A/N: I'd like to thank my beta-reader. I also have some new updates on my profile page, as well as links to new accounts. If you recognize it from the Wonka community, I don't own it.

Scarlett pressed the stop button on her black remote, turning off the TV. Her body ached all over. She put the green stretch band on the coffee table she had pushed to the side, then rolled up her yellow yoga mat and placed it on the couch. The clock on her cell phone told her it was two pm, and Scarlett breathed a sigh of relief.

She was going to The Cherry with Maria at seven, and Scarlett had left herself plenty of time to change. Barefoot, with her hair tied up in a messy ponytail, Scarlett's skimpy forest green yoga togs weren't what she wanted for the dance floor.

Still, she was glad she'd gotten in her hour of yoga and Pilates, because now, she could relax. Still, that didn't mean she couldn't get any work done. Scarlett walked to her office and took the chair in front of her cluttered desk, piled high with books and papers. She really needed to clean this desk up sometime. The white of her computer monitor, sticking up out of the heap, looked like a flag of surrender. Oh well, she'd do it later. Right now, she needed to come up with a prize design for Willy's contest.

Scarlett opened up Paint on her computer and got to work on designs for the tickets. She wanted something cute and fun to match the mood of the tour. Her first design was a hot pink background overlaid with flowers and hearts.

"If I put that in the chocolate bar, I'll give the kids diabetes," Scarlett said, wondering if she'd gone overboard.

Then she thought about what traveling through the factory was like. Sure, it was fun and magical, but it was also eerie in its own way. So, she decided to go with a black background, adding red lightning and a white skull.

"That will just give the kids nightmares," Scarlett remarked.

Scarlett tried different designs and rejected each one, while taking breaks to play around on the internet, post on social networking sites, play some video games (mostly from independent designers), sing and dance along to music, debate the future of the Harry Potter novels, and paint on her easel in the corner. Scarlett took another look at her painting of a troll under a bridge, and thought that it still looked like an ugly pixie. Maybe she could fix it a little? No, she needed to design a prize for the contest and stop getting so easily distracted. Then it came to her, and she beamed with delight. The theme of the contest was chocolate, so why not make it a simple brown piece of paper? Her smile faded. Because the winners might eat it by mistake.

Scarlett buried her face in her hands. Why was it this hard to come up with a prize? Then her phone rang. The caller ID said Maria. Why would she be calling at—Scarlett checked the time—7:30? Great, she was so pre-occupied with designing prizes for Willy's contest that she forgot about her plans, and her friend.

Scarlett answered the phone.

"Scarlett, you're thirty minutes late," Maria told her. "What's keeping you?"

"Maria, I am so sorry!" Scarlett said, as she shot up from her seat. "I just got caught up in some stuff! How about I get ready real quick and meet you there?"

"Lucky for you, the night's still young," Maria said bitterly.

"Of course, again, I am really sorry," Scarlett said, rushing straight to her room.

Scarlett, wearing a red dress that showed all her curves, with a sideslit that went up to her thigh, parked her Mercedes outside The Cherry and checked her makeup in her hand mirror. With black eyeliner, dark blue eye shadow, light pink blush and ruby red lips, she was good to go.

Scarlett opened the doors to The Cherry and found herself greeted by the loud dance music and familiar neon lights. It was as dull as ever. That was the price of visiting Willy's Chocolate Factory. The outside world, even the fun places, looked dreadfully dull compared to the wonders of the Factory.

She looked for Maria, and saw her seated at the bar, wearing a strapless white dress that clung to her body, showing every curve of her hourglass figure, the top cut low, drinking the last of her martini. Scarlett took the seat next to her.

"I'll have a scotch on the rocks," Scarlett said to the bartender.

"Hold on a sec," the bartender said, as she went over to two men who were gesturing to her.

"About time you got here," Maria said, putting her empty glass to the side.

"Again, I am so sorry," Scarlett told her. "I just got caught up in something."

"Here you go, Ma'am," the bartender said, handing Scarlett a scotch and Maria a martini. "Compliments of the two men over there." The bartender pointed to two gorgeous men, one a light skinned Caucasian with golden blond hair, and the other a dark skinned Hispanic with chocolate brown hair, both very well dressed. They raised their glasses to Scarlett and Maria.

"Thank you," Scarlett said to the bartender, as she took the drink.

"I'll take the white guy," Maria said, forming her dark red lips into a flirtatious smile and sending it to the desired man.

