BAH. HERE. BAH. ARGH. REVIEW PLEASE? JUST PLEASE? GAH! Okay, so, yeah, here's this one. As I just said, REVIEW PLEASE? I can't wait for August 7th. The other night I had a dream where my sister Genesis (Yo-Yo is based off her) moved into a house that looks just like our grandparent's but it was right next door, even though they live across the country. And she somehow had The Lorax on DVD and we started watching it with my twin sister Emma (Allulah), but then Alan Jackson was my Dad and he was divorcing my mother, who was apparently Tina Fey to marry Halle Berry who hated me...it was weird. I'll shut up...REVIEW!

My feet dangle in the air as the bodyguards hold me by my upper arms. I look at the Once-ler, who has his blue eyes locked on mine.

"Put her down," he commands. The men release me and I fall to my feet, stumbling a bit as I land. I meet the Once-ler's gaze again.

I say, "Green suits you."

"You let your hair grow out."

He walks around the table over to me, standing about a foot in front of me. "You still tower over me."

"You still have beautiful eyes," he says.

I take a step closer to him. "You still have freckles."

"You still smell good." He steps closer, so we're just inches apart. I can't help it any longer. I stand on my toes to kiss him, but then I glance around the room at everyone.

"You still here?" I ask. The Once-ler glances over his shoulder and nods at the door, signalling for everyone to leave. They do so and as soon as the door shuts, I yank him down to my level by the collar of his shirt and kiss him.

The words 'I missed you' no longer fit what I'm feeling. Missing him wasn't strong enough for the pain I felt being away from him. Over a year without seeing him was the worst feeling possible. A tear goes down my face, but I ignore it and kiss him harder.

"Sally," he breathlessly says, shoving me back who knows how much later, "what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to say goodbye," I reply, fighting for some air. "I figured that...that we're probably not gonna see each other again, so I had to say goodbye." He frowns and opens his mouth to say something, but I lightly cover it with my hand. "Shush. I just want one last day with my best friend. Okay?"

He sighs and pulls my hand down. "Okay." I smile.

"Good." Clearing my throat, I take one of his hands. "So, how about a tour?"

~!~the Once-ler's POV~!~

Sally's words sink in, and I'm upset. But I don't have to force happiness to lead her around the factory. It comes naturally with seeing her smile and bright green eyes.

"Okay." I squeeze her hand and lead her out of the room. So many things are running through my mind. Does she have a boyfriend now? Does she hate me? How long will she stay?

I show her around the floor we're on, and she seems genuinely interested in everything. I never let go of her hand once. I don't want her to go anywhere. Or, I don't want her to let me go anywhere like I did.

"This place is huge," she says, looking around. "Do you get lost?"

"I used to," I admit. "But then I realized something."

"Yeah?" she asks, looking at me.

"Maps are amazing things."

She laughs and I smile. I love her laugh. I missed it so much.

"I'm sure they are." She smiles at me. I quickly return her smile.

"Sally?" I say.

"Yeah?" she asks again.

"I love you."

She smiles slightly. "I love you too. I always will...no matter how much Yo-Yo will yell at me for it..." She clears her throat. "On with the tour!"

~!~Sally's POV~!~

"And...this is my bedroom." The Once-ler opens two big, magnificent doors and leads me in. It's all green with a huge four-poster bed in one corner. I hate to admit it, but it's all very alluring. The floors are dark, hard wood, so shiny I can see my pale face framed in my dark brown hair when I look down. A huge, round fish tank with a bluish glow is in another corner with what seemed to be little black sharks with red tails.

"Big," I comment. Something catches my eye. I walk to his bed and sit down, gingerly lifting a picture from the bedside table. He sits beside me. "You still have this?"

"Of course I do," he replies, taking the frame and smiling lightly down at our sixteen-year-old faces. In the picture, I'm on his back with my chin on his shoulder, smiling at the camera, my green eyes bright with happiness. He's smiling over his shoulder at me, his eyes lit up with adoration for his best friend. A small smile creeps onto my face as I remember the day.

"You keep it by your bed?" I ask quietly.

