Oh boy... I wanted this out two days ago. Luckily it wasn't made three. It's just barely two days late.

Here is chapter 45 of "Welcome Home"!

Morning came by after several hours. Ford had opted to stay up reading the rest of the night as to not face having another terrible dream. Was it just a dream? Or was it one of the longer lasting dreams he had been in? No, that couldn't be. One glance at the clock told him that only an hour had gone by when he had woken up from his dream. It didn't feel like an hour. Ford could still remember what happened in his dream. He wasn't sure if it was because he was supposed to remember, or if the dream was just too horrifying for him to forget.

When Ford had sat up after his dream, he had placed his pillows behind his back. He was still slanted, but he wasn't laying down. Ford had gone through two books so far, and was on his last one that he had kept by his nightstand now. With his emergency stash of jellybeans from in his nightstand drawer as well as books to keep him amused, he was prepared to stay by Bill as he rested peacefully atop his chest. Even though eight hours had gone by, Ford was sure that Bill would sleep in. The blonde needed as much rest as he could get.

Four more hours went by, and Bill finally woke up. His eyes fluttered open, and he was confused as to where he was. He lifted his face up slightly to notice the familiar maroon turtleneck that he had been laying on. It could only belong to one person. He looked up to see Ford reading a book.

"Sixer," Bill mumbled in a tired manner, rubbing an eye with one arm whilst he supported himself up slightly with the other.

Ford took his eyes off the book and set it on the nightstand when he realized Bill had woken up. "Oh, good. You're awake." He said.

"What.. time is it?" Bill asked, his eyes still adjusting to the light.

"A bit past noon," Ford answered.

Bill gave a small smirk. "I slept that long, huh?" He asked. Ford nodded, and Bill groaned. "I'm still tired." He pouted.

"Well, you slept for a bit over twelve hours, I think that's plenty of rest to last you through today." Ford said with a shrug.

"Twelve hours..." Bill mumbled, laying atop Ford's chest once more. "Noon... " He proceeded to mutter. Bill shut his eyes for a total of five seconds before they opened wide. Bill gasped sharply and shot up, sitting on his knees as he looked at the clock.

"Holy crackers!" Bill exclaimed.

Ford looked at Bill in confusion. "What, what is it?" He asked.

Bill looked at him with fear in his eyes. "It's noon!" He said, putting his hands on Ford's shoulders.

"Yes, we covered this." Ford confirmed with a nod of his head.

"You don't understand! I'm supposed to be working! Your brother is gonna kill me!" Bill said, his eyes remaining wide.

Ford just rolled his eyes. "Bill, everything will be fine." He assured. "Now why don't you go upstairs and brush your teeth? Oral hygiene is important." He said.

Bill huffed. "Don't blame me when Fez comes asking where I've been." He grumbled, getting off the bed and walking towards the door.

Ford watched him leave until he noticed that Bill was still shirtless. "Wait, Bill! You forgot your-" He tried, however it was no use. Bill hadn't heard him and had already left the room.

"Shirt." Ford finished unnecessarily. He sighed and got off the bed, stretching a bit and opting to start his daily workout routine now that Bill had left the room.


Bill came up from the laboratory and opened the laboratory door. There were customers in the gift shop, and Bill was quick to shut it before the tourists could see the secret entrance. Stan, however, noticed his presence and walked up to him with a glare.

"You're late." Stan grumbled. He was upset that Bill hadn't been to work on time, but a part of him had assumed that perhaps he wouldn't have shown up for work at all. Stanley wouldn't admit it, but he was glad to see that Bill was okay. He looked less tired, however his black eye was still apparent. Stan noticed that the demon was shirtless and raised an eyebrow. "And where's your shirt?" He asked. "People aren't gonna pay to see you shirtless." He stated.

Stan felt a finger tap his back. He turned around and saw a woman with a camera. "Excuse me, sir? How much did you say it was for a photo of that shirtless man?" She asked.

Stan was surprised. Regardless, he wore a large grin. "Ten bucks!" He said. "Na-no, a'hundred bucks." He corrected with a smirk.

Bill gave a look of unease. "Are you using my flawless looks for money?" He asked.

Stan laughed as the woman took a photo. "Sure am!" He said. Stan snatched the photo from the woman's hand and looked at it. "Hey, hey! You've got an eye for angles there, lady!" Stan praised. He looked at her with a bland look directly after giving the compliment. "Now pay up." He commanded.

Bill took a couple steps behind him and walked through the 'Employees only' door backwards. He was in the living room now, and the moment he turned around he saw Mabel on the couch.

Mabel gasped. "Bill, there you are!" She said. "I was looking everywhere for you, where were you?" She asked.

"In the laboratory bedroom with Sixer." Bill answered.

"And... Where did your shirt go?" Mabel questioned.

"In the laboratory bedroom with Sixer." Bill answered again.

"Oh," Mabel said, a bit confused. She thought about it for a moment and gasped, a look of horror on her face. "Ah!" She exclaimed, shaking her head frantically. "No, no, ew!" She said, putting her hands over her eyes. She cursed her overly imaginative brain and continued to shake her head. She wished not to think about her uncle and Bill doing such intimate things with each other.

"What?" Bill questioned, tilting his head. He realized what he had said and shook his head. "No, nothing like that, Shooting Star!" He assured.

"Are you sure?" Mabel asked, taking her hands away from her eyes slowly.

"I'm sure." Bill confirmed. Mabel sighed in relief and took her hands away from her eyes. Mabel looked as if she were about to speak but before she did, Bill said, "But I would if he asked."

Mabel looked at Bill and cringed, looking away. "Ew, that's weird!" She said.

"Oh, and I'm not?" Bill responded with a smirk.

Mabel groaned in disgust, until remembering the reason she was looking for the man. "Wait!" She said, a large smile on her face. She ran off upstairs to get the wrapped sweater from in her room. when she rushed back downstairs, Bill looked at her in confusion.

"What is it, kid?" Bill asked.

"I know you told me to give this to Grunkle Ford, but..," Mabel began, holding the rewrapped sweater she held behind her back in front of Bill. "I couldn't find a good chance, so..."

Bill sighed. "Look Shooting Star, I didn't mean to yell like that the other day." He said. "I was mad at Sixer, not you." He explained.

"Is he still mad?" Mabel asked.

Bill hummed and shook his head. "I don't think so. He understood my reasons for doing all that I've done recently once he let actually me explain." He said.

"So... do you think the matchmaking is still possible?" Mabel asked.

Bill hummed. He opted not to tell Mabel about the makeout after figuring that Mabel was too innocent to know such things. He gave a slow nod of his head. "Ya' know kid, it just might." He said.

Mabel gasped at this. "Really?" She asked with a wide grin. "Oh my gosh, you have to tell me everything! My ship needs to sail!" She exclaimed.

"Ship needs ta'..." Bill muttered to himself in complete confusion. "What?" He asked, narrowing his eyes in confusion.