"That's fine, I wanted the Hispanic anyway," Scarlett said, sending her own flirtatious smile to the man she wanted.

"How could I forget? You like them foreign. Save for a certain candy man," Maria said. She turned her brown eyes, in her oval, mocha complexioned face to Scarlett. Blocked by a few strands of her straight, layered, jet black hair, the front stopping at her shoulders, the back reaching her waist, her eyes were as sharp as pins. "Speaking of Willy Wonka, didn't you want to tell me what he was planning?"

Scarlett sighed. "I'll tell you later. Right now, I just want to have fun."

"YOU GAVE ALL OF OUR MONEY TO A NIGERIAN PRINCE YOU MET OVER THE INTERNET?" Trudy Rivera shouted. She stood in the living room, behind the couch Ken was sitting on, screaming at him while he watched TV.

"Babe, I'm telling you! We're going to be rich!" Ken pleaded, getting up from the couch.

Trudy stormed into the bedroom and slammed the door.

"Babe, come on! I mean it this time!"

"You mean like when you invested in that homeless guy's hamburger vending machine!" Trudy yelled, locking the door.

Ken ran his hand through his messy, jet black hair, laughing nervously. "Okay, that guy conned me, but this one's a sure thing! I swear it!"

"Forget it! I'm done with you!"

"Come on, I make one stupid mistake and you want to get rid of me?" Ken said, trying to open the door, and then knocking on it. "Babe, open this door!"

"No! I'm sick of you, Ken!" Trudy said, sobbing. "I'm sick of your stupidity! I'm sick of your laziness! And I'm sick of your whores!"

"Babe, come on! I'm not perfect!" Ken pleaded, banging on the door.

"That's always your excuse!" Trudy exclaimed, as the baby cried in a crib in the corner. Then she seized on the phrase, mocking him. "Why can't you clean up? 'I'm not perfect.' Why can't you keep a job? 'I'm not perfect.' Why did the police find you with a teenage girl in the car? 'I'm not perfect.' No, you're not! You're a sleaze!"

"For the last time, I thought she was eighteen!" Ken said, defensively as he kept banging on the door. The baby's crying got louder. "Come on, Trudy, you're making Star cry!"

"Oh, so now you care about Star?" Trudy said, in mocking disbelief, sobbing. "The last time I asked you to watch her, you left her with the next door neighbor, who just moved in, so you could go to a Strip Club!"

"He turned out all right!"

"Lucky for you!" Trudy yelled.

"Trudy, come on! You can't stay mad at me forever!" Ken said, holding the doorknob and being sure to make his voice sound apologetic. "I know I've made some mistakes in the past, and I get that you're angry with me, but what we have is special. Please, don't throw it away over an emotional outburst."

Trudy opened the door with her platinum blonde hair in disarray, and tears flowing from her ocean blue eyes.

"See, I knew you couldn't stay mad at me," Ken said, flashing her a charming smile.

Trudy handed him a filled suitcase. "Get out." She slammed the door and locked it.

Ken stared at the door in disbelief. "Trudy, you can't be serious!"

"I'm more serious than I've ever been in my entire life," Trudy said, calm with anger.

"Babe, can't we talk about this?"

"Kenneth Rivera, there is nothing to talk about," Trudy said. "When we first met, you showered me with gifts. You told me I was special, and you would always be there for me as a shoulder to cry on. I thought you weren't much to look at, but that inside you were a beautiful man, who would make the perfect husband and father. It turned out you were every bit as ugly on the inside as you were on the outside."

"That's what this is about?" Ken exclaimed through the door. "You want to go back to those ugly jerks you use to date?"

"Get out!" Trudy yelled.

"Fine!" Ken said, grabbing his bag. "But you'll never find another guy like me!"

Ken stomped through the house to the front door, slamming it on his way out. Standing there, he gazed out at the dark, lonely streets of Texas. "Now I just have to find a place to stay."

Tanya Wilson looked through the mail on the wooden coffee table, and came across a birthday card to her son, Gavin, which she immediately opened. The outside of the card was a typical happy birthday graphic, but the inside held a message and, most importantly, fifty dollars in cash. Tanya smiled and pocketed the money as her 'mother's fee'.

She then took a compact mirror from her black leather purse and looked at her tan, oval face. Pink eye shadow surrounded her almond shaped hazel eyes, and pink blush covered her cheeks. Tanya's straight golden blonde was cut in layers, with the front stopping at her shoulders, and the back reaching the points of her shoulder blades. Her breasts were small, but thanks to a padded bra, they looked big.

