PART 4

beta: roland44

A/N: tada!

Barney sat in his boxers and an old t-shirt; a bottle of beer in his left hand and the remote control in his right.

So what if his hair was growing out?

So what if his place was a mess and if his couch was permanently stained?

No one was here.

No one visited, not really. He could get it cleaned up.

He was taking a few weeks off from work, was that so absurd of an idea? Was that really so bad for Barney Stinson to take a break from work?

He'd take a shower tomorrow, and then maybe he'd visit his brother... Hadn't seen him in a while... James told him over the phone that Sam was going to sleep-away camp this year... He could teach him a few tricks for skinny dipping or something.

*dingdondingaling*

And there was possibly the most annoying ring tone ever created.

"Hey Lily," he answered.

"Hi Barney! How you doing – are you in your boxers?" Damn video phone calls, you couldn't get by with anything anymore. Luckily he had kept his figure.

"Uhh, yeah, went out with the boys last night, got in late, no big." When she kept staring at him he said, half heartedly, "party... Woo..."

"Right, okay, are you busy tomorrow?" An eager smile beginning to appear, he knew it well.

"Tomorrow? Yeah, I'm super busy... Uh, I was gonna see James and –"

"How about Friday then?"

He frowned, only the slightest tinge of paranoia coming up, "why?"

--

It happened at 3pm on March day, when the air was thick and temperature seemed to rise. It was the kind of day you were happy to have a cooling system in your home. David and Linda and Robin had gone to the zoo. Meanwhile, Ted was trying to pull himself together.

He should be over the bump by now...

But everyday he woke up and somehow – for some reason, expected to see her. He needed her.

I'm sorry, Ted... I love you... Take care of the kids... Please, be strong... You can do it, I know you can...

He tightened his jaw to make sure no one would hear the sobs, although he still felt the tears.

"Ted?" He heard a knock. Robin.

--

"Hey Aunt Lily," Linda said after answering the door, "Dad! Aunt Lily's here! Dave and I are heading out okay?!" They barely heard his mumbled response and soon the three were in the car on their way to Lily and Marshall's home.

Both their kids were in college, they were doing their exams, finishing in a few weeks, and would be home for the summer.

"So are we really going to meet him?" David asked, his eyes growing wide as his thoughts continued. "You think he'll be my wingman?"

"You're not 21 yet," his sister said, crushing his dream.

"Yeah, but... You know, when I am..."

Linda looked away from her younger brother to stare outside the window at the passing seagulls and other cars. "I'm surprised he agreed to see us..." she mumbled.

"Why?" Her brother whispered back.

"Hello?" she spoke up, catching her Aunt's eye. "I, uh... I'm gonna write to my friend Gendra, that alright?"

"Sure, honey, go ahead." Lily answered before looking back to the road.

Moments later, David's phone buzzed. He pulled it out to read a message his sister had sent him:

Un. Barney was in love with Au. Robin! They broke up / or something / and then she marr'd dad! How do you not C the triangle? B-R Vs Dad-R, duh. We'r in the middle of it. =/

He glared at her and texted back:

That was ages ago, 2xduh - he's prolly over dat by now. :p

She read it, sighed, shook her head, and texted back:

You don't get it.

--

"Ted, why? Whu – How could you?..." Barney struggled to form words.

"Uncle Barney?" A young girl said. Linda had crawled out of bed and was staring, dumfounded, in her yellow pyjamas clinging to her striped green and dark blue blanket. "Are you hurt?"

She stunned both her Uncle and her father. Barney covered his eyes and turned around.

"Ted?!" He asked; he couldn't – he wouldn't have this argument in front of her, none of this was her fault.

"Uh, Come on Linda," he tenderly advised, "your Uncle Barney and I have to talk."

"But he's hurt!"

"No, he's alright..." Ted tried to motion his daughter out of the room.

"No, he's hurt," she protested, "he was crying, I saw! Daddy he's not alright, you have to help him."

"I'm fine!" Barney spun around, taking a deep breath and swallowing the lump in his throat the best he could. "I'm fine, Linda, really."

She looked him over carefully, with kind un-judging eyes. "You sure?" She quietly asked.

"Yes," he nodded, "I'm sure." He even managed to smile.

The little girl ran up to him for a hug, which he gladly bent down for, before running off to bed. "Good night, Uncle Barney!"