𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐞 | 𝐖𝐨𝐧𝐤𝐚 𝐗 𝐅𝐞𝐦! 𝐎𝐂 | 𝐖𝐨𝐧𝐤𝐚 (𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑)

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟖 ~ Do What Uncle Says

Dorothy felt her heart thump with fear, as panic painted her expression. She didn't know what was worse; the chief or her uncle. "U-Uncle! It's not what it looks like!" Dorothy tried to reason. "Save it, sweetie. I want you back at my house, right NOW!" Charles sneered as he got closer to the two. "B-But-" "With all due respect, Mr Palmer, I was simply trying to show your niece a good time." Willy butted in but his wording made it worse. "A good time, huh?!" He yelled. "Move along, Palmers." The Chief told the man and woman. Charles directed his eyesight from the Chief, to Willy and then to Dorothy. Noodle had been hidden by the fountain; simply watching and scared for her friends. "Fine." He simply stated, not before giving Willy a right hook straight to the face. 

Dorothy and the Chief's eyes widened at the sudden action, whilst the chocolatier held his cheek in pain. "Ow!" Willy said. "Like I said, move on, Charles. Otherwise, I'll write you up for assault." Charles grabbed Dorothy's wrist tightly and started to lead her away. The blonde winced in pain; sharing a look with Noodle, before being taken down an alleyway.

~~~~~~~

Once arriving at the home of the ex-actor, Dorothy did not let the recent event go. She immediately questioned her uncle on his actions. "I do not have to tell you that." Charles simply said. "Seriously?! You don't even know him." "And that's one reason why! I'll be damned if I let a man around my darling Dorothy!" Charles pointed a finger right at the serenader. Dorothy couldn't believe the way he was acting. Sure, he has had outbursts like this before; but it was only over finance problems or if Dorothy had forgotten his food for the next few weeks. He had never gotten this angry over something as simple as a man. Wait, what was she thinking? Willy wasn't simple; he was someone who opened her eyes and showed her something different and in a more wonderful viewpoint. Why would Charles get so angry over this? 

"Why are you acting like this?" Dorothy narrowed her eyes. "Because I'm your uncle!" Charles shot back at her. "I'm sure if Mom and Dad were here, they wouldn't have wanted you to track my every movement!" She then exclaimed. In fact, Dorothy considered for several years that her parents had left her in the hands of her uncle; due to the fact that they had probably been on a long trip in order to make money to help them. Charles hadn't told her that they were missing for many, many years. "Well, they wouldn't have to worry about that, since they're never coming back!" He finally let out. Then, all was silent. Dorothy felt her breath hitch at the words that came from her uncle's mouth. Her parents weren't coming back? Had everything she believed in about her mother and father been a lie? "T-They're not coming back?" Dorothy stammered. Charles then realised what he had said; coming back from his mental state. "Dorothy, I didn't mean that. It's just-" "Just what?! The fact that you knew that my mom and dad weren't around, missing, and didn't even bother to tell me?!"

"You were young! You wouldn't have understood!"

"I've been in debt for years since I was a teenager; that seems mature enough! Also, I've been working my butt off to pay it!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realise that I wasn't also paying this debt! And all these bills! You're the reason we're even in this situation!"

Dorothy felt a pang in her heart at that last statement. She looked down to the floor; no more fight left in her. He wasn't wrong, she was entirely responsible for this situation. There were days where Dorothy wished she could back in time and tell her past self to not give into her intrusive needs. She could've changed her future to living on the streets (starved, filthy and alone) but would prefer it other than this world she has gotten her and him into. 

Charles took notice of her dismay and sat down opposite her. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean it like that." He told her. Dorothy just nodded and didn't look up. "I...just want what's best for you. Being tied down to that man isn't your future." Charles continued. "Uncle, he's fun. Me and Noodle haven't had this amount of joy in years." Dorothy sighed. He couldn't deny it; Charles did have a small piece of joy to how he got to see those pink lips smile once again (ever since Dorothy was a little girl). "Why do you think that Willy is someone that will eventually let me down? Not everyone who has let YOU down doesn't mean that people I know will let ME down." She questioned her uncle. Charles took a deep breath and looked her in the eyes. "We live in a world where it takes money to make money, darling." Dorothy titled her head in confusion. "Is that why I would steal?" "The odds aren't exactly in our favours right now. In times like these, it's okay to break the rules a little bit."

"So, why are you so protective of me?"

"...maybe because I don't want to let you go."

"Right and wrong, who's to say which we should refuse?"

"All we know, love survives either way we choose"

"Here you are at the edge, so go ahead and fall
Please resist, I insist
Love is something to conquer all"

"It even conquered you." "No, it hasn't." Dorothy denied. "I can tell it. You're growing up!" Charles pointed a finger at her. "And you're cool with that?" "Yes...and no."

"I'm feeling happy, I'm feeling sad
A little childish, a little Dad"

"I think of all the days you've known, all the way you've grown"

"See you on your own, and then, I'm feeling happy and sad again"

"I think I'm rested, but then I'm tired"

"Today requested, tomorrow fired"

"And now a guy is something you adore, she who once was yours"

"Sometimes I can't ignore such youth, I'm sad and happy, why should you choose?"

Dorothy thought about Willy and Noodle; maybe Charles was right. Maybe she did have some attraction towards the chocolatier...wait, what?! She's just going to pretend that she never thought about that. She only spent time with him and Noodle because they were people who actually let her live, not because she had some sort of feeling towards that man.

"Life is full of contradictions, every inch a mile"

"And the moment we start weeping, that's when we should smile"

"In every Heaven, you'll find some Hell

And there's a welcome in each farewell"

"Life can be harsh, the future strict. Who would dare predict?"

"And that man you've picked, I can tell he's bad"

Dorothy looked down as Charles took a hand of hers in his. She sighed and held his hand close.

"So let's be happy, forever happy"

"Completely happy"

"And a tiny bit sad..."

The blonde looked up to see Charles weeping a slight bit. Dorothy just let go of his hand and held him close; knowing that from his sight, he is struggling and can't handle letting her go. "I'm sorry, Uncle." She whispered in his ear. "I'm sorry too, just trust me, okay." Charles whispered back. It was then that she realised that she could count on her uncle whenever she needed him. "Hey, I-I have an idea for something that might help us. It could help us; we'd also need the troupe as well." She inquired. "Sure...but can we stay like this for a bit?" Dorothy nodded. And for those moments, the two just held each other whilst Willy was being water-tortured by the Chief.