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The bullet that flew through the ceiling directly above their heads was louder than Willy could have ever imagined, echoing through his skull and shooting alarm through his veins. He flinched, arm already out to drag Noodle behind him as he whirled, every hair on end as he set eyes on the danger. His heart pounded erratically against his ribcage, and he was backing up before he could even register fully what was happening.
“Naughty, naughty, Mr. Wonka. You’ve caused us quite a bit of trouble,” Slugworth drawled, gun still aimed straight at them as its barrel glinted and a coy grin spread on the man’s face. “You, and your urchin.”
Willy’s blood boiled at the term, eyes narrowing as he squeezed Noodle’s hands in hopes of comfort. He couldn’t turn around to see her, but her little hands clutched his so tightly he could only guess how terrifying this was for her.
Why did I ever take her along? If she gets hurt-
“But she’s not just an urchin, is she, Mr. Slugworth? You’re family.”
It was a bold statement, considering that he only had the bare bones of uncovering exactly why Noodle had a Slugworth family ring and how this all connected. But he didn’t exactly have a choice but to stall and hope he could think up any way out of this.
“Willy? What are you talking about?” Noodle’s voice floated from behind him, confused and trembling as she peeked around his side. He spared a moment to glance towards her while his mind ran at a thousand miles an hour, frantic to get her to safety. None of his ideas proved fruitful, though, and he was left to continue as Slugworth’s smug expression turned to one of dangerous suspicion.
“That ring your parents gave you? He has one just like it, don’t you, Mr. Slugworth?”
“As a matter of fact, I do. That belonged to my brother, Zebedee,” he replied, slithering steps bringing him closer to the pair. Willy had to remind himself to breath as he stared the man down, not letting a single emotion show through. This was truly a battle of wits, as threatening as the gun hovering only feet away was.
“He was her father,” he realized, the question more of a statement as he said it out loud.
“A hopeless romantic is what he was. Went and fell in love with a common little bookworm, but died before they could marry. That left me the sole heir to the family fortune…or so I thought. But nine months later, your mother showed up at my door with her sick newborn. I agreed to help.”
“But you didn’t, did you? You…you put me down a laundry chute, and Mrs. Scrubitt found me.” Noodle whispered, the pieces slotting together as the story unfolded. “She thought the ring was an ‘N,’ but it wasn’t. It was a ‘Z,’ for Zebedee.”
“Well, quite. When your mother turned up back at my doorstep, I told her you had died. She was devastated, of course, but I had her escorted away with a handful of sovereigns.”
Willy could hardly believe the heartlessness of this man. To steal a child, an infant, nonetheless, just to secure a business run on lies and the suffering of innocent people…
“What was her name?”
“Name? Hmm, let me see…no. I don’t think I could remember that. She was very poor, you must remember.”
Ficklegruber gagged behind him, only earning an eyeroll and a short apology. Willy brought the book he was holding up closer to him, keeping one hand on Noodle as he made to flip through the pages in hopes that he could find-
Bang.
…the next few seconds felt eternities long and like they didn’t exist at all. The first thing he registered was Noodle’s scream, then his senses came back in and suddenly everything was too bright and disorienting and what had happened, was that another gunshot-
“Willy!” Noodle cried, her voice a shriek of terror as she clung to him, arms wrapping around his stomach from behind as she shook hard enough that he could feel it in his own body. Or maybe that was him shaking?
As he gained his bearings and blinked back the blurriness that had taken over his vision, something hurt, vibrating down his bones as fire radiated from his left shoulder. He brought one hand up to it (not realizing the green ledger had dropped to the floor, its pages splayed), his fingers coming away stained a red that seemed too bright to be blood.
It took him far too long to realize that the sound had been that gun firing for the second time, that the blood was leaking steadily into his shirt as he stood on now-wobbly legs.
“Oh,” he murmured, his own voice sounding warped as he slowly gained his bearings, recovering from the initial shock. The next thought that came was blindingly terrifying, causing him to twist around as quickly as he could to catch sight of Noodle where she stared up at him, eyes huge and petrified. “Apple strudel, y-you’re okay, right? You’re okay?”
