San always enjoyed going to run errands with Belle. Whether she brought Opal along or not, San was determined to be helpful. Being a toddler wrangler while Belle scanned the aisles was something San had gotten good at. It helped that Opal and her had become friends of some sort.
Here in the Moon Market, San felt out of place. The lights were a tad too bright and she still felt on edge surrounded by humans. The she wolf looked to the poised woman for cues in times like those. If Belle was at ease then San could settle her own anxieties. Ignoring the white noise all around them, San zeroed in on a colorful metallic package and her eyes widened to the size of saucers. She shuffled over to the prominent display, letting go of the trolley.
“Belle, Belle, do you like these? They look so tasty,” she hinted showing the clearly well marketed item to the primary buyer of the trip.
Bella sighed, looking out at the ocean. It was late morning; the best time to wake up, in her opinion. Ford had already been awake since six, working and taking care of the boat. She smiled, enjoying feeling the breeze. Goodbye, winter. No more of that “snow” bullshit.
She grinned when Stan kissed the top of her head and set a plate in front of her. “Breakfast! ‘Bout time, I’m starvin’.”
“Poindexter!” Stan called. “C’mon, eat somethin’ for once in your life.” Ford sighed, coming down to the little table and sitting to eat.
“I have eaten food before, you know,” he said.
“When you were 20 doesn’t count.”
Ford rolled his eyes and dug into the food. Bella hummed, poking at her breakfast for a minute. “I feel like we need music this mornin’. It’s a music mornin’.”
“A “music morning”-?”
“Yeah, go ahead.” Stan nodded, mouth already half full. Bella grinned and went to grab her phone, fidgeting with it for a minute.
“Brandon showed me this cool thin’ on here. It’s like a mixtape, but it just plays from here. Hol’ on, lemme find...”
“How are you so good at this stuff?” Stan eyed the device. “It’s just a bunch of junk.”
“Mm, Ah’m very… adaptive?” Bella guessed. “An’ Fidds always used ta show me how to work his stuff. So it ain’t… too dif’rent. Oh!”
“Eh, I think records are better.”
“Well you can mix up what plays on this thing.” Bella pressed the screen. “So it’s like a surprise-” She gasped and grinned, looking up at Stan. “Do ya ‘member this song? We dance t’ it all the time…”
Stan tilted his head a bit, listening. He nodded. “Yeah. It feels like I know it.” Bella set the phone down on the table, swaying to the music.
Gonna put the world away for a minute
Pretend I don’t live in it
Sunshine gonna wash my blues away
Ford smiled, eating as he watched the two of them. Stan laughed and pretended to be annoyed when Bella tugged him to his feet. She sung along, trying to convince Stan to as well. She finished the first part of the verse and looked up at him. He groaned.
“Had sweet love but I lost it.” Ford winced, grinning a bit at Stan’s voice. “She got too close so I fought it- ah, shut up, poindexter.” Ford laughed again.
-find me a better way
“Wishin’ I was-”
“Knee deep in the water somewhere.” Bella pulled Stan towards the center of the deck, bouncing a bit as they sang. “Got the blue sky, breeze and it don’t seem fair-”
Stan stood a bit awkwardly, but smiled softly while Bella danced fully along to the music. Ford knew that face- Stan really was head over heels for her. He didn’t think he’d ever seen Stan look this lovestruck.
Sunrise, there’s a fire in the sky
Never been so happy,
Never felt so high
“And I think I might have found me my own kind’a paradise.” Stan blushed when Bella booped his nose.
Ford ate as he enjoyed the show, thinking. He had never really pictured the two of them together. Then again, they had never known each other in his mind, and when he found out, he was pushed into another dimension ten minutes later. But watching them, they were… cute. Maybe they were more alike than he thought.
Wrote a note, said “Be back in a minute”
Bought a boat and I sailed off in it
Don’t think anybody’s gonna miss me anyway
Mind on a permanent vacation
The ocean is my only medication
Wishin’ my condition ain’t ever gonna go away
Ford couldn't blame them for liking this song, either. Stan always wanted to sail, Bella always dreamed of traveling, or living somewhere nice. ‘Tropical.’
