Father's Days

by bikelock28

My takes on the Barney/ Jerry episodes in S6. "JJ gets a childhood, a dad, a real family," Barney's voice is shaking but he doesn't care. He doesn't care about crying or being brave. Why should he care what Jerry thinks of him? Jerry didn't think anything of him for thirty years, "And a basketball hoop? No, no- I at least get the hoop".

5. A Change Of Heart

My father would lift me high and dance with my mother and me,

And then spin me around 'til I fell asleep,

Then up the stairs he would carry me,

And I knew for sure I was loved

-Luther Vandross, Dance With My Father

6.18- A Change of Heart

There's a reason why Barney doesn't go into the café. There's a reason why he can't.

It could be because he's scared that Nora's still mad at him (his face still stings from last night). It could be because he doesn't know how he feels about her. It could be because he's never met a girl's parents before, and has no idea what to say. It could be because of the lingering sense of shame that Ted wouldn't let him meet his parents for five years. It could be because of you're not exactly the kind of friend parents want their kids to have- Robin hadn't meant to be hurtful but there's nothing like those words to make you feel like a freak. It could be because meeting parents is most definitely being In A Relationship, and the one thing he's committed to is the war against commitment. It could be because it's a violation of his One Rule. It could be because he's only met Nora twice before, and this is moving far too fast. It could be because he's afraid of commitment, of family, of love.

It could be all of these things. It could be- but it's not. The reason Barney can't open the café door to meet Nora and her parents, is because when he looks through the window, she's chatting and laughing with her dad. And it stings him inside because that's the life he'll never, ever have.