History Main / FallBackMarriagePact

* In ''Literatre/{{Overenskommelser}}'' by Creator/SimonaAhrnstedt, Seth has one of these with his NewOldFlame Lily Tremaine. They're friends rather than lovers, but still decide to get engaged. But in the end, [[spoiler: they break it up when Seth is reunited with Beatrice (the story's female protagonist) and Lily finds true love with Alexandre (with whom Beatrice had a similar relationship).]]

* In ''Literatre/{{Overenskommelser}} by Creator/SimonaAhrnstedt, Seth has one of these with his NewOldFlame Lily Tremaine. They're friends rather than lovers, but still decide to get engaged. But in the end, [[spoiler: they break it up when Seth is reunited with Beatrice (the story's female protagonist) and Lily finds true love with Alexandre (with whom Beatrice almost had a similar agreement).]]

* Hudson and Mrs. Bridges - the butler and cook - of UpstairsDownstairs have this arrangement. In one episode Mrs. Bridges seems to have found true love and Hudson offers to release her from their friendly agreement. Unfortunately her beloved turns out to be a jerk.

'''Chandler''': Oh God, this parachute is just a backpack. *Rolls of chair*

-->--''HowIMetYourMother'' [[spoiler:(becomes discarded as of season 7)]]

* Ted and Robin make one in ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'', which pretty much (but not entirely) marks the end of their WillTheyOrWontThey arc. Apparently the term "Ted & Robin pact" has entered the vernacular.

-->--''HowIMetYourMother''

* In ''TheOffice'', Michael Scott suggests this to Pam (at least in terms of having a baby together) if they're still single in ten years. She doesn't agree until he adds a couple decades.

* An interesting variant is used in the Friendship is Magic fanfc[[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/106068/1/relax/intimacy , Relax. ]] The protagonist and the prostitute he regularly sees make plans to marry assuming that he survives the war and she hasn't been either moved away, fallen for somebody else, or been bought as a personal SexSlave. It's quite heartwarming.

* A variant in ''{{American Dad}}'': Stan asks his dentist to be his "back-up wife" in case he ends up outliving Francine. HilarityEnsues when Francine finds out and decides to get herself a "back-up husband" for the same eventuality, in the form of Stan's attractive younger colleague. Unfortunately, [[AxCrazy it turns out both would-be spouses are taking it a lot more seriously than either of the Smiths expected...]]

* An interesting variant is used in the Friendship is Magic fanfc[[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/106068/1/relax/intimacy , Relax. ]] The protagonist and the prostitute he regularly sees make plans to marry assuming taht he survives the war and she hasn't been either moved away, fallen for somebody else, or been bought as a personal SexSlave. It's quite heartwarming.

* A variant in ''{{American Dad}}'': Stan asks his dentist to be his "back-up wife" in case he ends up outliving Francine. HilarityEnsues when Francine finds out and decides to get herself a "back-up husband" for the same eventuality. Unfortunately, [[AxCrazy it turns out both would-be spouses are taking it a lot more seriously than either of the Smiths expected...]]

* In ''TheOffice'', Michael Scott suggests this to Pam if they're still single in ten years. She doesn't agree until he adds a couple decades.

->'''Robin:''' Let's make a pact. If we both turn 40 and we're both single...
->'''Ted:''' Robin Scherbatsky - will you be my backup wife?
->'''Robin:''' A girl always dreams of hearing those words. Yes, yes, a million times, yes!

-->'''Monica''': Why won't I be married by the time I'm forty?
-->'''Chandler''': No, no. I just meant hypothetically.
-->'''Monica''': Okay. Hypothetically, why won't I be married by the time I'm forty?

Sometimes this trope is seen from the other side; an OldFlame (usually one who's [[NewOldFlame never been mentioned before]]) shows up to remind a character that they once made such a pact together, and they're here to collect on the deal. HilarityEnsues, especially if they've aged into an AbhorrentAdmirer and the other character [[OldFlameFizzle doesn't want them any more]].

* Something of a parody in ''WesternAnimation/DrawnTogether'': Captain Hero and [[PowerPerversionPotential Unusually Flexible Girl]] were friends in college and promised that if they were still single at 30, they'd get married.

* In one episode of ''{{Frasier}}'', it sounds like Roz is about to suggest one of these, and Frasier agrees to marrying her if they are both indeed single at the time. [[SubvertedTrope Turns out]] Roz was going to suggest [[SuicidePact they kill each other]] instead.

* Something of a parody in ''DrawnTogether'': Captain Hero and [[PowerPerversionPotential Unusually Flexible Girl]] were friends in college and promised that if they were still single at 30, they'd get married.

* Ted and Robin make one in ''HowIMetYourMother'', which pretty much (but not entirely) marks the end of their WillTheyOrWontThey arc. Apparently the term "Ted & Robin pact" has entered the vernacular.
* Discussed on ''Friends''; Rachel suggests making one with Ross, who claims he already has one with Phoebe... who is the one who suggested it to Rachel in the first place, claiming she has one with Joey. By the end of the episode, they settled on Ross being Rachel's backup, and Joey being Phoebe's.

If the pair have been going through a WillTheyOrWontThey plot, it's a handy way to bring it to an amicable close without irreversibly deciding that They Don't.

->'''Robin:''' Let's make a pact. If we both turn 40 and we're both single...\\
'''Ted:''' Robin Scherbatsky - will you be my backup wife?\\
'''Robin:''' A girl always dreams of hearing those words. Yes, yes, a million times, yes!