Bella leaned back against the side of the boat, cupping Stan's face to pull him down and kiss him. He held onto her waist, grinning.
“This champagne shore, watchin’ over me. It’s a sweet sweet life, livin’ by the salty sea.” Stan smiled softly, looking out at the ocean again. He looked like he felt… at home, almost. This was what he had been waiting for for 50 years.
-maybe you might be…
“C’mon, sixer.” Stan turned to look at Ford expectedly, who sighed and smiled a bit.
“Knee deep in the water somewhere-” Bella cheered when Ford joined them, albeit shakily.
“Got the blue sky breeze blowin’ wind through my hair.” Almost on queue, a breeze came up from the water, pushing their hair around. “Only worry in the world, is the tide gonna reach my chair.”
Bella playfully leaned on top of Ford’s head. He rolled his eyes and pushed her off, and she twirled back around to Stan, hanging onto his arm. “Come on in, the water’s nice, find yourself a little slice-”
“Grab a backpack otherwise you’ll never know until you try.”
“When you lose yourself…” Bella wrapped her arms around Stan’s neck, leaning up towards him.
“You find the key-”
“-to paradise.”
Bella whistled the last bit of the song, bouncing until the last beat played, and Stan leaned down to kiss her. Ford laughed and smiled when they finally sat back down. Bella blushed and shrugged, taking a bite of her food.
“It’s a good song…”
“No, it’s alright.” Ford looked down. “I… never thought you two would ever be a… couple. But I think I could see why you are.”
“Hey, we gotta be good together if I fell for her twice, huh?” Stan held Bella to his side with one arm, kissing the top of her head. She giggled and shoved him lightly.
The only covering the young werewolf had were the leaves and damp foliage that stuck to her legs as she ran through them. She was still panting, each inhale drying her throat just a bit more. Blood stuck to her chin and down her front but that wasn’t her’s, it wasn’t of concern. Her blood still trickled from her hand and dripped off her elbow even though it was clutched tightly to her chest.
It wasn’t healing fast enough! And the adrenaline coursing through her small frame didn’t help to stop the flow. It was a wild look. But she was a wild girl. As untamed as her hair after her most recent scuffle that ended her here, running through the forest. She needed help. So San Mononoke fled as fast as she could to the one place she’d felt truly safe since she left her home. A small cottage filled to the brim with books and a family. But she couldn’t go there. No one was home. She went to the second best place, where her family was: the Bonfamille Manor.
Lou had said it was rude to barge in or to show up unexpectedly, but she didn’t have a choice. San was scared.
And it’s not like she could call ahead. So naked, covered in undergrowth and blood… she banged on the door of the manor. “Help. Me.” She begged in between breaths.
TOULOUSE:
There was an understanding between the Acherons that an unexpected knock on the door was never a good thing.
However, Toulouse was a Bonfamille and this was the manor. When unexpected knocks were just his mother’s friends, dropping by for tea or someone delivering something for Nounou. He was never informed of plans in advance, just expected to act with grace when visitors did grace their doorstep, whether a workman or the president of France.
It was, most likely, not the president of France at the door at such a late hour, but Lou thought nothing of opening it to see who it was. He had heard someone approaching from the kitchen where he was making tea for himself, Belle, and Hades, the latter two of which were currently upstairs, putting the children to bed. The hour was not so late to have a visitor be unwarranted, he was French after all. They often entertained well into the evening.
He was halfway to the door when he heard the words on the other side of it and the wolf in him perked up. Rushing the last few steps, he unlocked the door and pulled it open. On the doorstep was San, bloodied and terrified.
Toulouse did not baulk. He did not even flinch. “Come inside,” he said instead, opening the door further and stepping away so she could stumble in. His eyes searched over her body for injuries and found only the one on her hand where she was clutching. He put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into the house, taking her into the kitchen. His mother would kill him if he got blood on the upholstery.
“Sit down,” he said, gentle and firm. “I will be right back.”
