Chapter 57- Believing
A/N: I apologize. It's been a hideously long time since I've updated this story. I'm ashamed of myself, but life got in the way. Since I've updated this last, I've had major surgery, moved, and got a job. They were all a huge undertaking, especially in the span of three months. I can't promise that I am going to be back to updating this soon, but I do have more time to write for a while, and hopefully, I won't get stuck on the next chapter like I did on this one.
"Morning," Barney mumbles as soon as he sees Robin's eyes flutter open.
"Morning," Robin mumbles back, happy to see Barney in the small bed with her.
"How are you feeling?" he questions, stroking a loose strand of hair out of her eyes.
"I've been better," she sighs. "Did you sleep okay?" she asks.
"Yeah. I do miss our bed though."
"Me too," she agrees. She stretches her arms out and shifts from her side to her back.
"She slept more than I thought she would," Barney comments.
"She did," she says, pausing to look over at the bassinet. "Do you think maybe we should call for a nurse?"
"Why?" He jolts up in a panicked frenzy, checking the bassinet to see that Brianna is still there and doing well.
"Nothing. Nothing's wrong. I just to make sure we can move her," Robin says.
"I mean, we can," he answers her reassuringly, "but you do realize we've been holding her all night. On our own. Without a nurse here."
"Oh yeah. That's right," she mutters. He can tell that she's still panicked about the thought of having the baby around, even though she a more than capable mother when the baby is in her arms. "I'm starving though. Maybe we can get some pancakes?"
"Now that sounds like an idea."
"Hello!" Loretta announces when she enters the room.
"Hey, mom," he greets, walking from his perch on the bed to give his mother a hug.
"Hi, wuv-wuv! Hi, Robin!" He leads Loretta to the bed. "So this is my precious little granddaughter!"
"It is," Robin answers, unable to take her eyes off of the baby in her arms. "Do you want to hold her?"
"Do I want to? What kind of question is that?" Loretta jokingly retorts. Robin slowly hands Brianna into Loretta's outstretched arms.
"She's so small," she comments as she brushes Brianna's cheek. "I don't think I've held a baby this small since you were born."
"She's far from tiny. Eight pounds, three ounces," Barney comments.
"And she certainly didn't feel tiny," Robin scoffs.
"Oh, I know. But it's quite easy to forget how horrible it is when you get to cuddle like this," Loretta says, while rocking the baby. "Aren't you just the tiniest little thing," she coos to baby Bri, before looking back to the adults. "Still, I didn't get to see Eli or Sadie until they were much older. What's her name? You didn't tell me yet."
"Brianna. We haven't decided on a middle name yet though." He winks at Robin knowingly. He's still quite excited to hear what Marshall has chosen. He hopes it's as awesome as waitforit.
"Awww. She does look like a Brianna," Loretta agrees. "Any news on when you are going home?"
"Not for sure," Robin answers. "Possibly tonight, if we can decide on a middle name before then."
"Well, don't rush it. You'll have plenty of days home alone together. Relish the help while you can."
"Thanks for the advice," Robin answers kindly. She is certainly in no rush. As much time as she had to mentally prepare for it, she's still not entirely ready to be alone with the baby. She knows that logically, it makes no sense, but she can't help but panic a bit.
"How about a first picture with grandma?" Barney asks.
"I'd love that."
"Hey, Brianna," Loretta whispers to the baby. "I'm your grandma. Your favorite grandma. You just remember that."
"Hey."
"Tracy!" Robin exclaims, upon seeing Tracy being wheeled into the room. "How did you let get them to let you come over?"
"I made friends with the nurse and talked her into it," she states obviously, as she arrives next to Robin's bed.
"She did," the nurse agrees.
"Of course you did," Robin groans playfully, rolling her eyes. It's just like Tracy to befriend anyone. Tracy, who is holding the baby, is rolled up next to her bed, so they can talk.
"Want to switch?" Tracy asks. It's the first time she is around for a niece or nephew's birth, and she doesn't want to miss out just because she had a baby the same day.
"Ummm…" Robin stutters, looking at the tiny newborn in Tracy's arms. "Are you sure you want me to hold her? I mean I have no experience holding newborns."
"Robin-" Tracy chuckles, shaking her head.
"What? I don't!" Robin exclaims.
"You do realize that you have your own newborn?" Tracy points out, nodding over to Brianna in the bassinet.
"I know," Robin shrugs off, completely missing Tracy's point.
"You have held her right?"
"Of course." She may have held Brianna, but she still feels like a part of her.
"Then I trust you to hold my baby," Tracy responds, looking Robin straight in the eyes. Her honesty fills Robin. Considering she's only known her for a little less than two years, she's still amazed at how much Tracy has wormed her way into her life.
The nurse picks up the baby from Tracy's arms, and before Robin knows, she is holding the one and only child of Ted Mosby. Tracy slides up next to Robin in the bed, and the nurse hands her Brianna. Both are entirely enamored by the babies, babies that they both somehow though would never exist, so much so that they miss Barney walking in the door.
"Oh, hey!" he exclaims, excited to see Tracy visiting Robin, before taking a closer look. "Did you two switch babies?"
"Maybe," Tracy replies with a teasing smirk.
"Okay. Just don't get them mixed up," he teases, with an edge of panic in his voice.