Mabel just giggled. "It's nothing." She assured. "Dipper and I are going home today, we need to spend as much time as possible with each other!" She said, pulling on Bill's arm and guiding him outside. Bill was about to protest, however he figured that spending time with the girl for a bit would be fine. He didn't mind skipping work. Stan would tell Bill that skipping would come out of his paycheck. This didn't bother Bill, as he wasn't paid for working at the gift shop in the first place.


Around 5:49 in the afternoon, the twins only had an hour left to stay at the shack before they had to head to the bus stop. Mabel and Bill (who had gotten his shirt back and wore it once again) both came back from outside after an afternoon of playing. Dipper had joined them at one point, and while he wasn't too fond of Bill playing along with, he did enjoy the company of another person.

Mabel and Bill looked around the house, trying to find Ford. Mabel held the wrapped sweater in her hands as they looked around the house. They couldn't find Ford anywhere. They had checked every room except the laboratory.

"Are you sure we should go down there, Bill?" Mabel asked. " Grunkle Ford doesn't like it when we go to the lab without him knowing."

Bill gave a nod. "You're right. We should just stay as far away from the lab as possible and forget about it!" He said in a sarcastic manner. "Kid, if he lets someone like me go down there, he should let family down there, too." He stated.

Mabel hummed at this. "Well... You do make a good point." She said. With that, the two headed down to the laboratory. They descended the stairs and headed towards the elevator. Mabel made sure to press the button.

"Do ya' think Sixer will like it?" Bill asked.

"I'm sure he'll love it!" Mabel said with a grin. She handed the wrapped package to Bill. "I know it's from both of us, but you can take the credit if you want." Mabel offered with a simple shrug.

"No way!" Bill retorted. He was flattered that the girl was willing to let him take the credit for their work, however even he could sense that it would be unfair to Mabel if she were to be out of the picture on the project. Not that Bill would admit he felt like that, of course. "Fordsy wouldn't believe me for a split second if I told him that." He stated.

"Sure he would!" Mabel tried.

Bill shook his head. "Shooting Star, I can't even make cookie dough right. Ya' really think he'll believe that I made this all by myself?" He asked.

Mabel just looked away. She didn't want to admit that he was correct, as she didn't want to hurt the man's feelings. She smiled when the elevator stopped. "Go on!" Mabel encouraged Bill, pointing her arms at the laboratory. Bill shifted slightly, but came out of the elevator, Mabel trailing behind him.

Ford was at the desk over by the portal window. The glass from the previously shattered window was still broken, however the broken glass scattered around had been cleaned up and discarded of. Mabel saw the shattered glass and grew confused. She wondered just what had happened the night before.

Bill stood behind the scientist as he wrote on a piece of paper. For a moment he considered dropping the gift and making a run for it. Mabel, however, gave Bill a nudge of encouragement. Bill sighed and proceeded closer to the other man. Bill turned around and gave Mabel a look of unsureness. The girl just responded with a wide grin of encouragement, nodding her head. Bill took a step back, deciding that this may not have been such a good idea after all. Mabel frowned at the demon and put her hands on her hips with a smile.

"Grunkle Ford!" Mabel addressed in a louder tone than necessary. Bill's eyes widened at the girl, shaking his head. Mabel didn't seem to notice. "Bill has something for you!" She continued. Bill shot a glare at the girl and huffed. He would be sure to score his revenge.

Ford noticed the voice of his niece and turned around in his chair after setting down his pencil. "What was that?" He asked. He hadn't heard the sentence clearly since he had been writing.

Mabel smiled at Bill, the demon looking at Ford with his mouth open, as if he were trying to speak. This didn't go unnoticed by Ford, and he stood up. He was about to question Bill's odd behavior, and looked down as Bill extended his arms out, holding a wrapped gift against in his hands as it pressed up against the scientist's chest. Ford raised an eyebrow and grabbed hold of the package.

"What's all this about?" Ford questioned.

Bill ran a hand through his hair and gave an awkward chuckle. What was wrong with him? Why was he acting like this? And why did he find the situation so awkward and difficult to control? Bill knew that he should know how to react to the humans question, however he just couldn't find an answer that was rational.

"It's..." Bill began. He cursed his human meatsack for not being able to find the right words. He sighed and rubbed the back of his ankle with his foot, holding onto his other arm and looking away. "Just open it." He muttered.

Ford looked over at Mabel and saw his niece give an encouraging nod. Ford hummed and followed instructions, unwrapping the soft package. He placed the wrapping paper behind him and looked at the soft, folded object. He could tell that it was knitted, and unfolded the gift. He held it up and gave a small smile at the dark blue sweater with stitched yarn at the front that read "Sixer."

"Did you make this?" Ford asked Bill, a gleam of awe in his eyes.

Bill shifted slightly. He looked back at Mabel who gave him a smile. He looked back at the other man and said, "Yeah." With a slow nod of his head. "B-but Shooting Star helped." He credited. Mabel frowned. She expected that Ford would compliment her work on the garment and forget about Bill's effort in the project. She had hoped that Bill would have taken credit to get attention from her uncle.

"It's lovely," Ford complimented. He offered Bill a warm smile. "Thank you, Bill." He said. Ford turned to look at Mabel. "And you too, Mabel. This is truly fascinating." He said, admiring the turtleneck sweater.

"Try it on!" Mabel encouraged.

Ford raised an eyebrow and shifted slightly. "Now?" He asked, feeling a bit of unease at having to change his current sweater in front of the others. He didn't wish for Bill nor Mabel to have to look upon his scars. Being that Mabel was unaware of the secrets he kept hidden under his sweater, she nodded at Ford's question. Stanford adjusted his glasses and looked over at the bedroom, figuring that he could excuse himself to said room if he were to change.

"In that case," Ford said, "I'll be back momentarily" He said, departing over to the bedroom and shutting the door. Mabel watched him leave in confusion, whereas Bill frowned. He wouldn't have minded if he had seen the man sweaterless. Regardless, he looked down at Mabel once Ford had left.

Before Bill got a chance to speak, Mabel spoke first. "Where is he going?" She asked.

"To change, probably." Bill said. "Unless he's got something else going on that he doesn't want us to know about." He added with a low hum, looking away with sudden suspicion in his eyes.

Mabel mirrored Bill's suspicious expression for all but three seconds, where she now put her hands on her hips with a smile. "It's probably the first one." She said with a convinced nod of her head. Bill was quick to nod in agreement.

"Yeah," Bill said. "I mean, what strange, freakish thing could he possibly have to hide from other human eyes, anyway?" He asked.

Meanwhile, Ford shut the door to the bedroom with a sigh. He shrugged off his lab coat and satchel, letting them fall to the floor. He walked over to his bed, hesitantly taking off his sweater to reveal his scarred body, as well as the star tattoo on his neck that he so despised. How he wished he hasn't chosen that tattoo, of all things. Ford placed the sweater Mabel and Bill had made for him down on the bed. He gave a smile at it. The sweater was very well made, and had a lovely color of yarn chosen for it.