“How…touching,” Slugworth drawled, interrupting him as he blew lazily on the weapon. “But that ledger is ours, and you won’t be touching it again. Prodnose, get the account.”
The yellow-clad chocolatier fetched the book, returning to his place with their shattered plan tucked under his arm like they hadn’t spent the whole night thinking through every detail, barely sleeping and hoping against hope that they could succeed in the only option they had. Willy managed a few deep breaths, attention still on Noodle as she nodded, gaze fixed on his shoulder.
“You’re bleeding, Willy,” she whispered, voice verging on tears as she cast a glance to the cartel posed in front of them and shied further behind him. He held onto her, blinking away the stars blurring his vision and looking back at the three.
“I’m alright, Noodle,” he replied, voice strained, though the nausea simmering in his throat and agonizing ache in his shoulder would tell otherwise.
Slugworth snorted, raising an eyebrow. “I highly doubt that. But no matter, that wasn’t meant to kill you. I just needed a…warning shot, let’s call it that.”
“What?” Willy asked, forcing himself to stand up straight as he pressed his hand back against the wound.
“Felix, how much chocolate do you have to factor into the vault?” Slugworth asked, ignoring Willy’s question.
“Hmm, about eighty-thousand gallons, perhaps,” Ficklegruber replied, voice so nonchalant that Willy wondered vaguely whether Slugworth’s ‘business partners’ were even aware of how evil their leader was.
“Prodnose?”
“Seventy, seventy-five?”
“Ah, and I’ve got one-fifty. That should be enough.”
“For what?” Noodle piped up again, dragging her eyes from Willy for only a moment.
“Death,” Slugworth started, a grin that could only be described as sadistic spreading across his face, “by chocolate.”
Willy’s breath caught as they were backed even further into the corner and a door opened, revealing a shadowy chamber and its dark, swirling river. Tearing his gaze from the shear amount of chocolate stored there, he tried to think up any clever way to get out of this, any miracle distraction. But there was nothing except the pain, only allowing him to balk as he was shoved forward, his grip on Noodle tightening as she pressed even closer, head shaking almost involuntarily.
“Go on, now, unless you want her to share your fate. I’d hate to shoot a child,” Slugworth preened, the barrel tapping his back as they climbed through the doorway.
But you wouldn’t mind tossing one down a laundry chute with no idea what’s at the bottom?
“Wait!” Willy called, pulling at straws for any way to stall. “Would you be so kind as to do me a last…good deed?”
“A good deed? Oh, it’s all useless, anyway-“ Prodnose began, sneering.
“Quiet, Prodnose. What is it, Wonka?” Slugworth interrupted.
“I have a friend who I owe. If you would deliver this-“ he paused, drawing at any energy he could find to pull a jar of chocolates from thin air into his hand. He heard Noodle gasp beside him, though the candies really weren’t anything special and the once-pristine container was now smeared with blood from his hand. “-to him, I would greatly appreciate it.”
“Hmm, alright. And who is this friend?”
“A little orange man. ‘Bout eight inches high, with bright green hair.” Willy said, nearly stumbling as the after-effects of using his magic made him even dizzier than before.
“Well, in that case, I’ll be sure to get these to him…personally,” Slugworth replied, obviously unbelieving. But that didn’t matter now, because he’d caught the jar and was turning to leave, gesturing for his goons to follow. “Farewell, Mr. Wonka. Urchin.”
With that, the door clanged shut and the chocolate began rising steadily, already lapping at their shoes as he and Noodle retreated the center of the room where a platform was slightly raised. Only moments later, three slotted vats creaked open above them and began pouring their contents, the rich brown smooth and deadly as it splashed into the swirling pool.
“Willy!” Noodle whimpered, now at his side as she stared between the liquid growing ever closer and him. “What are we going to do?”
“I…I don’t know, Noodle,” he responded, only with a prayer that his last far-fetched attempt at rescue would work. Otherwise…well. Otherwise, he would just have to resolve to not die first, to hold on and hold Noodle through the torture he was sure this would be. In just the last months, he’d nearly drowned two too many times for his liking and it was one of the worst things he’d ever been through. If she had to suffer through that…
Please, please, we have to get out, she’s just a child-
“We could…we could just wait until it gets to the top? And bang on the glass, hope that somebody hears us?” Noodle suggested, panic encroaching her words as chocolate engulfed their legs. Willy just nodded, face pale as he fought to stay standing.
