The final part to this imagine. I hope that you think it is a suitable ending. Please enjoy.

"So, now you know the sad story." (Y/n) sighed, as she looked at Barney. Finding it strange that she felt so comfortable about giving such intimate information, to the big man. Oddly feeling as if she were confessing all of her sins to a patient priest. Barney nodding understandingly at all the right moments, as she told him all about a life that she was no longer sure had been hers.

"When I was released from the hospital and got home. I found that he had taken all his things. And I never saw him again. He didn't leave me a note. He never called. Never anything. I tried to find him. Tried to call him, but..........All I could do in the end, was cry myself to sleep every night. Eat my body weight in ice cream. And then when I fully recovered, I went to start my new job. Despite everything, all his promises. All that he said. I knew that he would want me to give up what I did. He was always protective. Sometimes, overly so. And I knew that sooner or later, he would tell me that he wanted me to give up my career. And in the end, he would get too involved with something else, and I would find myself in the purgatory of being one of those bored housewives who go shopping, while he was halfway around the world, fighting a battle that I'd want to be fighting too. I know that most people see him as an crass, arrogant jackass. Yet with me, he was always the sweetest, most loving man. But as much as I loved him, and I thought that he loved me, I always had a nagging feeling that one day he would end up bored of me. He would either end up dead, or find himself someone younger, prettier. Then I would be out in the cold, no career, no money, no hope. So, I did the only thing I could at the time. I said, no. Despite my own plans to ask......... I regretted my decision for a long time. Hated myself for a long time. But when I thought about how quickly and easily, he had left. How instantly he must have moved on. I started to believe that he hadn't cared as much as I thought he had. Then I was relieved. Better to have cut the ties then, than be hurt later." (Y/n) explained. Trying as discretely as possible, to wipe the tears from her eyes.

"I don't think that there is much else to tell you to be honest, Barney. It's all very sad. All very sickly romance movie worthy. But it all happened a lifetime ago, and I have done my best to move on. And unfortunately, unlike the movies, this story doesn't have a happy ending. Anyway, I think that I should probably go. I am sure that you need Gunnar a lot more than you need me. And he was here first. So........" (Y/n) added as she slowly got up from her chair.

"I think that ya should go and see him." Barney said calmly, as he leaned back in his chair, and pulled a cigar out from his pocket.

"As I told you, we ain't here to pander to Gunnar's whims. And I am usually the only one that dictates who and who isn't allowed to join the team. Look. It may not be my place, but I should tell you something about the big guy. And when I'm finished, I'm sure that you will want to go and see him. I'll even go with you for support, if that helps." Barney said. (Y/n) listening as he told her what had happened. What Gunnar had done, and been through, since he had left her.

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(Y/n) and Barney drew up to Gunnar's apartment building. The former intelligence officer sure that she had bitten her nails down to the quick as they had made the journey there. She had had no idea that Gunnar had gone off the rails as he had done. But there again she wouldn't. She had tried a hundred time and more, to call him. To see him. But when she had gone to his apartment, she found that he had disappeared. Her calls always cut off. She had wanted so desperately to explain. To tell him of her own plans for them. To let him know that she never wanted him to leave. That it wasn't over. But she knew that her refusal had hurt him. Even as much as she loved him, she was as aware as everyone else, that Gunnar not only had an ego bigger than most. But also, a softer heart than most gave him credit for. And that a no, would have caused more harm than she had ever intended. But now she was here to fix things. And even if he screamed and hollered at her, she was going to tell him everything. Tell him what she had had planned. Tell him what he missed out on.

"So, you want me to come up with you?" Barney asked, as he turned the car off. (Y/n) nervously looking up at the building.

"Yes. I would appreciate it. If you would knock and tell Gunnar that you want to see him, it might help. I doubt that he would answer the door if he knew it was me. And I need to fix this before I can do anything else." (Y/n) replied. Barney knowing that there was nothing more he could do, than nod in reply.

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"GO AWAY!" Gunnar's gruff voice called out through the door. Barney sighing and rolling his eyes as he knocked again.

"I SAID, GO AWAY! I'M BUSY." Gunnar continued. The big man still staring at the glass of fine scotch, that he had poured some time ago.

"I need to talk to ya, Gunnar. And I ain't going away until ya open this damn door." Barney called back. The blonde sighing as he slowly got to his feet. Knowing that if didn't open the door to find out what Barney wanted, then he would never get any peace.

"WHAT?!" Gunnar hissed, as he opened the front door. His eyes instantly falling on the woman by Barney's side.

"(Y/n) needs to see ya. So, may I suggest that you let her in. Or else." Barney said. Holding his arm against the door so that Gunnar couldn't slam it shut on them. The Swede making his way back to the sofa and slumping down onto it, as (Y/n) entered the apartment. Turning and nodding thankfully at Barney as he closed the door behind her.

