HOW I LOVED YOUR MOTHER

This is my first HIMYM fanfic, and yes, I love writing in script-format. Sorry, kids. This takes place right after Barney & Robin's wedding and will eventually have scenes that were in the series finale, which I did not like. Hope you like it…

Chapter 1—"I Love You"

(Scene: Farhampton train station. Ted and Tracy are cozy under the yellow umbrella as the rain falls heavily on them.)

Future Ted (voice-over, VO): Kids, the day I met your mother was the day my life changed forever.

(Ted and Tracy trade glances and laugh as Future Ted speaks in the background.)

Future Ted (VO): First, it was the day I realized that I could never get Robin back, ever.

(Cut to scenes of Robin and Barney dancing on their wedding, and Ted sitting at a table watching them.)

Future Ted (VO): And it was the day I thought I was moving to Chicago.

(Cut to scene at the bar where Marshall and Lily run into Ted.)

Marshall: Are you kidding me?!

Lily: Ted, what're you doing here?

Ted: Just having a drink…

Marshall: What're you doing in New York? Aren't you supposed to be in Chicago?

Ted: Oh! Yeah, I'm not doing that… (has a sip of his beer)

Marshall and Lily: What?!

Ted: I'm not moving to Chicago…

Lily: Why?

Ted: (smiling) I met a girl.

Future Ted (VO): Yeah, it was a good thing I met your mother that day. Because if I hadn't, I don't think my life would've turned out the way it did.

(Cut to scenes of Ted & Tracy on their first date, Wednesday…3 days after the wedding.)

Ted: Hi.

Tracy: Hii!

(They awkwardly hug.)

Ted: So, I thought we'd try this new restaurant. It's right around the corner from here. It's a Scottish Mexican fusion.

Tracy: Scottish Mexican fusion…

Ted: (nods) Scottish Mexican fusion.

Tracy: Those would seem like 2 things that would not fuse. (chuckles)

(They start walking, and Future Ted continues to speak in the background.)

Future Ted (VO): Was it fate? Was it good luck that got me to get up there and talk to her? Or was it that I had just seen my ex-girlfriend getting married to my best friend, and I was feeling miserable and alone? It's hard to say—okay, fine, it was that old lady on the bench who kept pushing me to talk to her. But it doesn't matter. What matters is that I did talk to her that day, and I fell in love with her instantly. And it was amazing.

THURSDAY

(Scene: The bar. Marshal and Lily are sitting at the booth when Ted joins them.)

Ted: Hey.

Marshal: Hey! Look at these pictures Barney keeps sending us from the honeymoon. (shows him his phone)

Ted: Aww, that's so…disgusting, is there a single photo where either of them has clothes on?

Marshal: Yes. (pause) Ok, no.

Lily: Do you wanna go with us later to the doctor? We're gonna have another look at the baby. (touches her belly)

Ted: No, I refuse to get attached to this baby just right before you guys leave to stupid Italy!

Marshal: Hey, come on man, I thought you were being supportive about this whole Italy thing.

Ted: I tried but this sucks! You guys are gonna be gone for a whole year, and who knows when Barney and Robin will be back from their honeymoon? I'm just gonna be here alone this whole time?

Lily: Well what about that girl you've been seeing?

Ted: I don't know…

Lily: How did your date go last night?

Ted: It was alright, I guess. She kind freaked out when I told her I love her, though.

Marshal and Lily: You what?!

Ted: (laughs) Kidding, I'm kidding! God, 8 years later, and that joke never gets old.

Marshal: I really liked her, Ted.

Lily: Yes, me too, so you better not screw things up with this one! I can't keep liking your girlfriends like that, and you just ruin everything and then I have to slowly drift apart from them! It's hard!

Ted: You've never liked any of my girlfriends, Lily.

Lily: Hey, Jeanette was not that bad.

Marshal: Which one was she again?

Lily: Card 4-C.

(Marshal takes out a bunch of note cards and flips through them)

Marshal: Ah, 4-C. The crazy, obsessive stalker.

Lily: She was a real winner.

Ted: Okay, so many things to ask you right now. Instead, I'll just—(tries to steal the note cards from Marshal, but can't) Give me those, just gimme!

Lily: Ted, listen to me. Promise me you won't screw things up with this new girl.

Ted: Lily…

Lily: Just promise! In one year, when we come back, you better still be with her.

Ted: (sighs) Fine. I promise. I won't…screw things up.

Marshal: And you won't tell her you love her until the time is right.

Ted: And I won't tell her I love her until the time is right.

A FEW MONTHS LATER

(Scene: Ted and Tracy are waiting outside a movie theater (which is playing THE WEDDING BRIDE III), in the pouring rain, under the yellow umbrella.)

Ted: I'm still pretty sure that's my umbrella.

Tracy: You know, for a guy who pretends to be as macho as possible, you're not making a case for yourself by admitting that you own a girly girl's yellow umbrella.

(Ted laughs)

Ted: Well played.

(Tracy smiles)

Future Ted (VO): Kids, I can't tell you exactly when I fell in love with your mother. There's no specific time period that I just realized that I suddenly love her. I think I've always known that I do, ever since I met her.

(Tracy's phone rings; she opens her purse to get it while the two of them approach the front line of the movie stand)

Future Ted (VO): But that day, as we stood outside, in the pouring rain again, just like the day we met…

Movie Cashier-Guy: I'm sorry, guys, but the movie's sold out.

Future Ted (VO): I realized that I hadn't told her yet. And there's nothing more amazing than letting your other half know the way you feel about them.

Tracy: (speaking into the phone) Yes, mom, I can hear you. Mom? Mom, I know, the reception's bad. It's raining and—hello? Mother?

(Ted keeps staring at her, and smiling)

Ted: I love you.

Tracy: What?

Ted: (smiles again) I love you.

Tracy: (smiles) Aww. I mean! I love you!

(They both chuckle)

Tracy: (into the phone again) Oh, yes, Mom, I love you. Totally.

(Ted and Tracy laugh.)

Tracy: (into the phone) Let me get back to you. (hangs up the phone, and she and Ted embrace in a passionate kiss)

So that was pretty short, but I just needed to see what people thought so far before going on. It's pretty much all gonna be like that, jumping back and forth in time (until I reach 2030 in the end, probably). Tell me what you think!