Rising Dawn (Willy Wonka X OC)

Facing Father

Swear word warning on lines that starts with asterisk (*)

Two days later

I hear a cough from outside Charlie's bedroom and sit up slowly. Charlie got his own room, but right now he feels lonely at night so I'm sleeping with him. Mum also got her own room and she's loving every part of it. You know how some people are just made to live the high life? Mum has always made sacrifices for us and she's worked herself to the bone, but there was a piece of me that always knew she would thrive in a place like this.

I hear another cough and a bit of rustling. I push the covers off and get up carefully so I don't wake Charlie. I tuck the covers back aroung Charlie with the one arm that isn't trapped in a sling. Shivering slightly, I tiptoe across the room and open the door as quietly as I can.

Will looks up from his seat on the floor next to Charlie's room and coughs again. What is he doing here?! Strangely enough, I'm less concerned with the fact that he was lurking outside the room and more concerned that he has dark circles under his eyes and seems to be coming down with a cold. He continues to gaze up innocently until I hold out a hand and help him to his feet. I lead him to the sitting area and sit down on a couch, pulling him down beside me.

"You should be sleeping in your bed. What are you doing over here?" I ask in a low whisper.

Will shrugs and looks down. "I just wanted to make sure you were safe. You're still healing, and I didn't want to leave your side in case you needed something."

I smile a bit and Will yawns before rubbing at his eyes like a young child. "That's sweet, and I appreciate it. I really do, but you're getting sick, Will. You're exhausted! You didn't want to do anything yesterday, and you look like death now." I cup his face in my free hand and slide my thumb across the dark circle of evidence to his sleepless nights.

"I know. It's just difficult to rest being so far away from you, Dove." I put my arm around his shoulder and tug him down gently toward me. He tucks his legs under himself and leans into me.

I sigh. "Then don't be so far away. When you were explaining how the factory works yesterday, you said that some rooms are 'floating.' You said that they could move like the elevator and occupy different spaces because some of the factory is open space. You said that your quarters could do that, they can move. I don't understand why you won't move them closer."

He lays his head on me and closes his eyes. "Because no matter how much I want to be near you, that also means that I'm near your family. I don't want them suffocating me. Parents are always telling you what to do, what not to do, and it's not conducive to a creative atmosphere!"

"You are literally near them right now. How is sitting right outside my door any better than being in your quarters fifty feet away?" He doesn't respond and I look down to see what's wrong. He's half asleep and slowly sinking further down towards my lap. I shift and push his shoulder to let him twist and lay comfortably with his head in my lap. His eyelids flutter, but I want to ask him one more thing before he falls asleep. I put a hand on his chest and shake him a bit. "I think it's time we paid a visit to your father and get this family business cleared up. What do you say we go in the morning?"

He brings a hand up to hold mine loosely to his chest, and his eyes finally droop closed. "Sure...whatever you want, Dove."