A/N
Hey everyone! Sorry for being so inactive! It's been pretty crazy around here. I'll try to be more active in the coming weeks. Thanks for sticking with me anyway :)
My Little Girl
But to me you know you'll always be, my little girl.
2044
An ear-piercing shriek penetrated the room from the front yard. Barney shot up, pulling Will onto his hip. He had been entertaining his grandson while everyone set up for William's first birthday. Marvin and Marshall, who had been blowing up balloons in the same room as Barney looked over to him, panic evident on their faces.
"Who was that?" Marvin asked. Robin, Lily and Scarlett had just gotten home. They had been out picking up a few last things for the party.
Barney shrugged and ran out to the front of the house, still holding his grandson. "You girls okay?" He yelled out, as he opened the door.
"Mom!" Scarlett yelled.
"I'm sorry!" Robin cried out, holding her hands over her mouth. The cake sat on the ground, face down. Barney hid his smile, remembering how uptight Robin had been about Scar's first birthday. Scarlett was acting exactly like Robin had.
"What are we going to do now?" Scarlett screamed. "There's going to be no cake. The party is ruined!"
Barney bounded down the porch steps to Robin's side, helping her clean up. "Calm down, Scar. Someone can go pick up another one."
"Dad, you don't understand. I had to order that cake months in advance!"
Lily put a hand on her daughter-in-law's back. "Scar, calm down. We'll sort it out, okay? I'll make Will a cake. I've got time, and I can make it however you want. I just have to run to the store."
Scarlett took a deep breath. "Okay. Thanks, Lily."
Lily reached out and took Will from Barney. "Come on, little man. You come with me." She strapped Will into his carseat and then the two of them left for the store.
"Oh, Scar. There you are. Maggie has to tell you something." Marvin said, as Robin, Barney and Scarlett came into the living room.
Maggie looked like a deer caught in headlights. She and Daisy had been in charge of putting the decorations up in the backyard. "Um, don't kill me, but the custom balloons spelled Will's name wrong."
"THEY WHAT?" Scarlett yelled. "HOW DO YOU SCREW UP WILLIAM?"
Maggie shrugged. "Marvin's writing is terrible. He wrote it like Willium."
"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. Can this day get any worse?"
"Scarlett, you gotta calm down." Robin said, putting a hand on her daughter's neck. "It doesn't have to be perfect."
"Yes it does! It's his first birthday!" Scarlett exclaimed.
Robin smiled. "Do you remember your first birthday?"
Scarlett shook her head. "No."
"Good." Robin muttered to Barney. He snorted with laugher. Everything that could have gone wrong on Scar's first birthday did go wrong. Robin had been crazy and uptight about it too. "I was exactly the same way you are right now. Everything went wrong. You were sick, the venue was double booked so we had to have it outside, it was raining, our balloon order was messed up so we got baby shower balloons and everyone thought we were announcing that I was pregnant, and the cake they gave us was strawberry instead of vanilla."
Scarlett laughed. She's allergic to strawberries. "So, everyone thought you were pregnant?"
Robin rolled her eyes. "Yep. Grandma Loretta didn't leave me alone. Last time I ever let dad be in charge of picking up balloons."
"Hey!" Barney laughed, shoving Robin gently. "It was pretty funny."
"Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that it doesn't have to be perfect. Will's not going to remember it, and you and Marvin might get a funny story to tell Will when he's older." Robin explained. "For now, everyone get a pen and fix the u's on the balloons into a's."
…
Barney smiled and looked around at the crazy number of guests surrounding the table. Everyone was singing happy birthday. He watched as his grandson stared wide-eyed at the cake on the table, and as his daughter bounced her son and kissed his cheek. It was still crazy to him that Scarlett had a baby. She still feels like his little girl. It feels like he blinked and the baby doll she played with turned into a real baby. He kissed the top of his wife's head. His arms were entwined around her waist, and she was in front of him. She smiled and turned around to kiss him properly.
"Happy birthday to you." Everyone finished. Marvin blew out the candles for his son, and began cutting cake. Scarlett passed Will to Barney as she helped plate up the slices. She handed the first plate to Barney, to give to his grandson. Will took a fistful of cake and smeared it across Barney's face.
"Mmm, thanks buddy." Barney laughed, licking around his mouth. "This is good cake, Lil."
…
It was late. Most of the guests from the party were long gone. Scarlett, Marvin, Maggie, and Daisy were outside together, while Lily, Marshall, Barney, and Robin were gathered in the living room, laughing and telling stories.
Robin smiled and laughed a little during a period of silence. "Isn't it funny, that after all these years, we all share a grandchild?"
"I was thinking about that earlier." Lily said with a smile.
Barney laughed. "Who would've thought Robin and I would have a grandchild?"
Lily smiled. "I did. I always knew you guys were going to work out."
Barney grinned. Lily really did have a sixth sense when it came to matchmaking.
…
A/N
It's a little short, but whatever. Hope you enjoyed, and Happily Ever After will be out pretty soon :)