Hey! Guys, welcome to my newest in my ongoing How I Met Your Mother story. Following 'The Long and Winding Road' (First), 'In my Life' (Second), and 'Something in the Way She Moves' (third), I bring you "From this Moment on I Know'. The other stories aren't really necessary to read first, but it helps a bit, lol. I hope this is as review worthy as the others, and you guys fill me in on anything that doesn't work. I'm actually going camping tomorrow instead of today, which is why I've had the chance to write this up!

My fantastic reviewers on the interlude chapter of Something in the way she moves, you all rock so much.

And I know bring you chapter 1, of "From this moment on I know". I wish I could have dramatic purple smoke and veils as the scene starts and I finish introducing… That would be legen… wait for it, dary! Legendary!

Topaz_b

PS – on my way out to the pool, yes it's an above ground blow up top ring pool, but I have wine too, so it's a classy above ground blow up top ring pool (I can see the disbelief on all of your faces, haha). But you're all welcome to join me, so Bathing Suit Up! Lol

All my little plans and schemes,
lost like some forgotten dreams.

Barney left Ted's without actually telling him that he and Robin were engaged, and without actually getting anything out of Ted. He'd slid the ring off of the table slowly, and quietly, and then slipped it into his pocket. He'd wait for a less shell-shocked Ted to break the news to, probably the next morning.

He found Robin in the kitchen in front of the fridge and went over to her, circling her waist with his arm. He pulled her back against him, and let his hand trail down her left arm. Moving to her hand, he slipped the ring on Robin's finger. It was the second time she'd seen it, but this time it was on her finger, and this time, they both meant it. She'd started to cry, before he turned her around to face him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him hard, and the two of them fell to the floor in a heap again, his fingers pulling at the tie on her robe as she pushed his suit jacket off.

Marshall finally left Ted's place. It was about 8, and He'd been out of the house since 2. Lily would definitely kill him when he got home, if he was lucky.

He exhaled hard, his hands in his pockets and a frown on his face. Every time he thought he was taking a step forward with the dad thing, he realized how much harder it actually was. He kept trying to trick himself, telling himself how easy it was, how Lily had it wrong. Then he'd freak a little inside, and wondered if there was some vast chest of knowledge on how to be a dad located in his head that never actually opened. He was going at it blind, deaf, and dumb. He wished he could call his dad… but…

With a sigh, he stopped and stared into the window beside him. A diner, pretty busy during their evening rush. There was one family in the corner that interested him, and kept drawing his attention back. A dad out with his kids, 3 of them. He was helping the 5 year old fill out the maze on the back of his placemat, cutting up the meat on the 7-year-old's plate, and feeding the 2 year old from the plate of spaghetti in front of her, all at the same time.

"Super Dad…" Marshall whispered to himself. Why was it so easy for that guy, and so crazy for him? He watched a few moments longer. The Dad's wife come out of the bathroom and approached the table, stopping next to him and kissing him on the forehead. He smiled up at her as she took her place in the seat beside him. With a jolt, Marshall realised what he needed to be a good dad. He needed Lily.

"That's it…"

Lily watched Marshall enter the apartment, a sheepish smile on his face. He was holding a shopping bag covered in ducks.

"Coming to claim your mess?" She said, lifting Bryan out of the bassinet. Marshall smiled at her, before closing the door behind him.

"Yes." He walked up. "And I've come to admit the mess I am."

"Marshall, you can't just leave me to fend for myself! This is new for both of us!"

"I know baby, I know. And I'm sorry." He kissed her forehead. "I'm an idiot."

"A big idiot."

"The biggest." He smiles at her, and she smiled back at him after a moment.

"What's in the bag?"

"Its a scrapbook." He pulled it out, it was yellow, with blue lettering on the front spelling out 'Baby Boy'. "I thought we"

"Hold that thought Marshall, Bryan needs a diaper change." Lily said, wrinkling her nose. Marshall held out his arms.

"I'll do it." He said with an odd smile. Lily looked at him, her mouth hanging open in astonishment for a moment before she smiled back.

"Aw, Marshall." Lily said, handing Bryan over. She picked up the scrapbook and bag, and followed him into the nursery. Marshall placed Bryan on the changing table and unsnapped his onesie.

"Anyway Lil, I was thinking" Marshall reached for the wipes. "That we can take a picture of Bryan and stick it on the front and cover the OY, so it says Baby B, and you're so creative you can paint borders and stuff, and we can fill it with all of his baby pictures. We can do it together." He picked up the powder. "As a family."

