Ted walked alongside Barney, who was carrying two suitcases, one in each hand.

"Just this one little thing and the rest of the night is ours," Barney assured him.

"Why do you have those suitcases, and who are we picking up?" Ted asked, a hint of suspicion in his voice.

"I don't know. Maybe her? Or her," Barney replied, nodding toward a couple of attractive women.

"Wait, so when you said you were going to 'pick someone up at the airport,' you meant you were going to 'pick someone up at the airport.'"

"Scenario," Barney began, winking. "A couple of girls fly into town, looking for a fun weekend in NYC when they meet two handsome international businessmen just back from a lucrative trip to Japan. Sample dialogue: 'You have a wheelie bag? Wh... I have a wheelie bag!'"

"You've gotta be kidding me," Ted said, incredulous.

"False. Sidebar, tuck in your shirt. You look sketchy."

"I'm sketchy?"

"Trust me, it's going to be legendary."

"Don't say 'legendary,' okay? You're too liberal with the word legendary."

Just then, Ted's phone rang. It was EJ.

"Yeah?" Ted answered.

"What's going on, weren't we meeting at MacLaren's?" EJ asked.

"Barney—"

"Say no more, best of luck."

"Wait—"

But EJ had already hung up, knowing exactly what was going on. Barney had Ted wrapped up in one of his elaborate and spontaneous schemes, and there was no way EJ wanted any part of that.

Meanwhile, EJ and Ben were sitting in their usual booth at MacLaren's.

"So what's going on with that new girl?" Ben asked, sipping his beer.

"Robin?" EJ replied, glancing up.

"Yeah, man."

"I don't know. I can't really put a read on her, to be honest."

Ben laughed. "She's a tough one. But hey, you never know, right?"

"Yeah, well, I'm not holding my breath," EJ said with a grin.

"Maybe she's secretly into you and just playing hard to get," Ben suggested jokingly.

"Right, and maybe I'll win the lottery tomorrow," EJ laughed.

"How about we drive to Boston?"

EJ looked at him, surprised. "Boston? What for?"

"Just for the hell of it. Road trip, man! Clear your head, have some fun."

A smile spread across EJ's face. "You know what? That actually sounds pretty good. Let's do it."

Ben raised his glass. "To Boston!"

"To Boston!" EJ echoed.

——

Lily and Robin were settled in their usual booth, enjoying a rare night out together.

"I'm so glad we finally get to hang out just the two of us!" Lily exclaimed.

"Yeah, me too," Robin agreed, smiling.

"You sure you're okay giving up your Friday night to hang with an old almost-married lady?"

Robin laughed. "Oh, please. I'm so sick of the 'meet-market' scene. Guys are like a subway. You miss one, another one comes along in five minutes."

"Unless it's the end of the night, then you get on anything," Lily quipped.

"Heyow!" Robin replied, high-fiving Lily.

Just then, Carl, the bartender, approached with two drinks.

"Compliments of that guy," Carl said, nodding towards a man at the bar.

Lily perked up. "Really? Sweet."

Carl handed her a bill. "Oh, for you, it's six dollars."

Lily sighed. "I guess that's one drawback to being engaged. I'm sure that's why he didn't—"

——

Meanwhile, EJ and Ben were cruising down the highway in EJ's car, heading towards Boston. The city lights faded into the distance as they drove, the excitement of a spontaneous road trip buzzing in the air.

Ben glanced at EJ. "Man, this is gonna be epic. Just us, the open road, and no plans. Perfect way to clear your head."

EJ nodded, smiling. "Yeah, I needed this. Thanks for dragging me out."

Ben grinned. "Hey, what are friends for? So, have you talked to your sister lately?"

EJ chuckled. "Grace? Not in a couple of days. Let's call her, see what she's up to."

He dialed Grace's number and put the call on speaker. After a few rings, Grace answered.

"EJ! To what do I owe the pleasure?" Grace's voice came through the speaker, cheerful and teasing.

"Hey, Gracie. Just wanted to check in. Ben and I are on our way to Boston."

