Thank you sooo much for the reviews and welcome to chapter 10!

GG : Yes Barney & Robin are soulmates! was there ever any doubt, lol. wait until you see where Ted's love craziness takes him in this chapter.

This picks up with Barney and Robin arriving at Barney's house for thanksgiving and then jumps forward in time 3 years to Ted's future. ************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** ******

"Are you sure about this?" Barney intentionally bumped against Robin. They were standing on his doorstep huddled together in the icy wind. "Because I vote we bail." His words materialized as fog in the cold November night.

Robin shivered a little. Feeling Barney's warmth against her was both comforting and exciting. She thought he should have fessed up from the get go about her being Robin and not Lily, his girlfriend. But she needed the truth to come out now because she was already too attached to Barney. Making out with him and pretending to be his girlfriend - any longer - was just going to send both of them the wrong message.

"I think," she started to speak just as the double mahogany doors swung open. "Times up," she finished viewing Loretta in the doorway.

"Lily, it's good to see you again!"

Feeling Barney edge closer, Robin realized he was intimidated by the situation, but she ordered herself to be brave. "Robin. I'm Robin."

"What?" Loretta faltered, seemingly at a loss. And then began the excruciating silence.

"I can explain," Barney finally jumped in after a nonchalant nudge from Robin, "Robin is Lily's secret nickname."

"Huh?"

"No," Robin gave Barney a look split between aggravation and amusement. "I'm Robin. Not Lily."

Loretta looked troubled. "Is this another one of your pranks?" she turned to her son. Barney looked to the ground for answers.

"I'm waiting. Are you going to tall me why you were kissing this girl and pretending she is Lily?"

"Yeah, sure. I can totally explain...that... You see, this is Lily's identical twin Robin. So there. That's why you got a little confused. No big deal. Wow! Is it cold out here or what? Brrrr."

"What aren't you telling me?" Loretta stood blocking them like a club bouncer.

Robin couldn't let this ridiculous lie go any further. Taking a deep breath, she started over, "Lily is my best friend and roommate, but we're not twins."

"I see. So , Robin, you're using my son to cheat on you're best friend. Is that right?"

"No," Robin and Barney both answered.

"Is that the new in thing now? Cheating with whoever is most available?"

"No. That was nothing. Barney and I were just messing around. That's all."

"I never messed around that way with any guy friends," Loretta argued.

"Aww don't be so modest Lo, how do you think you got me?" Brad, Loretta's live-in boyfriend, sauntered up and wrapped unseasonably tan arms around Loretta's waist.

"Well I hope you know I don't condone that sort of thing," Loretta stated patronizingly.

"That's nice. Your holier than though act - almost convincing," Barney spit out. "Or maybe I just know you to well."

"Come on in kids. Ain't no party happenin out there. 'sides you're letting all the cold air in..." Brad said amicably.

Reluctantly, Loretta allowed herself to be pried from the entranceway.

"There's my boy... mister big man on campus," Brad clapped him on the back welcoming him inside.

"I'm not your boy," Barney shrugged him off "Brad came over when I was 16 to fix my mom's car and never left," Barney told Robin.

"Right. Thanks for the history lesson, sport," Brad said chummily. Brad wasn't the type to lose his cool, he was easy-going to a fault. "You got yourself a real live wire here Robin."

"I suppose she can sleep in Lily's spot. My office is at the end of the hall on the right," Loretta interjected.

"Thanks." Robin smiled uncertainly. Hoping this visit wasn't about to turn into a disaster of epic proportions.

"Fine. Go take your stuff."

Robin felt as if she'd been dismissed. She walked upstairs, lugging her overstuffed duffel, then sat at the landing. For some reason, she didn't want to leave Barney. Listening, as his mother launched into him, she regretted pushing him to tell the truth.

"Boy you done lost your mind!"

Barney just stood there, truthfully he didn't care.

"You know what?" Loretta continued wanting a reaction.

"What?" he asked without wanting an answer.

"Why can't you for once do the right thing? Is that really so difficult? I asked your girlfriend over here to celebrate but leave it to you to bring some... conquest? friends with benefits? fuck buddy -"

"Hey!" Barney's fuse just burned to a crisp. "Back off."

"No! Stop hooking up with random girls for sport and throwing your life away in the process."

"Whatever."

