I do not own anything from Charlie and the Chocolate factory. All rights and likenesses belong to Roald Dahl, Johnny Depp and Tim Burton. No profit is being garnered from this work. The Association for Prevention of Unusual Cruelty to Media (APUCM) has written a letter of protest to Mr. Wonka for his preventative measure against them as they attempted to contact him for an interview. Mr. Wonka has let me know that the protest was given a due amount of attention and concern it deserved. Must have since it's being used as mulch in some lovely potted plants in his office. – Stealth Phoenix

Note: Adult content ahead. If adult sexual behavior offends you, move on. You have been warned.

Chapter 43

Charlie watched his mentor with a concerned eye. The man was working intently on a chemical mixture and wasn't aware of his apprentice's attention. Faint bruised circles emphasized the pallor of his skin and the feverish glitter in violet eyes. His attire was as immaculate as always, in his usual clean apron while working with coat hung by the door, but there was just the faintest suggestion of a slump in his posture.

The boy had come into the Invention Room early that morning with some sketches for new candies that had come to him last night. He was surprised to meet Willy, already hard at work as he had been for several hours. The remains of breakfast sat on a tray nearby and little had been touched.

Inspections, experiments and tastings all continued as normal, but Charlie could tell something was bothering him.

"Ah-ha!" Willy said suddenly, setting the glass stirring rod to one side and jerking the teenager from his thoughts. "Okay, come give this a taste test…it's something I came up with this morning."

Charlie obediently set his writing pad to one side and leaned over to examine the odd liquid in the glass beaker. It was a dull blue and smelled like raspberries. "What is it?" He asked cautiously. Willy's experiments were not for the faint of heart or those who looked before they leapt – that was the first and most important lesson he'd ever learned from the Chocolatier.

He took a wooden stick, dipped it in the mixture and dabbed just a small taste in the center of his tongue. Closing his eyes, he let his taste buds inform him of what was going on.

The smell of raspberries faded, and there was a remarkable lack of anything else to sense. Opening his eyes, he shot a questioning glance at the taller man, "I don't taste anything."

"Here, try one of these with it," Willy suggested, an impish gleam in his weary eye. He handed Charlie a peppermint stick – one of the extra holiday ones that seemed to permeate the factory for weeks at a time after Christmas, popping up in unusual locations. He had fished one out of his toothbrush holder this morning for some reason…

The dark-haired boy unwrapped the end of the stick and tentatively sucked for a moment, before his face screwed up in disgust and he grabbed for the wastebasket to spit repeatedly, attempting to get the taste out of his mouth. "That's disgusting! It tasted like dirt. What was that?"

"A little something for April Fool's I thought of. The liquid is the key – that has to be consumed first. The candies itself is fine, but after you ingest this stuff whatever you taste for a half hour afterwards will taste like ashes. How about 'Ashberries' for a name?" Willy asked, with a plastic smile.

Charlie continued to spit for a moment before regarding his mentor with a serious expression that seemed out of place on such a young face, "Willy. What's bothering you? You never work on stuff like this when you're in a good mood."

Willy let the smile fade and slumped against the counter, rubbing his face and eyes. His energy level, normally on par with a hyperactive three year old, was extremely low and he was feeling every one of his years today.

"I had a bad dream last night and couldn't go back to sleep," he said, surprising the boy with his unusual candor. He pushed back the top hat a bit more as he contemplated how much to reveal.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Charlie asked, leaning back and turning to fully face him.

"I know what caused the dream. I just need to figure out what to do about it," said Willy.

"So, what caused it?"

The taller man flushed, looking uncomfortable, "Um…I figured out that I was a bit more irked at you and Veronica for jumping me with your plan to confront the media than I initially thought. I'm afraid that some of that may have leaked out and I may have taken it out on her in ways that I shouldn't have."

Charlie gave Willy a disbelieving look, "What did you do?"

Willy fidgeted, uncomfortable with the direction this confessional was going, "Nothing I feel comfortable talking to you about, but I did apologize to her last night and I need to do the same to you today."

