Day 4

Barney could barely pay attention during his meetings, he kept thinking about what Robin had told him the night before, and whether or not he should talk to Ted about what had happened.

He probably should, that way he could prevent future events like that from happening.

But then Ted would ask him how he knew about it, and he didn't want to confess his secret visits to his bro.

He still wasn't sure how to proceed when his cell phone buzzed around 4pm. A message from Ted:

McLarens 2nite. Robin said she'd come down with us! No one mention anything.

It made him smile, maybe she was really doing better today? He only hoped that the others wouldn't try too hard to "act normal", the last thing Robin needed was to sit in-between her friends while everyone felt awkward and uncomfortable.

Barney went to the bar early and passed the time until Lily and Marshall showed up by playing on his phone.

"I wonder if she's really coming down." Marshall said as he sat down.

"She will, it was her idea after all." Lily commented.

"Really?" Barney asked surprised.

"Yeah. Now Barney, please don't stare at her when she comes, okay?" Lily instructed him.

"Why would I do that? And why are you telling me that?" He replied, slightly annoyed.

"Well, she doesn't exactly look like herself right now, and you tend to blur things out."

"Trust me Lily, I won't be the problem tonight." He stated seriously.

"All I am saying is that this is the first time you guys see her since…that night, and Robin isn't exactly herself right now. Just be considerate, okay?"

Barney nodded. Lily's concerns were probably valid; the version of Barney they knew would screw this up.

Robin didn't look as bad as he'd expected. Certainly not as bad as she had the previous nights.

She was wearing jeans and a plain t-shirt, which was an improvement from the same pair of sweatpants she had been wearing. The clothes revealed that she had lost quite some weight over the past week.

She'd skipped the make-up and simply put her hair up in a ponytail. All in all Barney thought that she looked very young, and somewhat vulnerable.

"Hey guys, look who is here!" Ted announced.

"Hey." Robin smiled. It was fake, but he was pretty sure that he was the only one who noticed.

Ted pulled up a chair, "Barney?" He asked, nodding towards it.

But Robin scooted into the seat next to Barney, ignoring Ted's effort.

Barney couldn't help but smile when he noticed Ted's confusion. What was Ted thinking? That Robin needed him at her side at all times?

There was a short uncomfortable silence, but Barney broke it quickly.

"We haven't ordered yet, but I was thinking Mozzarella sticks and Nachos as starters?" he addressed his question directly to Robin.

"Or whatever you are in the mood for Robin." Ted said.

"Actually that sounds really good Barney." Robin answered.

"Scotch?"

"Barney we should probably start out with some…" this time it was Lily who interrupted.

"Yeah, I'll take the same you got." Robin said.

Barney couldn't resist, and smirked at Lily.

"So how have you been Robin?" Marshall was clearly nervous, and said the first thing that came to his mind.

"Dude?" Ted interrupted.

Barney waved Wendy over and ordered the food, and Robins scotch.

"I have an interesting case at work right now." Marshall had recovered, and started talking about his job.

Barney sat back, and watched Robin. She wasn't paying attention at all, instead she was looking at a group of girls in the corner booth.

Barney nudged her, "which one would be the easiest for me to take home?"

"Easiest? Probably the one in the middle, but she'd be boring. You should go for the left one, might be more challenging to get into bed, but the effort will pay off."

"Good eye Scherbatsky." Barney realized that everyone else had stopped talking, and noticed that they were starring at them.

"Anyways… Lily, tell Robin about that funny story." Ted steered the conversation into a different direction.

Lily started talking about some boy who ate a bunch of crayons. Robin wasn't paying attention again and Barney was afraid where her mind was wandering to right now.

He placed his hand on her thigh; she was clearly surprised by the gesture and looked down before meeting his gaze and ultimately turning back to Lily.

Ted noticed her reaction, and leaned in to see what she had been looking at.

"Barney, help me get the drinks?" He asked, already out of the chair.

Busted, Barney thought and nodded while scooting out of the booth.

"What the hell are you doing?" Ted asked under his breath as soon as they were a few feet away from the table.

"What?"

"You know exactly what I am talking about. What kind of sick game is this? I better not catch you do something like this again."

"I was just trying to comfort her." He defended himself.

"Yeah right, you were making a freaking move. Seriously Barney, if you ever do this again I'll attack you." Ted grabbed the drinks and headed back to the booth, scooting in besides Robin.

Barney turned to the bar, and instructed Carl to pour him another drink. Maybe Ted was right, he had probably gone too far.

But watching Ted treating Robin like an unpredictable two-year old was sickening. No wonder she wasn't doing great, hanging out with Ted all day had to bring you down.

