Till Death Do Us Part

Here's The Plan

"Ooh, Marcey! Look!"

Ford smiled softly as the girls fawned over his six fingers. Ella held his hand and looked it over, almost like she was studying it.

"More?" She questioned, holding her hand against Ford's.

"Mm-hm. Six fingers," Ford said. Ella smiled.

"...so, in that postcard," Bella began. "It um- it sounded like ya really needed help."

"Oh. Right," Ford frowned. "Well, yes, but y-you don't have to help. Not right now."

"Ah wanna," Bella said. "Ah'm upset, yeah, but Ah shouldn'- it ain't healthy ta- sit around all day. Even if... that's all Ah wanna do."

"Alright, well, if you really want to," Ford nodded. He stood up, leaving to grab a journal and come back. He sat back down and held out the book. It was a maroon color, with a golden six-fingered hand on the front and a 1 in the center. Bella tilted her head a bit as she took it.

"This is one book full of the research I've done here in Gravity Falls," Ford began as Bella flipped through it. "Lately I've... I've gotten into some trouble. World-ending trouble, if I'm being honest." Bella's eyes widened. "I wanted to call Stanley up to- to take this book away. Somewhere where no one would ever find it."

"Why?"

"Because if the... the one I'm trying to fight, if he gets his hands on it, it won't end well," Ford said. "And I can't take it myself. He... he sort of sees what I see? In a way. It's too much to explain all at once, but I need this book away from here."

"...so yer plan was ta- was ta call yer brother up, the same one y-you haven't seen fer ten years," Bella began with a frown, "same one that- that's been wantin' ta reconnect with ya ffffer ten years- an' tell him ta get as far- as far away from ya as possible?"

"Well when you say it like that, it sounds insensitive."

"It is!" Bella sighed. "Gosh, Ford, when's the last time ya slept? Yer never this dumb. Heck, even you should be able ta see that- that that's gonna get his hopes up an-an-an' crush 'em."

"...maybe a month."

"Pardon?"

"Y-you asked the last time I slept. I-I think it's- it's been a month. Maybe more."

"Good lord that Ah don' believe in, Stanferd!" Bella's eyes widened again. "Yer gonna kill yerself like this!"

"I can't sleep!" Ford protested. "That's how he gets the upper hand! Th-this is far bigger than you could understand, Bella-!"

"Because ya won' explain it ta me-!"

"Because it doesn't matter!" Ford stood up. "Because soon enough it'll be over, but I need that book away from here before I can stop it!"

"Don' tell me that it don't matter!" Bella yelled, standing up as well. Ella and Marcella hid behind the couch as their voices raised. "If Ah'm involved in somethin' Ah wanna know the fuck why!"

"Isn't the fact that it's necessary to save the world enough?!"

"Maybe! But damn it Stanf'rd, Ah'm freaked out'a my mind! Fidds ain't callin' or pickin' up the phone, my boyfrien' got shot through the fuckin' head two weeks ago an' Ah've been scared that whoever did it is comin' after me next, an' then ya finally talk ta us, only ta tell me the world's about ta end 'r somethin'! Ah'm scared, Ford, an' you ain't helpin'!"

Ford blinked in shock. Bella huffed, rubbing at her eyes with her sleeve.

"Bella, I-I'm sorry, I didn't- I didn't know," Ford frowned.

"Because ya didn' bother ta fuckin' ask!" Bella yelled. She huffed again. "Ah'm sorry, y'were tryin'a apologize. Ah just- god."

She buried her face in her hands, tossing her glasses on the couch. Ford stood awkwardly, fidgeting with his hands. There was quiet crying from behind the couch, but neither of them paid attention to it.

"Ah'm sorry. Ah'm sorry Ah'm sorry Ah'm sorry," Bella shook her head, her words muffled. "Ah've just been stressed an' depressed fer these last couple weeks, a-and Ah took that out on you-"

"It's fine," Ford waved it off. "I've been stressed, too. I shouldn't have yelled at you; you have every right to want to know what you're getting into."

Bella laughed, sniffing and looking up. She had a watery smile as she rubbed at the tears.

"Look at us. Neither'a us could ever control our anger very well, hm?" She asked. Ford laughed.

"No, I suppose not," he smiled. "And neither of us are at our best at the moment."

"True, true."

She looked around the room, seeing Ella and Marcella peaking out from behind the couch. They whimpered and ducked back. Bella sighed.

"Ah'm sorry, sweeties," she said quietly, moving to sit beside the couch. "Mommy got mad. Ah didn' mean ta scare ya."

Ella slowly crawled out first, followed by her sister, and crawled over to Bella's lap. She hugged both of them, kissing their heads.

"Yellin' ain't fun, Ah know," she murmured. "Ah never liked when my parents fought neither."

She stood up and carried them to sit on the couch beside Ford.

"So. Can Ah ask things about the- whole- 'savin' the world' sit'ation?" Bella asked.

"Go ahead."

"Why can't ya sleep?"

"The one I'm trying to stop is... put simply, he's a sort of brain demon," Ford explained. "He can possess me when I'm asleep because I... I made a deal with him."

"You made a deal... with a demon?" Bella asked.

"I-I didn't know he was a demon at the time," Ford rubbed the back of his head. Bella rolled her eyes.

"Alright then. How would the world end if he got this journal?"

"It contains parts of the instructions to operate a portal. That portal, if activated, could allow him to enter this world and take it over."

"...fuck Ford, was that English?"

"Yes."

"Alright, alright. What's yer plan after Ah take the book?"

"I'm going to hike back to the cave I summoned him in and see if there's anything that could help."

"Ok. ...am Ah allowed ta come back here after Ah hide the book?"

"Of course," Ford frowned. "I'm sorry if I made you feel unwelcome. We're both going through this thing. And if you need someone to stay with, you're fully welcome to move in."

"Thanks," Bella nodded. "A-And Ah'd like ta find Fidds. Wh-what happened t'him?"

"He... he went partway through the portal," Ford said, looking down. "He saw what was on the other side and stormed out. Quit the project."

"What was on the other side?"

"I don't know."

"Y'don' know?"

"He wouldn't tell me."

Bella sighed and nodded.

"Ok. Can Ah take a day a'fore leavin'? The girls have been in the car fer so long."

"Of course. But I need to go tonight," Ford said. "If the snow gets any worse, the hike will be impossible."

"Ok. Stay safe."

"Don't worry, I w-"

"Don't. Don't say that."

"What? Why?" Ford asked.

"It's- Ah dunno," Bella shook her head. "That's the exact same thin' Stan said that- that mornin'. In books, when- when a phrase like that is repeated after bad effects, uuusually that's- that's a pattern."

"...alright?"

"Just- don' say it."

"Ok. I won't."