Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners.

Authors Note: I apologize to my reviewers for the flames I have recieved, I have no intention of stopping this story or giving up on my writing. I write for fun and share it with those because I feel like doing so. I thank you all very much and apologize for any of you that have been offended. I want you to know I appreciate you reading and reviews, it means a great deal to me. now onto the update. :)

Chapter 38: Taking the Reins into Our Own Hands

"Hillary…can we talk?" Willy saw my eyes were glittering with violence, but Hillary didn't seem to notice and nodded walking into her room.

I felt him gently release me; he then stood cautiously behind me ready in case I literally attacked the still smiling friend, ex-friend in front of me. "Hillary…why?" I couldn't manage anything else, just that one little why was all that would escape.

Her smile faded at the hurt in my voice, she had heard that tone once long ago when someone had betrayed my trust and now she strained to figure out why it was directed at her. "Why?" she puzzled over that for a long while observing me and then Willy. Soon after something seemed to click and her eyes widened in shock, without thinking she dove under her bed ignoring the two gazes following her and realized someone had played with a hidden envelope under her bed. "Oh no." she winced at the realization, she was irked with the invasion of privacy but got a feeling more news had been announced behind her back. "What do I say?" she slowly slid from the bed and turned to her friend.

"You went through my room?" Hillary knew her voice was full of hurt as well but the sudden violent look in my face forced that away quickly.

I attempted to lunge at her, but Willy reacted almost instantaneously and caught me around the arms holding me tightly in his grasp. "That isn't the point…why are you…why did you…WHY IN HELL DID YOU BETRAY ME!" he winced at the sudden high tone my voice took on, but his grip remained strong. "BETRAYED…us." I briefly turned my head to meet the worried violet eyes behind me before meeting her gaze head on.

"I didn't." Hillary sighed and crawled back under the bed further, almost out of sight before scrambling back out. "Malcolm and I were trying to stop this from happening…apparently something went very wrong." Willy cautiously let one arm free and reached for the small wrinkled and yellowed envelope in her hand.

Willy opened the letter slowly and glanced it over in his familiar rapid fashion.

We know your friends with Orianna, we will announce as many rumors and assumptions as possible and drive them both insane. The man with your friend is a certified lunatic, eccentric doesn't come close…he threatened our well being. We are going to do all in our power to expose the real Willy Wonka and Orianna will be hurt just as bad in the process. I know you care for her…get her out before we do our worst.

"Cosette and Haywood?" He managed studying Hillary who nodded staring down thoughtfully at the other letters in her hands. "More of the same concept?" she nodded again watching as he released his hold on me and I glanced at the letter in his hand in shock.

I felt a sudden warmth around me, and a whole lot of guilt as well. "Oh shit." I hesitantly walked over to Hillary. "I am so sorry Hillary…I feel like a total ass now." She smiled slightly and shrugged, I then felt a tight firm hug from her.

"You had every right to jump me, and I shouldn't have hidden them from you. I just was doing all I could to stop them…Malcolm has been helping where he can, but those two are carrying things even out of our league this round." I glanced at Willy worriedly remembering the familiar 'Psycho' behavior that always seemed to emerge at the worst moments.

He folded the letter, placed it back into the envelope and returned it to Hillary. "There's an easy way to solve this problem…someone reminded me that my ways aren't always, the best way to go." He met my gaze and smirked almost devilishly. "Come with me Orianna…Hillary tell Malcolm…" he paused looking for the right words.

"That you're about to blow their plan out of the water?" Nelly offered startling us all with her eavesdropping in the doorway.

"That works." Willy smirked grasping my hand and exiting rapidly into the hall and into the elevator, Nelly and Hillary both exchange curious looks before shrugging and returning to their rooms.

Soon we were walking down a familiar candy striped hallway, Willy's arm resting around my waist a thoughtful look haunting his eyes. "What is going through your mind?" he saw my interested look and offered me one of his impish grins, he then led me into our room and disappeared into the bathroom without another word. I sat on the edge of the bed observing the door for a few minutes lost in my own thoughts, I knew he was working out a plan of action and had left me to wonder on purpose. "Where's the chocolate?" I smiled slightly at the thought and jumped when the door opened with an almost grand entrance appeal.

