Hey guys! Thank you for all the reviews and positive responses to the last chapter. I am hoping to have the final chapter out tomorrow. I am actually really proud of how I think this story is going to turn out. I have worked hard to try to improve, and I think this is the best story I have written. I hope you guys enjoy the second to last chapter, and please keep those reviews coming (they give me life!)

After that last phone call with the twins Stan took another massive decline, and according to the hospice nurse that Ford had brought in Stan had a few days at best. Soos and Ford kept constant vigil together at his bedside, as Melody tried to take care of the shack and also keep up with the constant phone calls and inquiries about Stan's health.

The night before Ford was scheduled to leave for California Stan called him to his bedside, and something about the nature of his voice told Ford that it may very well be the final conversation he would have with his brother, and he was determined to make it count, "Stanley, listen there is something I need to sa-" Ford started before Stan interrupted him.

"This time I get to talk first poindexter….you may have a higher vocabulary than me, but what I got to say is darn important so I need you to listen ok?" Stan demanded, even though he was loaded down with pain meds and was extremely weak he still managed to have that same strong presence he had always had. Ford just nodded as tears came to his eyes.

"I want you to promise me that for however long you get to stay here on earth you will make sure Dipper and Mabel are taken care of. I don't just mean giving them a place to stay during the holidays and making sure they have plenty to eat and don't get themselves killed…..though I hope you do that. I mean you take time to talk with em' make sure you cut the crusts off Dipper's toast like he likes it, and make sure that if Mabel has a nightmare you give her hot coco with whipped cream….it will make her crazy hyper, but it will make her happy. Make sure they reach their full potential in all they do, make sure they remember how much they love each other no matter what fights they may have. Make sure you never let them forget all they did for us, and most importantly how much you and I both love them. Tomorrow at that show I don't want any tears in your eyes unless they are tears of pride….and you better make sure to clap loud enough for the both of us. You've got six fingers on each hand so I'm sure you can cover," Stan said taking a quick break to catch his breath.

Ford let out a small laugh in spite of himself, but he nodded at Stan as tears continued streaming down his face. "Anything else Stanley?" Ford asked.

"Yeah, make sure Soos and Melody and that weird old woman are taken care of. They are all freaks, but they are our freaks understand? Make sure you give them all of your support when Soos and Melody get married…..and when and if they have children….love them, spoil them, and….make sure they know who I am. Make sure this old shack stays in its same rusty, gross, and unsanitary condition for as long as you can. I know it's a hunk of junk but…..it's my legacy you know?" Stan said letting a few tears fall from his face, which Ford quickly reached to wipe.

"Stanley I think you will….." Ford started before the faint sound of singing interrupted him.

"Ummm….I think you dudes need to see this," Soos said peaking from behind the door that lead to the shop.

Ford and Soos gently wheeled Stans' portable bed towards the window. Outside in the newly fallen snow hundreds of candles flickered in the dark night. Nearly every resident of Gravity Falls had gathered in front of the shack to hold vigil. Their voices sang softly, but united they were very powerful as they sang one of Stans favorite Haunkakah songs, "Shalom Aleichem". True they didn't exactly sing it in perfect tune, and their attempts at Hebrew were laughable at best, but for once Stan just didn't care. As he looked through the sea of faces he realized that he was leaving earth with the best kind of legacy. A legacy of love.

As the crowd continued to sing Ford noticed that Stan's eyes had begun to get heavy and droopy. He took his brother's hand in his and leaned down to his ear and whispered "I love you Stanley" tears streaming down his face.

Stan looked up into his brother's eyes and gave his signature playful grin, "Don't be such a wuss sixer," Stan said as he gave his brother's hand a firm grip, and slowly slipped away.

After a few moments Ford looked up from his brother's body and quietly turned off the porch light symbolically alerting the townsfolk to what had happened. With tears in their eyes the people began to leave allowing the family time alone to grieve.

A few hours later when everyone had a chance to kiss Stan's cheek or squeeze his hand, the undertakers took the body away. Melody and Soos sat on the couch in front of the television where Stan had spent so much of his final years, while Ford sat at the coffee table with his hands buried in his face. "I feel like this is all just a bad dream," Ford said with a whisper.

At that moment Soos took a deep breath, and walked over to the table where Ford was sitting, "As Stan Pines son I want you to know that I am going to make sure he gets the send-off he truly deserves, you on the other hand, need to get some sleep. You gotta get on the road pretty early tomorrow to get to California before the curtain opens," Soos said.

Ford didn't know what to say. He admitted he had not gotten to know Soos as well as he would have liked, he was a nice fella, but he always seemed a bit…odd to Ford. Even still it was apparent that Soos was fiercely loyal to his family, and for that he owed Soos the love and respect his brother had for him.

He embraced the young man in a tight hug that lasted for several minutes, and then tried to do as he was told and get some sleep. As he lied down in bed, however, sleep just couldn't come to him. He was trying to play the conversation that he would have to have with the twins in a thousand ways. He knew that there wasn't going to be a "right" way to do this, and for Ford Pines he had always hated when things didn't have a clear answer. He sat up and thought about how growing up he had always been deemed the "smart twin" by people in their community, but that night he felt like he wasn't smart at all. "When it comes to books I know more than just about anyone….but I will never in my life be as wise as my brother was," Ford thought to himself, eventually his mind could not think anymore and he drifted off into a deep, dreamless, sleep.