As the ambulance rushed towards the hospital, Stan tightly held his niece's hand. He reacted so quickly getting her out of the house that this was the first time he had gotten a good look at her. Her beautiful face was covered in soot and burns and her nightgown was burned and tattered. The sight brought Stan to tears. How could this have happened? He should have noticed when she left his arms, he should have woken up, but he didn't, and now on top of everything else she had been through, she had to fight for her very life.
It was moments like this where Stan doubted his ability to be the twins' guardian. He meant every word of what he said in Tad's office. These kids were his life and it would kill him to never see them again. But he had failed Mabel tonight. In the custody of the state, the kids may have been separated and miserable, but they also might have been safer. Did he just say yes to being their guardian for his own needs as opposed to the kids'?
Mabel's heart monitor began beeping faster, which terrified the medically-ignorant Stan.
"Increase in heart rate," the medic said as he began adjusting all these wires and IVs.
"What does that mean?" Stan asked, though terrified to know the answer. "What's wrong with her?"
"She may be going into shock. We need to do all we can to prevent that," the medic replied putting some medicine Stan didn't know the name of into her IV. "Try speaking to her. If she can hear you, it may calm her down."
Stan took a deep breath and put his hand on Mabel's forehead. "Pumpkin…pumpkin, you've gotta calm down. Don't be scared, honey. I'm right here. It's all gonna be okay. You...you're gonna be okay."
"Mr. Pines, her heart rate is improving. Keep doing what you're doing." the medic said as he monitored Mabel's heart rate.
"Mabel, honey, you're doing great. You're so strong, Mabel…so much stronger than I am." Stan's voice was cracking wildly and tears were flowing, but he tried to keep it together. If he wanted Mabel to stay calm, he would have to be calm as well.
"I know! I'll tell you a story. You were always the only one who liked my stories," Stan said forcing a chuckle.
"Did I ever tell you about the day you and Dipper were born? Your mom and dad invited me down. Of course, they thought I was the smart, successful, scientist Stanford Pines! Otherwise, they probably wouldn't have had me within a hundred miles of the hospital. But I'm so glad they did Mabel. I don't know if you or Dipper knew this, but your mom and dad wanted everything about the birth to be a surprise, they didn't tell anyone the gender. Heck, they didn't even tell anyone they were having twins! Boy, were we all in for a shock when you two came along. You came first, of course, but when they pulled you out, you socked the doctor in the face! You were a little fighter just like your old Grunkle. You should have seen the way your parents beamed. They were so proud, but nowhere near as proud as me. They let me hold you both. I think your folks regretted that because once I had you two, I didn't want to let you go." More tears began to flow, but he took a deep breath and forced himself to continue.
"When Dipper came out the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck. He was fine, obviously, but they were so concerned about him that they figured that it would be best to have me look after you while they tended to him. I sat in this old rocking chair in the corner of the room and rocked you back and forth until you fell asleep. You were so tiny and perfect. I was scared I might break you." Stan's voice cracked at this. He looked down at her and in that moment, she looked broken: struggling to breathe and barely alive, heart monitor still beeping too fast. He took a watery breath and forced himself to continue.
I remember you looked up at me with these sweet, innocent eyes and you grabbed my finger in your tiny hand and in that moment, I knew you and I had a special bond, Mabel. Since that day, I wanted to be your hero." Stan sobbed so hard that it was difficult for him to continue. He stroked her face with the back of his hand as he reminisced about that baby girl he held in his arms thirteen years ago. Even back then, he never would have guessed that baby girl would one day become his surrogate daughter.
"But, Mabel, you're my hero. You're the one who makes me a better person. You make me want to be a better person. That's why…that's why you can't leave me, Mabel. Please…just stay with me, pumpkin…please."
Stan's greatest fear came to life when Mabel's heart monitor went flat and all he could hear was a horrible continuous beep. He felt his whole world crash around him. He was pushed out of the way by the EMTs as they began doing chest compressions on Mabel.
Stan was paralyzed with fear. He knew CPR and wanted to break through the crowd of EMTs to help her, but he couldn't. It was like his body was completely shut down. He couldn't even find the control to call her name. He never felt so helpless in his life. This was not the first time the kids had been in danger while in his care, but it was the first time that he could do nothing to help.
The EMTs continued doing chest compressions as the heart monitor continued to make that deafening beep. Time lost meaning to Stan. Every second felt like hours, and with every failed push of the chest, the hope of Mabel coming back to him became dimmer and dimmer. He prayed to any God that might exist to save his child.
Please, God, please don't take her. I'll do anything. If you have any mercy, let me die instead of her.
The EMTs gave one final push and the sweet sound of intermittent beeps returned to her heart monitor. It was the most beautiful sound Stan could ever hear. He quickly returned to Mabel's side. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it tight as if it was the only thing keeping his own heart beating.
Mabel looked up at him with half open eyes. These eyes, however, did not have the same light that Mabel's eyes usually held. They were full of confusion and fear Stan doubted she could even see anything out of them, but then she spoke. Even though her voice was weak and muffled by her oxygen mask, the word came through clear as a bell, "Daddy?"
Stan's eyes widened and his mouth hung agape. He was overcome with a million emotions, including relief, sadness, elation, and guilt. It left him speechless for a moment. But he knew that she needed an auditory response to assure her that she wasn't going through this alone.
"Mabel…baby…" Stan gently brushed her hair from her face as he swallowed the lump in his throat. "It's okay. I'm here…Daddy's here."
Stan would be lying if he said he didn't feel guilty for pretending to be her father when she's in such a vulnerable state, but if thinking her father was there with her would keep her fighting, keep her alive, Stan didn't see another option. Admittedly, he was shocked by how much he liked it. He knew before tonight how much he loved these kids, but only after being forced to watch one of them return from the brink of death did he realize how in his heart, these were his children…his babies.
Mabel managed to give Stan's hand a small squeeze. Despite how weak it was, Stan knew he was holding the hand of the strongest person in the whole world.
Once they arrived to the ER, the paramedics took the stretcher and wheeled it towards the back. Stan was running beside it still holding Mabel's hand until he was stopped by a doctor. "I'm sorry, sir, you need to stay out here."
"No! I'm not leaving her! She needs me! I have to make sure she's safe! What if she gets scared? What if her heart stops again?" Stan said as his voice cracked and he tried to forcibly push past the doctor.
"We'll do everything we can to help her, but you have to let us do our jobs." The doctor took in Stan's condition. His skin was still covered in soot and burns like he had literally gone to Hell itself to save the girl. "We can get you some treatment as well."
"SCREW ME! I'M FINE! BUT IF YOU LET ANYTHING HAPPEN TO MY BABY, I WON'T BE FINE, AND NEITHER WILL YOU!"
In any other circumstances, Stan's threats would have been grounds to call the cops. But this doctor let it slide. She's met enough distraught loved ones to know they said things in the heat of the moment they didn't mean.
She gave Stan a sympathetic look before following Mabel through the double doors, leaving Stan completely alone and helpless in the middle of the lobby.