I own nothing, sadly :/

Carson Sugarpop sat at her desk, groggily reading the morning paper. Things at the factory were rather slow on this particular morning, and she took advantage of the peace and quiet. Tired brown eyes roamed the length of the Morning Bulletin, finding nothing of interest. Flipping the page, a bold set of words demanded her attention.

WONKA CANDY SALES SKYROCKET

A smile formed on Carson's lips, her eyes gobbling up the article with an interest so intense that one may have thought she was insane. Of course, given her obsession for the man on whom the article was about, insane may not have been such an off word to use. Bony fingers searched the surface of her cluttered desk for a pair of scissors, their owner never removing her eyes from the newspaper. The cool, smooth handle eventually slid under her palm, much to her relief. With a contented sigh, Carson began cutting out the article with gusto.

"Hey, Zoey?" she murmured, a bit louder than required. A head of light hair skipped through the doorway moments later, stopping just a short space away. Carson glanced up from her task, offering the female a half smile.

"What's up, Carthon?" Zoey greeted in a poor imitation of her friend. Plopping herself into a nearby chair, she traced the outlines of several soda bottles used in it's construction. Carson shot her a playful glare, one that she returned wholeheartedly. The two had been friends longer than one would've guessed, allowing each person to tease the other freely.

"Look who was in the paper." Carson grinned excitedly, gesturing to the black and white piece of parchment in her hand. Zoey's eyes flickered to it briefly, scanning it's contents. Upon seeing the headline, she shook her head.

"Why are you so obsessed with that man?" she sighed, laughing in disbelief.

"Because," Carson began, her eyes wide with enthusiasm. Tacking the article to a nearby bulletin board that held the rest of her ever-growing collection, she continued. "He's the reason for my success- if it weren't for him, I wouldn't have been inspired to start my own company. Sugarpop Industries Inc. is pretty much all of his doing. I wish I could thank him personally, you know?"

Zoey, who had been mouthing along with Carson's usual speech, now giggled in amusement. "Aren't candy and soda a little bit different, Car?"

"Yes, but it's the concept of the thing." her friend explained, coming down from her Wonka high. Reaching for the cup of coffee on her desk, she downed the last gulp of sickly sweet liquid. Perching herself on the edge of her desk, she became lost in thought. I wonder what he's like? Oh, what I would have given to be one of those people who had the chance to see his factory!

Her assistant smirked, hopping up from the comfy chair she currently occupied. Why is she only like this around me? she thought, bouncing toward the door. Leaning against the frame, she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I'm going out- do you need anything?" she asked.

Coming out of her musings, Carson tapped her chin in thought. A quick glimpse of her hair reminded her of one need.

"Can you get me some more hair dye, please?" she requested hopefully, as if expecting to be denied.

"Sure." Zoey chirped, turning to leave. "Just remember to eat breakfast."

"Thanks, I will." Carson yelled, as the blonde was already out of the office and down the hall. Looking around the empty space, she picked at a loose thread on her pajama pants. It's so quiet when she's not here, she remarked inwardly with a smirk. Standing, she made her way out of the room. Sunshine filtered through the skylight in the roof of the factory, warming her shoulders as she walked. An escalator sat just ten feet away, one that would lead to her bedroom. Stepping onto it, she rubbed her eyes tiredly. To think, the day wasn't even half over!

"Well, it looks like the raspberry kites did great." Charlie Bucket grinned at his friend and mentor across the table. Willy Wonka returned it, though more for the boy's benefit than anything else.

It had been two years since the Golden Ticket affair had changed little Charlie's life forever. Come to think of it, 'little' hardly applied to the boy anymore. While his voice had yet to shed that childlike tone, his body had sprouted like an Empress Tree; his head now just surpassed Willy's shoulder if they stood side to side. And, just like his height, his creativity had developed rapidly. New candy ideas hit him almost daily now, which would compensate for the notepad he often hid in his coat when the pair would go out.

In fact, it was Charlie to blame for their current location. Around four months after moving into the chocolate factory, the youngest Bucket had suggested that Willy try to get reacquainted with the outside world. The latter had refused at first, claiming that the factory was the only place where he could enjoy himself. Needless to say, Charlie Bucket would not take that answer. For days, he declined all work, claiming that the only way Willy would receive a speck of attention from him would be if his mentor agreed to go on just one outing. After a week of not speaking to Charlie, Mr. Wonka finally broke down and consented to a single trip to town. The boy had smiled and cheered with excitement, half dragging the man through the sights and shops of the town. It was on this small trip that the two would discover something…different.

