A/N: This is a tragic chapter. Just a warning.

Chapter Twenty: A Shared Fate

Pacifica was back at the hospital with Priscilla. Priscilla had been surprisingly mild towards her and Pacifica was getting suspicious. Her mother must want something. Her mother always wanted something. Nothing was ever given for nothing in the Northwest Family. Even Pacifica's allowance each week, it was expected that Pacifica would uphold the family name and dignity and only hang out with people her parents approved of and behave appropriately at parties.

Pacifica didn't like her dad. He was a horrible person. But she was still worried for him. What would happen now? The little that she heard, it didn't look like her father was going to wake up. Pacifica had her Kindle with her, but she couldn't concentrate on reading. She'd just been stressing out for over an hour while her mother talked to the doctor.

"Mrs. Northwest. We're doing all we can to minimize Mr. Northwest's pain and keep him alive. And the machines are keeping him physically alive. But I really must be honest with you. He's all but braindead. While there is minimal activity in his brain that prevent him from being declared fully braindead, he wouldn't survive more than a few hours… Maybe a day at most without the machines breathing for him, processing his kidneys, feeding him. Even his heart is being aided in beating steadily by machines.

"And he's had several seizures since the last time you came. While I don't think he consciously registers the pain, I can almost guarantee you that he feels little but pain right now, and his condition will only continue to decline." The doctor said. Priscilla sat down. On the one hand, it was true that she wasn't in love with Preston. She'd never really loved him and as far as she knew, he'd never loved her. Their marriage had been an arrangement rather than love. But having the man she lived with for almost 20 years and had a child with was difficult.

Preston was going to die. Priscilla had to accept that. But on the other hand, what if he could come out of his coma?

"Is there any chance that he can recover?" Priscilla asked, trying to keep a cool demeanor. Her voice shook slightly though. The doctor sighed.

"It's… Not likely. He's all but braindead right now. Deprived of oxygen for as long as he was, there's not much left in his brain to function." The doctor said.

Priscilla sniffed, gulping back a tear that threatened to fall. She wore heartlessness like a suit to hide that she wasn't as cold as Preston was deep down. But in her heart, she knew she would miss Preston. Even if she wasn't in love with him. Even if he wasn't the love of her life. Even if they had been married as a sort of merger between families, she couldn't deny that he at least meant something to her. She didn't know if she'd meant anything to him. She never asked. They didn't talk about that kind of thing in their family.

"Very well." Priscilla said.

"Take him off life support." She said. She took a deep breath, going back to Pacifica.
"If you want to say goodbye to your father, go and do it now. They'll be taking him off life support." Priscilla said. Pacifica gasped. Her mother seemed so unfazed, like this was just another day to her. Was she really that cold? She'd always known her mother wasn't an emotional woman. But this was a whole other level.

Pacifica nodded, going to her father's room. In reality, Pacifica realized this was the right choice. Her father wasn't going to get better. There was nothing the doctors could do for him except keep him hooked up to machines that fed him, breathed for him, kept his heart going, processed his waste while the nurses bathed him. It was an ignoble life and even if Pacifica didn't like her father, one not suited for him. He didn't deserve to be kept alive like that. She held his hand.

"Dad. I know you can't hear me. But I just wanted to say goodbye." Pacifica said.

"We were never close and I'm still not sure if you even loved me or if I was just an extension of you. But I loved you. This shouldn't have happened to you. I'm sorry it did. But I hope you can be at peace now." Pacifica said, letting go of his hand and leaving the room. Priscilla walked in and spoke to the doctors, then sat by Preston's side as they unhooked the machines that were keeping him alive. It was a sad moment, even for her.

She'd stayed stony and cool before because she hadn't needed to make this decision. It was interesting that she'd been able to remain completely detached the night he'd been brought home in a coma. She'd been detached when the doctors talked to her about his prospects and what they were doing with him as they spoke. But now, she was on the verge of tears, watching him slip away, watching his life functions fail right in front of her. She'd known that he was braindead, that he wasn't going to get better. But right now, she was strangely emotional.

It was good that she didn't have to drive. Because she wasn't sure she would be able to handle it. Finally, the heart monitor went flat and she closed her eyes, resting her head against his, kissing him one last time before taking deep breaths to compose herself, turning away from Preston so she didn't have to see him and getting herself together, walking out and talking to the doctor.

