A/N: Oh dear GOD, people. This is the end. This is really and truly the end of the line. I've gotten an amazing response to this fic, on fanfic boards where I don't usually see a lot of activity.

Thank you truly for all the amazing reviews, they really do make me want to keep writing.

And lastly, thanks to Aimee. Really, I hate/love you but this wouldn't be where it is without you.

I am truly serious about this, people. This chapter was written WEEKS ago, and perfected to this point. I am putting a VERY big tissue warning on it. Me and Aimee are not ones who cry easily, but we cried at every edit.

With that said, enjoy, and look for me and Aimee's next fic for Criminal Minds, Aftermath.

****himym****

It's the sound of them shouldering against each other that terrifies me,

As if it might hurt to brush across another being's living flesh

Barney was asleep. A combination of drugs, alcohol and emotional overload and he was out for the night. A soft tap on the door had Robin turning around to see the doctor in the doorway, looking even more grim than usual.

Willing to take the blow for Barney but not willing to take it alone, she smacked Ted on the shoulder to wake him up. They stepped out into the hallway, as Marshall and Lily joined them.

They all drank in the doctor's face, reading what they had so hoped they would never hear.

(For those of you that REALLY want a happy ending, here it is)

"Good news," said the doctor. He's actually cured." Robin took Barney home and they lived happily ever after. The end.

And for those who actually want to know how this ends, keep reading)

Marshall was the one to take the plunge and say, "it's worse."

The doctor nodded. "I'm afraid so. If there is anything you need to do or say, now's your time."

There's only one raincloud in the sky, and it's raining on me. Somehow, I'm not surprised

Marshall's arms went around Lily just in time, as her knees collapsed. They all managed to stay quiet, remembering Barney was sleeping ten feet away, but Lily was barely conscious and Ted was crying. Robin stood still, waiting for the world to stop spinning.

Marshall was clinging to Lily as if she was his last lifeline. The world slowed down for a minute as Robin looked around the hospital. All she heard was the pounding in her ears until the fog lifted and she realized how little time she had left.

Robin's whole body snapped into action. Whirling around to face her friends, she gathered herself with military precision.

"Ted, go get me two rings and a suit. Lily, I'm going to need a white dress. Marshall, get a justice of the peace. We'll meet back here in an hour. Go!"

Ted looked ready to raise an objection; obviously not wanting to leave Barney now, but Robin held a hand up.

"Don't argue, just run."

And with that, they all scattered, each step an effort.

In the space between yes and no, there's a lifetime; it's the legroom for the lies you'll tell yourself in the future

Robin went back into Barney's room and shook him awake as gently as she could. Grabbing a washcloth, she wiped his face, saying, "come on, we have to get you cleaned up."

Drowsy and drugged, Barney asked her what was going on.

"You're getting married," Robin replied. "And you're not going to look like a slob when you do. So sit up and tell me if you want an authentic Native American headdress or a hat."

Barney looked dazed for a second before replying firmly, "hat."

She was bustling about, hiding his unmentionables (and bro mags), and he was watching her bend over, when he stopped her with a softly spoken, "there's a condition."

Robin threw a cloth over her shoulder, still trying to hide the porn mags.

"There's a condition to me marrying you."

She turned around and said "you tell me I have to shave my head so we can match and I'm going to slap you."

He smiled a little. "No. You have to mean it."

"Mean what?"

"The vows, till death do us part? That means that the vow is fulfilled. You're done, and you move on."

I held a jewel in my fingers,

And went to sleep

Looking pained, she stepped forward.

"Fuck, Stinson, don't do this to me."

"No, Robin, you are way too awesome to deprive the world of you. They're already going to be deprived of me."

"No, they're not. I'm not marrying to become a widow. You're going to get better, and I'm going to take you home."

Barney sighed. She knew, he knew she did.

The truth is that I'm scared. I'm scared that if I let myself be happy for even one moment, that the world is going to come crashing down and I don't know if I can survive that.

"When Lily starts to worry about you, and calls you crazy dog lady again, just remember that... I love you. And I want you to be happy. Do what it takes. Whatever it is."

By this time, Robin stopped hiding her tears, and managed to mumble out, "you're such a fucking idiot."

Barney managed a weak smile. "I love you too, Scherbatsky."

`You can change the way people see their lives. That's the only lasting thing you can create.

****himym****

Lily came in holding a generic white dress, and handed it to Robin with a wan smile. Then she turned to Barney.

"I never thought I'd see the day. You're getting married."

"Just when you thought you had me pegged, Aldrin."

The patently Barney comment earned him a smile (something Lily did less and less these days), and Barney glowed.

When Ted came back, he smiled and kissed Robin's cheek, with the customary, "you make a beautiful bride."

Turning to Barney, he simply said, "you look like shit."

He smirked. "Yeah, but I got the girl."