Stanford was about to grab the sweater, until he heard a noise. A strange noise. It was as if someone were calling out to him. He raised an eyebrow at this and turned around. There was a mirror in front of him, directly facing towards him. He walked towards the mirror hesitantly. He had never had this in his room before, what was it doing here? Bill couldn't have possibly put it there, could he have? No, that wasn't logical. Bill had been upstairs all afternoon. So where did this mirror come from? Was it all in his head?

He looked in the mirror as he walked closer to it. He stood close, looking at his reflection with his hands on his hips. He gave a sigh at the many scars on his torso, as well as his arms. He had always tried to see them as trophies for surviving in the multiverse all those years. However, Ford just couldn't find anything truly positive about them. He missed being able to wear T-shirts without the constant reminder of the scars on his body. Ford was, however, grateful that the turtleneck sweaters he wore did a good job at covering everything he had to hide from the rest of the world. From his friends and family. And from Bill.

Bill. Ford thought to himself. He began to wonder how the demon would react to the secrets he kept hidden under his sweaters. Surely nothing good. Bill had a reputation as well as a liking for mocking people quite often. It was similar to Stan's behavior. Ford wondered how Stan would react to seeing his brother how he was. Surely Stan wouldn't think too much of it. He had lived with a strange brother through half his life, surely it wouldn't bother him too much.

Would it?

Regardless, even if Bill didn't give mocking comments, Ford was sure that Bill would be upset about it all. He would likely blame it all on himself. Ford didn't want Bill to have to shift the blame on himself for all of the scars. Ford knew that it was his own fault much more than it was Bill's. Ford looked into the mirror and gave a small frown. He let his hands fall to his sides. He wondered if there would ever come a day in which he wouldn't feel insecure and freakish about his body.

Ford was lost in thought as he looked into the mirror. He didn't seem to see or hear the door open. Mabel stepped inside the room hesitantly, calling out to her uncle.

"Grunkle Ford?" Mabel addressed, shutting the door behind her.

Ford was taken out of his thoughts and looked at the door to see his niece standing there. He gasped sharply and was quick to rush over to his bed, grabbing the sweater and holding it up in front of his torso with his hands in hopes of covering himself.

"Mabel, what are you doing in here?" Ford roared suddenly. "Don't you know how to knock?"

Mabel's eyes widened. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry Grunkle Ford! You were just taking a long time, and... And I wanted to make sure you were okay." She explained.

Ford noticed the remorseful look on his nieces face and knew that he couldn't stay mad at her. She had only been concerned for him, after all. "Did...You see..?" Ford asked hesitantly.

Mabel was hesitant. She opened her mouth to speak, but shut it. She wasn't sure how to respond to the question. Ford sighed and hung his head slightly. "You saw me, didn't you?" He muttered in a tone of questioning.

"W-Was I not supposed to?" Mabel asked.

"Well," Ford began. "I just... didn't want you to be frightened." He admitted.

"Frightened?" Mabel repeated, raising an eyebrow. She hesitantly walked up to her uncle. "Why would I be frightened?" She wondered, speaking aloud.

"I figured someone such as yourself wouldn't wish to have to see such a freakish thing," Ford said. "Let alone on a family member." He added in a muttered tone.

Mabel frowned. She had a feeling of pity for Ford. She wondered if he truly felt so insecure, and saw himself as freakish just because of one other unique feature about him. "Grunkle Ford, I don't think it's freakish." She stated, folding her arms.

Ford was taken aback by the remark. "You don't?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow.

Mabel smiled. "Of course not! It's what makes you you! They're unique and really cool!" She said. Ford's surprised look didn't go unnoticed by her. "Can... I see them again?" She asked.

Ford was, in fact, very surprised. Not only that his niece seemed so astonished by his scars, but the fact that she wished to look upon them. The request was something Ford never would have thought another person would ask, however Mabel had proved him wrong. Hesitantly, he took the sweater away from his torso, putting it back on the bed instead.

Mabel's eyes widened once more. "How did you get these?" She asked.

"After many, many different situations in the multiverse, I suppose I had picked up a few along the way." Ford answered.

"They're amazing," Mabel said. She looked up at Ford. "Does anyone else know about these?" She asked.

Ford shook his head. "No," he said in a firm manner. "I was hoping to have kept them a secret." He informed.

Mabel frowned. "Oh, I'm sorry for finding out, then." She muttered.

Ford gave a light chuckle. He got down on one knee and put a hand on Mabel's shoulder. "Mabel, dear, you don't have to apologize. In fact, your words were very kind." He stated. "They've started to open my eyes, and for that I thank you." He said with a smile.

Mabel mirrored the smile. She looked at the scars once more and gasped at a realization. "Hey, that one almost looks like a lightning bolt!" She observed, pointing to the larger scar across Ford's chest.

"Ah yes," Ford began, "I obtained that one in dimension V15. It had very large and violent winged creatures, and their claws were incredibly sharp. I nearly died in that dimension from that injury. Luckily I had gotten help before I bled out." He said. Ford then realized just who he was talking to, and regretted explaining the tragic story. Mabel, however, didn't seem to mind.

"Wow, you must be indestructible!" Mabel said, amazed that her uncle could survive such a thing.

Ford just chuckled. "I'm not so sure about indestructible, my dear. But I have survived quite a lot of attacks and things that came my way." He said.

"If I ever become president, you could be my bodyguard!" Mabel beamed. She laughed along with her uncle after pointing out the star tattoo for a moment before pulling away from the embraced hug. Ford commanded Mabel to leave for a moment while he put the sweater on. Mabel complied and skipped out of the room to patiently await the reveal.

Mabel opened the door to see Bill with an outstretched hand. She gasped and was quick to close the bedroom door so that the demon wouldn't see Ford.

"He'll be done in a minute." Mabel assured before Bill could say anything.

"You sure? Fordsy's really taking his time." Bill said, backing up and folding his arms in suspicion.

"Oh, yeah! He...uh..," Mabel began, trying to think of an excuse. She knew that Ford wished to keep his scars private and unseen by others, which she was sure that the same complied to Bill. "He wanted to do something with his hair! Yeah, yeah! That seems reasonable because it's definitely the truth." Mabel said with a nod of her head. She felt guilty for lying, however she knew that it was for the best.

Bill had a look of suspicion on his face for a split second. It was quick to vanish, replaced with wide eyes of horror and a mouth that hung open.

"Are you kidding? He's gonna ruin that fluffy grey hair of his with products?" Bill asked in mortification. He pushed past Mabel quickly, ignoring the girls exclamations to stop, and threw the bedroom door open after twisting the handle.

"Don't ruin your hair, Sixer!" Bill shouted in desperation, holding a hand out. Ford looked at him in confusion, his hair perfectly fine and fluffy as usual. He had a hand on his hip as he questioned what Bill's sudden outburst was for.

