Author's Note: Thanks hieislilgoth for the fave! I will get back to Friendship, it's just taking a long time because, for one it's a long chapter and I'm running dry of an idea that's supposed to move the story. Oh well, at least I have this one if I have writer's block. This chapter was tricky with how Once-ler should act. You'll see why!

(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!)

Chapter 5

The Best Surprise

Once-ler had let Marie sleep in when he went back for town the next morning. She had barely kept her eyes open when he got up. She cuddled back under the cover and buried her face in his pillow inhaling the mint and sweet grass scent from him. It was almost eleven when she finally got up and changed out of her long nightgown.

Marie found the box that had doughnuts from their trip. There was one left and she knew Once-ler grabbed one before leaving. She sat on the bed with one of her bags which she hadn't organized yet. She would always have a bit of obsessiveness and compulsiveness to organizing her things. Things like her baby blanket, two stuffed animals, and her jewelry box were stowed in. Marie had packed the two bags fast before she left home. After she had made up her mind about leaving, she got her luggage and packed everything she needed or couldn't depart from. She wrote out a letter for Betsy and Rufus saying she would be alright and to take care of Edwin.

As for her cat, Edwin had curled up at the foot of her bed. Marie hugged him one last time and quietly left. It had been painful enough to say good-bye to her pet, she could imagine how it would've felt saying goodbye to the two people who were a mother and father to her.

Marie rolled her eyes knowing how disorderly she had been with throwing things in her bags. Her suitcase had been organized. Her bags were a mess of things and she couldn't stand it. She didn't remember having some of the things she put in. An inkless pen, an old case of crayons and…

"What's this?" said Marie to herself. She pulled out a plastic bag of white sticks. "Oh! Of course, I still have these!"

Marie recalled how one of her "friends," Renée Franklin had asked her to keep some pregnancy tests for her so her parents wouldn't know about her private life. Such a stupid request! Who would let someone come to their house just to use a pregnancy test? Renée never really had responsibility, nor did Julie Randall or Annie Lloyd. Who needed them? Marie flung the bag near the pillows. She didn't need them. After a few more objects she pulled out a package. It was small and only necessary for the…womanly time of the month.

"Good thing I found these," chuckled Marie. "I'll be-" She froze and realized something was off. "I'm supposed to be having-" Frantically she dug for her little planner.

She opened it to late May. On the certain days were dashes signaling the event. It usually lasted for five days…Twenty-eight days apart…May 29th...June 30th...

"One, two, three," mumbled Marie as she calculated. "four, five, six, seven…" She counted in her head, then on her fingers, then tapping on the days in her calendar. She was four days late… If she was late then that possibly meant she was… Marie couldn't say it yet. Either that or she was really late, but Marie's body usually worked like clockwork in that situation.

"No…I couldn't-" said Marie putting a hand to her mouth. She felt a little scared and wished Once-ler hadn't left after all. The other hand instinctively went to her stomach.

"We never talked about this!" she thought. Indeed, she felt foolish that of all things that they had discussed for the future they forgot that one topic!

She had to find out for sure. Marie glanced at the bag of pregnancy tests. It was like they were beckoning her to try. She opened the bag and took one out. It was the kind that would show lines. Renée said she hoped any kind she took would be blue. In other words, she wanted to not be pregnant.

"There's only one way to find out," said Marie softly looking at the stick. She felt breathless. Taking one wasn't hard; it was just facing the results.

The results would change not only hers, but Once-ler's future. They hadn't spoken about having children. All they had talked about was moving and running a business. Marie had wanted seven kids when younger, but it had been silly. If she couldn't have had any she would've been content with a life just with her Once. Besides, seven seemed way too much for her when she thought of it. She had thought that maybe in two years they'd consider it because she did like the idea of being a mother if life was willing for her to be one. In two years when they were settled! As of now, they didn't have a home big enough to raise a child if she was expecting. Once-ler hadn't sold a Thneed yet. All the thinking was stalling Marie and she needed to find out.

The Lorax was pleased to wake up and find not one tree chopped down. Minus the new cottage set up for the new inhabitants, nothing was out of the ordinary. He did notice the female at one point acting fidgety. She kept walking around the cottage, sitting on the rocking patio chair or going in and out.

"Hey Waterfall," he said when he passed her. "Nice morning isn't it?"

Marie sat up in the chair and stared. "Waterfall?"

"Yeah," said The Lorax. "It suits you."

