How I met You Mother: Growing out

I Do Not own the Rights to How I Met Your Mother, and long odds on me owning 'em to anything else you may recognize.

Lord, I know not what it is that I do here, but I humbly ask you forgive me for this transgression.

Start's after the finale of the Fifth Season, because I have seen none past that, and won't beable to until September 27th, so no sixth or seventh season stuff will happen as canon, but I could throw segments in later. This'll be a Robin/Original Character romance/bromance thing, so, ahead of time, "Sorry for wasting your time." Aslo, just a note here, I am using "(...)" as scene breaks because the site does not like my editing.

#1: Bro meets Bro

To say that it hadn't been a pleasant couple of weeks would have been an understatement. Robin had finally thought she had had something worth holding on to, a man she could see herself looking forward to being with, and that had turned out… well… disastrous. She was still struggling not to snap under the cruel fact that she had turned down a job because of a man, just to have him leave her for the same job. Ted had left that afternoon for something with his job, some new policy seminar or something; truthfully she hadn't been paying too much attention to anything, almost like she was in shock. Lily and Marshall were… well, she didn't know what, but with Lily laid low with "Baby Fever," she knew they were out of the picture for a while. And Barney, she didn't even have to call him to know he was trying to land another common bar skank, and she wasn't up for even that much yet. But, as darkness fell on the streets of Manhattan, in the depths of her depression, she was even thinking about that.

(…)

Barney Stinson, Playboy, Suit Aficionado, and today, top astronaut in the United States first hopefully success fully manned mission to Mars had been stalking about MacLaren's Pub, trying to find a girl who would send him off with a "bang" but was not striking gold. He was failing in his pursuit because most of those present, excluding himself, knew that the American Space program was dead and being gutted, and they were not drunk enough to forget it yet. He had ambled up to the bar for a refill, when he heard the three words that found him a new Bro.

"Hey, nice suit." And that was how, and hour later, to his greatest surprise, found himself talking with a man on a Saturday night, rather than in the bed of a stupid, college age girl. He actually had a lot in common with this stranger; they liked good suits, were business men of some kind, and were good at "The Game." But, the crowd was still thin.

"You'd think there would be more people out at Midnight." The newcomer said, looking at his brushed silver Rolex.

"Midnight?" Barney said in his well know belligerent correction tone. "Dude, you need a new watch, it's only 8:47." He said, after consulting his own watch.

"Oh, sorry, I guess I'm still on West Coast time, feels like I have been in conferences non-stop for the past few weeks. Well, if this scene is going to be dead for a while, want to bail and do something else till then?" Barney thought for a few seconds, then shugged.

"Sure,…" Barney liked this guy, he was Bro material, and he dressed sharp, which counted for a lot in his book. "Hey!" He thought of the perfect way to actually test this man in his ability to be a Bro. "Do you like Laser Tag?"

"Heh," He cocked his eyebrow, "I'm not that bad, but I am a little rusty."

"Oh, wait," He said, disappointment flooding across his face after finally finding someone who would actually play with him. "I got forced to quit after it became clear that I was just too skilled for the other players." He paused with the good memory "And then banned when I TP'd the bastard." Barney smiled and took a drink of the beverage in his hand, never one to let the little things get him down. "Didn't use any of the Bio-degradable crap either, my art was meant to hang."

"Nice," the newcomer said, nodding appreciatively, "where did you used to go?" Barney told him, and the stranger looked relived. "Ah, well, just so happens, I know of a newer place, adult ,no, not in the good way, just 21 and older, where you can not only get a good game o' tag, but also has a pretty good on site bar." Barney seemed exited, as his voice went up in pitch.

"Dude, you had me a tag, let's go!" They paid their tabs, hoped in a cab, and were off.

(…)

Barney and his friend sat on the bench in the break room, sweating and putting back a beer between sets.

"Damn, I can't believe how bad we lost right there." Barney said, shaking his head in the dim light.

"Don't feel to bad, the other half of our group are high, and I'm pretty sure most of the other team are Marines. Hell, what we need is some more we can trust on the field, not to just space out and giggle at the strobe light the entire time." Barney looked up, his "I just had an an awesome idea" eyebrow resting firmly in it's place.

