Shelter Island 4x05

2. A sad thing in life is when you meet someone who means a lot to you, only to find out in the end that it was never meant to be and you just have to let go.

He didn't need this now, he couldn't have it. Robin talking about them wasn't good. And he knew he shouldn't have just left her there but he did, he kept on walking. He stormed away from unresolved feelings and a horrible feeling in his gut.

All the fighting was driving him insane. He had fought with Stella countless times leading up to the wedding and they were so close to calling it off. Things would be so different if they had. They'd be at home, everyone, in the apartment, eating and drinking whatever they could find and watching rubbish television. And now he thought about it, he was going to miss it all so much.

Slowly, Ted walked down the corridor to find Stella. They needed to talk. About Robin, about Tony, about New York and New Jersey, about the Wedding, about Lucy, about the future. There was so little time to go, hours before they were married and it just didn't seem right. Mrs Stella Mosby. Mrs Stella Mosby.

With a click he opened the door and expected to see her standing there. But she wasn't. The pretty girl with blonde curls and shining eyes was not in the room. Ted sighed, and then he saw the card. He smiled, softy.

He reached out for it, his heart racing with confusion and emotion and fell back on the bed as his eyes read over her curly handwriting.

"Ted,

I don't know how to say this, there's no right way to tell you. If you find this I've run away with Tony. You're a caring, amazing man and I'm sorry that this had to happen to you. But Ted, I've been in love with Tony my whole life and seeing him again just brought it all up. Ted, you will find her, I promise you. But she's not me.

Love Stella."

Marshall came in and saw his friend in a pit of sorrow and anger. He took the card from Ted's hand and sat beside him. He cleared his throat after reading and placed his hand on Ted's back gently comforting him. Ted was sure he'd said something but to be honest he couldn't think straight right now.

His heart ached, his throat was dry and his ears were ringing. He wanted a drink or some sleep or to travel back to the past and see where he'd gone wrong. Lily came too, reading and sitting next to her husband and trying to tell Ted he'd be okay. Barney also tried to console Ted, striding up and down the room thoughtfully.

He was feeling a mixture of feelings right now. He never thought he'd feel relief. Relief that things could gradually go back to the start, be how they've always been. He liked his life just the way it was right now.

Seeing Stella's face in his head he tried to smile for his friends, and read the letter again, his heart sinking further into his chest.

Finally he understood that Stella wasn't worried about Robin coming to the wedding at all. She wasn't worried that he'd fall in love again, that it'd be awkward. She wasn't worried that Robin would do something stupid. In fact, deep down Stella was just thinking about her unresolved issues with Tony and she couldn't just tell him that. And that's what hurt him most.