Small Mistake, Big Consequence

I noticed a while ago that I never really have written a story focused on Stan. Which is a surprise given Stan is one of my favourite characters. I just could never crack a story idea for him.

Until now

Cover art is by teandstars on Tumblr and background art is by Skidar on Tumblr

Summary: When Stan lets one of his bad habits get the better of him, it not only puts his life at risk, but Dipper and Mabel's lives too. Set sometime after Gideon Rises but well Before Not What He Seems.

Small Mistake, Big Consequence

It was a late evening in Gravity Falls. Down the quiet country road leading towards the Mystery Shack came the familiar Stan mobile. Dipper, Mabel and Stan were on their way home after having dinner at Greasy’s Diner.

“Man, Dipper you we’re right. Lazy Susan sure knows how to make some good Sloppy Joes,” said Mabel.

“See I told you you’d like them,” Dipper said.

“Hey Grunkle Stan what about you? How was dinner,” Mabel asked.

Stan didn’t hear her.

“Hey Grunkle Stan,” Mabel said again but louder.

This time Stan acknowledged her, “Oh uh, yea, well, uh, ya, it was uh, a good meal. Uh, expensive, uh I guess,” he responded. His speech sounded as if it was coming from someone who was not completely in mind.

“Uh, okay,” said Mabel, a bit confused by Stan’s response but otherwise not suspecting anything. Dipper however did.

“Grunkle Stan are you alright? You’re acting, strange,” he said.

“What, I uh, I’m fine, uh, you know, Grunkle uh, Stan, he’s never been better,” he replied yet again with a slurry speech pattern.

Dipper was getting nervous. He looked over to Mabel who was starting to dose off. He started getting worried. Were they both in danger? He was no expert but he had an idea of what might be happening.

“Grunkle Stan are you-”

It was too late. The car started swerving to the left. Before Dipper could yell, Mabel could realize and before Stan could react, the Stan mobile drove strait off the road and through a barrier wall.

The car began to flip. It flipped over and over. Finally, the seconds that felt like hours came to an end, as the Stan mobile came to rest upside down, on its roof, in a ditch besides the road.

Stan came around. He coughed several times. It was surreally quiet. All he could hear was the sound of steam and creaking metal. He unbuckled himself out of his seat and fell onto the roof. Kicking the door open, he crawled out of the car. He collapsed onto the grass next to the wreck and looked at his hands. They we’re bruised and bleeding and he could feel multiple cuts on his face, but other then that he had escaped major injury.

But what about the kids? Stan immediately crawled back towards the car and threw the rear door open. He was met with a sight he’d never soon forget. Dipper and Mabel we’re both still buckled up, unconscious, upside down and looking badly injured. Before shock could take its grip, Stan unbuckled the two out of the wreck and carried them to the grassy area he was just at.

“Kids? KIDS! Oh, please, please be okay. Please! Dear god,” he begged as he examined them.

Both we’re bleeding and looked like they had been beaten up multiple times by a gang of hooligans. Dipper was badly cut up. His vest was ripped apart and Mabel’s beautiful sweater was torn up. While he was no medical expert, Stan did know how to tell for the signs of life. He grabbed both Dipper and Mabel’s hands and felt for a pulse.

He felt one in both of them, but it was weak.

Stan didn’t have a phone and he now wished he had bought that first aid kit for the car that the twins were begging him to get. There we’re no oncoming cars he could flag down. What was he going to do?

Suddenly he ed, Mabel did have a phone. As Stan crawled back to the car to grab Mabel’s phone which now lay on the roof, he felt much better about buying her it in the first place.

He quickly worked it out and dialed 911.

“911, what’s your emergency,” said a lady on the other end.

Stan coughed, “Please hurry. Car accident, gopher road, near the Mystery Shack. My name’s Stan Pines,” he said.

“Are you alright sir,” the lady asked.