"let me make a call, I think I might have just the Bro for this." He pulled out his phone as he stood up, the laser gun bouncing off the floor on it's cord.

"Sweet, and I will buy some cheese fries." His friend said, and moved into the lobby.

(…)

Robin jumped slightly as her phone rung on the table. The apartment was dark save for the Weather Channels dim glow. She didn't even sit up, but just reached over and picked up the device.

"Hello?" She asked, her throat slightly hoarse from disuse.

"Hey, Scherbatsky, how you doing?" He heart beat a little fast. Maybe Barney couldn't find a random bar skank and wanted to hand around! He kept talking even before she could say anything. "Great, listen Bro'mergency, I need you to suit up and get down her, me and a new bro are hitting the laser tag, and we need some back up."

"What? I thought you got banned from there for the…"

"What's past is past, blah blah blah, get over here, serious, we need some help."

"How do you know I'm not busy?" She asked defiantly sitting up while actually thinking about doing it.

"Doing what? Sitting around in your underwear crying while whatching the weather? Please." His arrogant dissmisive noise ended the sentence.

"I am not sitting around in my underwear crying." It was technically true, she had pajama bottoms on.

"Whatever, you're the only bro I can call on for this; I'll text you the address, just hurry!" She said fine, and then he hung up, leaving her to trip on the coffee table and start getting ready. She didn't like to admit, especially to herself, but she was actually really happy to be getting out away from herself. It was probably just the hurt talking, but she just really did not want to be alone.

(…)

"It's about time, Scherbatsky." Barney greeted her impatiently as she walked into the lobby. As was not to be the last time of the night, what she saw was no where within throwing distance of what she had expected. Instead of the black lights and luminescent paint, the entry had more of a survivalist bunker look to it, all exposed supports, plywood, and dull olive paint. Even the florescent lights hung within wire cages.

"Blow it out your ass, Barney, you're lucky I came at all. She walked over to him, arms crossed over her chest. She had decided to come sans purse, opting to pocked some cash and her phone instead.

"Whatever, c'mon." He waved her over, and she followed him down a dim hall and through a large pair of metal doors into a mock ready room, vests and guns racked in neat rows along the walls. The whole mock military theme a refreshing display from the kids place Barney used to attend. There was only one other man in the room, sitting with his back to them, engaged on a phone. He looked back when he heard the door clatter, and swiftly ended the call, stood, and approached the twosome.

Again, she was surprised. The man was a little shy of six feet, brunette and had a smile that was both charming, and disarming. He was in most of a modestly expensive, obviously tailor made suit, with his own gear strapped on over the shirt and tie. His feature had a slightly rugged look though, which made her think of him as having an outdoor job rather than one in business. Barney made a unsatisfactory introduction in what seemed like more agitation that was usual, which she would find out was due to the round having already started, and he had lost the previous one, fairly hard.

Scherbatsky, Stone. Stone, Scherbatsky." She accepted the handshake the other man offered, a firm grip, and a good, friendly shake.

"Nice to meet you, Scherbatsky," he projected in a friendly, but also neutral voice.

"The Barnacle says that your game is pretty good, and we're going to need it. Our opposites are at least Army, possible Marine Corps, and our other half are well, pretty well gone.

"Alright, I'm going in, find me when you get in." Barney said, already walking in along the yellow stenciled arrows painted.

"Sure thing," the man named Stone said at the retreating man's back, before turning back to Robin. "Sorry, but I usually like to introduce myself, Richard Stone." He held out his hand, and again they shook.

"Robin," she said, feeling slightly awkward in the situation that she found herself in, as it seemed that her Ex was trying to set her up with a friend so soon after not only their own relationship, but also the first she had ever let come between her and her career goals.

He smiled widely again.

"Now, he swears by your game, but this might be a little different than you're used to, so I can go over the basics, if you would like." She gave him a smile that was simultaneously polite, but said "I'm not an Idiot."

