Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners.
Authors Note: Sorry it's been so long since an update but I got a real bad virus that's been going around and haven't been able to type much. My usual updates aren't as regular as I would like and I want to thank you so much for sticking with me my wonderful readers and Reviewers, it's much appreciate.
Chapter 37: Traitor
Orianna took a breath and nodded. "Go ahead." She crossed her arms observing him carefully.
"Sam, Emilee, and Doris insisted that I add her to the list." Willy took a breath reaching his hands out and grasping her arms gently watching her face soften slightly. "They're hoping that just maybe your Aunt Margo will let you and Nelly live your lives, they seem to think that because we found each other she will understand that you are both very…good at figuring out your own lives. Something like that anyway…ask Sam, I didn't really get all his lecture." He took a deep breath and waited for her to say something.
--Original POV--
Sighing I met those worried violet eyes and nodded. "They might be right." I slid into his arms and hugged him close smiling at the familiar candy scents he was always perfumed in and feeling his hand lace in my hair brushing through it comfortingly.
"Isn't' that just adorable?" Hillary giggled along with Nelly who nodded in agreement both watching Willy turn bright red.
Willy groaned glancing down at my amused smile before sticking his tongue out at both of them. "I thought Nelly was bad." He smirked at the offended look he received from her before Nelly flipped him off and stuck her tongue out in response.
"I warned you at the party." Hillary stated cheekily before sticking her own tongue out at him and smiling at Nelly who was currently using her as a leaning post.
Willy snorted in response to that. "You forgot to warn about those other two." He retorted wryly still annoyed over the vodka incident.
Hillary stuck out her tongue. "Malcolm should have said something…I greatly dislike them both, I planned on letting her beat the crap out of them." She smiled slightly at my amused grin.
"I still will." With that the three of us started laughing before being interrupted by Mrs. Bucket; she was calling us all to dinner.
Dinner went smoothly with more discussion then usual, mostly about Willy and my engagement. He spent a great deal of dinner being bright red thanks to Nelly and Hillary's constant teasing, but the whole hangover incident was now a fond memory, it wasn't really fair to hold it over him when the whole mess wasn't his fault. I still wasn't going to let up on the strawberry teasing, but otherwise things were good until desert was served.
"Strawberry cheesecake." Nelly clamped her mouth shut at the annoyed look she received from Willy, Hillary just glanced back and forth between the pair to see what would happen next.
"Oh boy." I sighed defeated by the amused look hidden in the depths of those violet eyes. "Mrs. Bucket?"
"Yes dear?" she questioned; everyone paused in their desert and eyed the interesting look on Willy's face.
"Did Nelly suggest desert by chance?" She nodded watching me with an odd look on her face. "Just curious." I watched Willy take a fork full of cheesecake and casually hold it there for a minute, he then flung it smack between Nelly's eyes.
"Hey!" She cried surprised before wiping the glob from her nose. "Thanks a bunch Willy." She noticed everyone around the table trying to stop their laughter.
"Welcome." Willy returned to desert receiving a lot of laughter for his trouble.
"You asked for it Nelly…I don't even get away with that." His violet gaze concentrated on me, before he even got the chance to be smart I quickly placed a fork full of my own desert in his mouth. "Don't even think about it Willy Wonka." I warned watching his amused smirk.
After several more discussions around the table, desert was over and we were all excused to go about our own business. Outside the house I watched Nelly, Hillary and Charlie take off across the chocolate room harassing one another and turned giving Willy an amused look. He had been up to something since I stuffed that cheesecake in his mouth; I just wasn't entirely sure what. He walked around casually tapping his cane as he went and paused a few feet above one of the many hills observing the three giggling goofballs down below us.
"Those three have an interesting idea going on down there." He glanced out of the corner of his eye seeing I was distracted by Hillary tackling Nelly to the ground in an effort to help Charlie win for a change. I knew he was watching me in his own sneaky fashion, I also knew that he was planning a tickle attack but I was ready. Before he had the chance to reach out, I took off easily down the hill and as per usual went rolling and managed to quickly climb to my feet pausing to glance up at him from below the hill.
