YOOOOOO WE ARE CONFIRMED, HELL YEAH FOLKS!

Author's note: I went back and changed the one detail I made on Stanly's hands, because I like the idea of him being 12 fingered instead of just 11. yeah.

Now Enjoy!

Eight- Who You Gonna Call?

"You guys are fucking idiots! I wrote in my journals to not open the portal! What do you think I meant by that?!"

Stanley was pacing about the lab, he had been ranting for a good five minutes now, but not before getting to his feet and giving Stanford a good six-fingered punch to the face. Stanford had taken the hit with a curse and a grumble but not much else; Stanley deserved a hit back for the thirty-year-old bruise still on his face.

This reunion was not going as planned. But Stan had to admit it wasn't entirely unexpected considering everything.

Fiddleford wrung his hands together, Stanley had directed his furious attention to him after decking his twin but had refrained from hitting the smaller man. No. Stanley had simply given him a scornful, disbelieving look instead; that had hit Fiddleford harder than any blow could. And Stanley knew it.

"We did what we had to." Intoned Stanford nonplussed, still rubbing his chin. He may have been the boxing natural but Stanley knew a thing or two, and still being young helped things along.

Fiddleford nodded in agreement, "Stanley, we couldn't just leave you in there-"

"You don't get to speak mind-wiper! You and your ridiculous Society! Couldn't take the heat so you decided to lobotomize yourself into uselessness! That damn demon got to you didn't he?! Do you even know what is happening right now?!"

Stanley turned on FIddleford as he spoke, advancing on the smaller man and spitting his words out with venom. Fiddleford pressed his weak hand to his chest but didn't cower or back down; he too had expected this reaction from Stanley and it pissed him off just as much as he knew it would.

He shouted back, just as loud, "I do indeed know, and more than you I think! I'll admit what I did was wrong and cowardly, and I regret every bit of it. Bill had his way with my mind just as he obviously had with yours! However, you didn't deserve to be doomed to his dimension. And that's why I helped Stanford get you back you ungrateful, paranoid, blind son of a-"

A meaty fist met jaw and the next thing Fiddleford knew was the feeling of smacking into the cold lab floor. His world rocked and rolled as he tasted the coppery presence of blood in his mouth. Stanley went to hit him again but Stanford caught his arm. Stanley glared at him and opened his mouth to yell but stopped at the utterly seething look the now older Pines was giving him.

"You ever touch him like that again and I will punch your lights out. Cold. Got it Poindexter?" Stan's tone's was steely.

Stanley matched it, "Choosing your boyfriend over your brother this time Stanford? Be careful, I don't think you have another ten, let alone- I'd say about above twenty-five- years on you to go look for him if he goes missing too."

Fiddleford watched from the ground as the two brothers glared daggers at one another. He spit into his hand and saw that he had lost another tooth thanks to the punch. At least it was a loose one so there was minimal pain, but he knew his face would bare the bruise for a while.

"It's been thirty years in point of fact."

Both Stanford and Stanley looked over at Fiddleford, who was still on the ground and holding his bloody tooth in his hand. A deep purple and blue bruise was blooming on the side of his face and a bit of blood dribbled from his lip.

"What did you say?" Stanley disengaged from his brother, his complete attention now on the former hobo.

"I said it's been thirty years. And for all of them Stanford has been trying to get you back on his own, despite everything. My mind has only recently returned and as soon as I learned of what he was doing I agreed to help. There are bigger things to discuss than what happened between the three of us. The Age of Aquarius is beginning."

"And I'm supposed to believe you why?" Stanley squinted his eyes suspiciously.

Without breaking eye contact Fiddleford pulled out the medallion Stanford had given him earlier, he had stuffed it under his shirt for safe keeping. The bit of protection glinted in the light and a familiar symbol was revealed.

They continued to stare for another minute or so before Stanley nodded his head and turned away to start pacing again. Stan went over and helped Fiddleford up.

"Easy now." He said softly as the smaller man got to his feet a little shakily.

Fiddleford's face hurt. He gave Stanford a small smile of thanks once he was truly on his feet. The larger man hissed as he inspected the bruise, he could see the skin rapidly darkening and it made his grip on Fiddleford tighten.

Stanley watched the display from the corner of his eye and cleared his throat to bring attention back to himself. He noted how his brother kept his arms around his lover, on full defensive now. Despite himself Stanley was glad to see them together.

"Maya is making her move is she?" Asked the younger twin as he grabbed a pen from off a nearby counter and began clicking it absently.

Stanford stared. "You know about her?!"

