A/N Own Nothing. Thanks to all my reviewers, you made me smile yesterday.

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Chapter 21: Hiding

The game lasted until breakfast with the Buckets. Everyone was asking her questions and she had to speak. She was embarrassed that everyone was talking about her so her hand was in front of her face most of the time.

"Well it's nice to see you finally out of your room," Grandpa Joe said. "I thought you were going to be up there forever." He said it to Christy, but everyone knew he meant both of them.

Grandpa George almost said something, but Grandma Josephine gave him a smack before he had the chance. He just shrugged and started eating. After that no one mentioned the accident again for the rest of breakfast.

The week continued with Willy being quite annoying. Christy enjoyed having him around generally, but it was getting to be a bit too much. He didn't touch her again since her nightmare and thankfully they didn't return. He was constantly hovering and making sure she had everything she needed, that she wasn't bored, and that she didn't want to leave.

It was starting to become counterproductive. By Thursday, she was going to strangle him. She snuck out early that morning and wheeled herself into the elevator. Willy had finished fixing it, but never made her use it. Willy came out of his room just in time to see her shoot off. He didn't know where she went so he headed towards the little house for breakfast. She never showed up and he started to worry. The family insisted that he give her a day to herself, but he didn't listen. He spent the entire day trying to find her.

Christy had randomly picked a room when she saw Willy open the bedroom door and she picked a good one. It was one of Willy's gardens. She had been to a couple of them, but she never saw this one. It was full of large trees that was easy enough to hide in. In the middle was a little picnic table and a pond full of large colorful fish. She pulled her chair up to the pond and struggled to get out of it. She knew that she wasn't supposed to be trying to walk around, but her legs were so stiff that she didn't care how much it hurt. She got herself onto the grass and got comfortable. She enjoyed the time alone and was happy that when she looked up she saw trees and not ceiling.

By dinner time, she was starting to get a bit hungry and was happy that no one had found her or at least she thought. A couple of oompa-loompa children had been playing on the other side of the pond and she didn't even notice. They came over to her when she called and asked them if they minded getting her some help to get back into the chair. She expected them to get some adult oompa-loompas, but instead they got Willy.

He came in looking rather angry. He glared down at her and she was actually scared. He was always in a good mood and if he did get unhappy it never last very long. He would make himself nervous and giggle. This time wasn't like that. "I have been looking for you all day."

"I've been in here. I needed some time alone."

"I thought that maybe you left or got yourself stuck somewhere. You shouldn't wander around the factory alone, you could get hurt." He might have been trying to protect her, but it came out so harsh that Christy's temper flared right back.

"Your factory is full of oompa-loompas that could help if something happened. And as I recall, being with someone didn't stop me from getting hurt now did it?" Willy looked guilty but then went back to glaring at her. "And what is it with you constantly worried about me leaving?" His eyebrow raised in slight panic. "Yes I've noticed that anytime I mention anything that goes on outside this factory you looked scared as hell. Do you do this to Charlie too? I don't know how you could possibly have abandonment issues when you act like you want to be alone."

Willy stared off at the pond and Christy let out a frustrated scream. I can't talk to him about anything without him doing that. "Mr. Wonka, get back to earth now and finish this argument."

He glanced down at her. Suddenly he realized how much he had been hurting her. He tried to stay away and it fueled her nightmares. Then he was too protective and it made her want to get away. He wasn't very good at doing anything halfway. It was all or nothing for him and when it came to his candy it usually worked out well, but anything that involved Christy had be dealt with differently. "I don't want to be alone." He said this softly and looked down.

Christy felt bad and tried to get herself back into her wheelchair. She didn't make it and ending up just hurting herself more. "Can you send someone to help me please?" Willy moved over to her and lifted her easily and put her in the chair. "I didn't say you had to, but thanks anyway." She turned the chair and headed towards the elevator. Willy followed her all the way to the main lobby and watched her leave. He finally broke down and tears dripped down his face. He didn't want her to leave.

Cool air blew through her hair and she breathed a sigh of relief. She pushed herself down the couple of blocks to the park. She found Charlie there playing with his new girlfriend. She watched for awhile not knowing what her leaving was doing to Willy. She had no plans to leave permanently; it didn't even cross her mind. She just wanted to spend a couple hours outside and away from her problems. Charlie noticed her and when he was ready to leave he pushed her back home.

Willy went straight to his room and had his flashback again. He saw his mother leave him and his father. She yelled at both of them and just left. His father never spoke of her again and he kept his distance from the child that looked so much like her. As Willy tended to do, he assumed that it was completely his fault. He made her leave. He was the reason his father was so harsh all his life and then left and now he pushed Christy away too. It wouldn't be long before Charlie left as well.