“Willy?” Noodle whispered, tugging on his arm worriedly as he closed his eyes, dragging in a few breaths to steady himself.
“That’s a great idea, Noodle,” he said, looking down at her and mustering a wan smile. “We’ll be okay, don’t worry.”
That was enough to make her relax a little, but the chocolate (bordering on uncomfortably warm) was already to her shoulders, and it didn’t take long before they both had to swim. It was nothing like water, viscous and thick as it rose faster than seemed possible and sucked at their feet hungrily.
“Noodle,” he gasped out, keeping his injured arm pinned to his side as he kicked as hard as he could. “Hold on- hold on to me-“
Noodle nodded, forcing a hand through the liquid to drag herself closer before beginning to swim again. “Willy, I’m scared-“
“Don’t be scared,” he got out, his good arm moving to brush a hand over her curls. It only served to make his chin dip into the chocolate, and Noodle clung even closer, shaking her head as a terrified sound left her mouth. “I’m right here. We’re gonna get out of this, apple strudel. We’re together.”
Because if we get to the top and no one is there, or if Lofty forgives his debt, then at least I’ll be with her.
Noodle didn’t respond, tiring rapidly the longer they treaded against the current. They were only halfway to the top when she nearly went under, her much smaller legs so close to giving out.
“No, no, no, come here, I’ve got you,” Willy managed, her squeak of fear shooting right down to his heart. He pulled her up, guiding her to drape her arms around his neck and keeping her head as high above the surface as he could. Her cheek pressed against his as she held on tight, entire body trembling from the exhaustion and adrenaline. He was forced to swim with both arms, now, even as his shoulder screamed and begged for him to stop moving and black dotted the edges of his vision. It was all he could do to keep his face neutral as to not scare Noodle even more.
Too out of breath to say anything else, he spared a glance at the stained-glass window above them. It was only feet away, now, nearly close enough to touch and showing no promise of someone to take pity on them.
“Almost there,” he gasped out, chin falling back to Noodle’s head as she peeked up. He could feel her legs moving against his as she tried to help keep them afloat, fueled by growing desperation.
Both reached up to the glass once they were near enough, fingers scrabbling at the smooth surface and leaving smears of chocolate across the once-pristine surface.
“Help!” Noodle yelled, and Willy hoped he’d never have to hear her sound so scared again. “Please, someone, help-“
Someone did appear after a moment, but it was only the three figures Willy knew for sure would do no such thing. The cartel smirked down into the vat, waving and walking off without a word as if this was everyday business. Though, Willy wouldn’t be completely surprised if it was.
By the time they were fully out of sight, Willy and Noodle’s hair was brushing the top. The chocolate lapped at their faces, pouring into their mouths any chance it got and becoming increasingly more smothering. Willy squeezed his eyes shut for just a moment, pressing a kiss to Noodle’s forehead as tears began flowing down her cheeks and she sucked in a few stunted breaths.
“I love you, apple strudel,” he told her, and those words may have been more true than anything else he’d ever said.
“L-love you too, Willy-“ she managed, grip on him tightening as they were forced to tip their heads back, noses barely inches from the glass.
“Take a deep breath, now,” he whispered, the words quivering and hopeless. With the deepest breath he could get, he sealed his lips and wrapped both arms around Noodle as she did the same. It took only seconds for the chocolate to close over their heads, tenacious and smothering and distorting any sense of up or down. All Willy could feel was Noodle as she pressed her face into his neck, hands curled into his shirt.
It was as if all time slowed as his lungs began to spasm, and he could feel Noodle starting to struggle against him. He found her head with one hand, wishing that he could do anything other than float here and wait to die, wait for his little girl to die even though she’d never deserved an ounce of the hardships she’d received.
