Author's Note: Please read this first. Alternate story of From Romance and Friendship. My beloved readers who know this, need I say more of what will happen? Again, be nice and review please! Hmm…I was having writer's block on my other story, so I decided to do this. I'm glad I did! It's shorter than I planned, but it's a good start! I don't expect this to be better or worse than the first story! They're equal to me!

(The Lorax and The Once-ler or anything from Dr. Seuss books do not belong to me. They're Dr. Seuss' and Illumination Entertainment's. Same goes for his family and songs/sayings shown in the film/book/old cartoon. Only Marie is mine!)

Romance That Remains Forever

Chapter 1

She Came for Him

Another starry night glittered over the houses. The moon gave a silvery glow on the Earth's floor. However, the town's lights only made it hard to see the natural beauty in the sky. Far off was a better view and few admired it. Few paid attention to such things.

In her room was a girl on her bed, her pillow catching tears of misery from being shut in her room all day. Tomorrow she left for Thrush Towne, the estate she always vacationed at. Usually she would be ecstatic to see it, but now she dreaded it. She did feel trust for her beloved, but she felt that pang of fear. The pang grew stronger of what would happen if she never saw him again. Everything could be affected by one decision. Was letting him go for now a good decision? It wasn't that she doubted him, it was that she was worried for herself. Even if all went well for him, something could happen to her while he was away. Something that could prevent them from being reunited. He was being forced to leave to prove himself. Her parents said so. Her parents!

She had always behaved; she was what most would say "a good girl." She didn't rebel like most teens, though she wasn't even a teen anymore. She was an adult! She had been for two years! Her cat jumped up and curled next to her. She felt his warmth comfort her for a second and an idea blossom. She could leave. Forget her parents and go forward on a new adventure with the man she had loved for a long time.

Oh, but what would happen if… She didn't know. Her parents could find her. Yet, what if they went so far off they never could trace them? What if they went somewhere that hadn't been touched by man? It was only a dream.

A dream that could happen.

She had time to catch up if she changed her mind quickly enough. She could go back to him. They could leave with her hidden. It could work out! Oh, but she never did things like that. She tried running away once and it nearly caused chaos. She had dared to never try it again. She ran her delicate hands over her curls contemplating all the possible outcomes.

All it took was one choice to alter her future. What would it be? Stay or leave?

Her heart was torn...

There wasn't a breeze to rustle the dry grass or glade of trees. In another couple of hours sunlight would break out to raise everyone up. Horses would be hitched up, cars moving, shops opening, and parks full of children. It was the promise of another busy day. Everything would be usual for the rest. All the farmers would have the same daily lives when he left. It would seem like he never left. He had always been invisible to people and if not he stood out like a sore thumb. It all depended on the audience. It went either way, but the result of feelings was always the same.

Parked in front of the house was a small wagon which contained objects. The dim, lanky figure of a young man, about twenty, descended down the steps of the porch. He had some stacked plates in hand. He tucked them in the compartment and then dashed back inside, quietly so as to not disturb his family. Though all of them snored loudly enough to drown out all noise so that they wouldn't have heard him if he played a loud note on guitar.

The Once-ler came back out with some books and shoved them in the far back. He was getting tired from hiking up and down the stairs to pack. Why did he have to have the attic as his bedroom? He had managed to move half of his articles down to the ground floor, but there was more to bring down. His bed, which could be taken apart easily, was one of them.

He wasn't too happy about leaving as he'd like to be. He had a twinge of fear in him, but his optimism stayed strong for the time being. It had to be. He had to make his Thneed thrive in the business industry and when it did, the woman he loved was allowed to stay with him. The woman he had secretly married and knew since childhood was now another big reason to leave. It wasn't just to change the world with a product. For now, he had to leave her to prove himself. He just hoped he'd see her again.

He kept making his rounds late at night so he could leave early in the morning. He had slept a couple of hours earlier and then started to pack. He had half of the things ready. He stood in the back to place some cookery on the small platform of the wagon. The compartment was getting full and he needed all the space he could get. A few things like a colander or some wire could sit on top and behind him as he traveled. His thoughts wandered again of her, until he heard the sound of footsteps, muddled by the ground. He turned expecting maybe his mother coming to bark at him or his older brothers to gloat about the wagon's condition. It wasn't so.

