Robin ran out to the concourse with her coat folded on one arm, dragging her suitcase – her only physical baggage with her – as her mind clouded with her own emotional baggage.

Take a deep breath, her inner voice commanded, taking control once again, and she did so.

"Oh, Barney." She blurted out subconsciously as she caught a peep of a blonde man in a tailor-made suit that must have cost more than her entire month's worth of salary and she did not hesitate one bit as she ran towards him, her boots colliding harshly with the spotless floorboards.

"Barney!" She exclaimed once more, this time not to herself, but to him, to get his attention. And it did.

The man in the suit spun around, a face of genuine concern and doubt as he scanned the crowd, his eyes stopping short when they landed on her.

"Robin," he said, almost as if he was suddenly relieved, before he cracked a smile. He stood with open arms, and she responded with a hug, clutching him tightly the same way she had half a year ago.

Here you are again, with Barney at the airport. Just like half a year ago, she thought. If their timeline were to be captured in photos, the resemblance between these two captured half a year ago and now would be uncanny.

"This feels just like it had felt the last time I saw you," Barney commented, speaking her mind.

"Except everything has changed."

"Things change, Robin. It's the way the world goes round." He mumbled, and he felt her nod in agreement, out of words. "And you and I both know I would be lying if I said nothing has changed."

Robin prayed Barney would not mention Luke's name, and while he had learned to read her like a book, his next words felt like a failed telepathic connection between them.

"You made the right decision." He continued. "I think… And I'm not speaking for Luke… But I think he would have been proud of you."

And at the mention of his name, she could not help herself but break down in his arms. She did not expect it to happen nor did she want it to, but it came anyway.

Upon realising he had been the cause of her tears, Barney only held her tighter as she sobbed uncontrollably in his arms, her head filled with guilt all over again. "No… No. Don't cry. Please don't cry. I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault," she replied, swallowing her tears. "It's just that…"

"I know what you mean. But I'm sorry…" Trying to lighten the dampened atmosphere, he changed the subject for her sake. "Listen. I think what you need is a good ten hours of sleep. Let's go."

Breaking the embrace, he grabbed hold of her suitcase as she watched, one arm still folded with her coat hanging limply around it and the other furiously catching her tears.

"Okay," she replied reluctantly, and as he put an arm around her, they walked off with her head hung low, in attempt of shedding the guilt and shame she thought she had left behind in London two weeks ago when she had made the decision to start anew.