The boy leaned back, crossing his long legs before him, lost in thought. Willy reflected how much Charlie had grown since they met – both gaining height and wisdom in their few short years as partners. If anyone could puzzle through this, it was this remarkable person.

"So, what you're saying is that you were mad, took it out on us somehow without us even noticing and now you feel guilty so you want to apologize?" Charlie peered up at the nervous Chocolatier.

Willy reviewed the words for a moment, "You know…when you put it that way it doesn't sound so bad."

His apprentice shrugged, "It's what I do."

Once again, the pure goodness of his heir shamed him into facing his weaknesses. Willy sucked in a breath and pulled back his shoulders to stand tall – meeting Charlie's brown eyes.

"In either case, Charlie – I want to apologize for being so snarky when you two were doing your media training with L.A. I was angry with you because you made me realize that facing down those vultures was something I should have done years ago. You made me realize that I have been hiding in here to avoid the whole mess and I shouldn't have to hide behind you two. I took out my anger on you two for making me face my fears and that was unforgivable. I'm sorry." Willy said, humbly, staring at Charlie with a pleading expression, hoping he understood.

Charlie nodded slowly. He understood that this was a difficult confession for the proud man to make and that he was honestly sorry for the perceived slight, "That's alright Willy. I understand. Thank you for telling me."

Willy let out the breath he had been holding and slumped to sit on a stool, "Whew. That was tougher than I thought."

"If you're going to be rude to us though, it might be good to do it in such a way that we're aware of what a total bastard you are trying to be. Shout a bit, throw something – I dunno, hold your breath and jump up and down for all I know," Charlie said cheekily. "Talk to Grandpa George – he'd be thrilled to offer advice."

"Thank you for those sage words," Willy said dryly, smiling slightly. "Watch your mouth though. Your mother would kill me if she knew half of what came out of your mouth in my presence."

They exchanged a grin and Willy reached out to ruffle the teen's hair affectionately, "I'm a lucky man to have you in my life Charlie Bucket."

There was a beep from the intercom, "Won-Ka?"

Willy raised an eyebrow at his apprentice and crossed the room to the intercom, "Yellow?"

"Ver-Oni-Ka and L.A. have returned to the safe house, they should be returning to the factory in a few minutes," announced the Oompa Loompa on the other side.

"Groovy – Charlie and I will meet them at the entrance. Is that you Soon-Ki?" Willy asked, untying the apron and exchanging it for his electric blue coat.

"Yes, Won-Ka, it is I."

"How're the wife and kids? Is Loo-Ni walking yet?" he asked. Willy always made an effort to keep up on all the gossip from the village.

"Not yet."

"Groovy. Stand back, we're heading out." Willy nodded to Charlie who extinguished the Bunsen burner and made sure the equipment was turned off. The teen quickly joined him at the door as it opened, "Hey Willy, could I borrow that new formula the next time Mom fixes liver and onions?"

"Might be a good idea – let me know how it works out and we might market it the same way."

They discussed the idea as they traveled through the factory, arriving at the tunnel entrance and coming down the stone staircase just as the door was opening.

L.A. came through first, her bright smile flashing in her dusky face, "Hello Won-Ka. I present to you, Ms. Veronica Carmichael, fresh from her first triumphant battle with the press."

The woman that stepped through the door only superficially resembled the rumpled figure that had haunted the factory for weeks on end. Willy's eyes widened at Veronica's appearance.

She looked taller, thanks to clothes that were tailored for her and the three inch heels on her feet. The cool grey-green color suited her coloring and made her skin glow with health and her hair gleam warmly. The shorter length flattered her face, the color touched with subtle shine making Willy want to run his fingers through it. She wore a new winter coat in a charcoal grey, belted to show off her slender waist. Veronica cut an elegant figure, an air of old-world class and sophistication that graced the eye and charmed the observer.

Her beautiful hazel eyes watched his, apprehensively waiting for his reaction to this new look. Jumping to attention, he smiled and moved forward to take her hand and place a kiss on her cool cheek, "You look beautiful."

"Do you really think so? I feel like a fool all dolled up like this…" she flushed slightly, glancing down and shuffling her feet awkwardly.

