Once Mabel was finally released from the hospital, Soos and his Abuelita were kind enough to once again open their home to the Pines family.
Dipper and Mabel lay on one of the large air mattresses in the living room (Waddles would have been with them, but Abuelita had a strict no-pig policy for inside the house, so he was confined to the garage). Dipper was already sound asleep, but Mabel was having trouble drifting off. Not helping was the fact that she could see a faint light in the kitchen where Ford and Stan were talking.
It was the night before the trial. Stan, Ford, and Brenden had been prepping Mabel non-stop for what was to come. None of the preparation was enough to soothe her nerves, however.
When Mabel was younger, and she and Dipper would have trouble sleeping they would always sneak out to the hallway that leads to their parent's bedroom. They would always leave the door open, and it would make them feel better to be soothed by the light of the television as well as their parents' laughter as they watched their late-night talk shows. At first, they did it in secret. Once they felt tired enough, they would go back to bed. But then one night, both Dipper and Mabel fell asleep outside the bedroom. The next thing Mabel knew, she was being carried by her mother to bed. She tucked the blanket around Mabel and kissed her forehead. So it became a tradition in the Pines household that when one of the kids couldn't sleep, they could sit outside Mom's and Dad's room until they did. Then Mom or Dad would put them back in bed. It was a strange ritual, but strange was the norm for the Pines family.
God, how Mabel wished her parents could be here now. She reached under her pillow and grabbed the picture that had been salvaged from the shack and held it tight as a few tears fell.
Mabel decided to try to see if the same trick could work with the new parental figures in her life. She quietly rose up from the air mattress, wrapped her blanket tightly around her body, and settled down beside the kitchen door just out of her uncles' eyesight.
"Do you think she's ready, Sixer?" Stan asked quietly.
"One can never be a hundred percent prepared for something like this Stanley, but I think we did a fine job preparing her. She's done great."
"I can't believe that scumbag, Brad, had the nerve to plead not guilty. That spoiled brat can't just take the plea deal like the other boys. No, he's gotta put her more through more bullshit!"
"Stanley, keep your voice down!" Ford sighed. "Believe me, I agree with you. I can't imagine how Brad could possibly think he'll be able to convince a jury he's innocent considering the overwhelming evidence."
"I don't like it. It makes me feel like he's got something up his sleeve. Do you think…do you think there's any chance they won't find him guilty?"
"It's unlikely…but not impossible. We'll just have to hope for the best," Ford quietly admitted.
"Brad should be begging to stay in custody. Cause if he's not locked inside a cell where the police can protect him from me…"
"Stanley…" Ford warned him for the millionth time to avoid threatening Brad out loud (Even though Ford shared the same idea. He just knew to keep it to himself).
"I'm just saying, no matter what that jury says, I'm not giving this guy another chance to hurt our kids."
"Our kids…" Ford shook his head in disbelief that such a blessing could be bestowed upon someone like him.
"Our kids…" Stan repeated as if allowing the term to sink in and have the full effect. "You know, Ford, when we were in the ambulance and Mabel's heart…you know." His brother nodded not needing to hear what happened again. "When they brought her back, called me 'Daddy.'"
Ford's eyes widened at this. Stan looked up at him with guilt in his eyes and asked, "Is it bad that I liked it?"
"No, I don't think so." Ford smiled sympathetically.
"I mean, I know she was probably just confused, and god, I don't even wanna think about what those few moments of…no heartbeat…were like for her. She told me that she saw them, so she probably did just hallucinate and didn't mean it, but…God, I liked it. I never expected to…I mean I've never been much of anything to anybody, but to be someone…like that...to her…to those kids…it's just…feeling needed…it's just…I like it. You know what I'm saying?"
"I do, Stanley, I really do. You know, when this journey first started…raising the kids…there was a part of me that felt cheated out of the chance to make things up to you. I was so ready for us to go sailing, and for me to show you I could be a good brother—"
"Sixer, you staying behind and helping me means more to me than any sailing adventure."
Ford smiled, "I feel the same way. At first I thought it would be difficult to get used to after a life as full of risk and adventure as I've lived, but those kids are mine, and they fulfill me more than any scientific excursion."
Stan nodded, "same here,"
"Then why don't you make it official?" a voice came from seemingly out of nowhere.
Stan and Ford looked towards the source of the sound to find that Abuelita had entered from the garage.
"How on earth did you hear us talking from out there?" Ford inquired.
"Yeah, and what were you doing out there this time of night anyhow?" Stan added.
"I'm a very good snooper, been spying on Soos since he was a child...and I was checking on the pig. I don't like animals, especially dirty animals in my house, but I know how Mabel loves him, so I want to make sure he's cared for."
"She'll appreciate that," Stan said.
"Now...make what official exactly?" Ford asked.
"Adopting the kids...you clearly love them like they are yours, so why not officially make them yours?"
Stan and Ford looked at each other nervously, but also clearly intrigued.
"We couldn't possibly," Ford started.
"Yeah, too much paperwork," Stan stated, though clearly grasping for straws, "besides, it's been less than a year since their parents...they wouldn't want us too," he whispered.
"I'm not sure about that. I think they care about you two as much as you two care about them."
"No way," Stan huffed, partially out of self-loathing and partially out of a belief that no one could love as deeply as he loved those kids.
"Eh, it's just something to think about. I adopted Soos you know?"
"Even though you were already his guardian, and his family?"
"Si, there's nothing like making it official...and it showed I was willing to fight for him, even when no one else would."
Then as suddenly as she appeared, she left.
"Adoption..." Ford said slowly, letting the term sink in.
Stan chuckled. "We always talked about those crazy adventures we'd have. This adventure might be more than we bargained for." Stan raised his eyebrows playfully. "You sure you're up for it?"
"There won't be much glory," Ford said with a smirk.
"Or a lot of pay, especially once you bring college into the picture." Stan shuddered of the potential cost of secondary education (especially since Dipper aspired to get 12 PHDs like his great uncle).
"But it will be the adventure of a lifetime," Ford said.
"Yeah, the adventure of a lifetime," said Stan. The two of them gave a high six.
Stan laughed as Ford wiped his misty eyes. "Aw, Sixer. Don't get sappy on me, you nerd."
"Says the man who cried at the Valentine's Day card Mabel gave you."
"Hey! I didn't cry! I got some glitter got in my eye!"
"Sure." Ford rolled his eyes. "We should get to bed. We've got a big day tomorrow."
Stan nodded an affirmative. They both walked out of the kitchen, only for Ford to nearly hit Mabel with his boot. For some reason, she was curled up with her blanket sitting outside the kitchen. She had fallen asleep.
The brothers looked at each other sadly as Ford picked her up. "Poor thing. I can't imagine how terrified she must be."
"I know," Stan said as he rubbed her back. "I'll just be glad when this is all over."
Ford set Mabel down onto the mattress next to Dipper. Then he laid down beside her while Stan laid behind Dipper. They both held the kids in a loving and protective embrace to comfort them for the difficult day ahead.