Bad Habits (An Adoption AU story)

Chapter 3: Assessing the Damage

Mabel and Stan both sat in the waiting room looking nervous. For Mabel, it was a place that brought back many unpleasant memories. The last time she was here was before she set off on her risky operation that would ultimately save Dipper's life. Before that, it was on her thirteenth birthday...that dreadful day when her life changed forever.

Now back as a patient yet again, she was all the more nervous, but also optimistic.

Stan meanwhile was even more mixed with emotions. He hadn't been to a doctor for as long as he could remember. But he had been in this waiting room more times than he wished to admit. The memories of being there as he waited for the doctors to share word about Mabel's condition after the fire were still fresh in his mind, and even more recently was when he was waiting to find out if he was still the father of two beautiful children.

As far as what lay ahead, he wasn't too concerned. Stan was always one to ride out pains and illnesses on his own. He was not so much worried about what the doctor would have to say, he already knew. He was more so worried about how his examination would impact his loved ones. He had been smoking for a long time, and it was going to catch up eventually, but up until recently he had only been living for himself...but things were different now. Now he had a family. He had other people to live for now.

"You nervous?" he asked Mabel.

"A little?" she replied, "What about you?"

"I guess. But what can you do about it?"

"Ah," said Mabel as she clenched her side for a second...the same side where her kidney used to be.

"You okay, pumpkin?" asked Stan.

"Yeah," replied Mabel, "I guess." She acted strong around Stan, but deep down, she did feel nervous. She had been feeling minor and brief pains in that area for a while now, but had always just assumed it had something to do with her operation, and it would go away soon enough.

The two of them sat there for a while, before a lady in a white coat appeared.

"Is there a, Mabel Pines here?" she said.

"Well, guess it's my turn?" said Mabel.

"Be strong, kid," said Stan. He wasn't the best at giving comforting speeches, but that was enough to let Mabel walk in with a big smile on her face. A rare sight now too. Ever since their parents died, Stan swore Mabel's smile had been damaged in a way, that really only he could see.

It was a while before Mabel came back, at which point, it was his own turn. Stan walked into the room and was subjected to a series of routine checkups. Some went a bit more beyond the types he was accustomed to knowing about.

"I don't get why we have to do these check ups," he said to Mabel after he came back.

"Well, we can't tackle our bad habits until we know how bad they really are," replied Mabel.

"I'm just glad I elected to keep you kids' health insurance that your parents had. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to afford to come!"

"You could afford it...business has boomed since the "kind and charismatic Mr. Mystery adopted his poor niece and nephew!"

Stan chuckled, "Alright, so I could've afforded it...I just wouldn't have paid it!" he teased as he tickled his niece.

Mabel laughed at his jest.

A while went by before Mabel and Stan were invited into the doctors' office to learn of the results of their checkup.

"Alright," said the doctor, "I'll start with you Mabel, as you went first."