"Why can't you be half as good as Ted? He never gets in any trouble! You're always embarrassing me in front of the Mosby's. They go up to NYU and have a wonderful time visiting Ted and his new girlfriend. I try and do the same for you and Lily and -"

"I know you guys are catchin up and all, but could ya bring me a refill Lo?" Brad interrupted.

Loretta paused, conflicted between the competing emotions of being used and being needed.

"You talk some sense into him," she said huffily.

"Sure honey," Brad responded pleasantly as Loretta left the room. After the next down he opened his mouth, "If you ask me, there's already more than enough Ted Mosby types running around," he told Barney, not looking up from the tv screen. "Now of course if your mom asks, tell her I set you straight. But in confidence, you ain't married."

Barney left him with that last word, he never listened to Brad anyway. Hustling upstairs, he found Robin waiting. Resting her head against the banister with her dark hair falling over her off-the shoulder lavender sweater. He was a little turned on.

"They're classic fifties sitcom," he said sarcastically, sitting on the top step.

A smile flickered across her face. "At least your mom didn't kick me out."

"She'll get used to the idea."

"What about you? Can you get used to being just friends?"

"I don't know, I've never been only friends. And you don't make it easy on a guy."

"Then I'll have to make it super easy," Robin commented as she got up to check out her room for the weekend. "I'll avoid you like the plague."

Barney caught her arm and spun her around to face him, "Wait a minute. I guess...for you, I guess it's worth a shot."

"Thanks Barney," she wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

"Whatever it takes bro."

Robin slowly backed away with a disbelieving look. He never called her bro before as far as she knew that was reserved for Ted.

Why Barney called her that was beyond him. But one thing was certain, he didn't want either of them contemplating any hidden meaning. Leaning in closer, he brushed back her hair. "I mean, you're in the bro zone," he whispered in her ear.

3 Years Later

There was a future time when Barney and Ted did stop being bros. It never occurred to Ted that anything would make him and Barney stop being friends, but everything changed after winter break junior year. That was when Barney and Robin's on again off again hooking up came out. It was unbelievable. Sure Barney's recurrent cheating on Lily pissed Ted off, but he never imagined how bad it would hurt him to know it was with Robin. After that, Ted dropped out of college for the semester. Shortly thereafter, he met Zoey and fell in love. He moved into the apartment she'd been sharing with her last boyfriend. They were still going strong by the time summer rolled around; however, they weren't exactly living the lifestyle Ted was accustomed to. The heat index was soaring that summer. One night, Ted found himself crammed in a holding cell with Zoey. That's right. Ted in jail. They say heat brings out aggression, makes tempers flare. But all Ted felt was numb.

"I can't believe you got us arrested!" Zoey yelled at Ted, who sat on their cot staring blankly at her. In his altered state of consciousness, she looked like a cheap hooker, milking the mademoiselle in distress routine for all it was worth.

"You're a real tear jerker," he told her blankly.

"And you're a - a -" she couldn't get the words out through her sobbing.

"A little breaking and entering and broken glass never got anyone life," Ted cut her off.

"I can't stand you!" Zoey shrieked. "Please get me outta here! Someone...anyone."

Zoey looked like she was about to self-destruct any second. .All he could do was hope she would stop and soon. She'd been having a fit for hours. "Come here Zoey."

She climbed onto the cot and rolled on her side next to Ted and he put an arm around her.

"Maybe we could use a night like this...conjugal visit style."

"You're repulsive."

"But you love me Zoey."

"For now..you better think how we're gonna get outta here."

"You called your brother. He'll show. Take a chill pill."

"You already ate them all. Pig."

"Ooops."

A few minutes later, Zoey's brother Ken did show. All 6'2", bronzed, and blond. "Get outta jail free card anyone?"

"Sup Ken doll," Ted greeted.

"Ken! Thank gawwwwwddddd! I was so stressed! I thought I was going to die in here," Zoey raced over to the bars, sprinkling a few tears down for his benefit.

"You are pathetic sis. When are you gonna stop getting mixed up with these tools?" But there was no anger behind his words to her. "Thanks a lot asshole," he said turning on Ted.

"Whatever" Ted answered dully. He felt adrift at sea by then with nothing and no one to hold on to. Everything had become a meaningless distraction for him. After returning from winter break junior year he had been beyond psyched to start his internship. It was a huge deal and competitive process. Interviews, references, portfolio the whole nine yards.

