It was only a dream.
That was what Robin whispered to herself when she woke up. It was nine am and she carefully got out of bed without waking Barney. She walked outside and sighed.
On the couch, sleeping soundly under a blanket, was Lexi. The seven year old girl they found and took home last night.
She walked closed and the child rolled over in her sleep. It frightened Robin and she held her breath. Lexi was no longer facing the couch now but was still sound asleep.
Robin slowly let out her breath. 'You never liked kids Robin. How can your husband really expect to adopt this girl and have you be her mother?' she thought.
She didn't have an answer. Robin wasn't dumb though. For the last ten years she knew where to go when she was stumped. It was time to call in the troops.
Robin got out her cell phone and went into the second bedroom. "Good morning Robin! What's up girlfriend?" Lily Aldrin asked when she answered.
"Please tell me you're not busy today Lil!" Robin shrieked going into full panic mode.
"No, I'm just making breakfast, what in the world in wrong with you Robin?" Lily asked getting concerned.
"It's all the stupid snows fault!" Robin shrieked.
"No need to scream Robin" Lily answered pulling away her phone. "Sorry Lil, I'm just freaking out right now" Robin apologized.
"Why? Obviously this happened last night…" Lily said and stopped. "Did he cheat on you? I'll freaking kill him!" Lily asked.
"No, Barney still loves me and its actually something we both did last night and now I'm just freaking out" Robin answered.
"You're really not making much sense girl" Lily told her.
"I know but I think this is better explained in person"
"Then get both your butts over here!" Lily responded.
"You're the best Lily!" Robin said happily and hung up.
"Glad I could help" Lily mused with a confused look.
"Help with what?" Marshall asked as he walked in carrying their three year old son Marvin.
"Mama!" Marvin cried.
Lily took him and gave him a hug. "Robin just called me freaking out about something that happened to her and Barney last night so their both coming over to explain in person" she explained.
"Do you think those two and Ted will ever not come to us and expect us to just solve their problems?" Marshall asked.
Lily thought about that briefly. "Maybe…but do you really ever want them too?" she asked.
"Nah…" Marshall answered and she chuckled. "In the last ten years they've come to us with some crazy problems, makes me a bit excited and afraid to know what their dragging us into" Lily commented.
"Well why should it just be us?" Marshall asked. Lily raised a brow and then laughed.
"Of course" she said with a smile. She opened her phone's contacts and soon her phone was ringing.
"What's up Lil?" the man asked.
"Oh another major disaster apparently involving our two best friends" she said.
"Major disaster" Ted answered and Lily rolled her eyes. "Grow up Mosby then get over here" she told him.
"Fine, only because I'm curious what Barney did this time" he said and hung up.
He told Sarah what was up and she didn't want to come. "That's perfect actually because I haven't seen Hailey in a month and she's dying to see Leia" she responded.
"Well have fun then" Ted replied. "You're okay with this?" she asked and he nodded.
"Of course, I know you'd never lie to me" Ted replied and Sarah smiled at him.
"Well call me later and tell me what Barney did this time" she said and went to change her infant daughter and dress her up nicely.
Robin quickly awoke Barney. "Why? It's Saturday, we're supposed to be lazy today" he mumbled into his pillow.
"Not this time now get up Barney" she told him sharply. He sat up at the tone of her voice.
"What's wrong?" he asked her.
Robin gave him an exasperated look. "Oh I don't know Barney, how about the fact till last night we were just a married couple and now we're a married couple who took home a seven year old girl!" She yelled.
"Calm down Robin! Lexi seems like a great girl" Barney told her and she sighed.
"But I don't know how to deal with children" she whined. "Do you want to call Lily and ask her advice?" Barney asked and she smiled.
"Or just call our friends behind my back that works too" he said and she only shrugged.
"Sorry but I was panicking and I knew she'd actually be awake and not grumpy like you get in the morning" she pointed out.
"Whatever Scherbatsky" he said and got out of bed. They made the bed quickly and got dressed.
When they walked out the child was still sleeping soundly. "She looks so peaceful, we should just let her keep sleeping" Barney whispered.
Robin nodded and walked to the door. Barney sighed softly when her back was to him. 'Why do I have the feeling I am going to be the only one who thinks we can handle this?' he thought.
