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  *Ted POV

  I stared at the quiet street leading to Robin’s apartment. It was late, the sky was dark, and only a few cars passed by. Some were parked along the sidewalk, and the trees still had patches of green, though a few leaves had begun turning orange. Fall was creeping in.

  A little chilly, but honestly?

  Perfect.

  Because from here… I could see Robin’s apartment.

  She lived in Park Slope, Brooklyn — which, let’s be honest, wasn’t ideal if she wanted to hang out every night in the Upper West Side.

  It was far, like 8 miles far.

  And I was already imagining future Robin being exhausted from traveling that much just to hang out with me and the gang.

  “What? What’s wrong?” Robin asked, giving me that awkward but adorable smile. “Too far for you? Don’t tell me Teddy Bear can’t handle being away from home.” She nudged me playfully.

  “Yeah, it’s pretty late. I’m pretty sure I could get mugged,” I said, gesturing to myself. “....Look at me. I’m pretty.”

  Robin laughed. “I’m pretty sure you’ll go broke faster than getting mugged.” She pointed across the street. “Careful, that old lady looks like she’s reaching for her gun.”

  She waved at the old woman like this was a normal Tuesday. Of course that’s not a crazy Old Lady, I can see her smile at Robin from across the street and she waved at her back.

  “Please… don’t joke about crime here,” I hissed, lowering her hand. “....They have ears everywhere.” I leaned in and whispered dramatically. Not that wrong, it’s New York after all.

  Robin laughed harder. “You’re really weird, Ted.” Then she walked again with her laughter decorated the chilly night.

  I smiled and followed her. The red coat she wore tonight was impossible to miss for anyone, she looked gorgeous even from behind.

  And honestly?

  I finally understood why ‘Alternate Me’ was so hung up on this woman. Even after they broke up, he still wrote that rebound letter saying he’d get her back once she got over her fear of marriage.

  “This is really weird,” Robin said suddenly. “None of the guys I dated ever said ‘Smurf penis’ on the first date.” She looked at me from her corner eyes, with an amuse smile on her lips.

  I glanced at her. “I used to do that. It makes me unforgettable.” I grinned. “Sorry I lied, I used to have boring dates and have sex all night with my date.”

  Robin stopped mid-step, staring at me, mouth slightly open. “I don’t believe you…”

  I was this close to apologizing, until she continued:

  “…You? Skinny man? Having sex all night? I bet it’s one shot, then talking the rest of the night.”

  She punched my shoulder, then — unexpectedly — touched my arm, testing its firmness. “…Okay, maybe you’re not that skinny,” she mumbled, then quickly pulled her hand away with a shy giggle.

  “Yeah, I lied again,” I said. “We just stared at the moon, talked about our day, lit some candles because it was dark—”

  “I believe the sex thing,” Robin cut in with a nod.

  We both burst into laughter.

  “…But I agree with what you said.”

  “The sex all night?”

  “……”

  Robin stayed silent —

  but the smirk on her face said EVERYTHING.

  “Shit, I’m not even wearing my favorite underwear right now…”

  “No,” Robin said, rolling her eyes, “I meant what you said. That blue French horn for my fireplace.”

  “Right?! I know it’d look great. Perfect ornament and perfect for ice breaker.” I brushed off the underwear comment, she already knew that i was just kidding, she’s that cool woman.

  “Yes, it’s Smurf penis,” Robin said matter-of-factly as she climbed the stairs to her apartment. “Everyone who comes over will admire the beautiful horn… and I’ll say, ‘Yeah, it’s Smurf penis.’ Just like you said.” She said with a little snort like she didn’t believe that.

  I watched the smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

  She was beautiful, and even better—she could handle stupid jokes better than any woman. That’s why ‘Ted's’ friends are accepting her that fast and longer, they still hang out with each other after having kids.

  She met my eyes, then glanced at her apartment door. “So… this is my place.” She fidgeted with her keys. “I had a great time.”

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  This was the moment.

  In the story, this was exactly when her coworker ruined everything. Or where Ted chickened out to kiss her already.

  But right now?

  There was no one.

  Just me, her, stairs, autumn wind… a few stars on top of our head.

  “Yeah, me too,” I said, looking into her eyes.

  … Is this it?

  Is this the moment where I finally kiss her?

  She looked at my face… then at her keys… then back at me.

  This was a signal.

  A CLEAR signal.

  The ‘kiss me already’ signal.

  “Yeah, me too,” I repeated like an idiot.

  She giggled, “You said that already…” While her eyes keep on mine.

  She didn’t move away or go inside to her apartment.

  She stopped giggling and she kept staring at me, waiting quietly.

  I stepped closer.

  Then—

  A car screeched to a stop nearby.

  Of course.

  OF COURSE.

  Her coworker leaned out the window. “ROBIN! We got a jumper! Some psycho’s about to throw himself off the Manhattan Bridge! You need to cover it!”

  I took the deepest, most dramatic sigh of my entire existence.

  The universe was messing with me AGAIN.

  Screw this! I want to skip all of this and fast-forward to Season 2!.

  She is gorgeous, okay?! WHY can’t I have this one moment?!

  Robin looked at her coworker… then turned back to me, guilt in her eyes.

  “...I’m sorry…”

  Before I could say anything—

  —her hand grabbed the back of my neck.

  And she kissed me.

  Her lips pressed against mine softly.

  Not a hot, messy, slimy kiss.

  No tongue battle.

  Just… a real kiss.

  Her eyes were closed.

  Mine weren’t, because I was too stunned to react properly.

  She smelled incredible, her perfume lingered on her neck and I felt it hit me all at once.

  She was putting effort into this, so… I decided to actually participate.