"I have a plan." He smirked at my suspicious glance and walked over shooing me into the bathroom. "Hurry up so I can run it by you." I gave him a disagreeable look for the order, but did as I was told.

I emerge later in my blue pajamas and eyed him suspiciously. "Alright…what are you up too?" he smirked at my expression and then slid up inside bed.

"It was a far too quick explanation; she's protecting someone you both know." I winced at this observation; it was one of the main issues that had been bothering me since the confrontation with Hillary. "First thing we need to do is get the rumors ended, which would involve…

"Telling the world yourself." He flinched at the idea of the public hounding him and me every chance they got. "You knew eventually you would…Cosette and Haywood are not going to let you off the hook without a good fight. The public and press are their greatest weapon, they love attention." I slid in bed beside him and leaned across him seeing his face wrinkle into an irritated pout.

"I know…I hate the attention." I smiled slightly watching his face change into another soured look. "Next is to find out who Hillary is protecting…I don't think its Malcolm." I nodded in agreement sliding my hand lightly across his arm in thought. "Watch that hand." He warned playfully feeling my hand pause at his waist.

"Why?" I giggled at his amused expression and slid up kissing him softly, the conversation was done for the night and the lights were soon out to emphasize the fact.

--Willy Wonka's POV--

"Time to face the public." Willy stretched wrinkling his nose at the confrontation with the public to stop rumors; the rumors would fly and fly until he took the initiative to stop them. Cosette and Haywood weren't going to stop trying to drive him insane and he wasn't about to let them drive him and Orianna apart if he could do anything to stop it. He glanced down at the form wrapped tightly around his body and laced his hands lightly in her hair, he felt his face form a small smile before glancing around the room lost in thought. There was a very long list of things to do, among his usual list and he knew that it would be trying on both their nerves. Willy was pondering a reasonable distraction from the current events for himself and her, he then smiled impishly a plan forming in his head. Cautiously and mindful of not disturbing her, he slid from bed and slowly stretched before slipping into a robe and exiting into the bathroom.

"Good morning Alex." He offered staring down at the waiting Oompa Loompa with his towels ready. "I need you to go give this note to Nelly, hopefully this will be just the distraction we will need later down the line." Alex accepted the note and vanished to fulfill his task.

--Original POV--

"No Willy?" I sighed forcing open my eyes to face the day and heard the shower running in the bathroom. I didn't think I was ever going to be a morning person, no matter how many times he attempted to get me into the morning mood persona. I managed to half crawl; half pull myself from bed and slid into the waiting bathrobe on the end of the bed. I glanced down minutes later alerted by a tugging sensation and saw Persephone holding my morning soda; I thanked her and waited patiently for Willy to come out of the bathroom in his usual chipper way.

Willy immediately exited into the room not long after I became conscious and smirked at my barely awake look. "Come on, smile…mornings can be fun you know." I wrinkled my nose in response and threw a pillow smack at him. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Wait until I've gotten caffeine in my system…then I might perk up." I saw his expression turn almost mischievous and followed his line of vision. "Not what I meant Willy…you're becoming terrible." I lifted the robe tighter around me and rose a brow at his amused giggle.

He leaned down kissing me softly before disappearing into the closet. "Blame it on your cousin and best friend…" He poked his head out briefly. "Your not much help either, you're becoming a wonderfully bad influence." I was tempted to toss another pillow at him, but decided against it at the moment.

I glanced down at the newspaper Persephone had brought me in that morning and frowned in annoyance. "Engaged or On the Way to being so?"I almost ripped the headline up and glared evilly at the bold letters. "We want to solve this mystery and plan on immediately attempting an interview with the famous recluse and his current main squeeze, stay tuned for more juicy gossip in tomorrow's paper." That did it; I tossed the paper in the air and glared at the mass that fell near Willy's feet. He brushed off his dark emerald green suite with black trim and grasped at the pages observing the paper with intent violet eyes.

I finished my soda and stood to take my turn in the bathroom. "The press are far too nosy for their own good. We all deserve privacy…I wish Cosette swallowed the beads from her dress and choked." I then shut the door more violently then necessary behind me.

