Chapter Text
Mabel couldn't understand why her hands were shaking so much. It wasn't a big deal, really! It's just that the one person she thought she could truly count on and trust was abandoning her for the supernatural. Okay, it was a big deal. Mabel clenched her hands together to try and stop the shaking, but suddenly she couldn't breath either. She could feel hot tears starting to stream down her cheeks and her vision blurred, but she was only focused on the fear building in her stomach.
"Oh my gosh... Dipper's not coming home with me. I-I'll be alone. No, no, no," she whispered, horrified. Mabel's breath hitched, and her voice raised. "No, no, no! Dipper can't just stay here! W-we're twins! I need him!" She cried, and tried to hop down from her bed. Her legs were shaking almost as badly as her hands, but the young girl forced herself to run out from her room and down the steps to the living room.
"Mabel?" She heard her Grunkle Stan ask, but ignored him in favor of running towards the front door. "Mabel, sweetie, slow down! What's wrong?" Stanley set the sign's he'd been meaning to put up on the counter, and gently placed a hand on Mabel's shoulder. He turned her so she was facing him, and then crouched down to her level. His heart broke at the tears soaking her red cheeks, and the way she was trembling all over.
"D-Dipper said, h-he was staying. W-with Ford! I h-heard him o-over the, the radio!" Mabel sobbed, and clenched her hands into fists. She weakly pounded a fist on Grunkle Stan's shoulder, and gasped, "I-I can't l-let him stay! You, you even said, I-I'd always have him with m-me!"
"He what?" Stanley whispered, surprised and a bit upset himself. The sound of Mabel's sobbing reminded him he didn't have time to be upset, and Stan quickly pulled Mabel into a hug. Her shaking hands clung to the back of his blazer, and she hid her face in his shoulder. Her tears were already soaking his shirt, and normally Stanley would try to joke about it. But her whole body was trembling like a leaf, and his baby girl was beyond upset at this point. Grunkle Stan sighed, and gently picked Mabel up. She kept her face mushed against his shoulder, but moved one hand to clutch at the front of Stan's shirt.
"Grunkle S-Stan?" She whispered, muffled by his shoulder.
"What is it, pumpkin?" He asked back quietly as they stepped into the living room. Stan awkwardly crouched down to grab the afghan from behind his chair, but froze at Mabel's question.
"What if D-Dipper forgets me?! W-what if he f-forgets our bond?!" Mabel was beginning to hyperventilate, and her sobs were becoming harder and more panicked. She jerked her head back from her grunkle's shoulder to properly scream into his ear, "What if Grunkle Ford teaches him to hate me?!"
The last "what if" seemed a little ridiculous, but Stanley wouldn't be surprised if Stanford wore off on Dipper in the worst possible way. Not on purpose, but by leading by example. Grunkle Stan sighed, and shuffled back in front of his chair. He pried Mabel off of his chest, and tucked the afghan around his quivering niece. Stan knew he wasn't the best at comforting people, or being upfront with his feelings, but he couldn't stand to see his little girl so distraught. At the expense of his horrible joints, Stan crouched down again and reached out to cup Mabel's tear streaked cheeks. He turned her head up to look her dead in the eye, and gave her what he hoped was a comforting smile. "Kiddo, I want you to listen to me for a while, okay?"
"O-okay," Mabel gasped.
"First, I need you to breath. Oxygen is essential." Stanley joked softly, and watched Mabel take a few deep breaths. She was still breathing a bit hard, but it was much better than before. She even managed to crack a tiny smile at his joke. "You're doing good sweetie. Now, I want ya to really think about this. After everything you and your dorky brother have been through, and after how long you've stuck together, do you really think he's going to just forget? I know you're probably thinking you're going to end up like Stanford and I, but you and Dipper are different."
"H-how? Dipper's just like Ford! And I'm j-just like you." Stan was secretly pleased that she said that like it was a good thing, but he couldn't have her thinking that.
"I'll admit you too can be a bit like us, but there's a few differences. One, Dipper can be like me too, and you can be like Ford. Dipper and I are protective, and you and Ford are creative. Two, you kids have a much healthier relationship. It's probably weird, hearing it from me, but you do. You have many other friends, and your parents don't suck. Three," Stan paused and leaned in close. "You are you. And Dipper is Dipper. You two are not me and Ford."
Mabel slowly started to calm down, her tears drying up and the shaking dying down. She gave Grunkle Stan a shaky smile, and just when he thought things might be okay the front door banged open. Stan silently cursed the universe for horrible timing as Mabel started to tear up again.