Author's Note: Hey, guys! I realise that I'm horribly late with this story, but I recently re-watched HIMYM and I thought of actually finishing the story I'd started when I watched it the first time. Also, I had some time on my hands because of the whole quarantine situation. On that note, please stay isolated and stay safe guys.

Anyway, so this story takes place in the period between S8 "Bad Crazy" and S8 "The Ashtray". I'm not sure how much time passes between the events of the two episodes, but this story spans over around 7-8 weeks (sorry if I screwed with the show's timeline).

I was a bit surprised when I watched "Bad Crazy". I was happy that they showed Robin actually warming to Marvin and even wanting to spend time with him. It was a major growth in her character and I expected there to be some follow-up about it in the later episodes. But that didn't happen, and so here we are. I've tried my best to make sure I don't deviate from characters' actual personalities in the show, but if there's ever a point in the story where you feel I have, I apologise in advance.

This story is sort of Robin-and-Barney-centric, but the other characters are involved. Now, I really don't have anything against Ted, but somehow, I couldn't find a way to include him in the plot itself (hopefully you guys will see that too). But the rest of them are very much there.

Also, full disclosure: I'm all for Barney and Robin, through and through. Their chemistry is beyond legendary. They're the endgame. And like so many of us, I was severely disappointed with the finale of HIMYM. I get the argument that life happens and stuff like that. But it's hard to believe that when their characters show so much positive development over the seasons. In my opinion, the finale didn't do justice to any of the characters. I feel like it was a desperate attempt to bring the whole story to a full (although terribly awkward) circle. It would have worked if the show ended that way in the first few seasons. But after the convoluted and endearing story arcs that each character had, the finale only ends up dismantling all that development.

I could go on forever complaining about the finale, but I don't want to bore y'all with that. And so for the sake of this story, Barney and Robin do not get divorced. I don't have any future scenes depicting their married life or anything (sorry about that, in case y'all wanted them), but that's the reality I want to set for this story.

Anyway, that's all from me. Apologies for the awfully long note. Also, it's a long story and I would say that there's a good mixture of everything including drama, angst, romance, humour (I hope so) and even some action in it (as hinted at by the snippet in the summary). Lastly, sorry about any typos/grammatical errors.

To all those of us who are still nostalgic about the epic show, hope you enjoy the story!

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters in this story.


Sparkles Across The Sea


Prologue

"Kids, you know how your Aunt Robin is always kind of partial towards Marvin's team whenever you guys play basketball with the Ericksen children and she's the referee?"

"Uh, no, Dad. We've never noticed that. We just assumed that it didn't matter, since we all sucked at the game…"

"Yeah, you guys are a disgrace, according to Uncle Marshall. Well, then, you must've noticed how she and your Uncle Barney still get him the best souvenirs when she travels for work? The 40-year-old whiskey bottle from France when he turned 21, the antique fountain pen from Florence as his graduation present, the gold –"

"Dad, are you trying to get us to hate Aunt Robin? Because it's not working. She and Uncle Barney are far too cool for that."

"No, obviously not. I just want you guys to be curious to know why Marvin is not-so-secretly her favourite. So that I can tell you the story of how your Aunt Robin become Marvin's godmother. It was the time we were all at my –"

"Wait. Didn't Uncle Marshall and Aunt Lily make you all the godparents?"

"Yes, but something made that change…"