"Marie?" said Once-ler. His soft blue eyes widened in awe and his heart leaped seeing her.

Marie stood there with her suitcase and purse in hand with two bags slung over her shoulders. Her eyes that he had fallen for were glistening. It seemed like it had been forever since he last saw her, but they had planned to leave earlier that day before her parents barged in. She stared at him for a long moment. Before he could say anything else she spoke up.

"I couldn't stop thinking of you," said Marie with her words firm, but almost pleading. "I-I worried that I wouldn't see you again and-it would kill me if I couldn't see you again. I don't care about my parents anymore. I shouldn't care anymore after all the things they've done to me. I've committed to you and that's more important now. I'm coming with you." Marie hadn't said "til death do we part" for nothing.

"You're-" Once-ler was cut off from his shock.

"I don't care anymore!" Marie nearly cried. Her eyes began brimming with tears and she discarded her belongings. "I'll leave and watch you succeed, not wait for it! I waited my whole life to be with you!"

"You really want-"

"I won't have them drive us apart! Don't you try talking me out of it Once-ler! I love you too much!"

Marie had been near panting as she admitted her thoughts. She had taken a few steps closer to him as she spoke and Once-ler approached her. No longer could she take it and her tears spilled over her determined face. She had wanted to look fearless when confronting him, but it hadn't worked. A lean hand brushed a lock of her hair away behind her ear. The other at her lower back to push her into him. Marie saw the seriousness in his eyes.

"You sure about this?" Once-ler whispered. His breathing sounded labored. Marie ran her hand to his wrist. She simply nodded, knowing if she spoke she'd be a sobbing mess.

Suddenly a smiled formed on his face and he lifted her up at her waist for a kiss. He spun around a couple of times holding her tighter. She clasped her arms around him with passion. They were really doing it! Leaving together like they had planned! Once-ler placed her down and they pulled apart. Still smiling, he wiped her tears away with his thumbs. He took a moment to kiss her forehead. The tender gesture only caused more rain on her cheeks, but Marie could smile.

"We'll find some space for you," said Once-ler lacing his hand in hers.

For the rest of the night, Marie and Once-ler went back and forth silently in the house to fill up the wagon. It went faster with two. The situation to keep Marie hidden was planned out. Once-ler wouldn't fold up his bed cover like he originally planned. He would put his mattress or their mattress really, in for Marie to lie on and put the cover over her head. He would add her bundles next to her for camouflaging and she would sleep there for the rest of the night. Next morning he would place some marshmallow bags in for more covering and they'd be on their way. Well, after he hitched Melvin up of course.

"So where's Edwin?" he asked as he slid a shovel in the compartment. Once-ler wondered why Marie hadn't brought Edwin with her since the cat he gave her was inseparable from his owner.

"I'm not taking him," said Marie sadly. She carried some shears. "He doesn't like traveling much. I know Betsy and Rufus will take care of him. I left a note for them. Nobody knows where we're going."

"Because we don't know either," chuckled Once-ler. "It'll be fun! Just us two." It was how Once-ler had hoped the rest of their life would be. He grasped her arms with a huge grin. "Just us Marie. You and me."

"It's always been just us Once," she said genuinely. ""It's been that way since we've met." She gave a stroke to his face before continuing and realized something that Once-ler was doing.

"Once-ler you're just tossing things in there," said Marie. Once-ler shrugged as if wondering what was wrong with that. "It's all-you're more organized than this!"

"No one's going to look inside," he said. "Besides, it all fits."

"You pack like a man," smirked Marie. Once-ler didn't seem bothered by her remark.

"Well, I am a man," he smirked back examining his fingernails. "A manly man at that." Marie snapped a hand over her mouth to not laugh. The way he said it tickled her pink.

"Yes you are," said Marie. "You know how to knit, but you're a man."

