(Wow busy busy me! I had almost forgotton about this! bad me bad bad bad...anyhoo fifth chapter...perhaps a plot point or two hahahh bet none were expecting this little twist eh? pfft who am I kidding? hahha enjoy...or not G)

-1Chapter 5: Bitter chocolate

"Welcome to my factory, Becca…"

Willy smiled most proudly as he pushed open the door to his tasting room. Becca closed her eyes; the warm scent of chocolate was stronger here. She shivered but hesitantly entered the doorway first.

"Welcome to the pride of the Wonka chocolate factory…"

Willy said with proudly as he joined her at her side. He looked down at her as she looked around with a mix of awe and hesitation. Clearly she did not like chocolate, but perhaps something would catch her interest. Willy watched her as she took in her surroundings. Becca seemed hesitant at first, but her curiosity finally won over her fears. Willy actually felt sorry for the girl, as he had never met anyone who was against chocolate so much. He stood beside her moving only when she did with his arm entwined in hers. Oddly enough Willy didn't mind her being so close. Though he didn't feel uncomfortable around her, not after her earlier episode.

Walking her through the more even part of the room Will chose his favorite spot to just sit and relax. Though it was close to the chocolate waterfall he was sure she wouldn't mind too much, as long as he didn't get too close. Looking down at her he smiled briefly and took hold of her hand, bringing her attention back to him.

"Well now you can sit and relax with me…would you like to try anything?"

He asked as he held on to her hand helping her to sit. Obviously she wasn't used to being helped but she accepted it knowing she was tired. She looked around confused at first and looked away as she spoke.

"Mr. Wonka, I…I can't eat any chocolate, even if it's something wonderful you've created…"

She rubbed her hands nervously looking around at the oddly ornamented room with the large and flowing chocolate river. Never thinking that the room held other sweet treats other than the chocolate. Willy only looked at her and chuckled

"My dear Becca, this room holds a lot more than my chocolate river. Try a blade of grass and tell me what you think."

Becca could only look up at him and then to the grass that surrounded her. It looked like grass to her. She reached out and plucked a rather long piece and gave it a light tasting lick. She gasped as it tasted of spearmint She tentively took a bite of the end and chewed thoughtfully. Becca had never tasted anything like it before. It wasn't overly sweet but it had an interesting slight crunch that turned into a thin chew before it disappeared. The spearmint was replaced with a rather pleasant taste of blueberry that reminded her of the pies her grandmother used to make. Willy smiled to himself as he watched Becca. Whatever memory the taste brought up, it was a pleasant one. Quietly he moved away and wondered what else she might like. He had seen the cherry liqueur tree and plucked a few from it and returned to her and sat down beside her and offered her one.

"Try my cherry liqueur cherries, please do…and before you ask they do not contain chocolate."

Becca looked at him surprised. She never expected him to make cherry liqueur and reached out and took one. It was small but the shell was a bright cheerful red. Looking at it she closed her eyes and popped it into her mouth and bit down.

The taste was exquisite! There was a tiny bite from the cherry liqueur and she smiled at the perfect balanced taste.

"And here all I thought you made was for the children Mr. Wonka…your cherries are delicious!"

She smiled warmly at him and Willy felt that warmth. It recalled a shadow of a memory from his childhood. But it didn't last too long as it was a memory that he had long since buried and once again buried even deeper into his psyche.

"You can call me Willy, Becca. "

He stated as he too enjoyed a cherry.

"You sound as if you don't want to be my friend."

He swallowed hard as he shocked himself at his own statement. But he quickly looked at her with his head cocked to one side. Waiting her answer to that, but what he seen was her blushing. That puzzled him and he simply offered her the last cherry he picked.

Becca felt the blush rise to her cheeks. She had not expected to be even considered a friend to Willy Wonka. Now she even had his permission to call him by his first name. She could only watch as he extended his hand to her, offering the last cherry to her.

"Thank you…Willy."

She had taken the cherry and smiled again.

"I used to know a kid named Willy when I was little…"

She mused after she had finished the cherry and leaned back folding her arms behind her head, looking up at the darkness wondering just how far up the ceiling of the chocolate room was. Willy just looked at her as she lay down and followed suit. She was relaxed and that's all that mattered to Willy. It was fun having her here, even though just a few hours earlier he accused her of being there simply to steal his recipes. Looking up he found himself asking.

'Did you now? What was that Willy like?"

Becca sighed softly and smiled at the memories she held of Willy and began to tell him the story of her friend from so long ago.

"He was a very nice kid. We lived on the same street here in the city. Actually he was a couple years older than me I think. We used to play all sorts of imaginary games; he had a great imagination that's for sure. But one day Willy just left. My mother never did tell me why he left or where. But I remember feeling as if I had lost more than just a friend; I had lost the one that had colored my imaginary world. I didn't know if he was ever going come back…"

Willy looked at her and seen her wipe her eyes. What ever happened to that Willy was just plain horrible. But she caught his attention. He never expected anyone from this city to be working as a security guard. He pressed her on

"Tell me about yourself Becca. I'd like to hear your story."

