Spark: HIMYM✓

0.05

Rosalie walked into the bar and saw Carl putting down shots, Barney looked up at her and grabbed a chair for the other side. He pulled off the coat that Rosalie was wearing and she grabbed the shot glass tray and quickly took half of them.

"Bad day?" Robin asked.

"I lost a case awhile back. Right after Thanksgiving." Rosalie told them, "the judge didn't believe there was enough evidence to prosecute the parents."

"Okay. Were they abusing him though?" Robin wondered.

"Physically, they were. I got a call before leaving this evening. The child, fourteen year old Mike Howard was in the ICU at Children's Hospital with multiple bruises, lacerations, and looked severely emaciated."

"Please tell me the parents are behind bars." Lily said.

"They are. The theory is that they got angry because of the original case and trial; they beat him, locked him in a closet without food. He was covered in his own urine and feces. I have to go to the hospital in the afternoon to check on him." Rosalie said. She didn't want to tell them, she had a soft spot for Mike. He was a good kid, smart and deserved a better life than what he was given. She looked at Barney when she felt a hand on her arm. The two had continued to hook up since Thanksgiving, not telling anybody what was going on between them. But she missed the look that Lily was giving both her and Barney. 

"Let me get you a drink."

"Rose, take my spot I gotta go." Robin said, but the blonde stayed in the chair, "it'll be okay. He'll be okay. You will put those assholes in jail."

"Where you going, bud? Hot date?" Ted asked

"I'll say...she's going out with a billionaire."

"Lily, I told you not to call him that."

"Wait, you're really going out with a billionaire?"

"He's not a billionaire. He's a hundred-millionaire. Why do people always round up?"

"So, uh, where's Thurston Howell taking you?"

"A charity dinner."

"Yeah, two-thousand dollars a plate." Lily mentioned.

"Fifteen hundred. Stop rounding up."

"I can barely afford rent. Does he give out loans?" Rosalie questioned.

"And it's for Third World hunger."

"You gonna put out?" Barney asked receiving looked, "what? There's only one reason he taking her to this dinner, and it's not to little Mutu can get his malaria pills." Rosalie hit Barney upside the head.

"I think my soul just threw up a little bit." Lily said.

"Well, I'm gonna be late. You guys have fun. Bye."

"See ya." Barney left to get Rosalie a drink and she slid into the booth where Robin was just sitting. She leaned her head on the table and felt delicate fingers run through her hair. She knew it was Lily, Lily knew how to calm her. She felt the seat shift and lifted her head up and took the drink from Barney.

"Thanks." she said simply before taking a drink of it. 

"You okay?" Marshall asked looking at Ted.

"Sure, why?"

"Oh, I don't know. Because you're in love with Robin and she's going on a date?" Rosalie questioned looking at him.

"With a billionaire." Marshall added

"Okay, first of all, hundred-millionaire. And second, she's not the girl of my dreams nor am I in love with her. We're just friends. Look, it would not be smart if we got together. I mean, I'm looking to settle down, she's looking for..." Rosalie gave him a look, while Barney was snoring next to her. She jabbed him with her elbow and he jolted up.