This story takes place in what I'm going to call "Alternative Ending Canon." — meaning that it follows the finale up until Ted and Tracy's wedding, after which it fades out over a monologue/things veer off to a much less bleak ending.

The idea is that in addition to this prologue, there will be four chapters — one for each year between 2016-2020. And maybe an epilogue to wrap it all up again. I don't intend for this story to be all that serious or dramatic, either. But: it's me. So.

2020.

It's overcast the day Ted and Tracy get married. No rain, which Lily opines is good, anyway, and Ted grandly announces would actually be appropriate. "Your mom and I met on a rainy day," he tells his daughter as he holds her on his lap. After the quick ceremony and quicker MacLaren's reception, the party had adjourned to Lily and Marshall's place on Long Island, as it was marginally the closest. "It was pouring. I was sitting under the awning at the Farhampton train station…"

"When suddenly!" Lily intones dramatically, coming back from the snack buffet with chips and hummus, "I saw a yellow umbrella out of the corner of my eye!" She sits on the sofa.

"Why, I used to have an umbrella like that," Marshall says next, picking up the narrative.

"And golly," Barney says from his chair, "that girl is sure cute, too."

"And I wondered to myself, should I say hi?" Tracy finishes sweetly, leaning over to kiss her new husband on the lips.

"Funny, guys," Ted says with badly-hidden amusement. "That's all true, by the way," he whispers to Penny, bouncing her on his knee.

"Daddy, can I go?" she asks, wriggling. Everyone laughs and pretends they didn't when Ted looks around balefully.

"Sure you can, sweetie," Lily says. "Why don't you go into the den with the other kids?"

Ted watches her go. "She's going to appreciate that story when she's older."

"Sure she will, honey," Tracy says, wiping tortilla chip crumbs off her wedding dress. She sighs happily, closing her eyes and sinking back into the sofa. "Today's a good day," she announces. Lily and Marshall aww, and Ted reaches for and takes her hand.

"It only took you guys seven and a half years," Robin says, coming back from the kitchen with an arm full of beer bottles, which she begins to pass around the room, starting with the bride and groom.

"Some things are worth waiting for," Tracy says in an overly serious voice, to more laughter but another kiss from her husband. She sits up and scoots over to snuggle up against Ted. "Seriously, honey. I know you wanted the castle, but a quickie wedding in a bargain bin wedding dress and a Long Island reception is way more romantic."

"Aww," Lily says, sniffling a little as she watches her two friends snuggle. "I'll drink to that."

"It's like how when Lily and I got married," Marshall says fondly. "The outdoor ceremony was much better than the real one."

"More authentic. More emotional," Lily agrees.

"I know, but a castle would have been so romantic," Ted says with a sigh, his arm wrapped around his bride.

"Not to mention, tons of rooms to christen the marriage in," Barney says with a sigh of his own that causes Marshall and Ted to laugh. He'd been pretty quiet most of the day, as had Robin. He takes the bottle of beer she offers him.

Lily sits up. "What was that?"

Robin hands her the second to last beer, keeping the last for herself. "What was what?" she asks, sitting in an empty chair.

"That look. The two of you just shared a look."

Barney and Robin glance at one another. "No we didn't," she says.

"What look?" he says.

"What's this?" Ted asks, tearing his gaze away from Tracy. "A new development?" he asks teasingly.

"There was a look," Lily insists.

"I saw it too," Marshall says. He recounts it like he's on the stand: "Robin handed Barney a beer and he smiled at her, and she smiled back. She held onto the beer for an extra second, to prolong their contact. It was a look."

"There was definitely not a look." Robin says, but her face is a little red, and Barney is suddenly very focused on his cell phone.

"Oh, come on," Ted laughs. "How many years has it been?"

"We split up four years ago," Robin says.

"Come to think of it," Tracy says from her position snuggled up against her husband, "the two of you were the last to leave the church earlier."

"Oooh," Lily says. Her gaze darts from Robin to Barney and back, before focusing on Barney. "You're being awfully quiet over there, Stinson."

He stubbornly pretends to keep texting someone until the gazes of everyone in the room become too much. "Fine," he says with a long suffering sigh. "I asked Robin if she wants to get a coffee."

He looks across the room at his ex-wife. She smiles back, a small, warm thing. Everyone sees the look this time.

"A coffee?" Ted echoes.

"Coffee, or coffee?" Tracy teases.

"A coffee," Robin says, smiling down at her beer — a secret smile that Barney echoes.

"I knew there was still something between you two!" Lily crows.

"Is this like… a new development?" Marshall asks carefully.

"Kind of," says Barney.

"Not really," Robin says at the same time.

They share another look.

"It's a long story," Robin says.

"That's my line," Barney complains. "It's a big, long… story." He smirks.

"And…?" Lily is almost vibrating.

"I don't want to take the attention away from the happy couple," Robin says quickly, raising her bottle towards the sofa.

"Nope," says Tracy warmly. "Spill. For the bride."

"Seriously," Ted says ruefully, but smiling. "You think I'm not used to you two stepping all over my love story? You two are getting back together? That's great news. Almost as good as the other thing that happened today." He gestures between himself and Tracy. "Almost."

"Aww," Lily coos as the newlyweds snuggle and kiss again. Her voice suddenly turns serious. "But seriously, tell us everything. When did this happen? When Robin was in town over the holidays? Ooh, Ted's birthday?"

"No, and no," Barney says.

"What about Ellie?" Marshall asks Barney.

Both Barney and Robin's faces cloud over a bit, but Robin is the one to answer, by avoiding the question. "Like I said, it's a long story." Barney looks at her questioningly, and she smiles back. "It actually started… well, the day we told you guys about our divorce."

Ted clears his throat. "This isn't going to be one of those times you decided to lie to us for your own weird pleasure, is it?" he asks.

"No, we really did get divorced," Robin says.

Barney laughs. "It just kind of turns out that we sucked at it."

She chuckles. "So it all started back in 2016…"