Not Another Love Story

Chapter One

How I Met Your Mother Fanfic

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TED POV

I had mixed feelings about Barney's decision and sitting there in that church with him made it all so real all of a sudden. Was he ready for this? Was I? Ofcourse we weren't , we would be 21 forever. I'd never forget the day I met Barney Stinson, but that's another story.

"Which tie, Ted?" Barney stood in front of the mirror with a forlorn expression. He didn't even look at me when he spoke, this was a side to Barney not a lot of people saw and was a rare occasion. 

"Well personally, my favourite was this one," I held up the tie discarded into the corner of the carpetted room, a blue tie complete with yellow ducks. I smirked and Barney couldn't help but laugh at the memory.

"C'mon Ted," Barney made his way over to the small couch at the back of the room. He sighed as he sat down and put his head in his hands. His breath was coming out in quick bursts and for a minute I thought he was crying, he was laughing.

I walked over and sat next to him, tie-less and laughing.

"Hey man, not a great time," I patted his back, "Wanna talk about it?" Barney had been hesitant to discuss all this, It had been mostly guesswork for a lot of things these past few months.

"How did we get here, Ted?" He'd stopped laughing but was still smiling.

"I really don't know, life can be a bitch. You're doing a really good thing today, trust me. It may not make you completely happy, but you're being selfless. Well done, my friend." I held up my hand awaiting the inevitable high five, he couldn't resist and obliged, Barney grabbed his champagne from the dresser and stood up, pacing the length of the room a few times before saying,

"You are the most awesome person I know Ted. Well, second most awesome."

"First one being yourself?"

"No, a guy I know from a place called the mirror, hello!"

I shook my head in disbelief at his mood and got up to abruptly hug my best friend. He really was a good guy underneath the surface. 

"Now, Ted, which tie?"

3 months earlier

BARNEY POV

I ran into McLarins bar holding the disk, they were going to freak when I showed them this. Lily, Marshall and Ted were at the booth,

"Guys, guys, guys!" I said, catching my breath, "I have here. In my hand. Robin Sparkles 4!"

"No way! Where'd you get it?" Asked Lily

"Pfft, c'mon, Fatty, I have a TV show guy, and this is the greatest day in existence! Behold commoners, fresh material to mock the canadian for the next few weeks." I took a deep breath in satisfaction and basked in the glory.

"Hey, I'm growing a baby, I'm allowed extra jiggle"

"She will not let us watch this, you remember last time this happened. And please do not call Lilypad that insulting name, however true, and accurate it may be." Marshall. What a buzz kill.

"C'mon man! She'll be fine, where is she anyway?" 

An awkward silence followed, they avoided my gaze.

"She's out with Michael." Ted said at last.

Michael. He completely didn't deserve her. What a complete jerk.

"Who's Michael?" I asked calmly and in a I-don't-even-care-who-Michael-is type way.

"She's been seeing him, we didn't want to say because, you know, how you feel about her and stuff..." Ted trailed off looking away.

"Pfffft, I, what? How I feel about..? C'mon, seriously. I do not feel anything about..I mean guys. Guys. Seriously..." I grabbed a random glass of Scotch from the waitress's tray as she walked past and drained the glass. "I'm fine!"

They all looked at me in disbelief. 

"Barney, honey, there is no shame in showing your feelings-"

"I don't have feelings for Robin! I mean, yeah, if she was like saying things like  'ooh, Barney I love you,' I totally wouldn't say no I mean who wouldn't? She's awesome and funny and the way she wears her hair is, like, cool. And so what if she smells great, all, the time? I don't have feelings for her. God, guys!" I pfft'd again and looked away at my obvious lie.

"Ok dude, whatever you say," Marshall patted my back and gave me that look. You know that look you reserve for crying babies in grocery stores and stray dogs. Pity but also kinda glad it's not you that has to deal with it.

"Ok, Gentlemen-"

"Hey!" interjected Lily,

"Hush, hush mommy. As I was saying, watch how a man without feelings gets a girl, a real man." I stood up and asjusted my suit collar and made my way over to my first lady of tonight. 

She was tall and blonde with deep blue eyes, not my usual type but, hey, I'm flexible.

"Hello, my name is Joseph Vaughn and I'm a detective for the NYPD. Mind If I ask you a few questions?" I dazzled her easily, although she looked slightly shocked at my approach.

"What kind of questions? Detective..." She grinned a perfect smile and moved closer to me.

"Where will you be in approximately thirty minutes?" Her face crinkled in confusion as she tried to process the question.

"I don't know where I'm going to be in thirty minutes! What kind of question is that!"

"Well my apartment is thirty minutes from here, so that's one option. If you want to that is." I smirked and could tell she'd go for it. Although I was happy to go on home with this one, but Robin was still in my mind. How was her date going? Great probably. She'll marry him. I won't ever get a chance again.

I sighed internally as the girl said; 

"My name's Rebecca, Detective Vaughn," she giggled,

"Who? Oh, me. Yes I'm Detective Vaughn. Let's go Robin,"

"Rebecca."

"Oh, right. Sorry Rebecca."

I slipped my arm around her waist as we went to get a cab. Just as we reached the door of the bar it was flung open. 

Robin walked in. Hand in hand with a guy with stupid hippy hair and a lip peircing.

"Barney! Hey!" She greeted me, looking awkward. "This is Michael, Michael this is Barney."

"Who's Barney?" Rebecca asked, confused.

"Ah-ha, erm, nobody. Lets go honey," I shuffled Rebecca out the door, "Nice to meet ya Michael, Seeya Robin!" 

As I got into that cab, I felt my heart break a tiny little bit inside. Suddenly I wanted nothing more than to barrell roll right out of the car and run back to the woman I love. Might as well get some first though.