Mrs. Bucket was the luckiest woman in the entire world.

She had a loving husband, a delightful and intelligent son, four wonderful grandparents who lived with her, and a quaint little slanted house.

She also lived in the factor of the most bizarre man alive, Mr. Willy Wonka.

Though she had lived in his factory for nearly four years now, the eccentric chocolatier still constantly surprised her. She could never tell when he was joking, or when he was serious, and it seemed as though he always said exactly what was on his mind, never bothering with social graces or politeness. It often made for very awkward, though interesting, conversations.

This had been one of those times, she thought, slightly amused as she picked up the broken shards of dinner. At the dinner table, Grandpa George had made a comment about how abnormal it was for a man of Willy Wonka's age to not have a wife, and after flushing slightly, Mr. Wonka had sharply replied, "Well, it's abnormal to look like a prune too, but it sure doesn't bother YOU, now does it!" Pure pandemonium broke out after that, and in the end the entire table had been pushed over, and with it went every plate that the Buckets owned. She sighed slightly and wiped her brow. With Mr. Wonka around, it almost seemed like she had a second son…a much YOUNGER second son. Yes, she thought, Charlie is much more mature in many aspects, tact being one of them. Chuckling to herself, she threw away the last of the broken plates and grabbed the broom. She hadn't been sweeping for more than a minute before a very nervous-looking Mr. Wonka burst through her door. She jumped and clutched her chest. "Mr. Wonka, HONESTLY! Please knock next time!"

He lowered his head and gave her a slightly innocent look. "I'm sorry Mrs. Bucket. I'll try harder next time, for sure." He grinned, showing off his perfect teeth.

Mrs. Bucket blushed and laughed. "Now Willy, there is no need to flatter an old lady such as myself." What a funny thing to say! He was probably older than she was. It was his child-like demeanor that threw her off, she decided. He always acted like a deranged eight-year-old.

He smiled again, and held out a brightly wrapped box. "It's for you, as my way of apologizing for tonight's little…SHENANIGANS, as I call them."

She raised an eyebrow as she took the box and began unwrapping. "Shenanigans, you say? Well, I hope it's a new set of plates because we're completely out no—" She froze. In the box were the most spectacular set of plates she had ever laid eyes on. They were a soft color of blue with a faint green swirl in the middle, and they seemed to glow faintly in the light. Mrs. Bucket fondled it gently, awestruck. She looked at him with wonder. "Did---did you make these yourself? Just for me?"

He nodded. "You're way too special to have normal plates, Mrs. Bucket." Her cheeks flushed again, and he giggled. "Do you like them?"

She couldn't speak, not yet, the shock was too great. Gently, she ran a finger over the delicate designs on the face of the plate, hypnotized by the shimmering surface. She looked to him again. "Willy…. I really don't know what to say."

His face was expressionless as he walked towards her. He lightly touched her cheek, and stared into her eyes. "Say that you like them, and that you forgive me for earlier."

She nodded slightly, not wanting to startle him. Satisfied, he broke into his most charming grin and said, "Good! I can sleep tonight." He started for the door, then turned and faced her again. "Mrs. Bucket?"

"Yes, Willy?"

He shifted uneasily. "I was wondering… Do you want to take a walk with me in the Chocolate Room?"

She smiled and set down the amazing plate carefully. "Of course Willy dear! I'd be delighted." He smiled again, and she noticed that his eyes hadn't left hers. They truly were beautiful eyes, she thought, deep violet, and constantly sparkling with mischief. So unlike her beloved Mr. Bucket he was…Mr. Bucket's eyes didn't sparkle at all, it was more of a soft glow…

As they walked together down the paths of the chocolate room, talking about nothing in particular, Mrs. Bucket could hardly see anything but her delightful companion. She had never been alone with the chocolatier before, and was now finding him to be a marvelous companion. He was telling her a very sweet story of how he and Charlie had accidentally gotten stuck in the gum-testing room, and he laughed at the very thought. She laughed right along with him. How could she have not noticed before how wonderful he was? So very different from Mr. Bucket…If only she could…

She shook her head violently. Where had THAT thought come from! Mr. Wonka noticed this sudden movement in her, and turned his head to look at her. "Mrs. Bucket? Is anything the matter?"

She blushed again. "No no, nothing's the matter, Willy dear. Don't fuss over an old lady."

He stopped walking, and gently took her face in his hands. Mr. Wonka carefully traced the outline of her face with his finger, much the same way she had caressed the plates. Smiling gently, he leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "Mrs. Bucket, you're far too pretty to be old." She gasped audibly, and every fiber of her being screamed at her to run, but she couldn't force herself to move from Willy's gentle grasp. "P-Please, Mr. Wonka…", she finally managed to stutter out, "I'm—I'm married, and married people cannot…" His hand moved down to her neck, and she gasped again. "C-Cannot be seen like this with someone who isn't their spouse!" She pulled back from him slightly, and he seemed disappointed. She was shivering now, knowing full well her body did NOT like that he was no longer touching her.

For a while they just stood there, staring at each other. Mrs. Bucket had no idea how long they stood, just looking into each other's eyes, but it seemed like forever before Mr. Wonka finally spoke. "Mrs. Bucket…I'm terribly sorry. I acted wrongly." He bowed his head in shame, but Mrs. Bucket thought she caught the corner of a smirk on his lips. "May I make it up to you by offering you some candy?" He pulled out another box from his coat, this time a small red one with a bow on top. He unwrapped the box and pulled the top off, revealing mouth-watering chocolates. He pulled one out, and offered it to her, his eyes never leaving hers. Robotically, she reached out and took it without truly realizing what she was doing. She put it in her mouth, and smiled. It was a grand chocolate, rich and creamy and filled with a---what WAS that filling? It tasted slightly of cherries and sunlight, and her grin widened. A strange, overpowering sense of peace and relaxation came over her, and it was so strong that she almost lost her balance. Mr. Wonka caught her in his arms just in time. "Careful my dear Mrs. Bucket…" His voice sounded so distant, as if she was packed in cotton. She moaned slightly as the candy continued to work on her, now whizzing through her veins like wildfire. She blushed again. He seemed to take great delight in the proceedings, and gently picked her up. She had gone completely limp in his arms now, and was vaguely aware that they were moving towards a giant glass box. She tried to speak, but a single gloved finger to her lips silenced her. Wearily, her eyes blinked faster, and closed. Before the darkness took her, she thought she could feel his lips on hers…