"Something Old/Something New"

Episodes 8x23 and 8x24

The Final Two Chapters

"Happy"

Robin:

Two weeks, two whole weeks is the time before the wedding and the nerves are already starting to settle in on Barney and Robin's minds. It has been quite the stressful time planning this wedding, every day for 4 months straight it's been crazy, they already had the church booked but at last minute had to push it back to the next day. They were supposed to get married on Saturday but the church over booked for that day so Barney and Robin had to switch the day to Sunday. Now, the ceremony wasn't going to be as big as the reception (most weddings usually do a small ceremony) but this ceremony is a bit longer because Barney and Robin both asked different family and friends to speak at the ceremony. Usually it's just the reception but a lot of family members started to ask if they could say something at the ceremony. So, they changed the ceremony time to 15 minutes so that each person can say what they want to say.

The stress of prepping for this wedding is starting to cause both Robin and Barney to freak out a little. However, neither of them knew how much the other is feeling since they keep these things to themselves so they don't have to worry the other one. After another stressful day Robin wanted to clear her head from all the stressful wedding planning and decided to take a trip to Central Park. Now, she hasn't been at the park in a couple of years because the last time she was here she had a bad day at work and Patrice was more annoying than ever. But, there was one thing that stopped all those bad feelings she had on her mind that day. When she saw Barney earlier that day he mentioned how lately he's noticed how stressed out she has been so she and Barney met by the carriage horses and went through the park and around the park just talking about whatever was on their minds at that time. Robin remembered that Central Park is a special place for her a Barney and then remembered that she had buried a box with a necklace behind the carousal when she was a young girl on a trip with her dad.

So with the memories of that night with Barney on the horse carriage ride and going to Central Park as a young girl reminded her that she had buried this locket and that's why she asked her father to go with her to help her dig up the locket. Now, she hoped that her father would stay with her and help her but the moment that Barney calls him and asks him to come play laser tag with him was a little bit a bad timing. She let him play with Barney but instantly regretted it and all those stressful wedding planning and other memories came floating back to her mind and now she's over thinking things she has not thought about since getting engaged.

Yes, Robin loves Barney but the more she thinks about it the more she realizes just how much her father and her fiance have in common. She knows her father always wanted a song, that fact caused her to have a bad childhood. But, seeing her father and Barney bond the last few weeks started to make her wonder if she's doing the right thing marrying Barney. Now, she knows her and Barney connection is all the things she and her father had done and what her father taught her as a young girl pretending to be the son he's always wanted and never got. But, this whole new friendship thing her father and Barney has makes her feel left out.

Ever since she found out about her father living in New York she decided to give him a chance to reconnect and bond after not seeing each other for along time. Barney had helped them reconnect by bringing them together to have them talk one night in February over dinner at an upscale uptown restaurant that Barney loved. Plus, it was a nice quiet environment where all three could get to talk and get to know each other better. That's when Barney and her father started this new friendship, ever since that night Robin has thinking thoughts that she didn't want to think about.

If my father and Barney have this sudden friendship where does that leave her?

I feel left out but can't say anything because I'm afraid of the answer so now what can I do?

Will Barney spend more time with my father than with me?

Will she and her father ever have a normal father/daughter conversation?

Can we have a normal conversation?

All these questions came to her mind and that made her unsettled. Now, when Barney rejects her after she calls him and before that her father rejecting her when she needs both of them at this really stressful time in her life. Okay, it shouldn't be this stressful when she's about to marry the love of her life. But, it is and now worry sets in and her mind starts to think bad thoughts. It's terrible to think that Barney would not be there for her when she needs him the most at whatever time she calls or asks. But, maybe in the future he won't be there? That thought kicked in and now she's in worry mode where all the bad thoughts come to her mind and everything that seems to be great suddenly isn't great anymore.

After trying to find this locket in the park she had gone to her father spot in the park. It was a spot by the duck pond where she can watch the cute ducks play and admire them for being less stressed out than she is. This spot in the park, she had been going here ever since she moved to the city 8 years ago. 8 years ago she would have never thought that her life would turn out to be so great. She came to the city for her job and is still here today because of one man in her life that has been there for her since they met 8 years ago.

Barney can be a bit of aloof at times, tune out to other people talking or not really be in sync with the other person's reasons. But, he's always been there for Robin, that part of this makes her settle her nerves and wipe her tears, after relaxing by the pond she washed off her stained face and clothes in the bathroom before go home.

"Hi" Robin steps into her apartment, God she still can't believe she's calling Barney apartment her home but she likes it. She's always loved this apartment and realizes now what a mistake she made by putting on that Open House to sell this place behind his back.

"Hi, babe" Barney says smiling as Robin walks in the door and towards him.

"Wow, baby what happened to you?" Barney asked looking at her up and down.

"Long story" She briefly said before going over to poor herself a good drink cause this day was so messed up.

"What happened?" He asked, Barney knows what Robin was doing today but didn't realize what it really was that made her look like she came from a dumpster.

"I was looking for something in Central Park. Something I buried years ago when I was a young teenager. I couldn't find it but the good thing is I realized something about myself." She told him sitting down on the couch and asking him to sit next to her.

"Oh, what's that?" Barney asked curious.

"That, you are the most important person in my life and I should be able to talk to you whenever I want and have you understand me. But, I know you do understand me and that's something that scares me the most." Robin looks down and back up at Barney who has this 'huh' look on his face wondering what she's talking about.

"Understand you?, what are you talking about?" Barney asked not getting what Robin's saying.

"Yeah, you understand me better than most people do and I usually take that for granted. What I'm saying is, without you in my life, not only as my fiancee but also my best friend my life would not be where it is right now. If I didn't meet you 8 years ago I probably would've gone back to Canada, you are the reason why I'm still here in New York." Robin smiled up at Barney hoping he got what she just said and with the look on his face she sees that he does get her. He does know her better than anyone else because they are alike one another and she would never change that even if it freaked her out a little bit because of her father being in her life more now.

"So, from now on let's try talking to one another about whatever we need to talk about that's on our minds. I know I don't like to talk about things but today I realized I need to in order for us to have more communication going into our marriage." Robin explains this to Barney and by the end of it Barney fully understands where she's coming from with this.

"Okay, I will" He simply stated smiling and giving her a quick kiss on the lips.

"Good, cause I do adore talking to you cause I really do. If I didn't you wouldn't know anything about me, you were the first person I ever opened up to so why not open myself up more to you when you're going to be my husband."

"Husband" That words made Barney smile gleefully, he can believe that there's only two weeks to go until their wedding.

"I love when you call me your husband already before even getting married." Barney smiled giving her another kiss, this time it lasted longer.

"Hold that thought, I need to take a shower before.." Robin said in a flirty voice. "Cause yuck, I stink from all the rain that poured on me before."

"Can I join you?" Barney asked hoping they can take a shower together.

"Sure" Robin said heading towards their bedroom and getting out of her wet and dirty clothes.

To be Continued...