"Maybe you better, it's been… a while, and I might be a little rusty." She continued to think while he went over the basics, and strapped on her own gear, although she allowed him to cinch up a few of the harder to reach straps on the back and sides. She realized in that act, it was the way he was behaving toward her that she was getting a weird feeling about. After he finished up he asked her a few questions, and that's when she understood what was weird about the treatment. It was completely impartial. The questions weren't probing, just seeking specific information that would be useful to know in the event. Just friendly indifference. What was weird was that this was allowing her to relax and not worry about being judged. They neared the door, and she was actually looking forward to letting off a little steam.

(…)

It was Just past 11:00 when Barney, Richard and Robin returned to Maclaren's for drinks. Scotch was served, and scotch was consumed at a pace that made for easy conversation.

"To be frank, when I first showed up, I thought you two were kind of stupid for taking it that seriously, but, damn, that was something else entirely." Robin said, setting her drink down on the table. They did not occupy the booth they habitually did when all of the group were together, but rather one of the floor tables.

"Hey, you know I always take my Laser tag seriously." Barney said, his eyes scanning the room, over the brim of his glass.

"I know," she countered, giving him the look that clearly (to anyone else) said "you're a dumbass." "That's why I expected packs of waist high children…" she didn't get to finish as Barney interrupted.

"Well, Gentlemen, I am sorry, but I believe I have just found my ride home for the evening. Blonde, corner table, mostly empty martini." Robin looked over the girl with a practiced eye.

"Not a chance, she'll see through whatever you trough at her."

"have a little faith, Scherbatsky, daddy's getting at least one win for the team tonight." It had turned out that not only had all six of their opponents been Marines, but 4 of them served in the same unit, and were very, very efficient team players. Needless to say, Barny, Robin and Richard had lost pretty badly, and Barney was not one to accept failure that did not serve his interests in some convoluted fashion.

"What are you going to play?" Steve asked, leaning on the table his back to the girl. Barney thought about if for a few seconds.

"I think I'll go with the "I'm new in town and looking for a guide to show me the The City that never sleeps." He said with a smug look. Richard looked over his shoulders at the girl for a full 8 or 9 seconds before turning back, shaking his head.

"Nope, won't work."

"What are you talking about? If it weren't for some wingman issues, it would have worked before."

"Nope, I'll tell you what will work, though." He took the silence as permission to continue.

"You head outside for a minute or two, the come in, putting away your phone like you just left a voice message. Grab a seat at the bar and order one of whatever you want, and one of whatever it looks like blondie back there is drinking. When she heads up to refill her own, I call you, I blew you off and I am just now, 2 hours later letting you know I couldn't make it. You're disappointed, but not surprised, this has happened quite a few times, but you always seem to find some reason to forgive me. You offer her the whatever it is you had anticipating ordered for me, and then you handle the rest."

"Pfft, that won't work." Barney said, taking a condescending sip of his scotch.

"50 bucks says it will." Barney's eyebrow shot up so fast the movement blurred slightly.

"You. Are. On." He said, and emphatically shook on the deal.

"Good, give the cash to Scherbatsky, as a neutral party, so you don't have to come back here and pay me." Barney did so, said his goodbyes and walked out the door into the street. Robin had remained quiet after her first comment, and now was feeling a bit sad. Not due to Barney's next attempt to land a floozy, but because it had snapped her out of the good time she was having with the realization that soon to her new friend would be leaving soon as well. All she knew was that she didn't want to be alone yet, and was wondering how to prolong the night.

"'s wrong?" Richard asked, shaking Robin out of her mild funk with a start.

"What? Oh, nothing, just thinking is all." She shook her head and took a drink.

"Please, I've had that look enough to know something is up. What's up?"

"Do you often go out and pick up girls at bars like this?"

"Depends." He said, and Barney returned into the bar, putting away his phone and looking upset, before sitting at the bar and ordering drinks. "Some nights, yeah, but others, I just come out because… hell, I just don't feel like being alone." That is when Robin, for reasons unknown to herself blurted out something to potentially ruin the night.

"you do know that Barney and I dated for quite a while, right?"

(…)

And, I am going to end that right here for now. Sorry if this is bad, this is the first thing I have done for a show with real people actors, and not animated, so it's a little weird for me. Anyway, I have some timing planned out, and for the flow I am going for, I have to end it here.