"Nonsense, it's just a bit more apparent what a gorgeous creature you are. I see I'm going to have to put in a call to Goons-R-Us to beat off all your suitors with sticks," Willy said, squeezing her hand and making her look up at him.

A shy smile crossed her face and his breath was literally stolen with the beauty of it.

"Thanks, but there's only one guy I'm interested in. The rest of the world can go hang," Veronica said softly, staring up into his eyes. He started to move forward, lost in the moment, longing to kiss her so much he could taste it…

They were interrupted by a discrete cough.

"How about a break for a few hours before we get some more media training in? I want to take a look at what they got this afternoon so I know what to focus on. I'll also get with Doris and get a couple of event invitations to look over and figure out where you go first." L.A. said, slightly embarrassed at the obvious love the two outsiders held for one another.

Not waiting for an answer, she snagged Charlie by the sleeve of his sweater, "Don't you have some homework to do?"

Charlie waved as he was tugged from the room and hauled off to the waiting Wonkavator. "See you later! You look lovely by the way!"

Veronica chuckled at the ham-handed exit, "She's about as subtle as a hurricane. Thank God! Now where were we?"

She stepped forward to collect the promised kiss, but Willy pulled back releasing her hands.

"So, what did you think of the apartment? Does it meet your expectations? If you like it, I was thinking you could move in after New Year's and get settled…" He babbled, turning to walk up the stairs.

"Willy. Wait a minute. Come back here," she protested, reaching out to snag his jacket and arrest his movement.

He reluctantly paused and allowed her to wrap her arms around his neck and lean in again to collect a slow kiss.

Her lips were so soft against his, like the finest rose petals. Her breath puffed pleasantly against his face and she tasted like cinnamon. His heavy arms found themselves wrapping around her waist and pulling her closer. Closing his eyes, he concentrated. She felt warm and strong in his arms, the clothing not concealing her slender frame. She smelled of ginger and amber – light and floral with a sweet musky undertone that sent a thrill up his spine, appealing directly to the animal side of his mind. His lips begged for entrance and she parted them allowing his velvet tongue to slip in and caress her.

A soft wanting noise broke from her throat.

Willy was suddenly thrown back into the memory of his dream at the noise.

"You're going to lie there at take what's coming to you without question or complaint. Understand?"

He jerked back and tripped on the stair, falling back with a cry of alarm. Veronica staggered with the sudden release, her eyes flying open, "Willy?"

"S…so...Sorry! I…um..." He stuttered, jumping to his feet and backing up the stairs away from her.

"What's the matter? Are you alright?" she cried, concerned at his sudden refusal to meet her eyes.

"N...no...nothing! I'm just going…" he flailed an arm up the stairs, a manic plastic grin plastered across his face, but his eyes were frightened.

"Willy stop," Veronica ordered in her most authoritative voice.

Back tuned, she could see him take a deep breath, shoulders slumped.

"I'm sorry Veronica," he said, turning to face her, defeated expression on his face.

She climbed the stairs until she could reach him, "Please, sit down. Tell me what's bothering you. You're starting to scare me."

She pulled him down to sit on the stone steps, taking a seat next to him and draping one arm across his shoulders and taking his hand with hers.

"Now. Start at the beginning. You left early this morning. Your note indicated that something was on your mind and now you're jumping away from me like I'm the boogeyman. What happened?"

"I had a nightmare last night," Willy said in a small voice. "It disturbed me enough that I couldn't go back to sleep, so I got up and started working. It's been haunting me all day."

As a veteran of many nightmares, she rubbed her thumb soothingly across the back of his glove-clad hand, "What was it about."

"I was working…I heard a noise. You were crumpled in a corner, bruised and hurt, I was frozen but another me went over and…" Willy's voice faltered and she could feel him beginning to shake. "I felt so sick, so disgusted with myself…"

"Willy. I doubt what you did was so horrible that you feel the need to beat yourself like this," Veronica said encouragingly trying to reassure him.

Willy turned his head to meet her eyes, the loathing at himself apparent, "I raped you – I raped you and tossed you aside to face the frozen me when I managed to scream."