"Aw." Lily squeaked and rested her head against his arm. "Marshall that is so sweet." She breathed in, watching him finish changing Bryan. "You're such a great dad." Marshall paused, looking over at her with a relieved smile.

"Thanks Baby." He started to pick Bryan up. "And I think I finally got the hang of this diaper thing." He held Bryan out. "See."

"Oh Baby…" Lily said, before laughing. Marshall had managed to snap up the onsie and then fasten the diaper on top.

"Ok, almost got the hang of it." He smiled.

Ted left his apartment an hour after Barney and Marshall did. His head was spinning, and he couldn't sit there anymore. He'd started in on the way to Marshall's, to talk to Lily, but remembered the funk Marshall had been in. He wasn't sure what was going on there, but he decided against heading over there just yet.

He gave a sigh and headed towards Barney and Robin's apartment instead. Robin was easy to talk to, and she usually had a clearer head than him. And at least she knew what a girl was thinking.

If nothing else, he settled on before climbing into a taxi, Barney was good at making him laugh.

He knocked on the apartment door and called out. After a few minutes and some scuffling, the door was pulled open.

"Oh, hey Ted." Barney said. He was shirtless, wearing only his pants and a red cape. Ted gave him a confused look, but shook it off.

"Hey, is Robin here?" At the same time he said it, he noticed Robin emerging from the bedroom, wearing a bra and miniskirt, with a blue cape on. She reached up and closed the cape's front around her.

"Hi Ted." She said with a guilty grin.

"Hey." Ted scratched his head. "Is this?"

"Crazy cape sex." Barney said at the same time Robin said a sheepish "Yeah." She took a step back.

"Let me just… get into something else." She disappeared back through the door while Barney let Ted in. Ted went over to the arm chair and sat down. Barney closed the doors and came over to sit on the couch, fluttering his cape around him as he went.

"Aren't you going to…" Ted gestured to the cape.

"Huh? Please." Barney said with his smug grin. "This looks too awesome on me to just be taken off. Ripped off or nothing, am I right?"

"Can't argue with that logic." Ted said just as Robin came out of the bedroom.

"Ok Ted, what can I do for you?"

"And she just left after that Fred freak out." Ted finished up, looking away from Barney and Robin's subconscious leaning. He didn't need that right now.

"Ted, can I speak freely for a minute?" Barney interjected, interrupting as Robin's mouth was opening.

"Sure."

"Imogen is a bitch."

"Barney!" Robin said in a gasp.

"No, really. Ted, you haven't seen what she's been doing to Lily?"

"She explained it." Ted started.

"And you, my friend, are an idiot for believing it." Barney leaned back. "Ted, she's an actress"

"Barney…" Robin said it again, a bit quieter.

"No, let him finish…" Ted said, leaning forward to listen.

"I may not be an actor, but I pretended to be more than a few times, and it works! All of the sex you get off of that 'want to be my leading lady' line."

"Barney." Robin said it a bit harsher.

"Anyway Ted, I'm not an actor, but when I need to be, I'm a great liar. That being said, I do know when someone is lying. When you were asking her about Lily, did she stay really still?"

"Well she was on my lap."

"Did she stiffen at all?"

"Once or twice. I thought she was offended."

"Did her pitch get any higher?"

"Yeah… and she was flustered once or twice."

"And don't you think its convenient, that the one she went after was Lily, you're best girl friend?"

"Barney I don't"

"Ted, look." He leaned forward. "On the whole Fred situation as well, there's something she hasn't told, or isn't telling, you." He shrugged his shoulders.

"You're right." Ted sat up, a determined look on his face. "There's too much going on in that situation for me to keep sweeping it under the rug."

"Exactly."

"I'm going to go and ask her what's going on."

"You go bro."

"And I'm going to tell her if she can't pick plays that make sense, I'm not going to any more!"

"You, wait, what?" Barney looked up at him, confused.

"This was really helpful." Ted stood and crossed the floor. "Thanks Robin."

"But I didn't" She sighed as the door slammed. "All I said was Barney that entire talk."

"But you used emotions and intonations and that made the difference." He pulled her close. "Plus, you said Barney, and was there ever a more awesome word?" Robin gave him a look before he kissed her. "And now, we're all alone. I'll lock the door, you, cape up." He winked at her. Robin laughed and kissed him again.

"You're a dummy."

"Yeah, but a cute one."

"And a perverted one."

"Definitely that." He nuzzled her neck. "Now, cape on, skirt off!"