I would love your thoughts on my alternate ending...

Before I begin, I apologise for the length of this post, as I have thought about this a lot over the years.

I would have had the "Ted meeting Mother" scene at the end of season 8, but then have the kids, who have meanwhile got interested in the story, demand to know more about what happened to everyone, so the story would continue for another season and show what happened in the 10 years following the story.

As the years roll by Marshall and Lily would gradually start becoming unhappy and disillusioned with the New York life, which starts when they are unable to find a suitable preschool for Marvin. The final straw is when, 3 years after the main story, Marshall is offered a judgeship position, after proving himself at the NYDC for a long time - in Minnesota... After much thinking and debating Lily comes to the realization that Marshall and his family have been right all along about kids growing up in Saint Cloud, so by around halfway into the show they decide to move there permanently, with Barney (who I will cover soon) flying them in every week to meet up with the gang. In the final they would have been shown to have 5 kids (the number comes from Lily realizing that their marraige has outstripped any of either her or Marshall's expectations, so the nimber of kids is symbolic of that - instead of a horrible compromise) and will be living happily with a Godfather-style family scene in Saint Cloud.

Marshall and Lily are joined in Saint Cloud by James, Tom and their 4 kids (with the last two finally being black also, and born by surrogacy - one from James and one from Tom), which at the beginning causes a lot of awkwardness from Marshall's conservative family, but in the end they are showed to be best of friends, and in the final episode James and Tom's family are shown together with Marshall's family.

Robin gets divorced from Barney after a few episodes of showing why they don't work together, and after that she leaves the group and her career starts really picking up. She starts travelling places and fulfilling all her dreams as the rest of the gang watch them on TV, and in one of her trips she meets a guy (like Gael) who satisfies her unfilfilled spiritual needs. In the end Robin would be shown in a similar way to when she was in Argentina, and relaxing with her new husband as the phone rings incessantly.

Ted and Tracy's dating and wedding would take 2-3 episodes and 1 year with Tracy meanwhile becoming a full-fledged member of the gang, and following that it would show how they had made a very successful, loving and productive life together, with every one of Ted and Tracy's dreams coming true. In the end it would show Tracy getting a phone call from Barney, which will lead in to Barney's ending, to be depicted below.

Ranjit would have many successful career steps, and end up owning the limo company. Him and his son, who Barney lands a job in his firm, would be an integral part of Barney's plot, and help Barney achieve his career successes.

Barney is the one with the most story. Barney and Robin divorce and break up after 2-3 episodes, and Barney undergoes a total breakdown in his "personal" life, which he gets over after an intervention in Episode 3-4 by Ted, Tracy, Marshall, Lily and Ranjit's son, who gradually becomes an important character. Following the intervention Barney immerses himself in work as the role played in the time working with Marshall, and Ranjit's son takes Marshall's place as Barney's sidekick. Together they hatch an ongoing plot to oust Barney's evil CEO, which they achieve around the same time Marshall and Lily move to Saint Cloud. As a result Barney becomes CEO, and is able to keep the gang together, minus Robin and plus Tracy and Ranjit's son. While this is going on Barney, in a quest for stability, has tracked down Nora, married her and had 2 kids with her, and is looking to finally settle down. However, in the final 2 episodes we are introduced to Tyler, a 19 year old kid who looks and acts a lot like early-HIMYM Barney, and was born to a single mom that refuses to tell him who his dad is despite many attempts/ After many enquiries he finally finds in the final episode that Barney is his real dad, setting up the final scene.

The final scene would go like this: Barney gets a call from Tyler, and Tyler tells Barney that he, Barney, is Tyler's real dad, and to meet him at MacLaren's bar. An unbelieving Barney shows up at the bar, and quickly sees the truth of Tyler's statement, which immediately ignites in him his former youthful passion, and he says "Tyler, God has sent you to me for a reason. Now I will show you how to live!". Shortly after Barney calls the gang, and they all show up in the bar. Barney introduces them to Tyler, and immediately Barney plays the "Have you met" game and introduces Tyler to Carl's 18 year old daughter, who was coincedentally there at the time and is extremely hot. At the end, with all the youthful excitement Barney says "From now on all our lives will be legen-wait for it..." and they both leave the bar, and at the exit turn around and say ...dary! before walking off into the sunset with everyone looking on, and the credits roll.