So, uh, I really wanted to try my hand at the whole not-angsty side of Ted and Tracy (but there's still a little angst) and the whole this-is-how-the-finale-should-have-ended story. This kinda combines both-?

And sorry if there are inconsistencies with the show. I really haven't watched it.

Disclaimer: I don't own How I Met Your Mother.

"Kids, I'm going to tell you an incredible story," Tracy McConnell says calmly as she gazes at her children, two-year-old Penny and baby Luke. "The story of how I met your father. I'm going to start by saying that love is something really important. It comes in many forms, but one that you should keep in mind is the one where you meet the love of your life. Now-"

"You know they won't remember this, right?"

Tracy turns her head to see Ted standing in the doorway of the living room, grinning in a way that she knows means he's just teasing. Tracy blushes at the sight of him, embarrassed to have been caught. Still grinning, Ted crosses the room to pick up Penny, who's busy crawling on the carpeted floor as she begins to fuss.

"I'm interested in the story myself, though," Ted adds as he kisses Penny's forehead to calm the girl. He joins Tracy on the couch she's sitting on and adds, "I've always wanted to know what you were thinking when we met."

Tracy laughs. "You know what I thought; I told you, remember?. The kids are the ones that don't. I want to share the story with them." She pauses to hug Luke- who's in her arms- slightly, just to look up at Ted in an innocent, unwavering manner.

Ted chuckles at the way she's trying to play the innocent. "Maybe later in life, sweetie," he says assuringly. "They're a little too young for that now. You should stick with baby stories and stuff. And possibly changing Luke's diaper, too."

Tracy looks down at the baby in her arms as if for the first time. "Yeah, it does feel kind of heavy."

Ted laughs, shifting Penny in his arms, completely enamored with Tracy's antics.

"But I still want to tell them the story," Tracy mentions.

Ted smiles, and he leans over and kisses her forehead. "Someday."

"Now I want to tell them the story of how we met," Tracy announces as she enters Penny's room, leaning against the doorway with three-year-old Luke in her arms. Ted looks up from where he's trying to get Penny to go to sleep, and he has to bite back a smile at her persistence.

"Well, maybe it'll work to get this one to sleep," Ted jokes.

Tracy tries to frown. "I'm serious," she says.

Ted smiles at her attempt to sound irritated. "I know, but Penny's got to sleep."

"It's been three years," Tracy adds. "I think it's time."

"Time for what?" Penny asks.

Tracy smiles and says, "How would you like to know how your daddy and I met, sweetheart?"

Penny beams from the covers her father has tucked her under, flashing her gap-toothed smile, and seeing a chance not to go to sleep, says, "Yes! Was Daddy like a prince?"

"A very awkward prince," Tracy agrees.

Ted tries to frown, mirroring Tracy's earlier attempt. "I was not awkward."

"Oh, come on. Who knows how long you stared at me without working up the nerve to talk to me?" Tracy teases. "Not to mention just how awkward everything you did was. Teaching the wrong class, stealing my umbrella-"

"You mean my umbrella-"

"-and everything afterwards, too," Tracy finishes, and she's grinning like an idiot at him as she speaks. "Don't you want to know how daddy and I met, sweetie?" she asks Luke, and she kisses his cheek.

Ted chuckles. "Tracy, Penny has school tomorrow."

"But it's been three years," Tracy says, and she hugs Luke closer. "You told me I should wait until they were older, and I did! Don't you want them to know this story? You love stories."

"I do," Ted agrees. "And I really do love our story. But Penny's got school tomorrow, and Luke's still a little young to appreciate a good story." Ted tucks Penny in tighter, and he drops a kiss on her forehead. "Now go to sleep, Penny."

"But I want to hear how you're a prince, Daddy," Penny pleads. "And how Mommy's your princess!"

"Later," Ted promises. "Okay?"

Penny sighs. "Okay."

Ted stands up and moves over to Tracy. Tracy hands him Luke, and she goes over to kiss Penny's forehead and sing her a few notes of "La Vie en Rose" before she joins Ted again. Both parents whisper a tender goodnight before they leave Penny's room together.

"This one needs to get a bed soon," Ted says, bouncing Luke up slightly as they head to their own room. "He's outgrowing his crib fast. Aren't you, Skywalker?" He grins at his son's boggled, sleepy expression.

"Is that really what you're going to tak about?" Tracy raises her eyebrows.

Ted looks at her, surprised. "Uh- is there something I should talk about?"

"No, but- I want to know why you don't want the kids to know how we met."

Ted smiles at her huffy expression; he finds it too cute when she tries to be mad. "Hey, that's not true," he says. "Of course I want them to know. It's just that you're putting the cart before the horse here, hon; the kids are too young to appreciate the story of how we met."