"Very funny. We all have matching bands. I don't think they would get mixed up," Robin reminds him as he takes a seat on the recliner next to her bed.
"Where's Ted?" he asks.
"He went to the house to get a few things ready. He should be back really soon. And I think Marshall and Lily are coming then as well. Something about an announcement?"
"Oh yeah," Robin agrees. "They need to tell us her middle name so we can get out of here." She's happy that they are finally going to share this wonderful middle name they keep bragging about. She's tired of the suspense.
"Right. I didn't think you had to name her right away, though?" Tracy ponders.
"We don't, but I refuse to leave this room without filling out her birth certificate," Robin answers.
"Hey, we thought we might find you here," Marshall says quietly, as he enters the room, followed by Lily.
"Speak of the devil," Barney teases.
"What, were you just talking about us?" Lily asks, getting comfortable at the foot of the bed.
"Actually, we were waiting for you," Robin answers.
"Good. I am so ready to tell you this," Marshall replies. He's more than ready to see the reaction on her face.
"Yeah. We are ready too," Barney agrees.
"There's- wait-" Marshall pauses, looking around the room. He was just about to start his speech, when he noticed the room was missing one important person. "Where's Ted?"
"He just went home to get some things ready, and he told me he would be back about 15 minutes ago," Tracy says. "He should be here soon."
"I can't believe he even wanted to leave," Barney mocks. It is Ted after all. He's been getting lactation stains at the sound of babies for almost ten years.
"You know Ted," Tracy jokes. "Especially after our wedding. There is probably some sort of welcome home surprise he is planning."
"That would be very Ted," Robin agrees, before she is interrupted by a large hiccup out of Lily.
"Damn it, Lily," Marshall scolds.
"Sorry!" she whines. "I really want them to know."
"I know. I do too babe."
"Hey," an out of breath Ted utters as he enters the room. "There you are. I was a little panicked when you weren't in your room."
"I talked the nurse into letting me come over for a visit."
"I know, she told me, and I can't say I'm surprised," Ted says.
"Yeah, me neither," Barney agrees, making the rest of the group break out in giggles.
"Wait, are you holding Brianna?" Ted asks, upon noticing that the baby in Tracy's arms is not theirs.
"Yeah."
"And you are all here?" Ted finally notices.
"We are glad you showed up. The hiccups were about to kill Lily," Robin answers sarcastically.
"Sorry, I just can't wait any longer," Lily whines.
"Why were you waiting for me?" Ted asks.
"Because we can't tell them the middle name without you here," Lily answers.
"Obviously," Marshall agrees.
"Oh, yeah," Ted mutters with a chuckle." No, you can't."
"Wait, you know?" Robin exclaims. If she had only known, she would have bribed him for information weeks ago.
"Yep," Marshall says. "She's totally going to freak."
"I hate you all right now," Robin grumbles, as Barney strokes her hair.
"I think it's perfect," Tracy defends. To her, it is so aptly fitting, and having just gone through the same thing, she thinks Robin will agree as well, no matter what she might have said in the past.
"Really?" Ted looks at her skeptically. It's Robin. Tracy can't be serious. She will hate it.
"Yeah, I think it fits her well," Tracy defends.
"Oh, but you don't know Robin," Lily argues.
"Yes I do," Tracy continues to defend.
"I think you should switch babies back before Marshall tells her the name," Ted says. He doesn't want his newborn on the receiving end of any Scherbatsky wrath. "Give her here."
"I'm taking offense to that you know," Robin complains, when he takes the baby.
"Would someone please tell us the goddamn name?!" Barney shouts, bring the grumbling room to a silence, except for the fussing of the babies. Tracy hands Brianna back to Robin.
"Yeah. Sorry," Marshall mutters. He didn't know he would cause quite this much stress, and now he feels bad. "There was only one thing I could ever imagine her being named, from the moment you told us you were pregnant. I know you don't believe in half of the things that I do, but to me, she's nothing short of a miracle. So that's the name. Miracle."
"Miracle?" Barney questions incredulously.
"You don't really have to use it. Really," Marshall insists. He didn't mean to force this on them.
"She's a miracle," Robin mutters, looking down at the small infant in her arms. She never left the word sink into her brain before, but now, she realizes just how much of a miracle the baby in her arms is. She is not supposed to be here. For all intents and purposes, she should never have been on the earth. Between her decision to not have children, and her supposed infertility, she would never have been born without some divine intervention. "Brianna Miracle Stinson." The words roll of her tongue in a way she would have never expected. After so many close calls, and trials and tribulations, she certainly feels like she is a miracle, and a big one at that.
Barney watches his wife for signs of a freak out. He always thought that maybe she would finally change her mind on miracles when Brianna was born. He hoped anyway. He hoped that someday she would share his turn of attitudes that miracles do exist. She has always been a miracle to him, and Brianna was just the cherry on top.
"Marshall?" Robin finally mumbles, still staring at Brianna.
"Hmmm?" he asks, all five of them watching her intently, waiting for her to continue.
"It's perfect," she answers, looking up to smile at them.
"Look at you guys all grown up!" Lily exclaims, rushing to hug the small family to her.
"So if I've managed to convert Robin to believing in miracles, does that mean there is still chance to get you all to believe in Bigfoot?" Marshall asks, hopeful.
"Not a chance."