Well, this is my first CatCF fanfic…I hope you enjoy. I'm a big fan of fluff, so if you don't like any of that stuff, you might not want to read this story. Or you might. I could be wrong! I'd love to hear what you think of this first chapter...so leave a comment! I'm open to any sort of criticism! I don't claim to own any of the CatCF characters…I do own Rose!

A Rose By Any Other Name Chapter 1

Winter was still quite fierce in the town that the largest chocolate factory in the world cast it's shadow upon. It was nearly February. Regardless of this weather, the town was bustling with people headed on their way to work, or just out for a nice winter's walk. There was something awfully somber, yet peaceful about the town, though. Wonka, the owner of the infamous factory that placed itself in the middle of this town, had given out the golden tickets not much more than a year ago. Things in the world were pretty much back to normal. The same thing could not be said for Willy Wonka.

Sales were going well for Willy's chocolate business, even better that Charlie and his family were there with him. Charlie was a very bright boy, always helping him come up with new concoctions and candies. Willy liked having him around. Lately, though, he had not been his norm…odd self. He had become a bit more quiet, and seemed to want to wander off places around the factory by himself. He had a strange look in his eye…even more strange than the one he'd already had glittering somewhere deep within his eyes. It seemed a bit…sad. This concerned Charlie.

"Mum", Charlie said at the dinner table one evening in his home, which rested in the middle of the great factory, "Mr. Wonka hasn't been seeming quite…normal lately. What do you think's the matter with him?" he asked in that voice full of childish curiosity.

"Well my boy, when has he ever seemed quite normal?" she answered with a slight giggle.

"No, I mean…this is a bit different. He seems a lot quieter. He sighs a lot, which he never really used to do, unless of course he's having flashbacks", said the young boy, looking down at the floor.

"Well let me tell you something that I think could be the dilemma. Mr. Wonka could be feeling…lonely. Its something that everyone feels when they don't…have someone…you know, with them", Mrs. Bucket tried to explain.

"What do you mean? He has us, and we are his family. We love him, don't we?" "Sometimes love from your family isn't enough. He might be wanting love from someone else, perhaps. You know, like how Dad and I love each other" she said, smiling at him.

This made Charlie even more curious. He wanted to find out for himself if that was why Mr. Wonka was acting the way he was. He hopped up, kissed his mum on the cheek, and bolted out the door in search for the amazing chocolatier.

Charlie asked an oompa loompa where exactly Mr. Wonka might be. It made a signal that meant he was in his bedchambers.

"Will he mind being visited?" Charlie asked. It shook it's head no. Charlie went to the glass elevator and pressed the button which sent him straight to his boss's room. When he got there, he was a little nervous as to whether or not he should knock on the door. After all, there was no telling what he was up to in there. He might accidentally disturb him from his sleep. But Charlie decided that was a chance he had to take.

He slowly knocked three times on his door, and stepped back a few steps. He heard a muffled groan coming from inside the room. "Come in!" said Willy Wonka with a less-than-sing-songy voice. Charlie opened the door slowly and shut the door behind him.

"Well, are you going to stand at the door all day, or are you going to come over here and say something?", he said, his face somewhat buried in his pillow, lying face down on his bed.

"I…just wondered what was wrong. I'm sorry if this is a bad time. I'll just…" Charlie said, being cut off in the middle of his sentence. "No, no, NO my boy, please! Come here!" said the candyman, who hopped from his previous position on his bed. He crossed his legs and motioned for the boy to come over to the side of his bed. Charlie did just that.

"I've been a little worried lately. You don't seem…yourself. And when you aren't yourself, things get…a little awkward. Are you…lonely?" said Charlie in an all-too-sympathetic voice.

Wonka sighed, and looked down at the boy. "Yyyeah. I just feel…weird. And it's….weird. It's like I'm…well, never mind. I don't think you, little boy, would understand." He said.

"Maybe if you actually told me what you were feeling, then I would understand. I'm smarter than you think I am." Charlie stated. "I didn't say you weren't smart, and I don't think you're any less smarter than you think I think you…ok, let's get to the point. I was trying to come up with an invention. Something new that nobody's ever thought about for V…V….Va…","Valentine's Day." "Yeah, that! And then, something in me went…weird. What's V…that holiday…all about? Doesn't it involve two people that are…in love? GROSS! That's what I thought at first. But then I realized…I was…alone. And…kinda sad! I felt empty. Like the hollow candy you eat around Easter. It was weird, because for that moment I remembered seeing you and your parents together, and they looked…well…happy! I wanted to be happy like that. I want to have someone there who will make my candy taste even better, just because they're there with me. But what can I do? That's all I've been thinking about lately, and my candy is horrible right now, because all I can think about is…is…",

"Love?"

For a moment Willy Wonka couldn't speak. All he could do is stare off into space with that creepy (but loveable) half smile he wore when he realized something or got an idea. "So that's it…I just want someone to love. But how? How do I get someone like everyone else does?" Willy Wonka asked with the innocence of a child who has yet to experience something as deep of a subject as that.

"It just happens, Mr. Wonka. I don't know how. It's something you feel when you meet the person you want to spend a very long time with. That's what mum says, at least." Charlie said, shrugging. "You're right…but…where can I find such a thing?" Wonka wondered, with yet another distressed look in his eyes. "Tomorrow sounds like a good day for a walk, don't you think?" Charlie said, smiling. "I think you're onto something." Said the amazing chocolatier.

Sorry the first chapter was boring! I'll be working on the next chapter soon! Please comment and let me know what you think about it so far, and if you have any ideas I'd love to hear them!

- THE pumpkin queen!