MY FANTASTIC LOYAL (far too loyal if you ask me) READERSHIP! I am sooo happy to announce that I am back from my long winded hiatus.

I cannot thank all of you enough, every single one of those wonderful reviews popping into my inbox put a smile on my face and I always knew I would return to Willy and Diana, I never forgot them. So as a welcome back present I am giving you my master plot a little early!

Enjoy!

Chapter 11

SLUGWORTH LAUNCHES NEW EVERLASTING GOBSTOPPER, FOR CHILDREN WITH HARDLY ANY POCKET MONEY.

I stared at the window display, I was numb, I was empty, I was rooted to the ground. My eyes traced from the nauseating cardboard cut-out of my former boss in a new pinstripe suit of red and white, making him took like a gigantic candycane. He was holding a perfectly round, scarlet red ball in his slimy hands, a sugary sweet smile on those wrinkled lips, though the eyes held the slightest touch of triumph. The door opened with a little tinkle and out came an overstuffed boy who reminded me painfully of Augustus Gloop came waddling out carrying a box of shiny new Everlasting Gobstoppers, his cheeks were bulging with two more fat gobstoppers in each cheek making him look like a demented chipmunk.

"Oi, no pushing. Get to the back of the line!" Shouted a man from behind, who was desperately trying to sneak his way past me and the bouncer on the door to get inside. The bouncer gave him a bored look, he was athletic with more muscles than a boxer and looked as if he had never eaten a sweet in his life.

"I don't want one." I said in a monotone. I was hollow inside and not even a drop of Willy's chocolate river would be able to warm me up. How was I ever going to tell him. If he didn't already know.

"Don't know whats wrong with you." Snorted the man, "Everyone in the world would want one of these."

"Well i'd hurry up if I were you, they're nearly sold out already." Answered the bouncer with a smirk, he was one of those people who looked as if he would be fiendishly delighted if no one else got to try one of the miracle sweets. "Glad us staff members got them when the shop opened."

The final ember I had inside me flickered out, "I know everyone will want one." I turned away from the shop, it was snowing again and i trudged my feet through the sludge ruining my new shoes, not that I cared anymore. Cries of anger and disappointment came from behind me and I knew Slugworth had, for the first time completely sold out his shop. I walked past rows and rows of houses that all looked exactly the same as the last; I let my feet carry me everywhere as thoughts ran all through my head. I was in the clear. This was not my fault. I have not done anything wrong, and no one knew I stole from Willy all those years ago. There is no way that anyone can blame me because I burned the letter and I didn't take anything from Willy. I would never be able to take anything from my boyfriend, or nearly boyfriend. But what about Grandpa Joe? He at least knows something's wrong with you. Yes, Grandpa Joe did suspect me, but I could not believe he would be as cruel as to sell me out to Willy for something I did all those years ago, would he? Daddy hasn't spoken to me since I sent him that snotty text message back and there would be no job well done favours this time.

I wound up outside the factory and wrapped my arms around the gates, breathing in the melted chocolate scent I was so accustomed to inside that marvellous building. It was soothing to smell something so lovely after you've had some time away from it. I breathed in that smell and blinked, something was missing, something was not quite right. I peered through the gates, the usual white smoke that billowed merrily from the chimneys was absent, the chimneys were eerily still. A door towards the far right of the factory opened and a small figure appeared in the doorway still hidden by the shadows, the figure made a gesture up to an oompa loompa in the security tower, he had been there all along just too small for anyone to see. The gates slowly creaked open and I frowned again. Willy was never this careless with his gates before incase people tried to get inside. I stepped forwards, my heart in my chest and walked towards the figure. Charlie stretched out his hand and I took it, he turned and instantly began leading me down the hall leaving the door behind him wide open.

I had not discovered this part of the factory before, the hallway was oddly plain and for all extents and purposes, completely boring. A burnt orange colour I did not know Willy fancied with wooden flooring that clacked and creaked with every step we took. We came to rest outside a chestnut coloured door where a nameplate should have at least read Willy Wonka, instead it was left completely blank. Charlie knocked on the door, he looked sterner than I had ever seen him, he looked at least two years older than he was and I felt very tiny beside him. I peeked at him out of the corner of my eyes and he caught me.

"I don't know what he wants Diana. He just told me to bring you here, you must have heard what has happened."

I nodded, "Yes, I can't believe it. A silence fell between us, Charlie's face became even sterner at Willy's refusal to answer and I couldn't bear it, "Charlie, I'm a little scared." I admitted quietly.

"I know, me too. I don't know what we'll do know. I don't know how he's taken it."

The door opened and the female oompa loompa who doubled as Willy's secretary and personal councillor came out, she clocked eyes with Charlie and gave a small nod before bustling down the dull hallway. Charlie looked back at me, "I guess thats your cue to go in."