"Bill, what's wrong?" Ford asked, sporting the dark blue turtleneck that had been made for him.

Bill saw that his hair was fine after taking a glance at Ford and shrugged. "Nevermind," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. He looked on at the man and walked closer. "So, it worked out after all, huh?" He asked.

"Yes, it fits very well," Ford said with a nod of his head, watching Bill as he stood in front of him. "Thank you both." He said, giving a nod at both Bill and Mabel.

Bill smirked and put his hands on the sides of Ford's shoulders, close to the other man. Ford shifted slightly at the close contact, however he allowed the gesture. "Do you like it?" Bill asked.

"I do," Ford answered. "It's very comfortable." He said.

Bill smiled and ran a hand through Ford's hair, cupping the side of his cheek with the other. He snickered at the slight blush on the others face, and raised an eyebrow when Ford looked away. Ford noticed that Mabel was standing there with her mouth hung open. He was quick to clear his throat and take Bill's hand off his face.

"Wh-?" Bill began to question.

"Later," Ford whispered to the other man. In a hushed tone, he added, "Mabel's in the room." Gesturing with his eyes towards the girl. Bill looked back at Mabel to see her small smile. Ford hadn't seemed to notice the same look on his nieces face.

Bill hummed and took a step back. He was debating whether or not he should tell Ford that, for the most part, Mabel was aware of the affection they shared. He decided against it after a moment of consideration and looked down when Mabel walked over to Ford.

"It looks great on you, Grunkle Ford!" Mabel beamed. "The color suits you." She commented with a nod of her head. She gasped suddenly and said, "Oh my gosh, I should make a matching one for you, Bill! You two would look so adorable together!" She said with a smile.

"I don't know, Shooting Star. Last time I wore a sweater I got a black eye." He said, laughing it off. Ford frowned and felt regret for accidentally hurting Bill a few days back. Though it wasn't intentional, Ford still felt the guilt.

Mabel shrugged. "Well, I'm sure you old men can be adorable together without matching sweaters." She said with a wink.

Ford raised an eyebrow, whereas Bill snickered along with the girl. He opted to brush off his confusion of the statement, as Ford was sure that Mabel meant that in their own individual ways. He was reminded of something he had been meaning to mention to Bill and adjusted his glasses.

"Bill, there's something I need to discuss with you." Ford said. Mabel and Bill both gave confused looks. "Alone." Ford added. Mabel saw this as her cue to leave and took a couple steps back.

"Can we talk about this later?" Bill asked. "Stano needs to see you in this." He said, pointing to the sweater.

Mabel stopped in her tracks and gasped. "That's a good idea!" She praised.

Ford let out a sigh. He had wished to address the strange dream he had experienced the previous night. A part of him wondered if the dream were some sort of warning, or if it were his brain guilt-tripping and playing games with him. He figured that it would be best to ask a few questions of Bill as soon as possible. Regardless of his wishes, he said, "I suppose it can wait for a bit."

Mabel smiled. "Grunkle Stan is going to love this!" She said. The three walked out of the room and headed towards the elevator.


Meanwhile, Dipper walked into the kitchen to be greeted by Stan, who was taking a sip of Pitt Cola.

"Hey, Grunkle Stan." Dipper said with a short wave. He wore an expression showing that he was pondering a thought, which didn't go unnoticed by Stan.

"Hey there, kiddo. What's on your mind?" Stan questioned, setting his soda can down and folding his arms.

Dipper gave a slow shrug. "There's so much going on. I-I don't know, I feel like Ford hasn't been like himself lately." He stated. "Do... Do you know why?" He asked.

"Oh boy, do I." Stan said. He looked away and gave a confused glance at the floor. "Uh... Do I?" He asked himself, not even sure if he understood.

"I'm worried about him," Dipper said. "There has to be something we can do." He said.

Stan merely shrugged. "I haven't seen him all day. Bill skipped work, and Ford decided to huddle himself in the basement all day. I'll be sure to give him a piece of my mind for staying in his lab all day instead of spending time with you and your sister on your last day here." He said, making a fist and shaking it slightly.

The two looked over to see Mabel walk into the kitchen.

"Grunkle Stan! Just the guy we were looking for!" Mabel said with a smile.

"We?" Dipper and Stan asked in unison. Nearby yet not in sight from the doorframe's view, Stan and Dipper could hear small grunts and pants coming from Bill, as if he were pushing something. Or someone, as they heard hushed complaints from Ford about him having second thoughts on displaying himself. Mabel moved out of the way as Bill made another, rougher push on Ford's arm. Ford now stood at the doorframe in the view o those in the kitchen and looked at Bill as the blonde fell to the floor. Before Ford or Mabel could ask if he needed assistance, Bill had already assured them that he was fine.

Mabel put her arms out by her side, a large smile being worn as she brought attention to Ford. The scientist gave an awkward chuckle, scratching the back of his neck and looking away.

"Doesn't he look great?" Mabel asked the others.

"He looks confused." Stan commented. Mabel frowned, and Stan gave a short laugh. "I'm only jokin' around." He assured, watching as Bill stood up from the ground.

"The sweater took a week, but it turned out okay." Bill said.

"Okay?" Ford repeated, raising an eyebrow. He looked at the other man beside him and gave a small smile. "It's perfect. I really love it." He said.

"You love it?" Bill teased, putting an arm atop Ford's shoulder.

Ford gave a nod at the question. "I do." He confirmed. The two shared sideways glances towards each other with warm smiles. Mabel smiled at their sudden cuteness, whereas Stan narrowed his eyes slightly, suspicion filling his head. He knew those types of glances anywhere. Before he could speak on it, the two broke their eye contact, Bill running a hand through his hair whilst Ford cleared his throat.

"So," Ford began, getting down on one knee and beckoning Dipper closer. The boy walked towards him, and Ford put one hand on each of the twins' shoulders. "What do you say we make these last moments of the two of you here in Gravity Falls special ones?" He asked.

Mabel gasped. "Can we play hide and duo seekers?" She hoped.

"Would you mind explaining how to play first?" Ford asked.

Dipper gave a nod. "It's basically hide and seek." He began.

"Except there are two seekers instead of one!" Mabel finished, smiling. "It's a game Dipper and I made up." She said.

Bill raised an eyebrow. "Shooting Star, you never told me about that game." He said.

Dipper folded his arms and looked up at the demon. "It's a family game, man." He stated. "She wouldn't bother telling you about it if you can't play it."

Mabel looked at her brother and gave a small frown. "Dipper, don't be rude! Bill can play if he wants, no one should stop him!" She said.

Bill smirked down at the boy. "Yeah, Pine Tree. I may not be family, but your sister and Fordsy care about me." He said. Stan cringed at the nickname Bill had used for his brother, and proceeded to look at the others with his arms folded.

"It sounds like a nice game, my dear." Ford said. He looked up at his brother. "Stanley?" He addressed.