He knew she was hurting, by now. He was, too, but he couldn’t’ bring himself to care as he stroked her hair and held her as tightly as possible as his chest seemed to cave in, praying that she could be given any kind of relief. As her movement slowed, something so raw and panicked sparked inside him and he nearly breathed in, instinct verging ever closer.
His limbs tingled as his lungs stalled, overused and giving out for their final time. There wasn’t a single thing he could do anymore as watery chocolate invaded his throat and Noodle became completely still against him.
-o-
“Willy?”
The voice tugged Willy from a sluggish darkness, trembling and small and growing more frantic with each word. He could feel someone’s hands on his shoulder, shaking him gently as he slowly floated to consciousness.
“Willy, please, you have to wake up! Please, Willy, we’re okay now. The chocolate- the chocolate’s gone, I promise-“
She broke off in a fit of coughs, and he forced his eyes open to catch sight of Noodle. She was coated in chocolate, its richness weighing down her curls and dripping down her cheeks as she doubled over. It took a moment for his memories to come flooding back, but once the image of that gun and the rising pool appeared in his mind, he was moving to sit up. That didn’t work particularly well, leaving him back flat on the ground as he choked and coughed, vision blurring again and body feeling as if there was a lead weight attached to each limb.
Noodle scrambled back to him, eyes wide as her knees bumped his side in her attempt to get as close as possible. “Willy! Willy, you have to breathe, I don’t know how long we were in there…I don’t know,” her voice trailed off as she patted lightly at his chest, too out of her depth to know what she should do.
“Noodle,” he got out, reaching a shaky hand in her direction and trying again to push himself up.
“Yeah, I’m right here, I’m okay. We’re both okay,” she replied, nodding and leaning down to hug him, needing to feel him breathing because she’d just spent too long trying to rouse him as his chest failed to move and precious seconds ticked away.
Lightheaded with relief at those words, he could only wind his arms around her, laying his head back down on the metal flooring. He was too dizzy to sit up, and the longer he was awake, the more everything hurt. His shoulder was a constant ache, now, radiating through his arm and ribcage whenever he moved, and he wasn’t sure he’d be able to stand if he wanted to.
“You breathing okay?” He asked, pulling away slightly to see her face. She nodded, blinking back the tears that now flooded her eyes. It didn’t work, and Willy cooed softly as she began crying in earnest, gently pulling her back close to him.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. We’re safe. We’re okay, now…just breathe.”
“You w-weren’t waking up, I thought- I thought-“ she sniffed, shaking her head and clinging even tighter.
“Shh, I’m right here. I’ve got you.”
She didn’t say anything after that, head heavy against his collarbone as she sighed, tension slowly draining. They laid there for a long time, draped across the ground as the chocolate covering them dried and both heartbeats calmed. Noodle had her eyes closed until Willy shifted under her, a small, pained sound escaping him as his injury grew from a dull burning to a pulsing throb. She lifted her head, worried again as she set eyes on his shoulder.
“You’re bleeding…” she whispered, watching the red that had soaked into his shirt as it spread even further, leaking across the floor. He had gone sheet white, as well, breaths growing uneven as the wound seemed to hurt more and more with every passing second.
“I’ll be okay. We should…get out of here, though,” he replied, not wanting to scare her. He could think about his own problem once he got her to safety and made sure the others were alright.
She nodded, sliding off his chest and waiting anxiously as he forced himself upright. It only served to send his head spinning more, and he suddenly felt distinctly unwell.
“Willy?”
“Hm?” he murmured, taking a moment to suck in a few breaths that seemed stuck in his throat.
“Are you sure? He- he shot you, I saw it…” she said, voice growing shakier as she stared at his shoulder.
Her voice was enough to get him to open his eyes and get his feet under himself. Once he was standing, Noodle grabbed his hands to keep him from going right back to the floor, brow scrunched at how unsteady he was.
But as much as she wanted to stay here and hide away from all the bad things, he was hurtling downhill much too quickly for any level of comfort.
On their way out of the chamber, Noodle pulled them over to the hidden hatch in the wall and tucked the green ledger under her arm. With their original goal now in hand, they boarded the gold-trimmed elevator and waited for it to rise to the main part of the cathedral. Willy leaned against the wall, one hand pressed over his shoulder even as he assured Noodle for the third time that he was okay.