"I guess you're right," Tracy admits. "So...someday?"

Ted smiles. "Someday," he promises.

"So...it's been another three years," Tracy says slowly.

Ted opens his eyes a crack, looking up sleepily at the beautiful woman who's looking down at him. He yawns and sits up, rubbing at his face, before he mutters, "Wha-? What do you mean?"

"Three years," Tracy repeats. "You know...for the story of how we met?"

Ted rubs at his eyes. "You want to tell them the story right now?"

"It's Penny's birthday. Why not?" Tracy says. "Eight is a good age, don't you think?"

Ted chuckles. "But Luke?" he prompts.

"Six isn't bad," Tracy says, shrugging.

Ted smiles as Tracy lays back down on their bed, exhaling deeply. She positions herself so she's staring into his eyes, and she takes his hand and intertwines their fingers.

"Maybe not just yet," Ted whispers as he looks into Tracy's shining, inquisitive brown eyes. "They need a few more years to grow up and understand love and relationships."

Tracy groans, and Ted laughs and kisses her forehead to comfort her.

"I don't want to wait any more, though," says Tracy after a few seconds.

"How come?" Ted asks, and he gently places his arms around his wife. "I don't really get why you're so eager to tell the story so soon. Is this something parents usually do? Did I miss a parenting class or something?"

"No," Tracy says, laughing. "It's just-" She pauses and then asks, "Promise you won't laugh?"

"Promise," Ted assures her.

"It's been a dream of mine," Tracy says. "No, maybe not a dream, but a hope. I've always thought that if I had children, I would tell them the story. I've always thought our story was special."

"Me too," Ted agrees, and he leans forward for a kiss, but Tracy arranges herself so she's propped up on her elbows, cutting him off as she continues to speak.

"The story of how we met is just so coincidental," Tracy goes on. "We almost met so many times. On St. Patrick's day, when Cindy was my roommate, when you taught Econ 305...and when we did meet, it was under an umbrella you stole from me. Then you left a job you had lined up for you in Chicago just for me. It's all so romantic. I swear, Disney could make a movie about our story."

"Except is much more magical than anything Disney could create," Ted interjects.

Tracy smiles a wide smile, her eyes crinkling in a way that makes Ted smile back.

"I don't know if I should believe that," Tracy says, keeping her smile on her face, but then she sombers and says, "Seriously, you don't find it weird that I've always hoped to have the chance to tell this story?"

"No," Ted answers honestly. "I love that you've always hoped to."

And he does. He loves that this woman wants to tell stories just like he loves to do. That's how he knows that it's finally it, that he's finally found the one, that he's found someone who understands why stories are so important.

Tracy's smile is softer now, and she sweetly says, "I love you."

"I love you, too," Ted adds, and this time Tracy accepts his kiss.

She pulls away first, and it's only to gaze into his eyes, her own eyes wide and as questioning as before. As Ted keeps his eyes trained on her as well, Tracy quietly whispers, "It's a really special story."

"It is," Ted quietly agrees without hesitation.

Tracy looks at him tenderly and softly says, "Then I can wait a few more years."

Ted grins. "You'll reach that someday yet."

"Yes." Tracy grins back. "Someday."

"Ted, I need to tell you something."

Ted, who had been scribbling an answer to a survey he had found in the newspaper, looks up at his wife. He was about to tease her about how somber she sounds, but one look at her crestfallen face stops him.

"Okay," he says, and he stands. "What is it?"

She exhales deeply, and he can see that she's twisting her fingers together in what can only be a painful way, showing just how upset she is about something.

"Maybe you should sit back down," Tracy adds.

He doesn't; he's too busy studying her face, trying to figure out what could be going on.

He steps closer. "Something's wrong," he says slowly.

Tracy doesn't deny it, and there's a glimmer of tears in her eyes as she steps forward, takes his hands, and gently pulls him down to sit at the table he was at before.

"Yeah," she mumbles. "Something is wrong."

Ted thinks of the kids, who are at Lily and Marshall's.

"Are the kids okay?" he asks.

Tracy nods, and she says quietly, "Yeah, they are."

"What about your parents? Barney? Lily? Robin? Marshall? My parents? What-"

"I'm sick, Ted," says Tracy, cutting him off. She squeezes his fingers tightly with her own, gazing into his confused brown eyes with her own shimmering ones. "I have cancer."

Ted stares at her dumbly. He can't accept it. He won't accept it.

"Tracy-"

"It's too late for them to do anything about it," she says, and while her eyes continue to glisten with the promise of tears, no tears actually fall. "They predicted that I'd have at least another few months, if I'm lucky."

