Author's note: Still looking for the right line to follow a good plot. Let's see how this one works…

1. Before the Fall

There was an old record playing. He knew the song well. It was so appropriate for that night in particular. "Devil's gonna git you" in the marvelous voice of Bessie Smith taking him back to the quiet life in California that he once had. So beautiful but so it was what stood before him, all the members he had been able to gather in the past months. They all have been talking the matter over the night and with the first lights, a decision was taken, plans were made and a hideout was chosen. He still had his doubts but it was the only thing they could do to prevent the disaster. And yet, somewhere deep down his mind, he wished for a different outcome. A way to save the only man he had come to call 'friend'. But a whole dimension was at stake and sentiment had to be ruled out.

They kept watch over the Shack and its only inhabitant for day, weeks and saw him slowly falling into insanity. The brilliant scientist was becoming a prisoner of his own home, his mind and paranoia. He did saw them in their cloaks but he never made the connection. He did send a postcard and it was then when they decided that they had to take action.

A snow storm was falling. The Shack stood quietly in the middle of the forest, covered with a white blanket. A lonely figure crossed the distance between the road and the cot stopping at the very door. A knock on the door and not two seconds after, a crossbow appeared right in front of the visitor. Stanford Pines had finally reached the peak of his paranoia and the stranger knew it.

"Who is it? Have you come to steal my eyes?" he yelled.

"Boy, I can always count on you for a warm welcome" snorted the traveler and the scientist lowered his weapon, a still unsure since the man hadn't taken off his hood. But it had to be Stan, nobody could cross a storm like that just to see him. "You haven't changed much, Sixer. That's good" wait! That voice. Could that be…? Stanford pulled the man inside the shack and took down the hood with an impatient movement.

"Fi… Fids? But I thought you…" was a that another trick pulled by Bill Cipher?

"Forgot? Small change in plans, old friend" this only made Ford shine a flashlight on his pupils making the other scientist wince. "Hey! I said I was glad to see you. What's this about?"

"Uh? No, nothing. Come in, come in" the six-fingered man walked inside and Fiddleford glanced around. The place hadn't changed much since his last visit. His old colleague seemed uneasy about something.

"You ok, Sixer?"

"I was expecting my brother. I summoned him here" Ford rubbed his tired eyes. "Is not that, well… I'm surprised to see you, Fids, and happy but I was hoping to see Stanley. We have things to talk about"

"I thought you two had a fight"

"We did but I still worry about him. He's my twin, after all, and I'm the eldest. I have to make sure he's safe. I'll talk to him and then, well, I dunno. You're probably still mad at me and I can't blame you" the Jersey man leaned on his table filled of books and notes.

"… Did you run the last test, Ford? Is the portal still active?" Fiddleford walked slowly towards him, touching the Memory Gun in his pocket.

"No" a long silence followed.

"What?" the engineer's fingers lifted from the gun.

"I shut it down" he turned to face his colleague. "You were right, Fids. You were right all along and I didn't listen. I don't deserve your forgiveness or my grant. I'm a fraud"

"You're not a fraud, Sixer. You got carried away and I understand"

"I wish I could make it up to ya. Once I'm done talking with Stan, I'll begin with dismantling the portal and I could use some help"

"…" Fiddleford then noticed the red covered book with the golden six fingers. It was number one. "Ford, where are the others?"

"I hid them away"

"Oh, and this one?"

"It will soon be crossing the ocean in the hands of my brother. No one will lay eyes on my work" Ford picked it up. McGucket put again his hand in his pockets to find a small object hidden inside. "That's decided. Once we are finished with the portal, I might move away from here. Who knows, I might go back to the Uni" the Jersey man sighed and looked at his watch. "That's strange. Stanley should be here by now"

"There's a large blizzard out there. Is hard to move about" they both looked through the window.

"You don't know Stanley like do"

"So it seems" Fiddleford felt the glass in his pocket. "Ford, have you thought about going back to New Jersey?"

"No. I don't want to spend the rest of my life in my father's pawn shop" he snorted. A figure appeared through the woods. The six-fingered man ran to the door while Fiddleford was making sure that his plan b was ready to take action. For a few seconds, he thought his old colleague was back, the wise and caring man he once knew but now he was certain. That man was long gone. After a few seconds, he could hear the two brothers talking. Fiddleford's group was outside waiting. The engineer shone a little light and his team started moving towards the door while he handled the delicate part. "Perhaps later, Lee. Right now, we got things to do. My colleague, Fiddleford, has come to help me with some unfinished business but before that, there's something I have to show you. Something you won't believe" Ford crossed the room and Fiddleford had his part glance of Stanley Pines. Twins, indeed. Similar yet slightly different, or in technical terms, monozygotic twins. They were identical in appearance but he could tell Stan was broader than Ford and the way they carried themselves was different. These twins were once fancy paranormal figure. No wonder they attracted other abnormalities.