  I finally closed my eyes and let the moment take over.

  A few seconds passed before she pulled away…face close to mine, I could feel her breath to my lips. I can take her right now, push her to the door and ignore her coworker right now.

  Fuck that, i can support her life until she find better job if i screw her job now.

  “...I had a great time tonight,” she whispered, cheeks a little flushed. “...I gotta go.”

  But I didn't. That’s just gonna insult her and hurt her pride as a strong independent woman.

  She turned and hurried to the van.

  “Yeah…” I said softly as she climbed inside.

  She didn’t look back.

  But her coworker?

  She smiled at Robin who’s clearly embarrassed… then gave me a small, silent apology with her eyes.

  I just waved at them until they’re gone, so I took a cab and went back to my apartment.

  —--

  “Sounds serious with this guy, huh…”

  Robin looked at her coworker, Denise, who was pretending to read the script in her hand. The papers were full of tonight’s lines and news cues, but Robin wasn’t thinking about any of that. Or thinking about the guy who wanted to take a leap.

  “Is he The One?” Denise asked again, a smirk growing on the corner of her mouth.

  “What?! Of course not! Shut up!” Robin snapped, voice going embarrassingly high.

  Whenever she got flustered, she denied everything with that volume.

  “Okay…” Denise said calmly, eyes drifting back to her script, but her smile was WAY too big.

  “He’s gonna jump!” another reporter shouted, staring at the man standing on the bridge rail.

  They watched for a second.

  “Oh… he just sneezed.”

  Robin and Denise rolled their eyes.

  They’d been here for minutes.

  The guy wasn’t gonna jump—he was just dramatic and cold, chickened out for the last minute of his step to another world.

  “...I just kissed him,” Robin finally whispered.

  “It’s not a big deal…”

  “I… didn’t say anything, sweetie.” Denise answered with a smile so wide it was practically glowing.

  Robin snorted. Yeah. Denise was nosy as hell.

  “I can tell he’s a cutie,” Denise added casually.

  “It was just one date,” Robin said, failing miserably to hide her smile. “He’s sweet and funny. I met a lot of guys like him, but he’s kind of… different.”

  “Yeah, he’s a heartthrob alright. I can see myself opening my legs for him.” Denise said flatly.

  She tapped her ring.

  “This ring is what stops me.”

  Robin burst into laughter.

  But deep down… she understood the feeling.

  She was this close to doing the exact same thing…...then probably getting fired because she chose sex over work.

  “Listen to this,” Robin said, unable to hold it anymore. She told her from the moment Robin met Ted, how he became a wingman to this date. “.....Can ANY guy say ‘Smurf penis’ on the first date?! I still can’t believe it!”

  “Less charming for me,” Denise said, “but I can clearly see you already fell for him on night one.” She saw when Robin said that, the smile on her face followed her words.

  “He’s gonna jump!” someone yelled behind them.

  They didn’t look.

  “Oh… he just got a chill.”

  Robin huffed.

  “What?! I did NOT! Robin Scherbatsky is NOT some stupid woman who falls for a guy the first time she meets him! That's just an illusion and maybe some lust.”

  “Uh huh. Sure.” Denise said, nodding dramatically.

  “And what did you say before? You two talked all night, drank Scotch, and shared a cigarette? How ROMANTIC is that?”

  Denise’s sarcasm could cut steel.

  Robin was about to say something when her phone buzzed.

  She glanced down, staring at her phone and a message from Ted.

  Her lips immediately curled into a smile she didn’t even notice.

  Denise noticed, though.

  But she didn't say anything to her, just watched Robin smile like the idiot woman she just said. An Idiot woman who fell in love with the man she just met.

  “Not falling for him, huh…” she muttered, eyes flicking back to her papers.

  Robin ignored her entirely, typing a reply quickly before snapping her phone shut.

  “Ugh… is he gonna jump or what?!” Robin finally snapped, turning toward the man on the bridge.

  “BUDDY! ARE YOU GONNA JUMP OR WHAT?! STOP WASTING OUR TIME!”

  People around them stared, but Robin didn’t care.

  Denise tried to stop her, reaching out like,

  “Robin—Robin please be cool—Robin sweetie, tone it down—”

  “LIFE DOESN’T STOP FOR ANYONE! MOVE ON, MAN!”

  But it was too late. Robin’s voice was far louder than Denise’s attempt to be the responsible adult.

  The man on the ledge froze.

  He stared at Robin.

  Then at the water.

  Then back at Robin.

  And then… slowly… he stepped down from the railing.

  He wasn’t jumping tonight.

  “YEAH!!! Great job, lady!”

  Cheers erupted behind them.

  People applauded and some of them whistled.

  Robin, slightly embarrassed, tried waving them off — but of course she still soaked up every second of the praise.

  “Robin! Let’s go!” Denise barked, suddenly all business as she directed the cameraman to start rolling.

  Robin stopped herself and looked at the camera, “Tonight not just became a tragedy for Brooklyn bridge…”

  She said a few words toward the camera and gave them a few words before shutting down. “Hey Ed, could you please drive me to the Upper West Side please?” Robin said while glancing at Denise who just smiled knowingly, “... I need to meet my friends.”

  “Is this the guy you just kissed? Sure.” Ed, the cameraman and driver, said shamelessly which made Robin punch him and looked at Denise, “Shut up!”

  “I didn't say anything sweetie.” Denise said and got in the car with Ed with their laughter and Robin followed behind them with her embarrassed face. “Goshh… you're both childish.” Robin curses under her breath.

  “Still don't say anything sweetie.” Denise said and Ed just laughed before they drove off to the Upper West Side, specifically to the MacLaren Bar.