A/N: Here's a thing I wrote for the Gravity Falls Finale, something like a missing scene. Hope you enjoy (the pain)! 8'D

What Choice Do We Have?

"What other choice do we have?"

That question hang in the air, and Ford let himself sit down on the floor.

It was for the best. This way no one can get hurt, at least for that small period of time. There was no guarantee what Bill would do once inside his mind, but he trusted that Stanley would be able to get the kids and himself out and away from danger during that time.

Which brought himself to blink and realize that yes, he did trust Stanley. Despite everything. Despite him trying so hard to hold resentment. He still trusted his twin.

That's something salvaged from their broken relationship, at least.

He almost didn't hear it when Stanley spoke up again.

"Actually. There is one thing."

Snapping his eyes back to his brother, Ford gave him an incredulous look. "Stanley, how many time do I have to explain-"

"We switch places." Stanley continued, with a firm tone that reminded him of the times he heard him talking to the kids.

"...what?" The question that left his mouth was mostly on reflex. In his mind he was already playing out every scenario, running simulation after simulation even as Stan spoke on.

"Look. We already know that there's nothing in my mind that triangle wants and that my mind's good for nothing. If he gets in your head you can't erase him, and to be honest, even though it pains me to say it, your mind probably has a lot important stuff in there that's better left remembered. If we can make him think I'm you, then we can trap him in my mind and erase him with the memory gun doohickey."

With each word Stanley said, Ford felt his stomach drop further. God, it could work. It really could.

And suddenly the chances of Stan's mind being subjected to Bill skyrockets. What he had logically written off as an impossible scenario now can become reality, and now, now it was suddenly a lot harder to think.

"No. Absolutely not."

Stanley frowned. "Hey, give me some credit. I'm as good a con man as you can get. Bet I could pull you off pretty convincingly. Heh."

"Stanley, it's not that." Ford couldn't hide the hurt in his voice. "You have no idea what Bill could do to you when he's in your mind, however brief it may be. That damage could last for years."

"That's why we erase him."

"We'll be erasing your mind." He's standing now, desperation radiating off every inch of him. "There's no going back from that! Chances are you might regain your memory with enough time, but that could take years! Decades, even!"

Decades that we don't have.

"I can wait."

"Stanley."

At some point during his argument he had grabbed his twin by the shoulders. Stanley was staring at him with a slightly shocked expression, which shortly gave way to a small smile as he gently removed Ford's hands.

"Look, I can't believe I'm saying this, but use that big logical brain of yours, Ford. You know this is the best option we have. Do you, honestly, see any other way?"

He was right. Stanley was absolutely right. And for once Ford hated his analytical brain for confirming what he already knew.

Perhaps seeing the struggle on Ford's face, Stanley then directed his own words back at him.

"What other choice do we have?"

He settled for weak arguments he already knew the answers to.

"He'll be able to tell."

"Well, let's swap clothes first."

Three minutes later Ford was staring at a slightly off reflection of himself.

Stanley was the one who did most of the detail changes. He straightened out Ford's messy curls before planting the fez on him, and grabbed at his own hair until it looked somewhat similar to Ford's. He pulled the extra hair on the side of Ford's face behind his ears as best he could.

There was nothing he could do about his own lack of hair on that regard. They decided that they'll bet on Bill not noticing it.

They swapped glasses. Ford reluctantly handed over his gloves.

They actually do look like each other. Way more than Ford thought possible.

"Heh. Would you look at that. You make a good Mr. Mystery, if I do say so myself."

Hearing Stan's voice coming from his mouth was jarring. Ford decided to use that as a last ditch effort to stop this plan. "Our voices are different."

At that, Stan only smirked and cleared his throat. When he opened his mouth again, Ford's voice came out through it. "I'm Stanford Pines and I'm always right."

Ford was staring now. Stanley shrugged. "Hey, I did have to pretend I was you for 30 years. And again, I'm not a con man for nothing."

That was still spoken in Ford's voice, which he decided is even more jarring to hear. In the end he sighed. "Well. I don't know if I can pull off your voice that good. I can try, though."

And he did. After a various attempts and Stan's own tips thrown in, they found out he could only sound perfectly like Stan if he yelled.

"Heh. Not much different than what you usually do, then." Stan joked.

Ford's only response was a look of pain. Stan's smirk dropped as well. "Sorry."

Then they sat together in silence, waiting for the demon to come back so they can spring this trap.

Ford decided to try one last time.

"You don't have to do this." He said softly.

"You know that's a lie." Stanley replied.

"You won't remember anything."

"I know."

"Not even the kids."

At this, there was a pause before the reply.

"...I know."

Then Ford, surprising even himself, pulled his brother into a hug.

"Please." He whispered. "Promise me you'll try to remember."

Stan's arms came up around him as well.

"I promise."

The End

A/N: This was mostly written because I refuse to acknowledge that the first hug the Stan twins share in 30 years is when one completely doesn't remember the other. ^q^