"Yeah," he says. "I missed you, Sally." He gently takes my hand and squeezes it gently. On instinct, I squeeze back.

"Take them off," I command suddenly. His eyes widen.

"W-what?"

"The gloves. Off." I release his hand and cross my arms, waiting. He slowly pulls the soft green gloves off and lays them on the pillow. "Now the hat."

"Why d-"

"No questions. Just do it." I snap. Raising one eyebrow, he pulls off his hat and sets it by the gloves. "Now the tie." Without a question or incredulous look, he unties the tie and puts it in my waiting hand, palm out. I look down at it and clench it in my fist.

"This isn't you, beanpole," I sigh, dropping the tie. "Now the coat." He slips out of the long green coat and put it on the pillow with an almost shameful expression. I stand and drift to the door. "Now the shirt."

He looks up, his expression hard and confused. "Excuse me?"

"I said -" I flip the lights off "- take your shirt off." From behind my back, I lock the door. "Now." He doesn't argue. His shirt is on the floor before I need ask him again. My heartbeat increases madly, but I know not to stop there. The next word comes out in a whisper. "Pants."

In the glow of the fish tank, I see him stand, take his shoes off, unbutton his black, pinstriped pants and pull them down. My breath catches in my chest as I hear his voice whisper from across the room, "Your turn."

I slip out of my flip-flops numbly, hardly aware of what I'm doing, and unbutton my pants, letting them go so they fall around my ankles. Chills shoot throughout my body, even though it isn't cold. I see him raise one hand and curl one finger, beckoning me forward. So, I walk towards him until I'm right in front of him, our faces inches apart. I can feel his warm breath on my face.

One of his hands slides up the side of my shirt, gently resting on my hip. He leans in ever so slightly, the tip of his nose lightly touching mine. I hear him whisper, "Are we actually doing this?"

My heart drops a little. "You saying you don't want to?"

"God, no!" He leans forward more and presses his lips onto mine, kissing me fiercely. He pulls his hand back out and unbuttons my blouse, dropping it to the floor once it's off. It's weird to think that I'm making out with the guy that's been my best friend since I was born while nearly naked, but I'm not gonna stop it.

His lips trail down and lightly kiss my neck, coaxing a longing moan from the very back of my throat. One of his hands tangles into my hair while the other presses firmly against the small of my back. My chest is pressed against his torso, and I feel his hand slide up and find the clasp of my bra.

"You sure about this?" he breaths against my neck. His voice sends shivers through my body, but I whisper back, "Positive." I feel him smirk.

"Thank God." He shoves me down onto the bed, kissing down my neck and onto my chest as the clasp of my bra comes undone.

~!~!~!~

I wake up in a warm pair of arms. I had always pictured the morning after losing my virginity to be different. He'd wake up before me, softly stroke my hair and whisper for me to wake up, I would, and we'd lay, talk, and kiss for hours, just there. I can tell this isn't going to happen like it played out in my head.

Cautiously, I slip from the Once-ler's arms. The cold air hits my naked body like sharp knives, and I shudder. My clothes are scattered, and I get into them fast as I can. A bit better, I think, flattening my wrinkled red shirt. I glance back at the bed and sigh.

He's still sleeping peacefully, maybe dreaming of different times. Hopefully times better than the ones we're in. I lean over and lightly press my lips against his cheek, not worried about waking him. He's an extremely heavy sleeper. I pull back with tears in my eyes and whisper, "Goodbye, Oncie." And I run.

There's a balcony with stairs going down to the ground. I race down them, tears now falling, until I get to the bottom one, where I fall to my butt and sit, my shoulders shaking with sobs.

I pull myself back up. I did what I wanted to do. I said goodbye...passionately. Now I can leave. And that's exactly what I'm doing.

~!~the Once-ler's POV~!~

I open my eyes and blink hard. As I had predicted, Sally's gone. I'm alone in my bed. I sigh and sit up, the blanket falling off my chest, stopping at my waist.

I should get dressed,I think groggily. But I don't want to get up. This bed is the place where I last saw Sally. I don't want to leave it. But I know I have to.

