Falling Slowly - An Alternative Outcome (an Adoption AU story)

Chapter 3: A Second Chance

Ford pulled out his gun, stepped in front of Dipper to guard him, and aimed it right at Blendin, "I don't know who on Earth you are but if you dare get any closer I swear to god I'll blow your brains out!" he yelled. His protective instincts had kicked in. He wouldn't dare let anyone even attempt to touch his son. Ford's judgement between intruder and civilian had become clouded. He lost Mabel under his watch, he was not about to lose Dipper too.

"Grunkle Ford wait, I know him, that's Blendin uh, Blandin, he's a time traveler,"

Ford looked over to the man. He was quivering in fear.

"Please don't shoot I...I don't me...mean you any harm," he stammered.

Ford lowered his gun, he still did not trust this man but he took Dipper's word for it, this guy looked far too pathetic to hurt them.

The two (under Dipper's insistence) took Blendin into the shack. They helped him clean his clothes up, gave him some food and after Ford had gotten to know him a bit more, he even offered to repair his glasses.

About an hour later, Blendin, Ford and Dipper were involved in a conversation, and for the first time since losing Mabel, Dipper and Ford managed to smile and even laugh as Blendin told them his stories about his time travel adventures. Stan was still in his office, and while he was happy to hear his family laugh, he wasn't emotionally ready to join them just yet.

"I must say Mr. Blandin, you sure do live one hectic life," Ford said.

"Oh, shucks thank you. I...I wish I could do one of the less field requiring jobs but no...no one at the Time Anomaly Removal Crew trusts me with a file folder," he said, still a bit jumpy from his first encounter with Ford.

Ford and Dipper laughed, "I wonder why," Dipper said as he rolled his eyes.

The three of them sat in silence for while until Blendin broke it with a question that both the Pines men were expecting, but did not want to hear.

"I was wondering, whe...where's Mabel at? I wonder if she still remembers me," he asked.

Dipper and Ford's smiles wiped right off their faces. The question hit them harder than any punch in the gut ever could.

Once the initial shock passed, Dipper spoke in a soft whisper, "Mabel...Mabel died a few days ago,"

Blendin looks at both of them with sympathy, "Oh, geez, I...I'm so sorry you two. She was great girl, I mean you and her did help me get my job back, ev....even if you did cost me it in the first place," he said.

Ford is taken aback by his words. Mabel's influence and big heart had even been able to touch and change the lives of people in the future.

"What happened to her?" Blendin asked quietly.

Ford looked down in shame, but eventually he built up the courage to speak, "it was my fault, she was helping me with an experiment where we were using diacetyl, her exposure to it infected her with bronchiolitis obliterans. The only cure was a lung transplant but...but we were never able to get her one in time,"

Ford held back his tears as he finished the story, "I eventually was able to get her approved for an experimental treatment in Australia, but by the time I got back to the hospital, the doctors told us she was terminally ill and... she....she died a few minutes later...in my arms," somehow making that statement provided him a very odd sense of comfort. At least he was able to hold and comfort his baby girl when she needed him the most. He just wished he could hold her again.

The story was even able to make Blendin tear up, he never thought someone as sweet and loving as Mabel could die a death like that. Let alone at such a young age, "Oh man, I...I can't begin to imagine how that has been on you guys," he said sadly.

The three sat in silence for a while. Ford suddenly noticed at an unusual device on Blendin's belt, "What's that thing on your belt?" he asked.

"That's his time tape, when me and Mabel first ran into him, we thought it was just a regular tape measure," Dipper explained.

"Ya, that's how I got here in the first place, stupid thing keeps malfunctioning," Blendin said as he fidgeted with it.

As if the answer to the meaning of life itself hit him, Ford stood up in excitement, "wait that thing can take you back to any period of time?" he asked eagerly.

"Uh, yes," Blendin said plainly

"And can you alter the outcome of any period of time with it?" Ford's excitement was growing.

"Yes, but..."

Ford doesn't wait for Blendin to finish his sentence, "Can you please help me save my daughter?" he pleads.

To be continued