Chapter 21- What Doesn't Kill You

A/N: This is much shorter of a chapter, and there is another part to it, but I thought you would appreciate having an update sooner!

"Mr. Stinson?" Barney looks up from his desk to his assistant who just walked through the door.

"Yes, Grace?"

"You wanted me to remind you that it it's time to leave."

"For?" he questions. He knows there is something but he doesn't remember what.

"Your wife's doctor appointment."

"Oh, crap."

Barney had been so stressed this entire week. Today marked a week since he had found out about his impending fatherhood. He had wanted to be a father, he knew that much, but the stress of the actual thought of it was creeping him out. Not to mention that work had not been the best this week. The North Koreans used this week of all weeks to freak out about a minor detail, and he felt all the more guilty about having to rush home every day, mostly because Robin had scheduled dinner plans almost every evening. And to make things worse, there was the no sex thing, and sex was always his best stress relief when things at work weren't going well.

He can't believe that he even forgot this appointment is today. He knew it is today, and he had been looking forward to it all week, so that the doctor could tell them this whole no sex thing was a joke. But between the North Koreans, and the idea of becoming a father, his mind had been on overdrive.

He left his freak-outs for work, though. He did not want to stress out Robin any more than he needed to. So he kept himself cool, calm and collected while at home. After all, she didn't seem to be freaked out or scared by this whole baby thing, so he shouldn't be either, right?

A part of him loved seeing the reactions on everyone's faces this week when they told them the news, but there was a part of him that still isn't excited himself. He doesn't know if he can do this. But now is not the time for a freak-out. Now is the time to meet Robin at the doctor, for her first outing in a week.

He has scheduled with Ranjit to pick him up at work, and then to pick her up at the apartment. He really doesn't want her traveling alone in the city, with all the complications. As soon as he steps away from his office and into the town car, he feels much more calm about the entire situation. He is looking forward to this doctor appointment so much, as well as the little surprise he has for Robin afterwards.

"Hey, Baby, you ready?" Barney shouts as he enters the apartment.

"Uh… Yeah, I guess," Robin responds tentatively.

"What is it?" he questions, slightly worried about her and the baby.

"Well, it's just that I have almost nothing to wear. I mean that really isn't that much of a problem, but I wore everything that fit me already this week, so I guess I have to go out like this," she declares, emerging from the bedroom in black yoga pants, one of her Canuck t-shirts, and a pair of ballet flats. "I just don't get to dress up anymore. I miss it," she says dejectedly. Barney smirks. "What was that?" she grills.

"What was what?" he brushes off.

"The smirk."

"Oh, uhhh, nothing."

"No, it wasn't nothing. Stop lying."

Barney pauses. He doesn't want to give away his surprise. She knows him so well. But she still does look beautiful. "You look beautiful no matter what you're wearing."

"What did you do?" she interrogates, seeing directly through his act.

"Nothing. I swear," he says, throwing his hands up, trying to declare his innocence.

"Fine. I'm ready to go then. Let's get a move on, so that hopefully later, we can get a move on," she says with a wink while walking out the door. He can't believe how extremely lucky he is to have this beautiful woman, who in the good ways, is just like him.

"Any problems in the last week?" Dr. Black asks the couple when she enters the room.

"Nope," Robin answers, because other than her panic attacks, she felt just fine.

"How are the shots going?"

"Just fine."

"Ok," the doctor nods while making a few notes in her chart. "We aren't going to do an ultrasound this week, but I am going to measure your stomach the old fashioned way." She takes a tape measure and wraps it around Robin's stomach. "Looks just fine, you seem to be growing right on schedule." the doctor writes down the measurement in the chart. "Of course we are going to need you to go downstairs for more blood work and other testing, but the results that came back last week were all in a normal range. Do you have any questions for me?"

"Actually, yes, we do have a few."

"Ok."

"There were no specifics about showering. What should I be doing there?"

"Baths are better, but you can take a short shower, no longer than 10 minutes, every day. You want to try to limit the time on your feet to no longer than 20 minutes a day. That includes showering and walking to the bathroom. You also want to make sure you do the stretches that were included in the packet, just to keep up some of your muscle definition."

"Ok. That was another one of my questions, about the exercises, that is. The other question we had was about sex."

"Ahh. That is one we get a lot. I guess we should look into changing the wording on the paperwork. The thing that I hear most from women on bed rest is that the pregnancy increases their sex drive. Have you experienced that so far?"

"Uh, no, actually we just were wondering if we really are not supposed to have sex."

"For you, I am going to recommend nothing stimulating until the end of the pregnancy. Nothing that could lead to an orgasm." No. This was not supposed to be the answer. No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. This can't be. The doctor can't be saying this. No. No. No! They can't possibly not have sex for the next six months, or even more.

"So nothing? Nothing at all?" Barney asks, hoping that is not the true answer, and she will tell them shortly that she is joking. He remembers what Lily and Marshall were like after six months, and they in no way compare to him and Robin in their sex life. This could ruin them.

"No, it's what's best for the baby. An orgasm could send you into premature labor. You can still do things for him, but there is nothing that would be healthy for you. I hope you can understand that."

"Yes," they say simultaneously, looking at each other and knowing that this is going to be the worst part. They know they can make it through the rest, but this won't be the easiest thing for them. They know without a doubt that there will be some problems because of this, but little do they know that they will be stronger because of it.