He was excited. Until Barney and Robin ruined everything. Barney. He was going to visit "his grandparents" in Canada over Christmas. Only his grandparents were going to Hawaii for the holidays. So Barney invited Robin to shack up there, while his grandparents soaked up the sun. Both lying about everything. So he bailed on the internship. What the fuck did it matter? His parents, Victoria all thought he was having the time of his life working there. He could lie too; besides he always wanted to live a double life. Maybe that would make him Barney-cool. Maybe then girls like Victoria and Robin wouldn't run off with the Barney's and Kevin's of the world. Those big shots and Victoria and Robin thinking they walked on water. So why bother becoming an architect, building an amazing life, if he was going to be alone.

"What about yours truly?"

"Not happenin." Ken said not a bit regretfully. "Not a chance. And stay away from my sister Romeo."

Ted let out a grown of frustration and started talking nonsense to himself.

"Awww cheer up baby," Zoey gave him a short hug before Ken tugged her away. The guard slammed the sliding gate back in place. Zoey, with her bloodshot eyes, stuck her fingers through the bars. "I love you." Ted said kissing her hands.

"I love you too," Zoey said, before Ken wrapped an arm around her waist guiding her around the corner.

Ted felt like an unwanted mutt. He staggered back to the empty bunk at sat down, dropping his head in his hands.

"Ted?" Zoey aroused him from his self-loathing a few minutes later.

"You came back!" Ted leapt over to the bars poking his nose through.

"Ted. You left your phone in my purse. I called the first number in your phone. She's coming. K?

"Whose K?"

"Come on Zoey," he heard Ken's deep voice.

"And I left your phone with the deputy, miss you tons already," she blew several kisses, until Ken came around and pulled her away.

First number in his alphabetized phone book. A. A for Aldrin.

"I can't believe you came. I can't believe it's you," Ted figured he was still hallucinating. This is not Lily, but she was, but his brain was not registering. His mind was playing tricks on him.

Lily shrugged. About half her hair length was chopped off. Now angled at shoulder level and midnight black. It made her look older, less girl-next door, more glam-goth. He still wasn't sure. Barney had lied to Lily too but of course she forgave him, she'd been forgiving those transgressions for three years now. Barney cheats with random girl...Lily forgives him... Barney cheats with Robin...Lily forgives him... Barney cheats with random girls...Lily forgives him... Barney cheats with random girl...Lily forgives him... Barney cheats with Robin...Lily forgives him... that was the course of their relationship. It was as predictable as the waves in sea of misery Ted was drowning in.

"What happened to you?" Ted choked out, taking in her transformation.

"Nothing."

"How's my ex-bro?"

"Barney? We ummm we broke up a few months ago."

Ted's brain went haywire. "He finally break your heart once and for all?"

"No. I broke his."

"What? Never saw that coming."

"I'm engaged to Marshall," she held up her right hand. A diamond baguette glistened.

"Freaking rock," Ted looked disturbed.

"Over Spring break, we got assigned to the same habitat for humanity project. I hadn't seen him since he was going away to law school. We fell in love."

"You were always in love.." Ted said sharp bitterness oozing in his words.

"I was in love with Barney," his words stung her. "I don't care if you believe that. I would never take anything back."

"Go on,"..

We moved to an off campus apartment in June. We're gonna live together while I finish student teaching and he studies for the bar."

"Well that explains the hair, huh? New guy, new hair."

"Ted are you alright? What the hell happened to you?"

He stared at her through murky eyes. "I'm just trying not to be a fuck-up."

"This is how you accomplish that? By getting locked up?"

"I don't expect you to understand Miss Perfect."

"Okay then. Let me ask you a simpler question. Who is Zoey and why did you ask her to call me?"

"I didn't ask her to do that."

"Not the point! You and your little 420 sweetheart decide to go bust out windows in some abandoned building about to be demolished and protest on the roof and then you decide this would be the perfect opportunity for a reunion?!"

"It wasn't abandoned. Homeless people and animals lived there. It was like a Noah's Ark for them."

"But you and Zoey were the only ones present when the cops showed? Sucks to be you."

"Best of intentions. Worst of outcomes. That's the Ted Mosby curse."

