Oof, that'd be a toughie. I'd have a hard time reconciling all little nods to it being Ted telling the story; the way the kids interacted with him in the first couple of seasons, and the time he asked "Am I a bad dad," after relating one of Barney's less appropriate conquests.
As intriguing even as the idea of Robin being dead, I do still feel it's a little too downbeat to have ended the series on; and also kind of puts all of the final focus on Robin, instead of where it should be - on Ted and the mother.
I did write my own take on how the end conversation would have gone with the mother being dead, and had posted it here a couple of days before the finale actually aired. I was appalled at just how close it actually ended up being, since I was making fun of what seemed at the time like a stupid fringe theory. I posted it to tumblr later, to "preserve" it - http://stargazer1682.tumblr.com/post/81353303178/himym-ending-in-essence
My ultimate conclusion for the series was pretty much dashed in season 8, when they put the kibosh on the Carly Theory. I really liked the idea that the mother would also turn out to be Barney's sister - who could have still been played by Cristin Milioti. I had been an advocate of the other characters meeting her, but I would have preferred if most of them never knew who she was until after Ted met her; with the exception of Barney, who of course would eventually go meet his sister.
I would have had it where, as Barney and Robin are confirming RSVPs for the wedding, Barney says his mom is coming, and his dad, his wife and their son. When asked about Carly, his half-sister, he plays coy; and it turns out he hadn't met her yet. Part of the reason is that she had been out of the country on a stint with the Peace Corps, but had been back for awhile. When pressed why he still hadn't met her, he says he's always been the younger brother, looking up to his big brother James; he's never had a younger sibling expecting him to be a role model, much less a little sister, and given his history, Barney's worried she wouldn't approve of him. Marshall replies, "Really? If I were you, I'd be much more worried I accidently slept with her," to which Barney is mortified, because he hadn't actually considered that possibility before.
He finally goes to see meet her by finding out from his dad where her band is perform and goes to listen to them play; and is happy to not recognize her as a past conquest. When he goes to talk to her he panics and himself as Ted Mosby; and says that he was considering her band for his upcoming wedding. He tells her the date, and she mentions off hand how her half-brother is getting married that day too; to which Barney says, "Oh, so I guess you're going to that then, huh?" Carly responds that she's actually not sure, because she doesn't really know him, and they haven't event met; and that it's been kind of weird for her, finding out that her dad has this older son she never knew about until recently. They get to talking and end up hitting it off. They talk about the Peace Corps and her experiences; and Barney confides that not going when he had the opportunity was something he secretly regretted.
Throughout their conversation Carly's phone keeps going off, and she eventually explains that it's a guy, but doesn't know if she should call him her boyfriend or ex; because she found out he was fooling around with other women when she was away with the Peace Corps, but swears its out of his system and is totally committed to her now. Barney offers some sage advice, in part talking from his own experience as that sort of guy, and tells her that she deserves better. She resolutely ends things with the guy, only to immediately panic when she realizes what she's done, but Barney assures her that there are better guys out there - though when pressed, he can't think of a single one that he knows personally.
They chat more, and eventually she gets another message on her phone, only this time it isn't her ex; rather she says she got a dream offer for a job, or at least an interview. She didn't really think she'd be considered for the job, but had submitted her resume anyway; and they had narrowed their list of candidates down to her and one other person. Barney congratulates her, but Carly brushes it off; saying she doesn't think she actually has a chance, and probably won't go to the interview, because she doesn't think she'll be good enough, but Barney won't hear of it.
Barney: You can do this
Carly: No. I bet you anything they're just giving me an interview to make the other person sweat, and think there's competition, so they can strike a better deal. They've probably already made up their minds.
Barney: Screw the competition. Don't... don't give up on your dreams. If you want this, go for it.
Carly: You don't even know what the job is for. For that matter, you barely even know me!
Barney: I probably know you better than you think; and whatever the job is, I bet you, you will be legend - wait for it - dary! You'll be legendary!
Carly: Augh, you sound like my dad; he used to say everything was going to be "legendary". Even our lame cross country trip the Harry Houdini museum was going to be "legendary".
Barney: You've been to the Harry Houdini museum??
(Carly laughs)
Barney: Do it. Do it. Do it, do it, do it!
Carly: Okay, fine. I'll do it!
Barney: Good... and, umm, I want you to come to my wedding?
Carly: ... well, I'm sure my band could find someone to fill in for me if I can't...
Barney: No, you. I'd like you to be at my wedding. My name's not Ted, it's... Barney... Stinson. I'm... I'm your brother.
Carly: ...Yeah, I know...
Barney: What? How did you know?