He really didn't want to be here anymore, but he couldn't leave Robin alone either. They probably had her suicidal by the end of the night with all their sympathy, and appropriate stories, and behavior.

"I appreciate what you were trying to do." Robin's voice startled him.

Barney nodded, "how's the scotch."

"Good as always. Are you coming back?"

"Yeah, I am just waiting for the food." Barney replied.

"No, I mean…" she looked over her shoulder, checking if the others were still sitting in the booth, "…tonight?"

It made him smile, "sure, just let me in when the coast is clear."

Robin nodded, she went to the restroom and Barney noticed how Lily was right behind her.

But they were worried about his behavior, he thought sarcastically.

…

He waited almost thirty minutes before Robin opened the front door and let him in.

"Sorry, Ted was not getting my hints to leave me alone." She whispered as they sneaked back into her bedroom.

Barney couldn't help but smile, the vibe was different tonight.

"Yeah, he worries about you." Barney stated as he threw his jacket over the chair.

"Who doesn't?" Robin asked rhetorically, she was wearing the sweatpants again.

Barney kicked his shoes off and asked, "bed okay for you?"

"Yes." Robin climbed into bed herself.

He let himself fall onto it, closed his eyes and folded his hands behind his head.

"What's wrong?" he asked when she hadn't turned the light off a minute or so later.

"You aren't planning on sleeping in your dress shirt and pants, are you?"

"I didn't bring my sweats, it's fine." He noticed that he was still wearing his tie and started picking at the knot.

"That's ridiculous." Robin shrugged, and got up.

"Where are you going?"

"I will sneak into Ted's room and get you something."

"That's a horrible idea Robin. He is probably still awake, and will think that you need him to comfort you or so, good luck getting out of that number. Or, you'll wake him up while searching, and how are you going to explain that?"

"Okay, plan B then: Strip."

"Pardon?" Barney almost chocked.

"To your boxers idiot. Just sleep in them." She climbed back into bed.

A thousand witty remarks came to his mind, most of them rather dirty.

"I can turn off the lights if you feel uncomfortable undressing in front of me." She teased him.

He propped himself up, "are you drunk?"

"Nope. I just had someone tell me that I shouldn't let other people get into my head about being less awesome." She turned off the light.

"Sounds like a very wise person."

"Well… sometimes."

Barney grinned. He couldn't help but notice how lively she was, now that the others weren't around. It was almost like old times.

"Okay, but no touching." He said as he started to unbutton his shirt.

"Please, you secretly pray for that."

He finally kicked his pants off and snuggled into the blankets, still making sure to keep his distance from her.

"I think you really are a little drunk." He finally stated.

"Yeah, I think so too." She admitted.

Another long pause before Robin broke the silence;

"what did Ted say to you earlier?"

"When?" Barney asked.

"After he ordered you to the bar with him."

"Nothing."

He heard Robin sigh, "don't let him get into your head either, okay? You are the only person who treats me normal these days, and I really can't lose that."

"I won't. Although he was probably right, I shouldn't have done that. I am sorry."

"Screw what's right and wrong. I am so fed up with everyone treating me as if I will fall to pieces if someone brings up a topic even remotely indicating what happened. I am thinking about it constantly anyways, so it almost doesn't matter what you guys do or say."

Barney nodded, well aware that she wouldn't see it. It took him a few seconds to formulate his answer,

"I know, and that's why they are trying to distract you."

He could hear her sigh, and whisper; "that's not how it works Barney."

How had their conversation turned to serious? He really wasn't cut out for these kinds of conversations.

"Thanks for sticking around." Robin finally broke the silence.

"Anytime, Scherbatsky"

…

She screamed, and it scared the hell out of him. He scrambled to his feet, trying to make something out in the dark while his heart was pounding.

"Robin? What's wrong?" his voice sounded rushed and panicked, and he noticed how shaky his hand was as he fumbled for the light switch.

The light was burning in his eyes, but he quickly scanned the room. No one was there.

Robin was crying into the pillow now, and he jumped back onto the bed.

"Robin?" He just reached out to touch her shoulder when the door flew open behind him.

"What the f…" Ted charged for him, pulling him off the bed.

Barney was still too dazzled to really react. Ted furiously pushed him against the wall.

"You sick bastard, what are you doing in her room?" Ted screamed at him.

Barney was still in shock himself, breathing hard. He wasn't surprised when Ted threw a punch.

It hurt like hell.

Ted let go of him, "get out now, or I will call the police."

Barney glanced over to Robin, she was still crying into the pillow. He looked back over at Ted, who was way to angry to listen to him right now.

So he complied.

He got dressed in the hallway, his heart still beating too fast. His nose was bleeding, some drops got onto his shirt. He couldn't care less.

Her scream still rank in his ears as he walked away.