"Eh, not like I've got anything better to do." Stan responded with a shrug. He pushed his sudden suspicions aside and walked with the group outside, save Mabel who went upstairs for a moment to locate the other resident of the household.


After a few moments, the Pines as well as Bill and Fiddleford (Whom Mabel had asked if he had wanted to play as well,) were all out in the yard by the back porch. They had already played a couple of rounds; the first time Dipper and McGucket were the seekers, and the second being Stan and Mabel. After the previous round ended, everyone met in the center of the yard.

"You're up to countin', Sixer." Stan said, giving his brother a small push.

"And Bill!" Mabel added, copying Stan's push gesture. Bill was taken by surprise at the sudden push, and looked back at the girl with a slightly annoyed glance. Mabel responded to the expression with a cheeky smile. She pointed over at the porch and looked at the two, signaling that they were to go inside. Ford and Bill complied and walked towards the shack.

McGucket watched the two leave with a hint of confusion. Being that he had hardly spoken to either of the men throughout the day, he couldn't help but wonder just where the two stood with each other emotionally.

"Hopefully they don't strangle each other in the sixty seconds they have to count." Dipper muttered.

Mabel's smile was still apparent. "You know, I think they'll be just fine." She said, watching as the two walked into the shack.

Meanwhile, the counters stood in the living room. Ford sat down on the yellow couch and began counting on a muttered tone whilst Bill leaned on the armrest beside him. The two couldn't manage to get to the count of five before Bill stood in front of the other, placing one hand on both of the armrests. Ford raised an eyebrow at the strange behavior.

Bill drew in a breath before speaking, seeing that they had a moment alone now. "So," he began, "About last night..." Bill continued, looking away.

Ford raised an eyebrow at this. It had been the first time either of them had brought up the events of the previous night. He looked over at the back door that was wide open, seeing Dipper and Mabel running around the yard to hide. Ford looked back at the other. "Bill, we should be counting." He stated.

"Fair point," Bill began with a slow nod. "Counter point; there's a clock on the wall that'll keep track." He said with a smirk.

Ford gave a sigh. "What about it?" He asked.

"The clock?" Bill questioned.

"No, last night." Ford stated.

Bill grinned. "Oh, so we are talking about it, then?" He asked.

"Well," Ford started. "We're addressing it now, aren't we?"

"I guess so." Bill muttered.

The two stood in silence for a moment, neither having anything to say. Seconds on the clock was ticking away, each second counting down to when they were to go back outside. Ford was confused as to why Bill wasn't proceeding with what he had said originally.

"Well?" Ford questioned, raising an eyebrow. He glanced over at the clock, seeing that time was almost up. He looked back at Bill. "Tick tock." He reminded.

Bill shook his head quickly as if to remove himself from a thought. He looked up at Ford once more. "Oh, right." He muttered. "There's been something I've been meaning to ask." He said.

"Oh?" Ford said, "What would that be?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. He was sure that the time was up, however he figured it wouldn't hurt to give the others a bit more time, for he was now curious of what Bill was going to say.

"After what happened last night," Bill began once more. He was hesitant to speak, somewhat afraid that the question would annoy the other. "...What does that make us?" He wondered.

Ford hummed in a low tone. Bill saw this as a bad sign and regretted asking such a foolish question. He shivered slightly when Ford looked back at him.

"I'm not sure." Ford admitted with a faint shrug of his shoulders.

Back outside, Mabel as well as the others were all still hiding. As far as she had heard, no one had been found. A share of suspicion and concern came from this, and she hesitantly crawled out of her hiding place in a bush, noticing that the two counters weren't outside. She raised an eyebrow at this, positive that the time had been up for at least double its time. She stood up and walked over towards the shack to check on Ford and Bill, just to make sure that they were okay.

Mabel walked into the shack, looking forward and noticing that the two counters were still in the living room. She was about to speak aloud to tell them that the time was up in case they had forgotten how long they were supposed to count for. Mabel opened her mouth, walking forward towards the doorframe. She noticed that Bill was leaning close to her uncle, Ford seeming unopposed to the action. She figured that the two were having a bonding moment and turned to walk away.

"Did last night mean anything to you?" Bill asked.

Mabel stopped in her tracks when she heard the blonde speak. She squinted her eyes, fighting a battle in her head. After a moment, Mabel's curiosity for the best of her, and she walked back to the doorframe, poking her head out to look on at the two.

Ford tilted his head slightly. "W-well, of course it did." He confirmed, trying to read the other man's facial expression. Ford raised an eyebrow. "Why do you ask?" He wondered.

Bill gave a hesitant shrug. "I just didn't want it to mean nothing." He responded in a hushed tone.

Mabel was beyond confused. Last night? Meaning nothing? She wondered to herself. What happened to them?

"I wouldn't say nothing," Ford began. "But I'm sure I can speak for both of us when I say that it's making things very confusing." He said. He wasn't surprised when Bill nodded in agreement.

"Well, for what it's worth..," Bill started once more. He let out a sigh. "I've grown to care about you, Sixer." He said. "I really have."

Mabel gave a small smile at this. She felt bad for watching the two without them knowing, however she couldn't help but wonder if all of those matchmaking pointers she had given to Bill were finally paying off.

"That's reassuring to hear." Ford said, offering Bill a warm smile. Bill returned the look for a short moment before giving a skeptical expression.

"What do you think your brother would say if he knew we were sleeping together?" Bill asked.

Mabel gasped out loud at this. Bill and Ford both heard the sound and turned to look at the doorframe in unison, wide eyes of horror. Mabel covered her mouth and moved away from the living room entrance, her back against the wall as she hoped that they hadn't seen her. Bill raised an eyebrow and looked back at Ford. Stanford narrowed his eyes in suspicion and drew his eyes back over at Bill at seeing nothing suspicious, and no onlookers nearby.

"Stanley would be furious," Ford answered. he noticed Bill's raised eyebrow and continued. "It's not because we're both men, but because..." He proceeded, stopping in the middle of his sentence to choose his words carefully. The last thing he wanted was to upset the blonde.

"Because it's me." Bill finished, assuming that's what the other was going to say. He looked away for a moment with a false smile.

Ford sighed. "I'm not going to lie to you, Bill. Honestly, you're correct." He muttered. Bill just shrugged, he wasn't surprised in the slightest.

Mabel frowned at this. Hesitantly, she peeked into the living room once more. She was sure that Ford and Bill had completely forgotten about the game, and the fact that they were supposed to be counting.

"I don't blame him." Bill said.

Ford brows furrowed slightly at this. "Oh, don't say that-"

"Why not?" Bill snapped suddenly, looking at Ford for all but three seconds before looking away once more. The frown didn't go unnoticed by Ford. "I'm horrible. There's no changing it. And I know he'll never let what I did last year go. He's not like you, Stanford. You hold grudges, but he holds them longer unless it's someone he cares about." He gave a small chuckle. "And we both know that Stano couldn't care less about me. That's never going to-" He continued, until he felt Ford's hand at the side of his face, moving down to his chin.

