Peter, Abby and Oscar when we ran into each other on the ghost walk. There are too many of me on my own to say that he wasn't watching me. Why he would do that is anyone's guess at this point."
"Ready?" Mary asked, entering the room with her bags.
Mary and Marshal were heading towards the office when Marshall's cell rang.
"Marshall."
"It's Stan. Where are you and Mary?"
"We're about seven minutes from the office."
"James is refusing to talk to anyone, but Mary and you. The FBI wants you two at their offices too and see what information you can get out of him. Marshall, Mary's going to need you more than she ever has."
"I know that Stan and I'll do what I do best," Marshall replied, trying to not let Mary know what he and Stan were discussing. Mary already knew that he's have her back for anything, but this was personal and Mary doesn't do personal well. She come to him, but doesn't need to think Stan forced him into it. She should know better by now, but he also knew a lot of raw emotions were going to be coming up for Mary.
Mary knew they were talking about her. She could tell by the way Marshall was choosing his words carefully. Stan was telling him to take care of her, which why he bothered Mary didn't know. Marshall always had her back and this would be no exception. She could bite, scratch, kick and mutilate Marshall, but he'd still come back licking his wounds and ready to go another round with her to make sure she came out alright.
"Tell Stan to stop harassing you about me, so that we can go do whatever it is he needs us to do. How long have we all worked together?" Mary huffed.
"That's my girl. We'll check in with you later Stan," Marshall said, hanging up. "FBI wants us to go talk to your Dad. He won't talk to anyone, but us."
"Well now you finally get to complete the circle of meeting the world's most messed up family. I'm sorry he's dragging you into this Marshall. I honestly don't know why," Mary said, biting her lower lip.
"It's not your fault and I'd rather be here then have you dealing with him on your own. Let's go see if he can shed some light on his past and present activities."
They parked at the FBI building and Marshall noticed Mary take a few deep breaths. He knew whatever happened with James; Mary wouldn't let it out of her system until they were well away from the FBI. He was glad she hadn't argued about staying at his place for awhile. She needed time away from Jinx in order to cope. He knew full well Mary was way more upset about this then she appeared.
Agent Lowery met them as they entered into the building.
"Thanks for coming. James refuses to speak with anyone; but the two of you. Then he'll tell us what we want to know. We need his information. James is one of the smaller fishes in a large organization. We're not going to offer him Witness Protection for his testimony; but if he gives us the information we want and testifies against the others then he'll get a reduced sentence." Lowery informed them.
"Did he say what he wanted to talk to us about?" Mary asked.
"No, just what I told you. I think his curiosity to know more about what has happened to you over the years is playing into effect here. Honestly, for all I know he could be blowing smoke up our ass just to have fun. I'm willing to give a little leeway if we can get his testimony," Lowery replied.
"Let's just go in and see what he wants, Mare. The sooner we do that the sooner a whole lot of questions get answered," Marshall said, knowing they could theorize all day without coming up with the right answer.
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James Shannon sat in the interrogation room waiting patiently. He new Mary would come to talk to him and so would her partner. He needed them to be seen here especially since his old associates would be watching. There were also a few things he wanted to tell Mary about her choices in life. He watched as his daughter and her partner entered.
"Princess," James greeted.
"James," Mary replied.
James smile faded when Mary didn't call him Dad.
"Sweetheart, I know that you're probably upset…" James started, but was cut off.
"Don't princess or sweetheart me. You lost that right a long time ago. What do you want with Marshall and me? I have things to do that don't revolve around you," Mary said, harshly.
"Mary, please can we just talk?" James replied.
"Why? You suddenly feel the need to make up for thirty some years of being absent. Hell, even when you lived with us you were gone for days or weeks at a time. What makes you think that we have anything to say to each other? I don't need you, anymore. Why don't you call your other family? They might actually be happy to see you. Apparently, you managed to figure out a way to stay in their lives for most of it," Mary said, bitterly.
"I did what was best at the time for you and your sister. I never lost track of you," James replied, noticing the way Marshall watched the interaction. The man hadn't interfered yet, but he could tell he would if it got out of hand.
"We saw the pictures. What you decided to do was in the best interest of you. It had nothing to do with me or Brandi. You left me to take care of an infant while you sent your wife further into the bottle. I got the distinct pleasure of dealing with both of them. As for keeping track, you have no right to follow us. When you left you should've stayed gone. Plus what the hell gives you the right to follow Marshall? He has nothing to do with the likes of you and I'd prefer to keep it that way," Mary fumed.
"I'm your father and have the right to track the people you interact with to make sure they're good enough for my princess. You think it's easy being on the sidelines watching you make so many mistakes and not seeing what's right in front of you? Mark, seriously you slept with the man who cheated on you on your honeymoon. You gave up my grandchild to another couple to raise. I had the right to see my grandbaby and to make sure he was taken care of. Marshall is a part of yours and Brandi's life. I needed to know that he was good enough to be in it," James said.
"I made a lot of mistakes? This from the crook. What I do or don't do is of none of your concern. That baby wasn't your grandchild and you have no right to interfere with his happiness. Marshall doesn't need your approval. He has mine. He's the best thing that ever happened to me. He doesn't need to measure up to your standards, because he's so far above you that you will never be able to compare," Mary replied.
Marshall decided it was time to interfere. This was getting them no where and if Mary continued this path, more than likely nothing would ever come out of James.
"So what did you need to talk to the both of us about?" Marshall asked, calmly.
