The Pie Maker didn't see it coming. He was just walking through his apartment, then, it happened. He had touched Digby. Again. Not like the good kind of touched when he was a young boy and saving his dog's life (well, bringing the life back to the animal). This one was the opposite kind of touch. Digby was gone. Gone for good. Ned couldn't think. What had he just done? He suddenly found himself on the floor, on all fours. His throat was dry, his eyes were damp. He opened his mouth to apologize to his once-dead-now-dead-again dog. He pulled himself backwards until he felt his back hit the flat surface of the door he previously was going to leave with his alive friend. He thought back on the last 33.5 seconds.
He had called Digby for a walk, and walked to the kitchen to grab Digby's leash. Ned turned to head back down the hall to the door. He had felt the touch of soft fur (once very familiar, now, not so much) on his leg. Before Ned had realized what happened, Digby was no more.
His previously-dead/dead-again best friend was lying on the floor. His dog seemed too unnatural in the position he was in now. His head was no longer resting on his paws in a cute way. His head was resting on the hard floor in a dead way. He reached out. He knew that no matter how many he times he touched Digby now, Digby would stay dead.
Dead.
Dead. Again.
Digby was most definitely dead. And it was his fault.
"Chuck!" He called out. "Chuck!"
He was frantic. The Pie Maker was sitting on the floor. He made sure his back was securely in the corner. His knees securely tucked closely to his chest. There was no way he was going to lose his other Back-From-The-Dead Love. His Sometimes Neighbor/Sometimes Roommate/All-Times Girlfriend had not arrived to his pleads.
"Chuck…"
Chuck. The girl named Chuck was also Once Dead/Now Alive. Any slight mistake, and he would lose her too. He heard her footsteps. They were slow, she must have not heard the frantic tone in his voice.
"Ned…" She was right on the other side of the wall, "Is everything okay?"
"No. Not really." His voice was barely above a whisper now. "Not at all." He looked up as the door opened. He suddenly jumped to his feet. "Don't come in!"
"Ned. What's wrong?" She didn't seem to heed to his warnings. The door kept opening. And Ned kept making distance between the girl he loved and his own, seemingly dangerous, self. The sound of her footsteps stopped. He knew she had seen Digby on the floor. . "Oh Ned…"
Ned peeked his head around the door frame. He looked at Chuck crouching down and running her hand through Digby's soft fur. "Ned, what happened?"
"I touched him." Ned swallowed hard. "And not with the fake hand I usually use to pet him. And not with plastic wrap either, but with my bare skin. Of course by accident. There's no way I'd touch Digby on purpose…." Ned trailed off and watched as Chuck stood up, and frantically looked around. "What are you looking for?"
"Something to hug you with." She pulled the knit blanket off of the back of the couch and walked forward. "You need a h-"
"No! No. Stay back!" Ned backed himself into a wall, holding his hands up in surrender. "I am not killing you too! You are going to stay alive!"
"Ned, you're not going to kill me. I promise." Chuck was holding the blanket out in front of her. Ned couldn't lie to himself. He did find the blanket-wrapped arms inviting. But his brain was telling him that hugging was a bad idea.
"You've been dead once. You don't need that experience again…" Chuck smiled as Ned stumbled over his words. "I brought you back, and kept you back for a reason. I love you. A lot. And there is no way I'm losing you again." Ned exhaled deeply. "Ever."
"And you won't." She continued to walk towards her pie-making boyfriend. He was cornered. And they both knew it. "You need to hug someone. You just lost your best friend. He's always been there for you. A hug will help with –" She was cut off again, but this time, Ned had rushed into her arms. She could feel his warmth through the thick blanket. She only wanted to show that she was there for him, especially now.