AN: Here it is! Sorry, for the long wait. But I don't have much time with work, family and several german stories, that I try to update regularly. I hope, you like it. Tell me what you think, please.

There was a knock on the door at six p.m. the next evening.

Barney opened the door. It was Robin. For a moment he felt guilty, but he had to admit, that he was surprised, she hadn't changed her mind and was really in front of him.

"Hi", she greeted him and smiled carefully.

It reminded him on their wedding day. He pushed these thoughts away and stepped aside to let her in.

"Hey, come in", he said.

"Thanks", Robin said as she walked through the door and he closed it behind her.

For a few seconds they just stood in his living room and looked at each other in awkward silence.

"So...", Barney started. "You ready to get this over with?", he asked her.

"Yeah, let's do this", Robin said in an attempt to sound more confident, than she felt.

"Okay", Barney said and wanted to open the door, but Robin got a hold on his arm and stopped him.

"But, uhm...", she stammered and released his arm. "I just wanted to know... uhm, how is your mom?", she asked quietly.

Barney stared at her speechles.

He had almost forgotten, that she knew. No one else outside of his family knew.

Why did she have to bring this up now?

Right now, he wanted to concentrate on making her a part of the group again. Not think about his mom.

But he knew, she wouldn't let it go now. He turned around, walked to the couch and sat down.

"She... she lives in the hospital now. Since last week. And she'll probably stay there, until... it's over."

"I'm so sorry, Barney", she told him sincerely, tears threatening to fall from her eyes, as she walked over to him and sat down next to him.

"Thank you, Robin. But, honestly, it's okay. I made my peace with it", he said unconvincingly.

"You can't even say it out loud", Robin pointed out.

"I don't really like to talk about it", Barney admitted. "But I accepted it. I've always known, it would happen some day. I just didn't think, it would happen so soon."

Robin reached for his hand and squeezed it consolingly.

"Do the others know?", Robin asked him. Barney shook his head.

"No one knows. Well, no one but James and his family", he replied.

"How is he?", Robin asked to change the subject.

"Good. Sure, he is just as sad as I am, but Tom is a great support for him."

"How long have you known?", she asked him. She had the suspicion, that he knew for longer than two months.

There was a break in the conversation, in which Barney avoided eye contact.

He breathed deeply before he looked her in the eyes again and replied quietly: "Four months."

Robin pulled her hand away and looked hurt and offended.

"What's wrong?", he asked confused.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?", she asked accusingly.

"Why should I have?", he asked.

"I would have liked to know. And I would have been there for you", she replied.

Barney huffed unbelievingly.

"Yeah, right", he said sarcastically. "You would have hopped on the next plane, from wherever you were, to support your ex-husband. I hadn't seen you in over two years! Don't get me wrong, but I couldn't really trust you, Robin."

"Then, why did you tell me two months ago?", she asked.

"I just couldn't hold it in any longer. And even though, I kind of didn't want to trust you, I just had to tell you. I knew you were in New York and so... I called you."

"And I came", Robin said. "I want to be here for you, Barney. I want you to trust me."

Barney thought long of an answer.

"As your friend, I really appreciate the offer and want to trust you", he answered. "But as your ex-husband, I know it won't be easy."

"Could you please just try?", Robin asked.

"Okay", Barney said. " I'll try."

"Good", Robin said and smiled at him. "Soo... Can we go now?", she asked.

"Sure", Barney said and stood up from the couch. "The others are probably waiting."

"You didn't tell them, did you?", she asked.

"No, it's a surprise", he answered as they walked to the door. "I didn't tell them, you were coming tonight and they don't know you were here two months ago."

"I really hope, tonight won't be a disaster", Robin mumbled.

"It'll be fine", Barney reassured her and they left the apartment.

The rest of the gang was already in MacLaren's in the usual booth, waiting for Barney to arrive.

"So, does any of you have an idea, what's so important, that Barney ordered us here?", Ted asked, while tucking a strand of hair, behind Tracy's ear. She leanded her head on his shoulder and smiled tiredly.

"Doesn't he know how late it is for parents?", she asked.

"What do you think, how long he wants to stay here? Cassie has to be at home by ten", Lily said.

