A/N: Chris- I'm truly grateful that you said those things. This show is one that I'm obsessed with, and am sad to see it go. Ollie is a character that I enjoyed creating, and there are a few more chapters to be told in this story. Just not as many as you'd think.

Chapter 40: Destiny and It's Plan

-Set during the "Time Travelers"-

I was more than happy for Barney and Robin. I was going to be a big part of the wedding, and the weekend would be awesome because of it. But I knew for a fact that one person didn't want the wedding to happen as much as the rest of it. Ted, I could tell was lonely after what had happened with Victoria and Jeanette. Everyone had moved on in their love lives, so what about him? Robin was afraid of committing to Ted, but now was getting married to Barney.

Ted swore to everyone after he had broken up with Jeanette that he knew that he was no longer willing to wait for the "One", and he was ready to settle down. I think it was not until a night in April of that year that I finally understood why all these things have happened for the past 7 and a half years. It was what I referred to in later years to be know as the "Second night of Revelations."

That night, Ted was alone, drinking at the bar. I could almost see in his eyes the loneliness from the distance between him and the bar. I had to figure out what was going through his head. "Hey, Ted! C'mere."

Ted walked over, slumping down on a bar stool. He looked even glummer up close.

"Hey, Ollie."

"What's got you down, T-Dog?" I asked.

Ted smiled. Of all the people who he wanted to call him that, I was the only one who actually did. Ever since my first night at Maclaren's almost 3 years ago.

"Ollie, you're not married, are you?

"Ted, look at me. I'm a 30-year-old bartender, who's main interests include comic books and video games. No, I'm not married."

"Girlfriend?"

"Nope."

"You regret it?"

I thought for a minute. "There are moments where I wish I was with someone. I've had my moments where I've been with people. But ultimately, I've just never been with the right girl."

"That's it. You've never found that girl yet. You know what my life has been for 8 years? Looking for that girl, and never finding her." His voice clearly was showing he was about to "Hulk out" if I didn't react soon: he was breathing fast and hyperventilating. I grabbed him a Wharmpess, and slid it over to him.

"What's this?" He asked.

"Baby needs his bottle." I said, chuckling.

"Thanks. Did you know I was left at the altar?"

"Yeah, I think Wendy mentioned it to me once. Must have been a real bitch to do that to you, Ted."

"No." Ted sadly admitted. "She wasn't. Stella just found the 'One' for her. Didn't matter to her that she broke a heart just to get to him."

"Damn, man."

"You know, in all this time, my friends have found their true loves. What am I to do? Huh? One of my best friends is getting married in a month and a half, and I don't know what to do."

"You know what I've found in the past, Ted? When you have a problem, I mean a real big problem. Like when the shiola has hit the fan big time, I find it best to just let go."

"What do you mean?"

"When I've had the worst days of my life, I remember something I heard once. Someone said to me that in our darkest moments, when all seems lost, we find something to hold onto. Something that makes us stronger. I'm telling you, man. You let go for a minute. Just let things fall into place. This wedding with Barney and Robin, I get that you don't want to happen. But who knows? Something might happen that'll make everything fall into place."

"I don't know, Ollie."

"Well, I do. Let things run it's course. You'll find her. I have this one friend. We used to be neighbors, but then she moved in with her boyfriend. She wanted nothing more than to find the 'One' for her. Which was really hard considering how weird people think she is. And her boyfriend is a huge asshole."

"Yeah. You see? People are finding their matches, and I'm stuck in this place, with you. No offense."

"Nah I get it. You want what the universe has been denying you for so long. Let's toast to that."

"Still, even my past makes no sense at some points. Did you know I suffered from the worst hangover ever after going here once?"

I looked up. I feel like that night happened a thousand years ago, and still remember it like it was yesterday. Was he talking about what I thought he would? "What happened?" I asked, cautiously.

"My friends dare me to drink 5 shots of some crazy concoction that Carl invented. I wake up the next morning with almost no recollection whatsoever of the events of last night, a sprained ankle, a burned up jacket, writing all over my arm, and a pineapple on my nightstand."

"Huh." I said. "Sounds like that's something worth looking into. Do you know what happened?"

"Everything but the pineapple was explained to me the next morning. None of my friends know where it came from, and to this day it still serves as the biggest mystery of my life."

I don't know why, but in that moment I decided not to tell Ted where the pineapple came from. Some mysteries are best left untold to people. But one day, I would tell him. Only when the time was right. That day was not today.

"You know what, Ollie? I think that you and I were destined to meet for some reason. Do you feel that?"

"Yeah. I always say that everything happens for a reason. There must have been a reason that you and I became such great friends. Maybe we're even supposed to find out what those reasons are."