She looked at him and chuckled a bit.

"It's a long story…but ok."

She had rolled onto her side facing him.

"As you already know I grew up here, but after Willy had left so did my family. Well namely just my mother and me. But we moved around a lot as I grew up. We lived in America for a year, an invitation from a friend of my mums. It was he who had got me interested in the security guard thing…"

Willy looked at her. He could no longer contain the question he yearned to know the most. When she paused after a retelling of a memory from America Willy asked his question rather bluntly.

"So don't you like my chocolate, Becca?"

Becca was taken back by his forwardness and nodded.

"I figured you would want to know that sooner or later…I warn you Willy, it isn't very pleasant."

She looked at him with sad eyes that made him regret he had asked. But he reached out and caressed her cheek gently with the back of his hand, trying to comfort her.

"I'm sorry for asking…but please?"

He asked as gently as possible and rolled on to his side as well. And Becca nodded.

"Well, it started before I had ever met my Willy. My family and I had just moved here and was out exploring the area by myself. Hoping to find some other kids to meet and perhaps play with. But they were all in school; I wasn't scheduled to start till the following week. So I had time. Hearing that this city had many candy factories, I went in search of one. It didn't matter to me which one but I did find one…"

Becca visibly shivered and took a deep breath before she continued.

"I found one alright. I was walking behind a factory unaware that is was a dangerous area where in some places were unstable and prone to caving in…"

Willy listened intently, He knew of that area she was talking about and nodded, his eyes wide as she continued.

"I stepped on one and my weight was enough to make it cave in. I had fallen a long ways into a sort of well. Except this was one that housed many old and decrepit cardboard boxes. When I had come too I had found what a few of them contained, loads of Slugworth chocolate bars, as it was what had broken my fall.

Well to make a long story short, I was in the well for maybe three or four days before I was found."

She chuckled humorlessly.

"And for those days I was down in the well, all I had to eat was those chocolate bars for my meals. At first it was a great idea to me. But biting into my first one I knew it was going to be hell. It turned out those were Slugworths failed candy attempts…"

Willy gasped and sat up looking at her. His eyes mirroring Becca's heartbreak. He knew now what had caused her to hate all chocolate and he couldn't say he blamed her. Wily once again wanted to take her into his arms, an impulse he didn't act on but he let her finish her story.

"But on the day I was rescued, was the day I had met my Willy."

She smiled

"He heard me crying at the bottom of the well and tried to rescue me on his own. But he couldn't do it. He asked where I lived and I told him. He went to get my mum. She called the fire brigade. That was the happiest day of my life then. And being lifted from that well. I had a better look at my rescuer. I remember he had the funniest contraption o his head. When he visited me, he told me they were called braces. That his father had made him wear it, because his dad was a dentist. The best in the city I was told…but in the end I could never look at chocolate. Not without feeling physically ill…"

Willy just stared at her, refusing to believe what she had just told him. It was impossible. He just stared at her; he could feel his heart racing. It couldn't be her he shook his head and interrupted her

'What? Did you just say your Willy wore…braces?"

Becca just looked at Willy. He had gone a little paler than before. She just couldn't understand what he was talking about. Did he have a dislike for braces? Becca still didn't understand where he was going with this, but it worried her to see Willy Wonka go pale by her story.

"Willy, what's wrong? Are you alright?"

She figured her story was too much for him, especially with him being a chocolateer and all. But the look he gave her, it sent shivers up her spine. The entire atmosphere had changed. And that made Becca swallow hard. She didn't like the way Willy was looking at her.

"Becca…It was me who rescued you from Slugworths garbage silo…."

Becca stared at him, it was her turn to be the unbelieving one. She spoke, her voice just above a whisper.

"Your lying!"

She nearly jumped to her feet and backed away. Shaking her head. This was just too much for her. There was no possible way this was the same Willy she had known in her childhood. Tears had streamed down her face as she shook her head

"Your so cruel…you can't be my Willy…you can't be!"

She screamed at him as she continued to back away from him. By now Willy had risen as well. He too was unbelieving but her story just dredged up everything he tried so hard to forget. Willy realized she was blindly backing up to the river. In a few short steps he stopped her, by putting his arms around her and holding her to him.

"Rebecca…please…"

He stammered, as she tried to break free of his hold. Again she was upset. But Willy was much stronger than he appeared. He easily restrained her as she was still not yet recovered. Willy could feel her shaking in his arms. He simply held her, smoothing her hair.

"I'm sorry Rebecca…I'm so sorry…"

He whispered in to her hair comforting her as best as he could, after such a long time of being estranged friends. Willy could feel her fingers grasping his velvet jacket afraid to hold him, yet afraid to let him go. It was defiantly going to be a long night Willy mused.