"Bill," Ford addressed, leaving the other man confused. "Hush." He commanded, tilting his head and swiftly bringing Bill's face closer to place a soft kiss atop his lips.

Mabel, who was still peeking inside the living room, smiled wide at the contact. Her pupils enlarged at the sight, as she put her hands atop her cheeks. She saw Bill climb atop the other man, wrapping his arms around Ford's neck and deepening their kiss. Mabel couldn't silence the high-pitched squeal that escaped her smiling mouth.

Bill and Ford heard the ear-piercing squeal and both pulled away from each other, looking at the doorframe to see a grinning Mabel standing there. Bill offered the girl a large smile, whereas Ford gave a look of absolute mortification.

"Mabel!" Ford gasped, staring at her with his mouth hung open. He pushed Bill off of him and looking down at the carpet to avoid eye contact with the girl who had caught them kissing. Bill caught himself and stood up, using one arm to lean slightly on the couch's armrest, putting his other hand on his hip.

"Uh... We found ya'!" Bill said, an awkward chuckle coming after.

Fear filled Ford's head. He had done it now. He had chosen to show affection at the worst time, resulting in Mabel finding out about him and Bill. Surely she would tell Stan. She would tell Stan, and Ford would have his brother there to scold and chide him for doing what he did. Afterwards Ford would likely fail in bluffing and Stanley would find out other things such as the happenings of the previous night. He was dead. It was all over now. No hope of getting out of fate whatsoever-

"Yes, finally!" Mabel beamed. "I can't believe this is happening!" She said, walking over to the two with the same smile.

"Mabel, I-I can assure you, this is not what it looked like." Ford stammered, trying to keep his voice firm to little avail.

Mabel ignored Ford for the moment and looked at Bill with a smile. Bill got down on one knee when he saw the girls hand raised. Bill snickered and accepted the high five.

"What do ya' know, kid?" Bill said, "It looks like your matchmaking actually worked out." He praised with a smirk.

Ford raised an eyebrow with wide eyes. "Matchmaking?" He questioned. He looked at Bill. "Are you saying that Mabel knew about this?"

"Well, most of it," Bill answered with a nod of his head. He stood up once more and smirked, grabbing Ford by his dark blue turtleneck and pulling him close. Bill leaned by Ford's ear and whispered, "But not all of it." He said, pulling away and offering the scientist a wink. Ford cheeks turned pink in response, to his distaste. Bill just smiled at Ford's reaction.

"I'm sorry for finding out about a secret," Mabel said to her uncle, frowning. "Again." She added in a mutter that neither man seemed to hear.

Ford sighed. He couldn't be upset at Mabel, it wouldn't be fair to her. He took a knee, looking at the girl. "It's alright, my dear." He said hesitantly, placing a hand atop her shoulder and giving a firm look before speaking once more. "But please Mabel, promise me that you won't go to Stanley about this." He pleaded.

Mabel's eyes widened. "Grunkle Stan doesn't know about you and Bill?" She asked.

"No," Ford confirmed. "And it's going to stay that way, do you understand?" He asked.

Mabel nodded. "Yeah, I do." She assured. "But Grunkle Ford, hiding this from your own brother? Are you sure that's a good idea? Hiding something from your twin never works out how you want it to. And I would know!" She said.

"It will be difficult," Ford agreed with a nod of his head. "But it's the only option other than having the bond I've rebuilt with Stan severed again." He stated.

Mabel could only hum. "When will you tell him?" She wondered.

Ford's thoughts were all halted at the question asked. He thought for a moment, only to realize that he didn't exactly have a plan on that just yet. "In time," Ford assured. "When Stan is able to forgive Bill."

"Which is never gonna happen." Bill grumbled, folding his arms and looking away.

"Anything is possible!" Mabel retorted, placing her hands atop her hips.

Bill just scoffed. "Yeah, sure kid." He muttered with very little enthusiasm. He looked back at Mabel before continuing. "If anything was possible, I would be normal again, not having to be stuck in this restricted body." He stated.

Mabel frowned. "Maybe someday you will!" She encouraged.

Before Bill could comment his doubt, he glanced up at the clock, his eyes widening. "Oh, crud!" He exclaimed. "Stano, Pine Tree and Fiddle-dee are still hiding out there!" He reminded.

Ford looked at the clock and added, "The twins' bus arrives in five minutes." With a monotone voice.

"Then go find them!" Mabel said, pointing her arms at the door. Bill and Ford glanced at each other for a few seconds before bolting out of the house in unison to go find the hiders. Mabel watched them leave with a smile.

I'm happy for them. Mabel thought to herself, hands on her hips. Hopefully Grunkle Stan doesn't tear them apart if he finds out the truth...

Nah, Stan's a reasonable guy! Mabel mentally retorted. I'm sure it would all be fine if he did figure it out. She walked over towards the back door and walked onto the porch, sitting atop the couch to spectate the game. She looked over at Bill to see him creeping up to a bush he sensed someone was behind. He gave the bush a sudden shake, earning him a fearful cry from Dipper. Bill laughed mockingly when the boy ran away from his hiding spot.

Meanwhile, Stan was hidden behind a large tree, smirking with his arms folded. It's been five minutes already, and those idiots still haven't found me! Ain't no one ever gonna find Stanley Pines at this rate! While Stan celebrated in his head, he didn't seem to notice a figure walking towards him from behind. Stan shouted in fear when he felt a hand atop his shoulder, and turned his head around to see his twin brother there.

"There you are." Ford said.

Stan just grunted. "I jinxed it." He muttered under his breath.

"Bill found Dipper and is now chasing him around the yard like a madman, and I've found you," Ford pondered in his head. "So that leaves... Fiddleford!" He said, looking around slightly.

"Oh yeah?" Stan began, standing up with his arms still folded. "What about Mabel?" He quizzed.

Ford started at the mentioning of the girl. "She..." He tried, hoping to find a logical excuse that wouldn't signal his bluffing. "She was found by Bill as well, I believe." He said, giving a look as though he were questioning it himself.

"Way to look after the kids, Pointdexter." Stan said with an eye roll.

Stan and Ford looked over at a bush that began shaking and rustling around in front of them. Ford raised an eyebrow, and Stan narrowed his eyes.

"What's that?" Stan asked Ford, assuming his brother would know the answer. "Some kinda... weird, magic bush?"

"Doubtful," Ford said. He went to flip his lab coat back to draw a gun in case there were a monster, only to be reminded that he hadn't worn his coat. He took a defensive stance at not having a weapon on him. Stan noticed Ford's sense of danger and put up a set of fists.

The two looked at the bush for a moment longer, only to see a skinny, blonde man swiftly jump out of said bush, landing with his hands touching the dirt ground as he scanned his surroundings. He looked up at the old men who looked as if they were to attack and backed up slightly.

