AN: This story got all kinds of messed up but just wanted to point out that Barney and Robin already discussed what happened the previous November so that part you can ignore or think of it as an add on to the previous conversation.
So, Barney & Robin both had their engagements well planned on this night but nothing is never just right for them so even though they wanted it to be perfect the night begins not so perfect but ends in a perfect Barney and Robin way. Both were excited about proposing and both told the gang that they would be proposing on this night but when it goes wrong Barney and Robin come out of this night happier than ever and happily engaged.
"Wow, I can't believe Barney and Robin are getting engaged." Marshall said smiling while holding baby Marvin in his arms gently rocking him back and forth to get him to sleep.
"I know, they both grown so much in the past 2 years I'm so proud and happy for them." Lily said smiling as she remembered having a slight role in Barney and Robin's relationship she was proud of herself for that and will never take it back cause she knew that Barney and Robin are meant to be.
It was already 7 pm and the three, Marshall, Lily and Ted were all sitting around Marshall and Lily's living room waiting to see how this night will go and they hoped it goes well cause they have never been this happy before getting back together. So, they waited to see what happens.
Unfortunately, the night started out a bit unplanned for both Barney and Robin. See, they both didn't know that the other was planning to propose and that kind of screwed up their plans. Barney planned a romantic evening with dinner then the carriage ride through Central Park and then he'd propose and Robin planned on proposing over dinner at their favorite restaurant but neither plans went smoothly. It began to be a nice start to this evening but once they got their wires crossed everything went south for them.
They were sitting in their favorite restaurant ready to eat dinner when an acoustic guitarist came up to them playing their song but the guitarist didn't come at the right time and that was the first thing that happened that Barney didn't want to happen. The second thing was the waiter getting their meals wrong, Robin had given the kitchen of the restaurant the ring which would be her ring to hide in Barney's dessert however that went wrong too because the ring ended up being in Barney's soup at the beginning of their meal. The third problem, Barney's plan of proposing in Central Park where they had a romantic evening under the stars watching a concert in the park. That also went wrong when they didn't get to that part of the evening.
"No, no, no that is not supposed to be in there." Robin said angrily at the waiter who put the ring in the wrong dish.
"I'm sorry miss I didn't realize that was in there." The waiter said taking Barney's soup back to the kitchen.
"No, wait don't take it back it's ruined now." Robin said on the verge of tears waving the waiter back over with the soup.
"Robin, are you okay?" Barney asked concerned.
"Yes, I'm fine I just wanted this night to go perfectly but it's all ruined now." Robin said wiping her tears away from her face.
"Wait, what is wrong with this night?" Barney asked wondering why Robin looked mad about whatever it is that went wrong.
"I-I was planning to propose to you tonight and the waiter put the ring in the wrong dish and now it's all ruined cause you saw the ring." Robin said dabbing her face with a napkin.
"What, really? Haha!" Barney started to laugh and shake his head smiling about what he just heard.
"What, what's so funny?" Robin asked once her face was dry she put on a smile and looked up at Barney smiling at her.
"Nothing, it's just that you are so cute you know that?" Barney said laughing and moving to sit in the seat next to Robin at the table.
"Barney, this isn't funny I planned this whole thing and it's ruined now. I wanted this proposal to be perfect and now it's not anymore." Robin was stunned at Barney's outburst of laughter but when Barney pushed a strand of her hair back behind her ear he then smiled and kissed her cheek.
"I'm sorry, why don't we get out of here?" Barney said and Robin looked up to see Barney's extended hand and took it and stood up.
"Barney, I'm so sorry about tonight I just wanted this to be special for you. For us..." Robin said once they were outside of the restaurant.
Just as they were coming out of the restaurant a carriage with horses came up to the front of the building and Robin was caught off guard when she looked up and saw it. Now, even though this night didn't go as planned at first Robin was shocked that Barney hired a horse carriage to ride them around Central Park but he did and she was back to being happy again.
"My God, Barney you did all this for me?" She asked wondering if Barney had planned this as she planned her own proposal.
"Yep, I did it cause I was..." Barney paused just as the carriage stopped at the place where the concerts take place.
Barney stood up and extended his hand so that Robin could take it and she did. He took her to the spot where they watched the concert together over that summer they were sneaking around together.
"Do you remember this spot?" Barney asked hoping she's remember the night that they were here.
"Yeah, it was in July when we were dating we came here to see a concert." Robin answered remembering that evening like it was yesterday. She smiled at the memory of the two of them sitting on the blanket snuggling closely watching the concert.
"It was that night when I realized that you are the woman for me. It was that night when I realized that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. Unfortunately we didn't get that far then but now I don't want to be with anyone else only you for the rest of my life. And, that's why we are here tonight..." Barney got down on one knee after taking out the ring box from his jacket pocket and Robin was already crying as he landed on his knee with a smile and the ring box in hand that was now open. "Robin Scherbatsky, you are the love of my life and I want to be with you for the rest of my life will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" Barney stood their ring in hand as Robin's tears became puddles of water down her face.
"Yes, yes Barney Stinson I will marry you." Robin said trying to wipe her face but the tears just kept coming Barney took his handkerchief out of his breast pocket and handed it to Robin before he took the ring out of the box and placed it on her finger.