Sugarpop's Soda Fountain sat on the corner of Cherry Street, it's appearance differing greatly from neighboring buildings. The small place was, coincidentally, placed just down the street from where Willy's first candy store had been. Each brick used in the foundation of the small shop had been painted a different color, while a bright blue sign engraved with the name of the business hung directly above the equally vibrant door. If one stood close enough, the faint smell of fruit would reach their nose- even from the outside. The place had a strange, childlike quality to it- one that both Willy and Charlie were instantly drawn to. It was for this reason that the two began visiting the place nearly three times per week. The soda, they found, was every bit as unique as the shop's exterior. Seventy-seven flavors of the bubbly liquid were available to the public, and that was only the amount of single flavors one could try. If a customer wished to combine two or more flavors, that number would increase a great deal. The soda itself was, as they found out, quite delicious. The bubbles were not too harsh on the tongue, while each flavor was vivid and just tangy enough to leave the person drinking it in pure want of the beverage. In Willy Wonka's eyes, this Carson Sugarpop was a worthy opponent in the sweets industry.

"Willy?" Charlie asked for the third time, waving his hand in front of the chocolatier's face. Violet eyes refocused, settling on the young man.

"What?" Willy mumbled, blinking hard in order to dispel his jumbled thoughts. Charlie laughed at his friend's expression.

"I said, do you have any-"

His words were interrupted by the jingling bell that rang whenever a customer entered the soda shop. There was a rustling of bags, followed by a warm greeting towards the only present employee of the business.

"Hey, John." a female voice chirped. Within seconds, a blonde-haired woman had passed Willy and Charlie's booth, carrying a few grocery bags in her right hand. In her left, a cell phone was clutched tightly. Plopping herself on one of the stools before the counter, she let the bags slump to the tiled floor.

"How's it goin', Zoey?" the elderly man asked, reaching for a glass by the soda fountain. Filling it with what Charlie assumed to be her usual, he slid it across the counter. Zoey caught it with ease, playing with the straw while replying to his question.

"Pretty good, thanks. Just out running some errands for Carson." she said cheerfully, taking a sip of the crimson liquid. Charlie's eyes widened. Carson? As in, Carson Sugarpop? Could it be? Looking towards Willy, it seemed that the two were both having the same thoughts.

"How's she doing? Is she eating like she's supposed to?" John questioned, much like a concerned father. The grey hair, laugh lines around his eyes, and comforting smile he wore sure helped him look the part.

"Not exactly," Zoey admitted with a frown, sipping her drink casually. "She hasn't had an attack since March, though, so that's good."

It occurred to Willy that Carson was being referred to as a girl. I didn't see that coming, he thought, averting his eyes from the conversation in order to appear as though he weren't listening. Charlie was doing the same, though neither bothered to speak.

"I guess." John agreed, wiping his forehead with a dishtowel hanging from his apron. "It might be a good idea for her to leave that factory once in a while, though."

"I think so, too. It's just…whenever I try to tell her, she says that she's 'busy'." Zoey sighed, air quoting the last word. John shook his head, wiping off the countertop.

Charlie smiled in disbelief. This 'Zoey' worked for the Carson Sugarpop? An idea began to formulate in his mind, one that wouldn't require his notepad. Willy had the best candies in the world- there was no doubt about that -and Carson made the best soda pop. What if they decided to work together? Of course, that would require them to meet first. Charlie frowned; Carson might not even want to work with Willy. She might be one of those rich dunderheads, he mused.

"The only thing she takes an interest in anymore is that Wonka fellow." Zoey's voice startled him from his thoughts. Whirling around, he saw her roll her eyes at John. The elder man, knowing the identity of the only other customers in the store, glanced at Charlie and Willy. The former grinned, putting a finger to his lips as a signal for the man not to mention their presence. John complied heartily.

"Well, he's a bit of a celebrity nowadays, don't ya think?" he chuckled, rinsing off a few used glasses. Zoey nodded, downing another gulp of soda.

"Very strange, but very interesting." she agreed.

Charlie turned back to Willy, who was eyeing the two with curiosity.

"I have an idea." the younger boy whispered, leaning forward. Willy looked back to him, raising his eyebrows.

"What is it?" he asked, eyes darting from Zoey and John to his heir. From his expression, it was difficult to tell just what Charlie had cooked up in his brain.

"Maybe we should talk to her." the boy suggested, nodding towards Zoey. Willy shook his head.

"Why would we do that?" he asked.

"Because," his friend smiled. "Imagine what it would be like if you and Carson Sugarpop decided to work together. You've said yourself that it would be neat to hear some of her ideas."

Willy appeared to consider this for a moment, a slight shake of his head indicating where his thoughts were turning.

"I'll go with you, if you want." Charlie added, hoping to sway his mentor's opinion. Willy continued to ponder, tapping his chin in the process. While he didn't like meeting new people very much, it was also obvious that Charlie wasn't about to give up on an opportunity such as this. After all, he had opened his big mouth and expressed an interest in talking to Carson Sugarpop, though he'd referred to her as a 'him' at the time. Still, the idea of what lurked in her factory intrigued him, ultimately resulting in his decision.

