Medical Center.
Hospital Room.
"Adam, how's my mom?" Ted asked anxiously.
"Mrs. Mosby has stress-induced cardiomyopathy..." Adam explained the situation. "There's no real cure, just precautions. She needs to be careful, especially on this day each year. No extreme emotions—no big highs or lows. Someone should always be with her, or better yet, she should check into the hospital in advance to stay safe."
In the hospital, emergency intervention was always available.
A stopped heart? No big deal.
They could bring her back in minutes.
"I'm so sorry, Mom."
Ted immediately blamed himself. "Today's my birthday, but it's also your day of suffering. The pain and joy of that day still haunt you, and it's all my fault."
Adam glanced at him.
Tsk, tsk!
Hardcore logic, right there.
Though, technically, he wasn't wrong.
Damn it, Ted!
"No pain, only joy."
Ted's mom gave an awkward smile.
His dad, however, seemed to understand something. His faint smile was a bit cold, but he didn't seem to care.
So, they were just putting on a united front.
They must have been distant for a long time, only keeping up appearances for Ted's sake, avoiding unpleasant topics so he wouldn't be hurt.
Adam couldn't help but imagine 3D models of Ted and his dad, standing side by side. Zooming in, he studied their facial similarities carefully.
Hmm...
The neighbor, Old Wang, might have been wild, but Ted's dad? Clearly the superior competitor.
Adam's mind suddenly conjured up a classic mythological scene—
King Ted speeding away, while his father shouted behind him: "Fellow friend, please stay!"
And then...
"Better you than me."
Morally questionable?
Maybe.
But Adam found it hilarious, spacing out for a good while before snapping back to reality.
After giving Ted's parents a few more instructions, Adam left the room.
As expected, Ted followed him out.
"Adam, thanks a lot."
"Don't mention it." Adam smiled. "We're friends, after all."
"Speaking of which..."
Ted extended his arm, pretending to be casual. "Today's my birthday. Marshall and Lily are throwing me a party tonight. You should come!"
"Sorry."
Adam shook his head apologetically. "I really don't have time..."
Then he told him about Alice Grey.
A foolproof excuse.
No one could argue with that.
Not even Ted.
Of course, if it were Marshall and Lily, Adam would probably squeeze in the time.
After all, time is like a sponge—you can always squeeze out a little more.
But just like the core group in Friends revolved around Chandler and Monica, Adam had his own division for How I Met Your Mother. For him, the core was Marshall and Lily.
Leonard once said: "The top doctors come in two types: those who are completely detached, like Alice Grey and Gregory House, and those who are in the process of becoming that way, like Richard Webber and Preston Burke."
Doctors who care about every patient? Either they never improve their skills, or they eventually have an emotional breakdown. Reaching the top requires a certain level of detachment.
Adam had only been interning for three months, yet he'd already witnessed so much joy and sorrow.
And the road ahead? A never-ending cycle of it.
Meredith and George liked to visit the NICU to watch newborns—it helped them cope.
Even for someone as capable as Adam, if he wanted to reach the top, he needed to find a way to manage his growing emotional burden.
Would he rather spend his limited free time enjoying the warmth of Marshall and Lily's relationship, or indulging in Joey, Ted, and Barney's chaotic nonsense?
Before starting his medical career, he would have chosen the latter.
But now, that option was gone.
"I see..." Ted rubbed his hands, looking conflicted.
"Don't worry."
Adam knew exactly what he was thinking but wasn't about to give in. He smirked. "I may not be there, but you'll still get a gift. I've got something just for you."
"Is it what I think it is?!"
Ted looked excited.
"Nope."
Adam shook his head.
"Come on!"
Ted pleaded. "Adam, it's my birthday! Just give me her phone number!"
"Nope."
Adam chuckled. "This year's gift is something I just got today. It's perfect for you, and since it's your birthday, it's meant to be. If you want the number as a gift, I can give it to you next year."
"..."
Ted's face darkened.
Next year?!
That's a whole year away!
And the number? Only 5 months and 17 days left!
You think I'm an idiot?
In reality, Ted had never waited the full six months they originally agreed on. He'd started pestering Adam almost immediately, even dragging Marshall and Lily into it.
But Adam never budged.
At this stage, Ted wasn't the mature Ted Mosby yet—he was still just Ted the Player.
A great girl like Teresa? No way was Adam letting Ted ruin her.
"What kind of gift is so special?" Ted asked suspiciously.
"You want to see it now?"
Adam raised an eyebrow, then remembered that opening gifts immediately was common here, so he didn't mind.
In some cultures, no wrapping was even needed—you could tell what it was just by looking.
"Can I?"
Ted was still fixated on Teresa's number, hoping he could guilt-trip Adam into giving in.
"Sure."
Adam grinned. "Actually, it'll have even more impact if you see it here."
He led Ted to his birthday present.
"What... is this?!"
Ted was dumbfounded.
Adam flicked the CT scan, making a clicking sound.
"This is your gift—something unique. Something unforgettable."
That's right.
Adam had gifted Ted Mr. Linden's CT scan.
With an arm around Ted's stunned shoulders, he pointed at the bullet lodged in the scan and vividly recounted the story of Mr. and Mrs. Linden.
"Ted, any thoughts?"
"..."
Ted was speechless.
"No doubt about it—Mr. and Mrs. Linden were truly in love," Adam said with a grin. "But love and hate go hand in hand. He cheated, she shot him in the head. Do you think she was a sharpshooter? Maybe she didn't actually mean to kill him—just scare him a little?"
Ted swallowed hard, still speechless.
"You've met a lot of great women over the years," Adam teased. "You loved them, and they loved you. Only one of them ever studied Krav Maga."
He clapped Ted on the shoulder. "You're lucky."
Ted shuddered and blurted out, "I hate guns!"
"Heh."
Adam smirked.
Funny, considering Robin was a total gun enthusiast.
Maybe, deep down, Ted was afraid of becoming Mr. Linden.
Who knows?
But in the end, in their original timeline, he and Robin ended up together.
Hopefully, it was a happy ending.
Adam's mind drifted to an image of Robin in full S.H.I.E.L.D. gear, rifle in hand, looking fierce.
Wait, why did I say "again"...?