Disclaimer: I do not own Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

"Happy Birthday, Charlie!" my family and I chorused as my younger brother's face lit up. My mother came forward with a wrapped package that held the scarf that she and my grandmothers had labored over every time Charlie left the house.

"Here you are, Charlie," she said.

"Thank you," he said, ripping the paper off. "It's terrific," he said in awe, seeing the scarf.

As he wrapped it around his neck, my mother said, "We each knitted a bit; Grandma Georgina, Grandma Josephine, and me."

"Here's something from me," I said, handing over the neatly wrapped parcel. I watched, smiling, as he eagerly opened it. A book fell into his hands, and when he brought the cover up to the light, it revealed picture of a chocolate palace in India. "Mr. Wonka and the Indian Prince," Charlie read.

I suddenly became self-conscious. "I know that it's a picture book, and you're too old for them, but I know how much you like his chocolate, and it's such an interesting tale-"

The rest of my explanation was cut off by Charlie grabbing me in a large hug. As I hugged him back, he looked up at me, beaming. "It's perfect. Thank you so much, Amie!"

I beamed at him and ruffled his golden hair, which was getting rather long again. I watched as Grandpa Joe stole Charlie's attention, presenting his and Grandpa George's gift. "I think I know what this is," Charlie said hopefully, ripping the paper off. "It is! A Wonka." He held it up, grinning.

"Open it, Charlie," Grandpa Joe said. "Let's see that Golden Ticket!"

I bit my lip, looking at my grandfather, listening to Charlie say, "Wouldn't that be fantastic?" Yes, it would be absolutely amazing to see my little brother get a ticket, but was raising his hopes like this really the way to go about it? My mother spoke up before I could.

"It's not fair to raise his hopes."

"Never mind," Grandpa Joe said, fixing his attention on his grandson. "Go on, open it, Charlie. I want to see that gold."

"Stop it, Dad," my mother scolded.

Charlie looked at her in concern. "I've got the same chance as anybody else, haven't I?"

"You've got more, Charlie, because you want it more," Grandpa Joe said before anyone else could respond. "Go on, open it!"

"Here it goes," Charlie said, turning his back to us. I heard the paper rip as he opened the bar, and then my heart jumped as he shouted, "I got it!"

I heard my grandparents exclaim in surprise from behind me, and I opened my mouth to voice my surprise and happiness, my heart beating wildly, but Charlie's miserable expression stopped me as he turned around again.

"Fooled you, didn't I?" he said softly. "You thought I really had it."

My heart ached at the expression on his face. "Yes, we did, because if anyone deserves one, it's you," I said to him. He looked up at me with uncertain eyes.

"You'll find one," Grandpa Joe agreed from behind me.

Charlie looked down at the chocolate bar. "Here, everybody have a bite."

As he held out a bit of chocolate to all of the grandparents, they all declined, and then our mother. He looked up at me, holding the piece of chocolate towards me. "Come on, Amie. I know you love them as much as I do."

I looked at the piece. It'd been so long since I'd had some, but I simply smiled and shook my head. "You enjoy your chocolate." He looked a bit put out, but ate the piece anyway. I ruffled his hair again. "Happy Birthday, Charlie."

"Bucket!"

A jolt of nervousness shot through me as the hard voice of my boss, Chaplin, rang through the air. I looked up from the envelope I was squinting at to see the large man striding towards me. My hands shaking slightly, I lowered the envelope.

Please don't let him yell at me today...

"Did you not get the memo I sent?" Chaplin demanded as soon as he came to stand in front of me.

I struggled to speak. "Memo, sir?"

His scowling face only made my heart sink more. "The Salt factory stopped asking for chocolate to be shipped to them. He phoned last night. He wants the nuts to be shipped again."

I froze. "I-I don't think I got that memo, sir..."

His voice raised even more. "Didn't get the memo?! I had it put on your desk this morning, Bucket!"

I tried to swallow as I remembered a slip of paper on my desk, but I forgot to look at it before I started out in the warehouse. "I'm sorry, sir, I didn't-"

"I've had enough of these mistakes, Bucket!" Chaplin yelled. "One more mistake, and you're out of here! Got it?"

I nodded, dropping his gaze to the ground, trying to keep my eyes clear. I would not cry in front of him. I wouldn't.

I heard him walk away and only when I was sure he was gone, I lifted my head again, taking in a shaky breath. One more mistake? This was only my second one. The first one wasn't even big at all, I just forgot to send in the shipment order form at the end of the day. It was easily remedied. Why is he picking on me?!

Mr. Payne, an older man who reminded me of Grandpa Joe, patted my shoulder. "Don't worry about it, dear," he said, as if hearing my thoughts. "He just hates the thought of having a girl work under him. He doesn't know how hard you work."

"I have to," I said, picking up the envelope again. "I have to help my family."

"Don't we all," Mr. Payne murmured, returning to the stack of mail he was sorting through.

A/N

Welcome back to Chapter 3! Thank you so much to my reviewers, Dresupi, suburbantimewaster, SuperPsychoLove, Linkwonka88, and Flowerchild23! I'm really glad that you all are liking the story so far.

I'll try to have the next chapter up as soon as I can.

Please review!

~SirAvery