For A Moment - A Wonka AU

Chapter 8: The Green Ledger

Back at the Wash House, Noodle pushed her laundry caught through the building, right under Mrs. Scrubitt and Bleacher's noses.

Well, they probably wouldn't even have noticed if Willy wasn't hiding in a laundry bag- they were too busy staring into each others' eyes to even realize Noodle had gotten back.

"Ugh...my head..." Willy murmured as they made their way to the laundry chute.

"Quiet down in there!" Noodle hissed, shooting a nervous glance in Mrs. Scrubitt and Bleacher's direction. Mrs. Scrubitt was busy murmuring about how beautiful Bleacher's eyes were. Noodle scrunched her nose in disgust.

"I don't get to see my eyes due to how busy they are doing the staring," Bleacher responded.

"Oh, you're so poetic!" Mrs. Scrubitt gasped and wrapped her arms around him. "My poetic lord..."

Noodle shivered and pushed the cart faster. She shoved the bag containing Willy down the laundry chute and went along with her work. It was like he'd never left.

"Mr. Wonka!" Abacus exclaimed as Willy arrived with a loud thud. "How good of you to join us!"

"I'm not late, am I?" Willy asked nervously, climbing out of the bag.

Abacus shook his head. "Nope. Cutting it a bit fine, though."

"Why are you soaking wet?" Piper asked suspiciously.

"Went for an...erm...dip in the fountain," he murmured, instinctively reaching up to touch his aching forehead. He winced. "Has Tiddles been doing well?" he asked, changing the subject to the peculiar contraption he had made earlier that morning. He had connected all of the scrubbing stations together and used Bleacher's dog to work them all.

"Tiddles has been marvelous!" Abacus exclaimed. "In fact, productivity has gone up thirty percent!"

"We took the afternoon off," Larry added.

"But that's not the point," Abacus said.

"But this is the point!" The comedian pointed.

"Not now with the jokes, Larry."

"Sorry."

"Anyways," Abacus continued, "the point is, where have you been, Mr. Wonka?"

Piper sniffed the air. "And why do you smell of giraffe?"

Lottie nodded and leaned in to hear his answer.

"Guess I do owe you all an explanation," he said as Noodle wandered into the room. "The truth is, I'm actually a chocolate maker. And Noodle here has been helping me with some things."

"But he's not just any chocolate maker," Noodle chimed in. "He's the best in the world!"

"Oh, Noodle, you flatter me!" Willy blushed. "But she's right. My creations are top-tier."

"The plan is to sell chocolate and pay off Mrs. Scrubitt. At least, that was the plan, until..." Noodle's voice trailed off.

"Let me guess," Abacus sighed. "You had a run-in with the Chief of Police."

"How'd you know?" Willy raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Because that's what happens when anyone tries to sell chocolate in this town," Piper said.

"Why?" Noodle asked.

"Three reasons, Noodle." Abacus looked at her. "Slugworth, Prodnose, and Fickelgruber." He held up a finger as he said each of their names.

Willy's stomach tightened at that name, Fickelgruber.

Charlotte...he thought to himself. He hoped she wouldn't get in trouble for helping them.