Ted stands up, and he runs his fingers through his hair in desperation, and when he turns back to look at her he's crying. Crying soft, wet tears that show he's trying not to let them fall.

"B-but there's treatment," he mutters. "Isn't there?" His voice is raw, desperate.

Tracy smiles sadly. "It's too late, Ted," she reminds him quietly.

Ted falls back down beside her, and he takes her hand, squeezing it tightly. "I can't lose you," he says, sorrowful. "I love you. There's got to be something the doctors can do. They can't just give you your death on a silver platter!"

"Ted," Tracy says calmly, "it's okay."

Okay? It is not okay. Not for him.

Ted looks into her glistening eyes and his heart breaks. He doesn't want her to think it's okay. He wants her to fight it. He wants her to recover because he wants her to stay with him and their kids. He wants her to live.

"Do you really think that?" Ted asks, verging on horrified.

Tracy nods. "I do. I really do."

Ted looks down, unable to gaze into her eyes anymore in fear of bursting into tears. Composing himself, he wipes at his eyes once with his free hand and then looks up at her again, this time lifting up her hand and kissing it.

"Okay," he mumbles.

Tracy smiles at him. "So, I know it's only been two years, but-?"

Ted stares at her, unsure about what it is she's talking about.

"You know," she clarifies, "it's been two years since I tried to tell the story of how we met. I know we've been keeping this pattern where I try to tell the kids every three years or so, but how about a year earlier?" She finishes this off with a cheeky smile, hoping to lighten the mood.

Ted laughs, and it's not until a few seconds pass that he realizes he's crying. Tears streak down his face because he can't believe it. He can't believe that she's been keeping track, that she's been counting the years, that she's the kind of person who does that. Actually, he reasons, he'd probably be doing do the same if he wanted to tell the kids the story that bad.

He does want them to know it, of course; he loves the story as much as Tracy does, and he loves a good story as much as the next person. It's funny how it's the first time in his life that Ted Mosby has thought to wait for, considering the importance of the story. That, he realizes, is just how much Tracy is like him: she can't wait for the big moments. She has to have them at that moment, because she gets what it's like to have a spur-of-the-moment situation. And while it's not exactly confessing love at the end of a first date, it's still pretty big.

"What do you say, Mosby?" Tracy prompts. "Has it reached that someday yet?"

Ted swallows his rising hurt, knowing that this isn't a proper someday. No, this is a cheap one they have to throw together to make up for what can never be.

"Why not?" Ted manages out. "Ten and eight aren't bad."

Tracy smiles excitedly. "You're going to help me out with the story, right? It wouldn't be our story if you didn't add what was going on with you before we met."

"Wait, you're starting from before we met?" Ted says.

Tracy nods and continues, "I was thinking nine years before we met. Some really important things happened for me at that time, and I want to convey a message to the kids about life and love and everything connected to it."

Ted manages a real smile. "That sounds great. We can tell them the story when they get home."

"Yeah," Tracy agrees absent-mindedly. "And the, uh, other news too. About- you know."

"So like a plot twist ending of a story?" Ted jokes.

"Exactly," Tracy jokes back, but she squeezes his hand to let him know that she understands the pain he's feeling and that she isn't offended by his joke at all.

And that is how they remain, each of them mapping out their stories from nine years before they met, making up one very long and detailed story. While Tracy wonders if Ted's list all the women he was with is right for their kids to hear and Ted wonders if Tracy should really explain her love for Max to children who are half his, they never mention anything to the other; they know that their story isn't perfect, and they have to build up their stories the way they are.

"If Barney was here, he'd call this story legendary," Ted declares when they're done explaining to each other what their respective sides of the story would be.

"No, he'd say it would be legen- wait for it- dary," Tracy corrects laughingly.

Ted's about to reply, but suddenly Tracy's laughter evolves into gasps for breath. She grips Ted's hand tighter, trying to hold on to him and to reality. Ted hurriedly grips her shoulders, trying to look into her eyes. He's alarmed, because he can now see the whites of her eyes; she's passing out. Her head droops and her grip slackens, and Ted's heart stops.

"Tracy," he begs. "Tracy, stay awake. We'e going to get you to a hospital."

She doesn't reply except for a pained nod that lets him know she's going to try.

A month later, he loses her.

He decides he's going to tell the kids the story of how he met their mother.

Since Tracy's death, Ted has started to keep track of years. Everything he does, he keeps in his memory; he doesn't know when anything will happen out of the blue anymore. It's been three years since Tracy's passing, and he wants to tell them the story now, figuring Tracy would appreciate it.

