Living room, 2030
"Kids, there's something you need to understand about love. Sometimes it shows itself with grand gestures, like crossing the country to find someone, and other times it shows itself with small things, like forcing a stressed-out bride-to-be to eat a cheeseburger at two in the morning."
Ted Mosby leans back in his armchair with that smile his kids know so well.
"The week before Lily, Marshall and Alyx's wedding was crazy, you know. Lily couldn't eat from the stress, Marshall couldn't sleep without Lily, and Alyx was torn between the two because even though she didn't live with them, she loved them both with the same intensity, and Barney... well, Barney was convinced that Bob Barker was his father."
"The three-person wedding?" asked Ted's daughter.
"The three-person wedding," confirmed Ted. "Three people who loved each other and had decided to spend the rest of their lives together. But before that could happen, they had to survive the most stressful week of their lives, and Alyx, as always, was the one who kept her cool."
Bar MacLaren's
The group was at their usual table, but Marshall, Lily and Alyx were sitting together, very close. Alyx was to Lily's left and Marshall to her right. The three of them were sharing a portion of french fries while Marshall fed Lily, Alyx fed Marshall and Lily fed Alyx.
It was a perfectly synchronized circle of codependency.
"Again?", said Robin, pointing at them with her beer.
"Again what?" asked Marshall.
"You three are glued together like always, it's disgusting," pointed out Barney.
"It's not disgusting, it's love," replied Lily.
"It's codependency," said Barney. "And it is disgusting. Plus now there are three of you, which is three times as disgusting."
Ted looked up from his beer. "Leave them alone, they're happy."
"But they can't be apart for even a minute," insisted Barney. "The other day, Marshall went to the bathroom, and both of them went with him."
"We had to wash our hands," said Lily.
"MacLaren's bathroom has only one sink," pointed out Robin.
"And the three of us shared."
Barney made a disgusted face. "You three share the sink? While one of you was doing their business?"
"We weren't doing our business, we were just washing our hands," said Marshall, clearly lying.
"I don't believe you," denied Barney.
Ted intervened. "Okay, you're right, you three are a bit clingy, but it's not a bad thing. It's... it's your style."
"Thanks, Ted," said Alyx. "Someone who understands us."
"But it's true that you can't be apart," added Ted. "What happened to your plan to sleep separately for the two weeks before the wedding?"
Marshall, Lily and Alyx exchanged glances.
"We canceled it," said Marshall.
"Why?" asked Robin.
"For... logistical reasons," started Marshall.
"Wedding logistics," added Lily.
"Three-person logistics," completed Alyx.
"Damn logistics," said Marshall. "They always ruin everything."
Barney looked at them skeptically. "You didn't cancel it because you can't, because you're incapable of being apart."
"Of course we can," said Lily.
"Then do it. Stay at Robin's tonight, Marshall stays here, and Alyx... Alyx can stay wherever."
Alyx smiled. "I don't have a problem being alone, you know. I'm the least codependent of the three."
"That's because you're the smartest," said Robin.
"Or the wisest," said Alyx.
Lily looked at her. "You really don't mind us sleeping apart?"
Alyx took her hand. "I do mind, but I know I'm going to see you tomorrow, and that I love you, and that doesn't change because we sleep in different beds."
"How nice," said Robin. "See, Lily? That's how it's done."
"Okay," said Lily. "I'll do it. I'll stay at your place, Robin."
"Really?" asked Marshall with beaten puppy dog eyes.
"Really, we can spend one night apart. It's not that hard," started Lily.
"Yes, it is hard," murmured Marshall.
"It is not," denied Lily.
"It is," reiterated Marshall.
"Guys," said Alyx. "You've been together for ten years, and I've been with you for even more. It's okay that it's hard for you to be apart. It's not a sickness. It's love."
"Thanks, Alyx," said Lily. "You always understand us."
"Someone has to."
Robin sighed. "Well, if you're going to sleep apart, at least try not to call each other every five minutes."
"We won't call each other," said Lily.
"We will call each other," said Marshall.
"Marshall!"
"It's just that I'm going to miss you."
"And I'll miss you," said Alyx.
"And I'll miss both of you," said Marshall.
"Okay, that's enough," said Barney. "I'm going to order another beer, and this time, I'm going alone because I'm not codependent."
"I'll go with you," said Ted.
"You are codependent."
"No, I'm thirsty."
"That's what a codependent would say."
Barney and Ted went to the bar, and Robin looked at Lily.
"Are you really going to sleep at my place?" asked Robin.
"Yes, but just one night," said Lily, convinced.
"Okay, but don't complain if Marshall calls you at three in the morning," said Robin, sure of it.
"He won't call," denied Lily.
"He will call."
"He will call," confirmed Marshall.
"Marshall!"
"Sorry. I love you."
"I love you too," said Lily.
"And I love both of you," said Alyx.
Lily sighed. "I love you too, Alyx, but I need to learn to be without the two of you."
"I don't," said Marshall.
"Me neither," said Alyx.
"That's a problem."
"I know."
Alyx began. "Look, Lily. It's not about learning to be without us. It's about learning that being apart doesn't mean we stop loving each other. And that, you already know."
Lily looked at her. "How do you know?"
"Because when I left for Vermont, I didn't stop loving you two, and you two didn't stop loving me, even though you didn't know where I was at that moment. And here we are, together again."
Marshall hugged her. "You're the wisest of the three."
"I know, that's why you love me."
The Street in Front of MacLaren's
Ted and Robin left the bar together, walking slowly with their hands in their pockets.
"Do you think Lily will be able to sleep without Marshall and Alyx?" asked Robin.
"I don't know, but if anyone can help her, it's Alyx. Even though she won't be with her tonight," said Ted, convinced.
"Do you trust Alyx that much?" asked Robin.
Ted stopped. "Why do you ask?"
Robin hesitated. "I don't know. It's just that... we don't know anything about her. Her family, her past. And suddenly, she appears and becomes Lily and Marshall's partner. And Lily's savior."
"Does it bother you?"
"It doesn't bother me that someone is so good without us knowing where she comes from... I don't know, it makes me distrustful."
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