Broken

Chapter 9

After a couple hours of effort, Ford woke at last. He was groggy and discombobulated. 

"Dipper? Y-you can't be down here, it's far too dangerous," Ford slurred, trying to sound authoritative and angry but his tiredness took him over. "Go back up-upstairs...and I'll tell you when it's safe." 

"Ford, it's Ada!" 

"Ada? What are you-" His sentence was cut off by his urge to vomit. Ford nearly collapsed in his effort to find the trash can and when he did, the results weren't pleasant. He nearly choked getting the alcohol out of his system. Ada held his arms still as he threw up, hoping that it might console him somehow. 

"...You gotta tell me what happened here." 

He straightened his back out, sitting on his knees. Ada sat with her back to his desk. 

"A-after you left yesterday, I fell asleep and Bill appeared in my dream...," Ford explained but then trailed off. 

"What was that?" 

Ford's eyes fell to the floor and he tried to start his sentence again. "Bill appeared and, uh, he killed...," he trailed off again. 

"Who did he kill, Ford?" Ada demanded, growing impatient. 

Ford lifted his eyes, and Ada could see how tired they were. But above all they were sad. They were sadder than she had ever seen them previously. 

"You," he admitted. "He killed you." 

Ada sighed and put her hands on Ford's shoulders. 

"This is the second time this has happened," he added. 

She shook her head. "This isn't good. Why didn't you tell me the first time?" 

There was a silence. She was surprised to not see tears in his eyes, but their absence was filled by an overwhelming graveness. Ford's emotions were often like that. Grave in manner, intense and hidden behind a mask that tried to tell you that he meant business. Ada liked to think that she had seen through his attempted stoicism and saw a new part of Ford. Ford thought that Ada was an ally, someone to be trusted, but also to be protected. She can't know too much. 

"I need you safe, Ada," Ford finally said, through shaky breaths. "You're not safe among all this weirdness. Bill is out there." 

"Ford, I am safe where I can do something," Ada protested. "Besides, I got a job in town. I'm settling here." 

His eyes went wide at that. "No, no, no, no! You can't settle!"

Ada shushed him. "I'm pretty sure everyone on the ground floor can hear you with you shouting like that," she said harshly. "Now you need to sleep this off. Come on, we're going to bed on the ground level." 

"And where will you go?"

"I am off to the mechanic's shop. That's where I'll work in the future. Stan's gonna be here, anyway, he'll get you whatever you need." 

Ford groaned. "Did you not hear what I just said?! I am telling you, you cannot settle down here, Ada!" 

"And I am telling you, Ford, that you are delirious and need bed rest," she snapped. "You said it yourself, you're just a paranoid old man, so let's go." 

The two began to make their way to the elevator. Ford began to stagger, but Ada held him steady for the elevator ride. When they reached the ground level, she made no haste to drag him to his bedroom. They silently walked down the pitch black hallway. Rest was needed, and urgently. Ford collapsed on the couch he used as a bed. Ada sat next to him, and watched him drift off. He must have succumbed to exhaustion, because he switched from a paranoid old man rambling to a newborn baby, fast asleep and without any cares.

"Please let this just be the hangover," she hoped aloud to no one in particular.

When Ada opened the bedroom door to leave the room (and hopefully make it to the mechanic's garage), she was startled by a familiar face, her braced teeth brandished in an eager smile. Ada could almost touch the energy radiating off the girl.

"You and Grunkle Ford are adorable," Mabel said with an amplified tone. "You cannot tell me that you two aren't dating!"

"I'm telling you," Ada replied impatiently, "there is no romantic interest between us."

The younger brunette scoffed. She grabbed her wrist with those tiny little doll hands she had. Mabel made no haste to scurry up the stairs, pushing past her twin brother as she did so. She threw the older brunette into the attic bedroom, causing Ada to land on Mabel's bed.

"This is a judgement free zone, Ada. So now you can admit to me that you do like Ford!"

Ada rolled her eyes. "I'm not sure you quite understand," Ada replied. "It's not romance. Your uncle is currently...," she chose her next words carefully, "not in a good spot."

The explanation was awkward but it worked. Mabel frowned.

"I hope you work it out with Ford," Mabel said, almost bleakly. Ada was a bit stunned to find such a bubbly girl in such a dejected stare when discussing her uncle.

But before Ada had more time to ponder, Mabel's mood had already changed. Her lips were already baring the same smile she had seen earlier. Those little doll hands were holding out a poster, urging her to take it.

Ada took it from her. The poster advertised something called the Northwest Fest.

"What's a Northwest Fest?"

"Only one of the biggest parties in town! Everybody comes to this really fancy mansion and we get to be like fancy people for one night!"

"The whole town?"

"Yeah! My best friends are coming, Dipper, Stan and hopefully you. And maybe Grunkle Ford," she suggested. "Come on, it'll be fun!"

She smiled. It'd only been about a week in town and she's already been invited to the biggest party in town!

"Alright, I'm in!"

Mabel laughed delightedly. "Yay! Now let's hope you can drag along Grunkle Ford!"

"I'll make sure to," Ada assured her as she stood up to make her way out of the room. The mechanic's garage was still at the back of her mind.