Rule Of Three

She first met them back in high school in 1971, a year consisting completely of odd numbers. It was through pure coincidence that the brothers came across her, they would never have said a word to each other otherwise. They never hung around the same places, they didn't cross paths on the way to classes; they never would have even known they went to the same school together. She was a freshman, just starting to feel comfortable with her newcomer status, and they were seniors.

Though under poor circumstances, she remembered the exact moment they met and what had transpired beforehand. She recalled Ford was the one who spoke up first and Stanley was the one who moved into action first.

xx

She got held up on the weekend. The thug demanded all her valuables, her jewelry and her bag. It must have been a bad day for him or else he had completely run out of luck. There was a tiny hole in each earlobe that indicated she did wear earrings but they were empty that day. All that was in her handbag was a coin purse, a bobby pin and a stick of taffy. All worthless- She didn't even have any money on her. The coin purse was empty because she bought the stick of taffy.

That wasn't something she was planning on telling her assailant though.

He already made a grand spectacle of pressing her against the brick wall and holding his cheap, drugstore knife against her back neck. The point felt almost like a tickle against her skin.

"Let her go!" A voice yelled so suddenly that it startled both of them. Luckily, the knife was dull enough that it allowed her to remain unharmed as they both jumped at the sound of the newcomer. She couldn't see who had just interfered because they were standing in the direction she wasn't facing. Was it a cop or just a passerby? After that, things happened so quickly.

She was shoved to the ground and her handbag was ripped roughly from her arms. The goon tried to run with it, and the force that was exerted dragged her along with him. She was involuntarily dragged across the sidewalk as the strap wouldn't release from her arm. It snapped in half after what felt like a millennium, but was really only mere seconds. Another set of footsteps rushed passed her head; someone was chasing down her attacker. It wasn't immensely concerning since the knife was unlikely to do much damage if the person couldn't fight him off. Still, she was humbled that someone would pursue a thug so boldly.

A boy with a nice frame and thick black glasses stepped up beside her, peering down at her curiously.

"Are you hurt?"

More than worried, he sounded dazed. A six-fingered hand was suddenly in her peripheral vision leading up to a comforting smile. The oddity came as a surprise, but she could hardly express it due to the trauma which she had just dealt with.

At first, she couldn't muster any kind of noise from her mouth. She was still rattled but her nerves were beginning to settle down some, and the adrenaline rush was beginning to die out. When she was able to utter a sound, the voice that came out trembled.

"I scraped myself a little."

Her hands, arms, and knees were red from pavement burn. They both hissed, looking at the angry scratches. She forwent his outstretched hand but smiled up in politeness, tucking her hands behind her back. It wasn't a pretty sight, she already felt a bit embarrassed of her ungraceful display in front of the handsome boy. It couldn't have been helped, but she did wish they met under more refined circumstances.

He didn't look angered that she rejected his hand, more like disappointed by it. In a flash, his expression morphed into sheepishness and his hand was retracted quickly; almost as fast as it had been offered. She figured he must have thought she dismissed him because of the extra digit and she hurried to explained herself. "I think that would hurt me more than help me right now."

He nodded to show that he understood.

"You could probably use some erythromycin more than a helping hand."

Her puzzled expression made him feel obligated to clarify. "Antibiotics, so your wounds don't get infected."

Still, filling the role of a gentleman, he went to help her up. His arms went underneath her armpits and hoisted her upright. When a second boy came running back, red faced and sweating with her purse in his hand, they'd just barely separated. The second boy cracked a grin at the one behind her and smugly held up the brown bag he'd retrieved.

Checking out the two boys beside each other, it was very apparent they were related. They were indefinitely twins yet they both held themselves differently. Both boys stood confident- one radiating with keen intellect and the other unruffled in a streetwise manner. She turned to the new arrival and gently loped the strap of her handbag around her arm so it wouldn't have to touch her hands. The second brother noticed the scrapes and hissed very much in the same fashion his twin had just moments earlier. "You want me to get somethin' for that?" He mumbled.

"I'm on my way home anyway. I'll treat it once I get there." She was relieved that he was unharmed after his heroic stunt. She didn't care what he had done to the mugger, he probably deserved a black eye. She was just touched that the boy chased him down to reclaim her purse. "Thank you for getting this back."

"S'okay. Happened once before."

"To you?" she grinned.

"It wasn't my purse!" he said, chortling. His voice was coarse and almost a stark comparison to his brother's.

They introduced themselves as Stanley and Stanford Pines and the twins insisted on walking her to her destination. During their walk, she discovered they all attended the same high school. They were in their fourth year so it was no wonder she hadn't seen them around.

