Once-ler and Aislinn ended up having a good second life.

Not long after Melody had her first and only child, Alexia; Gran died. Aislinn had found her still in her bed, having passed in her sleep.

And soon, 15 years passed, and Jason, 20, and Wes, 18, were graduated from high school and going out on their own. Jason wanted to be an inventor, and Wes wanted to be mayor like his father.

Both boys were as tall and lanky as their father, and they had all the girls swooning after them when they were in high school. Aislinn was proud of her boys. They were both strong in their beliefs, loyal to their friends, and kind to everyone they met.

The day the boys moved out into their own apartment together in the next town over, where their college was, Aislinn bawled like a baby.

The boys had awkwardly hugged and comforted their mother and told her they would write and call, but Aislinn still cried. Even Once-ler got misty eyed when he hugged Jason and Wes good-bye.

Soon the boys were gone and Aislinn and Once-ler were alone in their house for the first time in 20 years.

After Gran had died, Melody, Charlie and Alexia, moved into Gran's house next to Aislinn and Once-ler. Alexia was the spitting image of her mother; a blonde hair and sapphire eyed beauty.

As soon as Alexia had graduated high school, she packed her bags and traveled. She didn't know what she wanted to do or where she wanted to be, so she just traveled everywhere. That lasted for about 3 years. Alexia then came home with a boyfriend named John, and ended up marrying him three years later.

Norma and Helen lived in town still. Helen grew up, but never left town, and became a school teacher.

The next thing Aislinn and Once-ler knew 10 more years had passed.

Jason, now 30, was married for 2 years to a lovely, brown haired, brown eyed woman named, Debra, which he had met in college. Wes, now 28, was married for 4 years to a blonde haired, green eyed woman named, Elizabeth, and they had a one year old little girl named Catherine. Little Catherine had her father's black hair, but her mother's green eyes.

Alexia and her husband, John, had been married for 7 years and they had a 5 year old little girl named, Audrey. Audrey had inherited her grandfather Charlie's red hair and green eyes.

Helen had a year old son named Theodore, or Ted, who had his mother's hair color and eye color.

Aislinn took to spoiling her grand-daughter and great-niece. Helen would even bring Ted over and let Aislinn look after him with the other children.

Then soon, Aislinn realized that she and Once-ler had been married 68 years.

Or at least they would have been, if Once-ler hadn't died the year before.

Aislinn laid in her and Once-ler's bed, her shoulder length hair, now silver in color.

She stared at all the photos on her bedroom wall. Aislinn smiled slightly, remembering how Once-ler teased her about having all these pictures in here. But she had wanted them in here, so that when she died, she would be surrounded by memories.

The pictures were mostly of her children, Alexia and her family, Helen and her family, the animals, the Lorax and the valley.

There was some of her and Once-ler up on the walls, and more had been added up there by Jason and Wes, when Once-ler had died.

She smiled at the picture of Jason, Wes, Alexia and Helen grouped together in a picture taken about 5 years ago. They were now in their early 60's and late 50's. It was shocking to Aislinn to think they were so old now, but then again Aislinn herself was now 85 years old. The age lines, fatigue, and stiff and achy joints told her she was way too old for her liking.

Aislinn continued to glance around the room and saw the picture of the grandchildren grouped together. Catherine, Audrey, Ted, and then Wes's twin sons, Ryan and Tyler were all in their early 30's and late 20's now.

Catherine was engaged to be married soon, Audrey and Ted had just gotten married a year ago, and Ryan and Tyler had girlfriends, but was more concerned with their lawyer degrees than anything else.

Aislinn had hoped she could at least see her great-grandchildren, but she knew that wasn't going to happen.

She laughed to herself as she thought of today's date. March 15th. On this day one year ago, her husband of 67 years left this world.