"Why?" asked Marie feeling suspicious. "Because I lectured you about the incident?"

"No," said the Lorax crossing his arms. "Because your hair reminds me of one. Look at it! It flows down your back just like one. It's pretty."

"Oh," said Marie feeling genuinely flattered. She pinched a strand of her golden hair. "Thank you. It takes a lot of work to make it look pretty."

"Like what?"

"I have to wash it with a special shampoo, dry it a certain way and use hairspray to keep it from frizzing."

"All that work for that amount of hair? Imagine if it was a fur coat!"

Marie smiled and got up to pace again. The Lorax watched her make a couple of rounds.

"Okay, you're startin' to scare me," he said after several minutes. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," said Marie. She didn't want to announce anything and if she was expecting then Once-ler would know first. "I just feel like walking. Don't you ever do that?"

"You seem kinda nervous." The Lorax sounded concerned, proving he wasn't heartless.

"I'm not," lied Marie. It was a personal issue for the moment. "I'm just deep in thought. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to have an early lunch." She went inside where she had the test on the table. She glanced at the clock above and saw she had waited long enough.

"This is it," she said to herself. Marie was all alone in the closed up cottage. "This is it. Just look and find out." She stalled again by fiddling with her hair. She couldn't bring herself to look. Finally, with trembling hands, but not looking down she picked it up. Her eyes slammed shut.

"Quit being scared," she thought and took a deep breath. The results would seal her and Once-ler's fate. Marie tilted her head down and opened her eyes.

She gasped! Her mouth opened in amazement. Her eyes became wide and misty. The two pink lines said it all. Positive; she was pregnant. Stunned, she wandered to the window near Once-ler's drawing easel. It was real. She was pregnant. She placed the test down on the wood. She lifted the window flap up and stared out at the vast nature around her.

On the opposite side of her sight was Once-ler, in the town of Greenville, thinking of her as tomatoes were thrown at him. Every bit of the acidic juice that hit him was for her. In the meantime, Marie took the face mirror up on the table and stood there. She looked at her stomach in the small space of glass.

"I'm going to have a baby," she whispered.

A baby. She was a mother and Once-ler was a father. There was a life taking form within her. A part of her and a part of him. An image of a little bundle in her arms plucked her heartstrings. Marie's senses took over and she started crying. Already there was a sense of new purpose. A son or daughter would add to the family of two. Maybe another within the years? One was exciting enough and it had been such an eventful week! She ran away with Once-ler, they traveled for three days, found their new home, had some run-ins with their animal neighbors and now this! She remembered something else and went back to her planner for double checking.

"Wow!" exclaimed Marie. "Tomorrow is July 1st!" That meant she and Once-ler had been married for a whole month! "Oh, I've got plans to make for tonight! I'll make something special for dinner and a dessert if we still have sugar…"

The sun had disappeared by the time Once-ler came back. Under his arm he clung to his broken guitar. Melvin walked at his side. He had caught a few flying tomatoes that day. He would eat anything if he had the chance. Once-ler was a little relieved to have been spared by a few that Melvin had eaten. The Thneed didn't sell, but he had Marie at home waiting for him. The sneers, the annoying kid who broke his guitar and vegetables had been worth something. All to sell a Thneed and to have hope that things would turn around one day.

At least he had gotten the chance to snag his guitar back. The "evil" little girl had gotten distracted by a double-scoop ice cream cone her mother had gotten her. Thinking of how Marie was with him and that he needed to provide for her, he had grabbed the pieces, took hold of Melvin's bridle and raced off. If Marie hadn't been in the valley, he would've been a pile of mush and done nothing about it. For the one he cared for, she was inside and rehearsing.

"Oh Once you're home," said Marie. She gave a dramatic pose then made a disapproving face. "No, too much." She was practicing to tell him about the news. "Honey, I have something to tell you. Guess what I found out today? Just in time for our month-iversary? Noooo! Month-iversary? Seriously who says that?"

Marie drew her attention to the stove to finish making pancakes. One of Once-ler's favorite foods would make him feel good after a rough day. She had a feeling it had been, but she would make it a thousand times better. They hadn't tried Truffula Fruit yet and since they had no sugar because of their houseguests they could have a healthy dessert. She still had to pick some and she'd have to find a low tree to reach.

"There we go," said Marie putting a stack on a plate. "Pancakes fit for a dad. He'll love them!" She giggled thinking of Once-ler being a father. Her ears perked up hearing his voice right outside their front door.

