"Hi, I'm looking for Ted Mosby" the young girl says timidly. Lily can't help but stare for a moment. Marshall notices from the couch and joins her. He gasps when he sees the child.
"Wait a second…aren't you Stella Zinman's daughter?" he asks. Lucy gasps now and starts to run. Marshall quickly chases her and catches her at the end of the hall.
"It's okay sweetheart, I am Ted's best friend, we were all over your house once and hung out in the basement"
"So that's the noises I heard" Lucy murmured. She glanced back at Marshall and a small tear falls. "Is Ted there? I really need him" she asks.
"No" Marshall replies and his heart breaks as Lucy lets more tears fall. "But I'll call him right away" he says quickly.
Lucy wipes her eyes with her sleeve. "Okay…" she murmurs quietly. She decides to trust the man who claims to be Ted's friend.
"I'm Lucy and yeah Stella is my mom" she says as she takes Marshall's hand and lets her lead her back to the apartment.
"I'm Marshall and the woman who answered is my wife Lily" he replies. He wants to know why the child is here and alone though. Marshall decides to not ask till Ted comes over. Lucy seems to be a smart and wary girl and he doesn't want to frighten her again.
They go back inside the apartment. "I'll go call Ted, Lilypad why don't you get Lucy a cookie" he tells Lily.
"Okay…" Lily answers hesitantly and Marshall steps up to her. "She's Stella's kid and she wants Ted" he whispered in her ear. "Did she run away from home?" Lily whispers back as Lucy sits at the table.
"I didn't ask, she wants Ted not us" Marshall replies. He quickly pulls away noticing Lucy's puzzled and scared look.
"Nothing to be scared of Lucy, I'll go call Ted right now, you just make yourself comfortable and eat some delicious cookies" he said. The girl nods but she doesn't look any less tense.
"Ted? You have to get to the apartment right now!" Marshall snaps quietly after Ted says hello.
"Is something wrong?" Ted asks in an intimidated. "Just get here fast as you can Theodore" Marshall answers in the same quiet tone and hangs up.
Ted just stares at the phone and then looks at Barney and Robin who sitting in front of him in the bar.
"Something's wrong upstairs" he says and gets out of the booth. The two quickly follow and they run upstairs.
Lucy takes a few small bites of her cookie by the time he arrives. When she hears his voice the child runs over and hugs him so fiercely they both fall over onto the couch.
"Lucy?!" Ted exclaims when he sees the small body on top of him. "Hi Ted, so I am going to just live with you now okay?" she asks and Ted just sends a bewildered look to his friends.