Carly: Dad's had all sorts of pictures of you on Facebook, ever since you two reconnected. I recognized you the second you walked in. Who's Ted Mosby?
Barney: Pfft, a name I made up; it's not important. So you knew?
Carly: Yup.
Barney: Alright. Well played. So, will you come to my wedding?
Carly: I don't know.
Barney: Oh... right. Okay... Well..
Carly: No, I'd actually love to; especially now that I've finally gotten to know my big brother, it's just that - that job you just egged me on to go for; it would take me overseas, and depending on if or when....
Barney: When...
Carly: When they hire me, I might have to move pretty suddenly. But I do hope it works out for me to go.
Barney: Me to.
Future Ted: And that kids is how Uncle Barney met your mother.
In a later episode, Robin would go to a meeting for a prospective job offer she got as a foreign correspondent; where she was in contention for the job with one other person - Carly. As they sit in the waiting room, they strike up awkward conversation. In spite of being in competition they manage to hit it off; something a-typical for Robin in general, but she finds talking to her easy - "Like talking to my friend, Ted." Carly brushes off the coincidence, and as their discussion goes on, they realize that they had both worked for Metro News 1, albeit at different times. They both genuinely wish each other luck, as one of them gets called in for their interview.
Future Ted: And that kids is how Aunt Robin met your mother.
The finale would have been Ted and Carly's day, intercut to follow both of them as circumstances ultimately brought them together, but showed the many different ways they might have never met. Carly's day would have been a series of unfortunate events, between missing out on the perfect wedding gift, giving up her cab unwittingly to Marshall and Lily, only to be unable to find another cab for blocks. Something results in her needing to change clothes, only to find when she gets home that she's being evicted for some reason; so she has to take all of her stuff to her parents' house. On her way back into the city, she gets a call that she didn't get the foreign correspondent job, and considers taking up an opportunity mentioned to her to go on another Peace Corps mission. She's missed the wedding and considers going back home to her parent's house, but decides to at least try and catch up to her brother at the church, before the reception. As her cab pulls up, she sees everyone piling into a limo, and is rushing to catch up to them. As she juggles her umbrella and paying the cab driver, the wind catches her umbrella and blows it across the street.
Meanwhile, during Ted's day; he's busy with best man duties, only in this iteration he's best man to both Robin and Barney; because they both wanted him to be best man, and he ends up pulling double duty to two crazy people. He talks down Robin, he talks down Barney. He puts out small figurative, and probably one literal fire. Robin panics when she gets a call saying she got the job, because it means leaving New York, but rather than Ted talk her down, Barney says all the right words. Robin then calls her boss at World Wide News to tell her she's gotten the other job she was being considered for, and will be leaving in a couple of days. "I know this is short notice, and I'll be leaving you short a reporter.... but I think I can help you with that..."
Meanwhile, Ted sees some of the band members who will be playing at the reception - Cindy's roommate's band - and he tries to find the bass player to chat her up; only, unbeknownst to him, it's a substitute, since the normal base player, Carly, had plans to attend Barney's wedding rather than perform. He strikes out with this woman he had believed was Cindy's perfect roommate, and feels he's sufficiently exhausted the dating prospects of New York; and calls his old boss Hammond Druthers to say he'll take him up on his offer, but it'll take a few weeks to make arrangements.
After the wedding, the wedding party piles out into the limo, but Ted forgot his phone back in the church and returns to get it.
Marshall says, "Hey, let's drive around the block so Ted thinks we left him." "Hit Ranjit!"
Ted walks back out to find the limo and his friends gone, and he's not amused; when out of the corner of his eye he sees a familiar looking yellow object tumbling towards him, with a beautiful woman frantically chasing after it.
Carly:Stop! Wait, that's my umbrella.
Ted: This is your umbrella.
Carly: Yeah, thanks....
Ted: Ted. I'm Ted.
Carly: You're Ted?
Ted: Yeah.
Future Ted: Kids, as you know, Aunt Robin pulled some strings and helped your mom get an interview at World Wide News; and she decided to stay in New York.
Carly: Carly.
Ted: You're Carly?
Carly: Hi.
Future Ted: And so did I.
Ted: Hi.
Future Ted: And that kids is how I met your mother.
The limo pulls up to let them both in, as a full rendition of "Hey Beautiful," by the Solids begins to play. It plays over a montage of everyone's life, as they grow older; we see Marshall sworn in as a judge, Ted and Carly married, their kids and Marshall and Lily's kids growing up, and at the very end of the song, as the familiar verse that had been the show's theme plays, they're all together for one more picture that freezes on the screen; and fades to black.
“Well, that's called tyranny; and its generally frowned upon."
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