This probably still needs some work done, but its my first fic, so here it is.


Robin reached the top floor of the World Wide News building. Her stomach dropped, her hands shook as she read the four letters etched across the door: Roof. This was her last chance to go back. She imagined Barney, on one knee, proposing to Patrice. The very thought made her sick. She took a deep breath as she finally admitted to herself: I am still in love with Barney. Her eyes began to water. Damn it! She turned around, waved her hands at her face to stop the tears from streaming down her cheeks. Why can't I just let it go? Why am I always pulled back to Barney? She already knew the answers, but she didn't want to admit. But these last few weeks had made her unable to cover up how she felt. We are meant to be together. This was far too much emotion to go through for a night. She took a deep breath, and turned back to look at the door. She knew what she had to do.

Her mind flashed back to the morning after she cheated on Kevin with Barney. Sitting up in Barney's bed, she turned to Barney.

"Can I ask you… did this mean anything?"

Barney looked at her, with the most solemn look, one she had only seen a few times before, "Of course it did." The words shot like a bullet. But his face quickly changed as he saw her blank, shocked expression. "Of course it didn't…" he said in a very fake nonchalant voice. Barney always wanted to say the right things, even if it wasn't the truth.

Robin's mind flashed back to reality as she put her hand on the icy door. She closed her eyes and tried to take a deep breath, although all she could manage was a shaky, shallow breath.

Her mind flashed back to 5 years ago. The night Barney comforted her as she cried over Simon at the bar. Another flash to when they kissed in Ted's hospital room, both finally admitting they had feelings for each other. The look Barney gave her before he took the leap to the neighboring roof patio. Keeping their relationship a secret from the gang all summer. The times she cried over Barney after they broke up. The way he would go head over heels to cheer her up. The moment they had after the hurricane, and telling her, "When I let a day go by without talking to you... umm, that day is just no good."

She opened her eyes as pushed the door. Rose pedals lined the roof, Christmas lights streamed above, and candles surrounding the area. She stood there, bewildered, as she noticed a piece of paper on the ground. She walked to it, and picked it up. "The Robin" was written on the top in cursive. It looked like a play from the playbook. She couldn't wrap her mind around it, as she began to read.

"Step 15: Robin realizes she's standing under mistletoe."

Thousands of thoughts raced through Robin's head. Confused, angry, and _, she looks up and sees the mistletoe. She turns and sees Barney standing in front of her. Her mind quickly snapped to anger.

"Seriously, Barney? Even you, even someone as certifiably insane as you, must realize that this is too far!" She scoffed, "You lied to me! Manipulated me for weeks! Do you really think I could kiss you after that?" She starts to feel vulnerable again; tears building up in her eyes, blood rushing to her cheeks, she raises her voice, "Do you really think I could trust you after that?" All Barney gives is a smirk. Robin looks down at the play in her hand. "This. This is proof of why we don't work, why we'll never work." Every thought she had before she opened that door washed away. Everything she thought could be something between her and Barney seemed meaningless. "So thank you, you've set me free. Because, how could I be with a man who thinks this… trick, this enormous lie could ever make me want to date him again."

Barney smiled, "Turn it over."

Fine. She angrily turns the page to find a final step in the play.

"Step 16: Hope she says yes."

Robin looks up to see that Barney has gotten down on one knee, a box in his hand with a diamond ring perched inside.

She is so shocked she doesn't know how to react. Is he…?

"Robin Scherbatsky. Will you marry me?"

Her eyes widened, her whole chest felt numb from the shock and awe filling her body. In that moment, she realized the point of the play. This play made her acknowledge what she never wanted to admit—just how much she loved Barney Stinson. And she knew he loved her too, more than anything in the world. It made her realize what she wanted with him all along.

Robin was never sure about marriage. Saying that one word was the hardest thing she could imagine—it was one of the scariest things she dealt with when Kevin asked her. But with Barney it was simple. It was the easiest decision in the world.

"Yes," she replied with a smile.

Barney's face lit up. He got up to kiss her. Robin had been longing for hi all along. She wrapped her arms around him, and kissed him. Being caught up in the moment, Barney almost forgot about the ring in his hand. She gave him some room to reach for the ring, smiling the whole time as she watched him put it on her finger. She pulled him closer to kiss him as it began to snow.

"I love you so much," Barney mumbled, his lips still on hers.

"I love you too," she smiled. Those words have never been so easy for her to say.