Toulouse moved through the kitchen, into the living room, scooping a blanket off the couch. From there, he rounded back into the foyer, stopping at the bottom of the stairs.
“Hades! Belle! Come down, as soon as you get a moment.” He figured, if they did not hear him, the ghosts would alert Hades. Turning on his heel, he moved into the kitchen again, turning the water on in the sink so that it would run hot and then moving to San and throwing the blanket over her shoulders.
“Are you alright?” he finally asked her, laying a hand on her shoulder.
SAN:
Lou acted fast. Swooping her into the kitchen with an urgency she’d normally assume he was cross when he used. She didn’t say any more, only doing as she was told. San had just ran what felt like a million miles to get here. Now that she was indoors, in a pristine manor no less, she felt the waves of terror crash down on her. The werewolf was vibrating in her own skin. She hadn’t noticed all of the noises before but it seemed like everything was much too loud. The birds outside, the humming of a lightbulb, even her own thoughts were amplified. The adrenaline that carried her here was fading.
As Lou stepped away, she shakily took a look at her finger. Or what was left of it… immediately upon unclenching her fist blood spurted from the tip. “Agh!”
San quickly clutched it back to her chest and started shaking. What were they going to do? The people she’d come to know told her that werewolves weren’t treated at hospitals because they were different. San had never considered a hospital until now, and only because she wasn’t healing like normal.
A blanket was placed over her and so was Lou’s hand and she welcomed the subtle warmth of it. Looking back to the other wolf, the one who hadn’t hurt her, she opened her mouth to talk. A moment of silence passed, but San took a breath and said, “I’m fine… but… it was a wolf who… another wolf hurt me.”
It was still difficult to comprehend the kind of betrayal she felt. Why would a fellow werewolf hurt one of their own? It wasn’t just her hand that was hurt by the attack.
TOULOUSE:
Despite himself, Lou was a bit thrilled at the prospect of an injury. After he had been kicked from his medical program, Lou had felt more restless than ever. He had liked medicine, not because he liked healing people, but because he liked the mechanics of it. Liked taking chaos and making it orderly. It was a way in which he could use his condition (bipolar disorder) to his advantage. His brain worked quickly and in emergency situations, it made him feel like the rest of the world had finally caught up to the level that he operated on at all times.
He smelt the blood, which was new, but it was also helpful.
As she spoke, he gently took her injured hand in his, pulling it away from her chest again. His thumb moved to the inside of her wrist, feeling her heartbeat--which was strong, but not thready, which meant her blood pressure was alright. His eyes flicked up towards her at her explanation and his brow furrowed. Another wolf? Was there even another wolf in town? Merida hadn’t told him anything.
“Alright, it’s alright,” Lou said, his voice uncharacteristically coddling. “It’s not life threatening. We’ll get you cleaned up. You’ve lost quite a bit of blood, but I think you’ll be okay with a bit of rest. Put pressure on that and I’ll--”
“Toulouse, what--oh mon dieu!” Belle exclaimed as she came into the kitchen. Her eyes went wide at once. “What happened?”
“Another wolf attacked her,” Lou said in a clipped tone. “Belle, be a dear and get some hot water and iodine from the cupboard.”
“And I’ll call Merida.”
“Yes, do that as well. She should know about this. And hand me a towel.”
Belle hesitated for a moment. “Does it, er, matter?”
“Not right now it doesn’t, just any towel,” Lou scowled at her.
“Sorry, right, yes.” Belle snapped the hand towel off the stove which was usually just decoration and tossed it towards him.
Lou wrapped it around San’s finger and then covered her hand with his, squeezing. “We’ll get you cleaned up and take a better look at this. Hold it just like I am. I’m going to get you some water, oui?”
MERIDA:
The call came out of nowhere.
Merida missed the first one. She’d never been one for hangin’ onto her phone and texting the way many people her age were. She preferred to busy her hands and her brain with other things, and living a life sequestered in the woods meant a phone was barely needed.
Until a mad man attacked one of your own.