“I’m fine, but my niece and nephew. They’re unconscious, badly injured and barely have a pulse. Look just send help please, They’re in bad shape!” Stan said.

“Alright sir. Help is on the way. Until then, keep your niece and nephew close by. Try to cover their wounds and slow the bleeding. We’re on the way, please hold on,” the operator said.

After hanging up, Stan did just that. He grabbed both the twins and held them close. He could feel blood racing across his hands as he did. He was starting to fear the worst. Mabel’s sweater had now become worryingly redder.

“Get a hold of yourself Stan! Don’t go all soft. The kids need you,” he said to himself.

“But, it’s my fault,” his subconscious was saying, repeatedly.

“Kids. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. Please. Please don’t leave me. Don’t leave your parents, don’t leave your friends. You both have your whole lives ahead, don’t die on me please. Not tonight. Not like this. Not now! Just hold on,” he whispered to them.

Stan was not a religious man, he was and always would remain an atheist, but at that moment, with no idea of what else to do, he whispered a prayer to them. One his own mother would say to him before bed as a kid. If there was a god up their, he hoped he had even a bit of mercy in him to spare these kid’s lives.

The sound of distant sirens approaching made Stan feel calm. For his whole life, they we’re a sound that reminded him he was alone, that he maybe spending the night in a jail cell rather then his car. Not now. Tonight, they were the sound of salvation. Hope. Survival. Life.

The paramedics came quickly. Stan wasted no time in giving them the twins. He couldn’t bare to leave them though. Especially in that state. He knew they we’re going to be okay if he did but it was only human for him to be a nervous. Like any father or uncle would in a dire situation.

“Sir, please stand back,” said one the paramedics as he loaded Mabel into a waiting ambulance.

“Hey look, they’re my kids, I need to go with them,” Stan yelled.

“Look sir, I understand your desire, but you have to let us do our job. Your kids are in good hands. You’re injured too. Please let us help these kids and I promise you’ll be able to see them soon,” the paramedic said to him.

Stan knew the man was right. His desire to see the kids would only harm them more by preventing them from getting the help they needed. He stood back and watched as the two ambulances carrying Dipper and Mabel sped off to the hospital.

Stan was given a ride to the hospital by another paramedic after being checked out. While he had escaped major injury, he had been cut up quite badly on his arm. Once that was taken care of, he wasted no time in asking the question, “how are my kids doing?”

“We have them stabilized, we’re confident they’ll make a full recovery but both of them lost a dangerously high amount of blood. We have them both in a medically induced coma until we can patch up all their wounds and get them more blood. I’ll let you know more when we have more to tell Mr. Pines,” the doctor said to Stan.

“Can I see them,” he asked.

“Not right now. They need time to recover. I recommend you go home for the night Mr. Pines. Like I said, I’ll have more to tell you soon but not perhaps until tomorrow,” the doctor said.

“Look doc, I appreciate you wanting what’s best for me, but I’m not leaving until I know they’re both fine. And I’ll be sitting here waiting for you to tell me that,” Stan protested.

The doctor simply nodded his head. Stan was not the first concerned family member he had to deal with in his career. He understood his desire to stay. And in honesty, a doctor might be able to save the patient, but he can never keep that patient's family apart forever. He left Stan in the waiting room and went back to check on the twins.

Stan sat in the waiting room for what felt likes hours. Patients came and patients left. In the process, the guilt in him began to diminish. That was until two familiar faces walked into the waiting room.

Sheriff Blubs and Deputy Durland. And they both looked like they were there under serious circumstances.

“Evening Stan,” Blubs said.

“Blubs,” replied Stan. “What do you want?" he said.

“Well first off, how are you and the kids,” Blubs asked.

“I’m fine. Dipper and Mabel are in a coma right now. That’s all the doctor has told me,” Stan replied.

Stan watched as Durland wrote something down in his notepad.

“Is he writing what I’m saying down? What are you both here for?" said Stan. Like he already didn’t know.

