A/N: This is my first fan-fiction story, although I've been writing original stuff for a while. Anyway, I've been reading stories LM for a while, and I finally decided to take a shot at it when I came up with what I think is a good idea for a story. It's a little AU, but I hope you like it.

I do not own Lizzie McGuire or the characters associated with the show.

A summary: Best-selling author, Lizzie McGuire, penname Elizabeth Brooks, has a deadline to meet, but no story. She's not sure how she's going to follow her hit, "The DC Queen," but needs an idea ASAP. With her lack of ideas, she unwillingly decides to write a book based on her experiences with dating a guy she "picked up" somewhere. Yes. Does handsome David Gordon turn out to be the answer to her next book? What about her future?

The Perfect Ending

Chapter One

Twenty-nine year old Lizzie McGuire sat in her home office, staring at the practically blank document on her computer. She knew it was a bad idea to tell her publisher that she would have her next novel ready in six months. A month had passed, and every idea that came to her immediately disappeared, as she couldn't think of how to make it work. She knew that the chances that her next book would be as good as "The DC Queen" were not good, because it was the Curse of the Second Novel.

The reason "The DC Queen" was so easy to write was because it was a novel based on her life at the time. When she was twenty-six, she was addicted to Diet Coke, a male stripper who was an aspiring doctor was chasing after her. They ended up dating each other for four months before he broke it off because she couldn't get over her addiction to Diet Coke, and he believed it was unhealthy. After getting over the break-up, Lizzie decided that this whole situation was the perfect set-up to her first novel. With the aspiring doctor's permission, she started writing and two years, eight drafts, and 2,251 Diet Cokes later, her first book was released. Word got around quickly and it wasn't too long before she was climbing the best-selling charts and signed a deal with a publisher.

Since then, Lizzie gave up Diet Coke, as well as all soft drinks and caffeine in general, and up until recently, was too busy with book tours and interviews to even think about her next book. Too bad her agent, Max Miller, as well as her publisher weren't sympathetic to her problem. A month earlier, her publisher asked her when her next book was going to be ready. When she asked Max what to tell them, he reprimanded her for being unfocused and told her that it would be in her best interest if she acted fast and assured the publishing company that she would have a draft for them in six months.

At the time, the time limit didn't seem so bad. She'd written a draft for "The DC Queen" in three months. However, every time she sat down to focus, her mind went blank. The reason "The DC Queen" was so easy to write was because it was sort of based on her life. She made up the ending, of course, because in real life, the attractive stripper-doctor never called her back and convinced her to marry him, but otherwise there would be no good ending. No one would be interested in a romance-themed book where the main characters didn't end up happily ever after.

So, there she sat, contemplating. She hadn't had time to date anyone since then and she found herself having difficulty trusting a lot of the ideas she had because she wasn't sure she could end them believably. All she knew was that this book was going to be about Heather's wild friend, Jane, and her stubborn quest for love. Heather was the main character in "The DC Queen" and Jane was the friend who thought the stripper, Hunter James, was an arrogant, misogynistic SOB until she classically came to terms that Heather loved Hunter and gave the couple her blessing in the end, even though she still thought Hunter should have been more understanding about her addiction.

It wasn't a sequel. Rather, it was a new story with crossover characters. Lizzie got the idea from her best friend, Miranda, who supported her one hundred percent as a writer and was the best friend Lizzie could ever ask for in a million years.

After an hour of just sitting there, Lizzie decided that the book would just have to wait another day, because she needed a break, and had already agreed with Miranda and some other friends that she would have a girls' night out.

After taking a shower and getting ready for the evening, Lizzie headed for TGI Friday's to meet for dinner with Miranda and two other friends, Ashley and Kate.

"So," Miranda asked, as Lizzie sat down, "have you figured out who Jane is going to fall in love with yet? Please be the sheriff."

"No way," Ashley said, "It's the chef, right?"

