"Wake up Sleepyhead! We have work to do!" The old familiar call to arms rose Veronica with a smile. Unfortunately, her bruised skull and the dizziness that accompanied it caused her to sink back onto the bed with a moan.

"Veronica, you're a liar, you know that?" Wonka said matter-of-factly.

"How am I a liar?" She asked, rubbing her eyes and praying that the room would stop spinning.

"You said you couldn't boil water without burning it. Well, I ran a series of complex tests last night and guess what I found out? Guess!"

"I give up. Tell me." Veronica said dryly.

"Water doesn't burn!"

"It does for me, trust me." Veronica smiled. "Well, do I get to 'learn the secrets of candymaking' today or not?"

"Yes, but first we have to teach you a few elementary skills." Wonka smiled cheerily and seized her by the wrist, pulling her off the bed. So much for waiting for the room to stop spinning…

"Are you gonna be able to..." Veronica looked at Wonka's hastily bandaged hands. "teach me, or should we take a few days and recuperate?" She asked hopefully.

"Nonsense, I just pull on a pair of gloves and…" He tried to snap his fingers, but instead ended up wincing and massaging his palm. "Besides, you aren't weaseling your way out of this this time, no sir. If you're gonna come and work for me, you have to learn how to do it sooner or later."

"Hey, I never said I wanted to work here. I hear the pay is deplorable." She smiled at his indignant look.

"It is NOT." Wonka drew himself up importantly. "Cocoa beans are quite a commodity! Besides, if you live here, you work here."

"Mr. Bucket doesn't work here; he works for the toothpaste factory. And Charlie's grandparents don't work here, they don't work at all. And Mrs. Bucket…"

"Mrs. Bucket is my personal chef; ergo she does work here, smartypants! And furthermore, Mr. Bucket had a job before they moved in, so he doesn't count. AND, Charlie's grandp—"He choked, and looked to Veronica for assistance.

"Grandparents?"

"Yeah, them. They're retired. They don't need to work. But Charlie works here, and the Oompa Loompas work here, and I certainly work here. And you have to, if you're gonna stay here. You don't have an excuse. So there!" And he smiled with such an air of superiority that Veronica was determined to think of some comeback.

"I CAN'T BOIL WATER WITHOUT BURNING IT. SO THERE!" Veronica retorted, sneering.

"Water has nothing to do with chocolate." Wonka said quietly. "That's hardly an excuse." And he turned to see her seething, red faced. He giggled at her.

"That's it, candyman, you want another black eye?" She growled.

"No, not really." Wonka said, conversationally. He stepped out of harm's way as she swung at him, and then seized her by the wrist, intentionally digging his fingertips into her scratches, and pulled her out the door. "Now move those feet! You're wasting time, and there's no time to dilly or dally!" She yelped in pain and followed.