AN: This story turned into a Ted story and I hate that I did that sorry this was not about him this is BR and I had messed this whole story up without knowing this sooner.


Flashback to Christmas and New Year's!

It has been a great few months for Barney and Robin they had been through some tough years in the past couple of years but going into 2013 they both couldn't be anymore happier being together for the first time during the holiday season. It was getting really cold in New York now the remains of the last snow storm which was two days ago is still noticeable and you can feel the coldness of the air just as soon as you step out your door. The gang had all decided to meet each other at Marshall and Lily's for Christmas dinner. When Ted, Robin and Barney showed up everything was already prepared and Lily was still going crazy prepping for dinner. Ted had been told to bring something for dessert but of course he would bring a little something more than just the dessert.

"Ted, what did I tell you about bringing another one of your girls around here? I just wanted this night to be just us and nobody else." Lily started in an angry tone and a red face.

"I know, I'm sorry I just met her yesterday and asked her if she wanted to come she didn't have anything to do today so she said yes and now I'm regretting even telling her about this little party." Ted stayed calm but was still mad that Lily would say anything while she still had her mind on her meal prep.

"Well, thanks now I have to set another setting for your new girl." Lily said angry heading into the kitchen to get another place setting for the table.

While Ted and Lily argued Barney and Robin were sitting on the couch smiling and laughing while drinking their glasses of wine which they got from Lily when they first arrived. Marshall was holding Marvin in his arms and rocking him back and forth as he sat in the rocking chair.

"I can't believe Ted would be so stupid to bring another girl to Lily's get together when she said it would only be just the 5 of us." Robin said shacking her head at how Ted didn't learn from past mistakes to not bring someone else to Lily's parties.

"I am shocked that Ted would even consider bringing someone else when he knows that Lily will not like it." Barney chimed in also wondering why Ted would be so selfish.

"I warned Ted yesterday about this and he said that he wasn't going to bring Stephanie." Marshall said now feeding Marvin with his bottle.

"Well, he obviously didn't listen and now Lily's not happy about it." Robin stated looking over to where Lily and Ted were standing or more importantly arguing over Ted bringing Stephanie when Lily told him not to bring anyone else and Marshall told him the same thing. It's typical Ted, he never learns from his past mistakes he always thinks the last girl is the one when she isn't and everyone's really had it with his constant conquests.

"I would go over there and calm Lily down but Marvin's eating right now and I don't want to upset him." Marshall said rolling his eyes at Ted and Lily arguing.

"I know how Lily gets when she's mad so I don't want to interrupt them." Robin continued watching her friends go at each other while still sitting on the couch.

"Yeah, we should just let them settle this." Barney said taking a sip of his wine.

The next hour everybody was sitting quietly at the dinner table eating their food. Ever since Ted and Lily's fight nobody said a word to them about it cause it would just open up another can of worms and nobody wanted that to happen. So, they ate in quiet until Marvin suddenly broke the silence with his wailing from the other room.

"I will get him!" Marshall said standing up and heading to the bedroom to get Marvin.

Everyone else kept quiet for the rest of the time during dinner they also had dessert in silence which usually this meal would be in none stop chatter it was weird sitting there not talking to each other but they did it out of respect for Lily since Ted didn't show any respect for her himself. Later that evening, everybody stayed and helped Lily clean up well except for Ted and his new girl of the week. Ted had left after dessert still angry about what happened earlier. Barney and Robin stayed to help clean up while Marshall sang to Marvin to put him to sleep for the night in his bedroom.

"You know, I didn't want to say anything earlier cause I know you would just bite my head off but why are you so mad at Ted for bringing that girl?" Robin asked wanting to know why Lily's still mad at what happened with Ted.

"I told him so many times that this was going to be for the 5 of us and if he brought someone else it will just ruin everything. He decided not to respect that and brought that girl Stephanie, he always does this every time I have a planned party Ted brings some girl he thinks is the one and then suddenly it doesn't work out I just have had it with him doing these things all the time." Lily said dropping some dishes in the sink in an angry way.

"I know, but Ted was." Robin paused for a second before continuing. "Look, Ted hasn't had the best couple of months and I just think if you let him be happy with this girl for the night he would still be here." Robin had noticed that Ted hasn't been himself lately he's been really sad and depressed she only wanted him to be happy.

Flashback to a month earlier!

"There you are I've been looking for you everywhere." Robin had been looking for Ted for almost 2 hours. Before that time they had been talking about things that had been happening lately. Robin had noticed that Ted hadn't been happy since he found out that she and Barney were back together and she wanted to make sure he was okay with it cause earlier that day he wasn't.

"Well, I'm here what do you want?" Ted said not looking up to face Robin and just stared at his beer bottle while Robin sat a cross from him at their usual booth.

