Okay my lovely and loyal readers, I have been terribly sick and I still am actually lol ...but anyways before you read on I have an important announcement.

Starting August 14th right until the 22nd I will not be updating…I will try my hardest but don't count on it! I'm really sorry, it's just that the same friend is coming back to visit me for a day or two and then I start my volunteer work at the Folk Festival and my last day is August 21st. As much as I would love to write and update, I just won't have time or the energy after all my shifts. I need to get 40 hours in 4 days, so do the math my dear pineapples. Hahaha!

Again I will try really hard but don't go into convulsions if nothing comes up.

Also I apologize for the short chapter, I will be taking some advice once I get un-busy (lol) and will be making longer chapters…Haha! Won't that be lovely? Yes well, here is the chapter enjoy and dammit review! The more reviews I get the more I feel loved and then the more I feel I inspired to write and then the more updates you will get and quicker too! SO REVIEW ALL OF YOU!

Chapter 6

Regret

Despite his constant denial, Willy Wonka was extremely concerned about the young woman in the room he was standing outside of. When Charlie and himself ran into the factory, Wonka still holding the girl of course, Mr. and Mrs. Bucket ran out to meet them. How they knew they were coming he still couldn't figure out, although as soon as Mrs. Bucket saw the pale, cold woman in Willy's arms she immediately went into 'concerned mom' mode. She ordered him to take Aspen to a warm bedroom and cover her with many warm blankets, get some hot water and many other things he could no longer remember.

Now, Willy was standing outside the room, fairly anxious and nervous, while Mrs. Bucket and the Oompa Loompa doctor were inside helping Aspen. Willy felt terrible, he had treated her so poorly and now she might die. There wasn't a hospital directly in the city and it would be too risky to bring her outside again. Willy only hoped the dear girl would be ok.

Wonka decided to head to his room, they would call for him if anything happened. Willy made his way a little further down the hallway until he reached his room and then entered it. With a sigh, Wonka flopped quite ungracefully onto a large chocolate brown leather chair beside the fireplace. These past few days had been so stressful and in all honesty, Aspen's arrival had helped him get his mind off of all of it. Willy smiled as he remembered when he first saw her. She looked so stunned when he came out of the bushes and he himself was so shocked he didn't know what else to say except, 'Good Morning Starshine, the Earth says hello!'. The best part of their meeting was when she ran off terrified.

Wonka chuckled to himself as the scene re-played in his mind. He was about to get a book to read while he waited when a soft knock sounded at his door. In one leap, Willy Wonka got to the door and opened it only to find an Oompa Loompa standing there, smiling brightly. "Yes, what is it?" Wonka asked cheerfully but he was really a bit annoyed.

The Oompa Loompa made many motions with his arms and hands and before he could finish Wonka was out the door and at Aspen's room in a minute. He knocked quietly and waited for someone to answer. He didn't have to wait long; Mrs. Bucket opened the door and smiled at Willy. The chocolatier stared at her, anxiously waiting for the news. "Is she awake? Will she be ok? Is she…" Mrs. Bucket smiled and put up her hand to stop his barrage of questions,

"She will be fine Mr.Wonka. She woke up briefly but has fallen asleep now. She should be up by tomorrow." Willy sighed in relief and made way back to his room when Mrs. Bucket stopped him,

" But Mr.Wonka she will need complete bed rest for a few days. She came very close to death. You must understand she will be very tired and weak for a few days. And you mustn't cause any stress to her or it may cause her more harm. She must stay here in the factory, can you handle that?"

Wonka nodded, "May I see her quickly? I just want to make sure that uh…you know…she isn't…uh stolen…dirty hmmm…candy...can I...make…" Willy tried to think of an excuse to see her but came up with nothing, which caused Mrs. Bucket to laugh and wave him in. "Only for a moment." With that she left Willy and Aspen alone.

The door closed behind Willy Wonka with a small click. If it were even possible, the chocolatier was even paler than normal. The though of being alone with this woman boggled his mind.

"Right Willy!" Wonka was shaking slightly as he made his way across the room to a stiff standing position beside Aspen's bed. Willy curious leaned over and looked into the very pale face of the mysterious young woman, and it was then she coughed and sent Willy Wonka to the floor on his stomach so she would not see him if she opened her eyes.

'Candy Drops! That was close!'

