Chapter 2
Two weeks earlier.
"Challenge accepted!" Barney said excitedly and took off for the bar nearly nocking Ted over on his way to the booth.
"What challenge is it this time?" Ted asked Marshall feeling his heart sink but hiding his emotions. Ted hated seeing Barney picking up girls, even worse was helping Barney and encouraging him, while he pushed his heartbreak down.
"I didn't challenge him, I never challenge him", Marshall said in exasperation.
"He's going to try and pick up the blonde girl at the bar, while talking in an alien voice", Lilly said shaking her head.
Ted laughed, "He'll never do it". But five minutes later they saw Barney leaving with the blonde girl, Barney smirked at them and did a little dance before he left. "I can't believe he actually did it", Ted said in amazement.
"Come on this is Barney we're talking about", Robin said.
"Good point", Ted said laughing, he hoped they couldn't tell the laughter was forced. Ted had been in love with Barney for half of the year. He wanted to tell Barney, but he had already broken his rule about getting into committed relationships too many times. This was yet another thing that made it harder to run, he had considered telling Stella that he was a merman, they were going to get married after all. But every time he tried to he couldn't, and then she had left him at the alter breaking his heart in the process. So, Stella had never found out. Another thing stopping Ted from telling Barney was that, as far as Ted knew Barney only liked women. Ted was afraid that because of this Barney would never feel the same way, and he also didn't want to risk their friendship. Furthermore, neither Barney or his other best friends even knew that he was a merman.
"Earth to Ted", Robin said waving her hand in front of him.
Ted jumped he had been so engrossed in his thoughts, that he hadn't realized he had spaced out.
"Is everything okay buddy?" Marshall asked in concern.
"Yeah, I've just had a long day".
Seeing that Ted wanted the spot light off him, Robin spoke up "Tell me about it, Don is so annoying". Ted gave her a grateful smile, and she returned it. Robin would never admit it, but she was very protective of her friends, especially Ted. She wasn't sure why, it could be that Ted was her first friend in New York or that they had dated for a year, maybe even a bit of bot
Marshall laughed at this statement.
"What?" Robin asked irritably.
"Oh nothing, it's just that Lilly should probably start planning your hen night", Marshall replied causing Lilly and even Ted to laugh. This was one of the reasons Ted loved hanging out with his second family, even when he was feeling down they never failed to cheer him up. Ted ignored the rational side of him telling him to stop thinking this way and to distance himself from them.
Robin groaned, "Not this again".
"He's got a point Robin, and you need to start booking a venue before someone snatches up the best one", Lilly said.
"Yeah, you'll kick yourself if you leave it too late", Ted added causing Robin to glare at him, though her heart wasn't in it she was glad Ted was feeling cheerful enough to tease her. This went on for an hour, until Lilly accidently nocked her glass over and spilled her drink all over Ted. Ted stared in horror at his soaked lap for a second, then ran to the bathroom only just getting there in time, thankfully there was a free toilet and no-one in the room. Ted balanced himself and then turned himself back into human form.
Ted had been a merman since he was twenty, and so had plenty of practice running away when splashed. During a trip to the Gold Coast in Australia during college, Ted had discovered a moon pool when he was exploring Mako Island. When he was in the pool, the moon had passed over, and he had been surrounded in bubbles until the moon finished passing over. The next day Ted had discovered that he was a merman. Throughout college, to his delight he had discovered that he had powers. He could control water, turn water into ice and boil water. This third power came in handy when he transformed into a merman, as he could use it to transform back to his human form. And he did so. When he got back to the booth, he noticed his friends giving him an odd look.
"So, what did I miss?" Ted asked hoping they would forget what had happened, unfortunately they hadn't. This had happened a lot over the years, but he had managed to get out of the situation with a distraction or a good lie.
"How come you always run to the bathroom, when someone spills their drink", Robin asked suspiciously.
"I don't want my pants to be ruined", Ted said. Lilly and Marshall seemed to believe his lie, but judging by the look Robin gave Ted, she didn't believe him. Thankfully Marshall unknowingly saved him by changing the topic to what they should order for dinner.
Ted was one of Robin's closest friends, and she was already good at reading people even when she didn't know them so she could tell that Ted was lying. But when Marshall changed the topic, she decided to drop it for the moment. But she certainly hadn't let it go. They had decided to eat at MacLaren's, and throughout the night Robin kept an eye on Ted and noticed he was more jumpy than usual. Robin hadn't told Ted, but she knew that hewas in love with Barney. She had seen the way he had looked at Barney. She wondered if this was the reason why he was so jumpy, that Ted was afraid he would give himself away.
The next morning Ted was lying on the couch watching TV. Ted was afraid that Robin would question him about his behaviour the previous night, but to his relief so far she hadn't. Robin was sitting at the table and was doing something on her lap top.
"Hey Ted?" Robin said and looked up at him.
Ted turned to look at her, "Yeah?"
"I know".
Ted froze, Robin knew what? She couldn't know that he was a merman, could she? He hadn't told anyone, so she couldn't know right? "You know what?" Ted asked sounding calm, but inwardly freaking out.