“Just a little further,” she said, tugging on his other hand as the doors slid open with a pleasant ding. He nodded, jaw tight as they started towards the front doors and their footsteps echoed off the vast walls. Noodle’s heart pattered uncomfortably at how quiet he’d become in just the last few minutes, and it was getting increasingly difficult to tell herself that he really would be fine. He was never like this, always telling jokes or stories even in the direst of situations, and now it looked like it took far too much effort to say a few words.
When they reached the propped doors and stepped onto the pavement of the steps, the sunlight nearly blinded Noodle. It reflected off the roofs, spilling over the square and the throngs milling about, serving as a bit of hope as she squeezed Willy’s hand and glanced up to his face.
He managed a small, strained smile, continuing forward as an officer approached them, eyebrow raised at their appearance.
“We…we found this, it’s Slugworth and Ficklegruber and Prodnose’s. It tells as the secrets they have and illegal payments and other things like that,” Noodle said, offering the book to the man. He took it, eyes widening as he flipped through the pages.
“I’ll take care of this,” he said, nodding politely before turning away and heading down the steps to where a few police cars were parked.
“Willy, we did it!” she said, though when she turned back to him, he didn’t seem to have even noticed she spoke. He swayed where he stood, chin tipped down slightly and lashes brushing against pale cheeks.
“Willy?” she whispered, panic filling her as he failed to respond again. “I think the others are waiting for us…”
Finally, he nodded sluggishly, and she pulled him along until they reached a side street. She had to get him to the adults; they would know what to do and then she wouldn’t be so alone trying to help him. On top of that, she wasn’t feeling amazing either, breathing still a little shallow as she trembled, whether it was from their ordeal or her worry for Willy.
They were halfway down the street before he stopped suddenly, vision flickering in and out as vertigo swept through him.
“I think…I think I need to sit down, Noodle-“ he got out, feeling her hand tighten in his with those words.
She didn’t even get out two words before his face slackened and his eyes fluttered, legs crumpling under him. By instinct alone, she was able to make sure his head didn’t hit the ground, but he was still left sprawled out and completely limp.
“Willy!” She cried, “Willy, no, no, please, you can’t-“
She broke off, shaking him as gently as possible and trying not to look at his shoulder. Sobs were bubbling in her chest, desperate as she kept repeating his name as if it would bring him back to her.
“Wake up! Please, Willy, I need you-“
“Noodle!”
The voice made her whirl, fear stringing through her heart before she spotted four familiar forms running in her direction. Piper reached them first, dropping to her knees beside them and taking quick stock of the situation.
“What happened?” she asked, scanning over Willy as the others gathered around them. Once she set eyes on the blood coating half his front and his raspy breaths, she situated him carefully so his head rested in her lap. One hand moved to support his shoulder, and Abacus hurried to examine the wound.
“Slugworth, he- he shot him then he tried to drown us and Willy wasn’t waking up and he’s hurting-“ Noodle sobbed, not looking away from his face.
“Shh, come here, Noodle,” Lottie said, pulling her away to give the others more space. “We’ve got you both now, he’ll be alright.”
“But there’s so much blood…” Noodle whispered as Abacus poked gingerly at his shoulder and Piper held his face, wiping away any sweat and chocolate that she could. At their gentle touch, his eyes reopened, hazy and disoriented.
“Hey, there you are,” Piper murmured, running a finger over his forehead. “How are you feeling?”
He blatantly ignored her question, brow scrunching in pain as he forced out a few slurred words. “Where’s Noodle?”
“She’s right here. She’s okay, I promise. Does your shoulder hurt?”
“Mhm,” he hummed, eyelids drooping.
“Oh, no, no, keep your eyes open. You can’t sleep yet, okay?”
“Piper, there’s no exit hole,” Abacus realized, interrupting the conversation as he glanced up at her, every line of his face telling the direness of the situation.
“You think the bullet’s still in there?” She asked, leaning over to get a closer look.
