Lorelai was loading the last few items she'd be bringing to Mia's wedding to her Jeep. Ten hours on the road -alone. That's a long time. Maybe I could use it to reevaluate the decision I've made in my life. Lorelai thought to herself. Now that's a lot of thinking. Mia was important to her, and even though driving alone that long would be a tiring task, all she could think about were all the reasons why she couldn't miss the wedding of her mother figure. She could not miss the wedding, not Mia's, and if it means that she'd be stuck alone with the thoughts of her just failed marriage to celebrate the marriage of Mia, ironic as it was, she was going to be there.

With the last bags loaded. She got in her Jeep, placed some tunes, and drove off. Just as she was making a right near the gazebo, she heard an unusual noise coming from the hood of her car. Oh no, no. Now, what's happening? Lorelai was thinking the last time she asked Gypsy to check if her Jeep was suitable for long drives. Just then, her car stopped in front of the diner. Lorelai went out of the car to check what just happened to her car, thinking that she was lucky at least that she was still in town when this mishap occurred. She called Gypsy, told her that the Jeep stopped, and wondered if there is something she could do to fix the car for her trip to North Carolina.

Luke was giving his last reminders to Caesar and Zach regarding the diner, telling them that he'll be gone just a few days to attend Mia's wedding, and if they had any problems to contact him on his cellphone. He was about to enter his truck when he saw Lorelai's Jeep parked near the gazebo with its hood propped up and Lorelai looking pissed on the driver's seat. Without thinking further, he walked towards Lorelai to check if she might need assistance.

Luke knocked on the car's window, startling Lorelai. "What happened?"

Lorelai opened her widow. "I dunno. The Jeep started making this weird noise, then I saw smoke coming from the hood." Lorelai explained to Luke. "I just made a call to Gypsy to take a look at the car and maybe she could do something to fix it so that I could start the Lorelai-All-By-Herself-Road-Trip to North Carolina." Lorelai retorted trying to hide her annoyance with everything that's happening. "Gypsy told me that she'll come here after fixing the car in her shop right now. Might be here in an hour or so."

Luke could sense Lorelai's frustration. "But the wedding's tomorrow morning. If you wait for Gypsy to finish with what she's doing right now, then finish fixing your car, you'd miss the wedding. Plus, it's not that safe to drive at night alone. You might fall asleep and get into an accident."

"Well, there's nothing much I could do here. I have no other option."

Lorelai sounded defeated at this point. Annoyed, but was sounding more and more defeated. There was one solution in front of him, but he wasn't sure if it was the wisest one. He knew how much Mia means to her, and how much she wanted to attend the wedding. Without giving it another thought,

"I'm on my way to Mia's wedding actually. I was about to leave when I saw your Jeep here. Why don't you leave your car in the shop then just go with me." Luke offered.

"Go with you… with you to a wedding, Mia's wedding."

"Well, there's no other solution I could think of here," Luke replied. "I know it might seem kind of weird, for us to go to a wedding together, but would that weirdness stop you from attending? I'd like to think that we're still friends."

"So, we'll go to the wedding just as friends." Lorelai clarified although she knew this was weird times three thousand.

"Unless there's a cab that you could take from Connecticut to North Carolina?" Luke responded. He was uncomfortable as well, but he knew that this was the right thing to do.

Lorelai sighed in defeat. She wasn't sure if it was a good idea to be stuck with Luke for 10 hours in his truck after everything that happened between them. But she was desperate, she had to be there. She was now weighing the pros and cons of missing the wedding or being with her ex-fiancé for that long of a time. Their relationship was no doubt improving, civil at least.

"Are you sure you're okay with me tagging along?"

"I wouldn't offer if I wasn't okay with it." Deep inside though, Luke was not sure he's okay, but it's Lorelai. End of discussion.

Lorelai phoned Gypsy, telling her that she'll leave the jeep parked in the gazebo and drop off the car keys to her shop. She could just tow the Jeep, bring it to her shop then leave it there until she comes back from her trip. Luke then helped Lorelai transfer her bags to the truck. After leaving the keys with Gypsy, they started their journey to North Carolina.


Weird, no, awkward. It was a toss-up between the two during the first 3 hours of their trip. Silence predominated. Lorelai opted to listen to the static on the truck's radio to drown the silence. No words were uttered during this time since neither didn't know how to do the polite small talk. At hour 5 Lorelai felt her stomach grumble, and her bladder slowly filling. For some reason, she couldn't bring herself to tell Luke to make a stop at the next gas station. At hour 7, Lorelai was fidgeting on her seat, mentally telling her bladder to hold it a bit more until Luke would also need to use the facilities. Luke glanced over at Lorelai and saw her fidgeting.

