The next morning, Barney Stinson was standing in his living room, impeccably dressed in a suit, with a whiteboard behind him. In large letters, the title read: Operation: Heart of Stone.
Below, the primary objective was defined: Determine the cause of Alyx's alleged deterioration.
Affiliation with the present parties: Ex-quasi-family.
Hypothesis: Self-destructive post-breakup behavior involving high-risk activities.
Methodology: Surveillance and intelligence gathering in environments where the subject is observed.
For the first phase of his operation, Barney, smooth as a hammer, extracted the location of Alyx's gym from Robin. That morning, he arrived in what he called his "undercover anti-spy athletic gear"—which, of course, stood out, as it was a brand-new, spotless tracksuit with unworn sneakers. He approached the reception desk.
"Hey, buddy! I'm looking for a personal trainer, you know, something intense that'll get me in shape," Barney began, full of confidence. "You see, I want something like what I saw the other day. A girl leaving here had an incredible physique, some bruises, and I wondered who trained her to get to that level. I want a guy who can help me with that kind of dedication."
The receptionist, a guy with more steroids than common sense about client privacy, frowned, trying to remember. "Bruises, you say? Oh, right, Alyx. Must be her. She trains with Dmitri in Muay Thai. But hey, man, that's not for beginners. It's full-contact and intense."
"Perfect!" Barney exclaimed, overly excited as he mentally noted: Muay Thai = Confirmed physical self-punishment. "Dmitri, of course! What days is he free? Does she come often?"
"Well, you'd have to ask him about his schedule. But she comes like clockwork every day, sometimes twice a day. She's a machine. If you want to get to her level, you'd have to start with the same frequency and intensity."
"Got it, thanks. I'll think about it and check with my doctor," Barney said, leaving the confused receptionist behind as he quickly exited the gym.
While Barney played secret agent, Robin executed a more direct approach. After several messages and subtle threats about going to find her if she didn't agree, she finally convinced Alyx to meet for "a quick coffee"—far from the bar and their apartments, in a neutral location.
Alyx arrived five minutes late, wearing sunglasses despite the cloudy day and a turtleneck sweater despite the mild weather. Robin said nothing but noted everything.
"Thanks for coming," Robin said, sliding her a cup of tea. "I thought you might need something other than coffee."
Alyx offered a half-smile. "Really, is it that obvious I drink coffee constantly?"
"To someone who's watching you? Yes!" Robin replied bluntly, letting an awkward silence linger briefly. "Alyx... are you okay?" she asked as softly as she could.
"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" Alyx said quietly, though with a hint of defiance in her tone.
"I don't know, maybe the bruises, the tremors in your hands, how at brunch the other day you seemed hurt in the arm, or that you're smoking like a chimney when you used to hate the smell of cigarettes," Robin listed, her voice gentle but firm. "Alyx, we see you. We're all worried about you. Not just me—Ted's anxious, Marshall's concerned, and even Barney's asking weird questions about you. But we see you, and you don't seem... well."
Alyx slowly removed her sunglasses, revealing eyes with faint shadows that met Robin's. For a moment, the mask cracked, and Robin saw something that chilled her. It wasn't just pain—it was a monumental exhaustion, as if she had been carrying something for far too long.
"And what do you want me to do, Robin?" Alyx asked, her voice a loaded whisper. "Stop training? Drink tea and relax? Go back to sitting on the old sofa in the apartment with a smile? Things changed. They broke when... it ended. I don't want you to think I'm being dramatic, but I broke. I had a life planned to share with... with them, and now all I can do is try to fix myself. This is the way I found."
"But don't you see that your way involves destroying yourself in the process?" Robin reached out and, with a gentleness that surprised them both, touched the edge of Alyx's turtleneck, hinting at what lay beneath. "This isn't fixing yourself; this is punishment."
Alyx stiffened but didn't look away. A nervous tic, a slight tremor, fluttered across her eyelid. "Maybe I deserve it," she murmured, and by her tone, Robin couldn't tell if she meant the bruises or something much bigger.
"No one condemned you, Alyx," Robin said, withdrawing her hand. "Only Lily did, and she's as lost as everyone else."
The mention of Lily made Alyx shut down completely. She put her sunglasses back on. "I have to go. I have an appointment."
"With the punching bag?" Robin asked, recalling Lily's words from brunch.
"With my demons," Alyx replied, leaving Robin with the certainty that the problem was deeper, darker, and more dangerous than anyone had imagined.
That night, the group held an impromptu war council in Ted's apartment for the first time. Robin reported her failure, though with worrisome discoveries. Barney presented his report with charts drawn on a napkin:
Level of Concern: HIGH
Probability of Espionage: LOW
Probability of Nervous Breakdown: RISING
Marshall hadn't said a word, only listening with changing expressions—worry, sadness, pity, and guilt. Finally, he spoke.
"She said, 'Maybe I deserve it,'" he repeated Robin's phrase, letting it hang in the air. "Why would she say that? Why would she carry all the blame for what happened? It was Lily who left. It was Lily who broke everything." Marshall stated the facts plainly, then added softly, "Alyx just... stayed and took care of us—well, of me."
Ted nodded thoughtfully. "She's always taken on that responsibility—keeping us together, being the sensible one. But this... is different. It's like she's swapped roles after leaving—from caretaker to feeling like she needs to serve a penance that hurts her, thinking it's her way of finding herself," he said, hesitating at first but gaining confidence in his point of view.
"I've got it!" Barney shouted, leaping up. Everyone stared at him. "It's not espionage! It's repressed Catholic guilt!" He paused dramatically. "Well, that, or she's just going through a really, really bad time. The point is, we can't leave her alone. She needs a Stinson-style intervention."
"What does that entail, Barney? Glitter and a neon sign?" Robin asked, exhausted.
"No!" Barney grew serious—or as close as he could get. "It means reminding her of what she's missing. She needs a tangible reminder of the good things, something to pull her out of that silent apartment and bring her back where she belongs—the chaos, with us."
Marshall looked around the messy apartment, at the empty sofa where Alyx used to sleep, and at the memories of the six years the three of them had shared. An idea began to form in his mind—slowly but with sudden clarity. It wasn't a Barney plan. It was simpler yet far riskier.
"I know what to do," Marshall said, standing up, his voice filled with a determination and clarity they hadn't heard from him in a long time. "But I need to see her now."
Before anyone could protest, he walked out the door. Ted and Robin exchanged alarmed glances.
"Should we go after him?" Ted asked.
"No," Robin whispered, looking at the closed door. "I think this is a duel they have to fight alone."
If you enjoyed it, leave a Review and Power Stones.
A huge thank you to adiavts and sunsora for the 3 Power Stones for your steady support.
You can also support me on Patreon and read up to 25-30 new chapters
Join The ROBIN SPARKLES Level on Patreon
👉 https://[email protected]/cw/Day_bluefic
@=a