Mary turned towards her partner, glaring a hole through him until she realized that he was trying to get them back on track. In her anger and resentment she forgot briefly they needed to get him to talk to the FBI.
"I wanted to tell you to watch your backs. If the FBI knows that I was having you followed and was following you that they might come after you to get to me. Mary, I understand your anger; but don't let my walking out on you force you to miss the opportunities that stare you in the face day after day. If you open your eyes to them you'll see that happiness can be found if you look in the right direction. Marshall, I ask that you take care of my girls if someone does come after them. I'll tell the FBI what they need to know but I need to make sure my family is safe" James said. He hoped the underlining message reached his daughter. For eight years happiness walked by her side, she just needed to reach out and hold onto it. She had never needed him in her life, but his other family did. Once she figured out what he was doing and had done she'd never forgive him.
"I'll always protect Mary. She's my partner and we have each other's backs. It's what we do. I'll make sure Brandi stays safe also," Marshall replied.
"Thank you. I'm ready to talk to the FBI," James said, not even two seconds later Lowery was in the room. Mary and Marshall were asked to leave.
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Stan was sitting in his office anxiously awaiting the return of his inspectors. He wanted to make sure that Mary was alright. He knew Marshall would take care of her, but he also had the feeling things were going to get complicated. They always did when Mary's family was involved. The ping announcing the arrival of the elevator had Stan up and meeting Mary and Marshall as they entered.
"Well?" Stan asked.
Mary didn't say a word just strode over to her desk and began booting up her computer.
"James thought it was a good idea to explain to Mary the mistakes of her life. She pretty much told him to piss off. On the other hand, he's worried one of the people he's going to testify against may come after Mary or Brandi. He's right about the fact that if he found them, the men he worked for could also. I'll stick with Mary, but we might want to put someone on Brandi as a safety precaution," Marshall replied.
"You really think they might come after Mary and Brandi? James has been out of their lives for years. I know he's had photos and followed them, but he's never bothered to contact either one," Stan said.
"We've seen criminals go after others for less Stan. I don't want to take a chance with Mary or Brandi's lives. They've both been through enough lately."
"Alright. I'll assign an inspector to stay with Brandi. Make sure Mary lets her know she's getting one. Is Mary really okay?"
"As okay as she can be under the circumstances. She's angry and pissed off; more so than normal. She's earned that right. I think we're in for a long bumpy ride." Marshall shrugged and moved to his desk.
Mary hadn't said a word in over an hour and she knew that Marshall was casting glances at her. The last words spoken were to Brandi to let her know about the security detail. After that her father's words kept spinning in her head. She didn't know what made her angrier her father's judgments on her life or the fact that he included Marshall into his sick twisted little world. A part of her worried that these men that were after her father would come after Marshall. She already knew he'd be hovering over her at his house; but she was going to need to keep a close eye on him. Her father hadn't told her the complete truth of why he was watching Marshall. If he did it was hidden in the comment about being too blind to see what was in front of her.
"Doofus, let's go check on some witnesses," Mary said, standing up. She needed to get out of the office, before her head exploded trying to figure everything out.
"How about lunch and then witnesses?" Marshall asked.
"Since you offered to treat, why not," Mary replied, knowing Marshall needed to know she was okay. Teasing would lessen his worry, it was what they did.
"Is there any other way this works?" Marshall asked, grabbing his keys, gun and badge before they headed towards the elevator.
Mary knew that Marshall was watching her to determine how she was holding up. She just wasn't ready to talk yet. Her head was spinning over what her father had said. There was more to the message then what her father said. James didn't just want Marshal to keep an eye on her and Brandi there was something they weren't putting together.
"I can smell the smoke from here. Why don't you stop staring out the window and start running those thoughts by me? Together we can put it together easier then you can by yourself. Talk to me Mare."
"Something doesn't add up with what James was saying. He was hinting at something and there was a double meaning to his words," Mary said, as they pulled into the diner parking lot.
After the waitress left from taking their orders, Marshall started to think over what Mary said and what James had mentioned. He wanted to protect his family. The photos were of Mary, Brandi and him. There were none of the Griffins. Marshall grabbed his cell and hit speed dial.
"What?" Mary asked, knowing Marshall had come to some conclusion.
"McQueen."
"Stan, we have a bigger problem than we had originally thought," Marshall said.
"Where are you going with this Marshall?" Stan asked.
"When we were talking to James he mentioned that he was trying to protect his family. We thought he was talking about me watching Brandi and Mary. Have the F.B.I. contacted the Griffins? They have three children; two daughters and a son. All of the photos he took here were of Mary, Brandi and I. If whoever is after him was watching him they would have noted he was checking out the three of us. We're the damn decoy. Get his other family, Stan."
"I'll have a team in Miami pick them up and in the meantime I want you and Mary to stay together. Most of the photos were Mary's house so stay at yours. I'll also get Brandi and Jinx a detail. If you're right they'll be coming after you to get to James," Stan replied.
"Stan, find out who James is testifying against. I want to know what we're up against," Marshall said, closing the phone.
"He's using us to protect his other family? It's bad enough that he is using Brandi and me, but to drag you into the middle of it," Mary said, angrily.
Marshall relayed the conversation Stan and he had until the waitress dropped off breakfast.
"Well I guess we know who matters most to James," Mary muttered.
"Then that makes him a fool, Mare. It's his loss not yours. This is his own stupidity. It has nothing to do with you as a person," Marshall said.
"Then why does it feel like it?" Mary asked.
