Challenge Accepted(A Barney Stinson/HIMYM Fan-fiction) BOOK ONE

Chapter Fourteen: Finally Home

"Ok so...let me get this straight." Lawrence ran a hand through his hair. "Barney has been acting so weird because he's in love with you?" I nodded. "How do you feel about him?"

"I...I don't know." He shook his head.

"How do you not know?!"

"I don't know Lawrence, I'm confused, I..."  I stopped. "It wasn't supposed to be like this. I was supposed to be with you, pain and simple, and then Barney comes along and everything is complicated and-"

"Well let me make it easy for you." I looked over at him.

"What?"

"Lauren, if you didn't have feelings for him, the answer would be flat-out 'no'. Which clearly isn't the case so, this is me giving you an out."

"You're breaking up with me?" I asked. He shook his head.

"I'm making you choose. Me...or Barney." I pondered this for a moment. 

~~~

"So, what do you do?" He asked, taking a sip of his wine. I cringed slightly at the question.

"I'm kind of between jobs at the moment." I replied, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "My dad put me through law school, until half way through my second year, I realized I hated it."

"So you just quit? What did you Dad have to say about that?"

"He um...he hasn't talked to me since and practically disowned me." He watched me warily, waiting for me to say I was kidding. "I wish I could say that was a joke."

"Oh, I...I'm so sorry. That's terrible." I shrugged.

"It's alright. I've got some pretty great friends to keep me company so, it all works out. But enough about me. How is Law enforcement?"

"Not at all like they portray it on TV, believe me." I laughed. "They make it look so action packed, and it can be, for most. But for me, I'm still fairly new in the department, so they've got me as a paperwork monkey."

"Ooh...that sucks." I said, taking a sip of wine.

"Nah...I just make a game out of it. It takes a while so I have a pretty steady build-up. I like to keep a record of how many times the captain references me to female genitalia." I laughed. "It's more fun then you think."

~~~

"Lauren...are you ok?" I looked at the ground, biting my lip. My eyes burned, a sign that any second I could start crying again.

"Yeah, of course why wouldn't I be?" I asked, unconvincingly.

"Ted." I shrugged.

"Wouldn't be the first time."

"What?" He asked. I looked at him now, a single tear falling down my face.

"This isn't my first rodeo, Barney."

"You're telling me this has happened before? To you. Really?" I turned away from him. I didn't want to cry in front of him.

"Maybe this was a bad idea. I should go..." I started towards the door, only to run slam into Barney.  I looked up at him, and once again, I just broke down. I covered my face with my hands and he wrapped his arms around me, hugging me against his chest.  I sniffled, pulling away from him. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. I was just...surprised is all." I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Why?"

"Well, I mean, look at you! Your feisty, independent, crazy smart. And you're hot! You've got a rockin' body, a nice-"