“Now Stan. You were involved in a car accident tonight. On a quiet road, at dusk. And two children are now in the hospital because of it. We just have a few questions we need to ask you as part of our investigation,” Blubs said.

Stan felt a chill run down his spine, “fine. Ask what ever you want,” he replied. But deep down he dreaded it.

Blubs looked at Durland who got ready to write things down, “Okay, question one: what happened prior to the accident,” he asked.

“Not much. We were just driving home after having dinner at Greasy’s Diner. The kids we’re talking about the food and I think Mabel asked me what I liked most about it. Then Dipper began asking me questions and the next thing I knew, the car veered off the road and flipped multiple times before coming to rest on its roof,” he said.

Durland recorded it all down on his notepad, “Okay, question two, leading up to the crash, did the car experience any anomalies? Like were the brakes okay,” Blubs asked.

“Yes. I took the old girl to the mechanic a few days ago. Gave her a clean bill of health. Nothing really felt off about the performance right up until the accident,” Stan said.

He hoped Blubs and Durland would leave it there. He hoped they would suspect mechanical failure rather then driver error. But he knew the questioning was not done yet.

“Alright, now about you. We’re you either distracted or feeling tired at the time of the accident,” Blubs asked.

“Well Dipper was asking me something, but I had my eyes glued on the road. And tired? I just ate half a cherry pie. Why do you think I’m still awake at one in the morning answering these questions?” Stan said.

“Okay. Are you on any medications right now,” Blubs asked.

“I’m nearly seventy. The question you should be asking me is what medication am I not on right now. And besides, none of them are supposed to affect my driving,” replied Stan.

Then Blubs asked the question Stan was fearing.

“Okay, what about substances? Did you consume any alcohol before getting behind the wheel?" asked Blubs.

The color drained from Stan’s face faster then the blood did off his face after he washed it.

“Well Stan, did you? Were you driving under the influence?” bellowed Blubs.

Stan’s mind flashed back to earlier that evening. Dipper and Mabel had gone to the bathroom while he was finishing up his meal. With them gone he decided to get on in. He called over Lazy Susan.

“What can I do for you Stan,” she asked.

“Well, I was wondering if you still had any vodka left over from today. If so, I’d love a glass,” he said.

“Well I do but, Stan, you’re driving. You know you shouldn’t be drinking and driving. Especially of all people you. You’re not alone in that car you know,” Lazy Susan said looking over to the two plates on the adjacent side of the table.

“Oh please, I’ll be fine. Law says there’s a maximum level and I know what it is. And besides, it’s only one glass. I’ll be fine,” Stan said.

Lazy Susan was reluctant at first, but eventually she felt that Stan knew what he was saying and obliged. But soon one drink became two, then three. He was done and ready to go by the time the kids got back. While he did feel weird as he got in, it was a short drive back home, what could go wrong he had thought.

As Stan looked up at Blubs, he knew how wrong he had been, “Well, I had a little. But it was a very small amount. It shouldn’t have affected my ability to drive,” Stan said.

Blubs looked over to Durland before turning back to Stan, “Well that changes everything about this,” he said. He pulled out a breathalyzer, “I’ll need you to blow into this just so that we know for sure.”

Stan stood up and blew into the pipe of the machine. It took a while, but soon Blubs and Durland had their answer.

.10. Well above the maximum safe limit.

Blubs looked to Stan who was turning pale, “Now Stan, I’m no expert, but I am an officer who’s been in the force for many years, and I think I know how much is too much,” he said.

“Okay fine! I had more then one drink! I thought given it was a short drive back I’d be fine! I was wrong and now thanks to me…thanks to me, Dipper and Mabel’s lives are on the line,” he yelled. He didn’t want to cry, not in front of Blubs and Durland or even in a hospital waiting room. But his heart longed to.

