Blendin sat in silence with Ford and Dipper, all three looking too traumatized to function properly. They were in custody at the TACU HQ, though at least not behind bars. Blendin invoked a Bylaw 894^00, which apparently, from what Ford gathered, was something along the lines of a time-plucking freebie mixed with a requested audience with the Time Baby. Or something like that. He was too numb to pay much attention to it.

Dipper was taking a light nap full of nightmare twitches while Ford sipped his fourth cup of coffee with shaking hands. Blendin, who was officially 'watching them', was sitting in the corner, hugging his knees and wondering what it would take to get the feel of demon out of his insides. He kept sending Dipper pitying looks, knowing how hard it must have been to leave his sister behind.

"…What are we supposed to say?" Ford spoke up, looking at Blendin. Blendin sighed, shifting his legs outward to stretch them out.

"You're going to be making a case for your timeline," he replied. "I think your chances are good, to be honest." He rubbed his eyes, sighing. "Though I'm probably going to be court martialed for my part in all this." He tightened his jaw, his eyes full of guilt. "…He helped break me out of the Infinetentiary, and I…owed him a favor." He shuddered hard. "…I…I had no idea that—"

"You're not the only one who's been tricked by him," Ford cut in before draining his cup of coffee. "Dipper and I both suffered the same way. He knows how to wait, bide his time, line up all the pieces so they fall right where he wants them to…" His mouth made a grim, yet satisfied line. "…At least Stanley proved to me that there ARE unknown variables to exploit…but…THAT wasn't one I wanted."

Blendin swallowed hard, nodding. "Right," he replied quietly. "Consider this for your variable…cutting your timeline off where it went bad and going from there…..or erasing it completely."

Ford looked over at Dipper, who was crying in his sleep. "…I would rather not exist than go back to that," he said, reaching over and petting Dipper's head.

Blendin checked something on his wristband, standing up. "Weigh your choices now," he said. "We've been cleared for an audience with the Time Baby, and you have five minutes to get ready."

Ford let out a heavy sigh, tucking his arms under Dipper's body and picking him up. As much as he wanted the boy to have a say in things, he wanted Dipper to rest more than anything, or to stay asleep in case an erasure of time became the only option. This whole mess was HIS fault, and he was going to make the call.

Five minutes passed, and Ford was escorted out of the room by several guards. As Dipper settled into a deeper, more peaceful sleep, Ford made his decision.

Ask the Time Baby to cut the timeline off to where he thinks it went wrong. Anything, from Ford never finding that cave, even to something like Stan never being bitten by the zombie, would do.

Anything—ANYTHING AT ALL—was better than this.