"Boston? What brought that on?" Grace asked, curiosity piqued.

Ben chimed in. "Spur of the moment road trip. We needed a break."

Grace laughed. "You guys are nuts. EJ, don't you have showings tomorrow?"

EJ shrugged, even though she couldn't see him. "Yeah, but I have a hangover cure ready to go. I'll be fine."

Grace sighed. "Always living on the edge. Just make sure you don't get into any trouble."

"Us? Trouble? Never," Ben said, grinning.

Grace snorted. "Right. Just be safe, okay? And EJ, don't let Ben convince you to do anything too stupid."

"Hey! Why am I the bad influence here?" Ben protested, laughing.

"Because you usually are," EJ teased.

——

Marshall sat at the kitchen table, surrounded by a fortress of law books. His head bobbed to a tune he was humming under his breath.

"Studyin' law. Making a responsible choice for my future... on a Friday Night. Bein' a lawyer had better be awesome," he sang, trying to motivate himself.

His phone rang, snapping him out of his song. He picked it up, still humming.

"What's up, Ted?" Marshall answered.

Ted's voice came through the line, filled with excitement. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just knee-deep in legal statutes," Marshall replied.

"Guess where I am?" Ted said, his voice brimming with excitement. "I'm on a... ready? Plane to... ready?... Philadelphia."

Marshall couldn't help but smile. "That is awesome."

Barney's voice suddenly took over the call. "Hey, is that Marshall? Marshall, stop whatever you're doing, get in that hoopty-ass Vierro of yours, and come meet us in Philly. It's going to be legendary."

Marshall sighed. "Man, I wish I could, guys, but—"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah... I sent you some pictures on my phone, check it out," Barney interrupted. The pictures showed Barney making a goofy "I see you" hand gesture. "Philly!" he exclaimed before hanging up. Turning to Ted, he added, "Admit it, you're having fun. This much fun. Thirty-five thousand feet of fun!"

Marshall chuckled as he put his phone down and went back to his books, only for it to ring again. This time, it was EJ calling.

"Hello? EJ?" Marshall answered.

EJ's voice was loud and cheerful. "Mister Lawyer man! Come to Boston!"

Marshall blinked in surprise. "You guys went to Boston? Ted and Barney are going to Philly."

EJ laughed. "Totally. We're road-tripping! Picked up Ben, and we're heading to Boston."

Ben's voice chimed in from the background. "Come on, man. It's going to be epic!"

Marshall felt a pang of envy. "I wish I could, guys, but I have so much studying to do."

EJ cut him off. "It's fine, I'm sure you've got a lot of studying to do. But, hey, we'll be in Boston, picking up women and having the time of our lives. Imagine the stories we'll have! You don't want to miss out, do you?"

Ben chimed in, "Yeah, man, we're gonna have an awesome time. Just picture it: us, a couple of drinks, and the city lights of Boston. What do you say?"

Marshall hesitated, glancing at his textbooks. The idea of a night out with his friends was tempting. "Alright, you guys have fun."

"See you, man!" Ben shouted as they ended the call.

——

"You're going to Philly? Why?" Lily's voice crackled through the speaker.

"I... I didn't ask," Marshall admitted.

"Well, it sounds like you're having a lot more fun than I am. I'm just talking to guys' backs while they hit on Robin," Lily sighed.

"Ouff, yeah... I bet she gets that a lot," Marshall said sympathetically.

"Don't you bet I get that a lot?" Lily asked, her voice tinged with frustration.

"Not with a ring on your finger. I mean, you know, guys see the ring and it's like Cha-Chung! Marshall parking only," Marshall explained.

"Oh, of course, that's it—the ring! I guess I'm not used to it yet," Lily said, looking down at her hand.

"Oh, it's totally the ring. If you took that ring off your finger, you'd have a ton o' guys crowding around your junk," Marshall said with a chuckle.

"I'm not going to take off my ring! Wouldn't you be jealous of guys swarming all over my beeswax?" Lily asked, half-joking.