He had been buried in Truffula Valley next to the river, where he wanted to be. That was the first time in a long time that she had seen the Lorax openly cry. He had planted a Truffula seed beside Once-ler's headstone, but said it would never grow till its match was planted beside it. Aislinn had questioned the Lorax about that, and he had told her that the seed wouldn't grow because it was half of another seed. And he wouldn't plant the other half till it was time.

Aislinn asked when he would plant the other half of the seed and Lorax had smiled sadly at Aislinn, and she understood what he wouldn't say. The Lorax wouldn't plant the other half of the seed till Aislinn had died.

And Aislinn knew that he would be planting the seed in the next couple of days. Because today was the day she was leaving this world.

Aislinn was by herself at the moment. It was early in the morning and the kids weren't coming over till later on in the day. Melody and Charlie were still in their house next door and it wasn't time for them to come over yet.

Aislinn was a little sad that Melody would find her. She had remembered how she had felt when she had found Gran, lying peacefully on her bed, no longer breathing. Aislinn had cried silently for a moment then shouted for Once-ler. Once-ler had then come over in an instant and held a crying Aislinn as he called for help and called Melody.

Aislinn didn't want Melody to experience that. But she knew that it was a possibility.

Aislinn was a little relived that she wasn't going to die because she was sick. Unlike Once-ler. Tears came to Aislinn's eyes as she remembered when Once-ler started becoming more and more sickly. How his lungs seemed to give out when he would walk around their house. How tired he quickly became from doing the smallest tasks. It broke Aislinn's heart watching the once proud mayor of Greenville, become a frail old man.

Aislinn had been holding Once-ler's hand when he died, lying in their own bed. Melody, Charlie, the kids, the grandkids, Norma, Helen, and Ted were all in the living room. They had already said their good-byes and had left Once-ler and Aislinn alone to say theirs. They were talking about when they first came to the valley and reliving every moment of their lives, when Once-ler's eyes became glazed over and he smiled sadly.

"Looks like I'm going on ahead of you Ais," he had said, his giant white moustache curving up with his lips. "I'll be sure to wait for you."

Aislinn chocked back her tears.

"You better save a good spot," she joked. "I want to be able to find you easily."

Once-ler lips curved more into a smile.

"How about I'll be under the only Truffula tree in Heaven?" Once-ler whispered.

Aislinn's heart quickened it's pace. Once-ler's face was getting paler and his eyes were further away. This was it. This was the last moments she would have with him.

"It's a date then," Aislinn smiled, trying not to let her voice crack.

Once-ler closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I love you now and always," he said.

Aislinn let a small sob escape her lips.

"And I love you too," she said, her voice finally cracking a little. "Now and always Once. Now and always."

And hearing those last words from Aislinn, Once-ler let his breath out, and never breathed again.

Aislinn wiped her face. She still cried at the memory of the last few moments she had with Once-ler. But now she was going to see him soon. Under the only Truffula tree in Heaven.

Aislinn looked around their room again and saw a picture of Once-ler just before he got sick. He was wearing black pants and simple button up white shirt and his nearly white hair seemed to blind anyone that looked at the picture. He was sitting in their hammock looking at the camera, his great white moustache curved along with his lips into a big grin, and his hand waving at the camera.

Aislinn carefully managed to get out of bed and shuffle over to the picture on the wall. She lifted her fingers and touched the face in the picture, then took the picture off the wall and shuffled back to her bed and crawled back into it.

Aislinn curled into a ball and clutched the picture of Once-ler to her chest. It was getting more and more difficult to breathe for her. Aislinn was scared. She was all alone. She didn't have everyone in the next room and no one was sitting beside her holding her hand.

Aislinn began to cry.

"Once I'm scared," she whispered. "I'm scared of dying. I'm by myself! I wish you were here!"

Aislinn curled into more of a ball and began sobbing.

She then felt something take her hand. Aislinn looked up and her eyes widened.

A black haired, pale blue-eyed Once-ler, dressed in white pants and a white shirt, was smiling down at her and clutching her hand.

"It's OK Ais," he said. "You haven't been by yourself. I've always been here."

