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

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Real End

I paced back and forth in front of McLaren's, Lawrence watching me.

"You know we can go somewhere else. There are like twenty other bars on this street." I shook my head.

"No, no. I'm not going to let him ruin my favorite bar for me, no way. Come on." I grabbed his hand, dragging him inside. Ted and Marshall were at our booth. Ted spotted me.

"Lauren." I smiled, dragging Lawrence with me.

"Hey guys."

"Lauren...Lawrence...are you guys back together?" Marshall asked skeptically. To be honest, I had no clue what we were, but before I could deny it, Lawrence answered:

"Yup. It's going really well. She's completely over Barney." I looked at him.

"Why would you say something like that? Why is that necessary?" Before he could respond, in walked Barney and some blonde chick...wearing matching sweaters. He hesitated when he saw us before walking over.

"Ted, fancy bumping into you here. Lauren...Lawrence."

"Barney...Stalker chick." I greeted.

"No, I'm Abby."  I smiled at her.

"So, so you guys are dating now?" Barney asked.

"That's right. Abbey and I are in love."

"That's great. So good for you. However the ten crying voicemails I came home to tell a different story, but hey, it's your life." I said sarcastically.

"I wasn't crying." He denied.

"You weren't? Huh. I could've sworn you couldn't have gotten more pathetic." I don't mean it. I  don't mean any of it. I'm sorry.

"Being in love isn't pathetic. Like my love for Abby here. I'm so pathetically desperate for her, that...I'll just say it." He got down on one knee and pulled out a ring. "Will you marry me?"

"Wait, really?"

"I would never joke about true love." He looked at me.

"Yes, I'll marry you!" She hugged him and the whole bar applauded. I grabbed the half full glass of scotch on the table and chucked it in his face, storming out of the bar.

"Lauren! Lauren wait!" A hand clamped around my arm, turning me to face Barney. Tears streamed down my face.

"Is this funny to you!? Is this some kind of sick game you're playing, because I'll tell you right now, I don't want any part of it."

"I swear, I was there for Ted. But then, I saw you with Lawrence, and I got mad and I-"

"You don't get to be mad at me, Barney. You lost that right when you slept with Robin!" He sighed, tugging at his hair.

"I screwed up, ok? I screwed up big time, and I know you might never forgive me, but I need you...Lauren. Without you, I wouldn't know anything about love.  I need you in my life."

"Well, too bad. I'm dating Lawrence again, and we're so very happy together." I said, the tears in my eyes betraying my emotions.

"No...you're not. You chose me,remember? You made that choice-"

"And it was the wrong one!" I shouted at him. HE looked as heartbroken as I felt. "I've been given a second chance to make the right choice, and I'm not gonna give it up, so Barney...I don't ever want to see you again."

"Lauren..."

"Don't call me, don't text me, don't come by my apartment, in fact, I think it'd be better for everyone involved, if you just forgot that you ever met me."

"I...Please just-"

"Goodbye, Barney." I turned on my heels,  walking away from him with blurry vision. I didn't want to go back to my apartment, so I headed to Ted, Marshall, and Lily's place.  The door opened and Lily looked confused.

"Lauren...what-" I broke down sobbing, so she pulled me into the apartment, hugging me. "Sweetie what's wrong?"

~~~

I told her the whole story until I was hiccupping and feeling ill. I sighed tearfully.

"I have to leave."

"What do you mean, leave?"

"Leave. Leave New York."

"Lauren, you can't leave. You love New York?" I shook my head.

"I hated New York. It's Dirty, I feel unsafe all of the time. The night you met me, it was to be my last night in New York."

"So...why did you stay?" I bit my lip.

"You guys gave me a reason to. I couldn't leave the most amazing friends I had ever known. You showed me New York through your eyes, and you made it beautiful. But now...Everything reminds me of him, and I can't...I can't go back to him Lily. I can't do it."

"Why not?" I shook my head.

"If I...forgive him. If I trust him again, and he hurts me, I wouldn't survive it. I can't take this anymore."

"You don't know that he will-"

"Don't I?" I whispered. "What is it about me that's never good enough? Why not, for once, why can't I be good enough for somebody?" I stood up. "I'm leaving New York. Tell the others that I love them."

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know yet."

"Well, are you ever coming back?" I shrugged.

"I don't know. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

~~~END OF BOOK ONE~~~