So when she got the call eventually-- after comin’ in from trekking through Enchantra-- Merida sped her way as quick as she could to the Bonfamille manor. She stomped her way in, not botherin’ to take off her muddy boots even as Nounou squawked behind her about it. There were more serious things for her to worry about. How had the attack happened? Who would do such a thing, eh? And why?
Her brain jumped to the Order. She saw her Da’s face. She saw the Golden Trio’s faces. She wondered if this was a message to her, or if she was just lettin’ her paranoia get the best of her…
“What happened?!” she barked as she walked in and saw a shuddering San. She went to her side instantly. Technically, San was not truly part of her pack, but the wolf did not care for those technicalities. She lived with Merida. She was Merida’s. Merida put her hand on San’s shoulders, eyes goin’ soft. “Who did this to you?”
SAN:
San was not used to all of this fuss. It was just as overwhelming as being attacked was. At first it seemed like everything was slowing down. Belle and Lou, San’s heart rate, the noise, even the bleeding. It all sped back up when Merida walked through the door.
“I-- I don’t know who… he was a wolf. Like us.” San said honestly. She knew she wasn’t in trouble, but that was all she knew and it wasn’t very helpful. And the last thing she wanted was to disappoint Merida. A wolf who took her in, and the family she loved; they took a huge risk by letting San stay in town. Especially when a rogue, and mean, werewolf was on the loose and a danger to them all. Had San put her new family in danger?
“I found him in the forest, or he found me… I don’t know if he was looking for me. I swear, none of my pack were werewolves! And none of them survived, even! Only my mother got away, and she’d never hurt any of you. I don’t know who this was. He just ripped my fingernail off and left me alone. I promise I don’t know more,” San cried shrilly. She really didn’t want them to think she had caused this.
TOULOUSE:
By the time Lou had come back with water, Merida had burst through the door. Lou scowled as she tracked mud across the kitchen, but at least they were in the kitchen and not the living room. Thank goodness for small mercies.
While Merida went to coddle San, Lou crouched down next to her. He went to work on her hand. Belle had come by with a bowl full of steaming water and some iodine she must’ve found in the cupboard. Soaking the rag in the water, he lifted the towel off of San’s hand as she whimpered to Merida. In his opinion, he didn’t care much about what had happened, as long as San was alright. He was focused on his task, cleaning the blood from the wound so that he could see the damage better.
It wasn’t so bad, he didn’t think. Besides, werewolves healed rather fast. Even for a wound that was as mangled as this. Still, he held her hand over the bowl and poured the iodine over it generously.
“This may sting,” he said, while already in the process of it.
Meanwhile, Belle was standing, watching, with her arms crossed.
“Did they take a fingernail or...did they take a claw?” Belle asked, though, apparently she found the answer rather rhetorical, because she turned to Merida a moment later.
“I think it is best we let Arthur know. It is entirely possible the Blackwells were responsible for this.”
MERIDA:
Another werewolf.
Of all the answers, Merida expected this one the least. If there was another werewolf--wouldn’t Merida have scented them? The woods were large, naturally, and it had been raining often these days but-- still. Why hadn’t she known there was another werewolf in town that Merida didn’t know about? But more importantly… why would they attack San instead of confronting her?
It was not normal wolf behavior. If it was a rogue, attacking another wolf unprovoked made no sense. If it was a wolf looking to establish its territory, then perhaps goin’ after San… but it wouldn’t have hidden its scent. There’d be other signs. It would hunt, it would push the boundaries, her alpha would know.
Belle’s conclusion made sense then, even if it took Merida a second to catch up. She frowned at Belle. What the hell would the Blackwells want with…
“Is that-- that’s one of the items for the spell?” Merida questioned. She’d been told about the spell, but there were so many parts to it, it wasn’t like she had memorized all of ‘em. “That means they wouldn’t come back, aye, if they got what they wanted? San will be safe?”
SAN:
San hissed and tried to pull away from Toulouse when he treated her wound. “Ow! That hurts!” She whined.
She listened to the conversation and tried to cooperate with Lou, even when it hurt. What did they mean by spells, and Blackwell’s, and Arthur? Who was that and why would he care about her finger being nearly ripped off? “They got what they wanted by attacking me? I don’t even know who they are! I guess he took a claw… we fought as wolves so....”