--Willy Wonka's POV--
"She claims I'm sneaky." He watched her roll ungracefully down the hill and manage to get back to her feet, she observed him cautiously below waiting for his next trick. He observed her bouncing lightly on her heels and after a moment received the birdie and an amused giggle from below. "THAT WASN'T VERY NICE."
"YOU HAVE A POINT WILLY?" She retorted still bouncing on the balls of her feet.
He placed his cane down beside him as casually as possible, he then stretched his arms before bolting down the hill. "There she goes." He managed to slide a ways instead of falling and landed rather gracefully on the flat spot, he then took off after the fast disappearing Orianna.
--Original POV--
"Great." I smiled slightly already seeing I was in trouble and bolted the second he started down the hill, I wasn't about to give him the option of catching me that easily.
"RUN!" three voices called forcing me to glance behind me long enough to see his graceful landing and watching him speed up after me.
Nelly, Hillary, and Charlie all jogged after the two of us in hopes to see the outcome of what would happen. I managed to duck around several candy trees, and other obstacles before ducking through a mass of gummy vines over at the backside of the chocolate room. "Hopefully I have a chance to catch my breath." I heard giggling and peaked out of my hiding spot.
"You three weren't helping ya know." Willy had that ever present smirk and observed Nelly, Hillary and Charlie laughing at his expense. "I would have had her if you didn't yell for her to run…this isn't fair."
"I wonder what your basis for comparison is?" I stifled my amused giggle observing Hillary and Nelly give him a look.
"She hasn't outsmarted the famous chocolatier already has she?" Hillary rose a brow at the sudden annoyed pout on his face. "I always thought you were the sneak, according to Nelly and Orianna…anyway, what's your plan of action?"
"Huh?" He managed sounding far more confused then usual. "Plan of action…didn't usually need one, unless we're in the growing room." He wrinkled his nose remembering the most recent crème pie event.
"I heard." Nelly giggled at his less then amused expression and rolled her eyes. "Usually she isn't that far away…you two are hardly ever apart for long, it's sooooo cute." He flushed so red I thought he was one of the many strawberries I had been teasing him about.
"Aww, he's all red." Hillary giggled at the narrowed violet eyes lowered in her direction. "I warned you I was as bad as Nelly."
"Worse." He retorted glancing around the area thoughtfully and pausing his gaze on the gummy vines I was hiding among. "I see you." I smirked at that, he was just testing to see if I was really there and hoped it would work.
"She's a bit smarter then that Willy." Nelly eyed him suspiciously when his amused violet gaze sparkled alive. "That look in most cases…is bad." She glanced at Hillary and Charlie thoughtfully.
I glanced behind the three teasing Willy and noticed a small gathering of familiar faces coming to his rescue, which was several familiar Oompa Loompa's that had offered to help him in tickle attacking myself and Nelly. "He isn't playing fair anymore." I shook my head and as quietly as I could I stepped out of the gummy vines and waved at the others frantically, pointing behind them. Hillary was the first to notice and turned to look; she then grabbed both Nelly and Charlie's arms and yanked them after her.
"Cheat!" called Nelly heading straight for me along with the others.
"Willy Wonka…I'll drown you in your own chocolate river!" Hillary glowered after him before coming to my side.
"That won't work, but remember there are chocolate ponds around…more so then I know of." I glanced down the hill and stuck out my tongue at the amused expression on his face. "I hate that wagging finger." I glared at him in annoyance at that familiar hand movement of his and then the four of us took off across the fields of taller candy grass ducking in the middle of the mass near several candy apple trees. "He's going to find us…this isn't fair." I pouted in a familiar fashion seeing the others cup their mouths to prevent their laughter from giving us away.
--Willy Wonka's POV--
Willy and his mini army of Oompa Loompa's started up the hill quickly after the disappeared group, quietly explaining various points in the large candy field on the other side where the Oompa Loompa's could close in, helping him corner them in the candy apple orchards. He knew it was the only real hiding spot and was also very aware of Orianna's trickery with trees, thanks to a certain crème pie incident again.