Willy's office had to be the most peculiar place I had seen so far and I had seen some weird and wonderful things in my life. It was as if someone, perhaps Willy himself had taken a huge chainsaw and cut every object in the office in half, the clock on the wall, the filing cabinet, the TV, the small sofa in the corner. I wanted to smile at the pure Wonka-ness of it all, nothing the man did could ever be normal, not even paying his bills. The only thing in the whole room that was not split in half was the desk and chair where Willy himself was busy writing something down on a long list that trailed on the floor and all over the office. But the most peculiar sight was his trademark top hat had been thrown haphazardly on the little sofa. I bent down to retrieve the section of paper closest to me.

"Please don't touch that."

I froze in action, was Willy really directing that at me? He hadn't even turned round. Thinking I had misheard I proceeded to pick up the scrolling paper and settle it upon his desk as I went to remove my hand a purple gloved one quickly stopped me in my tracks. My eyes followed the latex like material, up the sleeve of his coat, which I observed was the darkest shade of plum I had ever seen him wear, all over his pale face and back to that hand which squeaked as he finally put down his pen and looked at me. Those violet eyes were empty, mirroring my own I was sure, void of all emotion and thought, it was very hard to look at.

"You went to the shop?" He asked, his voice was slow and there wasn't even the faintest hint of merriment.

"Yes I did." I answered honestly, "I needed to see it before I believed it."

Willy withdrew his hand from my own, it was warm where he had been touching it, and I couldn't help a sigh escaping my lips he heard it instantly and looked at the television. Why Willy had a TV in his office was so out of character it put me right back on edge.

"I was going through some of the inventory this morning, once I found out." Said Willy, his eyes never leaving the TV, "As I came to the final box and noticed there were five missing, of course I knew they were the ones I had given to the children of which I knew the chewing machine girl swallowed accidentally when she blew up and the TV boy spat his out back in the Nut Room, I assumed Veruca's fell out when she fell and was incinerated which leaves yours. Yours which you should actually still have on you."

I blinked in surprise, "I binned it just before the Fizzy-lifting catastrophe."

"Yes I wondered whether you had, but the one I gave you a few days ago when we ki...I would like to know what you did with that one too."

"I put it back in it's wrapping Willy, so I could suck it again when I wanted to."

Willy grimaced, his eyes turning even sadder as he turned round to look me in the eye, "It's not there anymore Diana."

I frowned, I knew Willy was implying something else but I simply could just not put my finger on it, "Well an oompa loompa must have thrown it away or someone else then."

Those violet eyes stared right through me, as if they were penetrating my very soul. It was as if Willy was trying to spot a lie somewhere on my face. "Diana, can you really not see the position I'm in. Are you really so innocent as to not see the only conceivable outcome our minds can reach?"

It was like an giant wheel of fortune had been spinning round and round, twisting our fates and distorting our relationship so that now that neon pointer was pointing right at me. "You think I've done this, don't you." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. Willy's mouth formed a very thin line and his whole body was so stiff and serious, standing in his halved office that fear coursed through me faster than a bolt of lightning. "But Willy, you know I wouldn't ever try to sabotage you." I winced horribly at the irony of my words which I hoped desperately he hadn't noticed.

"Then why would you do that with you shoulders?"

I was in trouble, not only was I in trouble, it was for something I was innocent in. Well innocent this time. I closed my eyes as Willy had not broken that agonising eye contact and I couldn't hold it any longer. "I did not sell you out to Slugworth."

"Geez, Diana how can I know that your not lying?" He asked, running a hand through his immaculate hair.

"Do you think I'm lying?"

"I...I well geez, of course I don't wanna think that your lying..."

"But you do think I'm lying." I cried, I couldn't help but feel indignant at how quickly he jumped to the conclusion that I would sell out someone I cared about so quickly. "Willy, why would I even want to sell you out? I care about you, I want you to succeed. This factory is the most amazing thing I've ever seen and those Gobstoppers were yours and they were genius. You are a genius!

"Like anyone will know it." He muttered, a dark look spreading across his face. "It's the Never Melting Ice-Cream incident again. But that was back when Slugworth was sending spies into the factory."

"Well then how do you know one hasn't managed to slip in again this time?" It was sickening and that arrow now had flashing light pointing at me, screaming BUT ONE HAS GOT IN AGAIN!

"Cause I have security and the oompa loompas watch out all the time. I didn't before because I wanted to trust my workers, to know they wouldn't ever try to hurt me. But I misjudged people's greed."

"Willy," I stepped forwards and tried to take his hand again, only to see Willy pull it away at the last second. "I'm not going to pretend what you did just then didn't hurt." I whispered, it was as if there was some immovable force now blocking us from making contact.

