College has gone so fast, one minute your starting Freshman year and the next you're almost about to graduate. It's been a long, but seems shorter ride over the past 4 years but Barney wouldn't change that for anything. He had become one of the most popular guys on campus after joining a sorority he made friends fast, and soon after every guy wanted to be like him and every girl wanted him.

In high school, Barney felt out of place. He was a geeky, unpopular, weird, kid who nobody liked or cared to get to know. Well, nobody except Robin. She's the one who changed him from that unpopular geeky kid to a fun outgoing man and now that his college days are almost over. He wouldn't change deciding to go to college, he hated leaving his old life behind but that's only because he would miss his mom, brother and of course Robin. But, he loved being a big man on campus and enjoyed being popular.

"Hey, Barney." This chick, who's name he couldn't remember says hi to him in the hallway of his dorm room. He says hi back and winked sweetly at her then walked past her and down the hall to go outside.

Yeah, that's how it is for him these days. He wouldn't get down a hallway without someone calling his name or stopping him to chat about something. Being popular is fun, but it's also sometimes exhausting because people just don't stop to chat they call and text him every chance they get, or they come knocking on his dorm door asking for something. But, again he loved being the popular kid and he loved college but sometimes things need to end to make room for other things in your life. Right? That's how life is but why not indulge in whatever comes your way right?

"Hey Barney, I was just going to text you." Marshall who had been trying to contact him for the last half hour wondered where Barney was but now that he's here it didn't matter.

"Marshall, sorry I'm late I was talking to my mother and then people just started calling me and texting me but I'm here finally." Yeah, that's what it's like when you're a popular kid in school everybody wants to interact with you in someway.

"That's okay, Ted and I are ready for our trip to Chicago." The guys are about to get on the road and travel to Chicago to get some pizza. It's something they do every year right around before school is over for summer break. So, Marshall and Ted had planned this trip in Freshman year and asked Barney to come along with them and at that time he wasn't popular like he is now but since they asked him to come with them he of course jumped at the chance to go with them and the three guys made it a tradition after that weekend.

"Great, I'm ready too." Barney said showing Marshall his one suitcase to take along with him on the trip.

"Great. But, you won't need too much things we're only going for one night." This year was different, Marshall had to go home on Sunday so they planned on just going for one night and one day which Barney didn't know about until just now.

"Why?" Barney asked because they always brought luggage with them on this trip.

"I have to go home, it was a last minute thing my mother wanted me to come home. I'm leaving on Sunday so we decided to just go for one night and then I'll leave from Chicago while Ted drives you back here." Barney understands, it's too late to go upstairs and unpack right now so Barney put his suitcase in the trunk of the car and they then headed on the road to Chicago.

When, Barney was about to leave to go meet his girlfriend Robin had was just about to knock on his door.

"Robin?" He says, shocked to see her standing in front of him at his door since the last time he saw her, which was during the holidays in which Robin had wanted him to move on from her, breaking her heart again for the second year and third time.

"Hi, Barney." She says, sadly looking down then back up at him.

"What are you doing here?" He was shocked that she was here, in front of him looking sad he wanted to pull her into a hug but didn't. Instead, she starts to talk again about why she came all this way to see him.

"I-I wanted to see you, to talk to you in person. I've been going through some stuff and your the only person I can really talk to about stuff like this. Can we talk for a bit?" She, came all this way but he didn't say anything just let her in his room and closed the door.

"So, what's going on?" He asks, wanting to know what's going on with her and why she showed up so suddenly at his door.

"Well, for starters I just broke up with my boyfriend." He looks sad when she mentions yet another relationship, but he also smiles lightly to himself of this knowledge. He didn't know she was seeing someone but didn't care because she broke it off with him.

"Yeah, it was before I came here. I only dated him for a few months but it wasn't serious. I came here because I've been having some family problems and you're the only person who I can talk to about my family life. I haven't been happy since you left, but tried to the move on by focusing on school and two relationships I had but both didn't work out... I was just not into them like they were me. Anyway, my mother's boyfriend suddenly dumped her leaving me, her and my sister homeless." He feels bad for her and she continues telling him about her life, he instead pulls her over to his bed and sits to let her continue with what she came all this way to say.

"I'm really sorry that you're going through all that. But, I'm sure your mom will find a new place to live... besides, you are about to leave for college soon right?"

"Yes, I haven't been accepted yet but I have sent in applications. I applied here, I hoped to come here to be with you." He, feels even worse because he had been seeing someone lately, trying to move on like he thought she did. He, didn't want to say anything, but he was supposed to go meet her downstairs that's why he was rushing out the door when she came suddenly here, to talk about her life.

"I'm sure you will soon. So, I'm really sorry about what you're going through." He says pulling her into him giving her a hug while they sat on his bed.

At, that moment a blond girl came into his room calling for him.

"Barney, who's this?" The girl says, already noticing that Robin was there sitting with him on his bed.

"This, is Robin... Robin, this is Shannon." Robin, extended a hand to shake Shannon's but she didn't accept instead asked Barney if they were still on for lunch.

"Yes, I was just about to go meet you when Robin showed up unannounced, unexpected here. But, yes we are still on for lunch." Shannon didn't say anything more, instead she leaves shutting the door behind her.

"I'm sorry about that, I was just about to leave when you came here." He tells Robin, looking at her regretful for the way Shannon just treated her.

"It's okay, talking to you helped. I'm supposed to be back at the train station anyway to catch he next one back to the airport." Barney, goes over to the door and Robin follows, they go into the hall and head out downstairs together.

"So, it was nice to see you I had missed you." He tells her, pulling her into a hug.

"Yeah, seeing you again was... the thing I needed to clear my head about what's going on in my life." They, pull apart and now are looking at each other.

"So, I really gotta go meet Shannon I'm sorry we can't hang out longer." He's saddened to leave her again, but know they have two different lives in two different places. He, wishes he could tell her that he still loves her. But, he doesn't instead they smile at each other again and say their goodbyes.

"See, you around some time." Robin, says before going the other way while he goes towards the quad to meet with that girl Shannon.

She came here to see him but realized that he has a different life than her and should have just called him instead. But, she wanted to see him desperately so with Loretta's help, she gave Robin the money she needed to going see Barney. But, now seeing him again just makes everything worse, not better.

The, next time they see each other again in that following Spring.