I don't own Pushing Daisies...please PLEASE reveiw...cyber cookies for all who do :D

It had been three minutes and twenty-three seconds since The Pie-Maker and the Girl Named Chuck had greeted aunts, Lilly and Vivian with a startaling realisation.

"I'm alive" Charlotte "Chuck" Charles, repeated hope bright in her eyes.

A second passed before a cry of…

"What?!" Aunt Lilly cried hardly believing her one functional eye.

"Ch-Charlotte?" Vivian added hardly believing both of her two functioning eyes.

Then Lilly grabbed the door handle the door was slammed in Ned and Chucks faces. She turned to Ned her eyes once bright now filled with tears.

"Ned, t-they don't want to see me…"

Ned sighed "It's not you that they don't want to see its…actually it is you but not because there's anything wrong with you. You've just come back from the grave, Chuck you died over a year ago and now your back on their porch? They'll have questions, 'what happened', 'why isn't she dead anymore' this isn't a normal situation for them…"

It was at this moment that he wanted to reach out and touch her, if only for comfort…but of course that was impossible.

"So being dead, and then not dead is normal…"

"It is normal" there was a pause "for us…and by us I mean you me and Emerson"

"You had to mention Emerson…" Chuck sighed rubbing her hands, "Oh when Emerson finds out we did this…"
"Then I will take the blame" Ned assured calmly "telling your Aunts was my idea and besides no one needs to know but us." He smiled slightly.

---

Meanwhile in the office of on Emerson Cod the man in question looked up from his needlework and let out as sigh as he fought off a feeling that the Pie Maker and the Girl Named Chuck had done something very, very stupid.

"Those two had better not have done something very, very stupid" he muttered starting a new row on the sweater he was knitting.

There was a knock on the door.

"Phone and make an appointment" the Private eye shouted to the person outside.

The person knocked again making it know they weren't leaving until seen.

Emerson sighed and got up from his chair storing the sweater under the desk – he believed it was never professional to combine knitting with business.

He opened the door with an irritated murmur of "What?"

Before he was aware of what happened the person on the other side of the door ran inside and threw their arms around his waist.

Uncomfortable with the contact Emerson looked down, wondering why precisely the woman was here.

---

The facts were these. Opera starlet Scarlet Van Scarlet was here about the untimely murder of her sister Ruby Van Scarlet, another critically acclaimed opera singer and Scarlet Van Starlets stage partner.

The sisters travelled the country under the stage name Singing Scarlet Singers. The pair were tipped to be the next big stars in the opera world. However the award-winning double act came to an abrupt stop when Ruby Van Scarlet was brutally murdered in her dressing room and the Operatic Fantastic in the middle of the night.

---

"Mister Cod…My sister…beautiful voice, beautiful and now I know she shall sing-a no more!" The Scarlet Van Scarlet cried out with a thick Italian accent "I know-a that you can-a help her in her death…get justice for the…" she paused looking thought full "son of a batch-a that killed her"

"Well mam I'm a busy man and I have many clients"

"But-a I can-a pays you…" The singer pulled a large wad of cash from her impressive…um…well lets just say Emerson averted his eyes during the extraction.

"Well ur…" Emerson took the money, looking uncomfortable "As long as you remove cash from your purse or wallet in future then I'll see what I can do"

"Thank-a –you sir thank-a you…the Opera gods smile upon this day."

"Right" Emerson Cod said aloud while inside he was thinking – dear god this woman in a nut job.

---

Back at the Pie-Hole one Olive Snook was alone with nothing but the chatter of customers and Digby and Pigby behind the counter to keep her company.

She hummed and sang little sections of songs to keep herself amused while taking the orders of the various customers all wanting their little slice of home made pie.

Olive sung and random little tune quietly before a pie of pie was promptly thrown at her head "Geez if my singing is so bad I ain't forcin' you to eat here" She snapped at a twelve year who had pie filling all over his hand.

The boy stood up…although Olive was into her late twenties and this kid hadn't even hit puberty, he still towered above her.

"Why don't you stand up and say that Smurfette." The smug boy grinned at her.

"Why you little…Didn't anyone teach you any manors?" Olive demanded.

"Our boy shouldn't have to be bothered by your hummins when he's trying to enjoy pie" Stated the boys rather round farther who took up two Pie Hole seats by himself.

"Well sir I'm afraid I'm the wall is enjoying your boys pie not the actual boy himself, so I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave…" Olive Snook scowled indicating the door.

"Make me" the Boy grinned knowing he had the approval of his lardy farther.

Olive turned bright red and was about to punch the little swine there and then, but before she could Emerson came into the Pie Hole, looking for the establishments owner and the girl named Chuck.

Emerson noticed the commotion, the pie on the wall, the mess on the fat child's hand and Olive looking pretty mad.

"Excuse me sir" he snarled "is there a problem…why did you throw pie at this nice woman."

"I-I…you don't know…you can't prove it!" The boy said looking pretty freaked out.

"Unfortunately, I'm a private investigate a cop if you will and I'm going to have to take you down town for mindless vandalism." He removed a pair of handcuffs from his coat.

The boy yelped like a puppy and ran from the restaurant. His fat farther ran after him…a hell of a lot slower, minutes passed and the man was only just out the door.

Olive looked up at Emerson "You carry handcuffs when you're not on a case…"

"Unfortunately Itty-Bitty I am on a case."

"Itty-Bitty…does that I mean…" Olive grinned he only ever called her that when…

"I need your help" Emerson confessed.

"Yay!" Olive squealed jumping up and down on the spot.