"Because a part of you is still the little girl who used to adore her father that walked out on her. I know that you probably don't want to hear this, but that man is gone. His best achievement was bringing you into this world. His biggest mistake was not seeing it. He made the mistake of walking away and never knowing Brandi and leaving you behind. You can't control who he is and what he did, but you have turned into a strong, determined woman that has a soft side buried underneath a lot of complicated layers. He gave me one of the best friends that I could ever have," Marshall replied, kissing her on the forehead before they headed back to the car.
Mary smirked at that. She still wondered how it was that she had been lucky enough to get Marshall in her life. She was going to have to be a better friend to him. She'd been working on it but it wasn't easy to lower her defenses.
/\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
James paced his cell. He'd betrayed one family to save another. He regretted putting Mary and Brandi in that position, but with her job she'd be able to keep her sister safe. He didn't have a doubt that Marshall would protect Mary. It was why he used them for a decoy. When Mary had destroyed the bug in her house it left him at a disadvantage. He had wanted to know what was going on in case anything ever hit the fan. The men after him would kill his family, if he didn't stop them. With Mary's career choice it gave him the perfect opportunity to use one family to protect the other. He knew it was wrong, but sometimes people had to make tough choices. He wasn't sure if leaving Mary and Brandi with Jinx was better or worse, then setting them up as targets. At least Mary would be able to survive without his help. She had enough people in her life to protect her if she needed their help. He added a few extra law enforcement personnel to help by throwing Marshall into the mix.
Lauren, Scott, Melissa and his wife Sarah wouldn't stand a chance. He had to protect them at all cost. He knew it would cost him his other family, but he'd already lost them when he walked out of their lives. For years, he had thought about going back for Mary and Brandi, but the truth would have destroyed the life he built with Sarah. It meant everything to him. Jinx was always an alcoholic and would never change. He was trapped in a life he didn't want. After he left, he had eventually straightened out and ran into Sarah working at a casino. He had changed everything for her. The problem was he couldn't tell her about Jinx or the kids. She'd never understand him walking out on his first family. He wasn't sure he could explain the why he left her and the kids to go into hiding. It was the only way to protect them. He hoped the rest of his plan went well.
Author: JMS529
Pairings/Characters: Mary/Marshall
Rating: M for a little smut in CH 10
Warnings: Some Spoilers S4
Summary: Mary's father is arrested after leaving FBI custody to follow Mary & Brandi. Not all is as it seems but Mary will finally get to confront her father about his leaving & discover something else along the way.
Chapter 2 || Chapter 3 || Chapter 4 || Chapter 5 || Chapter 6 || Chapter 7 || Chapter 8 || Chapter 9 || Chapter 10
This story was written for a request for LoneButterfly05 who requested a story with a Mary and James reunion. Hope the story is what you were hoping for.
Thanks to Jamie for betaing this story for me.
Stan looked out his office window and saw his two best detectives behaving like juvenile delinquents. If he was honest with himself, they weren't being that bad, but both Mary and Marshall's desk areas were lined with spitballs that managed to miss their original target. This was the problem with having a slow week. The partners had turned in their paperwork, there were no witness problems, no new witnesses being brought in and currently no one was looking for two marshals to help them with anything. Stan was about to go yell at them when he heard the ping on his computer. Smiling he couldn't help but think that there was another case and he could get his miscreants out of the office for awhile.
Stan scrolled to the notice and his smiled disappeared. Reading the notice was about to get up and inform Mary, when his phone rang.
"McQueen."
"Chief McQueen, this is Agent Lowery with the F.B.I. We'd like to talk with one of your inspectors in regards to a suspect we arrested."
"Which inspector would that be?" Stan asked, playing dumb.
"Inspector Shannon. Her father was apprehended heading towards Phoenix. We have reason to believe he was in Albuquerque and would like to know what you're inspector knows about that. James Shannon is currently in transit to our holding cell in Albuquerque until he can be transported to Arizona," Lowery replied.
"Inspector Shannon and her partner will be sent over to talk about this as long as that's all it is. The F.B.I. had better not be on another witch hunt of my inspector," Stan said.
"Sir, he had photos of both his daughters and we think he was observing them from a distance. We just want to know if she saw anything or have any clues as to why he's here. I guarantee you there will be no witch hunt on our part," Lowery replied, knowing full well what happened to O'Connor.
"Marshall, my office now" Stan called out.
"The boy scout is in trouble?" Mary teased, but she could see the puzzlement on her partners face.
"What's wrong, Stan?"
"The F.B.I. just arrested Mary's father heading towards Phoenix. They think he was here in Albuquerque watching her and Brandi. They would like to ask Mary some questions. I figured she'd take the news better from you. I also want you to go with her and make sure that's all they're doing," Stan said, firmly.
"Please tell me it's not O'Connor," Marshall replied.
"No, you're to ask for Agent Lowery," Stan said.
"Marshall…" Stan started.
"I know, make sure they're not trying to railroad Mary. Keep her in line and don't let her do anything stupid," Marshall said, knowing the drill better than he should.
Marshall walked over to Mary's desk.
"Let's go outside and get a breath of fresh air."
Mary got up and followed Marshall out to the balcony.
"What did Stan want? Are you okay? Is everything okay?" Mary asked, whatever was said Marshall didn't want repeated in front of anyone else.
Marshall hated what he had to tell her. It felt like he was about to take a knife and stab her in the heart.
Mary could see the hesitancy on Marshall's face and got a sinking feeling in her gut. It wasn't bad news for him. It was about her and Stan knew that it would be better for her coming from Marshall. That didn't mean it was better for Marshall to have to be the one to tell her. She would need to talk to Stan about putting Marshall in the middle of her problems.