San didn’t understand the stakes of this. It was all above her paygrade. Lou didn’t seem to be entrenched in all of this nonsense, so she asked him quietly as Belle and Merida spoke, “will my claw grow back? It isn’t healing right…”
TOULOUSE:
“I don’t know,” both Belle and Toulouse said at the same time to their respective questions.
Toulouse had no idea how werewolf magic worked. He felt himself once again growing frustrated with his lack of understanding and the limitations society placed on werewolves and doctors who might like to help them. If doctors actually did research on werewolves, he would know. If werewolves were allowed to become doctors, perhaps he would at least have theories.
“For now, let us just get this cleaned, hm? It is not life threatening. I do not think it needs stitches. The bleeding has already stopped.” It was a gruesome wound, albeit small, but Toulouse was right. The bleeding had mostly stopped. Which, he could only theorize, had to do with the wolf’s magic.
“As for the Blackwells,” Belle said, turning from where she had been looking toward Lou, listening to his diagnosis, “I don’t think Zira is the type to appreciate loose ends but—if the wolf got what it wanted and ran off, I feel as if the chances of another attack are more slim. We best be on our guard.” She shook her head. “We should have been more so before this. I’m sorry, San.”
MERIDA:
Merida frowned.
She felt antsy-- no, worse. She felt like there was a target on their back, and there had been for quite some time right under Merida’s nose. What kind of alpha was she if the Order could slip into town and she didn’t notice? And for the Blackwells to so easily target San, the weakest of their pack? Merida should have been more prepared. She needed--
She needed a real pack. Her eyes slid to San and to Lou. There was no way that Lou would patrol and protect their lands. San wasn’t even proper part of the pack as is. But now, more than before, it felt essential that they fixed that. There was power in numbers, and Merida’s enemies were circling.
“After yer done with that, Lou, we need to talk,” Merida said stiffly, her jaw tight.
Things needed to change.
SAN:
San nodded solemnly at Lou’s answer. She feared the unknown. She wanted her claw back! It was humiliating to have lost a fight this way… and she had to retreat with her tail tucked between her legs. Now, she might have less defenses against further attacks.
At the thought of future attacks, San tuned back into Belle and Merida’s conversation. If the wolf got what he wanted she’d be safe. Unless Zira thought San was a loose end…
I’m sorry, San.
The words hit her like a brick being tossed into a pool, and like the waves San rose. The blanket slipped from her shoulder, but she held it close with her uninjured hand. She was shaking again, but not with fear. “No. I won’t be a target or a loose end, or a danger to you! I can find him. I’ll rip him apart, I won’t lose this time!”
San’s voice was shrill and determined. At the beginning of this, she didn’t think her being attacked by a renegade wolf would affect anyone but her. A year ago, San failed at protecting her family and home. She refused to fail again.
TOULOUSE:
“San,” Lou growled as her hand jerked from his, the cloth bandage he’d been wrapping around it unfurling and hanging like a white flag.
“San, it’s alright,” Belle’s voice soothed. She moved around Lou to put her hand on San’s shoulder, rubbing gently. Lou could feel the girl trembling and he was sure that Belle could too. They exchanged a brief look, Belle’s eyes watery, Lou’s hard. He didn’t like this, not a bit.
He hadn’t acknowledged Merida’s statement, but he knew what she wanted to talk about. And, reluctantly, he was thinking the same thing. Lou was fond enough of San. Not fond enough to share his thoughts with her, but fond enough that he didn’t want her mauled to death. It would be his fault, on his conscience—if he was too stubborn to allow her the protection of a pack.
Besides, Merida might be his leader, but his true pack was his family. He would break any command if it put them in danger, no matter the magic. He managed well enough not engaging with Merida as a wolf unless absolutely necessary.
It rankled him, but it was what needed to be done.
Once he finished wrapping San’s hand, he unfolded his long legs and stood. Moving over to the sink, he washed his hands.