Shocked at his words, she simply stared at him.

"I let my anger color what should have been a beautiful thing and corrupted it. How can you stand me?" He said angrily.

Veronica mulled the matter quickly. His disproportionate guilt had been growing since last night and the dream just exacerbated it. She's hoped her words in the bath had dismissed the matter, but apparently that wasn't the case. He was still somehow laboring under the impression that he had hurt her and there was nothing she could say to dissuade him. This might take something a bit stronger.

If he was afraid of losing control of his passion and hurting her, she'd have to help him realize how strong his will truly was. Veronica trusted Willy with her life, her soul and her heart. He had no idea what he did to her.

So she'd have to show him.

"So you're saying that I should be angry and hurt with you? That you feel like you used me even though I was unaware of your anger at the time?" Veronica asked in a neutral tone, thinking at the speed of light.

Willy was silently crying, feeling abandoned and lost, "Yes. I know what you said last night should have been the end of it, but I can't. I just can't let it go like that…"

"Let go of your anger or the guilt?"

"The guilt."

Veronica sighed, "Oh Willy. This just proves what a good man you are. The fact that you continue to beat yourself up over this…"

"I'm so sorry," he whispered.

She reached over and cupped his chin, drawing his eyes up to meet hers. Her heart broke at the hopeless expression in their violet depths, "Listen to me. You are a wonderful man Willy Wonka. So kind and gentle – violent emotion is so strange to you that simple anger, an emotion that every person on the planet deals with on a daily basis, has thrown you for a loop. There is nothing I can say to make you feel better, but I think I know of something I can do to help you."

Willy slowly nodded and she rewarded him with a long lingering kiss. She could feel his desire, but it was heavily tempered with his fear of harming her.

She stood, drawing him up to stand next to her, "Okay – first. I want you to take me to your room."

Willy was surprised, "My room? What for?"

Veronica shook her head, "We need privacy for this and I would rather not be interrupted. Let's go."

They were silent on the journey, she clung to his hand and he was content to follow.

When they reached his room, she closed and locked the door, leaning back against it to stare at the forlorn figure. "Willy. I want you to listen to me carefully. If you want me to help you, I need you to follow my directions exactly and without argument. Are you willing to do that?"

Willy looked confused, but nodded slowly.

"Good. Now, whatever you do, don't touch me. Let me do all the work. The moment you touch, we're stopping. Understand?" Veronica said sternly, moving with sensuous grace to stand close to him.

Swallowing hard, he unwillingly started to feel aroused despite his angst, "Yes."

Veronica leaned up to remove the hat from his head, hanging it gently from the coat rack by the door. Next, she removed her own coat and hung it up. The neat folds of her clothing doing little to distract him from the feminine curves of her body.

Her scarred hands trailed lightly across his shoulders as she circled around behind him. She tugged the jacket from him and hung it next to hers. Willy was starting to feel warm and wanted to caress her, but made himself keep his arms limp by his side. Her hands slid along his side under his arms to unbutton his vest and slowly removed that from his body as well.

He jerked, resisting the urge to turn and capture her in his arms. She circled back to face him, dragging her hands across his shirt clad sides, making him convulse slightly at the ticklish sensation,

But he didn't touch her.

Smiling her approval, Veronica lifted one of his hands, tugging the latex covering from his fingers with precise little jerks. Glove removed, she kissed every fingertip before returning it to his side. She did the same with his other hand, cradling it against her face for a moment before letting it too drop to his side. She carefully disposed of the gloves properly in the trash can before returning her attention to him.

Willy was enthralled. He passively let her unpin the decorative brooch and unbutton his shirt, breathing growing heavy as her fingers caressed the exposed skin of his chest. He licked his lips as he watched her move, becoming more aroused with each article of clothing removed.

She knelt to unzip his boots and he caught himself as he raised his hand to stroke the soft hair curling delicately around her face. "Lift your foot," she murmured, looking up at him with dark green eyes.

He wobbled, but managed to balance as she removed his boots and his socks from each foot. With soft stroking touches, she ran her hands up the long length of his legs to unbuckle his belt.

