"Visiting hours are over in ten minutes." The nurse's head disappeared behind the door before Robin could even turn around to nod. It seemed like she had only been there for a few minutes, and not an hour. It had been four days since Barney's accident and she, Ted, Marshall, and Lily had been taking turns keeping tabs on him. Robin usually took the last shift, but she didn't mind. The conversation distracted her from the thought of the long cab ride home.
"I should probably go soon," she said, stating the obvious.
"Please, Scherbatsky, this wouldn't be the first time a woman has broken the rules for the Barnacle," Barney replied, half smirking. It was late, but he didn't want her to go. Sure, Ted was his best friend, and Marshall and Lily were entertaining enough, but something about Robin's presence made him forget that he was lying in a hospital bed.
Barney still remembered what happened after the bus hit him, what ran through his mind before everything went black. The first time he saw Robin, Robin saving his life during Laser-tag, the first time he realized how naturally beautiful Robin was, the funny looks Robin would give him mid-conversation, Robin walking into the bar looking "hot as all hell," Robin kissing him with that ridiculous ballad in the background, Robin, Robin, Robin. It was astounding how many images could flash through his mind in such a short time and how after everything that had happened he could still remember each one. He had no idea what it meant; even after Marshall and Lily's jests about seeing "the stuff he loves" right before death, he was still lost. He couldn't be in love; he didn't even remember what love really felt like. All he knew was that he felt something.
"Barney?" Barney blinked and realized he hadn't said anything for about a minute.
"Sorry, I guess I zoned out."
"You're tired, I should go and let you sleep." Robin started to get up. Barney grabbed her hand before she could move, forgetting that the wrist was still sprained.
"Wait," he started, wincing, "I need to talk to you about something before you leave."
"Sure, what?" Robin replied nervously, sitting back down. The seriousness in Barney's voice was unfamiliar and threw her a little.
"I've just been thinking about something while I've been here. We never really talked about what happened that night."
"What night?" Barney couldn't tell if she knew what he was talking about or not.
"You know, the night we watched your music video. The night we--"
"Oh, you mean the night that never happened?" Robin was looking a little uncomfortable.
"That's the thing, it did happen, and I wanted to make a few things clear." Robin started to pull her hand away, but despite the pain, Barney wasn't going to let her leave. "And don't try to get away, Scherbatsky, because I need you to hear this."
"Fine." Robin resigned herself to her position.
"When I get in bed with a woman, it doesn't mean anything. It's just sex. That's it; one night and I'm gone and never look back."
Robin frowned, almost looking a little dejected. "Why are you telling me this?"
Barney continued, "It wasn't that way with you. It was different. You weren't just some conquest I wanted to check off my 'list.' I don't know what it meant, but it sure as hell wasn't meaningless. Let's face it, Scherbatsky, you're not a 'meaningless' kind of woman. If you still want to forget that it ever happened, that's fine with me, but I can't forget it, so there." He ended with a kind of finality in his voice. He waited a moment and looked at Robin for a reaction.
Robin was taken aback. She had no idea what Barney was trying to say. Was it the pain talking? The painkillers? Was he implying something more than what he was saying or was he just trying to nail in a point? He was still holding her hand.
"Barney, I--"
"You don't have to say anything; just go. I'm tired and visiting hours are over." It wasn't an angry tone, but almost an apologetic one. He had nothing to apologize for. He let go of her hand and pushed the painkiller button on his IV tube.
"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow." Robin started to leave but then stopped and turned around. Barney was looking drowsy, but still awake.
"You really don't have to say anything."
"Yes, I do." Robin took a breath. "That night wasn't meaningless to me, either. I was feeling terrible, and you were there for me, and I really appreciate that." It was at that moment, or maybe shortly before, that Robin realized what a true comfort Barney had been that day, and that she had never let any man, not even Ted, see her so vulnerable before. Even if she wanted to tell Barney that, she couldn't; he was half asleep already. She stroked his hair away from his forehead and simply said, "Goodnight, Barney."