"Marshall, what did whoever in my family do wrong now? You wouldn't be hesitating if it was something about you. Just tell me. I'm a big girl and can take it."
Marshall brushed a strand of hair behind her ear before leaning his forehead against hers. He wanted to pull her into his arms and shelter her from the cruel hand of fate that continually finds her.
"Marshall, just say it."
"The FBI located your father. He was arrested in New Mexico and was apparently heading towards Phoenix. He's currently being held in Albuquerque before they transport him to Phoenix to stand trial.
Mary didn't even realize she gasped until she felt Marshall's grip on her tighten in support. "What was he doing in New Mexico?"
"Apparently, following you and Brandi. The F.B.I. would like to talk to you about the photos. I'm going with you. It's not O'Connor either. They promised Stan it was just some questions about things they found. Anything that crosses the line of being proper we leave."
"Marshall, you don't have to go. I don't want to drag you down another Shannon family mess."
"If you think that I'm not going with you then you've apparently injured your head and are in dire need of medical attention. You're stuck with me, Mare. We do this together or it doesn't get done at all."
Mary couldn't help the brief smirk that crossed her face. She would never really understand what she did to deserve Marshall in her life, but she would be eternally grateful that he was.
"Do you need a few minutes before we go or do you want to get it over with? This is a lot to take in," Marshall said, watching the emotions that flashed over her face briefly.
"Let's just do this and get it over with" Mary replied, fighting the urge to cry.
This was the day she had longed for all her life. The man she had worshipped as a child was coming back into her life. The problem was she was torn by the excitement of seeing him again and the anger, no pain of his walking out to start a new family elsewhere. She felt numb and figured it was better to go before everything sunk in and her heart had time to register whatever was to come next.
Marshall grabbed his keys on the way towards the elevator. Mary grabbed her things off her desk, but had yet to say a word. He knew that she had to prepare herself, because she wouldn't want anyone to see the emotions that were going to rage inside of her. She was building up the walls to make sure the F.B.I. got nothing from her. She didn't trust them for good reason and she wasn't going to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing her react to her father's arrest. That would be done in private and with any luck, she would allow him to help her heal.
/\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Marshall kept stealing glances at Mary to make sure she was okay. She still hadn't said anything since the balcony. He could only imagine the emotional turmoil that she was going through. The question was which of her defense mechanisms were going to kick in during the questioning. He wished at the moment he had a crystal ball for that. It would at least help him prepare on how to keep Mary from getting in trouble.
"What do you need, Mare?" Marshall finally asked.
Mary couldn't help the small smirk that escaped. The one person in the world she'd want to do this with, was sitting next to her still asking what she needed. It was the only constant she had ever had in her life.
"For this to go away. Do you have any idea how this is going to go?" She snorted. "Wait until Jinx and Brandi find out. The melodramatics followed by the outrage. With my luck Jinx will end up on the wagon again. Then I'm going to have to hold their hands," Mary replied, irritably.
"I can help you with Jinx and Brandi, but I want to know what you need me to do for you," Marshall said.
"I need you to be you. Do what you always do. I need my partner and best friend to have my back," Mary whispered, softly. Her confession to Marshall made her sound weak to her ears.
"Always," Marshall responded, while reaching over and squeezing Mary's shoulder.
They parked and headed inside. Marshall wasn't sure which of them was more concerned about the questioning. The idea of once again having the F.B.I. coming after Mary's badge didn't appeal to him. Although he knew it wasn't O'Connor and was thrilled it wasn't Faber they had to deal with. He also had to remind himself to stay calm and if turned from questioning into an interrogation he had to pull Mary out of there. He wasn't putting her through another round of that crap.
Mary was tired of the family drama coming to bite her in the ass. It seemed like it also always dragged Stan and Marshall into it. She hated that they had to help her continually bail out her family. She was hoping that this Lowery was really just going to ask questions. She just wasn't going to let her guard down. She wasn't sure if the F.B.I. learned their lesson the last time.
Both their thoughts were interrupted as a tall older agent walked towards them.
"Inspectors Shannon and Mann, I'm Agent Lowery. If you would come this way we can talk in one of the conference rooms."
After they got settled into the conference room, Agent Lowery opened up the folder he'd been carrying.
"Inspector Shannon before we get started I just wanted to reiterate the fact that I'm not investigating you. I want to get a timeline on how long your father was here. I know that you've had problems with this agency in the past, but hope you'll be willing to work with me on this," Lowery said.
"How exactly are you expecting Inspector Shannon to help you with the timeline?" Marshall asked, feeling a little hope that this wasn't going to go sour in a hurry.
"When we arrested James at his hotel he had a slue of photos of both of his daughters. Some with notes and others just the photos. I was hoping the Inspector Shannon would be able to look at them and tell me the dates. I do have to warn you that some of the notes are opinionated. It looks like her father was keeping an eye on both the sisters from a distance," Lowery replied.
"Let's get this over with," Mary said, as Lowery handed her the folder of photos.
Lowery and his team had left the notes attached to them as that's how they were found and Mary could tell what he meant about them being opinionated. The first one that fell out of the folder was of her and Mark kissing on the way into her house. Her father expressed his clear displeasure over the situation. Not that he was necessarily wrong, but being absent from her life for so long didn't give him a right to any opinion in her mind. There were photos from her and Brandi shopping for her wedding dress, some of her and Marshall, Marshall by himself, Marshall and Abby, her at the adoption agency, coming from a doctor's appointment and some of her mother.