Blubs and Durland stepped away from Stan for a minute to let him get a hold of himself while they did some paperwork, discussed what they had found out and even consult another doctor working on the twins. Stan knew what was coming. He knew the jig was up. It was game over for him. But he couldn’t. Not just because he did not want to, not just because the portal he had been labouring for years to finish was now working, not just because he ran a business and if he was gone, two people would be without a job, but because of them. Because of Dipper and Mabel.

They needed him. Not just right now but afterwards. In the days after they would hopefully be out of hospital and when that portal would finally charge up. Things were going to change, and he needed to be there to make sure things went smoothly.

Blubs and Durland returned, “Okay Stan. We’ve looked over the evidence. Both at the crash site and what you’ve told us. Right now, you’re looking at being charged with impaired driving causing bodily harm, endangerment of lives and two counts of endangerment of a minor. So, I hope for your sake you understand that we can’t let you off the hook just because you’re right now town hero for exposing Gideon,” Blubs said.

“I understand,” Stan said hanging his head down in shame. “How long am I looking at behind bars?”

“Well, I do have some good news for you. Given this is on record as your first offense, by Oregon law, you’re going to be fined a thousand dollars and have a licence suspension for up to 90 days effective immediately,” Blubs said.

Stan sighed with a bit of relief. A thousand dollars was a fine he could easily pay back and while a 90-day suspension was not something he was happy about, it was better then spending 90 days in jail.

“But, we do need to address the fact your impaired driving did injure two children,” Blubs said. “Now I’m going to be nice with you here Stan. The law is the law and according to it you are still in serious trouble. But…”

Before Blubs could finish his sentence, the doctor came back, “Mr. Pines, may I speak with you,” he said.

Stan looks to Blubs, he nodded his head. With that, Stan approached the doctor.

“Mr. Pines, your niece and nephew are no longer in a coma. They’re going to be okay,” the doctor said.

Stan let out a sigh of relief. For a brief moment, he felt that all the pain and suffering in his life was over. That his prayers despite everything he had done we’re indeed heard, by someone, anyone up there.

“Can I see them,” Stan begged.

“Well, they’re still asleep. I’d let them wake up on their own. But yes, you can go see them now. They’re in room 113 down section A,” the doctor said before leaving to attend to another patient.

Stan turned back to Blubs, “so what we’re you going to tell me?" he asked.

“Pretty much what the doctor just told. You’re a good man Stan. Even if your criminal record says otherwise. I was going to tell you that I’m willing to reduce the severity of your charges depending on the outcome of tonight. Looks like it was the ending we all wanted,” said Blubs with a smile.

Stan looked up, “so what will these reduced charges be,” he asked shamefully.

“Your fine will be doubled, and you must do ten days worth of community service,” Blubs said.

“Well, I guess that’s still better then jail time,” he replied with a smile.

“I hope you learned your lesson Stan. This night may not have ended out this way. You could be sitting in a jail cell right now, facing even severer charges,” Blubs said.

Stan shook his head. He knew what Blubs meant but he dared not to think about such horrible things. He looked up back at the two officers, “Thank you sheriff Blubs. I promise this will never happen again.”

“I hope so Stan. Now don’t you have some kids you need to see right now?” Blubs responded.

Stan smiled as he bid the two officers goodbye. He had many opinions about Blubs and Durland. From their incompetence, laid back attitudes towards their jobs and constantly getting on his nerves. But he felt now he had been a bit wrong. Maybe it was time for him to give them a second chance. They gave him one. It was only fair. But that could wait. Right now, he needed to see his kids.

Stan walked into their room. He was grateful that the hospital had accommodated Dipper and Mabel so that they could both be in the same room. He knew how terrified they would be if they were alone in a place like this.

The sound of the machines humming away and the heart monitors beeping gave Stan a surreal feeling. One, it showed him that both of them were alive and were going to be okay. But it also left him feeling guiltier. They wouldn’t need those machines and all those tubes hooked up to them had he just not made such a huge mistake. The sight of seeing them laying there, helpless and broken hurt him.

