Stan stares at his brother in disbelief and hurt at his request "That's it?! You finally wanna see me after ten years, and it's to tell me to get as far away from you as possible!?"
"Stanley, you don't understand what I'm up against! What I've been through!"
"No, no. You don't understand what I've been through! I've been to prison in three different countries! I once had to chew my way out of the trunk of a car! You think you've got problems? I've got a mullet, Stanford!" Stan shouted "Meanwhile, where have you been? Living it up in your fancy house in the woods! Selfishly hoarding your college money, because you only care about yourself."
"I'm selfish? I'm selfish, Stanley? How can you say that after costing me my dream school?!" Ford yelled at him "I'm giving you a chance to do the first worthwhile thing in your life and you won't even listen!"
"Well, listen to this: you want me to get rid of this book? Fine, I'll get rid of it right now!" Stan pulled out his lighter, ready to set the journal ablaze when he felt Ford's hands grab the book, trying to pull it away from him. "You said you wanted me to have it, so I'll do what I want with it..." Stan tells him pulling free and then he felt the tackle as they fell to the floor.
Everything happened so fast that Stan didn't register what was going on until he felt the sharp hot burning pain of metal against his skin. Then in another flash...Ford was gone. The light went out.
Stan begins panicking "No, no, no. I just got him back. I can't lose him again!" He tried pulling the lever, but nothing.
"Daddy?" He suddenly hears a small voice behind him
He turns to see a little girl with tears forming "Oh, uh hey kid, how'd you get down here."
"Are you alright mister?" She asks moving closer
"Uh, yeah kids just fine." He says holding his shouldar feeling some pain "whatts your name kid?"
"Daddy calls me Isabel." She smiled innocently
Stan frowns staring at her then the realization hits him. 'Sweet Moses what have I done.' he breaks out of his thoughts as a small hand grabs his
"What's wrong mister?"
Stan looked down at her slightly smiled "It's nothing sweetie. how about we go upstairs? you, uh...must be hungry."
Isabel nods and the two went upstairs to the kitchen. Stan looked around opening a cabinet finding two boxes of animal crackers and a few juice boxes. garbing one of each he gives them to Isabel and the little girl happily goes to the table playing and eating. while she eats Stan takes care of his shoulder. afterward, Stan lays on a couch while Isabel plays with some toys.
He holds the journal he regrets not just taking away tighter to himself then holds up what were Ford's glasses and sighs letting that arm fall.
"Don't be sad." Isabel whispers out of nowhere then climbs on the couch "Daddy will come back." She says curling up next to him
Stan didn't know when he fell asleep; but what he noticed, the sun was shining through the room, and Isabel was now curled up on his chest, peacefully sleeping.
He smiled then sighed. "Kid, what am I going to do with you?" He checked his watch known He'd have to get up and have another try at that machine.