Author's note: I'm going to give Ember the kiss power that actually belongs to Kitty. I just felt it could work here.

Chapter 3: The visitors

Because the room was dark Once-ler couldn't quite see who he was touching."Who are you? December? December, is that you again? How many times do I have to tell you not to bother me in the middle of the night. What do you want? Well, I don't have all night. Speak up." He said to Lydia thinking she was his maid.

" How dare you speak my wife like that or to any woman like that for that matter. " said Allan turning on a light

Once-ler looks at Lydia and then over at Allan. " You aren't my maid and butler. Question: who are you and what are you doing in my bedroom? " Once-ler demanded

"I'm Lydia Swartz. That's my husband Allan and we came to get back our baby daughter." Said Lydia

"Your baby daughter?" asked Once-ler. "How do I know you're really her parents?"

" Her name is Tina Briana Swartz . She's 1 year old. She's loves the color green. She was kidnapped from our house while we were in therapy and look at her. She has her father's nose. She has my eyes. " said Lydia

Once-ler looks at the baby and then Allan and Lydia. "She does look like you but I'm afraid that won't be proof enough to hand her over." Said Once-ler

Lydia takes Once-ler by the collar and pulls him up choking him "Listen, you! I've had to deal with a lot of crap from a lot of people over the past several years! I've had to deal with things you couldn't possibly imagine. Last year, my 16 year old daughter got blown up because some evil jackass tried to use her body to take over the universe! I've had to go to a lot of therapy for that. I just found out my baby was kidnapped by a ghost hunter and now that I've found her you refuse to hand her over! I am not losing another child and if you don't hand over that baby I will hurt you so badly that no one in the world will be able to recognize what's left!" yelled Lydia.

"Lydia, dear. Calm down. Don't start acting like that Plasmius guy and you're going to wake up the baby." Said Allan

Lydia let's go of Once-ler.

"Listen, Lady. I don't even really want this baby but I can't just give you the baby til you can prove that you are it's parents." He said "A friend of mine happens to be very fond of… Tina you said her was?" asked Once-ler

"Yes." Said Lydia

"My friend is very fond of Tina though he's been calling her Adoeete." Said Once-ler

"Adoeete? Sounds like someone vomiting" said Beetlejuice who happened to float into the room with Danny and Dani ( who was holding Lorax). "But, I digress. Lyds, I told you and Al we'd handle this in the morning. What the hell is going on up here? You are making so much noise you could wake up the dead. In fact, you did. I was sleeping very peacefully til all the yelling." Said Beetlejuice

"This man refuses to give Tina back to us. He doesn't believe we're her parents." Said Lydia

" Well, how do we know you are who you say you are?" asked Lorax

"Why would we just come in and kidnap a random baby?" asked Allan

"Maybe you think that this baby is mine and that I'll do anything to get her back so you're going to hold her ransom." Once-ler pointed out.

"I wish we had some sort outside party to verify us ." Said Lydia

Suddenly the room starts to shake and a cloud of green smoke fills the room. It clears and suddenly Briana is floating in front of them.

"Briana." Said Lydia

"Mom. What's going on?" asked Briana

"That's what I'd like to know" said Lydia "You exploded ."

"I think some bits of me stayed intact." Said Briana "Anyway, enough about me we have a situation that we have to deal with. Once-ler, please. You can't let my sister leave." Said Briana

"What?" asked Lydia and Allan together

" Tina is not safe at home. If we take her back Skulker will take her straight to Ember. But if we keep her here Beetlejuice and I can protect her." Said Briana.

Danny gave her an "humpt"

"Sorry, Danny… Dani you are both more than willing to help. After all you both did help save me when Plasmius took me over." Said Briana

" There is a certain logic to having her stay here." said Allan

"Allan you can't be serious." Said Lydia. "We need to take Tina home. That's where she's the safest. Home."

"But who's to say that ghost wouldn't find out he took her back and steal her again. We don't even know why it wants her." Said Allan "Besides, he's excepting her to be here. We could trap him before he takes her away again."

"That's the most twisted logic I've ever heard of. But with ghosts do you have to be a little twisted. Ok, if Tina stays so do we. I'm not letting another daughter slip through my fingers especially since we are finally all together." Said Lydia

"Mom, what happened to me was not your fault. It was mine. I'm the one that didn't listen to you about taking the pill in the ghost zone but this has to be done. " said Briana "Now, Once-ler I know this is all very sudden for you and you've let greed take over your life but you need to reach into the deepest part of yourself find your heart and commit to helping take care of this child. For starters you can stop cutting down trees, We don't know how long we'll be here but we need to make sure that this baby is both safe and healthy. There are more important things than money now." Said Briana

Once-ler wasn't sure he agreed with Briana's philosophy but nodded anyway.

