Barney looks at Robin, longing to kiss her, wanting to hold her. To push her hair behind her ear, to stroke her cheek gently. God, when did he become such a girl?

Lately he's had a hard time deciding where the best place to sit is, these are of course last minute decisions. If he sits next to her he gets to smell her hair, 'accidently' sit too close and, if Ted brings a date over and they have to make room, they squish in real close and it's almost like he's with her.

Ted's date's last night - Sabrina was her name? – seemed very nice, until her boyfriend walked in. Well she called him a stalker, but either way he was big. But before that happened she asked around how they all met, just like that blah-blah girl, and they retold how Ted met Marshall, how Marshall met Lily, how Barney met Marshall and then how Ted met Robin. They could laugh about it now; both Ted and Robin seemed over it. They've both moved on and it was just a part of their past.

Then Sarah asked Barney how he met Robin, at this point Robin had gone to the bathroom. Barney's reaction was quaint to say the least. It was how Marshall figured it out.

"So Barney, tell me, how'd you meet Robin? Was it love at first sight too?" Susan asked, turning to Lily she added, "Some girls have all the luck huh?" And giggled as Lily looked at her with a fake smile, raised eyebrows and a roll of the eyes, Samantha was annoying, but proceeded to direct her attention to Barney.

Barney had watched Robin leave and currently had one hand on her seat cushion which was still warm while the other amused itself with his empty tumbler. As soon as she was out of sight he turned his attention to the ice which still remained now that it was stricken from its alcoholic content. He had his thought fixed on the joke Robin had just made and was still smiling softly about it, until he heard Silvia's question. You would suspect that Barney would jump, laugh it off without success until Lily stare him down at which point a defeated Barney would simply and sadly shake his head which would be when Robin returns. Sally would be confused ask again and there you would see how Robin would react to the same question which she was asked over a year ago and during which time things had transpired between them. But that's not what happened.

"I introduced her to Ted." Barney responded his grin shyly fading back for a moment, his eyes continued to look into his tumble as his other hand came up to hold it as well.

"Oh well then how did that work out?" Scarlett innocently asked.

"What do you mean?" Barney's expression was serious but he still kept his eyes on his empty glass.

"Well if you were the one who hooked Ted and Robin up-"

"That's not exactly what happened-"Ted attempted to correct but was ignored.

"-then how did you and Robin finally get together?" While Barney attempt to think of a good answer – he wish he knew – Marshall cut in.

"Barney and Robin aren't a couple, they don't even like to be in a couple, in fact they don't even like the word couple. That would be like getting two people who hate chess to play chess against one another. All you get is a bunch of piece tossed on the floor." He had helped Lily out with her kindergarten class, they didn't like chess. "Isn't that right, Barney?" Barney's mouth opened and closed as if he was trying to say something but found no words. "Ted?" Marshall looked to Ted who was looking at Barney, who seemed to have just winced at seeing Marshall's now growing suspicion. "Lillypad?" He turned to his wife. One telepathic communication later, Marshall was clued in and decided to shut up. Meanwhile Sophie was still very confused but Robin came back and Ted found a change in conversation.

And that's why when Stephanie's boyfriend/stalker came by looking for a fight, Marshall didn't stop him. Barney saw his chance and stood up for Ted and Sasha's guy took him out back to fight. Barney got one good punch – right hook – in before Stacey's stalker/boyfriend messed him up. They watched for about 83 seconds before they couldn't take another minute. But before they did anything Stacey ran up to the big guy and they left together.

Barney had to go to the emergency room, he wouldn't wake up. He had a concussion and an open wound. Ted, Lily and Marshall took shifts in his room. Robin came in a few times but never for long, when it was her turn to keep a watch she would watch him a bit, see the machines monitoring him, his steady pulse and then tell the nurse she was going to the washroom or feign sickness and tell Ted to stay a little while longer or go to the vending machine. He woke up while Marshall was keeping an eye on him.

"Hey buddy," Marshall gently said relief sprung across his face.

"Hy.. Hey Marshall," he grinned, but he was clearly exhausted. "So did I lose?"

"Yeah." Barney chuckled a bit before it turned into coughs.

"Can't win them all..." then softening his smile, he asked, "Where's Robin?"

"Uh, she's, she's around. We decided to take shifts until you woke up."

"How long was I out?"

"About three hours now." Marshall said, "Barney I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"If I would've stopped that guy earlier or beat him up myself you wouldn't have ended up in the hospital."

"So why didn't you."

"I don't know, I thought... I thought that if I let you try and fight some guy Robin would have..." He trailed off; Barney knew what he was thinking. "But I didn't think he'd put you in the hospital."

"I hope not. It's fine Marshall, really. It wasn't your fault you were just trying to help." They then shared a true bro moment of mutual smiles. Barney offered a fist bump, which Marshall reciprocated, and then Marshall hugged him as he lay in his bed. After which Marshall left the room to get Ted, Lily and Robin.