"He's been in Albuquerque for awhile; at least if he's the one that took the photos" Mary said, angrily.
"Why the hell was he taking photos of me? I mean I understand if I was with you at the time, but it's like he was following me around also" Marshall asked. It didn't make sense and of course there were no notes on those.
"Do you know if he was actually taking the photos? I would think he'd have been caught sooner if he was hanging around that long," Mary asked, Lowery. She didn't even want to think what her Dad taking pictures of Marshall's personal life implied.
"We think someone was helping him. I would agree with your assessment that he'd have been caught before now if he wasn't. Can the two of you tell me when the photos were taken?" Lowery asked.
He could tell by the inspectors' reactions that they didn't have any clue as to the fact that they were being watched by James Shannon. He left them both with a pen and paper and had them mark the photos by the numbers they had assigned them to the dates that correlated to them.
They had both waited until Lowery left before they talked. They knew enough to not trust the FBI to be listening in.
"Mare, why would your Dad follow me around?"
"Marshall, I have no idea. I don't know why that man can't just stay the hell out of our lives. He walked out on us without a single word. What gives him the right to pretend his interested in what happens. He never came back no matter how long I waited for him or how many nights I prayed for his return. I hope he rots in jail," Mary hissed out.
"Mare, I know you're angry with him and rightfully so, but some how I don't think any one would wish someone a life in prison. He's still your Dad and while you may not be disillusioned by him anymore; a part of you still loves the man he was for the seven years he was in your life," Marshall said, knowing he was pushing his luck. "Tell me what you need."
"I need answers, Marshall. I want to know why we weren't good enough and why he turned to a life of crime. I need to know why he started over with another family and never once thought about the one he left behind. After all the crap Brandi and I went through growing up he doesn't deserve any part of our lives," Mary replied, swiping at the single tear that escaped. She felt like the eight year old girl who sat by the window staring at the cars driving by; waiting for the right one to pull up in the driveway and her father to step out and make everything okay.
"We'll ask him when they allow us to talk to him," Marshall replied.
"We and us?" Mary asked.
"You're not going by yourself. I've got your back," Marshall said, shrugging.
"Are you glutton for punishment?" Mary asked, trying to hide the smirk sneaking at the corner of her mouth.
"Apparently, I've been putting up with your abuse for awhile," Marshall replied, smiling when she slugged him in the shoulder.
They both went back to going over the photos. Finally finishing them up they realized just how long they had been watched. The photos showed everything in their lives and Brandi and Jinx's over the last year and a half. The pictures had ranged through Mary's pregnancy to the adoptive parents, Marshall and Abby moving in together and Abby moving out after their breakup. There were pictures of Mary and Marshall together afterwards and then Brandi dressed in her wedding gown through her crying as she called the wedding off. The only person that was rarely seen in the photos was Jinx.
"He's been watching the entire year," Mary whispered.
"I know," Marshall said, sympathetically. His mind trying to figure out why James had been having him followed also. It didn't make any sense.
Mary was mad enough that her father had invaded her and Brandi's personal life, but the fact that he felt the right to follow Marshall infuriated her. She had a feeling he was trying to tell her something, but it was something she had already figured out. Between her jealousy of Abby and her need for Marshall and only Marshall to be there for the birth of her son. While she knew Marshall had hoped in some ways that she'd keep the baby, he understood her reasoning for giving him up. She wasn't ready to be a single mom and it was in the best interest of her son to give him to a loving couple. Yes, she had almost changed her mind, but seeing Mark again and thinking of all that she had been through since growing up without a father; she realized she didn't want to make that mistake. After doing a serious background check, she had decided the Templetons were a good home for her child. They had to send pictures in to the agency and Mary could look at them if she wanted to see them. She knew she wouldn't be able to. It would hurt more than it already did. Whoever had said making the right choice wasn't always easy was a very smart person.
"I'm sorry he followed you," Mary said, honestly.
"It's not your fault Mare. Nothing that happened because of James is your fault," Marshall reassured.
"I'm going to have to tell Jinx and Brandi that he's been arrested. I'm not in the mood for more drama. Between the adoption and the cancelled wedding I think we've had enough for awhile. Why does he have to come back now?"
"I'll come with you. See if we can keep the drama to a minimum," Marshall offered.
Giving Lowry the information they quickly called Stan and let them know they were heading to talk with Brandi and Jinx. They didn't want them to hear it on the news or from someone else.
/\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
"What could Mary possibly want to talk to us about? You don't think she's pregnant again, do you?" Jinx asked.
"I'm pretty sure you can rule that out Mom. That would require her actually dating someone and she hasn't done that since the adoption. We'll find out soon enough. Just sit down and relax," Brandi replied.
"Relax, after everything I've been through this year? First I was supposed to be a grandmother, but my daughter gives the baby to another family and you were supposed to be marrying a very nice man and called it off. Nothing positive has happened yet this year," Jinx whined.
"Don't start on that again. Mary did what she thought was best for the baby and in hindsight I don't think she was wrong. Her job isn't good for being a single Mom and it's not like you and I are the best babysitters. Peter and I were moving faster than I was ready for. I put way too much pressure on myself to try and please his family and associates. It was my fault and not Peter's but it was the best decision for me. Mary and I both did what we had to for us. This has nothing to do with you. It was done for the best interest of all involved," Brandi replied. "I should've stayed out of Mary's personal life and not pushed Mark on her. It would have saved them both a lot of grief. It's way past time for us to stop trying to influence things to go the way we want them and not what the other members of this family want for themselves."
