Disclaimer:sings The Chooooooooooclatier in the factoryyyyyyyyy is there, inside our hoooooome! not singing anymore but that doesn't mean we own him… darn….

A/N: Many apologies concerning this chapter. School, work, and life are terrible things when it comes to writing, and stuff does happen. We do hope you'll enjoy the chapter, though!

Chapter 19: Of Phantoms and Fights:

(3 Weeks later)

Danika was in her room brushing her hair for the start of the day when Wendell and another strangely familiar Oompa Loompa came in, carrying an envelope. Unbeknownst to her, Willy was at this moment holding an exact duplicate of the very same letter. It read:

Dear Tall People,

We would very much like to apologize for the intrusions that have been taking place lately during your private moments. We Oompa Loompas have taken these past three weeks to prepare a surprise to make it up to you this evening. We expect you in the Chocolate Room at precisely 7 o'clock. Thank you, and once again we would like to apologize for the rude interruptions of your personal relations with each other.

Your humble Servants,

The Oompa Loompa Tribe

Danika lowered the letter. "Of course I'll go!" she said smiling, "and all is forgiven." She added throwing a slight glare in the other Oompa Loompa that she now recognized as Bob. She giggled as a very red Bob and a smug Wendell left the room.

Danika and Willy arrived in the Chocolate room at precisely 7 o'clock to find a makeshift stage set up in the middle of a mint grass meadow. She gave Wily a confused look but he just shrugged and shook his head. They took their seats in the provided chairs and sat back as a few Oompa Loompas scurried around to finish preparing their scheme.

When the show started, all the lights in the small theater dimmed to near-darkness, leaving just enough light to see faint shadows and silhouettes as one Oompa Loompa began to bang a gavel on a table. The Oompa Loompas had spent the past 3 weeks perfecting their English just so they could bring the two tall people closer together.

Danika was startled when the Oompa Loompas began speaking almost perfect English. She made a mental note to ask someone about it as the trademark line of the play came up.

"Lot 666, then: a chandelier in pieces. Some of you may recall the strange affair of the Phantom of the Opera: a mystery never fully explained. We are told, ladies and gentlemen, that this is the very chandelier that figured in the famous disaster. Our workshops have restored it and fitted up parts of it with wiring for the new electric light, so that we may get a hint of what it may look like when reassembled. Perhaps we may frighten away the ghost of so many years ago with a little illumination. Gentlemen?"

The two taller folk watched in awe as the tiny Oompa Loompas proceeded to act out the entire musical before their eyes. Neither one had known that the little beings could sing opera (or whatever it was) so well! Both Danika and Willy held their breaths when it came to the part they called "The Choice," the one where Christine had to choose between the Phantom and Raoul.

Christine stood between the two men who loved her and looked from one to the other. Both Nika and Willy knew how the musical and movie ended, but there was something different in the air of this particular account...

"Make your choice!" the Phantom commanded harshly.

Nika began to weep in pity for the Phantom because she knew how the ending usually went. Willy magically produced a sweet-smelling handkerchief and handed it to her. She took it with a small 'thank-you' and turned back to the play.

Christine turned towards Raoul, tied to the gate. "I'm sorry," she whispered to him. Turning around, she walked towards the Phantom and kissed him passionately. Pulling back, she looked him in the eyes. "I've made my choice."

Overcome with emotion the Phantom released her to go back to her love and turned away from her. She took hold of the Phantom's face and made him look back in her eyes. "No. I choose you, I love you. I want to stay here, with you."

Danika and Willy both sat up straight in their chair when they heard this. Danika looked over and saw a single tear flow down the Chocolatier's cheek as a few of her own trailed down her face.

"I've made my choice as well," she whispered into the darkness, still gazing up at the magnificent chocolatier. Willy's head jerked around, his violet eyes somehow meeting hers in the dark.

Without thinking, Willy's lips met hers, just as Christine's met Erik's onstage. As their kiss grew more and more passionate the Oompa Loompas closed the curtains and snuck off leaving the two of them in each other's arms in the dim lighting.

A few hours later, Willy escorted a giggling Danika back to her room before heading off to bed himself.

(3 days later)

Danika and Willy were comfortably situated in a comfortable room that lay between their quarters. It had once been a guest room, but Willy had converted it to a parlor/living room, a place other than the library where the two of them could get together and talk over hot chocolate. This lovely late-afternoon, the two of them were talking about the ending of the Phantom of the Opera play that the Oompa Loompas had put on three days before. Cups of hot chocolate were gently held in their hands as they talked about Christine's choices in the movie and the recently seen play.