"So… What do we need to do now?" Priscilla asked.
"Well, there's no real need for an autopsy. We know how he died. We know how he was hurt. If you want his body sent back to Gravity Falls, we can arrange for that so that he can be embalmed and buried there. Or if you want, we can embalm him here. We have a coroner and an embalmer on call. Or if you have another method that you want for him, we can give you some advice on who to talk to for that.

"Do you know how Mr. Northwest wanted to be dealt with after he died?" The doctor asked.

"No. We never really talked about that. I suppose embalming seems like the logical choice. But on the other hand, maybe cremation is right for him. Can you keep him… On ice or whatever you do with bodies while I make a decision?" Priscilla asked.

"Of course. Take your time. It costs money to keep him down in refrigeration. But we'll keep him there as long as you want." The doctor said politely.

Priscilla nodded, going to the car with Pacifica, letting the chauffeur open their doors for them. She was completely silent most of the way back to Gravity Falls. Pacifica felt strangely out of place right now. Her father, the man that she was sure would outlive them all using his money to buy the best healthcare and the best treatments, who would pay scientists to replace his organs when they failed and cure any diseases he might catch, had died.

"Mom? What do you think happens after we die?" Pacifica asked, a moment of vulnerability causing her to be more open than she normally would with her mother.

"What on earth kind of question is that? How should I know what happens after we die?" Priscilla asked.
"Our bodies rot in the ground and we become food for the worms. Other than that, I couldn't tell you. I'm inclined to believe nothing happens after you die. You just… Die. You're gone." Priscilla said, taking out a cigarette and lighting it.

"Mom. I didn't know you smoked." Pacifica said.
"I haven't since your father and I got married. This pack has been in my wallet for 21 years." Priscilla said, taking a long drag on the cigarette and opening the window, blowing it out.

"You're not worried about any health effects?" Pacifica asked.

"Please, if my lungs give out or my heart gives out, I can get new ones." Priscilla said. Pacifica sighed. Her mother had no idea how right she was.

With Ford's inventions, replacing organs whenever they went bad was really just around the corner. Pacifica sighed, hugging her mother as she got out of the car at the Mystery Shack.

"Are you sure you won't come back home with me? Your father was the one who demanded that you leave. Frankly, I wouldn't mind having you back." Priscilla said. Pacifica sighed.

"Maybe I will. Give me some time here." The blonde said.

"Very well. Andrew, drive me home." Priscilla said to the driver, who nodded and waited for Pacifica to clear the car and then drove off.

Pacifica went inside to find everyone panicking.

"Whoa! What happened?" Pacifica asked.
"Grunkle Stan! He had a major seizure! He was walking to the stairs and had a seizure and crashed down the stairs!" Dipper said. It was obvious Dipper was having a panic attack.

"It looks like his neck is broken." Ford said, checking his vitals and finding that Stan was dead. It had all happened so fast.

Stan was feeling bored in his bed. He'd been moved back to his own bed now that he was recovering so well. The scar on his head from the surgery was almost completely healed. His brain didn't show that the tumor was recurring. His speech was much better, though he sometimes forgot things. They did have to do surgery on his brain. So he was forgetful and sometimes his thoughts trailed. But overall, he was doing well. So he decided to go downstairs for a snack and a walk.

He'd gotten on his clothes on his own and even tied his shoes for the first time in weeks. He was ready to have a nice cold beer and some chili cheese fries at Susan's diner. He had even gotten dressed up in his old suit and was looking good. Soos had offered to help him walk, but Stan waved him off, saying that he was fine. That he could walk on his own, showing off his coordination to them. Soos still insisted on walking next to Stan. But even Soos couldn't have prepared for Stan suddenly tensing up, having a seizure and tumbling down the stairs.

There was little anyone could have done to predict that or prevent it from happening. Now, they were calling 911. Ford stopped them though.

"Stanley… Is dead. There's nothing we can do. We can't revive him. His neck is broken. The trauma of the break caused his death on top of the trauma from the seizure." Ford said. Dipper sat down. Pacifica sat with him, hugging him. Her own father was dead. But right now, she could tell Dipper needed her and the others to be there for him.

Although he didn't always agree with Stan. Although Stan had been harder on Dipper than he had on Mabel and the others, she knew that Dipper loved Stan and was sure he was devastated to see Stan die, especially in such a horrible way.