He sat down on a chair in between the two. Even though the doctor had told him to let Dipper and Mabel wake up on their own, he could not hold it in any longer. He had to get it off his chest, even if they couldn’t hear him say it.

“Dipper? Mabel? It’s me, Grunkle Stan. I don’t know if you can hear me, but I want you both to know how much I love you. And how sorry I am for what happened,” he said.

He looked over to Mabel first, “Mabel, pumpkin. I’m so sorry about what happened. I’m so sorry that your sweater got ruined. I promise once you’re out of here, I’ll take you to buy whatever yarn you need to make another one. Heck, you can make me one and force me to wear it as punishment,” Stan said, laughing softly.

He then looked to Dipper, “Dipper. I know I’ve been hard on you since you got here. But I only do it to protect you. To teach you about how hard this world is. To make sure you don’t end up like me. I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I did. I never listened to you when you wanted me to. But tonight? Tonight, I wish I did because you were right. You were right to be suspicious of me, and if you had punched me in the face and taken the wheel yourself because you assumed I was drunk, well, I would never have hated you for that. You were trying to protect yourself, Mabel and me. From me. You’re a wiser and stronger man, then I ever could be for doing that. I hope you can forgive me.”

Stan now looked at both Dipper and Mabel, “I hope both of you can forgive me. I know I don’t deserve it and I’ll understand if you don’t forgive me. I’ll understand if you both want to leave Gravity Falls the moment you get out of this hospital. I’ll understand if you both never want to see me again. But I hope you’ll give me another chance. And if you do, I promise I’ll be a better Grunkle then I was tonight. The Grunkle you deserve to have. I just….”

Stan started to cry. He knew the twins we’re asleep. They could not hear him. He didn’t deserve to be these kid’s guardian, he didn’t deserve their company or their happy, full of life personalities. He wished Blubs had just handcuffed him and thrown him into jail for life. If Dipper and Mabel didn’t want him, then he didn’t want freedom either.

At that moment, Stan felt two little hands on his back. He looked up and opened his eyes. There were Dipper and Mabel, both of them. Out of their beds, in their blue hospital gowns, standing there on both sides of him.

“Kids,” he said in a soft voice.

“We forgive you Grunkle Stan,” said Mabel.

Stan looked at her surprised, “you do,” he said in between sobs.

“Yes Grunkle Stan, we really do,” said Dipper.

Stan looked at both of them before gently bringing them in for a hug, “Oh kids. You mean the world to me. Thank you,” he said with tears of joy.

“Hey, that sound less manly to me,” said Dipper jokingly.

Stan let got of them and looked at Dipper, “you…you heard what I said?” he asked.

“Well of course we did. We were awake the whole time. Now, about my sweater?” said Mabel laughing.

Stan looked at the twins with the happiest looking angry expression he could muster, “Well, I can see you two have gotten better. And I was going to go to the bakery to get you both some cupcakes. Guess I’ll just buy you some broccoli instead,” he said sarcastically as he starting walking towards the door.

“No, wait, wait! We were joking,” said Mabel

“Get me a vanilla cupcake if they have any please,” said Dipper.

Stan looked back at them with a smile, “nice to have you both back,” he said.

“Nice to have you back Grunkle Stan,” Mabel said with a smile.

The smile on both Dipper and Mabel’s faces took away any remaining fear Stan had left. He made a mistake with huge consequences, but that did not stop Dipper and Mabel from loving him just as much now, as they did before he got behind the wheel under the influence.

And as long as they would, Stan swore he would never again make the same mistake that almost cost him everything that one fateful night.

The End

Thank you for reading. I hope I didn't mame you cry too much. My next story is a big one. And I'm really excited about it. Hope you'll be there to read it.

Edit: I wrote this months ago, returned to fix a grammar mistake and now its been featured. Thank you sm everyone, for everything :')

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