He spots her five minutes before Ted walks into the bar. Corner booth. Green turtleneck, dirty martini, and piercing eyes. She catches him staring. A little smirk. She rolls her eyes and he knows in that instant that she can see right through him. A provocatively raised eyebrow and a devilish grin. She chuckles, shakes her head, and turns back to her friends. He'll bide his time. She's clever, but he's always loved a challenge. Victory will be that much sweeter. He knows exactly what he'd like to do to her.

But then he catches the look in Ted's eyes. That half-crazed, Hey-I-Love-You-Let's-Have-Babies-And-Grow-Old-Together look. "See that girl?"

See her? In his mind, he's already undressed her, explored every inch of the soft skin hidden beneath that turtleneck, and is halfway out her door in the cold, grey half-light that precedes dawn. He's nearly decided on an approach when she gets up for her second dirty martini and Ted watches the rest of his life flash before his eyes. "Oh yeah. You just know she likes it dirty."

He can see it in those clear blue eyes, in the tantalizing glimmer of hidden truths flashing in the fluorescent light. But Ted is his bro, and he won't trade that for one night, no matter how desperately he wants her. Besides, her tearstained friend is a sure thing. He already knows this girl is way too much for Ted to handle. He may get another chance yet. "Go say hi."

He goes home with the tearstained friend, kisses the watery mascara from her cheeks, and does all the things he longs to do to the clever, challenging girl with the piercing eyes that see right through his suit and his smile.

Ted told her that story the night of their wedding when he thought they were out of earshot, about the first, fateful words she'd never heard. She chuckled, shook her head, and shot him a little smirk above the crowd. A provocatively raised eyebrow, a devilish grin, and a silent prayer of thanks. She assumed Ted was their best man because of thirteen years of friendship, a three year old pact, and one dark night in the back seat of a limousine. Only he knew the real reason. Because, nine years ago Ted fell for her, head over heels in love at first sight, and kept Barney from making the biggest mistake of his life.