I heave myself out of the bed and find some clothes, quickly slipping into them and sighing. I'll never see her again. That means I need to work again. It's the only thing that helps me forget about her.

~!~Sally's POV~!~

I clap with everyone else as Lolly and Allulah kiss, my smile wide. I hand Allulah her bouquet back afterwards and she smiles widely at me.

She's so happy, I think, smiling more. My stomach squirms unpleasantly and I think, Not today you don't! The past few weeks, my stomach has been hurting and squirming. I'm not going to let it ruin Allulah's day.

"Wine?" someone asks. I look over and see Mike Rowfoune, looking exactly as I remembered him, holding a glass of red wine. I smile, but shake my head.

"No thank you."

"Suit yourself," he says with a shrug, drinking it all in one. "Want to dance?" he asks. I shrug and he takes my hand and leads me to the floor. His hands lay on my waist and I lay mine on his shoulders. We move in tune to the slow music.

"What happened to the Once-ler?" he asks down at me. "He's suddenly just huge."

No, he's still pretty skinny, I think, smiling at my stupid joke. But I say, "He just found what he was looking for." He seems to notice that I don't want to talk about it, because he doesn't press the subject.

"You look beautiful," he tells me. I blush and smile.

"Thanks. Allulah picked it out." I look down at my blue maid of honor dress. "I like it."

"I do too," he says. "Has anyone ever told you that you have stunning eyes?" I force another smile.

"I've been told before, yeah," I say, nodding. The Once-ler always used to tell me that. "But thank you."

He sighs. "What I guess I'm trying to say here is..."

My stomach lurches unpleasantly again.

"I've felt it since the first say we met, really..."

Something bubbles in my tummy and my eyes widen.

"I just wish we could be more than what we are..."

It's coming.

"I really like you, and I think..."

I open my mouth to tell him to move, but only vomit comes out. All over his suit.

I jump back a few feet, slapping my hand over my mouth when I'm through puking. I hear many gasps and Allulah says, "Sally!" Mike's jaw is dropped in pure disgust, his eyes huge and round.

"I am so sorry!" I exclaim loudly.

"I guess that's a no," he says, crinkling his nose up in disgust.

"I just...oh, God, I am so, so, so, so sorry, Mike! I didn't mean to! I tried to warn you but I didn't have time! I feel so terrible!"

"I feel wet..." he says. I cover my face with my hands and Allulah places her hand on my shoulder.

"You should go home, Sally," she says softly. I'm about to argue, but then I nod.

"Yeah...okay..." I leave, knowing I have many eyes on my back as I do. As I get in my car and start driving, I place a hand on my stomach. Usually after throwing up, it feels better. But still, it's uncomfortable. I just don't know why.

I glance over to the side, out the window, and see a drug store. I'll get some medicine, I think, pulling into the parking lot and stepping out. I walk inside and go to the section where the Tums are. I grab a bottle of the pink medicine and keep walking. Something catches my eye.

Know. A pregnancy test brand I've seen many times on TV. Know. I'm not pregnant. I can't be. But...

I grab the box and walk up to the counter, throwing my stuff down and averting my eyes from the man working. I know I'm blushing, and I take my bag from him with a mumbled, "Keep the change."

I toss my bag into the passenger's seat of the car and start driving towards my apartment building. I'm still not quite sure why I bought the box of Know. I can give it to Yo-Yo as a birthday present for a joke or something. But I know I'm not pregnant.

~!~!~!~

The small plus sign stares me straight in the eye. I look at the box again, then back at the plus sign, then back at the box. Negative sign means not pregnant, positive sign means pregnant. My eyes find the plus sign again.

I can't be pregnant...I'm only nineteen...I can't be having a baby...especially not the baby of a man I'll never see again.

I reach my hand out and find the wall behind me, leaning on it for support. My eyes can't be torn away from the damn little pink sign. I slap one hand to my stomach. There's a little person growing in there. My little person.

"I'm gonna have a baby," I whisper.

AND THE PLOT THICKENS. Review!