Hi guys! Sorry for the long delay, I've been stupidly busy and not very well, but that's beside the point. Thanks so much for the reviews, and I really hope you enjoy chapter four! Feedback would be so so much appeciated :)

Donna xxx

Chapter Four - Carelessness

Now kids, you know your Aunt Lily has always loved birthdays. Whether it was Marshall's, Barney's, Robin's... The pizza delivery guy's, Karl the bartender's, Mrs. Hepton in their building's, that random guy she met in a club once... But hey, we never really complained, given that I got two surprise parties in a row. Only this year, Lily had gone above and beyond in planning her own.

"Come on, guys, this is going to be awesome!"

"No." Barney and Robin said in unison, both a little surprised at their simultaneous reaction. There was a moment that it seemed only the two of them caught, as they glanced sideways at each other, smiling slightly and knowing exactly what the other was thinking, before Lily's voice brought their attention back to the conversation.

"Please?" She whined, pouting, "I just know we'll all love it! It's only an hour's drive away, in a beautiful area-"

"Leeet me stop you right there, Lily." Barney held up a hand, cutting her off, "I understand that you're exited about your birthday, truly I do. And I'd be very happy to celebrate it along with the rest of the group, somewhere with a roof over our heads and a bed to go back to. But lying in some swamp of a field surrounded by insects with only a piece of cloth for shelter is not going to happen."

"Yeah, sorry but I agree, Lily." Robin shrugged honestly, " I don't think camping's a good idea."

"I'll go." Ted offered, also with a shrug, "I have a new camping kettle that my mom gave me and it is to die for, this is the perfect chance to try it out!"

"See," Barney grinned at Lily, taking a sip of his drink, "Your gay best friend's going, you don't need me there."

Robin gave a splutter of laughter, annoyed with herself for behaving so girlishly and obvious around him... But god, he was funny.

"What's this about you not going?" Marshall asked deadly seriously as he set down he and Lily's drinks and slid into the booth beside her, "I'm sorry, guys, but we're not taking no for an answer on this one. Basically, you come, or we break your shins."

Barney sniffed in a mock-macho manner, "Dude, I could totally live with that."

"In your sleep."

"Not a big deal."

"And we'll take your suit-jamas." At that, his eyes widened, and Barney gave a little yelp, clutching at his tie in horror as he gave a whisper.

"You wouldn't." He stood up slightly, facing Marshall across the table, who joined him on his feet.

"Oh, I would."

"You know you're on dangerous territory here, Eriksen." He hissed.

"Yet somehow I'm not feeling the fear, Stinson-"

"Okay, guys, far enough now!" Lily said, slipping into primary school teacher mode as she stood up and pushed the two men back down on their opposite sides of the booth, "Barney, you're coming on my birthday camping trip, no questions asked. However, baby, you're not to take Barney's suit-jamas. You know how special they are to him and that would be mean."

"Fine." The two of them muttered darkly, still glaring defiantly with their arms folded.

"Awesome." Lily said, "Robin, you're coming as well."

"No, I'm not." Robin insisted. Damnit, Lily was good - she had thought she had been forgotten about and might just be off the hook.

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not!"

And kids, this continued for a large portion of the night. We kept thinking they were done with it, but then every so often there would be a pause in the conversation and Lily and Robin, who had been talking quite civilly, would break right back into the incessant:

"Yes, you are!"

"No, I'm not!"

And it went on. And on and on and on and on, until finally, we all thought they'd given up - it had been around twenty minutes since the last round, which was the record so far.

Robin was laughing, genuinely laughing harder than she had in a long time, and so was Barney. She could barely even remember what he had said, but the banter and rapport between them was truly back now with such a force that she could barely contain herself. It just felt so good to be back in his company, so natural and easy, and she was starting to think things might just turn out okay between them.

Until he waved at someone over her shoulder near the door, a huge smile on his face that confirmed Robin's fears that it was the person she least wanted to see.

"Oh, hey guys, I forgot to tell you Mary Jane would be stopping by." He said casually, and was met with smiles from three members of the group. Which left just one.

"Evidently." Robin blurted in dark voice before she could stop herself, "Way to brighten up the evening, huh."