The air left his lungs in a burst – he stiffened and tossed his head back at the image, her kneeling before him in this manner. He was aroused and disturbed at the sight. He fought against his baser instinct, fought to keep from reaching out and managed to regain control.

"Easy now," he heard her say in a low voice. She rose to her feet and placed both hands on his chest, rising up on tiptoe to place a kiss on his lips. "You're doing well. Just take a deep breath and relax for a moment before I continue."

He kept his eyes closed and took several deep breaths, letting them out as slowly as he could. He could sense her standing nearby, but she didn't touch him again until he opened his eyes and nodded.

"Your will is strong. Just relax and let me do the work," she whispered, kissing him once more. Veronica reached up and pushed the shirt off his shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. Holding his darkening eyes with her own, she unbuttoned his pants and pushed them off his hips to join the shirt on the floor. Leaning up to kiss him hungrily, she carefully did the same to his underwear, letting them too puddle at his feet.

"Step out," she said softly, helping him balance as he stepped away, standing naked before her.

Veronica studied him, chest heaving, muscles trembling slightly with tension. He was half-aroused and her mouth watered at the side of the raw need in his eyes. "Lay back on the bed," she whispered huskily, gently pushing him backward.

Willy's eyes never left hers as he obeyed, pulling himself back to rest against the pillows at the head of the bed.

Nodding with satisfaction, Veronica began to slowly undress herself. Making sure her eyes were locked with him, she unbuttoned the shirt, sliding it from her shoulders, next went the slacks, sliding down her legs to join the pile of clothing at her feet. She left one the light purple lace bra and matching thong panties.

Willy groaned at the wanton sight of her. She paused a moment, allowing him to take pleasure from her before stepping forward carefully to climb up on the bed, straddling his body, hovering so close he could feel her body heat, but still not touching.

"Now, I want you to lay back and enjoy this. Remember, no touching unless I tell you otherwise. Understand?"

Willy had to swallow twice before he could manage to rasp out, "Yes."

Veronica leaned forward to kiss him again, lips caressing his and nudging open his mouth with a few tentative prods of her tongue. She took a long time tasting him, wrestling with his lips before moving on.

He groaned in disappointment, only to hiss as her curious lips traced his chin to the sensitive lobes of his ears. She breathed heavily and whispered, "You taste delicious."

She rubbed gently against him, a simple brush of her thigh against his hip, but he felt it like a burning brand. The game she was playing had him so sensitized that every small touch, every stroke, every inadvertent brush was more erotic than the Karma Sutra.

She allowed her breast in their frilly casing to brush against his exposed chest and he groaned at the contact. So close, yet so far…he wanted more.

"Please." He begged, longing with such intensity to touch her.

"Not yet," she replied, following the long trail from his ear down to his chest with its flat brown nipples.

Willy discovered a new torture as she teased and nipped, lavishing attention on one and then the other, her flat belly occasionally brushing up against his waiting manhood. The cries and whimpers she wrung out of him echoed through the room, the setting sun through the stained-glass window overhead giving her an unearthly glow. As he was lost in sensation, it seemed that his earthly lover had been replaced by some divine avatar sent as both reward and punishment for his transgressions.

She slid down lower, her breath brushing against his sensitive glans and he shivered. Sweat had broken out all over his body with the effort of not moving and his muscles felt as tight as piano wire, this was utter torment, utter hell and he didn't want it to end.

"How are you doing? Are you in any pain?" she asked in a low voice.

"Please don't stop…I want to touch you. Please? Let me touch you?" he whined in a high voice, panting with the effort of holding himself back.

"Not yet - soon. Feel that tide rising? I know I torment you, but you'll understand soon…"

Watching his face, she lapped at him, drawing back as he bowed back, a strangled yell erupting from his throat. She caressed him with her scarred fingers and he sobbed at the wonderful sensations. He was completely lost.

"Please…oh God, please," he begged shamelessly. He wasn't sure what he was begging for any more, for release or for her to continue.