--Willy Wonka's POV--

He flinched at the sound of the slamming door and sighed in defeat, he was going to have to deal with this situation and today was about as good as any. "Doris." He walked quickly to the Oompa Loompa call button in his room and waited patiently for one to come, he then signed he wanted to set up a meeting with the press and Doris was to do the setting up immediately. He glanced up hearing muttered swearing and watched Orianna vanish into the closet, she entered the room later wearing black bellbottoms and a red spaghetti strap top, she looked thoroughly agitated and made him just a bit nervous at the moment.

"Are you alright?" He noticed her eyes were fine slits, but soon her expression softened and she smiled slightly.

Shrugging she walked over and wrapped her arms around him tightly. "I will be once Cosette and Haywood run out of ammunition." He leaned down kissing my forehead and then an almost depressed look crossed his face.

He shuddered briefly at the imagery of the press he would eventually be faced with and glanced down at the concerned gaze watching him. "Press…Doris is setting things up as we speak, I just hope I don't panic too badly…I greatly dislike them, and the germs they tend to bring with them."

"Isn't that their camera crews…they always did need to be sprayed away, I'll get the Lysol." He glanced at her and started to laugh. "The press are worse then politicians, and lawyers…I think they're the biggest blood suckers of them all."

Willy nodded in agreement and then slowly released her from his embrace. "Time to go face them…Nelly and Hillary are waiting in the chocolate room." He started toward the door and turned offering her an impish grin. "There's a surprise waiting now, and when I get back." Before she got the chance to ask he was on his way to the elevator.

--Original POV--

"Watch…" I sighed seeing him smack into the familiar object and smiled slightly at his muttered 'I'm fine'. "Why do I love him so?" I started toward the stairs leading down to the next level where I would find a stair slide all the way to the chocolate room.

I landed rather ungracefully among candy bushes and dusted off the leaves and such in my hair, I then stood observing the chocolate room half expecting a dog pile attack. Nelly and Hillary were giggling off in the distance and forced me to halt hearing other voices; they didn't belong to any of the Buckets and were very familiar to me. I knew Charlie was at school that day and smiled waving to the wandering grandparents in the distance, before making my way slowly up the hill and pausing to glance down at them. I was rather surprised to see Malcolm had joined our little party in the factory, what did not please me was the fact Hart and Danny had apparently come along as well.

I narrowed my gaze at the suddenly silent group; Nelly was the first to her feet to head me off. "What are they doing here?" Malcolm was second, followed by Hillary who noticed the cousins looked about to faint.

"They come to apologize…I don't think Willy knows." Nelly glanced over at Danny and Hart, who were currently fidgeting worriedly.

"He might know." I smiled slightly at the thought; he did mention a surprise and something happening when he got back from the reporters currently smashing down the gates outside the factory. I set aside my annoyance for the moment and walked over opening the laptop with a live news feed from outside, Ben quickly disappeared seeing we would be intent on the events on screen and I was settling down for the moment. I sat there observing Willy onscreen looking very uncomfortable and trying to answer the questions without loosing his temper, or public face.

"Mr. Wonka! Can you explain the rumors flying around about your guest and your current relationship with her?"

"Mr. Wonka how long have you known this woman and what's her family like?"

"Do you plan on having children together and when do you plan on having your wedding?"

"What about your relations with young Charlie and his family?"

"Will the Buckets accept this new aspect of your life, or will there be legal issues?"

I glowered at the screen at the hundreds of questions being fired at Willy; his eyes were so wide I could have sworn they would pop out of his head. "They're going to cause him a meltdown." Without really thinking it through I let out a sharp whistle, which apparently resembled something similar to Willy's and was greeted by a curious looking Herman. "Get me a coat; I'm going to his rescue before he passes out."

"That might not be such…

I turned to meet Hillary's concerned gaze. "I know it's not a great idea…but having a comatose chocolatier fiancé isn't a better choice either." This got me curious looks from Danny and Hart, whom apparently hadn't been let in on the good news yet. "You two are still in trouble for the vodka, no smart remarks." I grabbed the coat dragged over to me and slid into the dark blue knee length thing, pulling up the rather large hood to hide myself a bit.