"Kids, I want to tell you a story," Ted announces over dinner.

Thirteen-year-old Penny and eleven-year-old Luke look at him.

"Dad, if you're just going to sit us down and listen to you describe Star Wars again, I'll pass," Penny says. "If I was interested, I'd watch the movie."

"See, this is why I should've named you Leia. You'd have much more respect for Star Wars then."

Penny rolls her eyes at her dad's comment. "Leia is a stupid name."

"Luke isn't," Luke announces. "I'm the cooler one from Star Wars!"

Penny points her fork at him. "Luke, shut up."

Ted decides to let their behavior slide. "Listen, I really want to tell you that story. It's important."

"Not today, Dad," Penny whines. "I'm busy."

"This won't take all day," Ted insists right away.

Penny stares at him. "You described Han Solo's face for an hour when you told us the story of Star Wars. I really won't want to take any chances here."

"But it's really special," Ted says, cursing himself in his head for how lame that sounds.

Penny sighs. "Fine, but not right now. I have a lot of homework to do."

"Me too," Luke adds.

Ted decides to let that year go; it isn't the someday he's promised Tracy just yet. The kids may be older, but they're not old enough yet; Penny's just discovering boys, and Luke still hasn't quite gotten over that girls really don't have cooties.

Besides, Ted reasons, their someday is worth the wait.

He's done it. He's told the kids the story.

"And that, kids, is how I met your mother," he finishes softly.

Penny glares at him. "That's it?"

"That's it," Ted says proudly.

Penny frowns. "No. I don't buy it. That is not the reason you made us listen to this.

"Oh, really," Ted scoffs. "Then, what's the reason?"

"Let's look at the facts here," Penny says readily. "You made us sit down and listen to the story about how you met Mom, yet Mom's hardly in the story. No, this is a story about how you're totally in love with aunt Robin."

Well, going back nine years had certainly backfired.

"And you're thinking about asking her out, and you want to know if we're okay with it."

Ted stares at her in disbelief. "I can't believe this," he says. "I kept this story short, and to the point, and you guys still missed it. The point of this story is that-"

"-That you totally, totally, totally have the hots for aunt Robin," Penny finishes.

"No, I don't," Ted says, because that couldn't be more true.

"Yes, you do!" Penny exclaims.

Ted snaps, and he stands, trying not to yell out how untrue the accusation is. Quietly, he regains his cool demeanor, and he says, "Kids, you seem to both have gotten this all wrong."

"Dad, come on," Luke says. "Whenever she comes over for dinner, you guys are so obvious."

Ted looks at him, horrified. He can't believe that this is going wrong; this is supposed to be the story of how he met their mother, for God's sake. It's supposed to be special. It's supposed to be romantic. It's supposed to make them cherish life a little more. It's supposed to make them understand.

Ted sits back down. "Kids-"

Penny interrupts him. "Dad, we love Aunt Robin. Just ask her out already!"

"Yeah," Luke agrees.

"No!" Ted finally breaks, and his voice is louder or angrier than he's ever known it to be. "I don't love her like that. I don't want to be with her like that. I love your mother." He slumps down in his seat slightly and continues, "What I said was true; I'm always going to love your mother, until the end of my days and beyond."

Penny and Luke exchange glances.

"It didn't seem like that," Penny says slowly. "In your story, everything you did, you did for aunt Robin in your story, and it really seemed like you would almost end up with her. Why would you say how much you loved her when it wasn't true?"

"It was true. But it's not anymore." Ted looks down, and his voice breaks as he says, "I wanted you kids to realize how much I had to grow to be with your mother, and just how important the journey was to be with her. I wanted you to know how important love is."

"I'm- I mean, we're- really sorry, Dad," Penny apologizes. "I didn't know."

Ted looks at her sadly. "It's okay. I'm just glad I got to tell you the story."

Luke looks at his dad, unsure. "But how come Mom wasn't in the story that much?"

Ted swallows thickly and replies, "Because it still hurts to talk about her, even thought it's been six years." He looks at his kids through the eyes of an aging man without the love of his life and adds, "I'm sorry I didn't add enough of her, though. If you want to hear more about her, I- I can tell you."

Penny and Luke exchange glances again. Sit through another of their dad's stories? Their answer would be no, considering they've been so tired of sitting in one place, but a look at their dad's tearful eyes makes them reconsider.

"Okay," Penny agrees. "Make it a fun one."

Ted breaks into a wide smile and says, "I know just the one, actually. I forgot to mention how important this story is to your mother, too. About fourteen years ago, I walked in on her when she was trying to tell you guys the story of how she met me."

He continues that story on throughout the night, knowing that Tracy's someday has come.