Ted laughed and nodded, conceding defeat as he sat beside Barney to wait for Marshall.

The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand,
Nor the kindly smile nor the joy of companionship;

****himym****

Everyone thought that Barney's attention was compromised by the disease and the drugs, and he was content to let them think that.

In actuality, it was Robin, looking as gorgeous and radiant as ever, standing next to him, and marrying him that was distracting him from his own wedding. He did his best to pay attention to the important parts, but Robin was holding his hand so firmly and looking at him so lovingly and being so awesomely beautiful that he couldn't give a crap what the short little Italian justice of the peace who couldn't pronounce robin's name right to save his life was saying (even though Ted kept leaning over and tutoring him).

When it was time for the vows, Ted nudged him.

Barney took a deep breath, fighting against the exhaustion he wouldn't let consume him. Nothing would ruin this moment. Robin deserved that much.

He cleared his throat and moved to cup Robin's chin in his hand.

You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have

"This is...really weird. Seems like only yesterday I didn't even have a fiancée..."

Robin's eyes were glossed with unshed tears as she laughed, the tension broken briefly.

"But," Barney breathed, "I'm glad I do. I...I don't really even know what to say, usually you think you'll get to this point and even when you didn't prepare anything, it'll all just kind of flow."

He paused, his breath coming a bit shorter. When he spoke again, his voice was lower, and Robin could hear the tears coating his words.

"I'd say that I love you, but you already know that. I could say that this is the best day of my life, but honestly, look around me. Got my group and my almost-wife. What could be better?"

Robin sniffled, a tear betraying the storm of tears she had been fighting down. Barney's very pale cheeks colored and he squeezed Robin's hand.

"You changed my life, Scherbatsky. You made it way more than...damn, this is turning into a freaking soap...you just, you made me who I am. And for once, I'm...I'm kind of proud of that person. So thanks."

Beth, I hear you calling,

But I can't come home right now

By this point, Robin was openly crying, Lily was sobbing, and even Ted and Marshall had tears streaking down their faces.

The justice of the peace motioned to Robin, and she took a deep, steadying breath. Barney's grip tightened on her hand, and she looked at him, eyes shining with new tears.

"How did we get here, Barney? You know, you meet a guy in a bar, you go out with him, and you think if there was a one, he'd be it. And here I am, marrying his best friend. Only..."

Robin paused, and Barney felt a tiny flare of jealousy towards Ted, a feeling he quashed quickly as Robin continued.

"With Ted, I thought, if there was a one, it'd probably be him. With you, I know there's a one, and I know it's you."

A sob escaped Robin's lips, and she felt Barney reaching up with a herculean effort to wipe her face.

I am the master of my fate

I am the captain of my soul

"I'm sorry, Barney. I'm sorry that I was so horrible to you during the first few years I knew you, sorry that I rejected you, sorry you're here now, and I'm so, so sorry I can't save you from this."

Robin paused for a few moments, shaking with violent sobs. Barney's hand touched her back lightly, and she saw him shake his head silently.

No. This isn't you. You didn't do this.

"I love you. I've never...I...I just love you. So I guess...in what's left of my future..." Robin wiped under her eyes furiously. "...that'll hopefully be enough."

Barney took a shaky breath and squeezed Robin's hand a little more.

"You're fucking gorgeous, Scherbatsky," he wheezed.

Hush little baby, don't say a word

Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird

****himym****

Barney refused to acknowledge the blackness creeping around the edges of his vision. He was not about to let the best moment of his life be ruined by his death. His grip slackened on Robin's hand but he didn't let it fall. His breath began coming weaker, but he didn't let it stop. And when the justice of the peace asked if this woman would be his bride, it may have been the weakest voice of his life, but when he said "I do", he meant it with everything in him.

And even though it all went wrong,

I'll stand before the Lord of Song

With nothing on my tongue but hallelujah...

He couldn't quite hear the justice of the peace anymore, and he had to close his eyes, because they were weighed down with too much lead, but he heard Robin say "I do."

He never heard "you may kiss the bride", but he felt his lips on hers,

managed one last squeeze of her hand,

and let go.

And then there was only the sound of the flatline.

EPILOGUE:

There was always the picture of that day. Through all of her travels, he went with her everywhere. The admitted marriage-hater wore her wedding ring for the rest of her life. If I had to guess why, kids, I'd guess it'd be tangible proof that what she had with Barney was real. The personal little mementos that remind her that she had a husband, that he loved her more than anything, that she'd have that for the rest of her life. Yet, she still carried with her the fact that she became a wife and a widow within the space of ten minutes.

If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so that I never have to live without you

That was the only promise to Barney that Robin ever broke. She tried to move on, there were men and there were one night stands, and there was the occasional one-night stands who stuck around for a couple of weeks. But next to Barney, and next to their awesomeness, nobody really ever measured up.

You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart...I'll always be with you.