Disclaimer: Despite praying to the Chocolate Gods Above, they haven't granted our request to the rights and ownership of Willy Wonka…or his chocolate factory…or anything else…

AN: We're terribly sorry about the whole waiting thing…one of our authoresses has had to visit a sick family member in the hospital, so that is why this chapter is so late in coming. However, now that the sick family member is well and safely at home, the updates should be more frequent…unless real life decides to be a pain in the butt again…anyway, enjoy!

Chapter 18: Uncomfortable Thoughts:

A sense of awkwardness fell between the two as they traveled along the pathways in the Chocolate Room. Willy and Danika walked next to one another, but weren't touching, just walking and listening to the only noise in the room: the chocolate waterfall rushing in the background. A lovely shade of red had settled onto their cheeks, and Danika felt that, at that moment, talking would be a bad thing.

'I mean, it was bad enough that I heard him doing that in his bedroom!' she thought to herself, taking a small peek out of the corner of her eye at Willy's face, hoping that he wouldn't catch her.

The two hadn't spoken since Willy had come out of his room and asked (in a stuttering sentence) if she would like to take a walk in the ever-beautiful Chocolate Room. Nika had only nodded her acceptance and the rest of the day had been uncomfortably silent. They hadn't even been able to look each other in the eye since then! Nika silently sighed to herself and risked another glance at the man walking next to her.

Never had she seen a man as attractive as Willy Wonka. Well, she was sure there were probably better looking men out there, but Willy had to be one of the best-looking guys in a top hat and purple gloves she'd ever seen! She could swear that those purple eyes would be her undoing someday. Not to mention that he was so kind and sweet and caring that he really didn't seem like the kind of guy to…well…do that sort of thing in his room while thinking about a girl who lived just down the hall from his bedroom!

'I'll bet he could have any girl he wanted,' she thought, crossing her arms across her chest. 'And yet, he called my name when he…'

She blushed and looked over to see Willy blush, too. He must be thinking about the same thing that she was. Nika's face got redder at the thought that Willy was thinking about what he'd done earlier. Well, he was a man, after all, and she supposed that all men did that when they were aroused. It was still embarrassing, though.

'I wonder what he's thinking about.' Nika mentally shrugged her shoulders and kept walking, praying that one of them would break this uncomfortable silence soon.

Willy did everything he could to keep himself from sighing aloud and breaking the silence that ruled the room. There was no doubt in his mind that his lovely Danika would no longer wish to speak with him or want to be anywhere near him, now that she'd heard what he had been doing in his room. He wanted to be upset with her for overhearing him, but since it was her that he'd been thinking about, there was really nothing for him to be angry about.

'She has every right to not speak to me, after what I've done,' Willy thought to himself, staring down at the ground as he walked.

It wasn't his fault that he found himself wanting her in that way, especially after that moment with the chocolate. He wanted so badly to have gotten further with her, and had it not been for Bob interrupting, they likely would have gotten much further than they had! Willy made a mental note to have a long talk with the entire Oompa Loompa population about their sense of timing, and soon.

He risked a glance at Danika. She was looking straight ahead, apparently deep in thought, and very likely thinking about what had happened upstairs. Willy inwardly sighed. He wanted so badly to apologize for earlier, but their actions from before had forced him to do something drastic; if he hadn't acted when he did, well…it's never comfortable for a man to walk around like that, though he wanted her to know how much he wanted her. But it still hadn't been right for her to find out his feelings like she did.

"I'm sorry."

At first, Willy wasn't sure whether or not he'd spoken those words aloud or in his mind, but from the way Danika's head had turned towards him, Willy knew that his words had indeed been spoken. Green eyes met violet, and the two of them simply stared at one another. For a moment, Willy was lost in a haze of green, his heart speeding up as he realized that he'd better say something before she did.

"I had no right to act in such a primitive way," he whispered, just loud enough for her to hear. "But you must understand that I had no other choice."

"What do you mean?" She didn't sound mad, just confused.

Willy sighed and reached out to take her hands in his, letting his cane fall to the ground. He hadn't put on his gloves, and the feel of her soft skin against his both soothed him and set his heart on fire. Great Chocolate Gods Above, he loved this woman! She was so amazingly good to him, and since she hadn't slapped him or become angry at his actions, Willy knew that she was at least willing to listen to him.