"I'm sorry Diana. When I woke up and the first thing I saw was my daily newspaper and that title blaring at me I had to rub my eyes to make sure this wasn't a nightmare. When I realised it was true and nothing had been taken from the factory I started to panic. I was baffled, completely bamboozled. I didn't know how on earth Slugworth could have found the Gobstoppers, I knew one of the four unlucky children must have said something to him, but how he got his hands on one had me all of a dither. I finally came to the conclusion that only myself, Charlie, Veruca and you still had an Everlasting Gobstopper. As Charlie is my apprentice and hasn't left the factory and I haven't even seen daylight in weeks, besides my weekly inspection round the candycane trees, the spotlight falls on you and your sister."

I could feel that spotlight, burning a hole in the back of my head. "But Willy, it makes no sense! Why would I take my Everlasting Gobstopper, the gobstopper you personally gave me and give it to Slugworth?"

Willy frowned, "I guess it's a good point...unless," he cupped his chin in a thoughtful gesture that was so stereotypical in normal circumstances I would have laughed. But laughing was the last thing I felt like doing.

"Unless it was for money? You think I would sell you out for money?" I spat, disgusted at where his thoughts were going. "Willy Wonka. I have always played down my families' wealth but now I believe I have no choice but to object. I am incredibly well provided for without needing to succumb to thievery."

Willy's eyes widened at my harsh words, I couldn't help but feel awful, "I didn't mean that." He muttered.

I closed my mouth, neither of us was doing much to help the situation. "Willy..." I began, "I did not steal from you. I can't say anything more."

"I know you can't because there's nothing else to say."

I nodded slowly, I couldn't help but wonder if this was the end of our relationship, if this was the light that had been burning so brightly ever since his kiss that night had finally been snuffed out.

"I'll be in my room." I hesitated by the door half expecting him to tell me I wasn't allowed back in my room and for him to throw me out of the factory. But he did not, he should have. But he did not. When I turned to close the door, through the slither of space which I could still see him through my master chocolatier had that same haunted expression I had seen when he was thinking of his father. Perhaps my biting remark about being wealthy had cut him deeper than I originally thought.

The walls that had been so uncharacteristically orange now seemed to be just walls, devoid of anything spectacular. My mood had plummeted so low I did not cast my usual impressive glance around the Great Glass Elevator and it took me three full stops to realise that Charlie had followed me into the elevator. He did not speak, as young as he was Charlie knew this was no time for words. When I stepped into my rooms they too felt foreign and unfamiliar, an abnormally cold breeze drafted through the place which Charlie blamed on the fires not being switched on. I sat on the sofa and released a long, pent-up sigh, glancing at the batch of daily newspapers the oompa loompas delivered each morning. So guests could keep up with the world inside the colossal factory. A screwed up, paper ball shaped copy of The Guardian lay a few miles away from the waste paper bin in the corner of the room. The evil newspaper from which I had learned of Slugworth's unveiling. Currently my eyes were burning a hole into said rival chocolatier's smarmy face which glared up at me from Candy Maker's Weekly. I had become so accustomed to seeing the empty factory gates with the giant W in the middle, that any other headline instantly made me dubious. Slugworth being on the front page only emphasised the weight of his discovery.

A genius candy making idol, who has been hiding in the shadows until the perfect moment to dazzle us all.

Hiding in the shadows is right, waiting just until Willy's factory unveiling.

What a blow for famous, or should we say infamous candyman Willy Wonka. Perhaps the Wonka bar inventor is choosing to stick to guided tours very much like Mr Cadbury.

Willy will create something even better than those stupid, little gobstoppers anyway. I bet they still don't taste as good.

Chocolatier, Slugworth says the miracle sweets could not have been made without the help of his special investor. The identity of whom shall be announced tomorrow, where Candy Maker's Weekly will have an exclusive interview.

"They are not even chocolate!" I cried, lobbing Candy Maker's Weekly in the same general direction as the bin. I ran my hands haphazardly through my hair. Charlie sat next to me. I switched on the TV and Charlie turned an incredulous eye on me.

"I do watch TV Charlie, it is quite a normal thing." I answered and Charlie put his hands up, as if surrendering.

"I know. I just never watched alot of it and since your Willy's girlfriend I just figured that you wouldn't watch it either."

"Well, I am not so sure about that anymore." I slapped the cushion into my face and rested it on my knees. Charlie reached out a hand and awkwardly patted me on the back.

"It'll be okay. Willy may not have had any amazing relationships, but he is a good person."

"I know he is Charlie, that's what makes this so hard. I would rather he shouted at me than just stared at me like a lost puppy." My voice was muffled in the cushion.

"Why don't you try to get some sleep." Stated Charlie, he took my hand and pulled me gently towards my bedroom door. I let him and opened the door so I was leaning against the doorframe. I felt extremely tired but was in no mood to actually sleep.

"Since when did you grow-up so much Charlie?" I asked curiously through bleary eyes. "Sometimes you are more mature than me and Willy put together."

Charlie smiled brightly, "Looking after four grandparents and occasionally a chocolate master will teach you things like that."

Oh no, oh dear, oh Diana! An update will occur very soon :D xx