A/N I feel so incredibly loved. New reviewers, loyal reviews, alerts, and the story hit the 1,000 hit mark. Yay and Smiles. Cookies and Wonka Bars all around.

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Chapter 25: Hypothetically

As soon as the Buckets were out of sight, Christy came over to the man sitting at the bench. He was back in his bad mood, but tried to pretend that he wasn't.

"Hey Willy. What are you doing here?"

He laughed nervously as he played with his gloves. His gloves were the only item from his normal attire that he had on. He had even left the cane behind. "Since you helped me find clothes that let me blend in I have been coming to watch Charlie in the park. They never noticed me. How did you?"

Christy smiled at him, glad to hear that her influence was doing some good. "You are still incredibly pale and stand out a bit. I mean, I am pale but you are in another league all together."

"Yeah, well at least I don't have germs now from kissing. Eww, how could you do that? When you get home you better make sure you decontaminate yourself."

Christy ignored that comment and tried to change the subject. "It's nice to know that you care enough about Charlie to come out and watch him at the park. I'll bet if he knew it would make him really happy."

Nervous laughter again, "Yeah, but he isn't going to know, right?"

"Not unless you tell him." She wondered for a minute how much he really cared for Charlie. "Can I ask you a hypothetical question?" Willy looked at her curiously. "What would you give up for Charlie?"

"Huh?"

"Well, say just hypothetically, since this will never happen, that Slugworth kidnapped Charlie and was going to hurt him unless you handed over… the factory. Would you do it?" Willy looked at her in horror and she worried that she pushed it a little too far.

A thought like that never occurred to Willy. That could actually happen. It would be easy for someone to use Charlie against me. I love him like… like a little brother. I would never let anything happen. Slugworth could have it all.

"Willy? Willy, come back to earth now. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that. It's not like it's ever going to happen anyway. Willy? Wilbur Wonka!"

That snapped him back. "My name is Willy you silly girl."

"Your nickname maybe, but calling you Wilbur brought you back didn't it. I'm sorry, forget the whole question."

"I would give it up and please never call me Wilbur again. That is my f…." Another word he was stuck on.

"You're named after your dad?" He nodded. "Ok then junior." That earned her a small glare and then a smirk. "Take me home?" He nodded again and started pushing her back to the factory. As she looked around, Christy began to think of all the things she wanted to know about Willy but couldn't ask because it would send him into one of those flashback things he got way too often. She knew one of the oompa-loompas was his therapist, but maybe it was time for a new one. Maybe she could be tricky about the way she asked him.

"When is your birthday?"

"In April, when's yours Starshine?"

"July, I'll be 28. How old are you going to be this year?" She held her breath hoping that Willy wouldn't figure out what she really wanted to know."

"33." Her eyes widened. How could he only be turning 33? That means he must have been about 13 or so when he opened the little candy store and roughly 17 or 18 when the factory was opened.

"How…?" She didn't mean to say that aloud. She whispered it so quietly, but Willy had almost supernatural hearing and stopped walking. He laughed nervously and began pushing again this time much, much faster.

"I had someone help me, now no more questions." His voice was pleading and she nodded. At least for right then she wouldn't ask anymore.

They got back to the factory and Willy quickly changed clothes before anyone noticed him. They made it in time to help decorate the Chocolate Room for Christmas. The oompa-loompas sang a bunch of Christmas carols and by the end of the day, the candy tree was fully decorated with candy ornaments and everything in the room was covered with a dusting of powdered sugar to make it look like snow. Christy began to think about making a Christmas shopping list. But what do you get for the family who recently got so much and a candy-obsessed man that has everything he wants?

Martin and Christy began going out almost every other night. Thankfully for her, he didn't mind occasionally taking her to run a few errands and they spent the Saturday that was two weeks before Christmas finishing their holiday shopping. In Christy's case it was just starting it.

Charlie was the easiest to buy for. She just looked through the mall for a bunch of kids his age and looked at what they were interested in. It looked like some new video game was really in for the holiday so she went with that. She decided that gift receipts are also wonderful things.

For Mrs. Bucket, she found a new cookbook with some recipes that she remembered hearing her say she would love to try. Mr. Bucket loved gadgets so a gift certificate to the electronics store was the best thing she could think of for him. Now the grandparents, she vaguely remembered Grandma Josephine and Georgina talk about knitting something and patterns. She found a couple nice books for them and got some supplies to go with it. The Grandfathers were going to be much harder. She ended up getting them both books by their favorite authors.

Christy and Martin had an exhausting day and they stopped for an early dinner. Martin was finished, but Christy had one person left to shop for. He tried to help her think of ideas but it wasn't easy since she wouldn't tell him much.

"You got a lot of books for your other family members. Why not get him a book? You must know who he likes."

Christy shook her head. "He has so many; I doubt I could find something he didn't have."

"Music?"

"No." He loved to listen to the oompa-loompas and he even danced to their songs, but she never heard anyone there listen to the radio.

"Hmm, maybe get him something so he can go out. Like dinner and a movie type deal."

"Maybe, I feel like a horrible friend. I should be able to think of something."

"Well, maybe he doesn't need anything. Maybe you could just do something special for him."

"That would be a great idea. Now I need to think of what." Almost immediately she did. She wasn't totally sure if he would like it, but with the oompa-loompas help she could use her talents to make him something special.