"I hope, this is a good surprise. We're missing 'Woodworthy Manor' because of this meeting", Marshall complained grumpily.

Wendy came to the booth and placed a tray with five beers on the table.

"There he is", Lily said and pointed to the entrance, where Barney just came around the corner.

Barney smiled and waved his hand, but didn't come over to them. They looked confused as he turned back around and talked to someone, the others couldn't see.

"Come on. It will be fine", they heard him say.

Robin stood in the spot right between the entrance and the window. She had seen the others through the window and stopped, before they could see her.

"I can't do it. This was a bad idea", she said to Barney, who turned back to her.

"Come on. It will be fine", he told her, but she didn't believe it.

"They probably hate me", she said. "And I deserve it. I am such a horrible person. I shouldn't have left you all like this. I deserve to be all alone."

"You're not a horrible person. And you're not alone. I'm here", Barney replied to her rambling.

Robin just looked at him, unsure of how to answer.

"Trust me?", Barney asked and, without thinking, held his hand out for her to take.

Then he realised, what he just said.

How could he expect her to trust him, after he just told her in his apartment, that he couldn't trust her yet?

Robin was surprised and looked at his hand sceptically. She thought about his question, looked him in the eyes and knew her answer within seconds. Even though they hadn't been in touch for years and it was crazy, it only took one look into his beautiful blue eyes to realize: Yes, she still trusted him.

Barney just wanted to pull his hand away and say 'Never mind', when Robin suddenly laid her hand into his.

She smiled at him and he couldn't help smiling back, as he closed his fingers around her hand.

"Come on", he said again and pulled on her hand gently.

The others watched and their eyes widened in shock as Barney Stinson walked to the table, on his hand, his ex-wife and their former best friend Robin Scherbatsky.

When they came to a stop on the table, they just stared at each other in awkward silence. Until Barney broke it.

"Hey! Look, who visited me yesterday!", he said much too cheerfully, while gesturing to Robin, who stood there, feeling uncomfortable. "It's Robin."

"We can see her, Barney", Ted said.

"Is she real?", Marshall asked in a whisper.

Robin laughed, way too loud. She stopped and cleared her throat, when she noticed, no one was laughing with her.

"Hi", she said and waved at the others.

"Hey", Ted, Tracy and Marshall mumbled. But Lily didn't even look at her.

"I know, I was a terrible friend...", she started.

"You can say that again", Lily interrupted her.

"Lily, I'm so sorry."

"For what?", Lily asked, getting up and louder. "For leaving us from one day to the next? For cutting us out of your life? For not returning our calls, postcards or e-mails?"

"For everything!", Robin shouted desperately. "There is no way to say, how sorry I am. There is no excuse for what I did."

"Damn right", Lily confirmed.

"But I feel really bad and I missed you all so much", Robin said, tears welling up in her eyes.

"And now, what? You thought, you apologize and everything is good again?", Lily asked. "And anyways, why are you here?"

"I'm moving back to New York."

"Really? I thought you loved being a foreign correspondent", said Tracy.

"I did", said Robin. "But it's time to return home. I miss New York." She looked Lily in the eyes and said: "I miss my family."

Lily tried her hardest to hold back tears.

"Oh, crap", she said. "I just can't hate you." She turned to Marshall and asked him: "Why can't I hate her?" Marshall smiled and shrugged.

"Come here", Lily said and pulled the taller woman into a tight hug. Robin laid her arms around Lily, returned the hug and allowed the tears to leak out of her eyes.

"Awww! Welcome home", Marshall said and wrapped his arms around Robin and his wife.

Now that the ice was broken, the others stood up and hugged Robin as well. They all sat back down and Barney took two chairs from another table for him and Robin.

"You know what, Robin?", Lily said. "We forgive you, but you've been very mean. I will take your shoes away, until you deserve them back."

She pointed at Robins new red pumps and Robin smiled.

"I missed your sense of justice", she said. "Can I keep them for tonight?"

"Okay, give them to me tomorrow", Lily said and signaled Wendy to come over.

"Oh, hey, Robin", Wendy said. "Long time no see. How are you?"

"I'm fine, thanks. And you?", Robin replied.

"Just great! I'm engaged."

"Wow! Congratulation.