"There's a gas station nearby in about 10 minutes. Okay if we make a stop?" Thinking that Lorelai was stubborn to ask him to make them stop, he decided that this would be the better approach.

"Yeah. Sounds good."

Once the truck stopped, Lorelai immediately ran off to use the facilities. Luke stretched after the long drive knowing that they were almost halfway to their destination. He also decided to buy some food since he knew Lorelai's feeding schedule. Once Lorelai returned, she wasn't surprised that Luke got her food. He was thoughtful and knew her very well. They then went back on the road. Lorelai was eating her hotdog sandwich when Luke turned to her.

"Why didn't you tell me you had to use the bathroom? We passed by a couple of gas stations; we could have made a stop earlier." Luke asked.

Lorelai didn't respond. Luke wasn't sure about her sudden inability to talk. Was it because she was that hungry that she couldn't talk and eat at the same time? That was rare for Lorelai. Is she this uncomfortable around me? Luke mused. He was okay with the silence, but he knew it must be hard for Lorelai to have silence bathe her for a long time. Luke tried not to think further and just concentrated on the road ahead.

After some time, Lorelai whispered.

"Thank you." Luke looked in her direction and nodded. Lorelai was now opening a bag of chips that Luke got for her. "Glad that you still remember my feeding schedule." She said in between munching on her chips.

"You're not easy to forget, Lorelai Gilmore," Luke said with a small smile forming on his lips. "Some things just never change." Lorelai just looked at Luke whose eyes were still fixed on the road.

"With Mr. Flexibility over here?" Lorelai retorted, a smile forming on her lips as well.

"If you knew I wasn't, then you'd know how hard it was adjusting to life-changing situations." Luke scolded himself for not thinking first before replying. They were just starting with the small talk, and now it was heading to a crashing halt.

"Yeah. And if you knew me so well, then you'd know how impatient I am. Waiting for you to be ready to marry was no easy feat." Lorelai deadpanned. They both looked at each other for a long time thinking about how to respond to their current conversation when they both burst out laughing.

"We are the perfect pair," Lorelai said.

"I think we are. Mr. and Ms. Flexibility 2007." Luke responded.

Both were not sure why neither one of them got angry with what they just said. If you were to ask them a couple of months ago, they'd be in a screaming match right about now.

"So, is it my cue for me to walk out of this truck, crying then you'd be chasing me, calling my name? Then even if I can hear you calling my name, I still wouldn't look back" Lorelai said.

"And then it will start to rain," Luke added on.

"Then we'll look into each other's eyes, then kiss in the middle of the road?"

"Crazy lady." Luke said under his breathing "You've been watching too many movies."

"And somehow, I rubbed it off on you." Lorelai retorted.

"Touché," Luke replied. They were then silent for a moment. Luke brought his focus again back on the road. That was a weird conversation, they had just there. But he couldn't help but be happy that at least their usual banter was back. Luke thought to himself.

"Hey, I also got you a magazine. I know you have a lot of superpowers, and one of them is reading in a moving car." Luke then handed the magazine to Lorelai.

"Aw, you didn't have to. But it wouldn't be fair for me to be reading this, since this would only amuse me, but you'll still be stuck with the silence."

"I'm fine driving in silence, in case you didn't notice." Luke glanced back at Lorelai. "I just want you to be happy, in this road trip at least." Luke knew Lorelai's road trip usually consists of an AC/DC sing-off plus non-stop conversation. Not being able to do either made him pick up the magazine in the store for Lorelai.

"Now that's a perfect answer." Lorelai yelped as she tried to flip through the magazine. "But since I'm such a good person, and I want to share my blessings, how about I read to you articles from this magazine?"

"Aw, jeez, it's Cosmo! I don't think there's something that would interest me." Luke replied.

"Hep, hep, hep! Do not just jump to conclusions, Burger Boy. How about we let fate decide. I'll flip through this magazine, then read to you whatever's on that page." Lorelai closed her eyes, opened the magazine at a random page. Lorelai then started to read aloud the header of that article. "Best position for her to reach her orga.." Lorelai knew better not to finish that sentence. She didn't want Luke to be put in that awkward place, not yet though. Luke blushed. He knew what that article was about but was shocked that Lorelai was being mature knowing it would put him in an awkward state.

