A/N: Bonjour (or nuit, depending on your time zone)! Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy...
Chapter 4: The Great Escape
As Charlotte Charles sprinted through the cemetery, just ahead of Emerson Cod and just behind Ned Pie Maker, she thought of the many roles that Olive Snook had played in her second life...
Olive was her first friend, her first roommate, her first romantic rival...and the thought that she could completely cease to be inspired hot, bitter tears. But these were washed away as her umbrella fell and she stood staring at the body scattered where their car had been...
The Pie Maker was the first to move, his soaked silhouette shuffling forward in an almost zombie-like manner. Time seemed to slow as he hunched over her, pressed two fingers to her throat and paused. Abruptly, he uttered a guttural groan. Emerson cursed under his breath and Chuck held onto him, for fear of falling...
But it seemed that they had both misinterpreted the moment, as Ned turned round, relief lighting his eyes.
"She's just unconscious."
The PI deflated, all tension seeping out of him. "Then who bit the dust in Dixon's place?"
"We can figure that out later. Or...never," Chuck exhaled, then grimaced with guilt as she realized whoever they were, they mattered to somebody. "Maybe let's focus on Olive being alive for now."
Cod was inclined to agree, albeit reluctant to say so. For the fact remained that they had made a terrible mistake and that somewhere in this graveyard, or outside of it, someone had died as a result...
"Well, how the hell are we gonna get back without a car? And where is Dwight headed to?"
At this, Chuck froze, his words chilling her far more than the rain.
"Oh no," she moaned. "Lily and Vivian..."
XXX
In that moment the Pie Maker knew he should be concerned for the family of his long-time love. They were, after all, as important to her as he was, if not more. But with the still and unsettlingly silent Olive Snook lying limp before him, his emotions struggled to catch up with his mind...
She had wanted to come with them. She would have been safer with them. And in his arrogant attempts to protect her he had left her vulnerable. This was his fault. It always seemed to be his fault...
Ned traced his thumb along the cut on her forehead, most likely caused by the shattered glass nearby. Dwight must have broken in and dragged her out. And she had most likely put up a fight, as evidenced by the blooming bruise on her cheek...
"Ned!" Chuck urged, fragmenting his torturous thoughts. "We have to go."
The Pie Maker nodded, scooping the waitress up off the ground.
"Let's get out of here..."
Easier said than done. On foot, in the dark and dwindling drizzle, the deserted road seemed to stretch on forever. Emerson was growing increasingly angry, Chuck more and more determined to dive in front of the first car that came along, and Ned less confident in the strength of his arms...when a hulking shape loomed out of the distance.
The trio slowed, eyes narrowing against the rain as they stared.
"Is that...?" Ned ventured.
"A bus," Emerson answered.
"Oh my god..." Chuck murmured. "Do you think it belonged to whoever died?"
"...well, if it did they won't be needin' it anymore."
With that the PI marched on, while the Pie Maker stalled, horrified at the idea of stealing from someone they might...he might have killed. But pragmatism would have to triumph over everything else, in this instance...
The bus leaned off of the hard shoulder, biggish and bright blue, but otherwise unremarkable. Half-heartedly, Chuck tried the door, only for it to open at once. They stared at each other disbelievingly before Emerson clambered in, claiming the driver's seat. Chuck got into the passenger's and Ned carried Olive to the back. He set her down and sat at her side.
"What kinda fool leaves their keys behind?" Emerson asked, starting the engine.
"The kind of fool that had no intention of coming back?" Chuck suggested.
But the Pie Maker was too preoccupied to pay attention, for at that very moment, Olive Snook stirred.
She looked up at him for a long while, eyes glassy and empty, before recognition coloured her gaze. "Hi, pie guy," she murmured. "Sorry about the car."
"What? No. Don't be sorry. I'm sorry. I left you alone and you got hurt."
"Heh. Please. You should see the other guy." Ned smiled slightly, despite himself... "Where is Dwight anyway?"
"...he got away. I let him get away."
"Looks like he didn't give you much choice," she remarked, raising a hand to the blood on his face.
Ned looked down self-consciously, only now feeling the throbbing ache of what could be broken bone, and Olive sat up to take in her surroundings.
"How did we get a bus?"
"I don't know. And to be honest, I can't care. You're okay...ish. And now I have to focus my fear on Lily and Vivian. There's a good chance Dwight's after them."