“Belle, take San up to the other guest room. Find her some clothes. Yours or Marie’s will do fine. San, you will stay here tonight. You’ll be safe.” He turned off the faucet and looked over at Merida as he wiped his hands dry.
“We can speak in the living room,” he told her.
MERIDA:
Merida waited as best she could, shifting her weight from foot to foot as she fidgeted. The more she had to wait though, the more everything solidified in her mind so she did not see how inviting San into the pack would be a discussion at all. She was the alpha; wasn’t it her job to act as an alpha? Whether Lou liked it or not-- this was what was best.
And having a plan gave her comfort in the face of so many unknowns. In that regard, there were still things to discuss.
Did they find the wolf who attacked San?
Did they take revenge?
(Merida wanted to, but if it was connected with Zira, then lashing out might jeopardize the mission with the Knights. That thought had her clench her jaw. She didn’t want to involve the knights with her wolves. Or-- the wolf, her wolf, did not want that. She was the one who had to protect her own, and that was all that should matter.)
Finally, Lou was ready. She jerked her head and then they headed to the living room.
Merida didn’t bother to wait. “San needs to be in our pack,” she declared firmly. “There’s no reason anymore why she shouldn’t. It’s the best way we can protect each other.”
TOULOUSE:
Lou followed Merida into the other room, hearing Belle talking softly to San still as she got her up and moved her toward the stairs.
He kept his hands behind his back as he strolled toward the sliding glass doors, looking out over the dark garden like he would be able to see his enemies lurking there in the bushes. Those hands of his tightened at Merida’s words.
Of course, he did agree with her, but he hated the idea of being commanded and by Merida of all people. It was, at the very least, incredibly rude. And it was still not so simple as she made it out to be. Unlike her, Lou did not make these decisions lightly. Anyone in their pack would have access to information that was highly sensitive and highly personal. Information about his family that he needed to protect at all costs. He hardly trusted Merida with it and certainly wouldn’t if Belle didn’t trust her too.
San was still a stranger and a stupid child. She barely even knew what it was to be human. She did not care about Belle and Hades and the children the way he and Merida did.
“We don’t have any obligation to protect her,” Lou said, his voice cutting as he stared at Merida through the reflection on the window. “You and I have an obligation to protect each other and the Acherons. She does not share those values.” It was contrarian to his own thoughts, he knew. San was just a child and she needed help, but accepting her into his pack was a heavy burden and he certainly didn’t want Merida to think that she could just do whatever she wanted without pushback.
“Even if she was part of our pack, that would not have stopped the attack tonight from happening.”
MERIDA:
Merida bristled again. This was exactly why she’d been so firm-- because she’d expected the pushback. Last time when San had been a topic of conversation, she’d let herself be pushed around. But she wouldn’t anymore. She knew she was right. Every bone in her body told her so, and so did the wolf, who had wanted San from the beginning, who did not believe what Lou believed now-- that this attack couldn’t have been stopped. How could he know that, eh? If they’d been a pack… if they had been a proper pack, one that hunted together, who understood each other, who loved each other, then perhaps San would have never been alone tonight to begin with.
She wasn’t going to get angry though (even though she wanted to). She was used to men who looked down on her and dismissed her opinions. She would not be the hothead that Lou thought her to be.
“I disagree,” she said calmly-- though still firm. “I think a lot would be different if she was a pack. We could teach her better. Guide her. And considerin’ the way things are goin-- with the Blackwells-- it’s not safe for any one of us to be a wolf in the woods alone. Besides, maybe you don’t feel an obligation, but I do. And she-- that pup in there-- whether you like it or not, she trusts you, Lou. Weren’t you payin’ attention to how she was lookin’ at you while you were treating her? She wouldn’t betray us-- especially not if she were in our pack.”
TOULOUSE:
“You think. You think it will be different if she was part of the pack because you want her to be,” Lou accused. “You aren’t thinking about anything but your own loneliness and you’re being selfish because all you have is yourself. I have other people to think about. Belle, Hades, the children. My brother and sister. My mother. Nounou.”
He listed all of these people, his heart clenching with every name, as if by saying them it was trying to expel his worry into the air.
