A young girl, no older than twelve, was gazing up at the ceiling of the room she shared with her twin brother. She was plagued by the all-too-familiar feeling of fear. Fears of her family falling apart, fears of losing her brother over a mistake that would set their relationship back over forty years. Much like what had gone down between their two great uncles.

Mabel Pines, a girl who was well-known for her creative mind and kind temperament, was currently without a smile. The only expression that could be seen was one of deep sadness, which didn't belong on a face so innocent, nor in a heart so sweet. But within the depths of those hazel eyes, conveyed all too clear of what she was truly feeling. A complex mesh of emotions that was presently keeping her from having peace of mind. They manifested themselves into thoughts and even nightmares of the potential future surrounding her divided family.

A lot of it focused on the distance that was growing between her and Dipper. Of how it could easily culminate into four decades of estrangement if they weren't careful. Then there was the obvious tension between her Grunkle Stan and Grunkle Ford, which was caused by mutual stupidity, as well as an inability to talk things out and rectify the mistakes of their past. But Mabel refused to dwell on a situation that couldn't be resolved by simple platitudes or a warm embrace. No, she could only focus on what it spelled out for her and Dipper's current relationship.

For one, there was the occasional selfishness that often impaired her ability to do right by her twin, fuelled by an inane desire to have a proper summer romance. While this has built quite a rift between them in the past, it wasn't the only issue they had. There was also the fact that Dipper was in a hurry to grow up; whereas Mabel wanted to cherish her childhood for as long as she possibly could. She couldn't stand the inevitability that she would become an adult; separating from the person she cherished more than all the colorful sprinkles and cute pigs in the world. It was no secret that she considered Dipper to be one of her best friends, aside from Candy and Grenda. But now, with these new developments tarnishing the bond of their normally tight-knit family, Mabel worried that her and Dipper wouldn't remain that way for much longer.

There were the little things that was becoming more apparent to her. Such as the bond Dipper had developed with their Grunkle Ford, brought on by how similar they were in personality and mindset. Of course, it would only be natural for her brother to find a kindred spirit in their new relative, and Mabel was genuinely happy for him. Still, there was the more irrational, selfish part that coaxed much darker thoughts into the realm of her mind. That what Dipper and Ford had together would ultimately get between the familial love they had for their respective siblings. But there was also the more optimistic side of her that quelled these fears, assuring her that everything would be okay. Just because Dipper had found a new companion in Ford, didn't mean that their own relationship would suffer. She could allow herself to more supportive and considerate of her twin's feelings, something which she had neglected to do in the past. She could allow Dipper the happiness he rightfully deserved, because Mabel knew that if she didn't, she would lose him. Possibly forever.

With that in mind, Mabel felt that she needed to show Dipper and Ford just how much she really cared about them, in order to recompense for her past and current selfishness toward them and their newfound friendship. As well as to sooth her own troubled heart and reassure herself that they would eventually forgive her.

So she climbed out of her bed and wandered over to the side of the loft that her sibling currently occupied. Mabel gazed upon his slumbering form, smiling at how peaceful he looked. Slowly, she leaned down to press her lips against Dipper's cheek, a chaste fraternal kiss, before drawing back with a soft, resounding smack. Then, as she stood, Mabel gently touched her fingers to her brother's face, her voice soft and apologetic as she spoke.

"Sweet dreams, Dipping-sauce. I hope you can forgive me for how stupid I've been to you. I love you, bro-bro."

With one last parting kiss to her little brother's forehead, Mabel made her way out of their shared room, in search of one Stanford Pines. As she crept down the stairs, however, Mabel noticed a light emanating from the kitchen. She raised an inquisitive brow, wondering if Grunkle Stan was still up and about. She knew how upset he was about Ford, being that they were once as close as peanut butter and jelly. But now they couldn't even be in the same room without having some sort of argument. Which basically eradicated any chance they had of restoring their brotherhood back to its original prime. Mabel had stayed super close to her uncle during this difficult time, knowing that he missed his brother terribly, and tried her best to cheer him up. But she knew that until him and Ford stopped being so stubborn and evasive, and actually talked to each other like rational adults, there wasn't a whole lot she could do. Nevertheless, it didn't deter her from at least attempting to make him smile. So she trekked through the hallway leading towards their kitchen; preparing to console her uncle with a hug as well as some of her patented Mabel Juice.

What greeted her in place of her Grunkle Stan stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Grunkle Ford?"

In the flesh, was the ever elusive Stanford Pines, sitting at their kitchen table. He was currently poring over the pages of a large physics textbook, not noticing her at first. But when she called out to him again, a little louder this time, he finally raised his head.

"Mabel?" he said, his voice expressing a great deal of surprise while his face took on a more stern expression. "What are you doing up? You should be in bed."

Mabel took on a more sheepish stance as she approached her great uncle, rubbing the back of her head nervously. "Yeah, I know. But I actually came down to talk to you . . . if you aren't too busy, that is."