Realizing that she had reached his limit in this respect without causing him to erupt, she stopped, sitting up and removed the bra, tossing it to the side revealing her small perfect breast. Willy growled low in his chest at the sight.

She slid off the bed, pulling off the panties and returning to straddle him once more – mere inches from where he longed to bury himself in her moist heat. He could feel her radiating against his waiting flesh.

His hands twitched again and Willy had to exert almost superhuman effort not to move. Veronica smiled warmly, her hands caressing her flesh as she watched him, passion burning brightly in her eyes.

She reached down and Willy moaned as he watched her touch herself, "Oh…oh…oh my. P...pl…please!"

He was going to explode, he was walking the tightrope between pleasure and pain watching her. Veronica tilted her head back and moaned at the sensation of her fingers against her most intimate center.

"Do you feel that, where you are now? Like you would do anything to finish? Hanging between heaven and hell?" she growled, her eyes a deliriously burning green. She looked like a goddess incarnate and he was a humble priest begging to worship.

"Yes. I want…I need..." he panted, weeping at the bittersweet sensation.

"That's where you had me last time – in this state…and this is where you showed your mercy. You showed resistance where others failed. You've given me pleasure where they only took pain. Remember this moment and forgive yourself," Veronica hissed, meeting his eyes.

Leaning back, she positioned the tip his waiting length into her eager channel.

"Now," she commanded.

He thrust with his hips, rocketing up into her with a muffled scream from both of them. With new reverence, he clutched her hips and pulled her down to meet him again. She whimpered at the intensity and he could feel the impending orgasm creeping up on her. He wouldn't be long behind her.

Willy shot up, arms wrapping around this fiery woman to draw her down again, groaning like a lost soul at the satisfaction and relief at being able to hold her again. She bucked hard and was lost within a few strokes, her inner muscles drawing his long-awaited release with a cry.

It went on forever. Sight and sound were lost to sensation as he came, stars exploded in his vision and he fell for an eternity, cradling the burning form of his lover in his grateful arms.

He must have blacked out, because when he came back to himself, she was leaning up and stroking the strands of hair sticking to his face out of the way. He was wheezing as he gobbled great lungful of life-giving air. Her own face was flushed and her eyes sparkled with good humor.

"Now. How do you feel?" Veronica purred, pulling one stubborn strand of hair away from where it was tangling in his eyelashes.

"Better. Much better," Willy said, stretching slightly and drawing her down to lay across his chest.

"Good. Now the next time you feel like trying to martyr yourself because you feel angry and want to run away in guilt, I want you to pull up that memory."

"I will. I think I also understand now what you meant before about not really hurting you…it was the anticipation wasn't it?" Willy asked softly, running the shortened strands through his fingers and smiling at the way they curled around his digits as if reluctant to let him go.

"Yes. The anticipation and teasing heightened everything so when I came, it felt more like a tactical nuclear explosion," Veronica said, satisfied that the shadow of fear and self-loathing was finally banished from his bright lavender eyes.

They drowsed for the next few minutes, their heart rates finally slowing to normal and the usual lassitude weighing their entwined limbs.

"While shopping today, I had an idea," Veronica said, startling him out of his half-doze.

"Hm? What's that?"

She explained her idea and Willy had to throw back his head and laugh with delight.

"You see! This is why I love you…always thinking and planning. It'll make a great addition on a smaller scale to the Valentine's day line if you'll let me market it," He crowed, grinning like a loon.

"Sure, but I want to test it at the first function that Charlie and I decide to attend." She smirked, snuggling closer and absently drawing circles on his chest.

Willy flinched and grabbed at her hands, she easily avoided him and they mock-struggled for a few moments, neither really interest in winning, but rather making the other laugh.

"The answer is yes by the way. I will take the apartment for the proposed amount. It is lovely and I'm glad you suggested it." Veronica said, kissing him lightly on the tip of his nose.

"Good. For some reason, especially after today, I want to keep you close at hand for some odd reason," Willy said with mild sarcasm.

"Good thing, You're not getting rid of me that quickly."

Willy collected a slow kiss before replying, "That's what I was hoping for."