CHAPTER ONE

TED'S APARTMENT

Lily raised her hand and knocked in a rapid way. "Open up girl, I need to pee. Badly." She sang out in a hyper voice. It was a lie. She didn't need to pee. She just needed to be inside the apartment with her best female friend. But, she knew that if she didn't try to humiliate Robin to open the door, than the door wouldn't open. Robin didn't return any of her calls for the past twelve hours. "Come on girl, pee time."

Robin leaned her head against her door, and laid her palm on the door. She knew Lily was lying. She could tell by Lily's voice. She wanted desperately to open the door. But she just couldn't. She couldn't face Lily yet. She decided to remain quiet. If she remained quiet – than hopefully Lily will think she wasn't home.

"I know you are in there." Lily's voice said through the door – Robin winced. But still remained still. "No one saw you leave." Lily said. "Come on girl, I'm doing the peeing dance out here."

Licking her dry lips, "Go use the bathroom in the coffee shop down the street." Robin finally relented. Perhaps if she was rude enough than Lily would get the hint, and leave.

"Let me in," Lily said in her normal voice. But with slight panic in it.

"No." Robin said in a dead tone.

"Robin," Lily sharply said.

"I said just go away. Can't you take the fucking hint." Robin suddenly felt anger over come her. "I don't want to see you."

"I'm coming in." Lily said in a firm voice.

"You aren't welcome in." Robin steely said.

The door opened – causing Robin to move backwards with it, before she even thought of trying to put her weight against it – to prevent Lily from opening it.

"Why do you have to be so stubborn, Robin?" Lily stared at her best friend – the one whom looked as lost as she did when they first meet.

"Get out." Robin's voice was dead quiet.

Lily put the key in her right jean pocket. "I can't, Robin. I simply can't walk out of your life." She sighed. "Sides this is Ted's apartment. He said Marshall and I could keep our keys. Until he decides to move out."

"Please," Robin couldn't stop the small plea that escaped with her words. She tried to get herself back under control – before she lost the small amount of control that she had of herself.

Moving forward and putting her hands on Robin's stiff bare arms. "Where did you end up fucking that man, Robin? Some seedy hotel – his place – a nice hotel?"

Robin's eyes died. She opened her mouth to tell the lie – but no sound came out. She snapped her jaw shut. Wincing when she napped her tongue between her teeth.

"Where did you end up fucking the total stranger Robin?" Lily said in a harsh voice.

"In the alley next to the right side of the bar." Robin whispered.

"What!" Lily shook her. Hard.

"You are hurting me, Lily." Robin cried out in fear.

"How could you?" Lily kept on shaking – her hold tighten even more. "How could you be so thoughtless. So – so stupid. So whoreish." Disgust was on her face. But fear was in her eyes.

Robin couldn't stop the tears from falling. Not too many – she still managed to hold onto the wall that held the tears up - -but a few escaped. She couldn't speak. She just allowed Lily to continue to insult her. She needed it. She craved it.

"I can't believe that you acted like a whore, Robin." Lily finally realized how much and hard she was shaking Robin. She stopped shaking her friend – but she didn't let go. "You aren't a whore. Not by a long shot."

"I'm a slut." Robin said in a mono tone.

Lily blinked, "You aren't a slut."

"Marshall says I am. You all agree with him. You, Ted, B-barney." Robin voice chose Barney's name to choke out. "I am a slut – so I should start acting like one." She jerked her arms around of Lily's hands. She moved quickly out of Lily's reach. "I'm an no good lowely whore. Might as well just live that life."

"You aren't a whore, Robin." Tears rolled freely down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry for implying that you were. I was – and still am upset on your reckless behavior with that total stranger last night." Bitting her lip, "Why couldn't you have banged him here in the apartment. Where the only risk of people walking upon you are just us?"

"I didn't want him up here. I wanted – no I demanded that I had him in that moment. He was only lucky that I managed to push him into the alley way." Robin had steel in her eyes, "I would have taken him right tere in front of Maclearn's. In front of everyone walking past us."

"Don't say that Robin." Lily said beginning to get angry. Perhaps if she got angry enough than Robin would get angry too – and fight her. Than perhaps she could find out what was really going on with her.

"Get out." Robin said in a tired voice. "I'm through with you. I'm done."

Lily felt the air rush from her lungs. "What have I done to piss you off so much Robin? What have I done to make you hate me? Whatever it is I apologize for it. I apologize for every single thing that is wrong in our friendship – all of it."

"It doesn't matter, Lily. I no longer want or need your friendship. Only reason why you seeked me out in the first place was because of Ted." Her lips pursed up. "I won't ever be on your front poarch with you, Marshall and Ted." She shrugged.

"Yes you will." Lily said in a stubborn hard voice. "Oh yes you will. Barney and you will be on the front poarch."

Robin harshly laughed. "I don't need your fucking front poarch, Lily Aldin. I don't need you. I never needed you. Now get that through your freaking thick head of yours."

"Robin -" Lily whispered.

"G-E-T O-U-T!" Robin screamed as she suddenly lifted her gun. She had tucked her gun in the back of her jeans when she heard the knock on the door. When Lily didn't move, she cocked the gun and pulled the trigger.

The bullet went into the vase behind Lily.

Lily's eyes widen and the tears stopped.

"I have four more bullets, Lily. I can shoot three more around the room to prove that I'm loaded. But if you aren't gone by than – than the final bullet will go into you." Steel was in Robin's eyes and voice. She wasn't holding anything back any longer.

Lily nodded and with a last long look – turned and quietly left the apartment. Closing the door softly behind her until all Robin could here in the silence was the soft sad lone click of the door.

END CHAPTER ONE