Upon hearing these words, Ford's face immediately softened. He could now clearly see that there was something irking his young niece, and felt compelled to find out what the problem was. So, with a warm smile, he held out an arm towards her.

At first, Mabel was a little hesitant to accept this new gesture of affection. With what little interaction Stan had allowed them to have, she could tell Stanford had taken a great liking towards her. Because she was, as he had put it, 'weird'. But aside from shaking hands during their first encounter, neither of them had initiated any physical contact towards each other. It wasn't that Mabel didn't have a desire to become closer with the new addition to their family. In fact, she loved the idea of being able to bond with Ford. Just like her brother had.

So what was stopping her?

Mind made up, Mabel decided to accept Ford's invitation and made her towards where he was sitting. She waited as her great uncle carefully gathered her into his arms and placed her onto his lap. Mabel smiled as she looked up at him, an expression which he returned wholeheartedly.

"What's on your mind, kiddo?" he asked softly, using his fingers to gently brush the hair away from her forehead.

The smile on her face evaporated faster than water on the sun upon this inquisition. Mabel looked down and played with the hem of her nightgown as she replied. "I-I wanted to apologize for how I've been acting towards you and Dipper."

Ford looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, how stupid and selfish I've been to you guys." He could hear her voice beginning to waver as she prattled on. "It's just . . . you and Dipper have gotten so close, and he doesn't really wanna hang out with me anymore. I am happy that he's found someone he can relate to, but he's become a lot more distant. Though, with how I've been treating him lately, I don't really blame him. He's always been there for me, but I've never really been there for him. All I've cared about since I got here was having a stupid summer romance. And now . . ." Here, Mabel raised her head, and Ford instantly felt a tug on his heartstrings as he noticed the tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm afraid I'm going to lose my best friend . . ."

Then she promptly buried her face into the warm fabric of his sweater and began to cry. A look of gentle sympathy crossed over Ford's features, his heart going out to his distressed niece. He instinctively placed his arms around her, holding her as if she were one of the most precious things in the entire universe. Which in his case, was true. Both her and Dipper were so bright and weird and wonderful. And in their short time together, he had grown to care for the children immensely. Now that he found how much he hated to see Mabel upset, Ford vowed right then to do whatever it took to bring that sweet smile back to her face.

"Shh, it's all right . . ." he murmured, the inflection of his voice deep and gentle as it filled the space between them. "Don't cry, sweetheart. I'm here, I'm here . . ." Ford rubbed her back soothingly, kissing the top of her hair as she continued to quake violently in his arms. "Just let it all out . . ."

After nearly ten minutes had passed, Ford could hear her sobs slowly beginning to ebb into soft sniffles and whimpers. He kept a protective hold over her as she revealed her face, flushed pink and stained with tears. He carefully retrieved a handkerchief from the pocket of his trench coat and held it up to her. He dabbed beneath her eyes, down to her cheeks, until all evidence of her tears was wiped away. Then he shifted the cloth over to her nose.

"Blow." he commanded gently, and she did. Once she was finished, Ford took the handkerchief and placed it aside. Then he turned to her again, appraising her with deep concern. "Feeling any better?"

Mabel sniffled, managing a slight smile as she met his gaze. "A little . . . Thanks, Grunkle Ford."

Ford smiled. "Anytime, Mabel." Then his expression turned more serious as he took in the lingering sadness in her eyes. "What's been going on between you and Dipper . . . it's not the only thing that's bothering you, is it?"

Mabel sighed, shaking her head. "I just don't want us to end up like you and Grunkle Stan. You guys used to be best friends before you got all stupid. All it took was for Stan to wreck your perpetual motion thingy for you to stop talking to him for ten years. Then when you saw him again, you got into another fight which caused Stan to accidently push you into that portal. I mean, it must've been so hard for him to be apart from you . . . it's the same with me and Dipper, you know? I don't know what I would do if I ever lost him. Without him, there'd be no Mystery Twins. No one who would want to be involved with someone who's as weird as me . . ."

All through Mabel's tirade, Ford felt a sense of guilt as he thought of his own twin. It was true that all of this could've avoided if they had both been a little more rational and talked things through. Instead, they became so angry and stubborn that it cost them over forty years of being apart. Now that he was back, they couldn't even be in the same room without arguing over the most insignificant of things. But seeing how this was affecting the kids, including his niece, Ford decided that he needed to put in an effort to make things better. To try to mend the broken relationship between him and his brother; thus solving all the problems that they presently had. If not for the sake of unintentionally creating a wedge between their niece and nephew; then for the sake of re-establishing a connection with the one person he loved more than anything. Even after all these years, Ford still cared for Stanley, and wanted to try and get things back to the way they used to be. But before he could do that, he needed to repair the self esteem of one distraught little girl.