“You do not know if she will betray us or not. You, yourself, were a perfectly placed plant to gain Belle’s trust and destroy her family from the inside.” Yes, Lou realized he sounded paranoid but it was also true.
“I know that she is vulnerable, but so are we. So is my entirely Mundus family, minus Hades. You don’t get to make this decision on your own without considering me and the other people we love and want to protect. You don’t get to just dictate whatever the hell you want and expect me to follow along like some spineless fool. That isn’t being a leader,” he scoffed.
MERIDA:
Lou’s words hurt.
Not the rubbish about being a leader-- but the other part. That she didn’t have anyone. It felt like a kick to the stomach. More than one actually, as he went on, as if just cuz he had more people meant he was somehow better than her.
But she wasn’t going to cry in front of this fool. Even if the tears pricked for a moment. They receded, leaving Merida’s eyes shining, but still just as intense.
“I’m not. I listened to you last time, you forget that? And I’m talkin’ to you now, aren’t I?” No, Merida didn’t realize how her phrasing could be better-- to her, pullin’ Lou aside was bringing him into the decision. “But things have changed, so I’m askin’ you to change too. It’s the right thing to do. Not just because you think I’m lonely.” Her nose scrunched for a moment, the anger there in her expression now, even as she tried to push it back.
“Which-- I’m not. Because I have people too. I have Belle, whether you believe she should have forgiven me or not. And if you don’t think I would lay my life down for her, for her entire family-- for you too, ye thickheided oaf-- then you clearly haven’t spent enough time in my thoughts. I don’t need San. But I want her. And she wants and needs us.”
TOULOUSE:
Merida’s speech did little to impress or impassion Lou. He did know that she would sacrifice herself for Belle or the other Acherons or even himself or his siblings, but not necessarily because she loved them. In his eyes, she was begging to be a martyr. And martyrs were ridiculous and foolhardy.
And he knew that he technically agreed with her about San. She needed protection and while he was reluctant to expand this stupid pack any further, it was the best course of action. Especially if there was another pack or lone wolf out there looking to hurt his family. If San was just another body between the evils of the world and the people Lou loved—that was good enough for him.
Still, he could not give in without pushback.
“You are not talking to me now, you’re telling me. There was no asking, no getting my opinion. You dragged me in here and started barking orders like a general. I think you, of all people, should understand how uncooperative that makes me.”
And not just because she’d been inside his head, but because he knew that she was the same way. Though, perhaps he was the only self aware one between them. That wouldn’t shock him.
Before she could pop off arguing pointlessly again, he held up a hand.
“I will agree,” he told her. “However, if this backfires somehow, or I sense for a moment that San is not fully on our side and committed to protecting the people we are—she’s gone. Agreed?”
MERIDA:
What! She hadn’t started barkin’ orders--
And she looked back at what just happened and, shite. She heard herself for the first time. She’d been so caught up in being confident and trying to seem like a leader-- especially in the face of this trauma and the danger on their doorstep-- that maybe she had started barking orders. Merida’s face flushed (though it had been hot from annoyance this whole time). Her jaw grit.
She was not going to say Lou was right, naturally. He could pry an admission outta her teeth, though since he was finally agreeing, maybe that wouldn’t happen. No reason to keep troddin’ over all this again and again, lest it all get worse.
But… right. She’d… she’d try to remember this later.
And so she nodded, slow, swallowing down any of her own protests. “Fine. Agreed. Though-- at least-- promise to give her a chance. She’s practically a pup.” And whether she liked it or not, the worry was plain in her face. She glanced back at the room, affection in her eyes too. “She will need our help. It might not be easy at first. But I believe in her, as long-- as long as she has you. And me,” she added.
TOULOUSE:
Lou wasn’t sure why Merida believed in San. In his opinion she was a child (not a pup, please.) A stupid and reckless child who knew nothing about being a human, which meant she was constantly putting herself and others in danger. You know, wild children who grow up in the woods, entirely away from society actually cannot learn how to speak? It is psychologically impossible for them. San was much the same. No matter how he tried, there were always wild parts of her and probably always would be.
