Again, thanks for the reviews! This is a lot of set up, but it's about to get more Cholive-y. Enjoy!

Part 3

At the end of the event filled day as Ned and Chuck sat outside of the Pie Hole, Chuck's mind wondered about many things. Mostly she thought of Olive. She wondered what she was doing right now, not being at the Pie Hole when they had arrived. And she also began to wonder why she was really here, "Was this really an act of kindness? Me, here? Were you really trying to do something good for no other reason to help me?"

Ned didn't look at her, instead he stared straight ahead, "I was being selfish. I'd love to tell myself I was being unselfish, but I know deep down in my primal sweet spot I was being unselfish for selfish reasons. I just thought my world would be a better place if you were in it."

Chuck looked down at her hands. It was obvious at this moment that Ned considered their relationship as more than friendly. She didn't want to hurt Ned, he had brought her back to life. But leading him on seemed just as bad.

"Ned," she started quietly, "I want to thank you. For the whole bringing me back to life thing. I owe you more than I could ever give you."

"Just you being here is payment enough," Ned said smiling sweetly at her. "Ned," Chuck said sadly, "I think it would be better if we just stayed friends." She saw Ned's face fall and she desperately tried to make it better, "I mean. I was dead. My life has changed completely. I can't be the same person I was before I died. Everything is just so confusing right now."

Ned looked straight ahead and nodded, "Okay."

"Really? Ned, please don't be mad at me. It's only for the best," Chuck said looking into his face for even a hint of what he was thinking.

"I don't want you to feel obligated to me. Just because I brought you back to life. So I think you're right, this is the best right now," he said still avoiding her gaze. Chuck smiled sadly, "I'm so sorry."

"No, it's fine. I understand," he looked at her and offered her a small smile.

"Thank you," she said softly. They were silent for a few moments before Chuck picked up one of the notorious monkeys, "Well, I figured since it cost me my life, I should get to keep at least one. And seeing as I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for you …I want you to have the other one." She handed the other monkey to Ned and he took it smiling, "It's like those little best friend charms but with monkeys."

Chuck smiled at him, knowing he did understand her situation, "Thanks for bringing me back to life."

"You're welcome," he answered softly.

The next day, Chuck stood in the Pie Hole kitchen, making a pie when Olive walked in. "Hey, Chuck," she said cheerfully. She was shifting flour when Chuck noticed her hair was significantly shorter than the day before, "You cut your hair?" she asked.

"Yeah, all that hair was starting to be too much. What do you think?" Olive asked modeling her new hair do. Chuck smiled, she couldn't manage to tear her eyes away from Olive, it was like she put her under an enchantment every time she walked into the room. The blonde giggled, "I think that's enough."

"What?" Chuck blushed thinking that Olive had noticed her staring. "Flour," she said pointing towards the shifter in Chuck's hands. Looking down, she noticed that a small mound of flour had built up on the counter. "Oh," she said trying to hide her embarrassment.

Olive stood beside Chuck and began rolling out the dough. Their arms brushed occasionally and Chuck fought the blush that was making its way up her face. "So," Olive began slowly, "How are things?"

"F-fine," Chuck said, unable to keep her concentration on the pear she was cutting when Olive's hip somehow managed to brush against hers. Her hands shook as she attempted to cut the hard fruit. "Hun, you're shaking like a leaf," Olive said putting a hand over Chuck's, "What's wrong?"

Her breath hitched in her throat at Olive's light touch. How could this woman do this to her? She barely knew this woman, but by looking in to her blue eyes, she knew she needed to know everything about her. So taking a deep breath, she mustered up all the courage she could manage.

"Olive," she began shakily, "Do you think, maybe, sometime you might want to-"

"Olive, I could really use your help right now," Ned said stumbling into the kitchen, arms full of plates. When he noticed Olive's hand on Chuck's he blushed, "Oh, sorry. I guess I came in at the wrong…I'm just gonna leave now."

The blonde shook her head, "Well I guess I better get out there," she sighed, "What were you saying?"

All the courage that Chuck had built up suddenly disappeared. "Nothing," she said quietly, "It wasn't important." Olive gave her an apologetic smile before grabbing an order pad and going to Ned's rescue.

Chuck sighed, mechanically filling the crust with fruit as she stared at Olive who flitted from table to table, a friendly smile plastered on her face. She also couldn't help but notice how the zipper of her Pie Hole uniform was strained against her ample breasts.

Emerson came into the restaurant and sat down, Ned sliding into the booth shortly afterwards. A few minutes later, the Pie Maker came into the kitchen, "Chuck, we're going to the morgue."

"Okay," she said taking a pie out of the oven. Ned looked at her expectantly, "Are you coming?" Chuck looked up at him evenly, "No. I'm going to stay and help Olive."

Ned looked slightly disappointed but nodded his head anyways, "Oh. Okay." Before, Chuck would have given anything to go out and have an adventure. But now, she just wanted to be near the tiny blonde.

The investigator and Ned left and Olive came into the kitchen with empty plates. "Thanks for staying to help me," she said as Chuck gathered plates of pie to take to some customers.

"No problem," Chuck said smiling at the blonde. At the end of the night the two girls sat at a booth, eating peach pie in comfortable silence. Olive looked at Chuck for a few moments before looking back at her pie. "So," she began, "what's up with you and Ned?"

Chuck shrugged and continued eating her pie. Here they were, just them, and all she could talk about was Ned. Although Chuck wasn't any better, having said nothing at all. "What does that shrug mean? Is that a things aren't going well shrug? Or a things are going so great I can't describe it shrug?"

Olive was forward in her seat, anxiously awaiting Chuck's response. The Dead Girl sat looking at Olive, not helping to suppress her smile as she looked so eagerly at her. "We're friends," Chuck finally said.

"So there's no touching involved?" she asked hopefully. "Not in the least bit," the brunette answered digging into her pie once more, "why do you ask?" Foolishly, Chuck hoped that Olive would reveal her attraction to her and they would find it mutual. She hoped she would take her hands and say, "I couldn't stand it if anyone touched you but me". But her foolish hopes were soon dashed.

"Well, I've been trying to get Ned to touch me for years, if you know what I mean," Olive said winking at her, "But I wasn't sure if he was touching someone else or not."

Chuck felt something inside of her break, "Oh." She stuffed a rather large piece of pie in her mouth to prevent her from saying anymore. Unfortunately, the piece of pie was slightly too large and she began to choke. "Oh no," Olive said rushing to her side. She began pounding on Chuck's back, but when she continued to choke, the blonde wrapped her arms around the taller woman, performing the Heimlich. Chuck calmed down, breathing steadily. Olive's arms still remained around her, propped on her knees behind her. The brunette's back was pressed against Olive's front and it took all her will power not to shiver from the touch.

"Are you okay?" Olive panted, the maneuver taking a lot out of her tiny body. Chuck nodded, her eyes closed. Olive lay her head on Chuck's back, still panting, "Hold on a sec, let me get my breath back." The two remained in this position for several minutes. And Chuck could not say she objected.

But upon remembering the blonde's confession to having feelings for Ned, an overwhelming sadness took over her. Olive finally let go of Chuck and sank in the seat besides her. "Thank you," Chuck choked out.

Just then, the Pie Maker and Emerson walked into the Pie Hole. Chuck noticed how the woman next to her seemed to straighten up at the sight of Ned, just as her heart dropped.