Ford placed three of his fingers under Mabel's chin, tilting her head so dual sets of hazel eyes met. "Listen, sweetie, there's no shame in being who you are. So what if you're a little strange? We all are in some way or another. Your weirdness is what makes you into the person that we all know and love. Your optimism, as well as your big heart, is going to take you very far in life. You can't worry about what other people think of you, something I regret not doing when I was your age. And while you and Dipper may be cut from the same cloth, it doesn't mean that you can't be your own person. I know that you two will be able to work things out, because from what I've seen, your bond exceeds that of anyone I've ever encountered. And although I can't promise that there won't be times where you two will fight . . . the love that you have for each other will ultimately bring you back together again."

Mabel beamed at that. "Does this mean that the love that you and Grunkle Stan have will bring you back together too?"

"In good time, my dear. There's a lot that's gone on between me and Stanley that still needs to be fixed. But I assure you that I still care about my brother very much, and I'm more than willing to put in the effort to make things right again." He tapped her nose, grinning. "Which I imagine is what you and Dipper will be doing."

She grinned up at him, nodding. "Yeah . . . I think we both need to get together and talk things out. Just so we don't end up all cuckoo bananas like you and Grunkle Stan did."

Ford reached out to gently tweak her ear, giving her a mock chastising look. "You watch that mouth of yours, young lady."

Mabel let out a giggle, making him chuckle as well. This reassured Ford that everything would work out. They both just needed a little more time, and make a little more effort in mending the current relationship they had with their siblings. Plus, seeing that he wasn't the only one that had regrets over the treatment of their brother, provoked Ford to place his niece in a new light. She reminded him a lot of his brother. Both of them had just the right amount of sweetness and loyalty towards their family, unknowingly bringing out the best in them. And he loved her for it.

He was startled out of his reverie when he felt two warm arms encasing his neck, along with a soft brush of lips against his cheek. "Thanks for listening, Grunkle Ford. I really appreciate you cheering me up."

Ford reciprocated with a smile, embracing her tightly. "You're welcome, Mabel. But you best be heading off to bed now. It's getting late."

Mabel shook her head, pouting. "But I don't want to go to bed. I want to stay here with you." Ford could see that she was exhausted beyond belief, even stifling a yawn in order to prove her statement. It was then he decided that there was only one solution in getting past her stubbornness.

He carefully stood up, cradling Mabel to his chest as he carried her out of the kitchen and up the stairs. Ford immediately felt her nuzzle against him, hearing a audible sigh as she pressed herself closer to his heart. He responded by gently pushing the bangs away from her eyes; a tender smile gracing his lips. Once he got up to the loft space she shared with Dipper, he took Mabel over to her bed, laying her down and pulling the blankets over her body. He ruffled her hair, preparing to leave when he heard something that shook him to the core.

"Good night, Grunkle Ford. I love you . . ." Mabel murmured, aiming a drowsy smile towards his direction. Then she closed her eyes, oblivious to the astounding effect her words had had.

After the initial shock had worn off, Ford allowed himself to let his guard down. He found that he could accept this truth after decades of lying to himself; denying that no one could ever care for him this much again. But after hearing his great niece's declaration of love, it renewed the faith he had in himself. If an innocent child could forgive him so easily, then Stan could too. Granted, it would take some time, but it was time that he was willing to put in. Thanks to the newfound love he had for these children. The love which he still possessed for his brother.

Leaning down, he pressed a gentle kiss to Mabel's forehead. "I love you too, sweetheart."

Then he got up and crossed over to where his great nephew slumbered. Upon closer inspection, Ford could see that he was indeed the spitting image of him as a child; just as Mabel was to Stanley. And the way Dipper had immediately latched himself onto him gave Ford a new sense of purpose. Now that he was reunited with what was left of his family, he was determined to protect them with everything he had. He didn't know how he would be able to keep it together if either the children or Stan got hurt on his watch. But what Ford did know was that he didn't want a repeat of what had occurred over forty years ago; when he lost one of the only people who really meant something to him. As a result, he wasn't about to let anyone he loved slip through his fingers again. Not if he could help it.

Ford precariously swept the hair from Dipper's forehead, smiling fondly at him.

"Sweet dreams, my boy." he whispered, getting up and walked towards the door. With one last glance at the children, he left them to rest, silently vowing to make emends with his brother. He realized now that the effort needed to repair their once close relationship was a two-way division, and knew it was about time he played his part. No matter how long it took to earn his forgiveness, Ford would keep trying until Stan acknowledged the true extent of his regret. For he knew that a bond between twins was one that was meant to be preserved, and he would go to the highest degree to ensure his brother that he still loved him. Because no matter how many mistakes were made; Stanford knew that none of them were worth losing the only person he cherished more than life itself.

And that was a truth he knew he could live by.

Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed my first addition to the Gravity Falls fandom! I think we all needed a little interaction between Ford and Mabel, something which I hope we'll all get to see in the upcoming episode. Anyway, please review and give me your honest opinion on what you thought of this story. Any criticism would be much appreciated. xx.