They kissed for at least 10 minutes before breaking into a hug and then after they let the carriage go as they walked through the park hand in hand snuggling close. They were so happy to finally be engaged but there was one question Robin wanted to ask and it's been on her mind since they were at dinner.
"Hey, Barney I wanted to ask you." Robin said turned to the front of him so they were face to face.
"Hum?" Barney said smiling as he wondered what Robin had on her mind.
"Did you plan all of this for a while or did you just decide to propose cause I wanted to propose?" Robin had to ask cause even thought she was happy that the night didn't end badly like the beginning of the night but this was still on her mind.
Barney smiled taking both of her hands in his and said.
"Yes, I have been planning this for over a week but have wanted to marry you for a long time." He answered honestly cause it was the truth he did want to marry her for along time since he thought that they were going to get back together last year.
"Really? How long have you been wanting to marry me?" Robin asked liking the sound of this little detail she didn't know about till now.
"Actually..." Barney paused not wanting to say when but he did anyway cause she wanted to know.
"I was planning on proposing to you last November when I thought we'd be getting back together." He told her this but instantly regretted anything that happened in November but it's out now so oh well.
"Oh. I am... Barney I am so sorry I did that to you I should've picked you last November cause I did want to be with you then. I have been wanting to be with you for a very long time and what I did I will forever regret it." Robin finally told Barney all she wanted to say since that night in November and she hoped that... Oops, Barney doesn't look too happy about this or maybe he is his expression is something Robin couldn't tell what his expression was.
"Wow, so you wanted to be with me then but chose Kevin instead?" Barney was a bit shocked by this knowledge and now it kind of ruined this perfect evening for them.
"Yes, I did want to be with you then Barney. Look, I didn't want to tell you this but it wasn't then that I wanted to be with you. It was before all of that happened, I wanted to be with you for a long time and when you were with Nora I..." Robin paused and looked down for a second before taking a breath and looking back up at Barney.
"Lets go sit over there I need to tell you something." Robin said hoping Barney would agree to let her tell him everything that happened before they slept together last November.
"Okay." Barney walked over to the bench and Robin followed after him and sat down next to him.
"Could you look at me Barney this is very important?" Robin said wanting Barney to look at her but Barney was not having it so he just looked away after shaking his head no.
"Alright, fine but you need to listen to me okay?" Robin said watching Barney shake his head up and down.
"You see, last year when you were with Nora I was going out of my mind. Literally going out of my mind because I was so in love with you and jealous that Nora got to be with you. I started doing things that were kind of not me like beating up a woman who was trying to break you and Nora up and when that didn't work I tried to let you be happy with Nora. Then, I started seeing Kevin as my therapist because I got arrested for beating up said woman who wanted to break you and Nora up. I had court ordered mandatory therapy with Kevin and then after that was over Kevin asked me out and I said yes. But, I was still in love with you and when you kissed me in the cab that night we talked about the hurricane... God, I wanted you so much that I kissed you back and it led to... Well, you know. The reason I didn't chose you in November was because I was scared that if we were to get back together that it wouldn't have worked out again. Last time, when we broke up it nearly killed me and yes I never stopped loving you after we broke up either. I tried to let you move on with Nora but that's because I was so scared that my feelings for you were going to get in the way of your happiness with Nora. So, I let you be happy with her and then you started seeing Quinn and I though hey maybe that won't work out cause you two were fighting all the time and you didn't seem happy. So, again I let you be happy even though I thought you weren't. Then, you got engaged to her and all of the denying of feelings came crashing down again on my heart. Your engagement to Quinn was so shocking that I through myself into my relationship with Nick because I thought maybe if he's around that I'll somehow get over you. Well, that didn't happen because it only led me to you. That whole relationship was fake I hoped it would be more than just a fling but it wasn't because I still loved you and Nick saw that. He realized that I loved you and broke up with me because he knew that my love for him wasn't as strong as it is for you." Robin hoped that this confession would be good for their relationship and now that it's out there and over with she hoped that Barney sees that everything she has done was because she wanted him to be happy even if it killed her to see him happy with someone else.
It took Barney a few more minutes to let this all sink in and then he turned to Robin with a light smile and that gave her the sign that he was glad that she told him this even if he was a little shocked but still a little mad at her for never telling him this.
"Wow, Robin I can't believe you did all that for me while I was with Nora and Quinn and if I knew that you loved me then I would've been with you in a heartbeat cause that's how much I loved you then. Nora and Quinn were rebounds and distractions from you I liked them fine but I wasn't in love with them. Nobody will ever compare to you, you are the love of my life as I said before I never got over you the whole time we were apart seeing you everyday was great but every night I went home cried and thought about you. Look, Robin I'm glad that you told me this cause if this wasn't out there than that was a big secret that we would still have and I don't want to start out this engagement with secrets so this moment on we have no more secrets to tell and we will be together and happy cause that's what I want. It's what I've always wanted!" Robin looked at Barney and smiled brightly for the first time in along time and she was really glad that this is all out now and that her and Barney will be happy together cause that's all both of them ever wanted.