"Ben, Henry, Alex, Felix, and Evan…follow me." He whispered softly watching the rest of the group slowly circling the candy apple orchard. "Now lets see who's smarter." He smirked slightly at that, he knew Orianna was very intelligent and that was one of those qualities that most amused him.
"Too quiet." Hillary whispered startled when Orianna slapped her hand over her mouth and glanced around nervously.
Nelly reached in her pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper and notepad she had on hand for Oompa Loompa's and wrote down what was wrong.
Willy can hear far too well, almost super hearing…shut up already.
Hillary gave Nelly a very evil look but nodded feeling Orianna's hand move carefully from her mouth. "He heard that." Was all Orianna offered before yanking Nelly sideways from Ben of all Oompa Loompa's and the four of them dodging off in separate areas of the orchard.
--Original POV--
I knew the others would most likely have to deal with Oompa Loompa's, Willy was going to personally deal with me. One of these days I was going to have to remember being with him would involve some trickery on his part, it would always mean I would be on the receiving end and the others didn't help with their usual teasing. I climb carefully up one of the larger of the candied apple trees to observe the scene below me, as suspected the others were messing around with Oompa Loompa's and Willy was currently out of sight for the time being.
"I know you're around here somewhere." I glanced carefully around the area observing every movement I spotted, but no sign of Willy. I felt a light tug on my dangling leg and glanced down.
"Right here." He smirked up at me with a mischievous look reflected in those violet eyes, which meant he had a plan and I had nowhere to go at the moment, without a painful drop anyway.
"You weren't suppose to get help." I stuck out my tongue and pulled my leg out of his reach, giggling when he attempted to catch it in the process.
He quirked his brows meeting my gaze. "They weren't suppose to help you." He retorted chuckling when Nelly and Hillary ran by in the distance with several tiny people hot on their heels. "Come down."
"Um…" I observed Charlie dodge by ducking Willy's outstretched arm. "Hell no." I smiled slightly at the amused expression on his face.
"You can't stay up there all day." He noticed that the others were now a good distance away and amusing themselves in their own way.
"Sure I can…you're down there." I giggled at the almost offended sounding sniff I heard in response. "Stuck up."
"Am not." He glanced up at me and jumped nearly catching my pant leg, which forced me to tuck my legs further up into the tree.
"Sounded it to me." I smiled laying across the branch I was on knowing he couldn't reach if I did so. "How are you going to convince me to come down?" he gave me one of those familiar 'I have my ways' looks and grinned almost wickedly.
He shrugged and slowly started to walk around the tree studying it for a way up, I observed him for a few minutes already getting an idea he was coming after me. Not long after I felt the tree move slightly and saw he was starting up after me, I laughed when he was almost within reach of my legs and pulled them back.
"Thought you might." I offered him one of my own evil grins and swung my legs around and slide off the branch dangling in mid air for a long while and then allowed myself to drop to the grass below, it didn't exactly feel great upon landing on my ass, but I had tricked him again. "Owy." He chuckled down at me and started back down the tree.
"Graceful Orianna…you alright?" I nodded rubbing my sore bum and glanced up at familiar violet eyes, he then leaned down helping me to my feet. "You are impossible sometimes." I grinned at this and shrugged.
"I like it that way…you're just as bad though." I felt his arms rest around my waist and leaned into him. "Why did you insist on the Oompa Loompa's helping?" He slid his arms tight around me pulling me into a hug.
"Because they're full of mischief and those three had it coming to them." I couldn't help but laugh at his observation.
Both of us turned walking hand in hand to the still clowning around trio, and several little people. Hillary had somehow managed to get in the most trouble with Nelly and Charlie laughing too hard to assist. We watched the group for a long while messing around before Willy was tugged upon and leaned down to talk with Yancy. "He's away from the TV room." I was surprised to see the television obsessed Oompa Loompa; this suddenly made me get a sinking feeling when Willy nodded and met my gaze with a familiar dark look. "This isn't good news." I nodded seeing he was headed to the TV room; he grasped my hand tugging me with him. I told the others goodnight and waved before turning to keep pace with him, something was definitely up and if I read Willy right this wasn't going to end well at all. His gaze remained dangerous when he pulled me lightly into his arms and pressed the familiar button on the elevator, the minute we took off I could feel the tension, anger and concern radiating off him.