Ford calmed at the sight of seeing a human rather than a monster. "Oh, it's just a man." He muttered.

Stan put his hands on his hips and looked at the young man. "Hey, I've seen you before." He stated with narrowed eyes.

The strange blonde man looked up at the others. "Yo dawgs, any of you seen some other cool lookin' dudes around here?" He asked.

"Well, there's one right here, if that's what you're askin'." Stan said with a smirk, pointing to himself. Ford rolled his eyes at his brothers statement.

"What's your name?" Ford asked the stranger.

"Call me Deep Chris." The man answered.

Stan raised an eyebrow. "That a nickname?" He asked. Ford gave Stan a nudge to the shoulder at the rude comment.

"Are you lost?" Ford questioned. "It can be easy to get lost in the forest around here."

"Not lost, just scared, dawg." Chris retorted. His voice got deeper, and more serious as he said, "I sense that some uncool danger is near."

Ford and Stan looked at each other for a moment, then back at the man to see that Chris still had a serious look on his face. A few seconds later, his face lit up with a smile. "Well, see you around, stone agers!" He said before scurrying off further into the forest.

"Danger?" Ford repeated, raising an eyebrow in concern.

"Stone agers?" Stan also repeated, folding his arms and huffing in offence. "The nerve of young people these days." He grumbled with a shake of his head.

Ford hummed in suspicion. "I wonder if we should fear the danger that man spoke of. I can't shake the feeling that it was meant as a warning to something..." He said, putting a hand atop his chin as he thought.

Stan looked at his brothers serious expression and gave him a harder pat on the back than he had intended. "Come on, Sixer. I'm sure he's just scared of the wolves. Quit bein' so paranoid." He said.

Ford took one last glance at where the man had departed and adjusted his glasses. "I'm sure you're right." He said. The two walked back over towards the shack in silence. Stan seemed as if there was nothing bothering him. Ford, on the other hand, still carried suspicion of the strange warning. Surely it hadn't just been coincidence. There has to be a meaning behind the so called danger. Regardless, he opted not to speak his mind to Stan any more on the situation, as the conman would likely brush it off and call it nothing to worry about.

When they returned back to the shack, McGucket (Who had been found by Bill) rushed up to Ford.

"The twins' bus is gon' be at that bus stop in a couple a' minutes." Fiddleford said.

Stan frowned. "I wish their parents woulda' let 'em stay the whole summer instead of just half." He commented.

"Well, even if they didn't, what matters is that they were able to pay a visit." Ford said with a shrug. He looked over to see the twins and Bill sitting atop the grass. The kids watched as Bill lit a leaf on fire using his magic. Mabel clapped, whereas Dipper felt a shiver go up his spine at knowing that the demon could burn objects to a crisp.

Stan walked over to the twins. "Well, looks like you kiddos better get your bags from upstairs." He said. Mabel and Dipper frowned at the thought of leaving Gravity Falls, however they complied and stood up to go get their things.

"Need any help?" Bill offered. Mabel kindly declined the offer, however Dipper looked back and scrunched his nose at the demon with narrowed eyes. Bill's offer was clearly a way of getting Dipper to trust him, which the boy wouldn't let happen.

"I don't need your help." Dipper said with a scoff, walking away to catch up with her sister.

Bill put a hand on his heart for show by the sudden rudeness, however he couldn't say he was surprised. He watched the young teenager leave and rolled his eyes. "Good riddance, Pine Tree." Bill grumbled. Knowing that Dippers back was turned, Bill stood up from off the grass and offered the boy a certain hand gesture. Stan would have showed his enthusiasm of the demon using such gestures, had it not been directed to his nephew. Ford, however, showed his distaste for it.

"He deserved it." Bill stated.

"In time Dipper will grow to open up a bit more." Ford assured.

"We both know that's not true." Bill retorted.

"You can't exactly predict that he won't." Ford said.

Bill folded his arms. "Well you can't predict that he will, smart guy." He stated. Ford opened his mouth to speak, but shut it a moment later. Bill smirked at his win when Ford didn't respond. The last few days had been long ones, however they all had their unique settings to them.


A few minutes later, after the twins had gotten their bags and put them in the car, everyone got in the car towards the bus stop. When they arrived, they were surprised to see Soos' truck parked near the road. Soos and Melody gave the others waves. When Mabel got out of the car, she gushed at the adorable sight of Brock peacefully asleep in Melody's arms, cuddled up close to his mother.

When everyone was out of the car, Ford and McGucket both took a moment to admire the sunset. Fiddleford looked around to make sure no one was listening. He looked at Ford and asked, "So... What happened with yerself' and Bill?" He wondered.

Ford heard the question and copied McGucket's action of looking around before answering. "We've resolved most of the issues." He said. "However we're both confused of where we stand with each other." He added in a hushed tone.

McGucket gave a slow nod. "I'm happy for ye', Stanford." He said with a small smile. "Does Stan know anything?" He asked.

Ford shook his head. "I don't want Stanley finding out anytime soon, regardless of what ends up happening between Bill and I." He said. "However I fear that he will find out on his own. Mabel already has." He muttered.

"Well yea', Bill had told er' about a weeka' go." Fiddleford said.

"Yes, but now she has confirmation." Ford revealed.

"Confirmation?" Fiddleford repeated. "What do ye' mean by that?" He asked.

Ford took in a breath before speaking. "I suppose you could say that she glanced upon a show of affection earlier." He said, running a hand through his hair and looking away awkwardly.

"Oh, I see." Fiddleford said, nudging Ford slightly with a wink. Ford chuckled and swatted the other man's arm away.

Mabel jumped up and gave Soos a hug, taking him by surprise. The handyman wrapped his arms around Mabel and chuckled, giving the girl a pat on the back.

"I'm gonna miss you, dawg." Soos said.

Mabel gave a sad smile. "I'll miss you too," She said. Mabel got down and looked at Melody. "I'll miss all three of you." She said.

Melody offered her a small smile. "We hope to see you again soon." She said.

"Oh, we'll be back." Mabel said with a laugh. She looked at Brock and added, "I can't wait to see that little guy again, either!"

Everyone at the bus stop looked down the road to see the bus coming towards them. Frowns formed at the sight of the vehicle, however the twins were going to be happy to see their parents once again when they got back to California.

Stan and Ford walked closer and stood beside each other, both getting down on a knee and putting their arms out. Mabel and dipper looked behind them and rushed towards their uncles. Dipper threw his arms around Ford's neck, whereas Mabel did the same for Stan. McGucket gave a smile at the action.

"You kids better come back soon." Stan said.

"Say hello to your grandpa Shermy for me." Ford requested.

"We will." Dipper and Mabel responded to both uncles in unison.

The bus made its stop, the doors opening for the twins. Mabel and Dipper walked towards the bus, until Mabel came to a short stop. She looked to her right to see Bill and McGucket giving short 'goodbye' waves. She sighed at the two and dropped her things, running towards the men and opening her arms wide. She jumped up and brought them shoulder-to-shoulder with each other as she hugged them tight.

