Hey Guys! are you there, I hope you are! Forgive me forgive me forgive me! I've had a hell of a year and if I promise to be good and not disappear do you promise to be my happy readers again? Would you do it for a new story? You will! Thank you!
Ps – there's something in here I don't think anyone will catch… Or at least I think I've done it right. If I haven't, message me! I'll be interested to see who's been… not paying attention, but who notices.
I've just seen a face
I can't forget the time or place
Ted was looking down at the two as the one holding the umbrella adjusted the hem on her silver wrap dress. The other girl, dressed in a fitted wine coloured sheath dress, passed the bouquet from her left hand to her right.
"I'm"
"Ted Mosby." Starla smiled, releasing the hem of her dress. "I know you."
"We both do." the other girl said. "We were in your class." She said with a grin.
"We were?" Starla turned and gave Clover a confused look.
"Yes." She smiled and gestured at Ted with her head. "Remember, day one, random guy shows up and tried to teach us architecture in Economics." She looked back at Ted. "WWN put us in there together that semester, as a quick placement bump thing." Ted nodded, remembering Robin saying something like it.
"Oh!" The girl said as recognition flooded her face. "I'm sorry! I know you otherwise, well your picture anyway." She held out her hand. "Starla." Ted took it and shook it.
"Clover." The other girl said.
"That's an unusual name."
"It used to be Heather." She tucked her hair behind her ear. "But it was too common, so I switched it from one hill covering flora to another."
"Nice." Ted grinned. Starla gave Clover a strained smile, before turning Ted's attention back to her.
"Robin asked me to come here specifically to meet you."
"Oh really?"
"Yes…" She gave him a catty smile. "Well, that and the wedding." The two laughed. Clover looked between the two, gave a resigned sigh, and allowed herself to focus outside the conversation.
"So, how long are you here for?"
"A few more days."
"Really…" He pulled out his phone. "I think we should get together one day. I can show you the city."
"I'd like that."
"Me too." She smiled, and then noticed the phone. "Oh! I don't have a number, but Clover said I could stay with her instead of my hotel, so I'm going to be there. I'll give you her number."
"What?" Clover gave her a look.
"Huh?"
"I'm sorry, can I give Ted your number." She said it with a slightly annoyed note in her voice. Clover gave a sigh and took Ted's phone.
"It's this…" She typed it in.
"Great." Ted took it back. "Amazing song by the way."
"Thanks." Clover gave him a smile. "It's one of my favorites."
"The Beatles were amazing."
"Yeah." Clover winked at him, before laughing. "We four Beatles of Liverpool are, john on a Moped, Paul in a car, George on a scooter" Ted joined in with her, for the last lines.
"Blowing his hooter, followed by Ringo Starr." They laughed joined in by Starla.
"Good one that." Starla said, before resting her hand on Ted's arm. Clover gave a small smile, territory claimed. She said to herself, before turning and walking away. She cast a look over her shoulder, and smiled again. The two were a cute couple.
"So Ted…" Starla said, leaning in. "You like music do you?"
Marshall and Lily had made it as far as the couch, where they sat and put their feet up on the coffee table. Bryan was curled up on his chest, next to Lily's head. The three of them were breathing, almost in unison, humming Clover's song and snuggling. Bryan's fist was in his mouth, a puddle of drool forming on his father's shirt.
"Marshall?"
"Yeah Lily?" Marshall spoke it contentedly. Lily stirred on his chest.
"Was our wedding anything like that?"
"Better." He yawned.
"Theirs was so beautiful."
"Ours was still better."
"Really?"
"Of course." He kissed the top of her head. "I got to marry my Lilypad." He pulled her closer. Lily looked up at him, and then at Bryan, whose mouth opened in a yawn.
"Yeah, you're right."
Barney and Robin were in the line at the airport, their arms around each other, enjoying the moment and laughing at the curious onlookers. They decided to take the limo straight to the airport, after making a quick stop at home. The two of them were still in dress and tux.
Robin smiled and dragged a suitcase behind her. Barney was carrying one as well, although the two of them, caught in the moment and realizing neither had packed anything in the days leading up to the wedding (not that they hadn't tried, but they'd always started alone, and the other would enter the bedroom, and things became more interesting than bag packing) had thrown in a change of clothes and not much else. They'd buy more once they got to Italy.
Barney squeezed her hand as the two of them moved closer to the front of the line. The girl behind the counter smiled as they held out their tickets, and happily switched their tickets for two on the next available flight.
The two sat down in the lounge, eyes on the twinkling lights of the skyline through the large window. Barney turned to her and smiled.
"So Mrs. Stinson."
"Yes Mr. Stinson?"
"What say you, me, and the girls" His hands slid up the front of her dress and back down. "Meet in the gold lounge and re-consummate?"
"I like the way you think." She grinned and the two stood.
Two weeks later
Marshall and Lily were in the bar, Bryan on the table in his seat. Ted was on the way, and the group was awaiting the return of Barney and Robin.
He came in with a smile on his face and slid into the booth.
"Well aren't you bubbly."
"Thank you." Ted said with a smile.
"I meant Bryan." Lily looked up from where she was tickling his tummy. "But what's got you all smiles?"
"I showed her the house."
"Oh! Already Ted?" Lily said with a wink.
"I hope you used proper protection young man." Marshall added.
"Did you protect the pipes?"
"Examine the chimney?"
"Plug up the holes?"
"Check the vents?"
"Did you seal all the cracks?"
"Honey, no." Marshall shook his head. "That's gross."
"Sorry, mommy brain." She smiled. "So what'd she say?"
"She loved it." Ted smiled. "In fact, she said"
"Ladies and gentlemen I give you Mr. and Mrs. Awesome!" Barney yelled out as he and Robin entered the bar. They walked over, as Ted moved to sit in the chair at the edge of the table, allowing the two to sit together.
"Well well look whose back." Lily grinned. "How was Italy?"
"It was great." Robin said.
"Legendary!" Barney grinned. "We got kicked out of so many places."
"What? How?" Ted asked.
"Ted, honeymoon! With this hot piece of Canadian ass."
"Barney." Lily said.
"I'll allow it." Robin said. "Luckily they didn't arrest us. Pulled the Canadian card. You know lots of people think American's suck."
"Another reason we were kicked out."
"Yeah. Barney started his USA chant again. Turns out it doesn't work in Europe."
"What do European's know?" Barney scoffed. 'If we didn't show up and get them out of the war they'd be there with their heads in their asses and a bratwurst in their ovaltine."
"What?" The group looked at him. Robin just shook her head.
"So Ted, how did things go with Starla?"
"Well, Starla"
See you in Chapter 2!