Lizzie sighed, "I don't know. I need to figure that out quickly, though, because otherwise I don't have a story."

"Well," Kate said, "Well, I told you I thought you should have made it about Lauren in the first place because she was so sweet and innocent and you could make anyone fall in love with her and it would be believable…"

"We've been through this before, Kate. Even though they broke up, anyone could tell that Lauren and Kevin were going to end up together."

"There you go, then. Write about them getting back together."

Lizzie shook her head, "No…it's not interesting enough. Everything would be too repetitive. This needs to be about her other best friend, Jane."

"Well, the reason you wrote so easily about Heather was because Heather was based on you, right?" Miranda asked.

"Yeah," Lizzie said, grabbing a piece of cheese bread from the middle of the table, "So?"

"Lizzie, I don't know why I didn't think about this before," Miranda said, excitedly.

"What?" a confused Lizzie asked.

"Miranda, you're a genius!" Ashley exclaimed.

"What?" Lizzie repeated.

"You know, that's just crazy enough that it might work!" Kate said, apparently in on what Miranda and Ashley were talking about.

"You guys…" Lizzie whined, "This isn't fair. What are you trying to say?"

Miranda turned her attention to her friend, "Lizzie, don't you get it? In order to write about Jane, you have to be one with Jane. You have to understand her psyche and how she does things."

"So, what are you suggesting?"

"Simple," Miranda shrugged, "After dinner, I'm taking you to a bar. You're going to pick up a guy."

"Ooh!" Kate said, obviously liking the idea, "Can I come with? I've always wanted to see how these things are done."

"Are you crazy?" Lizzie asked, panicked, "I can't just waltz into a bar and pick up some random guy."

"You're right," Miranda frowned, "Jane is too classy to just walk out with a guy at a bar."

"Of course she is," Lizzie said, taking a sip if her water.

Miranda's face brightened again, "Unless she does it to prove a point!"

"What?"

"Well, Jane believes that there should be gender equality in dating, right?"

Lizzie nodded.

"That means that she thinks that it should be sociably acceptable for a woman to ask a guy out, open her door, pay for her meal, and take more initiative. This means that although Jane wouldn't normally pick up a guy at a bar, she wouldn't see anything wrong with it if it happened to other people. In the book, have Jane determined to prove a point that women can pick up all the guys they want to, but the relationship is doomed because a male cannot handle a woman who takes charge like that because its not in their blood. Jane will start dating this guy and insist on wearing the shoes in the relationship and ultimately find out that not all guys are duds like her ex, Billy. Does that make sense."

"Of course it does," Ashley said, "I think its perfect. Count me in for the bar."

"You guys," Lizzie said, "I'm dying to say no to this idea; however, because I'm desperate, I'll try anything, even if it means pretending to be Jane for tonight."

"Oh, it's not just for tonight," Miranda said, "When you get a guy you like, ask him out and go out with him. Go out with him until you want to break up with him."

"What?" Lizzie said, "No, I am not dating anyone. Not for pleasure and certainly not for business. That is so misleading."

"Oh, come on," Miranda urged, "You said you were desperate and you need this for the experience. You could go out on a date with him once and have enough information to write a book about him. It's harmless."

Lizzie sighed, considering her options. She felt wrong for considering them, but maybe it wouldn't hurt to get into Jane's head a little bit, "Fine, I'm in," Lizzie finally said, "I'm not saying I'll use the idea, but I'm a little rusty in my dating experience anyway, so it will be of some benefit to me, anyway."

"Great!" Miranda said, and she started talking a mile a minute about other possibilities for Jane and Ashley and Kate also randomly threw in their own ideas as well. By the time dinner was up, Lizzie felt a little more hopeful about this book.

It didn't surprise her, though. The character of Jane was loosely based on Miranda, after all.

After dinner, they headed for Lucky's, the local bar, where Operation: Pick Up would ensue.

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A/N: I know, it might not be the best set-up, but what do you think? Is it something I should continue? Let me know!