A/N So so sorry for the delay. I'm kinda dealing with...stuff lots of stuff which makes fanfiction low on the priority list. Also, this chapter has gone through a ton of rewrites and I'm still not sure I like it. I broke it into 2 parts, because the second part I'm still like, "Gaahhhhh this is terrible!" but I wanted to give you guys something to know that I'm still alive and haven't given up on it or anything. I love you guys and I hope you like this chapter better than I do! Thanks to everyone for reading this story and for all the favourites, follows and especially reviews, it really means a lot to me.
Enjoy!
It's funny, because even though Mabel had set out to talk to Ford and make things right, now that the time has come, Mabel doesn't know what to say or do. It doesn't help that she's convinced she's in trouble for being caught outside the vending machine looking like she was going to go down there even though she knows she's not supposed to. The worst part is, Ford's expression is so unreadable that she can't tell if he's mad or if he's in a forgiving mood or what. But he doesn't say anything, he just waits in silence as she catches her breath, riding the wave of pain that came from moving wrong after he startled her.
When the pain eases off enough for her to function again he asks, "Are you all right?"
Mabel cocks her head to the side in confusion, not really expecting that question from him, certain that this latest misunderstanding would send him over the edge. "Yeah," she replies awkwardly and shakily, "remind me not to make sudden movements like that until after I'm healed…oh man this hurts!"
"I'll bet," he muses with a voice that sounds surprisingly sympathetic considering she's convinced he's still mad at her.
"But I think the worst has passed now," she says. I should be good so long as I avoid any movement altogether that is… She braces herself, expecting Ford to scold her any moment.
"That's good," he nods, "but you really should be in bed resting, not…"
"I wasn't trying to sneak into the basement!"
It's Ford's turn to look confused. "I didn't think you were."
"Really?" she asks, "I thought…I thought you thought that I…"
Ford chuckles lightly, "After last night? I'd imagine that's the last thing you'd want to do."
Completely dumbfounded, Mabel ducks her head and nods.
"Come on," he says with a sigh, holding out his hand and silently urging her to take it. She looks at it like it might be a trap, but she takes his hand anyway and he pulls her towards him gingerly lifting her into his arms in one motion. "Did you take that painkiller I gave to Dipper to give you?"
She nods.
"Good," he says, "I wish I could do more, but the salve is only good with one application and that pill I gave you last night, well, it's from the other dimension and I don't have access to some of the main ingredients to make more, so I'm forced to use those sparingly, I hope you understand."
"Yeah," she murmurs, now surprised and humbled because he gave it to her despite the limited quantities, even after he thought he caught her snooping. But it still leaves her a little confused.
"Good thing that only one of those babies is all it takes to speed up the healing process, unfortunately it does little to treat the pain, and the second day is always the worst no matter how you treat an injury like that," he says, carrying her into the living room and setting her down on Stan's big comfortable chair. "But the most important thing is that you need to take it easy and rest, you're really not helping it do it's work if you're up and about and I know you must be feeling terrible."
"Yeah," she admits, "but it could be worse. That painkiller did help a lot."
"Glad to hear it," he smiles, "but I know it's not much."
Mabel shrugs, "Better than nothing, right?"
"Yes," Ford nods in agreement, "that's true. Can I see?"
"Um…yeah," she pulls her sweater up to give him access to the injury and he peels back the bandage to reveal a dark bruise surrounding the angry looking gash. She winces at the sight of what she could see in her field of vision, but Ford looks satisfied.
"Doesn't look much like it now, but the stuff I gave you is working," he grins, "but it probably won't really start feeling like it until tomorrow, but I imagine that in a day or two you'll be feeling more like yourself again. If I'm right and you cracked a rib, and I'm almost a hundred percent positive you have, an injury like that would normally take weeks to heal, but you should be back to full health in less than a week if all goes well and you take it easy."
