When Stan and Ford called Dipper and Mabel for a family meeting, they could read the tone of the room instantly. This was some serious bad news. They entered the room slowly as if trying to hold off whatever they were about to hear.

"Mabel, pumpkin, come sit on my lap," Stan said gently, but his voice was already wavering.

Mabel always welcomed affection from her adoptive fathers, but it still felt odd to be held by Stan so tenderly. It wasn't unfamiliar to her, but for the past 100 days, she hadn't required the same level of affection from him. She was always eager for a hug or an affectionate noogie, but affection like this was reserved for her most vulnerable. Nonetheless, she obliged Stan.

Ford placed comforting hands on Dipper's shoulder's before he started. He took a deep breath. "You kids know that Stan and I would do anything to protect you kids, right?"

They both nodded.

"And that we'll do anything to always make sure you're safe?" Stan continued.

"You…you guys aren't sending us away, are you?" Mabel asked nervously.

"Look, if this is about me and Mabel's monster hunts, we can-"

"We're not sending you kids anywhere, and you've done nothing wrong," Stan assured.

Ford took a shaky breath as he prepared to rip off the emotional bandage. It wasn't fair to keep the kids in suspense. "Kids, Stan and I met with Brendan Michaels today and... Brad has been paroled."

It was as if all the air was sucked out of the room, for a moment there was a shocked silence. The elder men looked at Mabel ready for an emotional dam to burst, but they were surprised when Dipper was the one to speak first.

"I'm going to kill him," Dipper said with no hesitation. "I told you I would and I'm going to...I can shoot one of your guns, Stan. I'm a good shot."

"No!" Mabel looked at Dipper with terror in her eyes as her shaking hands grabbed his. "Dipper, please don't go after him. Please don't leave me."

"Mabel…" Dipper started as he stroked his sister's cheek.

"You...you heard him in that courtroom. He…he wants to kill all of us please…please don't leave me bro-bro…I need you." Mabel's whole body was shaking at this point.

Dipper instantly pulled her into a protective embrace, followed closely by Stan and Ford.

"I'm never going to leave your side through this, Mabel," he assured, despite the shaky voice.

"None of us are Mabel," Ford further assured.

"Yeah, pumpkin, we're a team…a family…and…we're gonna get through this," Stan promised.

Not knowing what else to do, Mabel lifted up her 100 sweater…her badge of honor, a symbol of her bravery…and used it to put herself in sweater town.

All her family could do was meet her there.

Several hours later the family had remained downstairs huddled close to each other as they tried to make sense of this nightmare. Poor Dipper eventually fell asleep laid over his sister's lap. The poor boy was such a protector, but he rarely got enough sleep as it was and eventually, his body gave in to sleep even though his heart wanted to stay awake and be there for his sister.

Ford tenderly took the boy into his arms and carried him up the stairs towards his bedroom. Stan and Mabel followed.

"C'mon, pumpkin, you can bunk in my room tonight," Stan said as he led her towards his bedroom.

"I'll stay with Dipper tonight." Ford felt obligated to keep the anxious boy at peace. Ford bent down and kissed Mabel's forehead goodnight. "I love you, Mabel."

"I love you too, Grunkle Ford."

Mabel was silent as Stan lead her towards his bedroom. It was only after settling on his bed that Mabel looked down at her 100 sweater and cried.

Stan sat by her side and rubbed her back. "It's gonna be okay, honey. I'll be here to protect you tonight." But Mabel continued crying. "You okay to sleep here, honey? We can sleep downstairs if it's too dark in here."

This only made Mabel cry harder as she engulfed Stan into a tight embrace which he tenderly reciprocated. "I was doing so well," she finally whispered. "I could sleep in my own bed for 100 days straight, and now here I am acting like a big baby again." Mabel looked up at him with eyes full of shame. "You must be so tired of having to take care of me like this."

"No, sweetie, come here." Stan tenderly held her closer. He cupped her face to get her to look at him. "When Ford and I signed those adoption papers, we knew exactly what we were doing, and we wanted to do it more than anything in the world. I don't care if you can't sleep today, tomorrow, or when you're thirty. I'm your father now and you're my daughter. That means I'm gonna protect you no matter what, and if that means I never get to sleep in a bed on my own again then so be it, because to me, that's the best part of being your father. I don't have to spend my nights alone anymore. Neither does Ford. Now our lives have a purpose because we have you and Dipper."

Mabel continued to be amazed by the unbreakable love of this family. She tenderly nuzzled against Stan's chest to try to get some sleep. Before she closed her eyes, Stan heard her make a heartbreaking confession. "I just wish I could protect this family like you always have to protect me."