Fall-Out Boys….once again…

"FFFOOOOOOORRRRRRRRDDDDDD!!!!!!"

Knocking me out of my daze was the bellow of Grunkle Stan. I ignored the stinging pain in my cheek and walked down the stairs from the attic. I made it to the bottom of the stairs just in time to see Great Uncle Ford walk into the front room.

From my position I could see Mabel sitting on the floor in the corner. Sobbing. No. Wailing. Her volume only matched by the sounds of Grunkle Stan bellowing.

"Goddamnit Ford, WHAT DID YOU DO?"

"Why do you think this has anything to do with me?"

"Oh yeah. Well Mabel came running in here from the attic, wailing I might add, saying something like 'He's staying here with Uncle Ford'....Still has nothing to do with you?"

At this Great Uncle Ford put his hands up in surrender and concession.

"Okay. I'll admit. I may have accepted Dipper here as my Protege."

"May have?"

"Okay. So I did."

"And why the hell would you do that?"

Grunkle Stan was fuming. He seemed a mere moment from blowing his top. But Great Uncle Ford didn't seem to notice this. Or at least he pretended he didn't.

"Dipper reminds me of myself at his age. Young, Curious, and Brilliant. And most importantly, Brave. You've seen what the kid has accomplished with simply my notebook. Now imagine if he had 1 on 1 tutelage from me, myself. His potential is endless!"

"So even if this splits them apart, you are willing to do this?"

This time Great Uncle Ford clearly showed signs of hesitation. But in the end he still replied, "For the sake of Dipper's future, some things must be done."

"Is it really for Dipper's future, or your ego?"

Grunkle Stan's words clearly got under Great Uncle Ford's skin.

"What do you mean Stanley?", his tone edgy.

"You know what I'm talking about Ford. All your life all you've tried to do is prove how smart and great you thought you were. Now you see this as an opportunity to raise Dipper in your own image so that you proudly display him to the world. All of Dipper's future accomplishments would be tied back to you, his teacher. Am I right?"

"Are you implying that I'm using Dipper!?"

"If the shoe fits!"

"From the way I see it, another brilliant mind has appeared in the family. All I'm doing is nurturing it. And once again your jealousy is getting in the way of someone achieving their full potential."

"Jealousy!? Once Again!?"

"You heard me!"

Just when I thought the situation was about to escalate even further, Soos walked in through the door.

"Hey Dawgs, What's the hold up? If we don't leave now, you'll miss that last bus."

""CANN-IT SOOS!!!"", they yelled simultaneously.

"I'm not loving the atmosphere here so..... I'm just going to slowly back away."

As Soos backed away, they turned back to look at each other.

*sigh*"So are you really going to do this Ford?"

As he said this, Grunkle Stan seemed tired. Not a normal tired like a long day of work, a tiredness that is the accumulation of a lifetime filled with worry, frustration and fatigue.

But it wasn't only that. There was something else. Something even greater than the tiredness. And when I looked into his eyes, I knew what it was.

It was sadness -- his sadness.

Grunkle Stan didn't seem as fierce as he usually did. I could finally see him for what he truly was. The thing that he wanted to hid the most -- a broken man. A man that has experienced a lifetime of failures. A lifetime of regret. A lifetime of guilt.

"I'm sorry, Stanley. I have to do this to protect the family. There are forces out there that are seeking to destroy anyone that goes by the name of Pines. I won't be here much longer and I need to know that there will be someone here to protect the family after I go."

"So this is your way of 'protecting the family'? Breaking it apart?"

"Some things must be done. I'm sorry, Stanley."

"So this is how it will be?"

".....yes"

For a while, they just looked at each other. Two old men. Both trying to protect the family they love in their own way.

"Fine. If this is how you truly want it, I can't stop you….just know what you're doing to them."

"I know, Stanley. But they're still young. They have time to heal. I promise you: They won't become us."

After saying that Great Uncle Ford extended his hand for a handshake. All six fingers in their glory. But Grunkle Stan didn't take it. He simply stared at Great Uncle Ford. Peering into his eyes.

"I don't know if that's a promise you can keep."

He didn't wait for Great Uncle Ford to respond. He turned around and picked up the still sobbing Mabel and headed for the car. Soos was just finishing loading the luggage and also the pig into the car.

Soon the car was packed. No more words were spoken between Great Uncle Ford and Grunkle Stan. Soos and Grunkle Stan took the front seats. Mabel and Waddles in the back. The engine started and the car slowly pulled off.

Mabel looked out the back window with red and tear-swollen eyes. She looked around at the place she had been for the past Summer. Our gazes met from my position on the porch. I waved goodbye.

….she didn't wave back.