"To me, it would make sense that she would choose Raoul," Nika said in between sips of cocoa. "I mean, the two had known each other when they were kids, and after that whole separation thing, it's only natural that they fall for each other later! It's a classic case of childhood romance!"

"But the Phantom was always there for her!" Willy protested. "He loved her, taught her to sing, made her a great star, and look at what she did to him!"

"Yeah, but he'd become a father-figure to her, and no girl would want to marry her father!" Nika stopped for a moment. "Well, okay, maybe very sick girls, but really, no girl would want that."

Willy thought about that for a moment before nodding. "You're right," he slowly replied. He suddenly smiled. "Just don't let it go to your head."

Nika laughed before going back to her chocolate. After a few moments of silence, she decided to ask something that was bothering her for the past several minutes.

"So, did you have any romances when you were a kid?" she asked. "You know, crushes or things like that?"

Willy was instantly thrown back into middle school. His class was celebrating Valentine's Day, and everyone was exchanging cards. In elementary school, everyone got Valentines as a rule...in middle school, only friends and sweethearts got cards.

And Willy Wonka had no real friends or sweethearts to give or get cards from...

As people eagerly tossed pink and red gifts and cards back and forth, Willy spent the holiday staring out the window as students made fun of his braces and the fact that he was alone on the most romantic holiday of the year.

"Willy, are you okay?" called a distant voice in his ear. Willy blinked his eyes and saw a concerned Danika looking at him from a kneeling position by his right knee.

"Sorry, I was having a flashback," he said, blushing.

"It didn't look like it was a good one," she said, reaching for his bare hands. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," he replied in a squeaky voice, suddenly nervous. "Uh, care for more cocoa?"

The two sat in silence for a few more minutes before Willy asked the same question Danika had spoken twenty minutes before.

"So, what about you? Any past loves I should know about?" He smiled, jokingly. When Willy looked up to see her eyes, he saw her gaze downcast and a slight blush coming to her cheeks. "What? Don't tell me you don't want to tell me…I mean, I told you about me being in love with your aunt, so it's only fair…" he said quirking an eyebrow at her silence.

Avoiding eye contact, Danika sighed. "Well, there was this one, and only one, boyfriend I had a few years ago in college."

Willy felt his fingers tighten into fists on the arms of his chair. "Go on..." he said, trying not to explode at the idea of another man possibly kissing his Danika.

"His name was Daniel, and he was in one of my writing courses," Danika said, not noticing Willy's rising anger as she stared into the cup in her hands. "He asked me out on a date, and the next thing I knew, we'd been dating for over a year." She sipped her cocoa. "He began going to dental school a few weeks into our relationship. Danny was quite good at what he did, and he certainly had the right hands and the right touch for it."

Willy felt his blood begin to boil. The right hands? Another man's hands on Danika, touching her, holding her... Willy's world went red.

"Did you kiss him?" Willy asked, gritting his teeth. "Did he touch you?"

Danika gave him the oddest look. "Of course I kissed him!" she said, as though it should be obvious. "We dated for a year, how could we not kiss and hold hands?"

Willy was soon breathing erratically. Danika could see him aggressively clutching the arms of his chair, and she put her cup of cocoa down before standing up and backing away.

"I think I've said too much," she said nervously. "But you wanted to know, after all." Willy stood up and took a step towards her.

"Yes, and I'm glad that I asked! How could you let him touch you or even kiss you?" He shuddered at the thought of someone kissing his Starshine.

Green eyes narrowed. "It was two years ago, Willy!" she said, hands on her hips. "It has nothing to do with us now! I can't believe we're arguing over something like this!"

"Two years ago or not, that man still touched you. It's…it's unacceptable. He was a d…d… oh, I can't believe this! He was a den…a den…"

"Oh, you are impossible, Willy Wonka!" she cried, throwing her hands up in the air. "I'm going for a walk." She stomped off, leaving a somewhat guilty (but still fairly upset) Willy Wonka behind her.

Danika walked past the heavy doors and out into the bland courtyard at the front of the factory, mumbling under her breath. She slid past the gates and started down the street, thinking over the earlier argument.

"I can't believe he's so worked up over this. That was two freaking years ago! Why is he so worked up over this? UGH!" Nika shouted as she began stomping down the sidewalk.

She was so busy fuming that she didn't notice the stranger until his arms were around her, one hand over her mouth.

AN: We are really sorry about the wait, and hope that you enjoyed the story…complete with cliffhanger! Anyway, please review, it keeps us and our Oompa Loompa muses happy!