"Thanks Grunkle Ford," Mabel gives him a smile, grateful for his help. She can't imagine feeling like she does now for weeks.
"Don't mention it," Ford says, putting the bandage back in place, "because of you, this place is safe from Bill. I can't stress enough how important that is, not just for this family, but for everyone."
Mabel wants to ask what it is that Bill wants, but she holds her tongue, feeling like she's walking on eggshells. He doesn't seem angry now, but she doesn't want to risk setting him off again. The last thing she needs to do is come across as nosy right now.
"I know that your quest yesterday had to come at a personal cost," he tells her. "Unicorns have a reputation for being frustrating, but that's because they know how to get under your skin, they know how to find your weaknesses and exploit them for their own personal entertainment. When you got back, I thought you managed to get by unscathed, physically and mentally, because you seemed so happy and victorious, but I see now that I was wrong. They did get to you, didn't they?"
"Well, you saw my side," she shrugs awkwardly, having a really good idea where he's going with this, "There's more shades of red and purple on my skin than there is in my closet—and that's saying something!" she jokes.
"I'm not just talking about that," he clarifies. There's a pause and Ford looks like he's struggling to come up with the right words to say. "Last night I had a little talk with Dipper and…it gave me something to think about…" he glances around the room, shifting on his feet awkwardly before he pulls up a chair and sits next to her. "Mabel, I…" he sighs, reaching to place his hand on her shoulder but hesitates and pulls his hand back. "You're a good person. You did something amazing for this family by going after that unicorn hair, you didn't have to, but you went anyway."
"Grunkle Ford," Mabel sighs, "I wanted to because…unicorns! I thought it would be fun and magical and everything I dreamed it would be. I didn't know that they'd turn out to be jerkfaces. It's hardly a selfless deed when you're too stupid to realize what you're getting into. I mean, yeah, I wanted to help protect the Shack from Bill, but if anything the whole quest was selfish of me…"
"Stop right there," Ford shushes her, "why would you think it was selfish?"
"Because…" she stammers, "because I wanted to meet the unicorns. If you said you needed slime from some slug monster, I doubt I would've been so eager to go."
"But you would've gone though?"
"If I had to I suppose I would…" she considers, "but I wouldn't like it. That kind of quest seems more up Dipper's alley, I think…or maybe not…"
Ford chuckles, "I guess we'll never know for sure, since we don't need slug monster slime, thank goodness."
"Yeah," she grins, "but I was happy to help. It actually meant a lot that I could help, that you'd…give me a chance and trust me with that."
There's an awkward pause for a moment before Ford sighs hesitantly, "Mabel…we need to talk about last night."
Mabel's breath hitches and she nods, "Yeah. Grunkle Ford…I'm…"
"I'm sorry," he cuts in, lowering his gaze guiltily.
"But…" Mabel stammers, surprised, "I'm the one who should be sorry!"
"No," he replies firmly, "you did nothing wrong. What happened last night, in the basement was all on me. I overreacted and I'm so sorry if I hurt you."
"But I should've known better than to be wandering around down there, but I wasn't trying to snoop or be nosy, honest. I just…I saw the picture of me and Dipper and I was so happy that you fixed it and kept it and…I wasn't thinking."
"Mabel, it's OK. I believe you," he says and when she gives him a questioning look, like she's not sure if he truly means it or not, he continues, "last night…I believed that you meant no harm but I admit I had a hard time believing that you weren't snooping, but then Dipper shed some light on our misunderstanding and I believe you now. Either way, I shouldn't have overreacted the way I did, a lot of it was because I was angry at myself for…well…" he hesitates, leaving a short but awkward pause.
"Trusting me?" Mabel guesses with a sad frown.
"What? No!" Ford exclaims, "Is that what you think?"
