Glad you guys are enjoying and not threatening to string me up over Robin's no. Sari thank you so much for your review, I'm so glad my stories are up there in your favorites. Littleblackneko, thank you (as always) for your review… you guys are keeping me on my toes with your guesses! Mavaldc superhero fan, thanks for the review, and thanks for the enjoying of the start. Emogleek, I love the way your mind works. Soskate88, hang in there, it gets even more exciting.
Topaz-b
Something in the way she woos me.
Lily handed out the cookies to the class, before sitting down at desk. She yawned, and watched the traditional handing of the gooey half eaten cookie to the friend next to you. They ate happily while she pulled a marker out of her new box, locked in her drawer so that the kids couldn't get them, and sniffed.
Her stomach grumbled, and she pulled a cookie out of the tin on her desk. Making sure none of the kids were watching, she pulled a container out of her purse, and a spoon. Opening the container, she stuck the spoon in and took a scoop out of her calamari cranberry sauce, which Marshall had started to buy by the case, and slapped it on top of the cookie.
She bit into it, and the goofy smile crossed her face. Her kids had drawn her a series of pictures of her holding a bumblebee, taking the baby's nickname too seriously. She smiled at them, and stacked them up, planning on putting them in a mini baby book that her darling daughter could flick through when she was older.
Not that she was still hoping for a girl. As long as it was healthy and all of that. But she felt that it was a girl. She knew it was a girl. She drifted off into her latest daydream. Herself painting while little Anya played the piano. She could see her now, a little redhead playing Bach and Mozart on the piano while she herself painted just off to the side.
"No no honey, I need a little groove." She'd say. "Hit me with something with some kick to it." And then the little girl would flip a fedora on her head and break it down Alicia Keys style.
Her phone chirped and she picked it up still in her reverie.
"Aldrin and Daughter Arts. How can I help?"
"Baby do you have something to tell me?"
"Hmm? Oh hi Marshall." She said, the smile coating her words.
"Calling to see how my two favorite people are."
"Aww." Lily took another bite out of her cookie. "Well we've just finished naptime, moved into snack time, and going to finish up the day with creative play."
"The kids play dress up and you put your feet up for an hour?"
"Yup." Lily said, kicking her shoes off under her desk.
"Aww, that's my lilypad." Marshall said. "Oh, and baby, I'm going to be late tonight, there's a case at work that they need extras on the final case prep, and"
"Why Marshall Eriksen, were you using your sweet nothings as an excuse for me to not get mad?"
"Maybe. Did it work?"
"Maybe." Lily blew a kiss through the phone. "Have fun sweetie." Marshall laughed and blew a kiss back before hanging up.
Robin looked across the table at Nora, still a little uncomfortable and unsure. She didn't know why, but in the back of her head she had a vision of Nora leaping across the table and bitch slapping the life out of her.
Of course she was being silly there, but it helped to be prepared.
Nora gave her a smile again, sticking her fork into her fettuccini. "So how's Barney?"
"He's um... He's great." Robin stuck her own fork in her meal, not quite lifting her eyes to meet Nora's. There was something odd about the way she was asking her, a weird note in her voice that Robin couldn't place.
"That's good." She heard Nora clear her throat.
"Yeah."
"Because he's such a good guy."
"That he is."
"And so genuine."
"Definitely." Robin stabbed a meatball on her plate.
"And he has an amazing penis." Robin's head shot up, as did her hand. The meatball flung off her fork and across the room, hitting Suzanne the weather girl smack between the eyes. "Ooh… Sorry." She called out before turning her head back to look at Nora. "What did you say?"
"Sorry, it was a joke." Nora said with a smile. "A bit crude but I had my reasons."
"Which are?"
"Well it got you to look at me for one." Robin's mouth gaped open, but it turned into a smile.
"Ok, you've got a point there." Robin said, finally relaxing a bit. "But next time leave my boyfriend's junk out of it." She said with a smile.
"Agreed."
Ted had arranged to meet Imogen after her last class. He'd just entered the hall about ten minutes late, secretly glad about the timing, because it guaranteed him Imogen all to himself. He'd even prepared a touch of Shakespeare to sweeten her. He pushed the door open.
"Hear my soul speak. Of the very instant that I saw you, Did my heart" He stopped mid-sentence, noticing the face in front of him.
"Oh, you must be Imogen's newest plaything." Fred Mackenzie said with a smile. Ted never liked him. He was all theatrics, mustache and goatee, fedora and a cape, and a streak of grey running through his too long for his age hair. "Fred Mackenzie."
"Fred I know."
"Oh? I don't recall having met you before."
"Fred I sat right next to you at the last faculty meeting."
"Oh? I mustn't have noticed. It is rather hard to keep track of every unimportant little thing." He tipped his hat and picked up the cane Ted hadn't noticed before. "Charmed I'm sure. And Imogen" He turned his head to her, and a strange sort of smile crossed his face. "There was never yet philosopher that could endure the toothache patiently." Ted looked over at him, confused, while Imogen averted her eyes and sighed.
"Goodbye Frank." She walked over and pushed the door shut behind him. Stepping over to Ted, she kissed him.
"What was that all about?"
"Nothing. Just a weird old man talking weird." She smiled. "So I have good news." Ted didn't answer her, lost in his thoughts. "About my play."
"Oh yeah, your play." He snapped out of it and smiled. "Is it going ahead?"
"The last minute funding came through! My students are thrilled." Imogen smiled again, and Ted looked into her eyes, the confusion he'd thought he'd felt melting away.
"That's great Imogen." He leaned in and kissed her. "I knew you'd find it."
Barney was on Jerome's porch again, waiting for him to come home. Jerome pulled up and looked over to the solitary figure with his head on the railing, and got out with a smile he quickly wiped off.
"Barney if you keep showing up, I'm going to start feeling like some kind of father figure." Jerome said, sitting next to him. Barney managed a weak smile. "How long have you been out here son?"
"I don't know, maybe half an hour."
"That long huh." Jerome leaned back on his elbows. "You know Sheryl and JJ are inside, right?"
"Yeah, but that's" Barney sigh, slightly agitated. "Jer… Dad. I… I proposed to her, the girl I told you about."
"And what did Robin say?"
"How did you know it was Robin?"
"I'm your father Barney, its my job to know." He said while Barney gave him an impressed smile. "Plus Lily told me."
"Damnit Lily…" Barney sat up. "She… Robin… she said no."
"And?"
"And I don't… I mean, I never…"
"Barney you forgot, it takes two to tango."
"What type of Tango are we talking about, because I know one where you need at least"
"Barney." Jerome said it a little firmly, halting him mid story. "You forgot that even though you're ready, she has to be ready too." He sat up. "It's a big step."
"I know." He blew out a deep breath.
"Now. What's say we go inside? I'm sure Sheryl has dinner just about on the table by now." He started to stand.
"Hey Dad… Can we just sit here for a little longer?" Barney finished quietly. Jerome smiled and leaned back on his elbows again.
"Of course Barney."