"Home sweet home Melvin," said Once-ler. He took the mule's bridle and selling sign off. After receiving a gentle pet on the nose the mule dove his mouth down for the grass. Once-ler took the Thneed scarf off and headed for the door. The door swung open and Marie raced out.

"Once-ler," she cried and flung herself at him with a strong kiss.

Once-ler dropped his belongings and gripped her back. Marie's kiss grew more passionate that even Once-ler was surprised. She was kissing him like she hadn't seen him in years! He opened his eyes. That wasn't something one did when being kissed, but he was shocked by Marie's advance. Melvin stared up and lowered his head back down. Once-ler had to gently nudged Marie saying he needed to breathe. She pressed hard again one more time and then let go. Marie's face was beaming as she gazed at him. Her eyes seemed more sparkly.

"I'm so glad your home," said Marie. "I made your favorite for dinner."

"A roast?" he kidded. He didn't like roast at all, but Marie laughed and kissed him briefly.

"Alright," she said. "Go inside and wait for me. I have to get some fruit from the trees! We're going to have a nice, romantic dinner."

Only Marie and Once-ler would find pancakes something romantic. She dodged off and didn't bother to have a pail for the fruit.

Once-ler could smell syrup and melted butter when he came inside. Ah, the best smell, besides Marie of course. Nothing could beat the tree blossom, wildflower and dry roses concoction she had. He sat at his drawing easel and draped the Thneed over it. Something caught his attention; a little plastic thing. Once-ler didn't know what it was so out of natural curiosity he picked it up. He spun around in his chair trying to figure out what the pink lines were for.

"Huh," he said. "Must be something of Marie's lady things."

Once-ler wasn't disgusted by Marie's certain time of the month. They were married so things like that shouldn't be weird. Once-ler didn't remember hearing about sticks during their engagement. While they were engaged for half a year they had talked of some personal things. There was nothing he knew of white plastic sticks with pink lines, but he kept thinking he had seen it before. Maybe in a drugstore? There had been times he had to go get his mother's monthly stuff. She never asked for one of those things that he held.

"Never send your son to get feminine things unless you want everyone to stare at him," said Once-ler to nobody in particular.

He leaned back casually. He thought back of being twelve and having armfuls of things his mother sent him to get. She always had an excuse for him to fetch them when she felt tired. He didn't mind it for Marie because that was different. He stared at the stick longer. It started to look familiar. It had been on a box. The box had been blue and white...that said...pregnancy test.

Once-ler's jaw hit the floor.

"M-Marie," he stuttered. "She-"

He slumped over his knees. He ran a hand through his hair, knocking his fedora off. Nearly all of him pleaded to faint. Seeing him fainted and down would've frightened Marie. Once-ler still stared at the little test. He felt a pang of fear. He knew nothing about kids with being the youngest in his family and not having many playmates. He hadn't grown up with his father. If he hadn't been raised with his father than how could he raise a child? The whole time he thought it would just be him and his Marie for the rest of their lives. Both taking on the Thneed business and spending all their time together.

"Once-ler!" Marie called out.

Once-ler didn't budge. He still stayed hunched over and worried. He thought of everything he could do wrong if he cared for a baby. He didn't hate kids and he thought babies were adorable. They were just hard to handle. Plus some kids could be really bratty. That little girl who broke his guitar counted as one! Where were her parents to discipline her? Oh, right. They were laughing at him and cheering on her behavior!

"What happened to your guitar?" cried Marie seeing it placed on the bed. She had just noticed it as she dropped an armful of fruit on the table. "We're going to need some tape or glue! We'll fix it." She saw he wasn't moving, but she would cheer him up. "I found out something wonderful!"

"What?" asked Once-ler not lifting his eyes to her yet. He took a guess.

"Can you sit here?" asked Marie. She gently placed the guitar pieces on the nightstand and sat on their bed. She rested her back against the headboard. Once-ler stood, hand curled around the test. Marie noticed and she smiled warmly. "You know what that is?"

Once-ler finally looked at her. He had braced himself to admit how he felt about it, but something changed. Seeing her before him and realizing she was carrying a baby, their own baby, changed something in him.

"I wanted to see your reaction when I told you," said Marie playfully pouting. Once-ler just stared with eyes glistening. "It's a pregnancy test and a positive one. We're having a baby!"