"I…well, I l-l-love you, so much," he stuttered, looking down at their connected hands. "I was just so…hot, from earlier, that I had to act on it." His thumbs stroked the back of her hands. "And I didn't want to act and…you know, if you weren't willing or ready for…that…"

Willy mentally kicked himself. He really wasn't very good at talking to women; Marian and the rejections of numerous teenage girls in his past were proof of that. Oh, he knew what he wanted to say, but what was in his mind and what came out of his mouth were two completely different things, and it often made him the laughing stock of the female half of the population. He only prayed that his dear Nika wasn't one of those women.

A gentle squeezing pressure against his fingers caused him to look up into lovely orbs of green, eyes that held understanding and a bit of what he assumed was embarrassment. Willy felt his heart soar; she wasn't laughing at him, and didn't think of him as disgusting for what he'd done! And she wasn't laughing at his explanation of his actions! He smiled shyly at her.

"It's okay." Nika's voice was soft, but he could hear her clearly. "It's just, well, new to me that a man would think of me in that way and act on those thoughts. I've never had that happen to me before."

A soft blush on her cheeks made her charming to look at, and Willy was soon blushing with her. He was just glad that she didn't hate him or was offended by him. Quickly, before she could change her mind or her attitude, he pulled her into a tight embrace and held her. One of his hands found its way into her coppery strands of hair while the other settled into the curve of her back. Sighing, Willy savored the contact as Danika's arms found their way around his waist.

"So, you forgive me, Starshine?" he whispered, wanting to be sure. She sighed into his shoulder, and Willy grew tense, thinking that she'd changed her mind.

"I don't think there's anything to forgive, Willy," she softly replied. "You were just acting on instinct, and I understand that." Danika pulled her head back and looked up at him. "It was just an odd situation to find you in, that's all. It really surprised me." She blushed slightly before placing a quick kiss on his lips. "Plus, I appreciate you being so considerate of me and that sort of…situation." She smiled at him as she gave him another kiss.

Willy grinned and eagerly returned the kiss, his arms never moving from their places in her hair and on her back. When the two of them separated a few moments afterwards, Willy placed one of her hands in the crook of his elbow and guided her on a slow walk around the Chocolate Room, the smell of mint grass and chocolate filling the air around them.

Silently watching their beloved Cocoa Bean Man and Fire-Haired Girl, the Oompa Loompas shook their heads. They knew what their boss had done in his rooms; he was only human after all, and the male half of the Oompa Loompa population could understand his position. Meanwhile, the female Oompa Loompas watching thought it was sweet of the Fire-Haired Girl to forgive him so easily.

She must really love him, to forgive him so easily, signed one female Oompa Loompa to another.

The six others crowded around her nodded and proceeded to watch the two Tall Folks walk down the paths of the huge Chocolate Room. The small beings very much wanted the Tall Ones to join together and have violet-eyed younglings to fill the air with their presence and laughter. The Tall Cocoa Bean Man deserved to be happy, and they had no doubt that the Fire-Haired Girl could do just that.

The tiny people quietly watched as their beloved boss stopped at the top of a hill, quickly putting his coat down on the mint-flavored grass so that his lady could sit down and enjoy a view of the flowing river. After the flame-haired woman had sat down, the Cocoa Bean Man sat down as well, fiddling with a few candy flowers as he discreetly watched her every move. After a few minutes, he surprised everyone by placing his head in the Flame-Haired Girl's lap and gazing up at her with a broad smile. The Oompa Loompas giggled quietly as the girl gave a surprised, but pleased, smile at his actions.

Later that afternoon, the Oompa Loompas met in their wing of the factory to discuss what to do next concerning the two Tall People they loved so dearly.

We must work harder to bring them together, signed one Oompa Loompa female to the entire tribe. What we are doing is not enough, and our timing is terrible! She glared at Bob, who blushed.

The others agreed and began discussing plans to do to next, well into the night.

Unaware of the plots being made, a chipper Willy Wonka escorted an equally happy Danika to the Inventing Room to show her the latest candies, their fingers tightly entwined together.

AN: Yes, kind of mushy, but we all know how much you guys love sap and Oompa Loompa plots (wink, wink). Anyway, please show your love by reviewing! It helps us write faster (and keeps our Oompa Loompa muses/helpers happy). Thanks!