Author's Note: This story is a crossover of "Gilmore Girls" and "Ed." I just think Lorelai and Ed would be the cutest couple so I had to put them in a fic together. If you don't watch one of the shows, hopefully you will not be too confused. Also, this story is part of my own series, so you should read the first two parts: "Yes, I know" and "Before She Goes."
Disclaimer: I don't own "Gilmore Girls" or "Ed." Don't sue.
"Could this day get any worse?"
Luke looked over and saw Lorelai shuffling into the diner. She pouted over to the counter and flopped down with a heavy sigh.
"We're out of regular, only have decaf today," he said as he set a mug in front of her. Lorelai returned his jest with an evil glare.
"You are so not funny. I'm not in the mood for your cruel jokes," she continued to pout. "Life stinks."
"Sure does." He poured her a mug and watched her stare sadly into it. "You're not gulping down your coffee."
"It doesn't taste as good without Rory."
"You have coffee without Rory all the time."
"Yes, but I know that eventually she will show up to join me. Unless for some bizarre reason, like they shut down Washington D.C. or something, I know Rory is not going to show up today."
"She's been gone for three weeks, she'll be back before you know it."
"But my vacation is scheduled for next week and I am not going to have anything to do," Lorelai whined.
"Reschedule it."
"I can't. By the time Rory gets home, Michel will be in France for two weeks so I have to be at the inn, and then August is just plum full of last minute summer weddings every week that I have to plan and manage."
"You don't have to go on vacation, you know."
"Um, yeah, I do. I earned it and I am not going to be one of those losers who doesn't have anywhere to go or anything to do for their vacation, so they just keep working."
"Maybe you could go to Washington and visit Rory," Luke suggested.
"Oh, believe me, the notion has crossed my mind. But Rory said that if I come down, I won't want to leave or she'll want to come home with me so I should just stay here and tough it out."
"Is she having a good time?"
Lorelai managed a little smile. "She won't admit it to me because she thinks I'll feel bad, but I think she is."
"That's good to know."
"Yeah. It is," she acknowledged. Then took a drink of coffee as Luke walked away.
"Ed, where are you?" Molly asked after realizing whom it was.
"Connecticut," Ed announced cheerily from his cell phone as he drove past the town square.
"What are you doing in Connecticut?" Molly chuckled.
"Just driving. This whole road trip thing is amazing, Molls. You should have come," Ed explained as he came to a stoplight.
"Ed, you've lost it. Come home."
"I will, when I find what I lost."
Molly sighed. "Carol isn't in Connecticut."
"I'm aware of that. And I'm not looking for Carol."
"Then what are you doing?"
Ed paused. "Looking for something else."
Before Molly could respond, she heard a thud. "What was that?"
Ed looked in his rearview mirror. "I think I was just in a car accident."
Lorelai was just finishing her second cup of coffee when she heard people outside making a fuss. She turned around on her stool and saw a crowd gathering and the traffic backed up. "What happened?" she asked Luke as she stood up.
"Beats me." He seemed uninterested.
"Don't worry, I'll check things out," she replied as she walked for the door. She was standing on her tiptoes to see over the crowd when she noticed Sookie's car in the street. She managed to squeeze through and saw Sookie standing on the other side of the cars. "Sookie, are you okay?" Lorelai asked as she rushed over.
"Yeah, I'm okay but look!" Sookie fretted and Lorelai studied Sookie's bent bumper and the broken taillight on the other car.
"What happened?"
"She hit me," the dark haired man, whom Lorelai assumed was the owner of the other car, answered.
"Hey, I was talking to my friend here!" Lorelai snapped, then turned back to Sookie. "What happened?"
"Well, I was stopped at the red light and then I realized that since Jackson's raspberry crop just came in that and the fourth of July is next week so I should get some blueberries to make some of those festive patriotic desserts that everyone loves so I was going to write it down so I wouldn't forget and then I heard someone honk and looked up and saw the green light and started to go and then I hit…him," Sookie explained.
Lorelai turned back to the other man. "So you were just sitting at the green light?"
"She hit me!" he repeated.
"I only went because someone honked at me so I panicked!" Sookie added.
"So whoever honked is really to blame," Lorelai resolved and they all looked at the car behind Sookie.
"Kirk!" Lorelai and Sookie yelled and he got out of the car.
"What? You're holding up traffic!" he whined. "I'm late for an interview."
"Why don't we all go to Hewes Brothers and work things out there," Lorelai offered.
"Fine," Sookie sighed as she started to get in the car.
"Where's that?" the man asked.
"You don't know where Hewes Brothers is?" Lorelai asked.
"I'm from out of town."
"Oh. Well, I'll ride with you," Lorelai decided as she walked over to the passenger side.
"Didn't your mother tell you not to take rides with strangers?" he reminded with a smile. Lorelai suddenly blushed and found herself flirting back.
"Only if they offer you candy too."
"I'm Ed Stevens, by the way," Ed told her once they were driving towards the mechanics.
"Oh. Lorelai Gilmore, it's nice to meet you…I guess," she replied with a chuckle. "Um, what brings you to Stars Hollow?"
"I was just passing through, I'm sort of on a road trip," he admitted, feeling a little embarrassed, realizing how idiotic it sounded coming from a thirty three year old man.
"Oh, fun. You'll have to see all the sights: the giant slinky…um, that's about it."
"Sounds exciting," Ed laughed.
"So, where are you from?" she asked. "Oh, turn left."
"A small town in Ohio, Stuckeyville," he answered. "You know, it's probably a little like this place."
"There aren't many places like Stars Hollow," Lorelai countered. She and Ed shared a quick look before Lorelai realized they were there. "This is it. Only auto shop in town." Ed stopped the car and they both got out and watched Sookie pull in behind them.
"Okay, so Ed Stevens, this is Sookie Melville," Lorelai introduced.
"I am so sorry about your car," Sookie apologized but Ed waved his hand quickly.
"Look, it was as much my fault as yours, and since neither cars are too severely damaged, why don't we just call it even?" he suggested.
"Really? Oh thanks, I'll just tell Jackson I pulled too far forward in the garage again," Sookie sighed.
"Well, I'm glad we worked things out," Lorelai said as Gypsy came over to check things out. "Gypsy, hi. Look, it seems that my friends here had a bit of a fender-bender so-"
"We're all booked up today, can't get to your cars until tomorrow," Gypsy explained before Lorelai could finish.
"It's just a broken taillight," Ed pointed out.
"And it's a broken taillight that will have to be fixed tomorrow." She walked back towards the shop.
"Well, it looks like you're stuck here," Lorelai said as she turned back to Ed.
"I am so sorry about this," Sookie said once more.
"No, it's okay. Um, can either of you recommend a nice hotel?"
Suddenly, both women began smiling.