Once they arrived, she invited them in for tea. Introductions were thrown around once again as she explained the situation to her parents who thanked the boys profusely and insisted they come back for dinner that week. She was embarrassed of their over-dramatic gratitude but pleased they liked the boys. They left the three in the solitude of the kitchen afterwards. Ford offered to boil the water as she went to fetch the first aid kit from the bathroom. The door was left open and upon noticing she had trouble getting the box open, Ford hurried over to assist. He was very cautious with touching her injuries but jerked accidentally when the kettle began whistling. It was only momentary as Stanley ran to take it off the element before her parents could.

Instead of having tea by themselves in the kitchen, the three teenagers joined her parents in the living room for a conversation. It made her blush listening Stanford debate with her father, he was very refined when addressing her parents. And although Stanley was equally as civil, his blunt way of talking seemed to nullify the polite intention.

Afterwards, her family wished the twins safety on their walk home. As they were leaving her front yard, she expressed her thanks once again and told them she'd keep an eye out for them at school on Monday.

xx

They didn't hang out as a collective after that, she still had her own friends and the twins still had each other. However, she had begun purposely looking for them her on her way to classes, during lunch, and after school had ended. Soon they got comfortable with aligning their schedules and fell into a casual pattern in which they would cross paths.

The next week, she baked them treats in home economics. It wasn't noticeable that Ford's had just the slightest more effort put into the oatmeal cookies.

It was easy to talk to them and they were fast becoming friends. Sometimes they'd hang around once school let out to talk about their day. She was enraptured with the ideas Stanford came up with for projects. Not only were they brilliant plans, but he could actually carry them out, making them into something real and not just overly imaginative schemes. He was shy at first, but warmed up quickly once he realized she truly was invested with what he had to say.

By the time graduation rolled along, the three of them had become close enough to go for the occasional bite to eat or to take in a show. Stanford told her his plans on advancing his schooling. He was so passionate about his choice that she didn't even think to consider how Stanley must have felt about it.

Then came the turning point.

She was crestfallen when Stanford told her Stanley had gotten kicked out by their father.

She didn't cry over the news. It wasn't that she wasn't upset he was gone but she still hadn't know him well enough to get attached. All her efforts went to getting to know Ford and she regretted not sparing a little more time for Stanley. If she had, maybe he would've come to her for help or maybe he would've at least said goodbye. She knew she just lost a friend and it was a shock that made her feel hollow inside.

Rather than dwell on her own feelings about the matter, she felt bad for Stanford. He went to a second-rate university as per result and sulked about it for a little while. She was constantly there for him, always ready to help in case he wanted to talk about Stanley, but he never seemed to need it. He kept his mind off it easily by working harder in his classes.

xx

When it came time for her own graduation, she hadn't gone to Backupsmore University, but instead a small state college. She cleaned dishes and worked the kitchen at the local greasy spoon part time. It was enough pay for her to rent out a one room apartment. It wasn't much of a living space but she wasn't unhappy. She planned to go into nursing and maybe become a nursemaid in the future. Competition was tough, but she managed well enough the first year.

Keeping in touch with Ford was a given. Every weekend he was allowed visitors and since she didn't have a license and couldn't afford a car, she'd peddle her little run down bicycle to his school, where they'd sit in his dorm room and converse throughout the night. Their usual conversations included his studies, her studies and the antics of any new friends they'd made.

She worried that one day he would announce he found someone. The thought filled her with dread and caused a couple of sleepless nights. He would find someone who would be smarter than her and able to keep up during the debates he enjoyed so much. As the year went on, the likelihood that he would even consider dating seemed small and her fear dwindled. Stanford hadn't fallen for anyone in the previous years he spent at the university, it didn't seem like it would change that year either.

She had asked him the question lingering in her head one day while they were sitting in his room. He was furiously scribbling away in a notebook FILLED with dog eared pages. "Haven't you ever shown interest in someone before?"

His head was still bent over his desk, bobbing along as his eyes followed his pencil. He didn't even glance up as he answered her. "Yes, and she threw her drink on me during our spring fling." The way he replied so casually made her heart ache, what could he have said to turn someone off? It was more likely something he hadn't said or something he hadn't done. She could see him missing out on a birthday or two due to his studious nature.

"I can't imagine someone thinking you a cad." her voice quiet.

"It wasn't so bad, Stanley drenched himself shortly after and we shared a laugh." He went silent after admitting it and she didn't know how to reply.

xx

It took four long years of gathering up courage but she finally voiced her feelings towards Stanford. She buckled down and asked him if he wanted to go on a date with her, a real date. Her words were chosen carefully the night before and she would never admit it, not in a million years, but she had even rehearsed her lines and facial expressions in front of her mirror.

A tense air hovered over them. Their eyes met twice, but they averted their gazes quickly in embarrassment both times. Once the spell was broken he seemed genuinely surprised. "Me? Why me?"

