(The Lorax and The Once-ler do not belong to me. They're Dr. Seuss' and Illumination's. Same goes for his family shown in the film. Marie is mine!)

Chapter 8

Forces of Nature

"I'll get used to this someday," thought Once-ler as he left the gazebo in tomato juice again. He looked up to see Marie pushing something towards him.

"Look what I got," she chortled. She pushed a navy colored carriage to him. "It's just right for two! Oh, more tomatoes?"

"Yeah," sighed Once-ler. "I never thought I would say this, but water balloons being thrown actually sounds better."

"I'd be careful with what you ask for," chuckled Marie. She adjusted his tipped down fedora and kissed his nose. "You're still handsome."

At home Once-ler pushed the large carriage for practice (and the fun of it) as Marie made dinner. Now that she was carrying twins she had to eat for three. Aside having to eat a lot, she also had cravings. One of them was for the pink frosted and sprinkled cookies she always loved. They weren't sold in Greenville much to her dismay! Half of the time Once-ler found himself in Greenville not selling the Thneed, but getting food. Greenville had a lot of cheap bargains for things so they weren't broke. Marie's money was in such a large amount they could've bought several estates with it. Her parents, Dashiell and Clarisse had foolishly let Marie protect and take charge of what she wanted to do with it. So if they objected something she did with it, they couldn't change it.

Marie craved for ice cream and there was one night that Once-ler brought two cartons of Rocky Road and Mint. Despite how hungry she was, Marie was able to give Once-ler his share. When it came to having Rocky Road, they both dissected it. Marie dug out the marshmallows and Once-ler dug out the almonds. Then they'd place their pieces in each other's bowls for the other to enjoy. They had done it since childhood and it didn't end though their relationship status had changed. It had changed for the better.

Once-ler didn't mind getting Marie something to eat, but what he did mind was when she made weird combinations. Things like pickles, cheese and chocolate sandwiched together made him queasy. It would be without bread! Marie would sit back in her chair, feet up and eat her cravings like nothing was odd.

Once-ler didn't have time to worry about Marie's strange cravings, he had a room to add onto the tent. It took a long time to build and concentration, but he pulled it off. He got more canvases to match the tent and stitched them together to the tent walls. Once-ler attached the flooring to the back of the tent making another room. Marie had mentioned that as much as she loved the shower he made her, she wished she could soak in warm water for her achy body.

Marie knew what he was building, but she could only guess how it would turn out. He didn't want her to see it until complete so the back door which would be the bedroom door was off limits for her. Every afternoon she took a long nap and that was when Once-ler would scamper back and forth with what he needed from town. It was journeys like that he needed his wagon.

The Lorax watched Once-ler build everything and it made him anxious. He liked babies, but two babies that were Beanpole's made him uneasy. They could follow his footsteps in cutting the trees. It was possible that Waterfall would keep them under control with her kind personality, but risks couldn't be taken. He had to find a way to make Beanpole and Waterfall leave to protect the forest. It wasn't that he hated them, it was only for safety of the forest.

Marie came home one afternoon with some baby toys from a yard sale. She was thrilled to find a colorful ring stacker and children's books to read. She found Once-ler sitting on the patio rocking chair, looking tired.

"What have you been up to?" asked Marie knowing he had been busy. Her voice sent an energy to Once-ler.

"I have something to show you," said Once-ler jumping up. He gave her a quick peck on the lips and led her inside. He placed a hand on the door knob of the back door. "Ready for this?"

"What is it Once?" asked Marie smiling. Once-ler swung the door open and inside was a nursery!

Marie looked at the new baby room in awe. It was so darling she couldn't even speak! A trunk full of baby things and shelves attached with pegs holding dresses on hangers. The baby toys sat on the shelves. A grey, squared playpen stood straight in the center and a rocking chair in the corner. There was a rug underneath the playpen with Cotton and Kitten already set up on the cushioning for décor. They'd have to be moved until they girls were safe to handle them. There was an open aired window with the cover tied up with pink ribbon. All they needed was a changing table.

Marie turned to her husband, speechless. She suddenly yanked him down into a tight hug. Once-ler was breathless as she clung to him. She nuzzled into his neck and blinked back tears. How did she get so lucky or blessed to have him?

"It's beautiful Handsome," she whispered. She kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

"Anything for Lila and Ellie," said Once-ler. He pulled her back for a kiss. There was no way he would get tired of kissing Marie. The feeling was mutual.