Inside the TV room he walked over keeping his hand laced with mine and nodded to Yancy who turned on the TV's to one specific channel. "This had better not be what I think it is." His voice was very low and made me shiver slightly.
Welcome to celebrity news updates…it has come to our attention that the vast spreading rumors on the famous recluse Willy Wonka of his affections for Orianna Winters, is an actual fact! Yes you heard right folks, we were recently updated with the news that the pair have grown very close and serious and an engagement seems very eminent, if not already has occurred…more updates in the future. Back to your sports.
I met those hardened violet eyes and knew he had nothing to do with it this time. "How in hell did those two find out?" He met my gaze and shrugged before kissing me lightly on the cheek and exiting to the elevator to head to his office, it was time to think and he wasn't in the best of moods to be around guests.
Who knew of your engagement?
I glanced down at Tucker who was one of the workers that knew Willy's temperament well. "Nelly, Hillary, Malcolm, Charlie, and the Buckets." He observed me curiously before shrugging and trying to write something down.
You trust them all and none of them has betrayed you before. Maybe there's another bug in the factory…I will inform the others to get on it immediately.
I nodded in agreement with Tucker and then turned to head back to the others in the chocolate room. Something was nagging at the back of my mind once I got the elevator back at the TV room and before I knew what I was doing I pressed the button to the guest rooms. Nelly was in the bubblegum room and Willy had put Hillary in the room next to hers, which had been the cinnamon room. I stepped up to Hillary's door well aware she would be down in the chocolate room for a while yet and walked in, I felt like I was being paranoid but after being with Willy and learning how horrible things were for him with betrayal, I felt it necessary to be paranoid.
I stepped into the richly tans, and light browns strewn about, it was as simple as the bubble gum room had been only in different colors. I went instinctively to the desk and opened the drawers finding nothing of use, and then proceeded to check every nook and cranny in the room, including the closet, bathroom and dressing table the room had in it. I finally after cursing myself for being so suspicious did the last thing I would expect, I slid under her bed and actually glanced under at the bottom of the bed figuring she could have hidden something there.
I spotted an envelope taped very carefully in the furthest corner of the bed and almost cried at the discovery. "Shit…Hillary how could you." I barely breathed before un-taping the thing and slid out from under the bed. I then opened the envelope and glanced through it contents. "Papers, tapes, notes, recording devices." I almost threw the evidence into the wall but managed to restrain myself.
I walked out into the hall and caught one of the Oompa Loompa's in their rounds, I informed her of the situation and asked if there was a way she could make copies of all the documentation before Hillary would find the things missing. To my surprise she scurried off and not even ten minutes later returned with copies and quickly went into the room to replace the evidence I had obtained. I then crossly made my way to the elevator and instead of immediately going to Willy's office I went to our room instead. Once inside the room I called in Felix and asked him if Willy was over his issues as of yet, I needed someone to go get him shortly while I went over what I had found. He had responded quickly with a terrified sound and promptly exited the room shaking his hands violently in the air in protest. "Guess that means I have to be the bad guy." I grabbed the recorder device provided with the copies of evidence and placed in one of the most recently dated tapes, I then grabbed the envelope of evidence I had and headed back to the elevator to go to Willy.
Finally at the factory
I found out today that our happy friends are now happily engaged and can't wait to see what the others think of this information. I have to be cautious though…Willy is very unsure of me and I've known Orianna to be massively paranoid for years.
"I'll give you massively paranoid Hillary." I managed through gritted teeth before going through the documents and finding various numbers to call and other things. From all the information I had gathered from the envelope our bug was a person instead of mechanical and the worst part of the situation, she had been my best friend for a long time. "Don't throw anything." I called the minute the elevator opened into his office.
