23Sorry for last chapter! And sorry it took forever to update. But you guys are really cool! Thanks for the reviews and support! Supermega thanks to bikelock28, who kicked me back to writing. You're right, I won't be able to do it unless I'm enjoying it. Anyway, this chapter has been sitting on my laptop for a long time, but I refuse to upload before the next chapter is ready. I think it's gonna be like my uploading policy, haha.
Anyway, this chapter happens when Ted and co went to watch Robots vs Wrestling.
I love you, internet people. Please click the review button afterwards!
Disclaimer: yeah, it's mine. Really? You'd believe it?
Chapter 7.
New York, 2019
The air was uncharacteristically warm on that October night. Robin, who just got off the plane from London, quickly ditched her foremost layer of clothing, leaving her in a thin jacket, and hopped on a cab.
"8th and 8th Park Slope, please," said Robin.
"He-llo!" said a familiar voice, dragging the last vowel.
"Ranjit!"
Her first night back in New York, and she ran into her favorite driver on the world.
"Haven't seen you for ages! How are you?" asked Robin, smiling happily, "Wait, didn't you become some kind of limo boss?"
Ranjit laughed. "I like to drive around sometimes like the good old time!"
As Ranjit drove her to her new apartment, they catched up on trivial things. Ever the chatter, Ranjit rambled about his limo business as well as his fifteen grandchildren.
"And then he pooped all over the new driver! And it was green! And mushy, and—"
"Whoa, whoa, too much information there, Ranjit," said Robin, her face was red from laughing.
They arrived at her apartment and Ranjit helped bringing her suitcases upstairs.
"Thank you, Ranjit," said Robin, handing him money. Ranjit shook his head and said, "On the house, for old friend."
Robin smiled and hugged him friendly. It was nice to be back again, she thought.
The McLaren's Pub was unusually calm and quiet as Robin walked past the door. The 'No Boogie Boarding' sign was still there and Robin had to suppress a grin while she remembered that stupid hurricane.
"Hey, look! It's Robin Scherbatsky!"
Carl greeted her with the kind of enthusiasm he rarely showed. She approached the bar.
"Carl! It's so good to see you again!" greeted Robin, hugging the bartender lightly.
"Good to see you too," replied Carl. He looked older than Robin had expected.
"The usual?" asked Carl.
"You know me so well," Robin sat on the stool while Carl put a glass of neat scotch in front of her.
"So, I heard you got married," said Robin after a while, playing with her glass.
Carl blushed. It's so weird seeing a macho guy like him blush. "Yep. Got a boy too."
"Congratulations! Here's for you." Robin raised her glass before taking another sip. Carl took the salute with a polite smile.
"Yeah, thanks," said the man, "What about you? I heard you're quite famous now,"
"Yeaaah... not that famous, really," said Robin, not wanting to sound obnoxious.
"Not that famous, my ass. What was that about you capturing murderer or something?"
Robin laughed, "not my fault that I know how to kick some ass."
"Let me know not to piss you off in the future then."
Carl continued serving some other customers. Robin looked around the bar. There's nothing much different in this place. There were a few people she recognized as regulars, though there were a lot of new faces too. The old jukebox was still there, but the gang's usual booth was empty.
When she set foot at this bar, she was half-hoping to run into the gang. So some part of her was sad to see the empty booth. But another part of her was actually relieved, as she didn't know how it would be to meet them again after almost three years The last time she tried to reconnect with Lily, her call went to the answering machine, and to her dismay, Lily never called back.
"Say, Carl," said Robin, calling the bartender's attention.
"Huh?" answered Carl absently.
"Do those guys still hang around here? Sometimes?" asked Robin, carefully.
The bartender immediately knew who she was referring to, "Yeah. Sometimes. In fact they were here today. They're gonna watch Robots versus Wrestlers, I think."
Robin chuckled. She imagined five adults, four of which were parents, watching robots fighting wrestlers in silly costumes. "Funny how things haven't changed, right?"
"Not really, though. Do you know that Barney's going to be a father? Yeah, I heard the girl he screwed with yelling at him outside the bar. Imagine that, Barney as dad!" said Carl.
Robin spurted her drink. "What?!"
"Yeah, exactly my reaction," said Carl, continuing wiping a glass with a washcloth. "Apparently, he got a girl pregnant. He's gonna be a dad! Weird, right?"
Robin was still processing this new information. Hell, she might need a few days processing this. Barney and a kid?
"Although, if you ask me, I think this may be good for him. When my son was born, I was a changed man. Parenthood do that to people, you know," said Carl again.
Robin just nodded. She didn't know how to feel about this. Her ex-husband was going to have a child. Her ex-husband Barney—who was as bad as her with commitment—was going to be a father.
Surprisingly, she didn't feel anything... particular. No sadness, no bitterness, no nothing. If anything, she agreed with Carl. This might actually be a good thing for Barney. She couldn't help but smiling when the picture of Barney taking a suited-up toddler to the park creeped up to her mind.
"You want another one?" asked Carl, offering her another glass of her favorite drink.
"Nah, thanks. I should go home. I just got off a nine-hour flight from London. Could use some sleep." Robin finished her drink and stood up. "Good night, Carl."
"See you around, Robin."
Robin waved to Carl as she made her exit. Clutching her jacket closer to her body, she decided to take a walk back home.