It had been a hard lesson learned, but realizing what kind of pain Mary had gone through Brandi finally realized her mistakes. She may not be the brightest bulb on the block, but she did eventually learn. Just so she remembered the mistakes. Her thought was interrupted by the sound of a SUV pulling into the driveway and two doors closing. Mary brought Marshall with; she had a feeling this wasn't going to be good.
Mary entered with Marshall following behind her. Seeing Jinx pacing, Mary wanted to roll her eyes. Her mother had been playing out drama since her and Brandi 'ruined' her life. Trying not to roll her eyes she took a calming breath before proceeding.
"Jinx, sit down," Mary ordered.
"Don't tell me what to do. I'm not a child," Jinx complained.
"Trust me, you'll want to sit down," Mary replied.
Jinx finally complied and looked towards Mary. "Happy now?"
"So what's going on?" Brandi asked.
"James Shannon has been arrested in Phoenix. I don't have any information on when he can be seen or the date of the trial currently. The FBI will want to talk to both of you more than likely; especially you Brandi. He's been following you, me and Marshall for over a year," Mary said.
"Marshall?" Brandi asked, confused.
"We don't know why he was following me," Marshall said.
"You know this how and was he following me?" Jinx asked.
"We had to talk to the FBI to give them a time frame that the photos he had were from. We're not even sure he was doing all the following. He might have hired someone for some of the time. We just don't know. It doesn't appear that he was following you. The only pictures they have at this point with you in them are when you were with Brandi or me," Mary replied.
"I see. I'm not important enough to follow," Jinx said.
"That's something you'll need to ask James or it could be that they don't have all of the photos," Marshall said, trying to cut Mary some slack.
"How soon before we can talk to him?" Brandi asked.
"The earliest would be after the processed him and possibly not until after the trial. That is up to the FBI," Marshall supplied.
"Does his other family know?" Brandi asked.
"I don't know what the Griffins know. The FBI didn't mention them," Mary replied. "Look, we have to get back to work. I'll let you know if I find out anything else."
"So, we just wait and do nothing? He's my husband. I have a right to know what is going on," Jinx said.
Mary wanted to roll her eyes at the dramatics again. Jinx was in full swing and she figured it was just a matter of time before the baby and wedding came up. She looked to Marshall and hid the smirk that wanted to escape when she realized he was already thinking of a way to put things politely.
"For now it's best to keep your distance from James. Anything else will put you under a fine microscope by the FBI and could get you charged with crimes you didn't commit. The best thing you can do is wait until the trial is over and then confront him. It's truly in your best interest to avoid contact with him. Mary and I are also doing the same. Mare, weren't you going to grab an away bag for a few days?" Marshall asked, knowing full well Mary needed to be away from Brandi and Jinx to wrap her head around what was happening. The two could brainstorm and try to figure it out.
Mary almost didn't realize Marshall was offering her an escape. She stared at him for a few seconds before it registered what he said.
"You're leaving? Don't you think you should be staying with us during this crisis?" Jinx asked, shocked.
"I have a job to do. James was a part of my life for less than eight years. It's not a crisis for us. He's the one on trial. Marshall and I have our own work to do. I'll call you in a few days to make sure everything is alright," Mary said, walking to her bedroom to get packed.
"How do you know Dad was following you and that you weren't in photos just because?" Brandi asked, curiously.
"There were photos of me on dates with Abby. Mary wasn't around. Don't get me wrong there are some with me and Mary and there is also one with you, Peter, Abby and Oscar when we ran into each other on the ghost walk. There are too many of me on my own to say that he wasn't watching me. Why he would do that is anyone's guess at this point."
"Ready?" Mary asked, entering the room with her bags.
Mary and Marshal were heading towards the office when Marshall's cell rang.
"Marshall."
"It's Stan. Where are you and Mary?"
"We're about seven minutes from the office."
"James is refusing to talk to anyone, but Mary and you. The FBI wants you two at their offices too and see what information you can get out of him. Marshall, Mary's going to need you more than she ever has."
"I know that Stan and I'll do what I do best," Marshall replied, trying to not let Mary know what he and Stan were discussing. Mary already knew that he's have her back for anything, but this was personal and Mary doesn't do personal well. She come to him, but doesn't need to think Stan forced him into it. She should know better by now, but he also knew a lot of raw emotions were going to be coming up for Mary.
Mary knew they were talking about her. She could tell by the way Marshall was choosing his words carefully. Stan was telling him to take care of her, which why he bothered Mary didn't know. Marshall always had her back and this would be no exception. She could bite, scratch, kick and mutilate Marshall, but he'd still come back licking his wounds and ready to go another round with her to make sure she came out alright.
"Tell Stan to stop harassing you about me, so that we can go do whatever it is he needs us to do. How long have we all worked together?" Mary huffed.
"That's my girl. We'll check in with you later Stan," Marshall said, hanging up. "FBI wants us to go talk to your Dad. He won't talk to anyone, but us."
"Well now you finally get to complete the circle of meeting the world's most messed up family. I'm sorry he's dragging you into this Marshall. I honestly don't know why," Mary said, biting her lower lip.
"It's not your fault and I'd rather be here then have you dealing with him on your own. Let's go see if he can shed some light on his past and present activities."
They parked at the FBI building and Marshall noticed Mary take a few deep breaths. He knew whatever happened with James; Mary wouldn't let it out of her system until they were well away from the FBI. He was glad she hadn't argued about staying at his place for awhile. She needed time away from Jinx in order to cope. He knew full well Mary was way more upset about this then she appeared.