Violet eyes snapped to mine almost immediately, he halted in his attempt to toss an object in my direction and instead flung it over his shoulder. "Are you suicidal Orianna?" his voice was the usual anger filled one, but it had been meant as a forced joke.
"Nope, just blind faith and blindly in love…hence I don't notice your violent side." I forced a wry smile before placing the envelope on his cleared desk, taking note that everything that had once been there was now on the floor. "I hate myself right now." He glanced at the things and rose a brow in curiosity.
"What is this?" He opened the envelope and noticed the documentation, he then proceeded to quickly go through it in his usual rapid fashion, he even listened to the tape I had in the recorder and sighed irritably. "You alright?" I narrowed my own gaze at this question.
I snorted in response. "My best friend sold me out to our worst enemies…I'm going to bury her in the chocolate room and leave her head above for a kick ball." I sat on the edge of his desk and proceeded to mumble one curse after another.
--Willy Wonka's POV--
This was not a shock to him; he knew her temper from personal experience. "She may hurt Hillary before she gets the chance to confront the girl." He observed Orianna swear some more and jumped when she violently slammed her fist into his desk. She shook her now sore fist and took notice that Willy had jumped nearly a foot far away from her; he then hesitantly approached her and grasped her now throbbing fist tenderly.
"You really should watch that habit of yours." He whispered softly kissing her throbbing hand and seeing a brief almost cloudy look to her eyes. "She's about to go off on the deep end." Usually he would be fleeing from a situation like this, but he had grown so close to her by then it felt natural to remain there and hold her close.
She snuggled into his familiar arms and velvet frock coat, suddenly she started to sob, she couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze. Willy without hesitation pulled her close to him and rested his head on hers in thought, he hadn't ever witnessed someone go through this other then himself, it was unnerving and re-awakened memories he would have rather stayed buried. "She's been put through the ringer like myself." His violet gaze lowered to dark dangerous slits, and he felt an anger stir inside he hadn't felt in a long time.
She finally managed to stop sobbing and realized she had soaked his front. "You're all wet." she wiped at her tears and met that warm violet gaze, something definitely was different and it made an odd feeling settle around her stomach, slowly twisting her insides.
--Original POV--
"You've been hurt, being wet doesn't matter." He glanced down at his front and offered a small wince at the sight, but shrugged it off pulling her close into another warm embrace. "Do you want me to come with you?" I met his gaze and realized there was an unanswered questioned hidden in there.
"It might be a good idea…I don't think your fiancé murdering someone is high on the list of things you feel like dealing with." I could feel the bitterness creep into my voice but knew I had to confront her eventually.
His amused gaze met mine with a wry smile. "You're probably right, besides it would be near impossible to get the blood out of the furniture in her room." I offered a giggle at the comment; somehow he had made me feel much better about the situation.
"Not to mention she wouldn't make a very good candy…have to get rid of the evidence after all." Granted the comment was morbid, but blame it on my weird stories I wrote for a living.
"Ew." He wrinkled his nose at that and gave me a horrible bitter look. "That was just so…ew." I smiled and shrugged leaning up kissing him softly.
Without another word I walked almost melancholy to the glass elevator with him following close behind. My mood had plummeted from happy, to angry, sad, spiteful, and right down to depressed. I couldn't believe my best friend was out to ruin the one good thing that had happened to me in a long time, for what? I had no idea but I was about to find out, or beat her senseless unless Willy managed to stop me somehow. I glanced up the minute the familiar ding echoed into the hall of the guest rooms and stepped out halting in my steps, I glanced at Nelly's door and then Hillary's. I wanted to talk to Nelly so badly right at that moment and almost did so, but I felt a reassuring presence behind me and reached over wrapping myself around his arm for comfort. "I so don't want to do this…really I don't." I took a breath and hesitantly walked to the door, knocking quietly. Hillary opened the door staring at the both of us with a warm smile, one of her welcoming ones I had once loved to be greeted with. At that very moment I felt a hand grasp both my hands wrapped around his arm protectively, apparently he had either red my expression or sensed I wanted to wipe the smile of her face.