"Fine." he murmured, barely getting the word out before Charlie was out of his seat and walking towards the counter.

Zoey played with her straw, spinning slightly from side to side on the barstool. Today was her least favorite day- Monday. The beginning of the week was at hand, promising a load of work and little sleep.

A tap on her shoulder removed her attentions from her now empty soda glass.

"Excuse me." a polite, childlike voice reached her ears. Zoey turned in her seat, coming face to face with a familiar looking boy. Freckles dotted his cheeks, just a shade lighter than his hair. Cheerful blue eyes regarded her kindly. She stifled a gasp, immediately recognizing the face of Charlie Bucket- the winner of the Golden Ticket contest.

"Oh my gosh, it's you." she breathed, eyes wide. Then, turning to John, added: "Why didn't you tell me?"

John just laughed, shaking his head. Zoey shot him a playful glare, whirling back around to Charlie and extending a hand.

"Sorry about that, this is just…wow. The name's Zoey. Zoey Preston."

Charlie grinned, shaking her hand. "Charlie Bucket. It's nice to meet you."

"You, too." Zoey chuckled, letting go. "So, what brings you here?"

Charlie hopped up onto the stool next to hers, placing his hands in his lap. He had to come up with a good explanation, and fast.

"Did you say you work for Carson Sugarpop?" he asked. Zoey nodded.

"She's my best friend."

"Well, I was wondering…do you think she would like to meet Mr. Wonka? We both really like her soda, and-"

"She'd love to." Zoey reached out and placed a hand over his, assuring him that he didn't need to explain himself like a child in trouble. Charlie smiled in thanks, grasping her hand and sliding off of the stool.

"Great! I'll go and tell Willy the good news. Do you want to come?" he asked, loosening his hold on her hand. Zoey looked rather surprised.

"He's here?" she questioned. Charlie nodded.

"Right over there." he pointed to the booth nearest to the door, where a man in a dark top hat was sitting. He was staring intently at the tabletop, appearing to be deep in thought. A maroon colored coat adorned his shoulders, the article of clothing giving him a sort of mysterious look. Zoey gulped; what if he was a total jerk? Well, Charlie seemed to admire him, so maybe he wasn't so bad.

"Okay." she allowed herself to be led to the table where the Willy Wonka sat. It's Willy freakin' Wonka! she screamed inwardly, her hand shaking a little.

Within seconds, the pair had reached the chocolatier's table. Willy was still in thought, or at least that's what he was pretending to be. In reality, he was nervous about meeting this woman. She looked nice enough, but what would she think of him?

"Willy," Charlie said softly, watching as his friend removed his eyes from the table. Zoey stiffened the slightest bit as Willy's gaze met hers, wondering if this was some sort of dream. He looked just the same as he had in the pictures on Carson's bulletin board, though now he was in color. The most striking part of his features were his eyes, which, oddly, were a dark shade of purple. Having never seen such an eye color, Zoey found herself staring.

"This is Zoey Preston. Zoey, this is Willy Wonka."

Both adults gulped quietly. Zoey was the first to speak, offering a hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Wonka." she half-smiled, in a daze. Willy hesitated before shaking it, still in the process of becoming more 'touchy-feely', as Mrs. Bucket often said. Eventually, he raised a glove-clad hand of his own, briefly grabbing Zoey's.

"You too, Miss Preston." he let go of her hand, forcing an awkward smile. Normally, Zoey would've insisted that he should call her by her first name, but she was too stunned to correct him.

"Zoey says that Carson Sugarpop would love to meet you." Charlie continued, breaking the silence and staring at Willy. This came as no surprise, as he'd been listening to everything Zoey had said just minutes ago. However, he couldn't admit that.

"Really?" he asked, raising a hopeful brow. Zoey nodded.

"Of course! You can even come to the factory today, if you want." she offered, trying to be as polite as possible. No sense in ruining anything, she told herself.

Charlie shot Willy a pleading look while Zoey was distracted.

"Say yes." he mouthed, chewing his lip when she glanced at him.

"That…would be wonderful." Willy's smile became a bit more genuine. "Thank you."

Zoey looked as though she were ready to jump and squeal for joy at his response. "Great! Um, I was about to drive back there, actually. I could give you a ride, if you'd like."

It was Charlie who answered this time. "Sure! Thank you so much."

Zoey returned his eager smile, excusing herself to collect her belongings. In her absence, Willy spoke.

"I could've answered her, you know." he pouted. Charlie laughed quietly.

"I know."