"You even made a lamp for them," sighed Marie in bliss. "You've done good Beanpole," she added quietly. Once-ler smiled hearing his new nickname. The lamp was the kind they had over their bed, but it had a shade with a flower pattern. It gave a soft glow in the dark and showed the illumination of the flowers on the wall. Once-ler had amazing creativity.

"Maggie and Emily will love it," said Once-ler. "They won't have any bad dreams with it on."

"Are you going to stick with any name or am I going to pick?" asked Marie grinning. Once-ler kept changing the girls' names. Probably to see how they would sound together.

"No, I'm just giving options." Once-ler put his hands behind his back in pride at the hard work he put in for the nursery. It was all worth it. "Oh, I forgot to show you the other surprise!" He took her hand and led her to what she thought was a closet on their left, but when he opened the door she was surprised again!

Inside was a bathroom! There was a white, porcelain bathtub with a shower connected and a tile backsplash that was plastered to boards. There was a tub caddy set up with their shampoos and soaps. Thneed towels in yellow were hanging up on pegs. The floor had two soft Thneed rugs of yellow and a matching shower curtain. A small sink on a copper stand and a round mirror sat on their right. There was a glass that kept their toothbrushes and toothpaste.

"I figured a lovely lady such as yourself needed a nice bathtub to soak in," said Once-ler.

"You made this too?!" gasped Marie. She was still amazed by the nursery that she couldn't function seeing another room!

"I think we'll be here for a long time," said Once-ler touching her waist. She leaned up for another kiss. "This is our home Honeysuckle."

"Yes it is," agreed Marie. "Thank you for doing all of this Once-ler." She brushed a hand over his bangs. "You must be exhausted."

"A little," he admitted. "I know I'll sleep well tonight."

It was easy to see that Once-ler was still tired after the tasty dinner of pasta that Marie made for him. Marie knew she'd sleep well too knowing they had a biggered tent. Sleep was interrupted that night thanks to The Lorax because he devised a plan. He had warned them about The Forces of Nature and there was a chance the warning was "real."

The Lorax waited up in one of the Truffula Trees (with Pipsqueak following him) and waited until the humans had crawled in bed. The Lorax felt a little bad to shoo away Waterfall, but for Beanpole to leave she would have to as well. They were more inseparable than he expected thanks to having known each other for twelve years. He took humor in how Pipsqueak copied him sometimes.

"So kid," he said to the Bar-ba-loot cub. "How'd you like to be an honorary Lorax?" He checked again to make sure the humans were sleeping. "Come on. Follow me."

They slid down the tree and approached the tent. Pipsqueak, being the baby he was, was curious of what The Lorax was doing. He bumped into the forest guardian receiving a "Seriously" grunt from him. The two peeked their heads up in the open window. Just two figures were seen, sleeping peacefully.

"It's time to release the kraken," chuckled the Lorax. Right on cue with his groaning, the wind blew hard enough to rattle the door. For the second time since they had arrived in the valley Once-ler had forgotten to lock it. A wind burst in and caused a leaf to fly over their heads.

It had to have been a miracle that Once-ler woke up easily that night because he looked up to see two boney hands on the wall. He shrank down and trembled. Marie opened her eyes and saw the hands, making her tremble too. The nightmare of Once-ler turning into a horrible figure crept back into her mind. They ducked under the covers grabbing hold of each other as they whimpered. Marie felt one of Once-ler's hands run over her stomach as if to protect their babies. A voice started wailing nearby.

"Oooonce-lerrr! You are doooomed!"

"Woooohoooo," came a high pitched voice which sounded familiar. It made the first voice sound familiar.

The wife and husband frowned and looked at each other knowing what was going on. Huffing, Once-ler crawled over the footboard and went outside. He knew what to do. Much to his and Marie's suspicions, The Lorax was on their window sill, waving two twigs around. Marie sat up and crossed her arms thinking of how irritating The Lorax had been again. As if the river incident wasn't enough!

Pipsqueak went into silence upon seeing a human storm up behind The Lorax and tap a finger against something in his hand. The Lorax noticed he was caught and casually flung the twigs aside. Once-ler, with an annoyed expression, held the garden hose up. A jet of cold water hit The Lorax making him scream and fall off. Satisfied with the punishment, Once-ler went back to bed where Marie waited for him. He didn't care if he was on The Lorax's bad side, he needed his sleep. Once-ler and Marie knew that when the twins came sleep would be hard to find.

The next morning there was a riff between the two. The Lorax brooded how his plan didn't work and how he got wet. Once-ler stayed glued to his knitting of baby sized mittens thinking of ways to pester The Lorax back.

