Chapter Text
It was 2 am when Marianna got the call from Stanford that he needed help and didn’t know who to turn to. The drive up to Oregon was straightforward; most of the East-West Coast were still tucked into their warm beds while she had rushed packing a suitcase and putting on multiple layers. Hesitating, she grabbed Stanford’s coat that she had accidentally packed almost a year ago when she walked away not long after Fiddleford had. She was glad to throw it on when she had to make a pitstop for fuel. Digging around in the pockets when she went to pay hoping Ford had a few bucks stashed somewhere in the many pockets Ford had her sew into it.
She managed to find the cash, giving it to the fuel station cashier before heading back out into the bitter cold. She shoved her hands into the main pockets feeling a soft ball in one of them. She unveiled it to be the custom-made gloves Fiddleford had made for Ford only a couple of holiday seasons ago. She put the gloves back into the pockets as she tried to put them from her mind, not wanting any dull, painful memories to resurface.
Long droning hours driving, stopping to take little breaks to wake herself up using the cold. She had given up on the radio all the songs about love or playing songs that the three amigos used to listen to in college together. So simple back then making sure coursework was done and then partying the night away. Those were the days, she was 10 times happier and a lot less achy.
As she neared the town a flurry of snow hit her windscreen. Turning on the wipers she saw the sign for the town roll on past. A wave of sad nostalgia cashed down along with heavy snow. It had barely changed a bit, almost like she hadn’t been gone at all. She pushed it to the back of her mind and focused on getting to the lab in one piece. She turned up the hill towards the road to it. She could almost drive it blindfolded but best not to under the weather circumstances unless she wanted to be put on ice. She got to the top of the hill seeing a red vehicle abandoned starting to be swallowed by the snow. She stopped to see if anyone in there was just a bunch of rubbish, maybe it got dumped there; no it hadn’t iced over.
She continued on her way making sure to keep an eye out for anyone who may be crazy enough to be out in this weather. Little down the road, she saw a blob of red and black trudging through the snow. She caught a glimpse of a blue light as she pulled up, shaking her head and she looked again thinking she was seeing things.
She pulled up beside the figure rolling down her window as a man who resembled Ford stared back at her in a bit of a surprise, hinting at a bit of deja vu. She wasn’t sure if it was the snow or being sleep-deprived having 2 hours of sleep before being woken up by Ford. But the man that stood in front of her must have been Ford’s estranged brother Stanley. She could only really see his eyes and the top of his nose behind the scarf but she knew those eyes. Only upon seeing them this time, they were kind and full of concern.
“Need a ride?” she offered as the figure studied her face before rounding the car and getting in grateful to be in the warmth.
“Thanks toots, I was freezing my butt off out there.” The stranger gruffed out as he rubbed his hands together as he blew on them.
Marianna turned on the cabin light as she offered him the rest of her coffee she got before coming off the interstate. “Sorry it’s not hot but it will warm you up” she smiled as Stanley took the offering.
“Thanks? What's your name by the way?” Stan asked after taking a few sips as Marianna got the car moving again.
“Marianna Cross. One is to presume you’re Stanford’s twin Stanley, correct?”
“Err…yeah, Stan is fine, Ford talks about me?” He asked, trying his best to keep the hope and anticipation out of his voice as he took in her side profile. Her shoulder carmine-permed hair was pinned back using moon clips revealing a soft jaw and neckline. She glanced over at him as he caught a glimpse of her features. Her eyes were green with grey strikes over her irises, sloping nose and soft pink lips, paired with her lightly tanned skin all circled back to stan wondering how Ford bag a bombshell like this. Of course, he was assuming things, she could just be his friend coming to check on him.
“He’s mentioned you once or twice over the years, but nothing to note apart from those adverts you did, he was so mad he was tempted to call the number and cuss you out” she laughed. Stan let out a genuine laugh as his heart pulsed with a bit of joy that his brother hadn’t forgotten him entirely.
“Oh, you saw those?” Stan asked awkwardly suddenly really interested at window base.
“Yeah and may I say you should have gone into acting full time instead of being a salesman, suits you more” she smiled looking over at him before getting her car going again.
“How do you know Poindexter anyway?” He questioned after a few beats of silence bringing his eyes back to the road ahead of them.