"Thank you. So...Scotch?", she asked.

"No, thanks. I'll have an ice tea", Robin replied. "Still exhausted from the flight. I just landed very late yesterday."

Everyone nodded sympathically.

"Where have you been?", Tracy asked her.

"Well, let's see...", Robin answered. "I've been in Cairo for a while last year. After that they sent me to Bangladesh, before they forced me to take two weeks off. I spent the last two months in Peru", she explained.

Indeed a different continent, Barney thought to himself.

They talked more and caught up on everything, that happened in the past few years.

"Where are you living now?", Robin asked Marshall and Lily later.

"We have a house five minutes away from Ted and Tracy's house", Marshall answered.

"Yeah, and we barely meet in the city anymore", Barney said, clearly annoyed by this.

"Oh, come on, Barney. Admit it, you love the weekly barbecues", Ted said and Barney rolled his eyes.

"Yes, the barbecues are good. But the neighborhood is totally lame."

"The next one is on Sunday. You have to come", Lily said to Robin.

"Of course!", Robin said excited.

"We have to go now", Marshall said. "Our babysitter has to be home by ten. Fortunately, she lives next to us."

" I'll call you tomorrow, okay?", Robin asked Lily.

"I hope so", Lily answered and hugged her good-bye.

Ted, Tracy, Robin and Barney left soon afterwards.

Outside they hailed a cab and Barney and Robin agreed to let Tracy and Ted take it, since Tracy seemed to have had a drink too much. She giggled all the time and called the others by nicknames.

Ted was obviously Teddy-bear, Pooh-bear or Mr. Architect. Barney was called Swarley or Diaper-Man. And she called Robin Sparkles and one time Second-Base-Runaway-Bride.

Ted and Barney had to help her into the cab, while Tracy giggled uncontrollably.

"Hey, Teddy-bear! He... he's fumbling! Go, you have to t-teach him a lesson", she stammered drunkenly and pointed at Barney.

"Okay, Honey. I'll talk to him", Ted spoke in a soft voice. "Careful, with your head" he instructed, as she a sat down on the backseat.

"I can't believe, you're still not married", Robin said to Ted.

"Well, there was always something in the way. Mostly, it was a pregnancy", he said with a laugh and a shrug of his shoulders.

Robin shook her head smiling.

"As long as you're happy, everything's okay", she said.

"We're really happy", Ted insured her and climbed into the cab, next to his fiancee.

"See you on Sunday?", he asked them.

"Sure", Barney said casually.

"You bet!", Robin reassured him and closed the door of the cab, which drove away almose immediately.

Barney hailed a second cab and held the door open for Robin.

"Oh, you can take it, if you want", Robin told him.

"Nah, I'm fine", he said and waved it off.

"Thank you, Barney", she said earnestly.

"It's just a cab", he said confused.

"No, I mean... Thanks for your help today", she explained.

Barney smiled at her choice of words, because he remembered a situation, in which he said the exact same sentence to her. He decided to answer in the same way, she did then.

"Yeah, sure", he said casually.

Robin just wanted to climb into the car, when Barney thought of something.

He should ask her. She would probably say no, but he didn't want her to get mad at him for not asking. He remembered, how much it bothered her, that he didn't tell her sooner about his mom's illness.

"Robin, wait", he said and she looked at him questioningly.

"I, I'm visiting my mom tomorrow. Do you... want to come with me?", he asked.

Robin starred at him astonished. She didn't know how to answer.

On the one hand, she would like to see Loretta again. On the other hand, she was her Ex-mother-in-law.

"Eehm, I don't know. Wouldn't that be weird?", she asked him.

"I don't think so", he answered. "My mom always liked you. But you don't have to, I just thought..."

"Okay", she interrupted him.

"Really?", he asked surprised. But clearly positively surprised.

"Yes", she answered. "When do you want to go?", she asked.

Barney thought about it for a short while.

"I thought of 11 a.m.?", he answered unsure.

"Suits me fine", Robin answered.

"Meet at my place?", Barney asked. "At quarter to eleven?"

"Sure. See you tomorrow", Robin said and got into the cab.

"Bye", Barney said and closed the door.

He watched after her, until the cab disappeared behind a corner.