Robin Scherbatsky took a gulp of the scotch in her hands, grimacing at the taste. After the sugary sweet shots she'd been forced to endure, her beloved drink was harsh on her throat, mirroring the echoes in her heart. Looking at the frivolity that surrounded her, the women drunkenly clinging to each other and toasting the most obscure things.

"How you holding up champ?" Lily Aldrin slid onto the bar stool beside her. Robin swirled her scotch.

"What do you mean?"

"You know, all this." She gestured to the shrieking women around her.

"Psssssh yeah." She said, overdoing the grandeur in her voice. She set her glass down on the counter with a click audible in even the messy bar. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, you know…" Lily trailed off as Nora walked up to them, tripping and leaning on Robin's back as if adding insult to injury.

"Sorry." She said, grinning and laughing. "I'm a bit tipsy." She waved the bartender her way. "But that's fine because I'm getting married!" The cheer went up from the women who'd joined her for her hen party. Lily and Robin joined in, raising their glasses, albeit Robin's was lifted half-heartedly. Nora ordered another shot and one for Robin. "Come on Robin, its all because of you." She said, pressing it into her hand. "Budge up!" Robin gave a half smile and proceeded to do the shot, double tapping it against the bar when she went to slam the empty glass down.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Lily said again, watching Nora's back as she receded back into the crowd.

"I'm fine." Robin said, picking up her glass once more. "Robin Scherbatsky is always fine." She took a deep swig, draining her glass in the hope the amber liquid would quench the burning in her chest.

Barney Stinson watched the never ending parade of spangled, sparkled, stilettoed women parade across the stage in front of him. He sipped his scotch and gestured at the double-D'ed wonder working the pole, nodding his approval to Ted. Marshall, still not quite comfortable with the whole strip club idea, sat with his arms crossed, uncrossing only to reach for his beer or to slap Barney a high five.

"Dude you're getting married." Ted said, 3 shots in and eyeing a fourth. Barney nodded.

"I know right." He took a wad of bills out of the pocket of his suit. Tailored Armani Ted, handcrafted specifically to suit me, right down to the last millimeter. "Who would've thought it was me who'd be next." A grin spread across his face. Ted took his next shot, prompting Marshall to see the look on his face as he swallowed, hard, and the grimace that wasn't quite his usual after drink look.

"How're you holding up buddy?" He said when Barney had been pulled up onto the stage. Ted groaned.

"It's just, I never thought Barney would beat me." Ted said, fiddling with the beer bottle on the table, staring again at the tray of shots Barney had ordered. Marshall pulled it back from him.

"Four is enough Ted, you don't want to repeat the pineapple incident." Marshall stopped and looked thoughtful. "Although it might clear up what was up with the pineapple."

"Can we get back to my most recent trauma please?" Ted raised his voice a little, dragging Marshall back to the present.

"Look dude, its no big thing. I mean, look at Barney." Barney was currently being cuffed him to a throne they'd rolled out from behind the stage. "Any girl who'd be willing to marry him so fast…" He trailed off, and Ted knew the both of them were thinking about the whirlwind month long relationship that led to Barney and Nora's wedding. Neither of them were quite sure what was behind the abruptness of it.

"I know dude, I know." Ted was again contemplating his situation, the whole ongoing Zoey fiasco and his quest for the perfect woman, of which he knows she isn't. "I just"

"You don't even have to say it Bro." Marshall said, giving him a half grin as they watched a blindfold get Drawn over Barney's eyes.