"If that's the case, that everything happens for a reason, then why is it that Barney Stinson," He put a lot of emphasis in his anger towards the injustice. "Is finding true love before me?"

Then I saw it. I saw the moment I met Ted, and the years to follow. I saw him crashing through Juno's door, drunk off his ass. I saw him getting socked in the jaw by Rick Garedo. I saw him interrupt Econ 305 thinking it was Architecture 101. And in all those times I had brushed up with Ted as a stranger to him, there was one common element, and I saw it. One common denominator. One thing that made all these events connect, I saw it. And I saw the reason. The reason that I had met Ted so many years ago. It was a path laid out in front of us. And I saw where it led to.

"Ted, I don't know why Barney would deserve love more than you, because let's face it, after treating every women in New York the way he has, marriage is the last thing that should be coming to him. But I think you should remain optimistic. I think destiny is coming. Something like that is coming."

Ted didn't understand what meant, obviously, but we talked for a bit, then we both headed out once we were the last ones left in the bar.

Before leaving, I left Ted with some words of encouragement. "Ted, you'll meet her very soon, that girl. The 'One' for you. I'm almost certain of it. I'll slap bet on it if you want."

Ted shook his head. "Not today. Good night, Ollie."

-May 23rd 2013-

A month and a half ago I made the realization as to why this all started, and what it was leading to. And now I know it's my job to ensure that whatever happens this weekend gets us to what we've all been heading towards.

"You strapped in, Ollie?" Says Keith. "It's gonna be a bit of a flight before we get there."

I show Keith that my seatbelt is fastened and the plane starts up. The rapid vibrations of the plane gliding across the Tarmac feels like a cheap massage.

-Now-

Lucy once told me a long time ago that people are defined by the choices they make, not who they are or what their name says who they are. I made a choice when she died. A promise. I chose to go out and make a name for myself. But something kept me from doing that. I never could bring myself to leave Maclaren's after I started there.

I promised her that I'd live a life that I saw as what I should do. So long of my time I had spent on my friends that I lost sight on the other choice I made. Maybe I paid the price for it, or maybe there was still hope. But so far the furthest I got to my goal was climbing up the food chain for Maclaren's. This was good, but it didn't take me to my dream of starting my own place. And I knew that there was almost nothing I could do to get Carl to give up the bar to me. It was his den, and he wouldn't let anyone violate it.

It was the middle of April, a few days after my talk with Ted that night. I was heading out to Farhampton to talk with Linus, Farhampton Inn's bartender. He would be my partner for the bartending at the wedding and this was a meet for us to get to know each other so we weren't total strangers. It seemed like an ok idea, I guess.

Linus was a really nice guy. He introduced me to a new thing that I could use at the bar called the "Kennedy Package". It basically gave one an endless supply of drinks for a weekend.

"It's supposed to help people cope with the tough days. Only downside I can think of it is that it makes the customers beyond wasted within the hour."

"Still seems like a good thing I can bring to the bar I work at." I said. "Thank you, Linus."

Linus and I hit it off, and I was given a basic layout tour of where all the stuff was kept at around the bar when they set up for weddings. Afterwards I took a walk down to the beach, and sat down on the dry, dusty sand.

"Makes you feel kinda small, doesn't it?"

I nodded. "You can say that again, Lucy. Fate's had a plan for us for 8 years."

"You finally understand what this all means." She said.

I smiled. "You and your crazy puzzles."

It had finally made sense when I talked to Ted that night a while ago. I had been looking for fate this whole time, and it was right in front of my face. Ted had been crossing Juno's, Cindy's and my own paths for years. First it was that night in November 2005, then that St Patrick's Day in 2008, then the first class of semesters in 2009, then Cindy dating him in January 2010, and finally me becoming a bartender at Maclaren's. Now it made sense: It wasn't my destiny to meet Ted. It wasn't Cindy's either. We only met Ted because of one reason, or if you will, person: Juno. She and Ted were the ones who they were searching for their whole lives, and I was here along with Cindy to make sure it happened. Why didn't I see it before?!

"You did it, Ollie. You solved the puzzle. But why didn't you tell Ted about Juno?"

"Louis." I replied. "That asshole is the giant brick wall standing between them. Once Juno realizes what a dick he is, then I'll make sure that she meets Ted."

"That's gonna take a lot of hoping."

"I'll take hoping for now. All I can hope is that Louis cheats on Juno or something bad like that."

If you've had a question that's bugged you for years, until you get it's answer, then you know how I felt when this realization came to me. But knowing wasn't just my job. I would have to wait for the right moment before Ted and Juno could meet. I just hoped it wasn't too late.