Barney's mind races.

He's a guy who has a lot of secrets. There are a lot of things that he's kept from his friends over the years. But he's never deliberately hurt them and the pain and betrayal in Ted's eyes is almost too much to bear. However, Barney's also a guy who's been caught red-handed enough times to know that a good defence is always, always offence.

He grins. "Oh wow, Marshall. You bought that? That was a play, dude. I was just practicing some line I was going to use on that brunette chick at the bar."

"So you're not going to Washington?" Marshall asks, looking more hurt than relieved.

"Nope," he says, leaning back casually against the door. He finds himself studying Marshall, wondering how the big guy could possibly believe that telling Ted prematurely like this would help anybody. But then again, maybe Marshall thought he might never tell them. Maybe Marshall thought that just one day they'd all come looking for him and all they'd find would be an empty apartment. That's if any of them came looking for him at all...

Wow, that's a gloomy thought. Barney Stinson doesn't do gloomy thoughts. He shakes himself and he turns his grin up a notch.

"You son of a bitch," Lily grumbles under her breath., but she shakes her head and gives Marshall a squeeze as her husband collapses down on the couch beside her.

"Yeah, not cool," Marshall agrees. "But anyway, what are you guys all doing tonight? We figured you be…"

Barney zones out on him because Ted still hasn't said anything. He tries not to look at Ted, tries not to notice the glowering expression in Ted's dark eyes, but it's like an itch. His hindbrain, the bit that lies and gets caught and simply makes up a bigger lie, that bit begins to wiggle.

"I call bullshit," Ted says quietly, stopping Marshall mid-flow. "You're so full of it, Barney. So, you're just going to ditch us?" He says, directing the venomous words at Barney. "Cut us out of your life? For what? A promotion?"

"Bro, it's not like that. Marshall-" Barney tries to interject, but Ted cuts him off.

"Marshall told us the truth!" Ted snaps. "Which is more than you ever tell us, it seems."

This is horrible. This whole thing is horrible. Ted doesn't understand his reasons. They are carefully thought out reasons. This is nothing to do with ditching Ted and Marshall and Lily. It's… Robin. It's always about Robin. But is running away from Robin any better than running from the rest of them? From the way Ted's looking at him Barney knows that in trying to get over Robin, he's turned his back on his best friend.

"I'm not..." Barney says. "I'm- It's not like that. You know that. You're like my family!" He gives Ted a pleading look.

"Family?" Ted spits. "You mean, hiding everything that's awkward or painful from everyone, like my Mom and Dad? Or maybe you mean continually betraying everyone you love, like Lily's Dad?" Ted gets to his feet, narrowing his eyes. "Or maybe, just maybe, you mean abandoning the people who love you, like your Dad?"

There's a gasp from Lily as Ted walks right up to Barney until they are nose to nose. Barney's mouth goes dry and he shrinks beneath such close scrutiny.

"You're moving to Washington and you didn't tell me?" Ted says. There's pain, real pain in the words. "Exactly how long have you been planning this?"

Barney shakes his head. "Today," he says desperately. "I only found out today that it's even possible. And it's not like I want to leave you guys but-" He swallows, and looks up, and composes himself. "But my life is going nowhere here. You know that's true. I need something new. It's only for six months, Bro. It's not forever."

Lily bites her lip, like she's going to say something but changes her mind.

"That's just another line," Ted says. "You're so full of it."

"No!" Marshall shouts.

They all start as Marshall gets to his feet. "No!" The big man repeats again, louder, stronger. "Ted, will you get your head out of your ass? Do you think this is easy for Barney?"

Barney takes the cue. "No. No, it isn't easy. I'll miss you guys like crazy, you know I will. I'm terrified of this. But if I'm gonna do it, it's got to be now, before I lose my nerve."

"You can't leave," Lily says, tears in her eyes.

Barney gulps. "I don't want to." It's not entirely true. "Look, Washington isn't even that far away. I can come visit. Weekends? You know? And there's phones and the internet."

"It's not the same," Lily stands up and walks over to him, her bottom lip quivering. Then she gives him a fierce hug.

"It wasn't a secret," Barney says to Ted, over her shoulder. "Please, dude. I'm sorry."

"When are you leaving?" Ted asks him flatly.

"Thursday."

Lily pulls away and squeezes his arm, then nods at Ted to stand up. "I can't say that I agree with this," she says quietly. "But I'm a firm believer of letting kids make their own mistakes. Just remember, Barney Stinson, that when you fall and skin your knee we'll still be here to patch you up and make you feel better?"

He gives her a lopsided grin as Marshall joins them. "You told Robin yet?"

Barney shakes his head. "No. Like I said. I just heard it was definite."

"Oh man," Ted exhales a frustrated breath.

Lily frowns. "Yeah. Really yeah."

Barney shrugs. "It's Robin. She's got more reason to want me to leave than any of you. She'll be fine."

It's comes as a big surprise to him that Lily and Marshall laugh at that. Even Ted cracks a smile.

"Oh, you poor deluded boy," Lily says.