Tuesday

"Has anyone heard from Barney?" Asked Ted, checking his cell phone.

"Not me," Robin said and Lily shook her head, not trusting herself to speak.

"I haven't seen him all day at work, which is kind-a weird." Marshall offered.

"Yeah, weird. I texted him about two hours ago about dinner and he still hasn't replied."

Lily watched Marshall and Ted as they both inspected Ted's phone. She felt her cheeks colour.

"Ah, I think that could be my fault," Robin said finally, shifting in her seat.

"Why?" Marshall asked innocently.

"You didn't sleep with him again?" Ted asked, grinning. When he saw Robin's expression, he sat back in his chair. "You didn't?"

"No!" Robin protested. "No, no. no! And Ew!" She punched Ted on the arm. "No!"

"Then what?" Marshall asked.

"We had a… fight… last night." Robin replied, reluctantly.

"What about?" Marshall badgered her. Lily wondered if she should ask something but worried that anything she said would reveal that she already knew exactly what Robin and Barney had fought about. Besides, she really wanted to know Robin's side of the story. And it would take her mind of any accidental kiss-age that might have gone on last night as well.

"Well, he sort of… said that he loved me," Robin said, deadpan.

Ted started to laugh, then he stopped when he realised no one else was joining him .

"Exactly my reaction," Robin replied.

"I don't get it," Ted said. "What was his angle? It was a joke, right?"

"Well, nope. Apparently he really is in love with me. He said that he has been for a while but it's only just now that he's come out and told me."

"Well it's about time!" Marshall said.

The others looked at him in shock.

"What?" Ted said, glaring at his best friend.

"Well, dude, I'm sorry, but I can't be the only one who hasn't noticed that Barney's been pathetically in love with Robin since the summer?"

"What?" Ted repeated, spluttering.

Robin shook her head. She looked a little sick, Lily thought.

"Well, you gotta have noticed the signs?" Marshall explained. "He always laughs too loudly at her jokes, always finds excuses to sit next to her."

Ted looked thoughtful then began to nod suspiciously. "Yeah, he totally does!"

"And of course, Barney told Lily," Marshall concluded, beaming.

"What?" It was Lily's turn to say. "No! I mean, yes! Except, I never told you, Marshall. He swore me to secrecy!"

Marshall gave her a look. Damn stupid telepathy, Lily thought.

"So what did you say?" Ted asked, looking at Robin. "To this grand revelation? I mean, I'm not even sure if it's possible for Barney to have real feelings. I mean, he's Satan!"

Lily tutted. "Ted, that's bitchy."

Robin was frowning, Lily noticed, almost as if she was holding herself back from defending Barney too.

"I told him not to be so ridiculous," Robin said. "Then I might have shouted at him for a little while. But it was fine. We're fine… I thought we were fine." She mumbled, blushing.

Lily caught her eye and nodded her head subtly towards the restroom but Robin shook hers. Hell, if Robin didn't want to talk about it, there was nothing she could do, but Lily suspected that Robin was as messed up inside as she was right then.

"So what should we do?" Ted asked. "Leave Barney alone?"

Lily didn't think that was such a good idea. After the state Barney had been in the previous night, she thought that he could do with at least one friend. However, she couldn't exactly volunteer. She cringed in on herself. If Marshall ever found out…

"Yeah, I guess," Marshall agreed. "If Robin thinks it's best?"

They all looked at Robin.

"Don't ask me!" She said, clearly flustered. "How the hell should I know?"

Lily patted her hand soothingly.

"It's Barney," Ted said, shaking his head. "He's probably in some random bimbo's bed right now. Besides, Robin's made her feelings clear."

Lily bit her lip. If she could just text Barney…? Just find out if he was okay? But what if that led to- No! That was stupid. It was just one kiss! It wasn't as if she was suddenly going to leap into bed with him. Barney was like a brother to her. A sweet, womanizing, excellent-kisser brother. Oh crap.

Lily leaned against Marshall and he put his arm around her shoulder while she swallowed down the guilt.

"So that's agreed?" Ted asked, and they all nodded.

Perhaps tomorrow things would look a little better?

*--*--*

Wednesday

The next afternoon, Lily and Ted were in the apartment, trying to find ways to avoid doing any packing for their respective moves, when Marshall rang. Lily put him on speaker.

"Hey baby," Marshall's voice rang out. "I'm gonna be a bit late home again."

"Again?" Lily said, unable to hide the annoyance from her voice. Ever since her husband had got that new job at Goliath National Bank, she'd hardly seen him. At it really wasn't helping to ease her feelings of residual guilt about the Barney situation.

"I'm sorry, Lily-pad. But if I screw up this job, I don't think even Barney could get me another one…"

Lily tried not to flinch as she heard Barney's name, very aware that Ted was listening.

"…speaking of which," Marshall continued, "Barney didn't turn up to work today. And he also didn't come in yesterday, apparently. Bilson said he's called in sick…"

Lily gave Ted an alarmed look.

"…but to be honest, I don't think Bilson even spoke to him. Most people around here don't even seem to know what Barney really does!" Marshall laughed. "Anyway, so I phoned Barney and left a message asking if he wants us to make him some chicken soup or something…"

"You mean if he wants me to make him some soup?" Lily said, trying to keep the bitter edge out of her voice.

"Yeah, you're a wonderful wife," Marshall continued, oblivious.

"I still think Barney's holed up somewhere having a ten-way," Ted said, loud enough for Marshall to hear.

"Totally!" Marshall replied. Lily shook her head. She was a little worried now. Robin's reaction last night had hinted that things were very far from all right. And if Robin and Barney really did fall out, would Barney cut himself off from the group again, like he'd done when he and Ted had been arguing? It worried her. As much as she didn't really want to face Barney right then, Lily couldn't help but remember how much she'd missed him in the months following Ted's birthday the previous year.

"Look, Marshall," Ted said, "If we haven't heard from Barney by this evening, we'll go round to his apartment and check on him, okay?"

Lily gave Ted an approving smile. Perhaps Ted was picking up a little of Marshall's telepathic skills?

But then again, she really hoped not!

"Yeah, look, gotta go guys." Marshall said hurriedly and hung up.

Ted patted Lily's shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, Lil. I'm sure Barney's fine."

Lily grinned nervously. If only she could believe him.