“We met at college through a friend he was sharing a dorm with. At the end of college, he got that grant and asked me to come with him to be his research assistant. At the time I thought it was a groovy Idea, and it was! Don’t get me wrong but I left last year after an incident and didn’t look back until I got a call at 2 am this morning asking for my help with something serious, and now I am here drawn in once again, like a Moth to a flame”
College. She was a college woman, out of his league already, but it made sense why Sixer was properly drawn to her. Well-spoken, a posh undertone to her voice told him she must have been from good pedigree or she was just as good at faking stuff as he was. Who knows, he may not even see her again by this time tomorrow.
Why did that make his heart sink?
“At least you got a phone call, I got a postcard about three days ago saying please come” He got it out of her pocket holding it up briefly before tucking it away as they pulled up to the Lab surprised they survived that blizzard. Stepping out into the cold she was glad to have worn her thick plaidypus skirt, and duckie jumper with a trench coat over it all done up tight.
They approached the house and Marianna took the lead knocking on the door. She yelped as she jumped back bumping into stan as he held her arms getting a fright as Ford burst through the door.
“ARE YOU HERE TO STEAL MY EYES?” He exclaimed.
“I can always count on you for a warm welcome,” Stan said nonchalantly as he moved himself in front of Marianna.
“Whoa Ford chill, it's just me and Stan” she reassured him hugging herself as she rubbed her arms.
“Did anyone follow you? anyone at all?” Ford questioned them as Marianna shook her head.
“Well hello to you too pal” Stan deadpanned rolling his eyes before Ford grabbed him shining a torch in his eyes. “Hey, what is this?” Stan questioned him as he did the same to Marianna.
“Sorry had to make sure you weren't someone else…anyway, good you both turned up at the same time saves a lot of waiting around,” Ford said as he went deeper into the house beckoning them in.
“What happened to the house I have barely been gone a year, Ford, why didn't you reach out sooner?” she questioned him looking at the rubbish and dust that had piled up.
“Because I've had more important things to do Maria, big things that you couldn't even comprehend” Ford reeled off as Marianna glared at him pulling him to one side.
“Oh, really Stanford, I’ve been keeping the government off your back by doing a deep search of this place, by telling them you're just studying what's around you, not what is in the basement.” she snapped to him quietly.
“Maria please, you can chastise me later” He snapped back as Stan touched his shoulder getting Ford's attention.
“If you’re done with your Chinese whispers I wanna know why you’re acting like mum after 10 cups of coffee?” Stan questioned Ford as he grabbed the first journal and some papers.
“Yes err, I have made some huge mistakes and I don’t know who I trust anymore,” Ford confessed as he turned away a skull. Marianna felt the growing pit in her stomach get deeper, something had gone wrong with the test she just knew it. She had been so startled by Ford’s outburst that she hadn’t considered the whereabouts of Fiddleford, but that was a problem for later on.
“Hey now let's talk this out yeah?” Stan said softer as he touched Ford’s shoulder as he turned around to face stan.
“I’ve got something to show something you won’t believe”
“Look I’ve been around the world ok whatever it is I am sure to understand,” Stan assured him as Ford led the way to the basement.
Marianna felt her stomach twist into knots as they descended the stairs. She observed Stan seeing him trying to keep a level head about it all but she could tell he was uneasy and curious about where Ford was taking them.
“There is nothing about this I understand,” Stan said, gesturing up to the portal.
“It’s a trans-universal gateway. A hole punched into our dimension, we…well more of I created it to find what is the source of all the weirdness of this town. But it can easily be used for its destruction.” Ford explained. Marianna had to admit as much as she was against that thing; he and Mcgucket had done a good job on it. But now wasn’t the time for admiring handy work.
"Why did you even continue building this, you should have just published that manuscript Fidds did for you and you could have gotten everything and more."
"Maria I'm sorry I know, but I was just so obsessed with getting answers about this place that I stopped listening to anyone who told me no. Bill was the only one giving me answers and yes”
"I told you to leave that cave painting alone, and you didn't, now Fidd's has gone, you're in the right state and the house and you drove me away before any of that even happened, you need to get out of your thick head, Stanford of so god help me I'll-"
Marianna softens seeing Ford nearly in tears over his telling off. She pulls him in for a hug rubbing the big lugs back soothingly. "It's ok you lug, Stan and I are here" She pulled away wiping his tears away from his rough face.