Agent Lowery met them as they entered into the building.
"Thanks for coming. James refuses to speak with anyone; but the two of you. Then he'll tell us what we want to know. We need his information. James is one of the smaller fishes in a large organization. We're not going to offer him Witness Protection for his testimony; but if he gives us the information we want and testifies against the others then he'll get a reduced sentence." Lowery informed them.
"Did he say what he wanted to talk to us about?" Mary asked.
"No, just what I told you. I think his curiosity to know more about what has happened to you over the years is playing into effect here. Honestly, for all I know he could be blowing smoke up our ass just to have fun. I'm willing to give a little leeway if we can get his testimony," Lowery replied.
"Let's just go in and see what he wants, Mare. The sooner we do that the sooner a whole lot of questions get answered," Marshall said, knowing they could theorize all day without coming up with the right answer.
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James Shannon sat in the interrogation room waiting patiently. He new Mary would come to talk to him and so would her partner. He needed them to be seen here especially since his old associates would be watching. There were also a few things he wanted to tell Mary about her choices in life. He watched as his daughter and her partner entered.
"Princess," James greeted.
"James," Mary replied.
James smile faded when Mary didn't call him Dad.
"Sweetheart, I know that you're probably upset…" James started, but was cut off.
"Don't princess or sweetheart me. You lost that right a long time ago. What do you want with Marshall and me? I have things to do that don't revolve around you," Mary said, harshly.
"Mary, please can we just talk?" James replied.
"Why? You suddenly feel the need to make up for thirty some years of being absent. Hell, even when you lived with us you were gone for days or weeks at a time. What makes you think that we have anything to say to each other? I don't need you, anymore. Why don't you call your other family? They might actually be happy to see you. Apparently, you managed to figure out a way to stay in their lives for most of it," Mary said, bitterly.
"I did what was best at the time for you and your sister. I never lost track of you," James replied, noticing the way Marshall watched the interaction. The man hadn't interfered yet, but he could tell he would if it got out of hand.
"We saw the pictures. What you decided to do was in the best interest of you. It had nothing to do with me or Brandi. You left me to take care of an infant while you sent your wife further into the bottle. I got the distinct pleasure of dealing with both of them. As for keeping track, you have no right to follow us. When you left you should've stayed gone. Plus what the hell gives you the right to follow Marshall? He has nothing to do with the likes of you and I'd prefer to keep it that way," Mary fumed.
"I'm your father and have the right to track the people you interact with to make sure they're good enough for my princess. You think it's easy being on the sidelines watching you make so many mistakes and not seeing what's right in front of you? Mark, seriously you slept with the man who cheated on you on your honeymoon. You gave up my grandchild to another couple to raise. I had the right to see my grandbaby and to make sure he was taken care of. Marshall is a part of yours and Brandi's life. I needed to know that he was good enough to be in it," James said.
"I made a lot of mistakes? This from the crook. What I do or don't do is of none of your concern. That baby wasn't your grandchild and you have no right to interfere with his happiness. Marshall doesn't need your approval. He has mine. He's the best thing that ever happened to me. He doesn't need to measure up to your standards, because he's so far above you that you will never be able to compare," Mary replied.
Marshall decided it was time to interfere. This was getting them no where and if Mary continued this path, more than likely nothing would ever come out of James.
"So what did you need to talk to the both of us about?" Marshall asked, calmly.
Mary turned towards her partner, glaring a hole through him until she realized that he was trying to get them back on track. In her anger and resentment she forgot briefly they needed to get him to talk to the FBI.
"I wanted to tell you to watch your backs. If the FBI knows that I was having you followed and was following you that they might come after you to get to me. Mary, I understand your anger; but don't let my walking out on you force you to miss the opportunities that stare you in the face day after day. If you open your eyes to them you'll see that happiness can be found if you look in the right direction. Marshall, I ask that you take care of my girls if someone does come after them. I'll tell the FBI what they need to know but I need to make sure my family is safe" James said. He hoped the underlining message reached his daughter. For eight years happiness walked by her side, she just needed to reach out and hold onto it. She had never needed him in her life, but his other family did. Once she figured out what he was doing and had done she'd never forgive him.
"I'll always protect Mary. She's my partner and we have each other's backs. It's what we do. I'll make sure Brandi stays safe also," Marshall replied.
"Thank you. I'm ready to talk to the FBI," James said, not even two seconds later Lowery was in the room. Mary and Marshall were asked to leave.
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Stan was sitting in his office anxiously awaiting the return of his inspectors. He wanted to make sure that Mary was alright. He knew Marshall would take care of her, but he also had the feeling things were going to get complicated. They always did when Mary's family was involved. The ping announcing the arrival of the elevator had Stan up and meeting Mary and Marshall as they entered.
"Well?" Stan asked.
Mary didn't say a word just strode over to her desk and began booting up her computer.
"James thought it was a good idea to explain to Mary the mistakes of her life. She pretty much told him to piss off. On the other hand, he's worried one of the people he's going to testify against may come after Mary or Brandi. He's right about the fact that if he found them, the men he worked for could also. I'll stick with Mary, but we might want to put someone on Brandi as a safety precaution," Marshall replied.
"You really think they might come after Mary and Brandi? James has been out of their lives for years. I know he's had photos and followed them, but he's never bothered to contact either one," Stan said.
"We've seen criminals go after others for less Stan. I don't want to take a chance with Mary or Brandi's lives. They've both been through enough lately."