Stanley let out a dry laugh, "You think I was completely unconscious while in that realm moron? Bill liked to send me a message every now and again. Taunting me. As did she, though in secret. And my being here instead of in Bill's domain helps her. Now all of the pieces can be moved."

"What does she want?" Asked Fiddleford as he began to clean his hand with a napkin from his pocket, Stanford had laughed at his new habit to keep one but right now it was convenient.

"Destruction. Bill just wants to do what he wishes with us, and while that's not much better she wishes to destroy it all."

"She wants to destroy the Earth?!" Asked Stan, alarmed.

Stanley let out another dry laugh. "Not just the Earth Stanford. Everything. The Earth. The Solar System. This reality!"

"But why?" Asked Fiddleford, though he had an idea. The memory of the blue dream demon's laughter began to echo in his head.

She hadn't seemed exactly all that together, even less than Bill.

Stanley stopped his pacing.

When he spoke his voice held a haunted tone to it, "Because she'd rather rob her brother of his victory, now and forever, than lose to him again. At least, that was what she sang to me as I was chained and helpless in the dark."

They stared at him, aghast.

He looked away for a moment before flicking his eyes back at them.

"So, despite how royally you screwed up by bringing me back, thank you. Now we can work on stopping both of them together."

He gave them a small smile but it died when his eyes caught on to a blinking light. He rushed over to it and the security screen it was alerting about, his eyebrows rose high once again.

"What is it?" Asked Stan.

"Stanford, why are there children in ruined fancy clothes coming to the Shack in the middle of the night?"

"Oh No. Dipper and Mabel are back earlier than we thought!" Fiddleford cringed, they hadn't really planned on what to do after getting Stanley. They couldn't exactly hide him from them.

And he hadn't told Stan about Mabel figuring out they still had secrets to tell.

"Fidds relax, I'll just go meet them, get them up to bed and then we-"

"Stanford we should tell them. You promised me that we would when it was the time and now is the time! Before everything happens tomorrow they should know! Mabel already figured out we're keeping secrets, do you really want Dipper catching on that we haven't been truthful on his own and letting him fester?!"

Didn't he know what that would do?

Stan stared at Fiddleford in shock.

"When did she figure it out?" He asked quietly.

"A while ago apparently, though she told me only the other day, I've had no time to tell you."

"Did she tell Dipper?"

"I'm not sure."

"Stanford who are these kids?" Fiddleford and Stanford looked over to Stanley, he frowned at them in turn.

Fiddleford let out a huff, tiredly he said, "You tell him. I'll go upstairs and handle this mess. I need ice for my face anyway." It was true, the side of his jaw had begun to swell and it was beginning to hurt terribly when he spoke.

Fiddleford made his way out of Stan's arms but he grabbed his wrist. Fiddleford looked up at the larger man and saw that he was biting his lip.

"Fidds, uh, don't tell them anything. I-we'll do it. Together. Tomorrow. Just-ah-let's get things settled tonight first alright?"

"Alright Stanford."

Stan let go and Fiddleford made his way out of the lab, wiping at the blood on his chin so as not to alarm the kids. He'd have to think of a good excuse to give them for the bruise.

Both of the Pines twins watched him go and then they turned to one another.

"You might want to sit down." Said Stanford, rubbing his neck.

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"…so then Pacifica opened the main gates to the mansion and let everyone in. The ghost felt his "lumber justice" and passed on. We enjoyed the party for a while, but running after a ghost and being turned into a tree really tires you out. Plus Mabel's dress was beginning to fall apart so we called it a night. Pacifica really isn't all that bad, once you get past everything."

Dipper smiled from his seat at the kitchen table, for thirty or so minutes he and Mabel had been recounting the tale of what happened to them over some hot cocoa Fiddleford and Mabel had put together.

The storm was still going on outside but was beginning to subside. Fiddleford had kept his composure, explaining that Stan was asleep and storms sometimes kept himself up. The children's reaction to the state of his face had been heartwarming, he excused it as being a klutz and insisted that was all it was. Neither looked very convinced but soon the matter was dropped.

They had helped him make an ice pack by stuffing some ice cubes into a plastic bag, and then wrapping that with a dishtowel so he could hold it easily to his face.

"Sweet sarsaparilla, sounds like you had a real rough night." He said worriedly.

Mabel giggled as she swung her feet, "It's still funny when you say stuff like that. I guess, it's just a normal night for us Mystery Twins! Right Dipper?"

"Yup!"

The two then turned to one another and fist bumped, large grins on their faces. Fiddleford felt his heart constrict, their actions reminding him of the other pair of twins in the house.

