Interesting Times, by GirlX2
Chapter Eighteen
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'Okay, you have the address, you called the cops, and you called Marshall and Lily. What's next?' Robin slid into her car. 'Check the gun, Scherbatsky. Make sure it's loaded.'
In the past, it might have worried her that the voices in her head sounded like Barney.
She had bigger things to worry about.
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The cops were already there as Robin screeched to a halt in front of the derelict building. Lily and Marshall were God knew where. She sat quietly in the car as men swarmed into the building.
'Barney said the kidnapper was going to kill Ted…why? Why would anyone want to hurt him? An ex-girlfriend, I can see that, but only for Barney…why Ted?'
"Ma'am?" A cop knocked on her window. "You're gonna have to move along. There's a situation inside."
"My friends are in there. I'm the one who called 911." She stepped out of the car, trying to keep her hand from flying to her gun. She had a permit to carry a concealed weapon, but the cop made her nervous all the same.
The cop frowned, but waved her through. She could see a large group of men bringing something down the steps…
A stretcher. Ted was on it, still as death.
Her heart sped up as she raced forwards; Paramedics were cutting his shirt and jacket off. Both were soaked with blood. Several ugly wounds were revealed as the clothing fell away. His flesh was pale—nearly gray.
'Oh God.' Robin skidded to a halt a few feet away. "Ted!"
His eyes shifted to meet hers. His lips began to move soundlessly, but she knew well enough what he was saying.
"Barney? I don't know, he said he was…"
She dove to the ground, snatching up the fragments of blood soaked clothing.
'He could have been cut! Or stepped on!' She searched through the cloth desperately, feeling Ted's stare on her back. The noise and confusion melted into nothingness. Nothing mattered except finding Barney, safe and sound.
Her fingers connected with something that began to struggle weakly.
"Barney…" Her voice dropped to a Lilliputian-appropriate decibel as she drew her hand back.
He was covered in blood; whether it was his own or Ted's, she didn't know. She had to assume the latter; Barney's body didn't even contain that much blood any more.
He blinked at her, and shielded his eyes against the dim twilight sun. "Robin…is Ted okay?"
Her throat clenched. Was this the same self-centered man she'd known four months ago?
'Stop that. You know he cares about the group as much as himself, deep deep down.'
"Robin?"
"He's…the paramedics have him. He's worried about you." She stood up, giving them both a view of their friend. Ted's eyes had closed in the interim. A paramedic slipped a breathing mask over his face and began to pump oxygen into it.
"Ted! A bro doesn't die on another bro! Do you hear me? God damnit, Ted listen to me!"
Ted's eyelids fluttered weakly, only to slide shut again.
"Ma'am, please follow us to the ambulance." A paramedic gently steered Robin towards the vehicle. "We need to look over your friends."
"Wait!" Barney shouted, catching the man's attention. "There's a woman in there…somewhere. She's like me."
"Guys, there's a female Lilliputian in there!" The man yelled to a pair of cops, who rushed inside.
"Thank you." Barney's voice dropped, now a tad hoarse.
Robin allowed herself to be led. One of the paramedics was questioning Barney, but made no move to take him from Robin's hand as they got inside.
She didn't hear Barney's answers. She didn't hear anything but the beep of the pulse monitor hanging over Ted.
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"He's sedated, but you can see him for a few minutes." The nurse nodded kindly at Lily. "Your other friend is fine, however, apart from a few minor sprains and bruises. I think he's in there now with his girlfriend."
Lily and Marshall choked back a reflexive laugh.
"Thanks." He straightened his features out. "We'll just be a second."
The slipped past her quickly. Ted's wounds had been stitched up, and blood was being poured back into him via an IV. The doctors said he'd be fine.
Physically, anyway.
"What happened to them? Why would someone want to hurt Barney?" Lily whispered as they entered the room.
Marshall just shook his head. The police had someone in custody, but that was about all he knew.
Robin was standing near the far wall, hands stained with the faint ghost of Ted's blood. They were empty.
"Oh, God, Ted." Lily raised a shocked hand to her mouth.
Ted's skin wasn't as pale as before, but he didn't look well. A large IV dominated a corner of the room, feeding him blood and painkillers. His abdomen was covered in stitched; half a dozen wounds circled his torso.
Barney was sitting on his shoulder, whispering a constant stream of chatter into Ted's ear. None of the full-sized friends could make out what was being said. Barney's wrist was wrapped tightly, one ankle in a splint Marshall suspected was made from a Popsicle stick.
"Oh, Robin, sweetie…" Lily wrapped her friend in a hug.
Robin hugged her back, fiercely. "I'm going to kill the bastard who did this."
"Just let me be your lawyer, okay?' Marshall smiled weakly.
"Robin, you look exhausted. Come get some coffee with me; Marshall can stay here."
Robin nodded, and allowed Lily to lead her from the room.
Marshall collapsed into a chair the moment the women were gone. His legs were shaking too much to hold him.
"Marshall, a little help?" Barney was trying to get off Ted's shoulder, but between his wrist and ankle, couldn't manage.
"Easy, dude, you don't want to break anything falling." Marshall picked him up.
"That's a laugh." Barney muttered.
They watched Ted quietly for a few minutes.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there with you guys."
"Don't. Not your fault."
"A bro should be with his friends when a lunatic kidnaps them."
"No, man. You would have gotten hurt too." Barney's face was carefully blank. "I couldn't handle any more of that now."
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To be continued…
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A/N Sorry for the unsusally long wait; it's getting to crunch time with both my shows, and my job (ah, Valentines Day. How I loath you). Hope this'll hold you all over till the next update.