"Alright. I'll assign an inspector to stay with Brandi. Make sure Mary lets her know she's getting one. Is Mary really okay?"
"As okay as she can be under the circumstances. She's angry and pissed off; more so than normal. She's earned that right. I think we're in for a long bumpy ride." Marshall shrugged and moved to his desk.
Mary hadn't said a word in over an hour and she knew that Marshall was casting glances at her. The last words spoken were to Brandi to let her know about the security detail. After that her father's words kept spinning in her head. She didn't know what made her angrier her father's judgments on her life or the fact that he included Marshall into his sick twisted little world. A part of her worried that these men that were after her father would come after Marshall. She already knew he'd be hovering over her at his house; but she was going to need to keep a close eye on him. Her father hadn't told her the complete truth of why he was watching Marshall. If he did it was hidden in the comment about being too blind to see what was in front of her.
"Doofus, let's go check on some witnesses," Mary said, standing up. She needed to get out of the office, before her head exploded trying to figure everything out.
"How about lunch and then witnesses?" Marshall asked.
"Since you offered to treat, why not," Mary replied, knowing Marshall needed to know she was okay. Teasing would lessen his worry, it was what they did.
"Is there any other way this works?" Marshall asked, grabbing his keys, gun and badge before they headed towards the elevator.
Mary knew that Marshall was watching her to determine how she was holding up. She just wasn't ready to talk yet. Her head was spinning over what her father had said. There was more to the message then what her father said. James didn't just want Marshal to keep an eye on her and Brandi there was something they weren't putting together.
"I can smell the smoke from here. Why don't you stop staring out the window and start running those thoughts by me? Together we can put it together easier then you can by yourself. Talk to me Mare."
"Something doesn't add up with what James was saying. He was hinting at something and there was a double meaning to his words," Mary said, as they pulled into the diner parking lot.
After the waitress left from taking their orders, Marshall started to think over what Mary said and what James had mentioned. He wanted to protect his family. The photos were of Mary, Brandi and him. There were none of the Griffins. Marshall grabbed his cell and hit speed dial.
"What?" Mary asked, knowing Marshall had come to some conclusion.
"McQueen."
"Stan, we have a bigger problem than we had originally thought," Marshall said.
"Where are you going with this Marshall?" Stan asked.
"When we were talking to James he mentioned that he was trying to protect his family. We thought he was talking about me watching Brandi and Mary. Have the F.B.I. contacted the Griffins? They have three children; two daughters and a son. All of the photos he took here were of Mary, Brandi and I. If whoever is after him was watching him they would have noted he was checking out the three of us. We're the damn decoy. Get his other family, Stan."
"I'll have a team in Miami pick them up and in the meantime I want you and Mary to stay together. Most of the photos were Mary's house so stay at yours. I'll also get Brandi and Jinx a detail. If you're right they'll be coming after you to get to James," Stan replied.
"Stan, find out who James is testifying against. I want to know what we're up against," Marshall said, closing the phone.
"He's using us to protect his other family? It's bad enough that he is using Brandi and me, but to drag you into the middle of it," Mary said, angrily.
Marshall relayed the conversation Stan and he had until the waitress dropped off breakfast.
"Well I guess we know who matters most to James," Mary muttered.
"Then that makes him a fool, Mare. It's his loss not yours. This is his own stupidity. It has nothing to do with you as a person," Marshall said.
"Then why does it feel like it?" Mary asked.
"Because a part of you is still the little girl who used to adore her father that walked out on her. I know that you probably don't want to hear this, but that man is gone. His best achievement was bringing you into this world. His biggest mistake was not seeing it. He made the mistake of walking away and never knowing Brandi and leaving you behind. You can't control who he is and what he did, but you have turned into a strong, determined woman that has a soft side buried underneath a lot of complicated layers. He gave me one of the best friends that I could ever have," Marshall replied, kissing her on the forehead before they headed back to the car.
Mary smirked at that. She still wondered how it was that she had been lucky enough to get Marshall in her life. She was going to have to be a better friend to him. She'd been working on it but it wasn't easy to lower her defenses.
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James paced his cell. He'd betrayed one family to save another. He regretted putting Mary and Brandi in that position, but with her job she'd be able to keep her sister safe. He didn't have a doubt that Marshall would protect Mary. It was why he used them for a decoy. When Mary had destroyed the bug in her house it left him at a disadvantage. He had wanted to know what was going on in case anything ever hit the fan. The men after him would kill his family, if he didn't stop them. With Mary's career choice it gave him the perfect opportunity to use one family to protect the other. He knew it was wrong, but sometimes people had to make tough choices. He wasn't sure if leaving Mary and Brandi with Jinx was better or worse, then setting them up as targets. At least Mary would be able to survive without his help. She had enough people in her life to protect her if she needed their help. He added a few extra law enforcement personnel to help by throwing Marshall into the mix.
Lauren, Scott, Melissa and his wife Sarah wouldn't stand a chance. He had to protect them at all cost. He knew it would cost him his other family, but he'd already lost them when he walked out of their lives. For years, he had thought about going back for Mary and Brandi, but the truth would have destroyed the life he built with Sarah. It meant everything to him. Jinx was always an alcoholic and would never change. He was trapped in a life he didn't want. After he left, he had eventually straightened out and ran into Sarah working at a casino. He had changed everything for her. The problem was he couldn't tell her about Jinx or the kids. She'd never understand him walking out on his first family. He wasn't sure he could explain the why he left her and the kids to go into hiding. It was the only way to protect them. He hoped the rest of his plan went well.