"But you don't trust me, do you?" Mabel asks, "It's OK, I get it though, I…"
"No, Mabel, no, you got it all wrong. The truth is that I was so angry with myself for being so paranoid that I would lash out the way I did, especially considering you got hurt helping to protect this family. I had been so foolishly afraid that I missed something and for a moment I worried that you might have been…well…Bill." He glances away from her, ashamed.
"Me?" she gapes incredulously and then she scoffs, "No way would I ever let that stupid, good for nothing, yellow, one-eyed jerk use me as a puppet! After what he did to Dipper, if I saw him again I would send that three-sided buttface back to where he came from!"
Ford seems taken aback by her angry resolve at first and then he smiles.
"Besides…" she continues, a little uncertain, "he can't get in here anymore…can he?"
"No, thanks to you, no. But there's been far too much history between us for me to just turn off that fear of him, even though I know this place is protected. It clouded my judgement and I just…I reacted. I never meant to be so harsh and I'm so, so sorry," he says.
"It's OK," Mabel reaches for him, placing her hand on his arm, "I'm sorry too."
"But you didn't do anything wrong," Ford insists.
Mabel shrugs, "Well…it feels like I did."
"Why would you think that?"
She thinks about it a moment. "Maybe it's nothing I did exactly, but…I don't know how to explain it. I just feel awful because I…well…I don't know." How do I tell you without hurting you how much I resent the fact that you're so close with Dipper but won't have anything to do with me…how this family was close and happy until you came along...? How a part of me selfishly wishes that I shut down the portal… "Because I don't like how things have changed since…since…"
"Since I got here?" he guesses when her voice fades and it's her turn to look away ashamed.
"I know it's not your fault and it's unfair of me to think that way but…yeah," she says quickly and regretfully.
There's a long silence and while she can't see him with her face turned away from him, she can hear him release a sigh and lean back.
"I'm sorry," Mabel says when the quiet becomes too much, "I just… don't get me wrong, I think it's great that you're here and I'm glad that you and Dipper get along and stuff. He's idolized you since before he knew who you were. I guess…I guess I'm just jealous. I know, it's stupid but…" she blinks, quickly wiping away a solitary tear, "I miss him."
"Dipper? But you see him every day."
"I know but…like I said it's stupid. We used to do stuff together all the time and now I barely see him because he's always with you. I feel kinda left out."
"I'm sorry," Ford says sincerely.
Mabel shrugs one shoulder dismissively, "Don't be. I realize now that I have no one to blame but myself."
"Why would you think that?"
"Because it's true. I think Dipper has started to see me for what I really am. I think that's why he's starting to distance himself from me, but he's just too nice to say anything."
"Mabel, whatever those unicorns said to you, please don't take it to heart…"
But she ignores him and continues, "The worst thing is that up until recently I sorta blamed you for it. It wasn't until you came along and started to spend time with him that he stopped trusting me. I get it though, because I haven't exactly been the best sister to him, but everything was fine between us until you came along and I resented you for it. And since you got here, I've started to worry that…"
"That what?" he asks when she pauses suddenly.
We'll grow up to become like you and Stan and that you two will never make up, she thinks but she doesn't say it out loud. Instead she wipes another tear from her eye and her chin quivers as she tries not to cry. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I know it was wrong of me to think that way, I shouldn't blame you for all the changes and stuff I don't like that have happened since you got here, but I couldn't help it! But now I know better and I'm so, so sorry!"
"Aw Mabel…" Ford sighs as she begins to sob, unable to hold it all in.
"Do…do you hate me now?" she asks meekly.
"No, Mabel I don't hate you, how could I hate a sweet and weird girl like you?" Ford shakes his head, gently stroking her hair, "I didn't realize you felt that way."
"I'm sorry. Like I said, it's not your fault. I should've done more to make you feel welcome and stuff, then maybe things would be different."
"Mabel, ever since I stepped through that portal, you have been nothing but warm and wonderful."
"Then why don't you want to have anything to do with me?"
Ford is taken aback, at a loss for words. After a moment of hesitation, he stammers, "That's not…that's not true…is it?"