He still remembered when he and his best friend Ted almost became bro parents. He got Sadie from James to really sell it and that only blew up in his face.
Now his wife was just as skeptical. Barney would just have to pull all his best moves on this. He carefully lifted Lexi and she snuggled to him and kept sleeping.
He stared in awe at the beautiful strawberry blonde, blue eyed baby girl in his arms. She deserved to be loved again he decided.
Robin had walked downstairs and hailed a cab. She opened the door and let Barney climb in first with the sleeping child. Lexi must have been exhausted because nothing seemed to awaken her from slumber. Barney was glad about that. He really wanted Lexi to be a normal, healthy, happy and loving little girl again.
Robin led the way upstairs and wasn't surprised to see Ted sitting on the couch with Marvin.
"Hey, Lily asked me to come over" he told her. She nodded with a happy smile.
"Good, thanks Lil, I'm sorry I forgot you Ted" She answered. "It must be pretty serious, you're shaking" Ted told her.
He jumped up and put his arms around her rubbing them gently. "I'm so glad you're married Ted or I'd be pissed at you again for the weird touching thing" Barney said.
"Well I am…." Ted said and trailed off as he turned. "Why the heck do you have a sleeping child?" he asked.
"This is what I was trying to tell you Lily" Robin said and gestured to Lexi.
"Okay now I'm really confused" was Lily's answer. "Robin and I were enjoying the new fallen snow last night in Central Park when we saw this little girl crying by the carousel" Barney explained softly.
He moved to the couch and sat down. At that moment Lexi stirred and opened her eyes. Before she could freak out Barney sat her on the couch and knelt in front of her.
"Don't freak out Lexi" he told her and took her hands. "Robin and I bought you to our friends so you could meet your new family" he added.
"Barney…" Lily whispered and he took in a small breath. "Why don't you start with my best pal okay?" Barney asked Lexi, ignoring Lily.
He turned around and walked to Marshall who was still holding little Marvin.
"Hey pal, would you like to play with Lexi?" he asked the toddler. "Okay Bobby! Me like new freds!" the boy exclaimed.
"That's the spirit" Barney answered, wishing all his friends could be as cool as this three year old.
"Lets plays in my room" Marvin told Lexi as Marshall put him down and he walked over.
Lexi looked to Barney who nodded. "It's okay sweetie" he encouraged so she stood and took the boys hand.
"I hope you're not messing with me Mr. Barney" Lexi told him as Marvin led her to his room.
"So do I kiddo" he whispered. When the bedroom door closed behind the two he sat on the couch.
"She really needs a new family guys" he told the gang. "So then she's a runaway orphan" Lily said and he nodded.
"Did you call the orphanage yet?" Ted asked and both shook their heads.
"See? We're already screwing up Barney!" Robin hissed. "We can't handle this, you and I aren't meant to parents" she added.
"Says who?" Barney asked. He turned and took her hands. "Robin, before I met you I swore I'd never fall in love again. Shannon broke my heart and I swore I'd never let that happen again and you changed that" he said.
Robin smiled at that. "I was the same Barney, even though I did love Ted when we dated I still never wanted to settle down, you changed my mind" she told him.
"Then maybe we can change our minds about parenting Robin" Barney told her and she shrugged.
Barney sighed. "I'm serious" he told her. "So you really did want us to be bro parents?" Ted asked.
Barney turned around on the couch. "Yeah…I mean I know it's a lot of work but…its worth it right?" he asked.
Lily, Marshall and Ted all had to nod at that. "I think it is Barney, I love that little boy with all my heart…I couldn't imagine now not being a dad to sweet little Marv" Marshall told him.
"Maybe you should be bro parents with Ted then Barney" Robin mumbled and Barney looked at her in shock.
"Robin…"
"I'm sorry Barney" she said and walked away and out the door. He stood and Ted gripped his shoulder.
"Let me try to talk to her" he said. Barney hesitated and Ted scoffed. "I'm happily married to Sarah bro but I'm still her friend and I only want her to be happy" he said.
"Yeah, I know you'd never betray me" Barney had to admit and Ted chuckled. "I'll be back soon" he promised and hurried off after Robin.