"You know what I say about knitting," said Once-ler. He gathered up some more tools.

"All kidding aside what's left?" she asked. "Where's your guitar going?"

"I'm going to carry it so I can play it later. I just have to get little things and that's it. I can put those away in the morning."

After getting a boost from Once-ler to climb in, Marie crawled to the mattress and curled up under the blanket. They bid each other a heartwarming goodnight (and Marie reassured him she was fine.) Once-ler dozed off on the living room sofa near the window to keep an eye out though he fell asleep. He awoke early and made breakfast, hopefully for the last time for his family. They came down late. Once-ler brought some dry pancakes out for Marie while they ate. He tossed little items in the compartment (much to Marie's eye rolling) a toothpaste tube, his toothbrush, a pair of boxers he forgot about and a cooking spoon. She heard him go to hitch up Melvin and return back inside for one last thing. She knew what it was.

The front door opened and Marie held her breath. She could hear the different footsteps of her in-laws. She waited to hear Once-ler's long stride. She doubted there would be hugs or kisses for good-byes.

"Well here I go Mom. Off to change the world with my Thneed." Once-ler's voice made her smile. The feeling of a large marshmallow bag went past her to the far back. Once-ler jumped upon the driver's seat and took the reins. "I'm actually doing it!"

"Yes, but just remember Oncie if somehow your invention ends up a failure instead of a success…oh it wouldn't' surprise me at all!" Isabella! That woman! Marie felt a sting of hate.

The laughter of his family rose. Marie could imagine Once-ler's face listening to it. How it hurt to know people liked mocking him! She heard one of them run up.

"Nice wheels! Burn!" laughed Brett (or was it Chet?) and giving his little brother a punch in the arm. Melvin kicked him causing a pained yell much to Marie's pleasure.

"Yeah, burn!" said Once-ler slightly annoyed. "Well, you'll see! I'm gonna prove you all wrong!"

Marie braced herself for the wagon to move. The moment it moved, it meant they started off and left the country and the city of Palmer for good. They were true newlyweds now.

"Come on Melvin," she heard Once-ler's voice say. Melvin started off leaving The Once-lers behind with their chatter and laughs.

Marie stayed still, not wanting to move in fear that she would be noticed. The hot weather in June made the wagon feel stuffy under the blanket. She heard nothing except the dull clopping of Melvin's hooves on the dirt and the rattling of the wagon.

She didn't know how long she stayed in the fetal position, nearly suffocating, but it felt like hours. Once-ler kept glancing over his shoulder to make sure they were a distance away and as if to say good-bye to the home he had always known. Besides, he never knew who he would suddenly meet and if Marie was up they could ask about her. She'd have to keep a low profile until they were a mile or so off.

"You okay?" he said softly as he craned his neck around to check on her. Marie lifted the blanket for a second and smiled. She waved a hand for him to keep driving. It certainly wasn't hours, less than an hour at least to get a good distance.

Finally, when they were over the first couple of hills Once-ler grinned. He couldn't see the farm anymore or any of the neighboring homes. They were free! No longer able to contain his thrill, he let go of the reins, slung his guitar around to his front and struck a chord. The wail startled Marie and she lifted her head to see him play a riff.

"We're freeee!" he sang. "We're finally free! Marie and meehehhehheh!"

Marie tossed the blanket off and crawled closer. She tackled him from behind in a hug and pressed a kiss to his freckled cheek.

"Oh, I love you Once!" cried Marie. The biggest weight on her shoulders seemed gone and she felt beyond happy! It was pure bliss and neither cared if it was ignorant or not. Once-ler managed to twist around in his seat to seize her lips. Nobody could put them down now; it was just the two of them.

"I love you," he said tracing his fingers in her long curls.

Marie blushed and collided her lips with his again, a bit hotter which was not foreign to them. She waited all night and the morning to give him a perfect kiss! Marie didn't find one objection when she heard a small moan in Once-ler's throat. Melvin turned his head and furrowed his eyes. He would never get used to it: kissy and lovey humans who couldn't keep their hands off each other.