"I know that you're in love with Barney".
Ted gaped at her, "What?" Though he was so relieved that Robin didn't know that he was a merman, he didn't want her knowing how he felt about Barney.
Robin rolled her eyes, "I know that you're in love with Barney".
"That-that's ridiculous".
"Really? I have seen the way you look at him, and though you try to hide it I always spot your hurt look every time Barney picks up a girl and I can tell your laughter at Barney's plays are forced".
"Did anyone tell you, you should be on 60 minutes?"
Robin laughed and shook her head.
"Please don't tell anyone about this, no-one can know especially Barney".
"Of course, you know what? I'm going to help you get together with Barney".
"Thanks, but it's never going to happen", Ted said sadly.
Robin pulled up a chair so that she was facing Ted, "Hey, don't give up. I'm a pretty great wing woman".
Ted laughed and Robin was happy to see that it was a genuine laugh.
"All right Sherbatsky, what's your plan?"
They spent the rest of the afternoon discussing ideas, and by the end of the afternoon Ted was feeling more hopeful than ever that he and Barney might actually have a chance at being a couple.
The next night Ted and Robin put their plan in motion, the group were sitting in their usual booth in MacLaren's bar chatting, when Robin spoke up.
"Marshall, Lilly I need your help with something at the apartment".
Marshall and Lilly shrugged and followed Robin, before they left Robin winked at Ted and mouthed, "Ask him out now".
Ted nodded nervously at Robin, when Robin, Marshall and Lilly had left Ted took his chance, "H-Hey Barney?" Ted stammered.
"Yes Ted?"
"W-Would you-"
"Wow, Ted look at that hottie who just walked in", Barney said.
Ted sighed, he couldn't ask Barney out he just couldn't. Ted was trying to work up the courage to try and ask Barney out again, but before he could an ex-boyfriend of his called Jason Ross came up to him. Ted inwardly groaned, things ended badly with Jason. Jason had cheated on Ted three times, but Ted had loved him so he gave him a second chance the first two times, but broke up with Jason the third time. Ted couldn't go through the heartbreak again. Jason had been calling Ted, because he wanted to get back together with him. Jason kept calling no matter how many times Ted told him he didn't want to get back together. Ted was very thankful he hadn't told Jason his merman secret, Jason was exactly the sort of person who would use the secret against him. This was not part of the plan, Ted could already feel his shattered confidence shatter even more.
"Hey Ted, want to get back together?" Jason asked.
Ted glared at Jason, this was what he always said when he called. He never apologised for what he had put Ted through, or asked how he was, or gave some sign that he cared about Ted, "Jason, I said no and I meant it. Leave me alone".
"Come on, you don't mean that", Jason said.
Barney noticed that Ted was very uncomfortable with how close Jason was to him, and that made Barney feel very angry. Ted had told the group what had happened with Jason, and Barney had held Ted for hours letting him cry on his shoulder, when the others had left the apartment after they had spent the afternoon comforting Ted. Barney had of course gotten revenge, with a series of very creative pranks. Barney stood up and faced Jason.
"Hey, he said leave him alone!"
"And what if I don't, what are you going to do about it?"
Barney's rage grew so much that before he realized what he was doing Barney had punched Jason, the force of the punch caused him to fall flat on his back on the floor. Ted gave Barney a stunned, but grateful look. Most of the people in the bar stared at Barney for a few minutes then erupted into cheers, they had overheard what had happened. And most of them being regulars, were friends with Ted and where happy that Barney had defended him.
Carl came over and hauled Jason to his feet, "You're banished from my bar! Out now!"
Jason glared at Carl and looked as though he wanted to try and harass Ted again but Barney stepped in front of Ted and glared at Jason. Jason glared back, but reluctantly went out of the bar, causing people to cheer again.
"Thanks Carl", Barney said smiling at him.
"No problem, no-one harasses my customers and gets away with it", Carl said returning Barney's smile, he nodded at Ted who nodded gratefully back. After Carl had gone back to the bar. Barney turned to Ted.
"Hey, you okay?"
"Yeah, thanks", Ted said.
"No problem, want to go back to the apartment?" Barney asked.
"Yeah, let's go", Ted said and got out of the booth. All the way back to the apartment Barney had his arm around Ted and whispered comforting things to him.
When they got to the apartment, Robin and Marshall were watching TV while Lilly was working on a painting. Noticing Ted and Barney's appearance, they stopped what they were doing and looked at them in concern.
"What happened?" Lilly asked.
"Jason", Barney growled, he was even more angry when he noticed Ted flinch at the name.
"What?" The others shouted angrily at the same time. After Barney had sat Ted down and handed him a hot chocolate, he sat next to Ted and told them what happened while keeping his arm around Ted. By the end of the story, they looked as angry as Barney felt. Barney noticed that Ted had fallen asleep on his shoulder, he had had a long and emotional day. Barney subconsciously tightened his arm around Ted, not noticing Robin's grin at this action. They spent the rest of the evening thinking about ways to get revenge on Jason, while Ted slept.
