Andie sat on the recliner in the living room cross-legged, wrapped in a blanket. Dipper and Mabel were standing nearby while Stan stood in front of her.
"So, let me get this straight," he groaned, pinching the brim of his nose and squeezing his eyes shut. "Goofus here," he said, motioning to Dipper, "knocked you out of a tree in the woods and brought you here to patch you up."
Andie nodded.
"What the heck were you doing up in a tree?!"
She shrugged. "I dunno. Just wanted to get a better view of the landscape, I guess."
"What's your name, kid?"
"Andie," she answered.
"Where are your parents?"
Andie felt the urge to roll her eyes; what was the point of asking for her name if he wasn't gonna use it? But then she processed the question, and she felt tears sting her eyes. Should she tell him?
How do you tell someone you just met that you never KNEW your parents?
The tears streaming down her cheeks seemed to speak louder than words, and Stan's gaze softened.
"Oh, uh, sorry about that, kiddo; I didn't know it was a sensitive subject," he stammered awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.
Dipper put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, and Mabel squeezed her into a tight hug which Andie happily returned. It'd been so long since she'd had a hug.
Stan looked the girl over. Her clothes were worn and tearing and she was covered in dirt and several bandages covered the scrapes from when she'd fallen out of that tree.
He wondered how long it'd been since she'd had a roof over her head.
He had two kids already staying here. But that smile on her face as she hugged Mabel made his heart melt a little. And with her messy dark brown hair, she almost looked like...
He shook his head and sighed. "Ok kid, here's the deal; you can stay in the attic with Dipper and Mabel. BUT you have to make yourself useful around here. You can work in the shack and do some housework. Think you can do that?"
She nodded eagerly.
"Now get to bed, kids; we got a long day tomorrow," Stan said, lightly shoving the twins towards the doorway. He looked down at Andie. "You too, kid."
"Thank you...I'm sorry, what should I call you?" Andie asked.
Part of him wanted her to call him Grunkle Stan, but he knew he couldn't get too attached to her. She wasn't related to him, and besides, he had a facade to keep up.
"Just...call me Mr. Pines."
YOU ARE READING
One Last Deal
FanficAndrea "Andie" Wilson-Pines is a young girl with a mysterious past. She never knew her father, her mother left her at the Pacific Northwest Orphanage when she was a baby...and her grandfather...she doesn't talk much about him. All she knew was the o...