"Look, I've been around the world, okay? Whatever it is, I'll understand"

"…" Ford glanced at his colleague who nodded and followed them both downstairs. Once in the basement, they faced the portal and Stanley was breathless.

"There is nothing about this I understand" the con artist admitted.

"It's a trans-universal gateway, a punched hole through a weak spot in our dimension. I created it to unlock the mysteries of the universe. But it could just as easily be harnessed for terrible destruction. That's why I shut it down and hid my journals, which explained how to operate it. There's only one journal left. And you are the only person I can trust to take it" that comment made Stan smile and Fiddleford stifled a grunt.

"Even more than your science buddy?" Stanley turned towards the engineer.

"Fids and I are colleagues, Lee. You are family"

"Ok, so you want me to have this and do what?" the con man blinked.

"He wants you to leave him alone, just like he has done with everybody else" said Fiddleford before Ford could reply. "I thought you wanted to do things right, Sixer" McGucket frowned.

"And I do. What's gotten into you, Fids?"

"You are giving away your life's work to someone who can hardly tell a trout from a shock"

"HEY!" Stanley angrily faced Fiddleford. The engineer tried not to look scared. "And just who do you think you are, pal? You are no better than me" Lee was ready to punch the lights out of him but Ford held him back. "Why are you standing up for him, pointdexter? He just called you an idiot"

"Ley, please. I'm sure there's a reason behind all this"

"I'll tell you the reason. This guy's jealous"

"Suure. You are giving away the future of your investigations, Stanford. And to who? A caveman who ruined your life and who will sell that journal for a new brain because his twin got both while you were in your mother's womb"

"One more word and I'll skin you, you smarty pants"

"Your brother was right. He does not deserve you. He deserves way better than a mindless piece of meat"

"That's it!" Stanley pulled hard enough to break free. Ford had no choice but to step between them, receiving the powerful blow that made him fall into the ground. His whole face became a ball of pins and needles as the pain ran over his whole skull. Ford's brain ached and twisted. His twin instantly kneeled by his side. "SIXER! You ok?" Stanley was careful not to touch. "Am sorry, Six. I…"

"…" Stanford said nothing. He understood. His twin and his colleague helped him up into his feet. A small pinch in the neck made him blink. The world was still woozy around him.

"You should lie down, Ford. It's getting late. And your brother should be on his way with that book if you really want him to get rid of it" grumbled Fiddleford and Stanley stared at them both.

"You're not going to send me away, are you? He was just bluffing, right?"

"…"Ford said nothing. His jaw was pulsing in pain and he was beginning to feel lightheaded.

"Sixer? He is just joking, right? You called me so I could stay, right? To help you"

"…" again nothing.

"Ford? Stanford?" the twins exchange glances. "No. No, no, no! NO! I'm not leaving you here on your own with this piece of runt, you hear me? I just got here!"

"Stanley… please… understand"

"Understand what? That you want to get rid of that book and get rid of me?"

"No… never"

"You are still mad after ten years! For a stupid mistake!"

"Ruined… my… life…"

"I didn't mean to and you know it! I've been in prison, living in a car, starving, haunted… RAPED! Stashed in a car trunk, Stanford! I was ALONE!" these words made the scientist open his eyes wide. His little brother, his twin, his own flesh fending for himself in a cruel world and getting beaten time after time. And all because he cared more about some university. Stanford looked down in shame. How could he leave his little brother alone in the hands of such monsters? "I came because you are my brother, my twin. We were once the best team ever. You were my last hope!"

"…"

"Why do you torture him so?" growled Fiddleford.

"Can it, IQ!"

"You cost him his future!"

"And you want to take away his present!" Stanley was ready to punch the engineer this time when he saw his brother grabbing his arm with the little strength he had left.

"I… sorry" whispered Ford.

"What?"

"Sorry" Ford muttered. He could feel his body going numb and his brain shutting down but before that, he looked up and gave out a smile for his brother. "S… Stan… ley" Ford closed his eyes. He fell as gently as a tree falls. Stan caught him softly between his arms.

"Stanford? Stanford! C'mon, Sixer! Wake up! I just got you back, c'mon!" the brother shook him but the man remained motionless. "Don't leave me hanging. High six?" a shadow posed behind him and the whole world became dark. Both brothers stood motionless on the ground while McGucket and the rest of the Blind Eye looked at them. Ivan was smiling and in seconds, he was pointing his Memory Gun towards them but the leader's hand stood in his way.