"Ted, when I first met you, you were like the most grounded one of us. You knew exactly what you wanted."

"Yeah well I changed my mind. Now all I want is Zoey."

"So you threw away your prestigious architecture internship to become radical activists together?"

"Looks like I'm not the only one who wanted to change who I was."

"Get a grip Ted. I mean I changed my hair. I didn't get my incarcerated."

"And Barney."

"Barney's the same."

"And Robin?"

"It always comes back to her for you, doesn't it?"

"I love Zoey now."

"Okay Ted. Then you're free to go to her. I posted your bail."

"I have nowhere to go."

"What?"

"Zoey and I got evicted. I doubt Ken Doll will be too enthused about me crashing with him after this debacle."

"Is your stuff there?"

"No we were...staying in that building."

Lily shot him an incredulous look.

"I told you homeless people lived there."

Lily couldn't believe it. She never predicted this from Ted. "At least you didn't have to live out of your car."

"Oh. Uh I had to sell that," Ted said. "And I don't want to talk about it," he added before Lily could open her mouth.

Lily decided to take the high road, clearly Ted needed her and they all needed Ted back too. "You can stay with Marshall and me. He's waiting in the car."

Back to the Present (Thanksgiving Break Freshman Year)

Robin woke up around 4 am to go to the bathroom and she figured she'd just look in at Barney. It was an impulse she couldn't really explain. The kitchen light was on and Robin went in assuming Barney was in there, but that turned out not to be the case.

"Oh hi," she said seeing Loretta sitting at an island bar stool. Damn Americans woke up early to cook on Thanksgiving.

"Hi Robin." She was cradling a tumbler of alcohol.

"Hi." Robin replied.

"He's gone," she began twirling dirty blond hair around her finger. Robin considered playing dumb, like she didn't come in here looking for Barney, but then decided that was pretty lame.

"Where?" Robin asked.

"I never know...that's how he operates. Just like his sperm donor dad," she kicked out a stool, that had been tucked under the counter island, in Robin's direction.

"I can call him...or text" Robin offered taking a seat.

"Good luck. He doesn't take his cell."

"How do you know?"

"He leaves it on vibrate in the mailbox..found it on accident one night. But I mean who would ever look there in the middle of the night?" Loretta asked rhetorically.

"Ingenious."

"He's restless a lot of nights. Been that way ever since.." Loretta hesitated not wanting to over-share due to lowered inhibitions. "Ever since he got out of his coma. He ever tell you that?"

"Yeah he mentioned it," Robin didn't want to come right out and admit she actually saw him in his coma. When they were 10, by chance wandering into his hospital room, hearing the nurses saying his prognosis was hopeless. She remembered it so clearly, like her brain must have registered the significance of the event even as it was happening. All these years, she thought he probably died.

"His father was responsible for that. One of his innumerable lapses in parental judgment. On visitation, he took Barney up to Canada when he was a kid. To see his grandparents. Well, apparently, he leaves him there with those two...unsupervised... probably to go gallivanting with Tammy or Pammy or whoever he was into back then...anyway Barney ends up comatose."

"Diving accident.." Robin said.

"Uh huh, so I guess he trusts ya if he told you all that. He likes the world thinking he's invincible."

"I don't know, I guess," Robin's face flushed, remembering how Barney had called her bro earlier, she couldn't get that out of her mind.

"I only found out after he was laid up in the hospital for weeks and then of course I couldn't get away from work right away. His father couldn't even have the decency to let me know he nearly died. So typical."

Robin nodded, of course she knew that went both ways. Barney's mom could have checked in during the summer, but everyone has their reasons. She barely talked to her parents during Canadian Teen Idol either. "Whatever happened to him?"

"He cut out for good around the time Barney started high school." Loretta answered matter-of-factly like it didn't make any difference.

Robin continued listening as Loretta shared more about her ex. It sounded like Barney had things kind of rough However, Loretta seemed more focused on how Barney's father didn't deserve her and how all his shortcomings affected her. She was saying how she would have been better off never knowing him. Robin wanted to know where Barney was. She wanted to know why his mom never even bothered looking for him. She was sure as hell going to solve the mystery of his disappearing act one way or the other.

Thanks for taking the time to read. Hope U enjoyed this chapter!