So this is my first How I met your mother story. I'm pretty sure the characters will seem out of character but I'm still trying to figure them out, so please try and bare with me. This is a Barney/Robin story but there are Lily/Marshal and Ted/His wife (in this story her name is Tracy)
There the gang sat, huddled around their rented holiday cabin in snowy New York. It was the start of their holiday vacation, Thanksgiving. The group had worked overtime the past year to secure a proper vacation from Thanksgiving through New Years. A three month pregnant Lily, sat cuddled up with Marshall. While Ted, his wife, Tracy, and their two children spent the down time playing an apparently, epic game of Scrabble.
Suddenly, Ted's daughter, Lindsey asked curiously, "Where are Uncle Barney and Auntie Robin?"
Succeeding in breaking the trance that had fallen over the group, the adults began looking around the room also realizing the missing couple.
"I'm not sure, they must have snuck off." Lily said tiredly after being awoken from her non-stop cooking induced coma. Checking the clock she spoke again. "Dinner should be ready soon, kids could you set the table?" Nodding, Lindsey and Luke got up and walked to the next room to prepare the table.
With dinner coming soon Ted and his wife began cleaning up their abandoned game of Scrabble, while a lazy Marshal sent a double text to both Barney and Robin. By the time the kids came back announcing the task had been done and the oven timer had gone off, Robin and Barney's laughter could be heard on the stairs on their way up from downstairs. Within moments the couple could be seen, rosy cheeked from the snowy winter that stormed outside of their cozy cabin.
"What are we waiting for, lets get on to the awesomeness that is Lily's Thanksgiving dinner." Were Barney's first words as the couple arrived on the top step.
"True that, my baby has mad cooking skills." Was Marshals reply, causing Lily to blush as everyone crowded into the dinning room.
Taking their seats, as commanded by a stressed Lily, the group waited for Marshal and Lily to set out their food. Ted, Tracy and Luke took up seats across from Barney, Robin and Lindsey, with Marshal and Lilly each taking up and end of the table.
Before long the group was all settled in their seats with an array of delicious food surrounding them. Unnoticeably to the adults, Robin Before they could begin getting started on their inevitable after-turkey coma, the tradition of going around the table stating what they were thankful for began.
Starting at Lily and going to the left, the heartfelt words began spilling out. Lily's and Marshal's being identical in their happiness of becoming parents soon as well as an equally gushy sentiment from Ted and Tracy. These accounts bringing a not so subtle eye roll to Barney and Robin. Luke's was an enthusiastic account of his happiness at getting good grades in his fifth grade class. As Lindsey's was centered on her happiness at being together again with everyone.
Once the table got quiet and the attention turned to Barney. "I am thankful.." He started out looking around the table and stopping slightly to look in the eyes of his long term girlfriend. Noticing the silence he continued, "I am thankful for how awesome I am and the fact that Lindsey and Luke turned out less like Ted and more like Tracy." He finished smirking with a secret smile granted to Robin. His words granting him a high-five from Robin and a conspirators smirk.
Next up was Robin, she also locked eyes with Barney before continuing. "I'm thankful for the long vacation we are about to have." Her improved statement was cheered on by everyone and also, granted her a high-five from Barney.
Throughout dinner conversations on anything from Ted's new job to the recent argument about the Loch Ness Monster could be heard.
"I'm telling you guys, their have been tons of reports on it's existence!" Marshal exclaimed to the table.
"Marshal, It's not hard to make up a fake story and get others to fallow you, especially to get on T.V." Robin responded, while reaching for a roll.
"They even have it on tape! Besides you think a little less then a hundred people would lie just to be on television?" Lily backed up her husband.
"Yeah, well, Barney can say he got together with that hot waitress by using baby talk back in two-thousand ten, but that doesn't mean any of us believe him." Robin stated switching the topic.
Her response eliciting a "What?" from Tracy, Lindsey and Luke.
"I swear I did get with her!" Was Barney's reply "She was all over me and my illiterateness." At this he raised his hand for a high-five around the table. "Come on guys." He said desperately
"Sorry, no one ever believed you Barney." Was Ted's slow reply.
"Come on Tracy! High-five!" Barney tried again.
"Yeah, I don't think so." She replied laughing slightly and picking up her drink.
"Auntie Robin?" Lindsey questioned cautiously
"Yeah, Hun?" Robin replied sweetly
"How can you sit there and be okay with Uncle Barney talking about this stuff? I know if my boyfriend talked about one of his, uh, exes, he'd be on the ground." Lindsey said referring to her boyfriend, Jay.
The table went quiet for a moment but before Lindsey could begin to feel guilty Robin turned toward her and exclaimed, "That's my girl, high-five!" Smirking she continued, "Now don't forget what I taught you. But to answer your question, were just to awesome to care I guess. See watch, so Lily I ran into Don a few weeks ago. Apparently the company canned him." Barney's hand squeezed Robin's softly under the table.
When no reaction could be seen from Barney to the rest of the group they continued their conversation but this time on new, safer topic, as the adults saw it.
After a few more semi-awkward moments passed the gang had decided to wait a while on the pie and instead take awhile to digest some of their food. The dishes were quickly put into the dishwasher and the group went to change into more comfortable clothing to watch some movies and use the stairs t work off some of their food.
The first ready were Robin and Barney, who Robin surprisingly had talked into wearing sweatpants and an old t-shirt. After awhile of waiting for the others to finish, Barney and Robin decided to enjoy the time they had alone on the moonlit balcony. Quietly they stood at the rail looking through the crisp night air watching as small snowflakes gracefully danced in the slight breeze. Barney wrapped his arm around her waste and held her from behind, as he rested his chin on her shoulder.
A little while after Robin and Barney decided to go outside the group were gathered in the living room once again.
"There they are." Lily exclaimed stopping their search for the couple.
Looking out the window they could see a secret moment between Robin and Barney that was never shown in public, proven by their humorous thankfulness speeches. Through the sliding glass door, Lindsey could hear the voices of her aunt and uncle.
"I love you, Robin." He whispered
"I love you too, Barney." She replied leaning into him further. Sensing the movement from inside the house Robin spoke up breaking their trance, "I guess we aren't alone anymore. Are you ready to go back in?"
"Almost there's one last thing I've been wanting to do." He whispered pulling away from her. Gently turning her around he brought her closer to him and kissed her, losing a hand in her hair and the other wrapped around her waist. Hers found their way to his back and pulled him closer. Before long the need for warmth and air became important, breaking apart the walked back into the house.
As they entered the room once again they sat curled up on the floor in front of the couches holding the rest of the clan.
About five pies and two and a half movies later. Robin, Barney and Lindsey found themselves halfway awake surrounded by the snores of the rest of the group. At some point during the movie, Barney had laid on his side and Robin had found a pillow using his outstretched arm. His other arm rested on the curve of her side, both their eyes focused on the movie. As for Lindsey, her eyes were focused on her beloved aunt and Uncle. Time passed and Lindsey's eyes began to get heavy and soon all she could do was join the rest of the group in their turkey comas.
Gently kissing Robin's forehead, Barney murmured sleepily, "You're what I'm thankful for."
Slowly opening her eyes Robin replied, "And you're what I am thankful for." Leaning up for a sleepy kiss, the couple once again laid down in a comfortable embrace.
Within moments the final two succumb to the slumber that is only made possible by a heart filled with love and a stomach full of turkey.