"We should get rid of them both. They know too much and you said it yourself, the six-fingered one has links with that demon"

"Aye, Ford has a link with the one-eyed beast but we must not harm'im. We don't want the demon's attention, do we?" he turned towards his allies and they nodded. "As long as we can find a way to keep them both away from Gravity Falls, it will be enough" Fiddleford gently touched Ford's cheek. "I have ways to do that and without over-using our invention. We will make the Pines happy again but far from this accursed place" they went upstairs and set the twins on a corner. Fiddleford looked through the documentation until he found what he was looking for, a small file. "This will do. And as for lil'Stan, perhaps there's a way to get him back to New Jersey. But all in good time. Let's make sure first that the horror down stairs will remain shut down and as for these two…" McGucket typed in the gun and fired two shots that shone like two dying starts. "They will never know what have done here" Fiddleford smiled as one of his allies gave him the journal. "This will stay for safe keeping while we look for the other two" he stared at the twins. "I'm beginning to understand why that devil likes you so much, Sixer. And for that reason, you and your brother will never set a foot in Gravity Falls"

GF

It felt cold, wet. He no longer knew for long he had been inside the dark depths of his brain but apparently, it was longer than what his brain kept on telling him. His memories were hazy, too blurry to make out anything. Or at least, for a few minutes until he found himself in that void filled with books, parchments, blueprints and chess pieces where he first met his Muse. Stanford thought he would never see this place again and almost wish for it. He looked around with misery. He was again in the hands of the most despicable of all creatures, one that he once believed to be his friend.

"Well, well, well, well" the unmistakable triangle figure appeared before him with a smug on his only eye. "If it isn't my old pal. Sixer, my boy! I thought you would never come back!"

"Bill Cipher… I'm not here because I want to, you yellow creep!"

"Yeah, I guessed that much. Boy, sure your buddy Fiddlesticks knows how to make a mess! I just checked inside your melon and is Waterloo in there" he knocked the side of the scientist's head.

"Wait, what?"

"Remember that nice gun that can wipe your brain clean? He just used it with you. Not as much as I would like to but he did. The Banjo Man is now officially a man! Sort of speaking" the demon laughed. "You and your brother are on your way back home, kid"

"WHAT? If this is one of your tricks, Bill…!"

"Hahahahahahahaha! I wish. But no, this is all your old buddy's doing. You know? It really has taken me by surprise. He thinks he has saved the world and so on and so forth. He can be really babe in arms when he wants to" the triangle demon made a chair appear. "Fidsticks has dismantled the portal and took away your journal, IQ! He thinks that by doing so, I will stay away. And he's right, in a sense, but not so much"

"You still can make it into our world"

"As sharp as ever, Fordsie. You should pick your friends more carefully"

"Indeed" he glared at Bill. "Why have you brought me here?"

"I just wanted to have a good look at you before we part ways, Sixer. You'll see me again, that's a promise but I'll let you out of the hook for now"

"Uh, why?"

"Cuz right now you're useless to me. Thanks to Fidsticks, I can get anything from you at the moment so I'll let you walk this once. But know this, I'll be watching"

"Why would Fiddleford come to this? Is not like him"

"Believe me, it is" they both went quiet. "You know what? I'll let you into a little secret, Fordsie. I'm a big fan of that human tale of the living puppet. I was hoping you could be the one for me but you're getting too old, IQ. I need something fresh and since you like playing the talking bug, I'll let you choose my next toy"

"You're insane if you think I'll help you picking your next victim!"

"You'll do it one way or another, Sixer. But have it your way, call me from the East Coast, I have a crave for pork rolls"

"Humph" the scientist frowned and the world shook around them. "Hu? What's happening?"

"You're waking up, big boy. Someone's calling you" the world began to fade. "Well, so long, Six Fingers. Send me your best puppet!" Bill cackled and Ford felt like he was about to be crushed but when he opened his eyes, he was surprised to find himself in a clear room. The demon's laughter was really the heartbeat monitor and the voices of the background were nurses and doctors talking. He was in a hospital and dozing next to him was Stanley, who has holding his hand. The previous events were hazy in his mind but if what Bill said was true, then all he once hold dear were gone. Or at least everything that had been his life for the past years. Stanley was by his side and even if he was still mad at him for the project incident, at least they were together. And that meant that they still had a fighting chance. Although he kept asking himself why was he now useless to Bill, what did he meant? And why mention Pinocchio? With this questions in his head, he went back to sleep.

This is an alternate version of my fic "Perfect Falls".

A little darker but I'll try to keep the humor of the original.

Thanks for reading and please leave a review!

Thank you!