Tanya wore a pink tube top, and a pair of dark blue jeans, with a flower pattern at the bottom that showed off her slim figure divinely, finished off with a pair of purple high heels. She wore a genuine pearl necklace, with matching earrings. Tanya grabbed a piece of paper off of the notebook on the kitchen counter, and made a note to visit the tanning salon soon. Her tan was fading.

Then the doorbell rang. Tanya gave a frustrated sigh, as she went to the living room to see her chubby, black haired, sloppily dressed husband, Josh, on the couch watching the football game and eating popcorn.

Tanya prepared a smile and opened the front door. A man with messy, jet black hair, a hooked nose, but distinguished face, dressed in baggy clothes stood in front of her.

"Ken, how great to see you!" Tanya said, trying to sound as happy as she could be. "How's Trina?"

"Trudy," Ken corrected, exasperated. "She threw me out."

Tanya gave a horrified gasp, and put her hand in front of her mouth. "That's terrible! If only there was something I could do to help!" Tanya exclaimed, putting her hand on her chest.

"Actually, there is," Ken began, slowly. "I need a place to stay, and I was wondering if it could be yours."

"Oh, I'd love to help in any way I could, but Josh is very picky about house guests," Tanya said, sounding as apologetic as she possibly could.

Josh scoffed from his place on the couch. Great, the one time the game goes to commercial and it's when Tanya didn't need his attention. "If you don't want Ken to stay, don't hide behind me as an excuse."

Tanya briefly cringed, and then returned to her happy self. "You said it yourself, sweetie, Ken's a lazy mooch who doesn't contribute to the household."

"I'm only standing right here," Ken said, nonchalantly.

"No, you said it and I agreed," Josh said, absentmindedly. "I remember, because I said you were just like him, and you threw your hairdryer at me."

Tanya heard Ken laugh, which he quickly turned into a cough.

Tanya nervously laughed. "You mean I dropped the hairdryer," Tanya said, with a smile, while sending a threatening glare Josh's way.

"Tanya, can I stay or not?" Ken asked, exasperatedly.

"I'm afraid not," Tanya said, twirling her hair around her finger. "With two children, there's only so much room here, and Josh doesn't make enough money as a hot dog vendor to support five people."

"It doesn't help that you spend what little money I make on expensive clothes and jewelry," Josh said, not turning away from the TV.

"I thought April moved out and went to college," Ken pointed out.

Tanya hung her head down in sorrow. "Yes, but she needs constant attention." Tanya rubbed a fake tear from her eye. "Did you know she's being treated for anorexia, for the third time? The poor girl. I blame society and all the skinny women they put on TV and in the magazines."

"Really?" Josh said, rolling his eyes. "I thought it was because you called her fat, every chance you had."

Tanya nervously laughed. "It was all harmless fun," Tanya said, happily. "So, as you can see, you can't stay with us. Maybe Scarlett has room."

Ken scoffed. "You seriously think Scarlett's going to let me stay with her?"

"I'm sure she would," Tanya said, in her best sympathetic voice. "Who is Scarlett, if not the caregiver of the family?"

"The one who cut off all ties with us, and hates me," Ken said, disdainfully.

"Maybe I could talk to her on your behalf," Tanya said, thoughtfully.

"Forget it," Ken said, pessimistically. "The only one she hates more than me, is you."

Tanya narrowed her eyes, but kept her sweet expression. "Well, that's unfortunate."

"Tanya, shut the door," Josh barked, from the couch. "You're letting flies in."

"I'm so sorry, Ken, but you heard Josh," Tanya said, doing her best to look apologetic. "I'll be happy to pay for your trip."

Ken watched Tanya slam the door in his face, and continued walking the streets. Great, now where was he going to stay? Oh well, at least he didn't have to put up with the Evil Queen. Ken pulled out his cell and dialed Scarlett's number. It was a long shot, but he might as well try.

"Scarlett here, who is this?" Scarlett said, cheerfully slurring her words.

"Hey, sis," Ken said, not expecting much. "It's me, Ken."

"Oh, Ken!" Scarlett said, with the same cheerfulness. "Great to hear from you! How've you been?"

Scarlett was happy to hear from him? She must be drunk.

"Not well," Ken told her, perking up. "My wife kicked me out and I really need a place to stay."

"Oh, sorry to hear," Scarlett said, sounding genuinely sympathetic. "Are you staying with Tanya, now?"

"Not really," Ken said, bitterly. "Apparently, the Queen of Mean can't spare one bit of kindness to her only brother."