"Oh yeah, you know me, I'm the jealous type. Any groom so much as look at you, I'm a sack him in the kisser. No, seriously, you girls have a good time tonight," Marshall said warmly.

"Bye," Lily said, hanging up.

——

EJ and Ben had just arrived in Boston, thrilled to be exploring a new city. They parked EJ's car and headed toward a popular bar, ready for a night of fun. The city buzzed with energy, and they could feel the excitement in the air.

"Man, I can't believe we decided to come here on a whim," Ben said, looking around at the bustling streets.

"Yeah, it's going to be epic," EJ replied with a grin. "Let's hit up some bars and see where the night takes us."

They entered the first bar they saw, a lively place called "The Green Dragon Tavern." The bar was packed with people, and a live band played upbeat rock music.

Ben and EJ quickly settled in, ordering drinks and chatting with the locals. They moved from one pub to another, soaking in the atmosphere and having a great time.

Ben nudged EJ. "So, what do you think of Boston so far?"

EJ grinned. "It's awesome. Great vibes, good people. I'm glad we decided to come here."

As they moved to their third bar of the night, EJ spotted a dartboard in the corner. "Hey, Ben, let's play a round of darts," he suggested.

"Sure, why not?" Ben agreed.

They grabbed a set of darts and started playing. EJ was surprisingly good, hitting bullseye after bullseye, which attracted the attention of a group of bikers sitting nearby. One of the bikers, a burly guy with a beard and a leather jacket, stood up and walked over.

"You guys seem pretty good. Care for a little friendly competition?" the biker asked.

Ben and EJ exchanged glances. "Sure, we're up for it," EJ replied confidently.

The game started friendly enough, with the bikers introducing themselves and sharing a few laughs. But as the game progressed, the stakes started to rise. EJ, feeling a bit cocky after a few drinks, began to boast about his skills.

"You see that bullseye? That's pure talent," EJ said, throwing another dart.

The biker leader, who introduced himself as Mike, narrowed his eyes. "Let's see if you can keep it up, hotshot."

Ben sensed the tension rising and tried to diffuse it. "Hey, guys, it's just a game. Let's have fun."

But EJ, caught up in the moment, didn't back down. "I could beat you with my eyes closed," he said, throwing a dart without looking. It missed the board entirely, landing with a thud on the wooden floor.

Mike's friends laughed, but Mike himself was not amused. "Careful, buddy. You're in our territory."

EJ, not realizing the seriousness of the situation, shot back, "Oh yeah? Well, maybe your territory needs some new champions."

"Dude, shut up." Ben tensed lightly. Obviously not wanting to get on these guys bad side.

However, EJ continued to jab, causing the bikers to get more frustrated.

The atmosphere grew tense. Ben, sensing trouble, tried to pull EJ away. "Come on, EJ, let's get out of here."

But before they could leave, Mike grabbed EJ by the shoulder. "You think you can just walk away after disrespecting us?"

EJ, realizing he had gone too far, tried to apologize. "Hey, man, I didn't mean anything by it. Let's just call it a night."

But it was too late. Mike and his friends were already on edge. Ben saw a glint of something dangerous in their eyes and knew they had to get out of there fast.

"Run!" Ben shouted, grabbing EJ's arm and making a dash for the door.

They burst out of the bar and into the streets of Boston. The bikers were hot on their heels, yelling and cursing. EJ and Ben sprinted through the narrow alleys, weaving between parked cars and dodging pedestrians.

EJ's heart pounded in his chest, and he could hear the angry shouts of the bikers behind them. They ducked into a side street, hoping to lose their pursuers.

"This way!" Ben yelled, leading EJ down a dark alley.

They stumbled over trash cans and dodged stray cats, but the bikers were relentless. The chase seemed to go on forever, with EJ and Ben's adrenaline fueling their frantic escape.

As they rounded a corner, they spotted a fire escape ladder leading up to a rooftop. "Up there!" EJ shouted, pointing to the ladder.

