Ed slipped quietly out of bed the next morning, leaving a rose next to her on the pillow. She woke up and reached out for him then looked around sleepily when she didn't find him beside her. She smiled when she saw the rose. She picked it up and smelled it as Ed walked back into the room with a tray of breakfast.

"Breakfast in bed my love" Ed said leaning over and kissing her good morning.

"mmmm, good morning" she said happily.

"Every morning I get to wake up with you is a great morning, then I walk around all day smiling like an idiot. he said rambling.

"Ed" she said cutting him off

"Wha.." he started to ask but she shoved a piece of fruit in his mouth.

She laughed at the sight of him with his moth stuffed full of fruit. He looked at her seriously. "What are you thinking about?" she asked curiously.

He smiled shyly at her "How happy I am"

She blushed and pulled him back down into her arms kissing him, they laid in bed cuddling. "I love falling asleep with you in my arms and waking up with you in the morning"

She smiled tenderly "I love it too, you make me so happy Ed"

He leaned over and kissed her again "So what if we fell asleep together every night?" he asked.

"We do Ed, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying I want to live with you, I think we should live together"

"Ed, we've only been together a week, don't you think it's a little soon?"

"Well maybe but I've been in love with you for years so I figure it evens out" he said smiling.

"Okay" she said.

"Okay? He asked, "You said okay?"

She nodded. "She said okay" he shouted kissing her. She laughed "Who are you talking to when you do that?"

"I'm announcing my love for you to the world my lady!" he said grinning happily.

So they moved in together, everything was great for a few weeks they spent all their time together and were loving it, no fights, no nothing despite Mike's warning that they would soon fall into a life of boring routine and "real" life would take over.

One day Ed had a judgement in a big court case, he was very excited about it and looked around the gallery for Carol. He frowned when he didn't see her there, she knew how important it was to him, she had been there every day before this though so he figured he could cut her some slack. Despite her absence his spirit was still high, he had argued this case well and felt sure he would win. The judge entered the chamber and everyone stood. Ed was grinning like an idiot. His mood was soon killed when the judge ruled in the defendants favor. He stormed out of the courtroom absolutely livid, he went straight to the Goat to drink away his anger.

Carol came home later and was a little concerned when she didn't see his Explorer in their driveway. She suddenly realized that the judgement in his case was today and she had missed it. She rushed to Stuckeybowl to apologize and explain why she hadn't been there. She walked through the door and headed straight towards Ed's office. "Hey lady Stuckeyboss" Eli said stopping her. "Hi Eli, I just need to talk to Ed" he looked at her confused. "Ed's not here, we thought he was with you" Carol just looked at him "He had his case today." she started to explain "Yeah we called the courthouse, he lost the case, that's why we thought he was with you, weren't you in court?" Carol looked down ashamed "No, I missed it. Oh my God, I cant believe he lost the case, he must be so upset" she said sadly. Eli didn't respond and she set off to find her man.

She drove by the house again just in case but he wasn't there, then she checked the courthouse to see if he was sulking there or arguing with the judge but he wasn't there either. She sighed as she realized that he was probably at the Goat drinking alone.

She got there and saw him and rushed over to him. "Ed, I 've been looking all over for you, I was so worried" she said hugging him.

He pulled away "You obviously weren't looking for me at the courthouse at two o'clock today" he said sullenly.

"I know, I'm sorry I wasn't there honey, and I'm sorry you lost your case" she said running a hand through his mussed hair

. He pulled away from her again "Not as sorry as I am, just leave me alone Carol" he said angrily.

"Ed, I know you're angry."

"No you don't, you don't know anything!" he said throwing some money down on the counter and walking out.

She looked around embarrassed then hurried after him. "Ed! Would you wait a minute, let me explain"

"Explain what Carol? You weren't there for me when I needed you, just like Liz" he said

She just stared at him no longer upset but now enraged. "You stupid jerk! That's what this is about?"

"Yes! That's exactly what this is about, I thought you were different" he yelled

She got right in his face "I am different Ed, I am not Liz and don't you ever compare me to her again!" she said angrily pushing him and stalking past him to her car.

She was crying and went to Molly's for support. Molly opened the door to see Carol crying. "Carol, what's wrong? Is it your dad?"

Carol just shook her head no "It's Ed, we had a fight, he was so mad at me for not being in court with him today and he yelled at me and said I was just like Liz" she said wiping away the tears.

"Oh honey, did you tell him why you weren't in court?" Molly asked hugging her.

"No, I didn't get the chance. I was so angry at him for saying that to me, I Just screamed at him and pushed him"

"I'm sure he didn't mean it" Molly said trying to comfort her.

"No he meant it, I could see it in his eyes" she said shaking her head.

The two friends talked for a while, Molly had finally been able to comfort Carol who had since fallen asleep on the couch.

Molly snuck out and headed over to Ed's house. He was outside shooting hoops alone, or more like throwing the ball angrily against the backboard. He turned to see Molly coming towards him "Hey Molly, Carols' not here"

"I know she's not here dumbass, I know that because she's at my house, she came to me crying. What the hell is wrong with you?" she said pushing him.

"Me? Nothing is wrong with me, look I know I shouldn't have yelled at her like that but she should have been with me today, I needed her there" he said forcefully throwing the ball at the backboard and letting it bounce back away from him.

"Yeah well she needed you today too, the reason she wasn't there with you was because her dad is in the hospital, he had a heart attack Ed"

He looked away sadly "She didn't tell me"

"Ofcourse she didn't tell you Ed! You were too busy screaming at her and comparing her to your ex-wife! Why would you say that to her?"

He frowned sadly without answering. "Is she okay?"

"She cried herself to sleep" Molly informed him.

"And her dad?" he asked concerned.

"He's fine, luckily it was minor but Carol was pretty freaked out, she was with him all day at the hospital"

"I have to see her" Ed said.

"I'll drive you" Molly said sympathetically.

They got back to Molly's, Ed stopped inside the foyer, seeing Carol sleeping peacefully on the couch. A weak smile creeped across his face.

"Well I'm heading up to bed, goodnight Ed and good luck" she said patting him on the arm.

He watched Carol sleeping there for a few minutes then he knelt down beside her and touched her face. She opened her eyes sleepily.

"Hi" he whispered

"Hi" she whispered back "I was just dreaming about you"

He smiled then leaned down and took her into his arms holding her tight "Molly told me why you weren't in court, I'm so sorry baby, I should have been there for you and instead I was being a jackass and yelling at you"

She hugged him tight and breathed in his sweet scent. "Ed, it's not this easy, we have to talk about what happened" she said pulling back to look at him.

"What you said.about me being like Liz, that really hurt me. I don't want you to think that you and I aren't meant to be together or that I would do anything to hurt you"

He stopped her by placing his fingers over her lips "I know you're not like Liz, I didn't mean to say that, I was just angry and taking it out on you. I love you, please forgive me"

"I love you too" she said pulling him closer into her arms.

"Come on, let's go home" Ed said taking her hand. They went home and cuddled up I each other's arms.

"Are we okay?" Ed asked timidly.

She looked up at him and smiled "Yeah, we're okay" she assured him and laid her head back down on his chest.