"Yeah, that was a stupid question," Scarlett said, laughing. "Do you at least have money for a motel?"

"Actually, I was hoping I could stay with you," Ken said, smiling deviously.

"Sure!" Scarlett said, excited at the prospect.

"Great, if you could pick me up at the airport—" Ken began.

"No need!" Scarlett interrupted, cheerfully. "I'll just text you the directions to my apartment!"

"Okay, thank you!" Ken said, happily.

"Great, I'll see you tomorrow!" Scarlett said, with the same drunken cheerfulness. "Just answer one question for me."

"Okay, what?" Ken said, dreading what Scarlett wanted to ask.

"Would this be your fourth divorce, or your fifth?" Scarlett asked, with drunk laughter.

"Neither," Ken said, irritably. "It'll be my third divorce."

"Wow! Either you need to quit getting married, or figure out how to be a better husband," Scarlett said, jokingly. "Otherwise, you might beat Ross, from Friends, for the world record in most-divorces-before-you-hit-fifty."

"I got it," Ken said, with the same irritability from before. "So, see you tomorrow?"

"Can't wait!" Scarlett said, cheerfully. "Bye!"

Then she hung up.

Scarlett and Maria went to sit with the two guys who brought them drinks, and had a few more with them. Maybe it was the alcohol in Scarlett's system, but the real world didn't seem so boring anymore.

"Great news!" Scarlett said to the group. "My brother's staying with me!"

"The mooch whose only talents are video games and getting divorced?" Maria asked, slurring her words.

"Yeah, isn't that great?" Scarlett said, excitedly. "Between Willy's news, and my brother coming to town, I couldn't be happier!"

"Willy?" Barry, the white guy, asked. "As in Willy Wonka?"

"Yeah, he's a good friend of mine," Scarlett said, happily.

"How close are you two?" Juan, the Hispanic guy, asked.

"You're talking to Willy Wonka's best friend and favorite artist, Scarlett Rivera!" Maria said, beaming with pride.

"So, pretty close?" Juan asked, also slurring his words.

"Not as close as I'd like to be," Scarlett said, blushing. "But I am close enough to know some great news!"

Scarlett shot up from her chair and shouted at the top of her lungs. "HEY, EVERYONE! YOU DIDN'T HEAR IT FROM ME, BUT WILLY WONKA'S RUNNING A BIG PROMOTION! IF YOU WIN THE CONTEST, IT'LL BE LIKE YOU WON THE LOTTERY!"

Everyone stared at Scarlett and then started talking among themselves excitedly. Scarlett went back to her seat.

"So, what do you do?" Barry asked Maria, slurring his words as he put his arm around her.

"Me?" Maria said, pointing to herself. "I run my own acupuncture practice."

"Isn't that where they stick needles in your skin?" Barry asked.

Maria laughed. "Not always, I can just use my hands instead," Maria informed him, scooting closer.

"Like a masseuse?" Barry asked.

"No, nothing like that!" Maria said, giggling as she ran her fingers through his hair. "But I can still soothe your pain."

"Really?" Barry asked, intrigued. "How?"

Maria kissed him, and it wasn't long until they were passionately making out on the couch.

"So, does your friendship with Willy Wonka mean you can't hang around other guys?" Juan asked Scarlett, trying to avoid looking at the passionate couple next to them.

Scarlett scoffed. "Willy doesn't care what I do," Scarlett assured Juan as she flirtatiously touched his arm. "As long as I don't do any damage to his Factory."

"Great, so you can get coffee with me some time?" Juan asked, drunkenly.

"Sure," Scarlett said, taking her hand off his arm and writing her number on a piece of paper. "Call me."

With a wink, Scarlett handed Juan the paper.

Later that night, Scarlett posted the announcement for Willy Wonka's contest on every social networking site she had an account on, not saying what it was about and making it clear that finding the prize would be like winning the lottery.

In one day, she'd gotten out the word about what Willy was planning, while keeping the details vague. Her brother would be staying with her, starting tomorrow. Scarlett went to her room and collapsed on her bed, still wearing her dress, feeling more proud of herself than ever.

A/N: Well, what do you think? For readers of How Bad Could It Be, Ken is Billy with a different name. I had to change it because I was writing in the Willy Wonka universe. Though, I have to admit, I think Ken might be a better name for him.

I also thought it might be fun to include cameos. If you'd like to see your character appear in a cameo in this story, I'll message with you about making that possible.