A/N: Wow, I suck. I haven't updated in like forever on anything, but I'm posting a new multi-chapter hurt!addicted!Barney fic. This has spoilers for the two-part finale of season 7 and general season 8 spoilers. I don't have a HIMYM beta, so all mistakes are mine.

Warnings: gambling addiction, drug use and addiction, and swearing.

It's kind of ironic, in a depressing kind of way. I mean, they had seemed concerned about his problem at first, a little protective, even. Now, though, Barney knew that his problem would pale in comparison to all the different challenges the others were facing. So what if he relapsed in his gambling addiction, shit happens, and he should learn to deal with it himself. So what if another, more pressing addiction seemed to be forming. Again, shit happens.

Or so Barney continued to tell himself before the first incident.

It started when he took Marshall to Atlantic City right before Lily went into labor. It was strange – good strange – to be back in a casino. It felt familiar, and as much as he hated to admit it, it felt relaxing yet stimulating. But Barney was there for a purpose: he was doing this for Marshall's benefit, not his.

When they found out Lily was in labor that immediately kicked him into gear. He had to find a way to get Marshall back to New York City as quickly as possible. God knows how the hell he did it, but they made it. Marshall got to be with his beautiful wife for the birth of his first child, Marvin Wait for It Erikson.

For a few days Barney completely forgot about the allure of the neon signs, the sound of the slots spinning, and the varying sounds of either heartbreak or unadulterated joy depending on how someone was faring. He forgot about all that he was missing and focused on all that he had and would hopefully have for the rest of his life. I mean, sure, Quinn wasn't his first choice, but Robin had made it clear that they were a bad idea and he had respected her wishes. He tried to ignore how much that hurt him and he focused on Quinn. Quinn actually seemed to want him, to love him despite his many flaws.

Seemed to.

When they broke up only a short time later, he felt like someone had ripped the ground out from under him and he had no idea what to do. He was well and truly lost and the whole gang was too distracted with everything happening in their own lives for him to burden them with his own. So he dealt with it himself.

Sitting alone in his now empty looking apartment, Barney had remembered it: the lights, the joy, and most of all, the rush. Nothing could beat the pure rush that he experienced when he was gambling. It didn't even matter what the bet was – cards, slots, racing, sports – they all filled him with that damn rush.

He didn't tell the others, though. Not when he started going once a week. Not when he started going five days a week. Definitely not when he started testing some of the other "activities" performed near the casinos he frequented.

Now, he would usually be the first to admit that he has never really followed the "socially acceptable" or the "social norm", but he never traveled so deep or strayed so far. Sure, he had dabbled in some soft-core recreational drugs, but never anything like this; never anything so addictive.

It was three entire months after he broke up with Quinn before anyone figured even a little bit of it out. He'd already been completely addicted to both the cocaine and the gambling for two whole months.

The five of them were sitting in their booth at MacLaren's as usual, casually sipping their drinks (all beers except Barney's scotch) when Ted hesitantly broached the subject.

"So, how 'bout you, Barney, what did you do today? Or should I say 'who'?"

Everyone had been acting a little protective of him since he broke-up with Quinn. Sometimes they were obvious about it. They would stop by his office or his apartment just to "hang out", but he knew they were all trying to gauge his emotional status. Other times, they were just so blatantly obvious about it. Like now. Before Quinn, they would never willingly offer to be subject to the tales of his most recent "sexcapades".

"Eh. Slow day for the Barnacle. I stayed at work almost the entire day; I even had my lunch delivered." He knew his response was extremely uncharacteristic, but it's not like he could tell them that he spent all of yesterday in a casino, high as a kite, and he was way too exhausted to come into work until about one o'clock this afternoon. His response provoked a few concerned and slightly suspicious looks.

"Really? That's strange, because I stopped by your office around ten and you weren't in." Even though Ted didn't phrase his sentence as a question, it was obvious that he wanted an answer. They all did, if the attentive and suspicious expressions facing his way meant anything.

"Okay, okay, I lied. I'm sorry guys, I know you're always on my ass about 'over-sharing' so I thought that I'd attempt to appease all of you, but obviously you guys feel you need to hear about every chick I bang. So, this morning I was walking into GNB, when I was stopped by this new intern they hired. She had the biggest—ow! Dammit, Lily! I was gonna say 'stack of papers', you didn't have to slap me!"

"Sorry…past experience and all." Lily muttered looking down at the table while the others smirked in amusement.

"Anyway, she had the biggest stack of papers in her hands and so I offered to hold them for her, but then five minutes later we were in the supply closet and I was holding a huge rack instead of huge stack. Whaddup?"

Barney raised his hand for a high-five, carefully keeping his usual grin plastered on his face. Ted reluctantly high-fived him, only because it was in the Bro Code and Barney would throw a hissy fit if he broke it again.

Luckily, his lie reminded Robin of something that happened at the World Wide News today, so the conversation was hastily shifted away from his most recent (fake) encounter. He didn't miss the way that Ted continued staring at him a little longer than necessary, though; as he seemed to be try to decipher what Barney could be hiding.

An hour or so later, Barney and Ted were the only two remaining members of their group in the booth. Barney had begun fidgeting as he felt the cravings (for the rush or the cocaine, he didn't even know anymore) return in full force. He kept glancing at his watch, calculating how much longer he thought he had to stay before he could leave without it seeming out of character. Barney jumped slightly when Ted broke the comfortable silence that had settled over them.

"You know you can tell me anything, right?" Barney swallowed. Their friendship didn't delve into deep feelings territory very often.

"Yeah, Ted. I do."

"Then can you tell me where you really were this morning?"

A/N: This is going to be a few chapters, I'm not sure how many, but I'd love to know what you think. Is it worth continuing? Is it good? Bad? Okay? Other?

Reviews are love people!