"When did she get more beautiful?" thought Once-ler. She looked beautiful in a way he couldn't describe. He didn't know exactly what he could say for words, but seeing her and finding out what had happened warmed his heart and beyond. It sank in that what he feared was actually a good thing.

"Once-ler?" said Marie nervously. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," said Once-ler nodding his head. He couldn't control the smile that took form on his face or the laugher that started to rise. "Better than okay!" He suddenly grabbed her hands and spun her in his arms close to him. He kept kissing her and grinning like an idiot. Marie's nervousness melted away, but the spinning was becoming too much for her. Nausea was kicking in due to early symptoms.

"Once, you're making me dizzy," she said. "I don't want to throw up on you."

"Oh!" said Once-ler. He laid her against the soft bed down on her back and touched her stomach. "I didn't squish it did I?"

"No, I just didn't want to be nauseous and ruin your clothes," said Marie. "Are you really happy?" Once-ler crawled next to her.

"Of course I am," he said and kissed her again. "I love you so much Marie. Thank you." All worries stopped; a Thneed wasn't a big concern.

"I love you too," chuckled Marie. "And thank you for this." She felt like she could cry again from the good news of the day.

Once-ler slid down to her lower belly, a strong hand over it. There was something in his touch that felt protective to Marie as he tenderly stroked her there. Once-ler laced one hand in hers and softly kissed the area that would be biggering within the months. Already he was showing affection for their child. Marie played with his hair as he stayed down. It was three of them, no longer two. A thought struck her of what would've happened if she had stayed at home. If she was still with her parents…

"Mother and Father would kill me if they knew now," she said quietly. Once-ler shot his head up. The terror hit him too.

"And me," added Once-ler. "You saw how mad they were when they found out we eloped! Good thing you came."

"I would've been alone," sighed Marie. "You probably never would've known about this."

"Or maybe I would've found you again," said Once-ler trying to be optimistic.

"What if they find us and try to take me back?" said Marie. "They could-"

Her compulsion to over worry tried to enclose her. Once-ler inched up to her and caressed her cheek, careful to not lie on top of her. He didn't want to hurt the baby.

"They won't," said Once-ler nuzzling her face. The seriousness in his voice reminded Marie that she didn't have to be afraid of them anymore. She was really with him. "We're safe now. We went pretty far from them and my family. No one else comes here; no one knows we live here. It's just you, me and him."

"Him?" smirked Marie. "You're already guessing?"

"I'm sure it's a him," said Once-ler. "There's been a boy in every generation of my family. It won't change now." From what he knew at least.

"I'm going to wait and see for myself," said Marie, but she loved how enthusiastic he was about a baby.

"I'll knit clothes, make a crib, teach him guitar, build a play set-" Once-ler continued. Marie laughed and kissed his soft lips to silence him.

"Settle down new daddy," she said. She turned on her side to really see him. "That's the fun stuff. Seriously, I have gain weight and-that part I'm not looking forward too. I'll get really fat."

"Aw come on," said Once-ler pulling her into him. "You always look beautiful and you'll still look beautiful when pregnant."

"Then I'll have to give birth and lose weight," said Marie. Giving birth, the pain she'd go through already sounded awful.

"I'll be right by your side when you do. I'll hold your hand."

"I may break it Once. You'll need it when caring for the baby." Marie brushed back his hair affectionately and with a grin.

"I don't know. All the knitting has given me tough hands. I could punch a hole in the wall with them."

"I wouldn't try it if I were you, but I would love it if you were there with birthing, holding my hand and taking charge with the baby now and then."

"That I can do. I promise."

The two forgot all about dinner as they snuggled together. Dinner seemed mundane after finding out they were adding an addition to their family. They didn't care if the pancakes got cold. The idea of contacting any future grandparents was dimmed with the concern of their anger. Someday they could know, but it couldn't be just yet. Marie was certain Once-ler's face would get stuck if he kept smiling.

"You always make me happy," she said softly. She sighed contently as Once-ler rubbed her lower back. "Last time I felt this happy was when I found out our honeymoon was extended because of your family's traveling problems."

"Same here," said Once-ler. "This turned out to be one of the best days ever. Wait, have I kissed you yet today?"

"Yes, but I wouldn't mind if you did it again," chuckled Marie. Their lips connected lovingly. "I love you Once-ler." Another sweet kiss ensued.

"I love you," moaned Once-ler against her mouth. He let go of her hand to run his fingers in her hair. "I hope he has your curly hair and gorgeous eyes."