It's 2030, Tracy is still dead sadly being replaced by Robin. Barney is a hands on, loving father, Robin isn't happy or fulfilled living with Ted and his kids because it feels wrong. To her, she thought maybe settling down again and being with Ted was a good idea, he's reliable and save but is that good enough for Robin? Is Ted right for her happiness and is Barney happy just being a dad to a teenaged daughter?
Unhappiness and wrong decisions makes this world of Barney and Robin's lives not fulfilled enough to be happy. The thought of being happy again wasn't as scary as it used to be but now it's now unhappy than scary.
All those questions are answered in this story. This is a month after Robin gets back together with Ted and two years since B/R started to get close again.
In The Wrong Direction
"I can't do this anymore. It's gotten to be so unsettling, he's laying there crying himself to sleep... Every night, he's doing this talking about things in his sleep calling out her name. I think, I don't belong here this isn't my place." My place is with you. She wants to say but doesn't.
Robin and Barney have been texting and calling each other every once in a while. But, mostly texting every day for over a year since they became closer again and she got back together with Ted.
"I told you that would happen. He's never going to get over her, you're just a replacement for Tracy. He might cover it up and do everything he can to forget..." It's what he, himself has been doing ever since their divorce, covering up his feelings over losing her again. But he's trying to let that go, desperately trying. "Her, but you never forget your true love." He ends the text with a sad emoji.
This has been happening a lot lately, Ted had been crying every night since they went to the cemetery two weeks ago. And, Robin had been worried and since she and Barney had been getting more closer in the last few years they have been texting and calling each other. Barney knows what's going on with Ted and the kids and Robin knows about what's going on with Ellie.
"She loves you Robin, she said to me just yesterday that she wants you to come around more." Robin, in all the years she's known Barney he's never been so endearing with someone but ever since his daughter came into his life, he's been acting different. He's still Barney but he's changed a lot because of Ellie. Robin had been hanging out with them recently when she isn't with Ted and his kids. Robin noticed how he's more softer towards Ellie's feelings, wants, needs and he's an all around great dad a dotting dad which to Robin is something she would have never thought some years earlier.
"I will come over soon, tell her Aunt Robin says hi and that she will come see her soon. But, getting back to Ted."
They talked for a few more minutes just texting and updating each other on different things happening in their lives. It used to be this easy once, it used to be them just hanging out, having fun days and night, just being together, being themselves. After the divorce, they went their separate ways but once they came together and seen each other more. They became their old Barney Stinson and Robin Scherbatsky selves. The new lives, they both have now. Neither of them would have thought this would be them. Barney Stinson having a kid and being a great hands on dad and Robin being back together with Ted... But, something seemed not right, something felt wrong.
"I-" She wants to tell him, tell him that being around Ted isn't right. Being with his kids, Tracy's kids isn't right. Being a step mom wasn't her place, replacing Tracy doesn't feel good. It's an uneasy feeling to sit at the dining table every night, having dinner with them and Ted and the kids just not talking. And, Ted walking around all mopey and unhappy not talking to her. She wants to tell him that she misses him, that even kissing Ted doesn't feel right. That, she also cries herself to sleep a lot over choosing a life she didn't want. A life with the wrong guy, an unhappy widowed guy. Yes, he's a friend, and maybe something more but it always feels like Robin's the replacement for his true love. She wants to tell Barney that she still loves him. Her own true love, the guy she fell in love with and married some years ago. That the divorce and the years after it seemed unfulfilled. But, she doesn't and ends up finishing the conversation.
"I will come over this weekend, tell Ellie I want to spend all day with her." Robin doesn't say 'And you too' but she doesn't have to. It'll be fun hanging out with Ellie who's now a teenager. Robin can't believe how much the time went by. The years after their divorce seemed to go so slowly but in reality everything went fast. All the kids grew up, Tracy sadly passed away from cancer, Marshall and Lily had one more kid and left New York for California because of Marshall's latest job opportunity. And, Robin. She traveled but not for along time before finally settling down in New York again. Before running into Barney again after being apart for five years due to them not being in contact and Robin traveling. But, now that it's 2030 everything seems to be back to where it was over fifteen years ago. Just, slightly wrong and weird with a different outcome.