"I could find a way to take all the Truffula Fruit," he thought slyly. "No, I like Pipsqueak and he'd get hungry if I did. I could send Mustache down the river. He'll get a taste of his own medicine."

Marie was throwing up again that day and stayed in bed. She was disappointed in The Lorax for his behavior. There were times he seemed as childish as Once-ler. She didn't have time to take care of four kids. Three was her limit; the girls and Once-ler.

It was a couple of days later that the three were on good terms again. Good as they could get at least. The Lorax watched Once-ler collect some tufts from a purple Truffula Tree to make a miniature Thneed.

"So more Thneeds?" asked The Lorax. He hoped Once-ler would say no.

"Two more," said Once-ler proudly as he stuffed a tuft in a satchel. "These will be mini Thneeds; fit for a baby! I'm color coding these in case they'll be identical. They're going to be as pretty as Marie."

"You think they'll look like Waterfall?" asked The Lorax becoming curious.

"Jeanette and April are going to look just like Marie," said Once-ler in full confidence. "How could they not get her beauty?"

"Jeanette? April?" said The Lorax. "I thought you called them Christie and Lauren. That's what you said last week. Or was it-something with an O? No, it was a K."

"Claire and Olivia-well it's one of my ideas," said Once-ler bashfully. "I'm having too much fun with baby names."

"You better pick something or they'll be One and Two," said The Lorax smiling a little.

"Paisley and Julia will have a name after Marie and I choose. You'll see. They'll have the perfect names."

"Paisley? Sounds like a type of herb," muttered The Lorax. "Just don't let them be like you Beanpole."

Once-ler ignored the comment and completed his task. Earlier that day, he had finished knitting a large blanket of pink tufts. However, it didn't end up in the nursery like planned. With the weather getting chillier Once-ler and Marie used the blanket. Once-ler planned to make tiny Thneeds for the girls; one pink and one purple. He invented a tool that could extend up and get the tufts which pleased The Lorax and gave Once-ler a workout. It was great to get fruit too. With the different color of Truffula Trees there were plenty of options for things. Marie stuck to sewing little dresses instead of knitting.

Usually an evening was sitting by the cook stove sewing and knitting while they ate treats. It was quiet, cozy and Marie would drape her legs over Once-ler's when they felt sore. Once-ler had no objections of Marie's legs on him. Occasionally he'd stroke them and kept a bag of marshmallows close at hand.

"Hey Once," asked Marie shyly one night. "Could I have a marshmallow please?"

"You want a marshmallow?!" asked Once-ler in shock. He never thought she would ask for any. He eagerly fished a handful out for her and put them in her lap. "What made you change your mind?"

"I'm craving them," said Marie. "Or I should say your daughters are craving them."

"Smart girls," Once-ler said brightly. He had something in common with them! "They're mine for sure!"

"They are," said Marie as she took one from her lap. She ate one and then took another. Before Once-ler knew it she had eaten her share and he gave her another handful.

"You know what else it good?" said Marie. "Smooth and creamy peanut butter!" She unscrewed the jar of peanut butter she had taken down…and dipped a marshmallow in! Once-ler's jaw went open in disgust and horror. It was like she ruined it!

"Why would you dip it in peanut butter?!" he cried. "It's perfect on its own!"

"It tastes great!" smiled Marie. "You should try it!"

Once-ler had been willing to try Mint and Rocky Road combined with sprinkles, but marshmallows and peanut butter didn't fancy his taste buds. It got even too much for him when she added chocolate with the marshmallows and peanut butter. There were just some foods that shouldn't get mixed!

Marie's symptoms got worse with fatigue and swollen ankles. By late November, she was sticking out and knee-deep in maternity clothes. Her boots barely fit as she started to swell. She hated feeling tired all the time and with how she was biggering. Her legs were cramped and her back hurt too.

The only thing that could make her day worse was she knew she had to go to a birthing class. She didn't want to go. She wanted to stay in the comfort of their tent. Once-ler wouldn't have it. He wanted her to be prepared for the labor. So on one cold morning she let him lead her to the birthing class. The moment they got there, she knew it had been a bad idea. Just as bad as The Lorax's idea to scare them off with the Forces of Nature.

Author's Note: Cliffhanger! With all the writer's block with Friendship I'm finding time for this story! This feels more like a chapter filler and I wanted to use this scenario at some point in the story. Paisley is actually a type of pattern in fabric. :) Marie's food combinations; they sound yucky and yummy!