A/N: Three chapters at once? Why yes, Virginia.
Chapter 34: Darkest Before the Dawn
Fate had had a plan right from the start. And not just for me. Ted, Barney, Marshall, Lily, Robin, Juno and everyone I knew had a stroke of fate in the next year. It was something, that if I had know it would be coming, I would have done anything to make it happen sooner. What had taken almost 8 years had finally led up to something huge. My only regret is the bad things that we all had to go through to get to that time a little ways down the road. This is one of those bad moments.
"Ollie, I got news." Said Ted one night at the bar. Things with him and Victoria were reaching a point where he would have to make a choice, according to her.
"Really? Well go on, Ted. What is it?" I said.
He pulled a ring box out of his pocket, and placed it on the bar.
"Who's that for? I hope it's not for me, T-Dog. I'm straight as a ruler."
"Hah. Actually, it's for Victoria." He replied.
"No shit? Well congrats, buddy." I raised my hand for a high five.
"Not so fast, Blake." He said. "She's given me an ultimatum.
"
"Wait, she sent you an ultimatum *after* you proposed to her? I'd expect the 'Play me or Trade me' from a girl, but that happens *before* a proposal."
"It's marry her, or stay friends with Robin."
"Whoa. That's tough, bro. What are you gonna do?" This I had only heard about a few times before. It was because of Robin that Victoria and Ted broke up in the first place.
"It's taken me a lot of thought, but I have an answer for her. I'm meeting her in a few minutes."
As if on cue, Victoria came into the bar, where they both sat down at the booth. Ted started talking to her. It was hard to look busy while trying to eavesdrop, and harder still to listen from the distance between the bar and the booth. I could hear Ted then say something about Robin being like family to him, and asking her to accept that. Victoria stood up, and walked towards the door. On her way out, she stopped at the bar.
"I hope both you and Ted find what you guys are looking for." On that short note, she left.
I headed over to the booth with two beers.
"Sorry, bro."
"It's fine." Said Ted. He was looking down at a bar napkin on the table.
"God, what is it with you guys? Half of what you and the others say to me these days when it comes to the serious stuff is total bullshit. Ted, you're not fine. I see it. You think that you have a future with Robin. A future that may or may not happen. But it will, without a doubt, be a huge mistake."
"So what if it is?" Said Ted, angrily.
"Ted, listen to me. You made a mistake letting go of Victoria. You may have let go of the 'One' for all we know. But if you find that girl someday, then you should take my advice and do what she wants you to do to be with her."
"Ollie, you may be right, but that's not my focus at the moment. Robin cannot, I repeat, CANNOT find out about this. Of all of us, you've known me the longest. Can I trust you?"
"Bro, I'm like Fort Knox within Fort Knox secure. I'm Fort Knox-ception!"
Ted wasn't amused by my joke, and headed out the bar, leaving me alone to take the beer bottles at the booth, out to the recycling.
Ted was being stupid. His idea of possibly being with Robin was an even worse idea compared to that time I tried to see what would happen when I tried to make a zip line by shooting a roped arrow. Man, that hurt.