"Called out the big guns, did we? What do you want, (Y/n)? If you can't tell, I'm busy." Gunnar said. Holding up the large glass of scotch.

"I knew that you wouldn't talk to me if I didn't. And Barney just wanted to help. He's your friend. So don't go around blaming him. This is all me. I've come to tell you a few things. A few things that you should have heard a long time ago. A few things that you need to know now, before I can do anything else." (Y/n) replied. Shaking her head as Gunnar finally downed the contents of the glass.

"I'm not interested, (Y/n). So just get out. And leave me alone." Gunnar replied petulantly. Pouring himself another large glass of booze.

"No! I'm not leaving. You aren't going to sit there and pout like a spoilt child and expect me to do what you want. You are going to listen to me, Gunnar. I need you to listen." (Y/n) retorted. Having no intention of stopping now that she was able to tell him the truth.

"Just because I said no to your marriage proposal, it didn't mean that I wanted you to up and leave. But you didn't stick around long enough for me to tell you that, did you? Your damn ego was too bruised to care after that. I had said no, so that, to you, meant that I didn't care. That I didn't love you. If you hadn't abandoned me so easily, I would have told you that I wanted you to come with me to Washington. At least long enough until I could have got a transfer to somewhere that would have been better for you. Then, when I was settled. When I had found my footing in the job. I was going to ask......I was, well I was going to ask you to marry me. Even though I knew that one day you would probably grow tired of me. That you would move on and find someone else. I had been planning on asking you to marry me for some time. To tell you that I loved you more than I have loved anyone before. To tell you that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. That I didn't care if you were penniless, homeless and nameless. I would still have loved you. I had even managed to scurry away enough money to buy you a ring. But before I could tell you that. Tell you why I had said no. You left me. You moved on. Preferring to drown your sorrows in booze and drug, rather than take my phone calls." (Y/n) barked. Gunnar staring at her in disbelief as she paced the room. Looking up occasionally to glower at him. The big man shocked by her admissions.

"So, as it is obvious that your ego is still bruised, and you still blame me for everything that happened. Go lose yourself in the drugs. In the bottle again. I won't stop you. Because believe me, I did. When you didn't call. When you wouldn't see me. When you disappeared to God only knows where. I admit that I found solace in the bottom of a glass. Used the booze to numb the pain. To try and heal the bruises on my heart that you had left behind. And I nearly lost everything because of it. Then I realised that I had already lost too much to let what I had left, slip through my fingers. You see, it doesn't work in the long run, Gunnar. It doesn't solve anything. It just makes things worse. You can only stay drunk for so long. And if you push people away, sooner or later, even the people that love you will leave. Look. If you want me to go. To turn around and never show my face again. To tell Barney that I don't want to join the team. I will. But......but please, just don't blame me anymore. I don't want to live the rest of my life knowing that you hate me, when I still.......well.......it doesn't matter. I just want you to be happy, Gunnar. That's all I ever wanted you to be. Because I love you." (Y/n) told him. The tears now rolling down her cheeks, as she turned and headed for the door. Not sure whether any of her words had sunk into his thick, stubborn skull. But finding that she felt better all the same, for having just said them.

"(Y/n)!" Gunnar called out, as he quickly got to his feet, and made his way over to her. His arms cautiously wrapping themselves around her waist. Gunnar feeling her tremble as he pulled her back to his chest. His head resting gently against hers.

He should have known that he had hurt her too. Should have realised that running away, would only make things worse. That he should have stayed and talked to her. Let her explain. Yet, he had been in pain. His heart, his ego, battered and bruised beyond repair. And he had wanted to bruise her too. To make her suffer as much as he was. Yet now, as she stood there. The tears rolling down her cheeks and wetting her shirt. He knew that he could no longer hate her. That some of the bruises had been of his own doing, and he could no longer blame her. He also knew that he couldn't lose her again.

"Stay. Please." Take the job. Come and live here with me. I mean.....come and live in the city. I promise I won't hate you anymore." Gunnar said softly. Slowly turning (Y/n) around and brushing the tears from her eyes.

"We.....we could be friends again." The big man went on, as he placed his hand on her cheek.

"I think I'd like that." (Y/n) replied, as she her fingers ghosted over his cheek.

"And.....well, and then, if you like, we could try being more than friends." Gunnar continued, as he placed his forehead against hers.

"I think I'd like that too."

"And then, maybe. Sometime down the track, I might ask you that question again. If you like." He added, a soft smile pulling at his lips as (Y/n) rubbed her nose against his, like she always used to.

"I think that I would like that too. And I also think that this time, the answer could be very different." (Y/n) told him. Her fingers reaching up into his hair as their lips met for the first time after so long. Gunnar finally realising that bruises were temporary. Even ones to the heart.