Stan coughed reminding them that he was still here. Ford took one more stealing glance at Marianna before turning to his brother, taking out his journals.
Marianna herself looked around to see what Ford had done so far, but not a lot she got over to the kill switch inspecting it as she heard the brothers start fighting. She rolled her eyes and sighed letting them get on with it before she heard a cry of pain and shoes running back into the room.
"What-" Before she knew it she had been wall-slammed and was blinded by the light of the portal.
“Arg what gives you buffoons” She shielded her eyes as she propped herself up off the floor. Feeling the weird sensation of herself being lifted into the air followed by a desperate grasp on her sleeve.
"MARIANNA" Ford exclaimed, clutching on to her for dear life. Her mouth a gap she clasped her other hand around Ford's. The portal scraped at their clothes as it sucked them towards it digging its claws into their skin and clothing. Tugging them into its cold embrace.
Ford tried to keep his footing as Stan held onto him trying to steady him. Looking up at her bewildered expression masking how terrified she was in that moment. Ford realised how much of a fool he had been to push away the only woman he had loved in his hubris and ambition. In the light of the portal, the Fordmarine in her eyes flashed from the reflection in his glasses, taking them in as this could have been the last time he would ever see the true beauty in her kind and caring eyes. He yanked her closer into an embrace, using what strength he had left to hold her closer kissing her deeply and cradling her cheek. He pulled away putting his forehead on hers as the pull of the portal got stronger.
He whispers “I’m sorry, Maria,” before using all of his body weight to pull her from the grasp of the portal and into Stanley's arms, getting caught up in the portal's draw.
"STANFORD NO!" Stan and Marianna exclaimed together. Marianna tried to reach out to him but Stanley held her tightly.
"STANLEY, MARIANNA HELP, DO SOMETHING!" he threw his journal to them as he got sucked in sending a shockwave vaulting through the room as Stan and Marianna were flung to the ground. The portal shuddered and sparked before shutting off, letting out one last pulse of energy, leaving them in a void-like silence.
They both sat up coughing up the dust that they just inhaled as Stan scrambled to his feet trying to turn on the portal. Bile crept up into Marianna's throat as tears fell as what had happened came crashing down upon her, someone else that she had loved and found family with was gone once more.
Stan was crying out his brother's name slamming and pounding on the machine hoping it would open it up again, pleading that he didn’t mean it and he only just got him back.
"S-Stan it's no use..." she said weakly before spitting out some flem and wiping her mouth with her sleeve.
"We have to get him back! You said you worked with him, you know how to fix it!" Stan said, rushing up to her, almost tooling her from her kneeling position.
"I left before they even started making this thing, I don't know where we would even start Stanley" she croaked out as Stan let out a frustrated scream throwing a punch into the ground and soon regretted it as he cradled his hand.
"I'VE ONLY JUST GOT HIM BACK" he collapsed into the dirt. Marianna held his shoulder squeezing it.
"We'll figure it out together Stan don't worry, w-well get him back” Marianna snivelled trying to convince herself more than him.
~*~
After a few hours of trying to get it started up again, Marianna managed to coax him upstairs to get some rest. She retreated to her room and found it was left the way she found it bar the clothes and keepsakes she took with her.
It felt like a lifetime she had last been in this room violently packing as Ford pleaded with her to stay. She shook the thought from her mind seeing the present on her bed had been opened and the card read.
She felt herself welling up once more and shot out of the room and down to where Stan had made camp.
“I'm sorry Stan, I can't sleep alone tonight” she sniffles as Stan takes his gaze away from the window and Ford’s glasses he was holding.
“I’m not fussed” he sighed looking back at the snow falling outside.
“Thanks, Stanley,” she snuggled in attempting to get some sleep while Stan lay awake on the couch pondering over everything that had just happened. He guessed he was grateful he wasn't in it alone this time. But then how long would it be until Marianna left him as well?
He looked out at the snow gently falling, sighing to himself wishing with every fibre of his body that this was just some bonkers dream and he was going to wake up back in his car freezing to death.