Willy waited until he could hear Aspen's steady breathing until he slowly rose himself off the floor. He peaked atop the edge of the bed and over the wine red covers; one could only see a set of sparkling lavender eyes and a black top hat over the bed. He surveyed the girl cautiously, not really sure what he was looking for. His gaze finally fell on her face and he unconsciously smiled. She was cute, although he would never admit it out loud. Her features were small and sharp and as much as he wished he could deny it, every time he saw her today, he grew more attached to her, odd since they didn't get along.

Willy sighed and rubbed his temples in frustration and wonder, what was he supposed to do with this girl. Surely she would have to stay in the factory now since she was homeless…well sort of. He couldn't let her go off on her own and freeze to death or let her go off and tell people about his wondrous factory.

He regretted being so mean to her and he knew her going out into the cold un-prepared was his doing and that made him feel worse. When Charlie asked him to pick her up, he acted like it was a chore but really he was glad to be of some help. He was no hero in this, Charlie was for knowing what to do and spotting her by the building. He would have given up and came back to the factory, and Aspen would have died.

When the thought of Aspen motionless, stiff and frozen in the snow crossed Wonka's mind, his heart clenched painfully in his chest. If she had died...

"Mr.Wonka?" came a soft, hoarse voice making him jump almost to the ceiling in surprise. He looked over to the bed and saw that Aspen was awake and staring at him intently. She seemed genuinely confused and torn about something.

"Yes, yes what is it girl?" It came out a little more forcefully than he intended but he could do nothing to take it back now. He did feel a slight twang of guilt though when she flinched under his voice.

"I know it was you who saved me from freezing. And well…I just wanted to say thank you. When I'm better I'll leave right away." She sounded so small, sad and out of place. It made Willy grow even more attached to her, he shook his hand a patted the covers she was enveloped in.

"Nonsense, you have to nowhere to go Aspen, you may stay here! In fact I forbid you to leave, I can't be having you out and about telling the world of my chocolate secrets now can I?"

Aspen made to answer but she was rudely cut off, " Right! Right! Exactly, yes…you must stay here. Plus the Buckets have taken a liking to you so I can't possibly send you away. Charlie would be crushed, and a sad Charlie does not help me at all!"

Aspen listened while Wonka babbled on about this and that; she was lost at what this man was saying to her. He was really confusing; one minute he was practically pushing her out the door and the next he was dragging her back in.

Aspen sighed and looked down to where Wonka's hand was still placed on the edge of the bed. Memories of her dreams came back to her and she smiled. Wonka was still babbling about something and to make him stop she decided to pull a little sneaky move on him. Carefully she reached her hand out and wrapped her short slender fingers around his long ones, and what she earned nearly had her laughing to tears, but she didn't.

Willy Wonka's mouth clamped shut and he immediately froze up when he felt a warm hand wrap around his own. He didn't know what to do; he was frozen into shock and disbelief. What COULD he do?

He didn't deny that he slightly enjoyed the comforting warmth, but he was also slightly nervous that he might be contracting any sick germs she may have on her hands. Instead of removing his hand from her grasp himself, he made no move and waited for her to let him go so he could leave and forget about this strange incident. If it was brought up, he would blame it on her being sick and that she was dreaming and it never happened…yes...that was what he would do.

After about ten minutes of pure enjoyment on her part and slight discomfort and enjoyment on Wonka's part, Aspen removed her hand from its position andarched an eyebrow in wonder, Wonka still hadn't moved but she didn't care. With a shrug, she turned herself around on her side as much as she could since she was incredibly stiff, and she closed her eyes and secretly giggled at what she just did.

It wasn't for another five minutes that Aspen then heard the swift footsteps of Willy Wonka exiting the room. And it was then Aspen burst into giggles but quickly stopped when she started to cough. After calming herself down, Aspen lay back into the bed and fell asleep, her dreams filled with thoughts of a certain candy man and how she would get to know the real him and not the movie version she was accustomed to.

A/N It sucks don't shoot me. I was actually very ill to the point where I was nearly hospitalized. I had a fever and I was delirious! I supposedly went nuts at some point lol I don't even remember that night! I just know that I've lost 8 pounds in 5 days and I'm really drained and weak…. not good lol Thanks to everyone for their well wishes and support. I REALLY appreciate it! You're all so kind and loving . REVIEW!