Hello there Enid Blyton fans! This is my first Enid Blyton fanfic.

This is a one-shot of how Barney met his Dad. I know it's already there in the book, but I wasn't very satisfied with the way Blyton wrote it. I was hoping for more emotion and all – I mean, COME ON, you're meeting your Dad, who you thought was dead, after 15 years! Why wouldn't it be emotional? So, I decided to write a quick one-shot describing the scene a little more.

Rated: K

Disclaimer: I don't own the Barney Mystery series.

I hope you remember this part of the 4th book. And I hope you enjoy!

"I love you."

"When's his father coming?" Diana asked.

"This afternoon," Miss Pepper said. "I've arranged for Barney to be on the beach with you. I shall send his father there when he arrives and you three will simply disappear when you see him – and Loony too, of course. You understand?"

"Of course," they all said fervently. Dear Barney. It must be his father, it must!

All four were on the beach that afternoon. Miranda was playing with her little spade. Loony was waiting for her to put it down so he could run off with it.

Diana was keeping a watch on the promenade. She suddenly gave Roger a nudge. He looked up.

A man was standing up there, tall and well-built. He had thick, corn-coloured hair, brushed back. His eyes were very wide set, and brilliantly blue. His mouth was wide and his face was brown. Why, he was like a grown-up Barney! He stood there, looking rather nervous.

The three children rose up silently behind Barney, as soon as they saw that man and guessed that he was Barney's father, and walked down the beach. Loony followed, astonished at the sudden and silent move – almost as if someone was controlling them and directing them to go to some particular place. Barney looked around, also astonished.

The man jumped down from the promenade, and walked down the beach towards them. Barney stood and faced him, wondering what he wanted. Then he stared incredulously. Why – this man, he was so much like him! Who was he? What did he want?

"Your name is Barnabas, isn't it?" the man asked.

"Yes," Barney said, wondering how he had gotten to know about him.

"So is mine," the man said. "I'm looking for a son I've lost for fifteen years – and I hear you've been looking for me."

"Yes," Barney said, almost in a whisper. Was this really true? Was Barney dreaming? Had her really found his father? Or was this another trick? No, it can't be. That man had to be his father – he was so much like him, and had no mean face or the face of a traitor. In fact, he looked extremely kind.

"Are you – are you really my father?" Barney asked, to make sure, almost in a whisper.

"Just as much as your father as you are my son," the man said, deeply moved as he looked at his fine-looking boy with the brilliant blue eyes so much like his own.

"Dad?" Barney asked in a whisper as he let tears fall freely from his check as he went to embrace his father. Oh, how much he had been longing to say 'Dad'! Oh, how much he had been longing to meet his own father! Oh, how much he had been longing to call a place 'home'! Oh, oh, Barney was overwhelmed with happiness! He was as happy as he could be! And he was sure that he was the happiest person on earth!

"Oh, son," Barney's father said, embracing his son as well.

"Dad – oh Dad – I feel so happy! I lost all hope that I'd find you after Mr. Marvel tricked me. I felt so terrible that I was sure that I'd never find you!" Barney said after the hug. Miranda jumped onto his shoulder.

"Mr. Marvel? Now who is that? I think you have a lot of things to tell me! Why don't we walk for a while? After all, we have fifteen years to catch up!" Barney's father suggested.

"Yes – oh yes – and this monkey here, she's mine. Her name's Miranda," Barney said.

"You've got a monkey too? What a coincidence! Your grandmother will be pleased to know that you have a monkey – she has one too! And so will your aunts and uncles and cousins - they too will be pleased to have you!" Barney's father laughed.

How did this happen? How did his father find him? Barney wondered as he looked back. Diana, Roger and Snubby were sitting on a bench, with Loony sitting next to Snubby obediently. Diana was holding a handkerchief and wiping her eyes and gave Barney a weak smile. Snubby was waving at Barney and Roger gave a thumbs up.

Of course! Barney thought as he saw a glint of triumph in Snubby's eyes. It must've been them! They must have somehow found his father and arranged all of this in secret after he had lost all hopes of finding him! And there he was, standing in front of him! He kept in mind to talk to his friends later.

"Come on," his father gestured.

"I love you so much Dad," Barney said.

"I love you too, son," Barney's father said.

They walked off together, Miranda on Barney's shoulder. The other three watched them go from a distance.

Diana swallowed hard, "It's all come right. Barney's got what he wanted. He won't need us anymore."

"He will," Snubby said. "Barney's our friend forever. Isn't he, Loony?"

"Woof!" Loony said solemnly, gazing after the two walking on the sands.

"Of course he will," Roger confirmed. "He's travelled through villages and towns just to meet us! What makes you think that he'll forget us?"

"He won't," Snubby said, smiling.

"Yes, you're right! Oh, whatever was I thinking! Barney would never do that!" Diana said.

"He won't change. Nothing about him will change, except that he'll have good clothes and that he will go to school," Snubby said.

"And that he will change his name to Barnabas Hugo Martin," Diana said.

"Yes, but for now he's just Barney. Barney Martin. I like it that way. It sounds more Barney-ish" Snubby said.

"Don't be silly, Snubby!" Diana said, although she too thought that Barney Martin sounded more Barney-ish than Barnabas Hugo Martin.

"A holiday – a mystery – an adventure – and a happy ending for dear old Barney!" Roger said. "What more could anyone want?"

"An ice cream," Sunubby said promptly. "Who's coming to buy one?"

Aaaaaaaand it's done! Did you like it? Like I said, there was more detail in it. I tried my best to put in as much as detail as possible and I tried my best to make it as Blyton style as possible. And did I fool anyone into thinking that this'll be about romance because of the title?