"Now, do you mind if I get some sleep." Said Once-ler

"Smell you in the morning. Come on, everyone. We'll sleep outside." Said Beetlejuice

Beetlejuice puts a hand on Briana's shoulder and the others followed outside.

(****)

Once-ler rolled over in bed and saw the baby sleeping next him hugging onto to Lorax like he was a teddy bear. Once-ler chuckled at that and then got out of bed and got ready. When he was done he saw the Lorax was up playing with the baby who was also up. "Good morning." Said Once-ler. Usually, the Lorax being in his room would bother him but he knew the Lorax was only here because the baby wanted him here.

"Good morning, Beanpole." Said Lorax "Have a good night?"

"Yes, an odd dream though." Said Once-ler

"Really?" asked Lorax

"These people came claiming to be Adoeete's parents said her name was really Tina." Said Once-ler. "A bunch of ghosts showed up too they said something about a ghost hunter kidnapping the baby and throwing it here and we have to protect it. I think I've been watching too much TV." Said Once-ler

"Kid. That was not a dream." Said Lorax

Once-ler was busy getting his tie on and stopped "What do you mean it wasn't a dream?" Once-ler said freaking out "Ghosts don't exist." Said Once-ler "Everyone knows that!"

"Do they?" asked Lorax

"Don't be ridiculous." Said Once-ler. He goes and picks up the baby "Now, we're going down to get breakfast." He added picking up the baby. "And I don't want to discuss my idiotic dream any more."

Once-ler walked to the dining room with the baby. The Lorax followed not too far behind. When they entered Once-ler saw Danny, Dani, Lydia, Allan, Beetlejuice, and Briana waiting at the table along with his own family. Luckily, the table was three times the size it should have been so everyone could fit comfortably.

"Oncie, an explianation !" said Once-ler's mom who was just livid that there were guests at breakfast without her knowledge.

"I'm sorry, mother. They came here last night. They just need a place to stay for a few days. I told them we'd discuss it this morning." Said Once-ler.

"No!Oncie, you are too busy becoming a businessman to have guests." Said Once-ler's mom.

"Lady, he's an adult he can speak for himself. And FYI this is a life or death situation. A ghost hunter named Skulker is coming for that baby and he will hurt and possibly kill anyone who gets in his way. So, we must be here for her and YOUR protection!" said Danny

" I don't believe you." Said Once-ler

"It's true. Whether you want to believe it or not" Dani chimed in

"You two are experts I presume." Said Once-ler's mom.

"Well, yes, I've dealt with Skulker hundreds of times." Said Danny. "We can't possibly know what he's gonna do or when he's gonna hit." Said Danny

Suddenly a wall explodes open and Skulker steps through with Ember.

"We've come for the child." Said Skulker pointing his laser at them

"Here! Take her! Just don't hurt us!" Once-ler squealed handing over the baby. Ember takes the baby from him.

"You are all very sweet. " said Ember "Here's a little something to remember us by." Ember blows a kiss and then amplifies it with her guitar.

Danny flies at the baby but before he can get to it. He and all the other men in the room disappear including the Lorax as the kiss hits them. While the girls look around in confusion and fear. Ember and Skulker fly away with the baby.

" Ok. Trusting a guy who breaks under pressure was not a good idea." Said Briana. "Now, what do we do?"

"The plan was to protect Tina. Well, we're going to get her back so we can protect her." Said Dani about to zoom off.

"We need a plan. We can't just go after him without thinking about it first. We don't even know why they want Tina" said Briana

"Well, with Ember McClain it's about attention." Said Dani

" Ember… I knew that I heard that name somewhere she was that one hit wonder. I love her song. I used to force Roger to listen with me all the time." Said Briana. "She did seem like an attention hog to be honest. But what does Skulker get out of this? " asked Briana

" Isn't today the 23rd?" asked Dani

"Yes." Said Once-ler's mom "What does that have to do with anything."

"It's Ember's birthday and it's common knowledge that Ember and Skulker are dating. So, Skulker wanted to give something Ember would love. Attention." Said Dani.

"There is a certain logic to that. I got an idea. Come on. " said Briana

"Where are we going?" asked Dani

"You'll see." Said Briana.