This may not be wise; Mr. Cocoa Bean may become angry with you.

"I don't think he will dare in my current state Herman." I smiled almost evilly and started toward the chocolate room exit.

Once I got to those familiar double doors through the optical illusion hall, I all but stormed out into the damp morning air; I ignored the puddles of rain at my feet and continued straight to the massive gates of the factory. I relished the fact I was steamed and allowed my anger to momentarily take over, those reporters had gone too far and it was grating on my last nerve. I carefully adjusted the hood to conceal my face and stumbled slightly over the walkway toward Willy. As I feared he was frozen and nervously tapping his cane, this situation had gotten so out of hand he was agitated and scared to death. "Blood suckers." I scowled irritably at the flashing cameras, screaming questions, and other various aspects of reporting I loathed. "No respect for any privacy, damn them all." I was now directly beside Willy and kept myself hidden ignoring the questions fired at me and who the mystery person was at his side.

--Willy Wonka's POV--

"There's too many of them." He noticed the questions changing to his mystery companion and finally lowered his gaze seeing she was at his side hiding herself within a familiar coat he had the Oompa Loompa's make for her. "Orianna what in candies name…

"I figured if you were going to go comatose…I would rather be the cause of it, instead of these leeches." He smirked the twinkle finally returning to those violet eyes. "You don't have to answer any of them, Cosette and Haywood can go straight to hell." She smiled up at him and turned away from the prying eyes and cameras of the public, carefully concealing her identity from them all.

"I know that." He tilted his head in thought, something was going on behind those violet eyes and for once I had a feeling it wasn't a good thing. "I know a quick way of settling this question once and for all…I'll worry about others later."

--Original POV--

Somehow I didn't like the sounds of that. "Willy…if you're about to do what I think you're…

"What if I am?" He smiled in that impish way of his, his gaze further lighting up in amusement.

I shook my head. "No…I don't think it's wise." I stepped away heading back toward the factory, I knew that look too well and remembered a nearly forgotten chocolate spider incident that once followed that look.

"I think it is." I froze at the sound of his voice; he was directly behind me and had caught my shoulder. "I'll deal with the other questions later, let Cosette and Haywood be traumatized for a day or so." I groaned, there was no way out of this and he wasn't about to let me escape.

"I should have listened to Hillary and beat up on Danny and Hart." I heard a familiar giggle at this and turned to meet that impish smirk and shinning violet eyes. "You know something, you are impossible."

"Then why did you agree to marry me?" I couldn't help but grin at him.

"No clue…I'm not going to like this." He shrugged wrapping his arm around me and ignoring the curious shouts behind him. "Then again…this could be interesting." I flipped back my hood and ignoring the tiny voice in my head followed him to the front of the gates.

"Ms. Winters…what is your relationship with Mr. Wonka?" I glanced up at the amused smirk on Willy's face and rolled my eyes, it was time for him to make the dramatic announcement, again. I had no intention of opening my mouth to these people; it would be dangerous for what might come out for them.

Willy finally waved down the reporters, quieting them to a somewhat tolerable extent. "I have gotten to know Ms. Winters and have proposed to her as of April seventeenth." I glowered at his amused smirk, he was going to get it once I could attempt to throttle him without the public seeing the incident and worrying something was off. "That is all." He then briskly turned me around in his arm and rapidly started toward the factory.

"That was short and sweet." He wagged his brows with an amused grin. "Yeah I know…but this time pun intended, smart ass."

I was thankful to be back inside the factory and hidden from the reporters, I think over my time with Willy the factory had become a safe haven and dealing with the public was never on top of my list. Nelly was instantly at the door followed by several Oompa Loompa's; Willy tossed aside our coats and put up a hand before she could get out two words. He signed something to the Oompa Loompa's and started to walk down the hall, he then stopped turning to grasp my hand and continued. I smirked knowing he was purposely driving Nelly nuts, apparently one of his new found pastimes. "Demented aren't you?" Once inside the safety of the chocolate room Nelly immediately walked over in a huff flipping Willy off, she then leaned against Hillary in annoyance, who was leaning against Malcolm her face frozen in shock.