Grumbello: Thanks for my one and only review. Lol. I can always count on you to review my chapters when I update. So it's an understatement what I say THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH. I think I love you a little bit. I really do. Lol. This chapter is for you. Enjoy.

The Legend of Merle McQuoddy II

Leaning forward with her elbows on her knees, Chuck huffed a piece of hair out of her face as she watched her father build a house out of cards. Ned was trying to explain the rules to him, but he was adamant in his mindset. Olive was on a case with Emerson, and no doubt, still infuriated with her.

"Button," Charles said, taking her from her thoughts. "Hm?" she said sitting up slightly. "I asked you when you started eating pie. You've always hated pie."

"This is the best pie you'll ever taste," Chuck assured him nudging it towards him, "It's pear with gouda in the crust. Olive's-" Chuck stopped mid-sentence, the mention of Olive's name instantly depressing her once more and plopping her elbows back on her knees, head in her hands. She kept thinking of the look on Olive's face when she called her a friend instead of her girlfriend.

She was jarred once more from her thoughts when her father reached across the table and grabbed Ned's arm. "-and you never see my daughter again." Chuck blinked, looking between them, unaware of the argument that had just ensued between the two men.

Ned stood up and looked at Charles Charles fiercely, "Sir, I care for your daughter. And I would never do anything to purposely hurt her. I've done all I could to protect her. I'm sorry if that's not enough." Letting out a breath, he turned and walked out of the apartment.

"Your boyfriend's a stubborn one, isn't he?" Charles said putting another card on the top of the wobbly structure he had been laboring on. "He's not my boyfriend," Chuck said with a little more hostility then she meant, instantly looking up at him apologetically, "Sorry. It's just-"

"No, Button, it's okay," Charles said, "I just assumed." Chuck nodded, looking at the pie. "I'm going to the store," she said picking up her purse, "Is there anything you want?"

"Oh, hold on," Charles said pulling a pad and pen out of his pocket and jutting a few items down before handing it to Chuck. She headed down to the Pie Hole, going to open the door to walk out just as Olive walked in, Emerson close behind her.

"Olive," Chuck said reaching for her arm. The blonde stepped to the side, causing Chuck's grab to miss. "Charlotte," Olive said turning to go sit at a booth. "Olive, please," Chuck said placing a hand on her shoulder, feeling the petite woman tense under her touch, "Can we talk?"

Olive turned towards her sharply, "Yeah, sure, Buddy," she said with anger, "'cause that's what friends do. They talk! They chit and they chat and braid each other's hair and giggle about boys."

"Please, Olive," Chuck pleaded, "I'm really sorry. I love you. Please." She noticed the hard look on the blonde's face falter slightly before going back to its previous coldness. "If you don't mind," Olive said straightening up and smoothing non existent wrinkles in her shirt, "Emerson and I are about to grill some perps." The phrase was said with such seriousness that Chuck felt laughter begin to bubble in her throat, but she managed to suppress it. Olive noticed her lips twitch and hit her arm, "It's not funny, Charlotte," she said before stomping away and sitting next to Emerson. The detective gave Chuck a look and she sighed, walking out the door.

Arriving back at the Pie Hole, Chuck noticed a mess on the kitchen floor and Ned picking up the damage.

"What happened?"

"Uh, me and your father had a bit of a tussle."

"A tussle?"

"More like a scuffle."

"Charlotte!" came the muffled voice of her father through the pantry door. She rushed over, ignoring Ned's terrified look. She saw Charles slummed against the wall gasping, "Ah, the light. So bright." She put his arm around her neck and led him out of the pantry.

"Go upstairs and I'll be right there," she said as he walked out of the kitchen. Chuck turned towards Ned, her eyes blazing with anger, "Why would you bring him to the Pie Hole?"

"I didn't! He came on his own accord! He ran around for an hour and didn't even tell us!"

"He wouldn't do that! He knows the rules."

"Well, apparently, your father's not one for rules. He's not one for chocolate or rules. And he made it clear the from now on, he's gonna be doing his own thing."

Chuck buried her face in her hands and sighed, "I'll go upstairs and talk to him."

"We said we'd handle this together. I'll go with you."

"No you're far too upset. I can't have you go up there and start fighting again"

"He's a big boy, he can handle it."

"Yeah, well maybe I can't!"

"Chuck…"

"I'm going to talk to him. You stay here," she said walking out of the kitchen and heading up to Ned's apartment. She quietly walked into the apartment, closing the door behind her and smiling weakly at her father who nodded at her, "Hi."