"I'm going to miss you guys so much." Mabel said, sighing.

"We'll miss ye' too, Mabel." McGucket said with a small smile.

Bill nodded. "Yeah, you'd better come back sometime, kiddo. Make me proud and annoy Pine Tree on the way back, will ya'?" He requested.

"Oh, definitely!" Mabel assured with a giggle. She looked at Bill. "You and Grunkle Ford better be good to each other." She said. "And no evil!" She added in a more stern manner.

"No evil." Bill repeated. "Got it." Mabel smiled. He looked back at the girl and gave a small smile of his own. "Thanks for everything, kid." He said in a hushed tone. He didn't want the others jumping to the conclusion that he was going soft. If they did, he would only deny the claims.

"Mabel!" Dipper called, waving his hand. Mabel turned her head around and remembered the bus that was awaiting her. She gave Fiddleford and Bill one last tight squeeze before hopping down and rushing back over to the bus. The twins looked at each other and gave small smiles before boarding the bus. Mabel had nearly brought Waddles along with her, but figured that Bill may want an extra friend to take care of while she was gone. Bill wasn't opposed to taking care of Waddles for her, as he owed that to Mabel and much more for all she had done for him, and all of the undeserved kindness she had shown.

Dipper and Mabel walked to the back of the bus, sitting down and looking out the window. The doors to the bus closed, and the driver announced their next stop to California. The twins looked out the window and saw the others save Soos and Melody running to catch up with them. They smiled and waved back to their friends and family.

"When do you think we'll be back?" Mabel asked, turning to look at her brother.

"Only time will tell." Dipper said with a shrug.

When the bus was too far away, Bill stopped running. Ford noticed him stopping and ceased his running as well, just watching the bus head down the road. He looked as Stan and McGucket proceeded to run until they toppled over.

Ford cringed at the sight of Stan landing face-first on the grass. "That had to hurt." He muttered.

"Let's hope he didn't break a hip." Bill added. Ford gave him a blank look, which didn't go unnoticed by the demon. "Kidding." He assured. Bill tilted his head to the side, laying it atop Ford's shoulder and sighing. "I feel weird...er. Weirder than usual." He admitted.

Ford looked down at the man. "Why is that?" He asked.

"I don't know. It's strange, but I'm actually gonna miss Shooting Star." Bill said, watching as the bus the twins were leaving on went out of view.

"Mabel will be back." Ford said, putting an arm atop Bill's shoulder from behind in a reassuring manner. "She'll return before you know it."

"I know everything." Bill grumbled, looking up at the man.

"Not anymore, you don't." Ford reminded. He saw Bill's scowl and chuckled. "But you are very intelligent."

Bill huffed. "Don't sugarcoat your insults, Sixer." He muttered, nuzzling his face into the warmth of the other man for a moment. They stood in silence for nearly a minute before pulling away. They looked as McGucket stood up from off the ground, offering to help Stan up. Ford and Bill walked over to the others, as if they had forgotten of the couple still standing by the bus stop.

"Did you see that?" Soos asked, looking beside him at his girlfriend.

"See what? Your boss fall face-first in the grass?" Melody asked. She gave a light chuckle. "Yeah, I did." She said.

Soos shook his head. "N-no, not that." He began. "Maybe it was just me, but Bill looked kind of affectionate just then." He said.

Melody looked at Soos. "I thought they weren't together." She said.

"They aren't, they never have been." Soos said. He looked down at the grass as he thought. "At least, I don't think they have been."

the other four all walked back over to the bus stop where Soos and Melody had stayed. Stan tried to seem like he wasn't in pain, however his head was throbbing after hitting the ground so roughly. Ford offered to drive on the way back and to get him an ice pack when they got home, only for Stan to quickly deny the assistance. No head pain was going to stop Stan Pines from any regular activities.

"I think it's best we all head home." Stan said.

"I second that, dude." Soos agreed. "It's chilly out here."

McGucket looked at Brock and said, "Don't let the little one turn inta' a popsicle."

Soos' eyes widened. "Oh no, can that really happen?" He asked.

Bill blinked at the childlike man's question. He was about to tell Soos that it was merely an expression, only for Soos to rush over to his vehicle, pulling out his keys and turning the car on. He beckoned Melody to come quickly before Broke froze.

"Well, I guess we're leaving, then." Melody muttered. She looked at the others with a smile as she turned around. "It was nice seeing all of you again!" She said before walking over to Soos' truck with Brock in his arms.

The others watched as Melody headed towards the truck, strapping Brock in his car seat before taking the passengers seat. Soos pulled out of where he had parked and got on the road.

"Well, home time!" Stan said, marching over to the car. McGucket followed along, Bill walking behind him. They walked towards the car, until Bill stopped in his tracks at feeling a hand on his shoulder. He looked behind him to see Ford wearing a serious facial expression.

Bill raised an eyebrow with a bored look on his face. "What's wrong?" He asked, lacking enthusiasm and concern as he asked the question with a monotone voice.

"Bill, there's something I need to talk to you about." Ford stated.

Bill groaned. "Is this that thing you mentioned earlier?" He asked.

"Yes, and I think it's best if you are aware." Ford said.

Bill looked around to see Stan and Fiddleford getting into the car. "Well, chop chop, Sixer. They're gonna leave without us."

"Stan wouldn't leave without us." Ford assured, doubting the claim.

Stanley looked through the windshield to see Bill and Ford still outside. He waited a moment, narrowing his eyes at the hesitance of them getting into the vehicle. He grumbled and shook a fist through the broken drivers seat window.

"Hey, Pointdexter!" Stan hollered, taking Ford by surprise. "If ya' don't hurry up, we're leavin' without'cha!" He threatened.

Bill looked at Ford. "Told ya'." He said with a sly smirk.

Ford sighed. "When we get home, may I address it?" He asked.

Bill narrowed his eyes. "First off- that ol' shack is not my home. It's yours. It never will be my home." He stated. His features softened. "But I'll listen to whatever you feel the need to say." He said with a nod of his head.

Ford gave a nod. "Thank you." He said before the two walked over to the car with Stanley and Fiddleford. What they didn't notice on the way back was two members of Several' Timez were watching them leave.

"That blonde dawg looks just like me, broski!" One member said.

"Maybe if we replace him with you, it'll all work out!" The other said.

"That plan is straight perfect!" The first said, pumping his fist into The air.

Well, there's that. I was originally going to have what Ford wanted to say in this chapter, but this one is long enough on its own. Besides, it will fit the next chapter better to have both the conversation and other events go on in the same chapter.

I'm going to have to memorize all of the names from the Several Timez group, as well as which name belongs to who. Why is for you to figure out.

The "Hide and Duo Seek" Game was just something random that popped into my head. xD

Expect the next chapter soon!