They scrambled up the ladder, their hands slipping on the cold metal. Once on the roof, they could see the bikers below, searching the streets for them.

Ben and EJ lay flat on the rooftop, trying to catch their breath and stay out of sight. They watched as the bikers continued their search, frustrated and angry.

"That was too close," Ben whispered, looking over at EJ.

EJ nodded, still breathing heavily. "Yeah, no kidding. I really screwed up back there."

Ben chuckled despite the situation. "You think? Man, you need to learn when to keep your mouth shut."

EJ sighed. "Lesson learned."

They stayed on the rooftop for a while, waiting for the bikers to give up and leave. Eventually, the streets below grew quiet again, and they dared to peek over the edge.

"I think they're gone," Ben said cautiously.

"Let's get out of here before they come back," EJ agreed.

They climbed down the fire escape and made their way back to EJ's car, keeping a low profile and staying alert. Once they were safely inside, they both let out a sigh of relief.

"That was insane," EJ said, starting the car.

"Yeah, next time let's avoid pissing off any bikers," Ben replied.

EJ nodded. "Agreed. No more darts for me."

As they drove back to their hotel, they couldn't help but laugh about the absurdity of the night. Despite the danger, it had been an adventure they would never forget.

Back at the hotel, they recounted the story, adding their own embellishments and laughing at their near escape. It had been a crazy night, but it was one they would remember for a long time.

"Well, here's to not getting killed in Boston," Ben said, raising an imaginary glass.

"Cheers to that," EJ replied, clinking his own imaginary glass with Ben's.

They parked in a quiet neighborhood near Beacon Hill, far away from the rowdy bars and bustling crowds. Sitting in the car, they took a moment to catch their breath and calm their nerves.

"Well, that was unexpected," Ben said with a nervous laugh.

EJ shook his head, still processing what had happened. "Yeah, no kidding. Note to self: never challenge bikers to a dart game again."

They both laughed, the tension from earlier slowly melting away. "So, what now?" Ben asked, glancing around the peaceful street.

EJ shrugged. "I don't know about you, but I could use a drink. A quieter place this time."

Ben nodded in agreement. "Let's find a chill bar where we can relax and not get into any more trouble."

They drove around Beacon Hill, admiring the historic architecture and quaint streets. Eventually, they spotted a cozy-looking pub tucked away on a corner. It had soft lighting and a welcoming atmosphere that seemed perfect for unwinding.

"This looks promising," EJ said, pulling into a parking spot nearby.

They entered the pub and were greeted by the warmth of dim lighting and the sound of soft jazz playing in the background. The bartender, a friendly older man with a thick Boston accent, greeted them with a smile.

"What can I get you gentlemen?" he asked.

Ben ordered a local craft beer, while EJ opted for a classic whiskey on the rocks. They found a quiet corner booth and settled in, sipping their drinks and reflecting on the events of the night.

"Despite the bikers, this has been one hell of an adventure," Ben said, raising his glass.

EJ clinked his glass against Ben's. "Definitely legendary, in its own way."

——

As the night wore on, they shared stories of their past adventures and mishaps. They reminisced about college days, old friends, and the crazy antics they used to get into.

"You remember that road trip we took after graduation?" Ben said, chuckling at the memory. "We ended up stranded in the middle of nowhere with a flat tire."

EJ laughed. "And we had to hitchhike back to civilization. Good times."

They toasted to friendship and the unpredictable journey of life, grateful for moments like these that reminded them of what truly mattered.

——

Eventually, the pub started to wind down, and they realized it was time to call it a night. They paid their tab, thanked the bartender for the hospitality, and headed back to their hotel.

Driving through the quiet streets of Boston, they reflected on the events of the night. Despite the initial chaos, they had managed to turn it into an unforgettable adventure, filled with laughter, reflection, and a renewed appreciation for their friendship.

As they approached the hotel, EJ turned to Ben with a grin. "So, what do you think? Should we do this again sometime?"

Ben chuckled. "Absolutely. But next time, let's avoid any run-ins with bikers."

EJ nodded in agreement. "Deal."