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It was a rough start to being back at his old place, but Stanford Pines was getting back on his feet.
With what Dipper already told him about his brother, Ford was prepared for the story that Stanley was going to spin together. Mabel kept the two in check if yelling occurred. It reminded Ford so much of their mother whenever they got into a silly argument and she would step in to stop it. He was grateful at how much this was feeling like he was really home.
Ford learned so much about his twin that made his heart ache and seeing how much he changed, Ford couldn't stay mad. He thought he would be mad until the day he died of that heart attack at 92 but he was the first to admit how childish he was being all those years.
Stan laughed at him.
And he joined in.
They agreed that they were both being silly and unreasonable. They couldn't change the past so they didn't think about the 'would haves' and 'would have nots.' Those thoughts just made things sad, the old brothers thought they could just start from now and work around that instead. It sounded easier. Ford rather gain new memories then keep falling back on the past ones.
"How about I show you your old place?" Stan suggested as he stood up. The kids made their way to bed awhile ago when they deemed the elder twins fine to leave on their own. "We can...we can decided what to do with it all...Well you can, it is your house."
"It's more your house than it was ever mine, but yes." Ford pushed himself up from his seat. "I would like to what you've done with this 'Shack.' Maybe I can help?"
Stan grinned.
"So...this is Mabel Juice..." Ford looked at the glass that was shoved in his hand. He has eaten a lot of weirdly colored food in his day but nothing this sparkly pink before.
Or with plastic dinosaurs.
"Yep," Dipper said with his own glass in his hands. He looked like he was going to be sick just by looking at it. "I missed it."
"I...see..."
Mabel stood by with a huge grin on her face as she watched them both.
"Well...cheers." Dipper held his glass out toward Ford who carefully knocked his glass into it. They both took a large gulp of the contents.
Dipper started coughing as he pushed the still almost full glass away from him. "Okay, I'm done missing it." He said between coughs.
When he looked over to Ford and saw the empty glass, the preteen shouldn't have been as surprised as he was, but he has never seen anyone finish a glass that wasn't his sister.
"Soooooo..." Mabel said still with a grin on her face. "What do you think Grunkle Ford?" She saw it too and was bouncing on her heels waiting for his response.
"Hm? Oh...uh..." Ford looked down at the glass. "I am quite surprised, my dear, but I like this drink you have created. Do you mind?" He held out his glass as Mabel's smile grew wider.
"Oh not at all, Grunkle Ford!" She quickly filled his glass again. "Glad to know someone else likes it!" She stuck her tongue out at her brother when she went to get a glass for herself.
Dipper groaned. He knew this would happened but he had some hope. The preteen shouldn't have expected anything different from his Great Uncle from what he watched Ford eat in that short time he'd spent with him on the other side of the portal.
But Dipper smiled at the two's silliness over the weird food that Mabel was sure to have Ford taste.
Knowing Ford would love every bit of it.
Both the younger and elder twins made their way to the junk yard. The younger pair took a hand each from Ford when he looked like he was too nervous to keep moving as Stan put a hand on his back. No one pushed him to keep walking but they made sure he knew they would be there whatever he choose.
Ford took a deep breath. "Okay." He walked slowly forward not looking anywhere but in front of him. His heart already couldn't take the little hut he was assured that his old friend lived in. They all got to the make swift door and Ford looked like he wasn't going to move so Stan knocked on the side of the hut.
"Hey! McGucket!" He shouted into the small hole in the wall. "You got guests!"
There was a commotion from inside that Ford couldn't really place what it was but he could hear a familiar voice. "'m comin'!
"Visitors!" An old man pushed through the door with a huge grin on his face.
Ford stiffened at the sight of his old friend. He felt his niece and nephew squeeze his hands as the other man looked closely at the group.
"There's two of ya...?"
"Something like that." Stan said in a tone that made it sound like it was too long to explain. "Kids tell me you use to work for Stanford. The real Stanford, not me, this guy right here." Stan ruffled Ford's hair breaking him from his thoughts.
"Oh...Oh!" The old man just seemed to frown slightly before grinning widely again. "Come in, come in!"
He ushered the group inside as the kids nearly dragged Ford inside. He looked like he was ready to bolt at any second but they already came this far.
"I was a hopin' that ya would come o'er! 've been 'memberin' n can't rightly recall everythin n I wanted ta talk to someone bout some thins.'" Fiddleford busied himself trying to find something for each of the Pines to sit on but was coming up short. "Cause of that little 'ld picture show, I 'member most of my time years ago!"
"Oh that's good, Mr McGucket!" Mabel said cheerfully. "I was afraid when we saw that video."
"Ya know it's all good, sweet-pie. Better fer me in the 'ong run." He waved her off pulling up one of his chairs from the back.
"We're glad," Dipper cut in. "And we thought it would be good for you to talk to someone who knew you when you first came here!"
"I'd lova ta talk ta ya!" He grinned at Ford when he set the chair down near the group. "Can't recall too much so go easy on me! I thought there was somethin' fishy when I 'membered a Stanferd a lil different then ya. Was mighty confused fer a few days."
"Yep, sorry about that but you knew me longer than this guy. Long story we can talk about later. I'm actually Stanley, but keep that on the down low, McGucket." Stanley said as he looked around the place. Looked better than he last remembered.
"I don't mind none, just explains a few thins."
"Alright kids." Stan started to push the younger twins toward the entrance. "Let's just give these two some time to talk among themselves."
There was so grumbling from the two but they agree as they made their way out.
That left Ford alone with Fiddleford and he was terrified.
"H-Hello Fiddleford." Ford raised his hand slightly before quickly putting it behind his back. "I...I haven't seen you since...we parted ways..." He rubbed the back of his neck not looking at the other man. "You must hate me..."
"Stanferd..." Fiddleford said quietly.
"I-I understand if you...don't want me around you. Dipper said it would probably be good to talk to you again and I agree with him. But I don't want to push you into this so I want to apologize before you...before I leave. An honest one and I hop-"
"Stanferd," he said a little louder making Ford stop his rambling. "Why would ya think I don't wanna 'ave a talk wit ya?"
Ford blinked. "I ruined...everything...?"
Fiddleford shook his head but Ford could see a small smile through his beard. "Ya didn't ruin anything, Stanferd. I done did that ta myself."
"But I-"
"No 'buts,'" he cut him off. "No. Ya did nothin.' I did it all ta myself with that gun and if'n I 'member correctly, ya told me, but I didn't listen. So no, stop that noggin from thinkin that."
Ford shut his mouth without another word.
"Ya got that?"
Ford nodded.
"Good, know how 'bout we talk? I have a few ideas what I was doin' 'ere but I take it ya'll help me wit that."
"Uh yes, yes I would like to just talk." Ford said happily as Fiddleford gestured to one of his chairs for them to sit. "You remember we met in college?"
"I recall that place," Fiddleford chuckled as he sat down in his rocking chair. "Can't 'memeber bein that excitin though."
Ford smiled. "No, it really wasn't."