Forgotten Falls. (Gravity Falls AU) {Complete}

Conflicted. -

It was finally Pine-Tree's turn to get some answers, what was he going to ask, maybe he could turn this into a full blown interrogation! No... that would be too grand and suspicious. Maybe he could... no... darn it.

"Ask away, kid!" Ford exclaimed. Oh right, he's waiting.

"U-Uh... where are you from?" Pine-Tree asked awkwardly.

Ford chuckled a little bit. "Glass Shard Beach, New Jersey."

What's New Jersey? And what's a 'beach'?

"Uh- what... have... uh you been... uh... doing with your life??"

Really? Really, Pine-Tree? 'What have you been doing with your life?' You're better than that! The boy mentally yelled at himself.

"Well, I study science, the paranormal, anomalies, and lots of other things. I have 12 PhDs and I have a new family."

Pine-Tree tilted his head, his anxiety coming back. "N-N-New f-family? W-What do you m-mean 'new'? What d-did you do with the one you h-had?"

"I didn't do anything, I was just trapped in the multiverse for 30 years of my life, I met a few family members I didn't know I had until I had come back." Ford explained calmly.

"O-Oh! Who are your n-new family members?"

"I found out I have a wonderful new Niece and Nephew, I also realized I had a great niece and great nephew as well."

"Oh. That's uh- that's nice? I bet the four of them are good humans."

Pine-Tree wanted to ask about the multiverse so bad, his desire to learn more about different dimensions was so intense, but he couldn't. He couldn't risk this human giving him false information when Bill can tell him and have 100% truth.

"Who's that other p-person that looks like you?" Pine-Tree asked. "You know - with the red fez hat."

"That is my twin brother, Stanley. He's the one who - I suppose - helped free me from the multiverse."

"Oh... that's nice I guess. Do you have any other f-family other than them?" Pine-Tree asked, not very curious about the situation but just wanting to ask more questions and keep it going.

"Not that I am fully aware of. My boy, if you don't mind my asking, what family members do you have?" Ford responded, hoping to ease into the subject subtly.

Pine-Tree went a bit pale at the sudden question. "I-I w-well... I j-just- I um... B-Bill raised me! H-He is sort of l-like my f-family... P-Pyronica too! A-And Kryptos!"

The room went silent before Pine-Tree got a bit defensive. "I-I don't need a f-family! I-I've got f-friends! J-Just like Bill always s-says! I-I don't need a f-family w-when I have h-him!"

Oh brother this was going to be harder than Ford thought.

"F-Families just hold you b-back with stupid pathetic r-rules!"

Much harder.

"I-In fact no one needs f-families. T-T-They're s-stupid and i-idiotic a-and... a-and..." Pine-Tree's eyes filled up with tears as he got up and ran into the other room going into a corner and curling up into a ball, crying softly to himself.

Ford felt a little bad for pushing it. This is why he wouldn't bring Mabel into this or expose anything yet. He didn't know if this was how the kid would react. Now he knows he was super lucky he didn't take the chance right away. Ford got up and made his way to where Pine-Tree was, stepping over the sleeping survivors on the floor.

"Kid, it's okay to not have a family but want one. It's alright."

"I-It is? I mean - NO! I-I don't w-want a family! I-I don't need one!" Pine-Tree was quiet for a second before continuing.

"S-STOP MANIPULATING M-ME!"

Manipulating?? Ford wasn't - oh right... the kid raised by Bill that would explain it and half the stuff he says and does. Bill brainwashed him into thinking all that stuff was truthful and 'normal'.

"I'm not trying to, kid! I apologize if it seems that way. I was just curious is all! Just like you, I'm curious about things too." Ford awkwardly laughed rubbing the back of his neck, hoping that having someone he could relate to would calm the kid down.

Pine-Tree didn't respond, making Ford feel guilty about the whole situation. The two just stood there in silence until Ford sat down on the ground not far from the kid, still not speaking. If having someone to relate to wouldn't help, maybe just having someone there to share his pain with would be enough.

"W-Why did you t-take me away f-from my home? A-Away from B-Bill... The only one w-who even cares about m-me." Pine-Tree whispered, still silently crying.

Ford still didn't know how to answer this question, he knew whatever he said was going to make the kid more upset or despise him more... But it needs to be said either way.

Ford took a deep breath and looked Pine-Tree in the eyes. "Look kid, there's something I must tell you..."

The boy looked back at him, wiping his tears away on his somewhat dirty clothes, he hasn't changed since he was brought here. Even though Ford offered him a new set of clothing, he didn't accept it.

Pine-Tree looked up at Ford, waiting for him to continue, but he didn't. He hesitated.

"You-..." The man sighed. "You have a family out there waiting for you, kid. They might even be closer than you think." Ford finally spit out. That didn't make the kid feel much better.

He was so conflicted. Bill always taught him that family was nothing. It was pathetic and worthless. Families are just a bunch of humans that live together and share everything with each other to the point where they get so fed up with each other that they leave and start their own family to let the never ending chain continue.

Every time Pine-Tree has mentioned the slightest thought of himself wanting to be in a family or having a family of his own like the characters in his books, Bill would immediately shut down the idea and harshly scolded him with much anger for having such an idiotic idea. Now he's nothing but confused, he doesn't know what is right and what is wrong anymore.

He wants a family but he thinks it's wrong. No. It IS wrong. Bill said so! Bill is always right!

Right...?