Ok guys, this is it! Not the final chapter, mind you, but it has the scene that I've had in my head that inspired this whole thing. Snowgirl098, it was semi you about the Robin thing, semi an emotional build up I was thinking about but ultimately couldn't quiet put into words (based on a friend of mine who went through something like this and was crying a lot, which was really out of character for her, and then went out in a blaze of cursing and fisticuffs, lol). Thanks for the quick review, and I may get the next one out tonight as well.


Barney woke up in a heap, his head a swirling mess. If I'd have known I was going to wake up like this I'd have kept drinking… He yawned and went to stand up, before flopping back onto his bed.

"It's the big day…" He said it out loud to the air, letting the words fall back at him. His wedding day, His! Barney Stinson getting married, who the hell would've thought it? He sat up, this time staying up. He pulled off the top of his suit-jamas, scratching his chest. How the hell did he get into this…

He huffed a breath and stood, stretching. He still wasn't sure what he was doing, what the right path was. His heart was beating erratically, and he didn't want to slow down to think, not yet. He had too much to do to think. And he was afraid of what that thought would be.

He grabbed a midnight blue suit out of his suit room. This suit was flown in directly from Italy for me, piece by piece. As soon as the Japanese silk worms made enough to be pieced. Robin had just stared at him when he told the story.

And there she was again, Robin. He shook his head to clear it. No, no thinking about Robin today. He laid out his suit and grabbed a towel.

"Time to go be awesome."


Ted and Marshall came over to his apartment, and the three of them headed out to the church. James and Gerome would meet them there, along with the photographer's assistant. Ted was still quiet, and any prodding Barney tried got no answer. Marshall finally got through to him, yelling out that it was Barney's wedding and singing one of his nonsensical songs about it. Barney it's your wedding day. You didn't scare the girl away. Who'd have thought monogamy, would find its way to our Barney. Barney its your wedding day, all the girls in New York are safe.

The church was decorated in the colors Nora chose, a bright pink and a lilac. Just looking at the two colors together made his head swirl. He sank into the back pew, watching people flit back and forth, arranging flowers, tying ribbons, adjusting lighting. What the hell am I doing. He thought again, and chased it away. Gerome came and sat down beside him, putting his hand on his shoulder.

"Are you okay Barney?" He asked it softly. Barney nodded.

"Yeah dad, I'm fine." He picked up an flower that had dropped from its arrangement, turning it over in his hands.

"Are you sure Barney?" He smiled softly. "I know that, that I wasn't there when you needed me then, but I want to be there for you now…"

"Dad, its fine, I promise." Barney smiled and passed the flower to Gerome. "Believe me."

"Okay Barney." Gerome smiled at him. Barney turned his head, temporarily losing himself in the thoughts that he had promised himself he wouldn't have. James came over and tapped his shoulder.

"Barney, they want us to get ready for pictures." He grinned. "The want to document the awesome that is the Stinsons. Oh, and the wedding party too." Barney smiled back at him.

"Alright Boys." He stood. "Wedding suit up!"


The photographers assistant set them up around the churchyard, sitting on a bench and beneath a trellis in the garden. They laughed where appropriate, and smiled when needed. They set up a special one of Marshall pretending to hang Barney by his tie, a play on the 'my wife the noose' saying. Ted was pretending to kick the bench out from underneath him while Jams held up his knees. Gerome was just returning from the bathroom when they'd set it up, and ran over in a panic.

"Barney! No! Don't do it!" They'd laughed, and Gerome joined in once they caught him up on the joke.

They entered the church when the photographer's assistant told them the girls were coming. Barney's chest started to tighten, thinking about what was going to happen next.


He was standing at the front of the church, throwing panicked looks at Ted and Marshall. His mom was in the front row, along with his dad and his family. He looked at them, the nerves numbing and letting him concentrate on his quickened heart beat and the cold sweat running down his back.

The music started and the girls started down the aisle, Lily first. He was confused by her appearance, but didn't say anything, just imagined the look on Marshall's face when he saw her, and then turned to look at him to see it. That look of pure joy… God how he wanted that look to come across his face, wanted to show her that that's what she meant to him.

He turned back. Robin was next, he took his eyes off of her, but the next closest to him was Lily, and he couldn't look at her either. He settled on a spot above the lights on the wall and took a deep breath. The maid of honor was next, and she partially obscured Robin, thank god. He swallowed and turned to watch Nora enter.


"And now the reading." The preacher said. The ceremony had progressed smoothly thus far, and they had only the reading to get through before the vows, and then it would be over. Shouldn't he feel more excited about this? Shouldn't he be ready to pass out with excitement?

"The reading is taken from Ecclesiastes III, verses 1-8." He cleared his throat. "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." Barney let his eyes drift so that he was looking at Robin's feet.

"A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted." His eyes trailed higher up, staring at her knees.

"A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up." Break down and build up… it echoed in his head as his eyes rose to shoulder level.

"A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance." He was staring at her chin now, in between crying and laughing.

"A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing." He wanted to embrace her badly. God what was he doing?

"A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away." He'd cast her away why?

"A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak." A time to speak… He was looking in her eyes now, and wondering if she could see what was in them.

"A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace." The preacher said a few more words while Barney kept staring at Robin. Nora's eyes were on the preacher, never noticing how limp Barney's hands were in his, how distant he was.

"What has brought you here today, is the challenge. The challenge of a" His ears perked on challenge, but all he could see was Robin.

"I do." Nora smiled and Barney, blinked, confused by how much time had been lost while he'd held Robin's gaze.

"Barney, are you here to ask Nora to be your partner, your lover, your friend and your wife? Do you intend to give her your deepest friendship and love, not only when you are feeling bright and alive, but also when you are feeling down? Do you take this woman whose hands you hold, choosing her alone to be your wedded wife? Will you live with her in the state of true matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, through good times and bad, in sickness and in health. Will you honor her at all times, and be faithful to her?" The pause was sickening.

"Barney, this is the part when you say yes…" Nora hissed at him. He looked at her.

"Or…" He looked back at Robin. "Or…"