"What? Why?"
"They have his watch. And Charles Charles'. I don't know why he wants them or if he has my father's. And I kind of...don't want to know?"
He winced, as if bracing himself for a blow, but she only hummed sympathetically.
"Mmm...daddy issues. I get that. In fact, I can top that. Your dead mom and deadbeat dad vs. my emotionally abusive mom and indifferent dad."
Ned shook his head. "Sorry. Mine take the cake. At least you didn't kill one of yours."
Olive rolled her eyes. "You didn't kill her. You wouldn't kill anyone. You made a mistake. And you learned from it. Whoever died in Dwight's place tonight...well, that was out of your control. But I'm glad it wasn't me."
The Pie Maker sighed, eyes searching out hers in the dark. "So am I..."
XXX
Emerson Cod had never been a violent man. There were a handful of people in the world that could incite him to violence. And at that very moment, Dwight Dixon was one of them...
As the mysterious bus screeched to a halt outside Casa de Charles, Emerson compiled a list of reasons why he had no choice but to get physical:
- The attempted murder of Charlotte Charles (et al)
- The violent assault of Olive Snook
- The broken nose of Ned Pie Maker
An honourable mention had been reserved for his own injuries, which, while painful in their own right, could not compare to the blow Dwight dealt to his professional pride. Never before had a criminal (undead or alive) gone free. But Dixon managed it. This was a wrong the PI intended to right...
"Lily! Vivian! Open up!"
And they did, so quickly that the PI suspected they spent the past few hours waiting up for her...
"Where the hell have you been?" Lily demanded.
"You promised to pick up your things!" Vivian yelped. "There and back, no detours."
"Guys, please," Chuck implored, pushing past and pulling them into the house. "Could we continue this conversation somewhere safe?"
Reluctantly, uncertainly, her aunt and mother obliged. The others followed, glancing around as they closed the door behind them...
"So as I was saying," Lily said, pouring drinks for the shivering foursome. "Where the hell have you been? Do you have any idea what time it is? And why do you all look like you got your asses kicked in a mud wrestling match!"
The PI sighed and rubbed his brow, before launching into an abridged version of their exploits. He edited the story to exclude all mentions of Charles Charles and Papa Pie Maker, for fear that the women would die of shock...
"Cheese and rice," Lily muttered. "What were you thinking, taking Chuck down there in the middle of the night? Ned, I thought you were supposed to be looking out for her!"
The Pie Maker reddened. "I tried," he mumbled, more conscious than ever of keeping his hands to himself, though Chuck sat at the far end of the couch, with Olive and Emerson between them.
"Not hard enough. Thanks to you Dwight Dixon is back from the dead. And he will kill each and every one of us to stay alive."
"That's why you need to go," said Chuck, clutching her hot toddy but not drinking it.
"Go where?"
"Europe. Your tour starts in a few weeks. Why not get a head start? And get out of here."
"Not without you," said Vivian, breaking her sullen silence. "Dwight is dangerous. I had a hard time believing it before but...now I know. All he cares about is himself. And for whatever reason, those watches. So if we skip town, we go together."
At this, Ned blanched. The brown-eyed girl turned to him, trying and failing to mask her hesitation.
"I can't," she said. "I can't leave my friends."
"And we can't leave you."
Olive and Emerson glanced at each other, painfully aware that they were privy to a very private moment. They sank back into their seats, but could not escape the crossfire.
"Lily and Vivian are right," said Ned, words falling from his lips like broken glass. "You three are at the top of his hit list. With you in Europe he'll have to come after us first."
"But I can't just run away," Chuck protested, knowing that his worst fears were being confirmed. "You might need my help..."
"I've got Olive and Emerson. Right?" They nodded feebly. "We'll be okay. But you won't be if you stay. So please. Please go."
Silence settled over the room as the two stared at each other, channelling love and longing in almost tangible waves...
"All right," Chuck conceded, standing suddenly. "Let's go."
Ned forced a smile as Lily and Vivian nodded at him, before embracing her. The sight of them together, forming a family he did not belong to, very nearly broke his heart. But before the Pie Maker could fall apart inside, a small soft hand slid into his. He started, surprised by the contact, and Olive squeezed reassuringly. Her simple supportive gesture warmed him far more than the whisky in his other hand...
A/N: Nolive! Nolive! NOLIVE! Ahem...
Chapter 5 coming soon :)