Aislinn smiled through her tears. Once-ler was right. She should have known he was always there with her, like he had always been.

"Now come on!" Once-ler grinned, tugging at Aislinn's hand. "We've got that date to get to, remember?"

Aislinn grinned.

"Yea we do," she said, squeezing Once-ler's hand.

Melody had found Aislinn curled up in her bed, smiling, and clutching a picture of Once-ler.

Melody had cried while smiling, happy to see her older sister happy in her last moments.

The funeral was two days later, and Aislinn was buried next to Once-ler. The Lorax cried just as much for Aislinn as he had done for Once-ler. The animals had cried as well. Jason and Wes had cried the hardest out of everyone that came to the funeral.

The Lorax did plant the other half of the Truffula tree, just as he said. And a few weeks later, two sprouts were growing on either side of Once-ler's and Aislinn's grave marker.

These Truffula trees grew faster than normal Truffula trees, and a year after Aislinn had died, the trees were fully grown.

But these Truffula trees were special. These trees weren't the normal color of Truffula trees.

The tree next to Once-ler's grave was green, and the tree next to Aislinn's was gold. And the trees leaned against one other, giving the other support in standing up.

The Lorax smiled up at the trees, their tufts blowing in the wind. These had to be his favorite trees in the entire valley.

"Oh wow!"

"They're so pretty!"

The Lorax looked in front of him and saw a younger Once-ler and younger Aislinn looking in awe at the trees. Once-ler was dressed in white pants and a white shirt and Aislinn was wearing a sleeveless white knee-length dress. The Lorax smiled at the couple, seeing they were clutching each other's hands.

"So this was what they are supposed to look like!" Aislinn said, trying to reach up and touch a green tuft.

"This is amazing!" Once-ler said, easily touching a gold tuft.

"I'm glad to see you two are having a wonderful after-life," Lorax smiled.

The couple looked at the Lorax and grinned.

"It's nice," Once-ler said.

"But we miss the valley and all the kids and animals," Aislinn said.

"They all miss you too," the Lorax said. "And I'm guessing you two can't stay long."

The couple smiled sadly.

"No, we can't stay too long," Once-ler said.

"In fact we only came to see these trees and you," Aislinn smiled.

"A trip just for me?" the Lorax said. "I'm flattered."

"Don't let it go to your head moustache," Once-ler laughed.

"We just wanted to check on things," Aislinn said. "We'll come back when we can. But only you can see us. We don't want to freak the kids out."

The Lorax smiled.

"That's understandable," he smiled.

The couple seemed to hear something behind them and turned to look.

"Well," Aislinn said. "Looks like it's time to head back now."

They turned back to the Lorax and smiled.

"We also wanted to tell you thank you," Aislinn said.

The Lorax was confused.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because you gave us a second chance," Once-ler said.

Aislinn elbowed Once-ler in the ribs.

"Alright you gave ME a second chance," Once-ler mumbled.

The Lorax chuckled.

"You're welcome," he said.

"If it weren't for you we wouldn't have had such great lives," Aislinn said, smiling. "So thank you."

The couple started to fade a little.

"And that's our signal," Once-ler said sadly.

"Yep," Aislinn replied. "Our time's up."

The Lorax frowned slightly.

"Don't worry," Aislinn said, as the couple faded some more. "We're always here with you Lorax."

Aislinn put her hand over her heart.

"We're right here," she said.

And with a wave good-bye, the couple was gone.

The Lorax felt sadness again. He wanted to talk some more with them, he wanted to do things with them again. But he knew he couldn't do that anymore.

Then he remembered what Aislinn had just told him. The Lorax lifted a fuzzy orange hand and placed it over his heart. He smiled.

Aislinn was right.

Once-ler and Aislinn would always be with him.

In his heart.

Author's Note:

I don't own the Lorax or the Once-ler or his crazy family

I do own Aislinn, the kids, Melody, and Gran

Aaaaannnnndddd That's it!

THE END

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