A thought occurred to him.

"Wait, what happened to your friend? I'm sure the Northwests won't be too happy with her."

"Pacifica will be fine. I'm sure." Dipper nodded his head, confident he was right.

Mabel looked thoughtful but nodded in agreement. Fiddleford hummed, unsure.

The conversation turned to other matters and eventually Fiddleford managed to get the two up to bed. He wished them a good night, saying he'd be up for a little longer; he'd wait until he no longer heard them to return to the lab. He hoped Stanford and Stanley weren't punching each other senseless in there.

As he listened to Dipper and Mabel moving about the old and silent house Fiddleford went to sit in the yellow chair in the living room. He slumped in the seat and took the ice pack off of his tender face. He pressed a finger to the area and hissed, it was mostly numb but still sensitive.

Stanley had given him a good left hook, the bastard.

At least the swelling was going down. He replaced the pack and looked up at the ceiling. A coil of icy dread had settled itself in his stomach and would not go away.

They had recovered Stanley, but things were only beginning. Stanley had said that rescuing him had helped the blue demon Maya in her plans. But how? Why? In the heat of the moment he and Stanford had not asked. How did their reuniting spell the doom of all?

He shivered as he remembered Stanley's words about the female demon's motives. They really were in the middle of a sibling squabble, on a cosmic scale. He'd laugh at the absurdity of it all if it didn't scare him half to death.

Was their reunion really worth instigating the Apocalypse? And could they stop it?

Why, oh why did he decide to help all of those years ago? Why couldn't he have just let Stanford wander around the library uselessly? Why did he take pity on an adorable moron trying to find literature on the local lore for his brother? Why did Fiddleford show him around himself and suggest personal favorites?

Just because Stanford had mumbled to himself, unsure, and had put on this cheesy routine when he asked Fiddleford for help. Mistaking him for the librarian. Just because the larger man had given him this dazzling smile when he thanked him. His eyes lighting up and looking at him in approval.

Had it been worth it to feel like he was doing something worthwhile, to feel like he had belonged? Truly, as himself?

Had loving Stanford been worth it?

Was loving Stanford worth it?

Worth his family?

Worth his sanity?

Worth his life?

He gripped the medallion through his shirt, the one with the symbol of protection and fidelity that both of the Pines brothers put so much faith in. A symbol he himself just barely understood.

Just as little as he understood them, really.

His gaze turned upward when he heard a laugh from upstairs, Mabel's cheerful tone was highly audible. He listened as the remaining bits of noise died down. Soon enough all was silent and the only noises were from himself, the creaking house, and the lingering rain.

He wasn't so sure anymore.

But he did know that Dipper and Mabel were worth it.

He knew Stanford's young employees were worth it.

He knew his son was worth it.

They and all of the innocent people of Gravity Falls and beyond were worth it.

And in the end, so were Stanley and Stanford. As was his feelings.

They were worth trying to right his wrongs.

They were worth trying to right the Pines' wrongs.

They were worth saving this reality.

They were worth it not to run.

With resolve Fiddleford got up, sure that it was safe to return to the lab. Quietly he went over to the vending machine and was soon making his way down. As he neared the main room where the portal was he began hearing sounds of light sobbing. He hurried over and saw Stanley and Stanford in the middle of an embrace. He could see that they had indeed fought, clothes were torn, stools and tools were strewn about, and Stanford had a busted lip. They were spouting apologies to one another.

Stan spotted him and called him over. Fiddleford neared cautiously and the two brothers separated.

Stanley turned to him, the smaller man noted that his lip was bleeding as well. The two stared at one another, frowns on their faces. And then Fiddleford raised his hand, a peace offering. After a moment Stanley gripped it and they shared a look. Things were not resolved, but they were better than before.

Stanley suddenly grinned and pulled Fiddleford into an embrace. Squishing his bruised face to his chest.

"OW! Stanley!"

"Oh shit, sorry Doc."

"It's alright." They suddenly shared a small grin.

Stanford stepped forward and hugged them both, a grin on his own mug.

"We're back baby! Oh Yeah-"

"Stanford I swear don't say it-"

"GO MYSTERY TRIO!" Both Stanley and Stanford had yelled the chant, just like they had done so many years ago.

Fiddleford couldn't help a grin, even as he sighed in exasperation.

"Yes, now that you've screamed like idiots you want to get to planning on what to do?" He raised a brow.

Stanley's grin turned a bit grim but he remained full of excited energy.

"Let's plan to protect my grandkids and to stop those demons."