"Feels like it," she admits, "I know I'm not into that nerdy science-y stuff you and Dipper like, at least not as much as you two. But…Dipper and me, we used to go on adventures together and people called us the Mystery Twins and I don't know, maybe I took that for granted because sometimes I would rather do my own thing with my friends but now he has you and I'm not even invited anymore."
"I didn't know that," Ford murmurs quietly, "No, that's not right. I think Dipper might've mentioned it but it never really registered…I never really thought…"
"Since you got here, you haven't once tried to get to know me," Mabel cries, feeling a hint of anger well up inside her, "but when I tried to get to know you, you'd always shut me down, why is that? What did I do?"
"Nothing…honey you didn't do anything…"
"Up until yesterday it was like I wasn't even there except the odd time you came out of the basement and I made you laugh, and maybe to you that's all I'm good for…"
"Oh Mabel th—"
"I was so surprised you included me yesterday that maybe I would've happily gathered slime from some slug monster if nothing else than to prove to you that you could trust me, that there's more to me than being some silly, stupid girl!" Now that Mabel's letting her feelings out, she can't seem to stop and as her hurt and anger makes its way to the surface she gets more animated and tugs at her injured side and she cries out in pain and doubles over, gingerly wrapping her arms around herself, sobbing. "Then maybe you'd accept me and include me once in a while and..."
Ford feels awkward, not knowing what to do to comfort the crying girl, knowing her pain is physical and emotional. He's done everything he can to help with her physical pain, but when it comes to the emotional, he's clueless.
"I suppose I didn't do much to help matters at all, did I?" Ford says finally, after a long pause where the only sound is that of Mabel crying.
"It's OK," she sniffs, wiping her nose with her sleeve, "I don't blame you, not anymore. I'm not as nice as I thought I was, I'm selfish and stupid and silly and I've taken Dipper for granted and without realizing it pushed him away and maybe you picked up on that somehow and that's why you don't trust…"
"No, you're wrong. Mabel, the thing is, it's not that I don't trust you, it's just that I've always had trust issues. Always. It's never personal and with a creature like Bill...he made me so paranoid, some days I can barely trust myself. See, I've never been really good with people. I was always awkward I never had many friends and while I may be a genius in many different areas, but when it comes to people skills? I can be pretty dumb sometimes. If anyone is taking anyone for granted it's me taking you for granted. I've been so consumed with work and I never took into consideration how you feel about all this. To be honest, people like you…are a little intimidating."
Mabel bristles, "People like me?"
"Popular, outgoing and cheerful, extroverted… people who aren't like me," Ford clarifies with a smile, "I mean that as a compliment."
"Thanks but…I'm not that popular," Mabel says.
"Really?" Ford seems genuinely surprised, "From what I see everyone loves you."
"I guess," she shrugs, "but not a lot of people have really tried to get to know me beyond what they see on the surface. Here I have friends and they're wonderful, the best friends I've ever had who like me for me but at home? People think I'm weird. I'm someone that people like to be around because I'm fun, but the moment I'm not the silly, fun, weird girl they expect me to be, they're gone. I don't really understand it. Sometimes I can be in a crowd of people, the center of attention but…deep down, sometimes I feel lonely."
"Maybe the people at home have made the same mistake I have by putting you in a box and making the same assumptions I have, and taking advantage of your easy going personality," Ford sighs, "I'm sorry about that, really I am. I want you to know that was never my intent."
"It's OK," Mabel says, "don't worry about it. Honestly, I think I'm just feeling sorry for myself."