He frowned at her slightly, looking a little hurt, and opened his mouth, but by that time Mary Jane had reached their table, and was greeting them all with a grin. And so, Barney shut his mouth, and kept it shut, greeting his girlfriend as she sat down and carrying on the evening.

But, as the six of them sat and chatted, joking away as always, his eye was frequently drawn to Robin, his mind unable to stop wandering. What could she have meant by that? Did Robin not like her? He had thought they seemed to get on fine, and Mary Jane had never said anything to offend Robin, which could only leave one possible reason as to why she would be so dismayed to see her...

But no. Robin couldn't be jealous, she'd gotten over Barney in less time than it had taken him to run the New York Marathon (which, not that he was bragging, was pretty freakin' fast) - that was obvious by the carelessness with which she'd screwed all those guys. But still, she hadn't been comfortable around him until just recently... Oh god, couldshe want him back? And if she was jealous of Mary Jane, how exactly did he feel about that? Did he want to get back together with her? It would mean blowing it all with Mary Jane for such a huge gamble...

Oh god, this was all too much. This chick was going to be the death of him, Barney thought as he downed the rest of his drink, hundreds of thoughts all trying to crowd his mind at the same time. This was ridiculous. After Shannon, he had vowed never to let a girl turn him into such a mess again. But somehow, this seemed even bigger than her... Dude, he needed to do some thinking. But more importantly, he needed another drink.

"You ok, man?" Ted asked as he got to his feet, and Barney fixed his long-perfected fake smile on his face.

"Yeah, just getting a refill." He said smoothly, gesturing around the group with his glass, "Everyone ok?"

"Another beer would be great." Lily said, and Barney nodded.

"Beer for Lily, and-"

And this, kids, was when your Uncle Barney made one of the biggest faux-pas in the history of the world. It was literally so awkward I almost can't bring myself to tell you, but I will, even though it might mean you never speak to him again. Just remember, before you judge, the guy had a lot on his mind.

"Beer for Lily, and-"

Looking back, he never quite understood why he did it, how the hell he could have been such a mindless idiot. It was like a reflex, coming to him automatically from some distant time when they were dating, something that simply slipped out without him thinking. But for whatever reason, he turned to Robin, whose glass was almost empty.

"-And how 'bout you baby, do you want another drink?"

Robin froze, apparently registering what Barney had just said at the same time as he did. The entire group was silent as his eyes widened, a look of horror appearing on his face as he quickly averted his eyes toward Mary Jane.

"I, uh..." He stuttered, "I was talking to you, of course I was! Totally, um, you know when you just... Just look in another direction when you're speaking? Like, I was asking Mary Jane, but I... it, um..."

But it was no use - they all knew what he had accidentally done, and how much explaining he now had to do. Robin still couldn't bring herself to say a word, or even look at Mary Jane's face as Barney swiftly changed his tactic.

"In fact," He yawned widely, "I'm pretty beat, so I'd better leave that drink, have to get off, big early day in the morning so..." Another pointed yawn, "WellguysI'dbetterbegoingsoI'llseeyoualltomorrowthenbyeeee!" He garbled, before throwing a twenty down on the table and literally sprinting out of the bar.

Robin still didn't look up after he'd gone, as Mary Jane, looking put out, got to her feet in the most dignified way she could manage, and politely said her goodbyes. Only when she had gone did Robin finally look up, biting her lip.

"Sweetie, are you ok?" Lily said, her worried expression matching Ted and Marshall's, "That was..."

"Horrifically awkward?" Robin supplied, "Yeah."

"I'm sure he just..." Ted started, but didn't know how to finish, "I mean, it would have been an automatic thing, I-"

"Yeah, I know." Robin nodded, forcing a smile on her face as she forced the lump in her throat down, "It was nothing."

"Well, hey." Lily said after a few moments, breaking the silence, "At least you have my birthday camping trip to look forward to to cheer you up!"

It was beginning again.

"Lily, for god's sake! I'm not going to tell you again, I'm not going!"

"Yes, you freaking are!"

"Give it up!" She almost yelled, "There is nothing in the world you can possibly do to change my mind! I'm not going camping, and that is just that!"

Two weeks later, kids, and your Aunt Robin, Lily and Marshall and I were in the car on our way to the campsite.