Without Me

Spend some time

''So that was 'football,''' Ashley giggled as Marshall put the word in air quotes as he said it like a foreign concept.

''Yes. So what ya think?'' She asked leaning her head on his shoulder. They'd gone back to the hotel room and Ashley had found a random game that was being aired, just to give Marshall the chance to actually see a game. They now sat lounging on the bed as a film filtered across the screen; neither of them paying attention to it.

''I dunno, there was no real aggression you know. No fights,'' he shrugged, rubbed his arm up and down Ashley's back as if to make sure she didn't try and fight him.

''There isn't any fighting in American football you idiot,'' Ashley bumped his shoulder causing him to wobble to one side, ''just say you don't like it.''

''I didn't wanna upset you it's something you like,'' Marshall pointed out, ''like I know you don't like my kind of football, but ya still watch it ya know,'' she nodded along with his point, totally understanding where he was coming from.

''I get it,'' she smiled leaning over to give him a quick peck on the lips.

''What ya wanna do now then?'' He rose an eyebrow as the second he spoke the smile widened across her face.

''I got a few suggestions,'' she winked.

''Yeah, mind telling me,'' Marshall smirked leaning forward to whisper against her lips.

***

''This is not what I had in mind Ash,'' Marshall groaned as Ashley pushed open the door that belonged to a dress shop.

''Come on I just wanna look please,'' she pouted drawing out the 'please.' ''It's bad like to see the bride in her dress before the wedding anyway. I just wanna look at some bridesmaid dresses.''

''Fine, but if we're here longer than an hour I'm taking my proposal back,'' he warned pointing a stern finger at her.

''yay, I love you,'' Ashley leapt up giving his a chaste kiss on the cheek before pulling him in through the door.

''Yeah, yeah. I love you too,'' he mumbled, allowing himself to be dragged along.

Marshall couldn't understand how so many different styles of dresses existed. There were frilly ones, ones that had deep necklines, lace necklines, dresses that puffed out around the skirt; there were just too many types for him to list in one go. His request of only being there an hour and threat had fallen on deaf ears as Ashley spent nearly two and a half hours trolling through the rails. Well, it wasn't entirely her fault since one if the assistants had started talking to her and so that took up half an hour out of the two and a half. he'd been sat for most of the time at one of the comfy chairs that were hidden around the corner by the dressing rooms. He was glad nobody was actually changing otherwise he would have been seen as a creep.

''Hey, wakey, wakey,'' Marshall bolted upright. It was then he realised from glancing down at his watch and then outside that they'd in reality been there way longer than the hour he'd asked for and even longer than the two and a half he'd been awake for.

''Fuck did I really fall asleep,'' he groaned stretching his arms and legs as he made himself leave the comfy chair.

''Yes now lets back I'm hungry,'' as if on cue Ashley's stomach began to rumble.

''And I believe you, but a threats a threat. Gimmie the ring back,'' he curled his finger over in a giving motion as he watched Ashely's eyes widen in panic.

''But I thought you were joking and that women were talking to me, I didn't wanna be rude...''

''Whoa, whoa. I was joking, Ash fuck,'' Ashley shook her head in her hands as Marshall moved to wrap his arms around her, ''shush,'' he whispered, trying to get her to calm down.

''I'm sorry, hormones,'' she meekly responded after he'd pulled away and she'd calmed down a little.

''Yeah I kinda got that and I guess I took it too far.''

''Nah your just an ass,'' Ashley playfully hit him on the shoulder as they made their way out of the shop.

''Yeah, but I'm your ass.''

''Damn right you are Marshy,'' she teased.

''Don't ever call me that again Ash,'' his voice turned serious again, but because Ashely's silly change of mood, it didn't affect her as much as he'd hoped.

''How about Marsho?'' she then questioned.

''No.''

''Marshmellow?''

''Hell no,'' he shouted flinging his arms up and down in exasperation.

''Guess I'll just have to stick with Marsh since that's the only name you'll except,'' Ashley signed, climbing into the waiting car, Marshall crawling in behind her, ''even though it was thought of by my son cause he couldn't pronounce your name properly. Pretty sure he called you Mash to start with,'' she giggled remembering the first time they started teaching him how to say it.

2003

''Marsh-all,'' Marshall spoke slowly at the little boy bouncing on his lap. The brown-haired little boy blinked at him in confusion, his little fists balled in a way of keeping his balance as he sat on his godfather's knee.

''Come on minnie Ash you can say is Marsh...''

''Mash,'' Proofs laughter filtered through the room as Jamie proudly shouted the word.

''Man shut up, he called you poof before he could pronounce the R you shut it,'' Deshaun continued to cackle and appeared to not have heard a single word Marshall had said.

''Mash is funnier though,'' he continued to laugh, which then set Jamie off who begun to sport a wide grin as little giggles escaped through his lips.

''Oh no not you too,'' Marshall sighed preparing to give up when Jamie came out with something that made him smile.

''Marsh,'' it sounded a little robotic as he pronounced every syllable, but never the less to Marshall it was a start.

A smile graced Marshall's lips as he leaned back in his seat recalling the moment as if it had been yesterday. If truth be told he missed the days when all the kids were young and at that moment he made a promise to himself to treasure every single day he had with the ones yet to come as if it was his last.