Pulling up to Carson Sugarpop's factory was a strange experience. Located just a mile away from the soda shop, the large building sat at the end of a deserted street. No houses surrounded the property, nor did any trees. Charlie doubted that the street had a name, as it appeared that no one would dare to live in an area such as this. Dead grass lined the grey road leading up to the factory gates, which were spiky and uninviting. Their hinges screeched in protest as they swung open, allowing Zoey's car to pull through. The bright red vehicle did so with ease, faintly resembling a ladybug against a weathered rock. It vibrated upon rolling over the cobblestone driveway, which circled the entire building. Willy was thankful when Zoey stopped directly in front of the stone structure, putting the car in park.

"Here we are." she sighed happily, unlocking the doors and getting out of the car. Willy and Charlie followed suit, sliding from the seats carefully. After all of the doors had been closed, Zoey locked them once more, the horn beeping as an indication that they had done just that. Charlie flinched at the sound, glancing at Willy. Said man wore a nervous expression, much like the day he'd reunited with his father.

The trio approached the castle-like factory together, Zoey in the front of the group. Climbing the stairs leading to two very large doors, Charlie took a good look at it. Claw-like towers reached toward the sky from all four corners of the place, cold and threatening. A few windows were visible, each blocked by a different colored curtain. His eyes settled on a fluorescent green one, wondering what room it could be hiding.

A low moaning sound caused him to look back at Zoey. She stood beside a panel of buttons, pressing the top one. It was then that he realized that she was opening the doors of the factory. They moved with agonizing slowness, finally allowing enough space for the three of them to fit through. Zoey smiled, pressing a second button on the panel. The screeching of the gates rung through the air as they closed and locked. Stepping back from the panel, she rejoined Charlie and Willy.

"Follow me." she instructed, heading through the now wide open doors. Hesitantly, Willy did the same, and Charlie brought up the back.

The lobby of the factory looked like something out of Dracula's castle, complete with ornate candlestick holders and a shiny suit of armor. An intricately detailed couch sat in the center of the room, a few magazines spread on the cushions. Zoey, Charlie, and Willy made their way past it, entering a long, happier looking hallway. The walls had been painted a light yellow, several tall windows sending daylight onto them. A few posters decorated the corridor, as well, most of them for old movies or bands that neither Charlie nor Willy were familiar with.

The hallway finally gave way to a circular room. Bright, undiluted sunlight spilled down from a huge skylight, giving the room a sort of natural feel. Escalators lined half of it, each one going in a different direction. On the other half, there were six doorways, all having a different title above them: Recreation, Packaging, Inventing, Testing, Elevator, and Carson's Office.

The first was the only one to not have an actual door attached to it, as it led to another long hallway. The rest were either red or blue, a golden doorknob on each. Sounds of machinery and voices floated from behind the Packaging door, accompanied by the soft hum of music. Willy glanced at it for a second, before noticing that Zoey was walking toward the door entitled Carson's Office. A small desk sat in front of it, a computer and chair indicating that it belonged to an assistant of some sort. Charlie read the nameplate, realizing that this was where Zoey would normally sit.

"I'll be right back." said female called to them from the door, opening it without knocking. It closed quietly behind her, leaving Willy and Charlie to their thoughts.

Zoey closed the door to Carson's office, turning to face her friend with a huge grin. Carson rose from behind her desk, which was now littered with important looking documents and several assorted ink pens.

"What's going on?" she asked, taking the bags from Zoey's hands and setting them on a nearby chair. Sifting through their contents in silence, she grabbed the box of hair dye and smiled. "Thanks."

Zoey, having recovered enough to speak, began excitedly.

"Guess who I met at your soda shop today." she half-squealed. Carson raised a brow, turning and setting the box on her desk.

What could possibly get her this excited? she wondered, her friend's usual interests coming to mind.

"An extremely hot guy?" she smirked, tilting her head to the side.

"Nope." Zoey grinned wider, if possible.

That's new. Carson thought, giggling.

"Just tell me!" she begged, a smile still present on her lips. Zoey walked around the desk, grabbing both of her hands gently. Leaning forward as calmly as possible, she looked her friend right in the eye.

"They're right outside your door." she whispered. Carson sighed.

"Who?" she prompted, her curiosity getting the best of her. Zoey took a deep breath.

"Charlie Bucket and Willy Wonka."

From outside the office, Charlie and Willy both heard a thump. Before either one could ask, Zoey's head poked out from behind the door.

"It's gonna be a few minutes." she laughed nervously. "She's just fainted."

Hello, people of the world! Told you I'd come out with a CATCF fic, didn't I? I'd like to welcome you all to what will be an interesting journey! PLEASE NOTE: This story may or may not be updated as often as my other stories (until one of them is finished, that is).

Did you like it? Hate it? Please, let me know- reviews help me to improve, and make me smile. Thank you so much for reading!