Title: Daddy Issues

Rating: T

Pairings: Barney/Robin

Wordcount: 453

Other: post season 6 AU

Summary: Barney deals with a granddaddy of a daddy issue

Disclaimer: I own nothing, only playing with CBS's toys and putting them all back when I am done. This is merely my own "what if" imagining.

Barney told himself he wasn't going to call. Told himself that while he roamed the halls in search of a lounge with cell phone service, but here he was, phone in one hand and a business card reading Robin Sherbat in the other. His thumb covered the rest of the first line. Backstabber font, he noted, setting the ivory linen card down on the window ledge. How appropriate. He punched in the number.

Only three rings before the voice on the other line answered, "Robin Sherbatsky's office. This is Genevieve. How may I direct your call?"

He allowed himself to relax. Genevieve. He could work with a Genevieve. "Hi, Genevieve. Barney Stinson here. Can you connect me with Robin Sherbatsky, Genevieve?"

"May I ask the nature of this call?"

The personal connection sprang to the tip of his tongue, but he gave the answer that would get him put through. "Excellent question, Genevieve. I'm with Goliath National Bank."

"One moment." Muzak assaulted his ears, and he winced at an especially tinny interpretation of a Beatles classic. He knew he wouldn't have to wait long. "I'm sorry, Mr. Stinson, Mr. Sherbatsky is in a meeting."

Of course he was. "Then I'd like to leave a message, Genevieve. Two things. First, I've been in business long enough to know what 'in a meeting' means. Second, and you may want to write this down, you can tell Mr. Sherbatsky he has a grandson. Lawrence James Sherbatsky-Stinson. With a hyphen, and before you ask, no, I do not want Mr. Sherbatsky to return my call. I want him to call his daughter."

He shut off the phone before Genevieve could reply to that and crumpled the card in his hand. He'd expected as much, but it still hurt. Not as much for him as it would for his Robin, and Lawrence James Sherbatsky-Stinson was too young to understand or care, his age measured in hours. One day, though, he'd find out about this, and on that day, Lawrence James Sherbatsky-Stinson could count on his dad. Barney knew that much for certain.

"Hey, Barney?" He turned at the sound of Lily's voice.

"JJ wants to know if he can hold Lawrence, but the nurse needs a parent's permission before they let a minor hold a baby. Robin's sleeping, so we need Dad." Lily tilted her head in the direction of the maternity ward. "Are you okay?"

Dad. That was him now. He thought about telling Lily about the call, about Genevieve, about Mr. Sherbatsky who wouldn't take a call from Goliath National Bank or the father of his grandchild, but none of that mattered. His family needed him, and that outweighed everything else. "Absolutely. Let's go. I'm awesome."