Bad Habits (An Adoption AU story)

Chapter 1: A Little Help

It was a late winter's night in the small town of Gravity Falls. Not much really went on at such hours of the night. Down a quiet driveway, the Mystery Shack stood in the dark...its occupants all deep in sleep. Inside, not a single sound could be heard. That is, except for the sound of creaking floor boards.

Mabel Pines walked down the stairs. It was a second nature for her as she walked into the kitchen and poured herself a late-night glass of water. It was a fairly routine drill, a glass of water, and then back to bed. Her fears of walking through the shack alone at night were now a distant memory. Though every now and then, the memory of that dreadful night Brad's friends burned her beloved home down was very much etched in the back of her mind every time.

But the nighttime ambience of the quiet country town was always was something she loved deep down. For someone so outgoing and full of life, she did appreciate the peace and quiet. On a night like this, all that could be heard was the sounds of the wind, the occasional creaking floorboards within their dwelling, and if quiet enough, Ford's snoring from down below. The window was partially open, so Mabel could hear the sounds clearly from outside. The smells too. There wasn't much to smell, but it was a nighttime like scent, and she loved it.

Suddenly, her nose was filled with a smell she wasn't prepared for. It was a smell that made her cover her nose, and even cough. It was not a pleasant aroma...it was smoke.

The repressed memories flooded back at a speed she couldn't fathom. Those memories of smelling smoke, and seeing those boys setting her beloved home on fire was something she had tried so hard to bury. Now they were racing back to her.

Mabel was on the brink of a panic attack, when she got a whiff of the smell again. It wasn't the smell of smoke that indicated an impending disaster. It was a smoke that she very well knew the source of.

She put on her coat, walked to the door, and took a peak outside. Sure enough, her suspicions were confirmed.

"Grunkle Stan?" she said.

Stan looked over, and immediately dropped it, trying to hide the evidence, despite being caught red handed.

"M...Mabel?" he said, "What are you doing up so late?"

"I was getting a drink of water. Might I ask you the same?"

"Well...I...you know, I thought I...thought I heard something?" he said, trying to dodge the question.

But Mabel wasn't buying it. She had already seen enough to piece the puzzle together. Besides Stan was a master liar, but somehow, he could never bring himself to lie to those kids...his kids.

"Fine, you caught me." He had thought that the winter weather would allow him to get away with it given the kids were asleep, but he had been wrong.

Mabel shook her head, "Grunkle Stan, I thought you said you were gonna give it up for your New Years Resolution?"

Stan sighed, "I tried. I really did. I wanted to do it for you, and for Dipper. But it's not easy. You can't just let go of a habit that you've had for decades in the blink of an eye, Mabel."

Mabel walked up to Stan and looked at him dead in the eye, "Grunkle Stan, listen. You have to try harder. It's a horrible habit that you know far too well you gotta give up. I know you can do it."

"I don't know Mabel. I mean, I don't like it either. I know what it's doing to me, and these suckers are not cheap either. But it's not like it's a straight road to overcoming."

"Then let me help you!"

Stan looked at Mabel with a confused expression.

"Look Grunkle Stan, why don't I try to help you? You just need someone to believe you can overcome it!!! Remember your fear of heights? We overcame that together!!!"

"I don't know Mabel," said Stan, "I mean, what if-"

"Look Grunkle Stan...dad," said Mabel in a serious tone. She knew that there were few things in Stan's life he took more serious than being a dad. His shameful expression proved that her theory was right.

"I know it won't be easy, and I know it will be tough for both of us...but I... I...I don't want to lose you too. I couldn't bear to lose another person I love, especially knowing I could have stopped it in time."

Stan could sense the tears approaching. He knew far too well what Mabel meant in that statement. It had been almost two years since the tragedy that took the twin's parents occurred, but the wounds were still very much there.

"But sweetie," he said, "I don't want you to deal with the burden of helping me solve a problem that's my own."

"No, Grunkle Stan," said Mabel as she rushed in to hug him, "We're in this together. You were there for me when I needed you. And now you need me. I'd rather help you, than watch you struggle alone."

Stan felt a feeling of remorse and humility hit him. For his whole life he had been shunned by anyone he met. He'd met people who he had thought were family, only to be betrayed by them. To see someone, especially his own adoptive daughter care so much made him tear up. He picked Mabel up and hugged her.

"So, if I help you, will you please try to quit smoking?" she asked again.

Stan wiped the tears away, "I will pumpkin, I will."

The two said nothing as they hugged for a while longer after that. While both Mabel and Stan were optimistic of what they had agreed on doing for each other, they also knew how enormous of a challenge lay ahead of them.