"Hi," she answered.

"Come here, Button," he said motioning her to the couch, "What I have here is a cookbook of culinary perfections from around the world. Now what you do it you open here and wherever the spoon lands you and I are gonna go. Tonight."

"No dad," she said shaking her head, "It was just a misunderstanding that went out of control. Leaving is not the answer."

"What is this better?" he said standing up from the couch and walking to the other side of the coffee table, "Let's see. Rule 21. When two parties are crossing the room simultaneously, party B will pause until party a has crossed. This is how you live? Huh? Charlotte, you may have grown up without me but I'm back and I'm never gonna stop trying to keep you safe. The little girl I left behind would never have settled for a lock and key existence. No she was destined for adventure."

"My life is here," she protested weakly as he sat back on the couch next to her.

"This isn't life. This is a freak show," Charles said with a slight chuckle, "We're only freaks in Ned's world. Away from Ned we could do anything. Be anything."

"Dad I just want things to be how they used to be," she said leaning against her father.

"Come with me button. Pie is simple, limiting. Just a pastry and filling. Cake is complex, layered with treasures waiting to be discovered," Charles Charles held the wooden spoon out to Chuck, "Which one do you choose?"

Chuck looked at the spoon, the rough wood surface tempting her with adventures she had long wished to pursue. For a few moments, she was tempted to go with her father's plan, whisking away to some unknown land. Chuck tried to imagine exotic worlds and treasures unknown, but all she could see was Olive's face. She took the spoon, holding it in front of her face before setting it on the floor.

"I can't she said quietly, sitting up. "Why, Button?" Charles asked picking the spoon up. Chuck sighed, cradling her head in her hands before looking back up at her father and taking a deep breath, "Because I'm in love."

Charles looked at her for a second before shaking his head, "But Ned can't even touch you. What kinda relationship is that?"

"It's not Ned, Daddy," she said looking at her hands that were twisting together in her lap. "What? Charlo-…who?" her father questioned.

"It's Olive."

Charles looked at his daughter, eyes undoubtedly blinking behind his dark glasses in disbelief, "Olive? But Olive's a…she's a…"

"Woman, Daddy."

"Charlotte, this is no time for jokes."

"I'm not joking, Dad."

"But that would mean that your…"

"Gay. Dad. I'm gay," her voice becoming sterner as the conversation progressed. She looked up at her dad who was looking back at her, the bandages on his face making his expression impossible to read. "Oh, wow, Charlotte," Charles sighed, "That sure is something to spring on me like that. I've only been alive again for a couple of days ya know."

"So you hate me?"

"You're my Button Button. I could never hate you."

"Really?"

"Really, Button."

"Oh, Daddy, thank goodness," Chuck said embracing him tightly, "I was so afraid that you would reject me."

"You're my daughter. I'll love you no matter what."

"Thank you, Dad."

"I must admit, however, that part of the reason I was so hard on Ned was because I thought he was your boyfriend. I think I owe him an apology."

"I'm sure he would appreciate that."

"Well, go get him. I'll be here."

Chuck kissed her hand and cupped his cheek, smiling at him before putting her coat on and heading for the Pie Hole. When she got to the kitchen, she noticed the restaurant was closed and Ned sitting on a bench outside. She went out to the front and paced in front of him, speaking carefully, "You have to understand, when I was a little girl, I would compare my dad to all the other dads on the street. And I have to say I wasn't very objective. I was convinced that he was the strongest, bravest most fun man in the neighborhood."

"I can say objectively he was all those things."

"When he was gone, that's how I remembered him. I always put him on a pedestal. So I'm sorry it was hard for me to see what he was doing. He was upset because he had to stay in one spot and then he thought you were my boyfriend-"

"What?!"

"But then I explained everything to him. I told him about Olive. And why I couldn't leave."

"And?"

"I told him I was in love and I couldn't leave. And he's okay with it. He's waiting for you."

"With a shotgun?"

"So he can apologize. He wants us to start fresh."

"He's a good dad."

"You're a good man," Chuck said nudging him carefully, making sure just their covered shoulders touched, "Come on."

They got up to the apartment and Chuck promptly hung her coat on the peg, "Daddy! Grab your hat. We're going up to the roof to watch the snow and-"

She stopped in her tracks, seeing the spoon propped up on cookbook with a note that said, "I chose too." Panic filled her heart and she ran back down the stairs outside, just in time to see her father pull away in Ned's car.