"For the record, I like you Mabel. I have a lot of respect for you, had it since I met you," Ford explains, "I assumed that we were good, that you were fine with me taking Dipper under my wing…"
"And I am, honest I am but…"
"But," Ford cuts in, "It never occurred to me that you would feel left out because of it, nor did I realize that I was taking away something important to you by including Dipper and not you and occupying all his time to leave you by the wayside. That's on me. I didn't think you would even want to spend time with an old science nerd like me, I didn't even think about it at all. Not only that but I have so much work that I need to do, work that's paramount to protecting this world from Bill I had little intention of spending much time with anyone. Dipper is the exception because we have so much in common, he's so much like me when I was your age that we instantly clicked."
"And I'm glad you did."
"The other mistake I made was assuming that since you and Dipper are so different, you probably aren't that close…"
"Can't blame you, the way I've been teasing him lately…" Mabel frowns, "I feel so awful…"
"Mabel, siblings tease each other. From what I see there's no real malice behind it and I'm sure Dipper might get annoyed, but he won't think any less of you," Ford shrugs.
"But he even said that he wishes I didn't tease him so much, but I can't help it sometimes."
"I'm sure he teases you too, am I right?"
"Sometimes…" she concedes.
"Well, if you've ever taken anything too far, I'm quite certain you don't mean to and he certainly doesn't hold any grudge," Ford says, "and it doesn't make you a bad person either."
Mabel blinks and a tear falls down her cheek, "I can be such a jerk…"
"You and everyone else on this planet at some point or another," Ford waves her off dismissively, "maybe even the entire multiverse…so either we're all bad people or you're being way too hard on yourself. I might have made a few mistakes judging your character, assuming that a happy-go-lucky girl such as yourself would have too much going on in her social life to ever feel left out of anything, but I know for a fact that I'm not wrong when I say you're a good person. If I didn't think so I would've never agreed that you were the right for the job to getting that unicorn hair."
"Thanks…but…"
"If anyone's the jerk it's me."
"Nah," Mabel waves him off, "you're not a jerk. You obviously have some important stuff going on. Much more important than my petty feelings."
"Your feelings are important and valid," Ford argues, "I'm thinking maybe we just got off on the wrong foot, I made a lot of unfair judgements and assumptions about you. Nothing really negative, except for the effect it had on you, but I had figured we didn't have anything in common and was too consumed with my work to even consider…it's all lead to one big misunderstanding, I think."
"How would you know that we don't have anything in common?" Mabel asks, "We never really talked before."
"And that needs to end now," Ford nods his head decisively, "I propose a do-over."
"A do-over?" Mabel quirks an eyebrow, wondering what he's getting at as he holds out his hand invitingly.
"Hi, I'm Stanford Pines, your great uncle, but you can call me Ford."
Mabel looks at his hand and then reaches hers out with a stifled giggle, "OK. I'm Mabel, your great niece, but you can call me Mabel."
"Pleasure to meet you Mabel," he grins, shaking her hand. "Would you like to spend the afternoon with me?"
Mabel perks up, feeling her eyes well with tears, "Really?"
"Sure," he replies, "the house is safe from Bill thanks to you, and while he's still a threat, I don't think it will hurt to take the day off to spend it with you."
"That would be wonderful!" she exclaims, "What do you want to do?"
"Well, considering you're injured, it shouldn't be too strenuous, because you need to rest if you're to heal, but whatever you'd like," Ford offers. "It's up to you."
Mabel thinks a moment and then grins, "Actually, I have an idea. You said you don't think we have anything in common? Well I say we do have at least one thing in common. Well, I know what we can do and it's something I think we'll both enjoy."
"All right, I'm listening. What do you want to do?"
Mabel's smile widens.
A/N Thanks for reading, please leave a review and let me know what you think! Conclusion and maybe, maybe an epilogue should be up soon (fingers crossed).
Also, I hope you'll check out a story I posted a while back called "Life is Good" if you haven't already. It's a complete one shot and features some Stan and Mabel h/c and fluff and a little bit of an exploration into Stan's character. It didn't quite get the traffic I was hoping for but if you're interested please check it out and leave a review! I like any kind of comment, criticism or insight you might have, it would really make me happy. You guys are awesome!