"Dipper… I'm right here for you." Pacifica said. Dipper took a deep breath.

"I'm okay." He lied.

"You should go and grieve in your own way. How is your father doing?" Dipper asked.
"Oh… My mom had him taken off life support. There was nothing the doctors could do for him." Pacifica said, the totality of their shared situation hitting her. She was grieving for her own father and now for Stan, who she liked, even if she found him crass and uncultured at times. He had still taken her in when she had been kicked out of her own home. What was not to like about a man who would take her in so easily. He didn't owe her anything.

But he'd let her stay with them. That was true kindness, and something she was sure her mother and father would never understand. Ford sighed, going to Stan.

"Dipper, help me carry him down to the basement. We need to get him prepared. I doubt he would want to be buried. He never liked confined spaces. And not that he would know it now, but I doubt he would want to be in a grave. I have a machine downstairs that can burn things at over 5,000oC. It will reduce him to ash in less than a minute." Ford said.

Dipper nodded, hurrying along with Ford and carrying Stan downstairs. Wendy, Mabel, Pacifica, Soos, Melody and Jesus Jr. went down as well after them and they stood around the table, looking down sadly at Stan.

"Does anybody want to say any last words to him or about him?" Ford asked. Wendy sighed, stepping forward.

"I'm not sure how you felt about me, you old codger, but even though I was lazy and did all I could to shirk my duties here, you still kept me on. You letting me keep my job meant that I was able to stay in Gravity Falls rather than go to some stupid lumberjack camp during the summer. You were grumpy and didn't always have the nicest things to say. But I cared about you, Old Man. I'm gonna miss you." Wendy said. Mabel stepped forward next, tears filling her eyes.

"Why did you have to die so soon? It's not fair. Our fist summer here was the best of my life. I may not have gotten the summer romance I wanted back then. But seeing Dipper grow into himself a bit, seeing him become more confident, getting to connect with a family member I didn't even know I had until then and making all these new friends was great. Even the scary stuff, like Bill and learning that things would change, I got to spend that time with people I loved and it's not fair that you had to go so soon." Mabel said, the tears flowing freely down her cheeks.

"You know, Mr. Pines…" Soos said, holding Melody's hand. He'd lost a lot of weight over the years and put on some muscle. He was always strong, but he looked better now, but he was still a big old softy at heart.

"You were like a father to me. I never knew my own dad. And Wendy is right. You were grumpy and 'gunkly' as Mabel put it, but you were like the father I never had and you meant the world to me. And despite being grumpy, you were the Best Man at Melody's and my wedding.

"And I can't thank you enough for all you've done for me and my family. Thank you, Dad." Soos said.

"Grunkle Stan." Dipper said, uncertain of what to say. The rest of them had all had something meaningful to say. But Dipper was caught up in his own emotions, which didn't happen that often anymore.
"I don't know what happens after you die. But if there's a Heaven, I hope you're up there, picking God's pocket and doing what you do best. You were a great person and I'm sorry that our time with you had to end so soon." Dipper said.

"Stanley…" Ford said.
"We haven't always hit the best notes with each other. As different as we were from each other, we sometimes had differences that we had trouble working out. But you were always the best part of my life. As my twin brother, you were always the person I wanted most to impress. So reconnecting with you and reconciling with you has been the treat of a lifetime. And wherever you go next, whatever you're doing next, I hope that you're comfortable." Ford said. Dipper looked at Pacifica.

"Stan…" Pacifica said. She didn't know what to say.

"I barely know you. We weren't exactly close. But you took me into your home when I needed it and for that, I'm grateful. Thank you for letting me stay here." Pacifica said. Ford sighed.

"Okay… Now, let's go." Ford said, rolling Stan into the cremation machine, counting down the seemingly very long minute before he turned it off and let it cool down before removing the ashes, putting them in an urn. He looked at the rest of the group sadly.

"Okay. You guys can all do what you want for the rest of the day. Wendy, you're free to go if you like. Take your time coming back. The Shack will be closed down for now anyway." Ford said.

Wendy nodded. Soos was sobbing now, hugging Melody tightly. Mabel was hugging Dipper, sitting down on the couch that they had downstairs and overall, everyone was just trying to process what had happened.