“I don’t know for sure, but chances are that we’re going to have to take it out. We can’t close the wound until we know for sure it’s not in there, so it’s really our only option.”
“We can’t just pull a bullet out of him, we need to go to the hospital-“
“He won’t make it! If we don’t do something right now, he’s going to bleed out. Trust me, I wish we didn’t have to do this, but he’s already lost so much blood. I don’t know how much longer he has if we don’t at least try.”
Agonized hesitancy hovered in the air as they stared at each other, Piper finally relenting as Willy made a small sound below her, one hand trailing up aimlessly. She took it, squeezing his fingers lightly and trying to ignore how cold he was.
There was a moment of tense silence as they all looked to Piper, tossed into a situation that left them with no good option.
“Okay. Okay, but you have to be quick.”
“I will. It’s going to hurt, though, we’ll need to keep him still. Larry?”
“I got it,” the comedian replied, taking hold of Willy’s ankles with a thin-pressed mouth. “Are you sure this will work?”
“It’s all we can do,” Abacus repeated, gently tugging the scarf from Willy’s neck and readying it to wrap the wound with. “Ready?”
“Piper?” Willy whispered, gaze tracking over their faces as he shifted weakly. Piper couldn’t tell if he had heard the conversation, but plastered on a hopefully comforting smile and replied.
“Right here, Will. We’ve got you. Just try to relax, okay?”
“What’s happening?”
“We have to get the bullet out. Just a little longer, then you’ll be able to sleep,” she promised, hands moving to steady him as she met Abacus’s eyes. “Do it.”
The next few minutes were filled with Willy’s strangled gasps as Abacus carefully extracted the bullet, each agonized sound rooted into each of their memories. Larry had to lean more weight on his legs as he tried to move, recoiling from the source and curling in on himself.
“Stop, please, stop, it hurts-“ he choked out, chest hitching and hands scrabbling to move to his shoulder. Piper grabbed them, holding him down as she tried to soothe anything she could.
“Shh, I know. I know it hurts, but it’s almost over. Take a deep breath, hun,” she said softly, stroking his curls and brushing a few tears from his cheeks with her spare hand. He tried, only getting in a few shuddering breaths that puttered out into strained panting.
“Abacus?” Piper prompted, urgency growing at how quickly Willy was getting worse.
“I’m close. Just another minute or two,” he muttered, focus completely on digging the bullet out as quickly as he could without hurting Willy even more.
“Hear that, Willy? You’re so close, then it’s gonna feel better.”
He didn’t respond this time, too exhausted and shaking to muster any words. But he kept his eyes open, however glazed and teary they were.
True to his word, only a few long seconds later, Abacus pulled away and the bullet plinked onto the cobblestone. It was hardly the size of a dime, and Piper didn’t even want to think about how much worse this would have been if it had been bigger.
But it was over, and that was all she could ask.
Abacus wrapped the injury with the scarf, looping it under Willy’s arm and around his shoulder before tying it off tightly. Willy didn’t move a muscle, now completely limp as he drew in stunted breaths and the pain ebbed slightly.
“Okay. Okay, it’s over. You did so well, Will,” Piper told him, cradling his face as Larry let his legs go and the others came a little closer. Noodle had been curled in Lottie’s arms, crying at each tortured sound from Willy as Lottie covered her ears and tried to comfort her. Now she sat almost bonelessly, shivering from cold and shock as she stared at him with only relief on her face.
Willy had shut his eyes, head heavy on Piper’s lap. She gently tapped his cheek, not receiving anything in way of response and sighing.
“I think he’s out of it, now,” she said, bringing two fingers to press against his throat. His heartbeat was steady, though too fast and a little too weak for comfort.
“Is he going to be okay?” Noodle asked, voice so small and timid that Piper’s heart broke a little more. She still didn’t know the full story of what had happened, but between the bullet hole in Willy and the chocolate coating both of them, she was grateful they even made it out in one piece.
“I think so, honey. And we’re out, now, all of us.”
“So things are going to get better?”
Piper recognized the words as something she’d heard Willy say, one of the promised he’d made Noodle back at the laundry when their only hope was born of a desperate plan.
“Yeah. From now on, things will get better.”