"… reach her orga… organisms?" Luke teased. Lorelai let out a laugh knowing that in this round, Luke won.

"Okay, best of 3."

"Okay, but no cheating. Whatever the article is, you have to read it aloud."

Lorelai closed the magazine again then opened it to another random page. Lorelai then read the header of the said page. "Three types of love every person experience in their life." Whoops, should have stuck with the first article. Lorelai thought to herself. Luke was silent as if waiting for Lorelai to continue reading. Taking his cue, Lorelai read further. "There are three types of love everyone has. You're first love - one for the books. You're young and think that this love is the happily-ever-after-fairytale type. Your second love is what defines you. You know the mistakes you've done with your first love and do everything and anything to fight for this love. You fall hard, even if it pains you, you still fight for this love, give everything to resuscitate the life of it. This one is the most painful but will give you the most lessons in love." Lorelai then looked over at Luke who was just focused on the road. Lorelai then continued reading. "The third type of love is the unexpected one. It just happens when you least expect it. You've been hurt so much in the past that you lose your faith in love. But once you've experienced this, you'll realize everything is simple, easy, and that you can do this for the rest of your life."

"So, the marrying type of love?" Luke asked.

"Yeah, maybe?" Lorelai whispered. They were both silent afterwards, not knowing how to go from here.

"Hurts to be the second one though, the one that got away?" Lorelai suddenly commented.

"You pity the 2nd love? You've been through hell with that person, you'd want that for the rest of your life?"

"Well, it only means that you love that person truly to feel that crappy." Lorelai retorted. "Would you rather have lost The One or have never met The One?"

Luke didn't know how to answer her. Hell, he didn't know how they ended up with this discussion. "I'd chose the latter."

"So, you'd rather blissfully live your life and settle for anyone, knowing that The One is out there? Would have thought you'd chose the braver option and go through heaven and hell with The One, even if she got away."

Luke was silent. He knew Lorelai was The One, but he wasn't sure if he can go through all of that again. Can he be that naïve and tell Lorelai that he's willing to go through all that pain again to rekindle their relationship that was bound to fail? Was it a wise decision to repeat their mistakes knowing how everything will end? He was lost in his thought. What they were talking about was purely hypothetical, but it hit close to home.

"You know, there's a fourth type of love." Luke suddenly said. "It's the constant type of love. The love that has been there from the beginning and never fades. The love that says it'll support you, through thick and thin, and will never change."

Lorelai looked at Luke with tears forming in her eyes. She again remembered what she said about Luke before in her character reference. Once Luke Danes was in your life, he was in your life forever. The fourth type of love, she thought. Now she understood. Although they were the perfect pair, and although she thinks that they were each other's The One, love was not enough to fight for their relationship. This was no romcom, this was real life. And in real life, love was not enough. Lorelai desperately tried to control her tears because she didn't want Luke to see her crying, to see her weak. Just then Lorelai asked Luke.

"So, is she The One?" Luke was taken aback by Lorelai's question. How did she know? Of course, they live in this small town where everybody's minding each other's business. Luke did not want to answer her. Because she'll be hurt? Maybe? Will she accept the truth? He knows she will. It would be painful, but he knew she was a strong woman. She'd wallow for a couple of days or weeks, then she'll be okay. He at least owed her that because after all, she was his best friend.

"No. You were The One." Luke whispered.

"Oh."

"But she's my third love." Luke told Lorelai.

Lorelai then asked while trying her best to hide the pain in her voice.

"Do I hear wedding bells?" If there was one thing Lorelai wanted for Luke, is for him to finally be happy. He was her best friend after all. She knew their breakup was both their fault, and maybe the best thing to do now is move forward in life.

"No, not yet. But soon, maybe."

Lorelai nodded. Was it an acceptance of defeat, or was it an acceptance of reality? But at the end of the day, there was only one thing he wishes for him.

"I just want to see you happy," Lorelai replied. Luke nodded then gave her a small smile.


A few more minutes and they saw the sign that said Welcome to North Carolina. A couple of minutes after, they reached the motel where Lorelai was supposed to stay in. Lorelai opened the door of the truck, and Luke helped her gather her things and bring them to the lobby.

"You okay for the night? My motel's just a couple of blocks down. I can pick you up tomorrow morning, then we can go to the wedding together." Luke told Lorelai, and she nodded in response.

"Hey Luke, thank you for today. Thanks for making it feel like us again." Lorelai said and waved goodbye.

END.