"Look, Ted I just want to make you see that I'm happy with Barney now and I hoped that you would be happy for us too but apparently you aren't." Robin knew that when she and Barney got back together that this would not be a happy thing for Ted. She hoped that he would see that she's happy and let her be happy with Barney but he isn't and it's killing not only her but also Barney cause Ted had stopped talking to him after finding out about them.

"I don't want to talk about it okay." Ted really wasn't in the mood to talk about this with Robin let alone anyone right now he just needed to be alone. So, after a minute of drinking the last of his beer Ted got up and left it would be the last time they talked for a while.

End of flashback!

"Why do you think Ted didn't listen to me and brought that girl to my party when I told him not to?" Lily asked now starting to wash the dishes.

"He, he has been really sad and depressed lately and bringing someone to your party made him feel happy/wanted he hasn't been taking my getting back together with Barney well and I just want him to be happy and if being with Stephanie makes him happy then so be it." Robin finished and started to walk away when Lily talking again.

"Alright, fine I will go talk to him and apologize." Lily said sighing before finishing up with the dishes.

After cleaning up Lily had gone to find Ted and luckily he was in the place she knew he would be.

"Hey, are you ready to go?" Barney asked putting his arms around Robin and pulling her into him smelling the lavender in her hair.

"Um, yes lets get out of here." Robin said happy to finally leave this weird party that Lily tried to throw.

"Did you talk to Lily?" Barney asked wanting to know if Robin talked to Lily about what happened earlier.

"I did, she's gone to find Ted and apologize. He's really not taking us being together well and I just want him to be happy and if that means being with Stephanie or any other woman then great." Robin said turning around in Barney's arms and putting her own arms around his neck. With a smile and quick kiss she said. "I'm really happy." And with that they told Marshall that they will be leaving and walked out the door hand and hand with smiles on their faces as Marshall smiled after them he realized that Robin and Barney are really happy with each other and he is really happy that they're happy all he wants is for Ted to realize this and let them be happy.

Back at Maclaren's Lily found Ted sitting in their booth staring at his beer. Robin was right Ted wasn't happy and now Lily feels guilty for being so rude to him at the party before. She hopes that after she talks to him that everything will be fine afterwards.

"Hi." Lily said sitting down a cross from Ted.

Ted didn't say anything but he did look directly at Lily so that was progress right?

"I-I want to apologize for earlier I was just in my typical Lily must have everything perfect for this party to be perfect mode and I didn't realize that you were unhappy." She hoped that Ted would take her apology cause she really is sorry for being so rude to him.

"No, I'm sorry Lil you specifically told me not to bring anyone and I didn't respect that and I am sorry for doing that." Ted said after a minute and then a sigh.

"It just hasn't been a good month for me and meeting Stephanie made me feel better about Robin and Barney being together." Ted knew that this whole thing with Lily, bring Stephanie wasn't the thing that sent him over the edge it was seeing Robin looking so happy with Barney it just made him feel a little bit sad that she found someone that makes her happy when he thought that she would be happy with him.

"Robin told me that you weren't taking her and Barney being together well and that's why I came to look for you to apologize." Lily said hoping that everything's okay again between her and Ted.

"Are we okay?" She asked hoping that they are.

"Yes, of course." Ted said smiling which also made Lily smile again for once this evening.

After that night Lily decided to let Ted be happy with whomever he wanted to be with cause all she wants is for Ted to be happy. Mean while, Barney and Robin finally arrived home tired from this terrible evening they had. Both just wanted to go to sleep for the rest of the night and that's what they did. Lily went back upstairs to find Marshall laying down on the couch asleep probably exhausted from taking care of Marvin all night so she let him sleep while checking in on Marvin who also was sound asleep. Lily gave a quick kiss to Marvin's forehead and left the room to go to her own room cause she was also exhausted from this crazy night they had. Christmas came and went and after that day Lily's parties were always fun including her New Year's party which had no arguments or quietness it was just happy and fun.


AN: Spoilers for the end of this. BR, are happy and get married but without any drama. They're just living their lives, they eventually get a dog and move to a new apartment much later in life. They, do try for a baby but it doesn't work out for them, she really is infertile in this story. Her, career is great SHE DOES NOT TRAVEL she's happy where she is in her life. She has her career but Barney is her main priority in her life. Barney's happy, he has his job with GNB but soon gets offered to work for the FBI, he does take that gig and loves it. Barney, does travel but only within the states, he's never too far away from NY or Robin. They, around 2020 move to DC where Robin takes a new job for CNN and Barney works for the FBI, he had quit GNB to pursue his job with the FBI. But, over all they are really happy and really settled down with each other.