Rising Dawn (Willy Wonka X OC)

Gone Again

"I don't think you ever had a grey hair, Will. I think the Oompa Loompas wanted you to find me." I think back to the breezes that it seemed only I could feel. "And I guess for me to find you. I don't know how, but they knew we used to be friends before I did."

Remember all those chapters ago when I (Tilly, this is Tilly now) said the factory had only been open for ten years instead of twenty? This is why.

It's Will's turn to be beyond surprised, he shakes his head and blinks away his confusion. "So...what do we do now?"

"That's up to you and your new apprentice." I smile at Charlie who smiles back and comes to stand by my side. Will smiles at us.

"There's a sight I haven't seen in many years," Mum says, gazing fondly at me. "That smile of yours is brighter than Heaven itself. I've missed it."

Will chuckles, and I look down shyly. Will places an arm around me and uses his other hand to lift my face. Before anyone can interrupt again, he places a gentle kiss on my mouth. His lips are soft and warm and welcoming. I practically melt at the heat and my heart flips violently around in my chest. I smile brighter than I ever have before at Will. Glee fills my chest and I shudder as his hand traces small circles on my back. I love this feeling. I love...him.

"I've missed it too, love." Will winks at me. "I suppose you should go ahead and grab whatever you'll need. Of course, I can get you anything you want, but a few personal belongings might be nice," he suggests. Charlie hops up and down and goes to Grandpa Joe.

"Can you believe it?! We're all going to live in the factory, Grandpa Joe!" Charlie moves around the bed to go upstairs and get his belongings.

"Well...not exactly." My head whips to Will and Charlie stops in his tracks. "I'm afraid not all of you can come."

I am the first one to break the deafening silence that follows. "What do you mean?"

"Only Charlie gets to live at the factory. And you, of course, Dawn!" Will explains.

Mum looks at him surprised and slightly miffed. "But Charlie's just a child! He can't live without his family!"

"And I don't want to," Charlie says, folding his arms, angry for what may be the first time ever. "If my family can't go, then I'm not either."

"Are you sure?" Charlie nods firmly. Will turns to me, plea clear in his eyes. "Dawn, please say you'll come with me."

My mouth hangs open dumbly, but I'm too shocked to care. Who is this man in front of me? Why would he ask such a thing of Charlie or I? "Why?"

One word. All I asked was one word, but he knows what I'm asking and it changes so much in Will's eyes. "Because they're adults, Dawn! And they're parents." He spits the word bitterly. "And you know what parents do."

I glance at my mother who wears a hurt expression on her face. The grandparents look outraged and hurt as well. I pace stiffly to the door, open it and point for Will to go first. He does and I follow, slamming the door behind me.

I keep walking till I reach the outer gate where I wheel on Will and snap, "I know your father separated us when we were young, and I know you hate him for it, I do too, but you can't-"

"You think this is just about my father?! He wasn't the only guilty one when it comes to our separation! I seem to recall a certain mother wanting us apart as well." He folds his arms and nods at the house.

"What? No, don't be ridiculous." My Mum was happy I had a friend, she liked Will.

"She didn't want you to know about the life you couldn't have. You already started asking about your dad, she didn't want you to start asking about money or work next." Tears prickle at the corners of my eyes. "She didn't want you to grow up watching me live a life she couldn't give you. Did you know that, Dawn? Did you know she wanted us apart too?"

"But she didn't make me move away." That has to count for something, doesn't it? She was fine with us being friends, she wasn't actively against it.

"Did you know that I tried finding you the next week? I ran away from home and went to your house, but you were gone," Will states matter-of-factly.

"We moved after you left, we came here." I point at the house. "We couldn't afford to stay in that house anymore and there was nothing for us there," I tell him, no longer ashamed of our financial troubles, just desperate to defend my Mum.

"That's what I thought too, but I looked into it. I found that your Mum bought this house before my father made us move. I found that she was planning to move you away before my father ever did. She lied to you! Parents lie! That's what they do, Dawn!" I cover my eyes and hold my head, shaking it back and forth. No. No. No. We couldn't afford it. She didn't want to separate us. She didn't lie. "They say they're protecting us. They say it's for the best, but it's not!"

"No, Will! Your father-"

"Yes, let's talk about fathers. It was your father, after all, who told mine about your financial situation and convinced him he should take me and leave. It was your father who saw how close your Mum and my Dad were getting and decided he still wanted her. It was him who indirectly took you away from me." I guess I had known all along. The pieces were right there in front of me, I just hadn't figured it out and that's why his words felt like a slap in the face. "Parents are messed up, you know that! They never think about the kids!"

My breathing quickens until I'm full on hyperventilating. I rip the goggles off my head and throw them on the ground. I stomp on the lenses until they're nothing but powder and trample the frame to warped metal. Tears roll off my cheeks and Will raises a tender hand to wipe them away. He tucks strands of hair behind my ears and smiles weakly. He hugs me to his chest and I breath deeply.

"Come with me, Dawn. We can live in the factory. Together. Without parents, together."

I shake my head and pull back. "I can't leave, Will. I can't leave them."

"Why? Why not? What have they ever done for you? Nothing! You work your ass off everyday, and I can tell they don't appreciate it. They don't even celebrate your birthday! We can start a family! One better than they ever were! Why not leave them behind?!"

"Because I will not be like my father!" I shout at him. Hot tears still stream down my cheeks as I clench my fists. "Because I will not abandon them like he abandoned us! I will not stoop to his level!" Everyone inside can probably hear us, but I don't care. "I hate him! You once said that broken is beautiful, but I'm worse than broken, I'm hurt!" I jab at my chest, voice muddled with emotion. "I have known pain and I have known hate, but that's all I've known. I am full of pain." I sob quietly. "And I am full of hate." Will's eyes are misty and he swallows hard. "I can't love, Will."

Freezing winter air bites at my ears and my tears crystallize within seconds of dripping off of my pale face. "So you go back to your factory. And you keep making candy. I'll go back to that house. And I'll keep sustaining that family. And we'll both pretend that you can't love either."

He backs away slowly to the glass elevator as if in a trance, and I turn away. Before he closes the doors, he calls out, "You're wrong, you know. You can love. You have some love in you. I know, because I put it there."

So...that just happened. I feel like I should apologize and say you're welcome at the same time. How broken is your heart right now? Comment the exact moment and remember to vote! Thank you for reading and thank you all for 7k reads, this is surreal.
xoxo, Tilly