His response was almost laughable but she fought to keep her voice steady. "A genius couldn't figure out a girl liked him?"

Both of them felt their cheeks heat up, Stanford was red all from his neck to the tips of his ears. Another awkward and heavy silence filled the room for the second time that day. It was so quiet that she was even afraid to breathe for fear of the noise the intake might make.

"But... you're an attractive female, I'm sure you could do better than me."

She shook her head and kept her eyes averted. "I've always liked you. It started the day you and Stanley," Without meaning to, her voice dropped upon saying his name. "saved me from that street thief. My feelings only grew from then on."

He seemed to take this into consideration and she was left with another uncomfortable and dragged out silence.

"I haven't thought about the way I feel for you. If it's reasonable, I'd like to experience what it's like being together. I'm not sure how this will turn out for either of us but if you don't mind being with a recluse.. I'm willing to give it a try."

Air filled her lungs again and relief flooded through her. It was impossible to keep the grin that was splitting her lips hidden. Ford smiled shyly at her and reached out to hold her hand in assurance.

Their dates were mostly spent away from society; A private book club in which they were the only members, an expedition in search of abnormalities, homemade breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. They went to the Gravity Falls museum of history so many times they could quote each description plate in front of the exhibits. While it may have seemed mundane to anyone else, she was just happy that they were together.

xx

This worked for them for a few years until something changed in Ford, the reason unbeknownst to her.

Everything went downhill over the course of a single year. Her classes got tougher and more competitive and she couldn't study enough to keep up. She crammed whenever she could: in between work, during her breaks, and even during meals. It was halfway into the second semester that she figured she was doing so poorly the only option left was to drop out. It was effort wasted on something she wouldn't be able to achieve without the help of a tutor. She knew she wouldn't be able afford one with the rent slowly increasing on her apartment. The only person she could think to ask for advice was Ford but he had been too preoccupied to help her lately and she was too afraid to ask for fear of interfering with his work.

She got stood up often and it bothered her more than she let on. The first few times he was sweet and apologetic the next day. He made up for his no show appearances in little ways that proved he still cared. But Ford had gotten so used to flaking out that eventually he stopped apologizing for it, he took advantage of her soft spoken nature without even knowing.

That day, she'd made the trek to his house in the secluded acres of the forest. She planned to make a quick stop at the employment center to pick up an extra job and treat him to lunch afterwards to at least give him a normal meal for once. She knew he wasn't eating properly because she saw a half-eaten tin of beans sitting by the sink one day and the week after, it was still there.

"Ford, will you come with me to the employment agency?" She was hesitant to ask but she needed the emotional support, her fictive tower of hopes and happiness had slowly begun to crumble. "We can stop by the diner after, it's been a while since we've spent time together."

"I'm working on something vital to humanity at the moment. Can we take a rain check?" His flippancy hurt so much that she didn't realize her nails were digging painfully into her clenched fists.

The thought of breaking up never crossed her mind, he was going through a rough period, just as she was and even though the rational part of her knew she couldn't rely on him anymore, she hoped she could again one day. And while she waited, she would be there to support him if he needed it.

He had brushed off all her advances and neglected telling her much about anything. She'd seen the giant contraption in the secret basement but he never told her what it was for. It was a big clunky scrap triangle and she realized it resembled the ugly triangles that plagued him so relentlessly.

He had fallen into a deep obsession of something she knew nothing about. Her suspicions led to believing it was a radical cult or religious practice of some kind, for the triangular symbols he had begun accumulating seemed to litter his entire house. The way he spoke so fondly of a greater power scared her.

She told herself to have patience. This was what he worked so hard for. No one could blame her for breaking down every once in a while. She felt unloved, he was neglecting her and everyone around him. She worried that he lost his only friend when Fiddleford hadn't been back in weeks.

When she found out he'd disappeared one night, she cried like she was a child again. The shock of actually seeing Stanley there, in front of her again, was worn off by the events that had just occurred simultaneously. She'd only come down to talk to Ford and bring him a thermos of soup. Instead she caught the last few seconds of Ford disappearing into his years work.

"STANFORD?!"

The entire mechanism faded as the light died out. The thermos slipped from her hands as her knees threatened to give out and she tried to stay upright.

"I don't understand, where did he go?" She blubbered, clutching her arms tightly to her body.

Stanley was still staring at the gateway which Ford disappeared into but he peered over his shoulder at her once he heard her wails grow in volume. His voice was gentle but wracked with guilt.

"I'm sorry, it should have been me."

Angel Baby - Rosie & The Originals

It's Really Love - Annette Funicello

Que Sera Sera - Doris Day

Beta reader: My best friend, AngstyViolinist22