These were the parts of her that made Lou uncomfortable—because they reminded him of the wild, untamable parts of himself.
And yet, he could not turn his back on her. The wolf stood as steadfast as Merida. It never doubted, but it was also patient. Waiting for it’s stupid human to catch up to the inevitable.
Lou sighed, but he nodded. “Fine. Let us go tell her the good news,” he said dully.
He led the way up to the third floor, where Hades and Belle were staying. Following the sound of voices, he found San in the room where they had put Opal’s crib. On the bed, Belle was sitting with San. Opal was in Belle’s lap, her head on her mother’s shoulder—clearly having been woken by the commotion and her new roommate.
When they entered, Belle looked up and smiled at them. Lou did not say anything, just gave a nod of greeting and went to lean against the wall next to Belle, crossing his arms.
MERIDA:
Merida came in and she immediately looked to Lou-- but yeah, ‘course the bloke would immediately retreat. Not that he needed to stand next to her while she talked to San, but she would have liked for this to look at least a little more welcomin’. But nevermind the min. She’d never depended on men before and she would not depend on one now. She could only hope that once they all sang together and let San in, then Lou’s frosty exterior would thaw.
She approached San now with a gentle smile, a strange expression for a girl like Merida who wasn’t used to such things. But when it came to San, her heart was tender. The wolf inside her yearned to sleep next to her, to keep her close. That softness bled through.
That didn’t mean that she er… knew how to do this all that well.
“San, Lou and I-- we er...we were talking-- we’ve been discussin’ it for a while really--” Not a lie, this conversation had come up before. “And we think… we want you in our pack. If ye want to join.”
And Merida offered her hand for San to reach out to, if she wanted.
SAN:
San’s anger retreated as Lou scolded her. It was just so frustrating that she’d let some wolf get the jump on her like that. It didn’t just endanger her, but everyone she cared for in this God forsaken place. Belle had done exactly as Lou told her to and San wordlessly obeyed.
They went upstairs and San took the woolen sweater Belle dug out of a bureau. It was a bit big, but comfortable in a way that made her feel safe and cocooned. The creme colored fabric was just as warm, if not more so than her wolf’s coat. San felt bad about disturbing the little one. Opal came to be a classmate, and a packmate to San even if she was human. This family, along with the man Kristoff, proved to her that humans weren’t all bad. After she pulled the fresh clothes over her ragged and tired form she sat next to the mother and her child.
Is a family all she wanted? San longed to have somewhere to belong, but it felt like she was abandoning her real family by being so comfortable here. So when Merida posed the question to her, San paused before taking her extended hand. Morality was still a new concept, loyalty was not. But was being loyal to another family a betrayal?
“Would my mother be safe here if I said yes? When I find her. I just don’t want her to find me and think that I’ve forgotten about her…”
TOULOUSE:
“I don’t think that would be appro—“
“Of course she would be,” Belle cut Lou off with a sharp look before turning back to San and giving her a soft smile. The same one she used on the children. And the same one she used on Lou when he was in pain. It irritated him, being cut off, but it also irritated him to see Belle look at someone else with such affection.
He scowled but didn’t say anything else.
It was a moot point anyway. San’s mother was most likely dead. From what he had gathered of the story she’d told, that was the outcome that made the most sense. Besides, she was a proper wolf. Not a werewolf, so she would like in the forest and have no contact with them. Even if she was still alive.
“This forest is protected,” Belle told San. “By the Great Prince, but also by laws. Wolves are not allowed to be hunted, so she could live here safely. I think it’d be wonderful if you joined.”
“You’re not part of the pack,” Lou told her bluntly, even if the wolf disagreed.
She looked over her shoulder at him and her expression was torn between hurt and indignation. “I wasn’t saying that,” she snapped defensively. “I was just agreeing that I think it’d be lovely.”
MERIDA:
Course Lou continued to make this as hard as possible.
But Merida did not blink. She barely looked at his sour face. What mattered to her was that San had not pulled away. Her hand was slight and gentle in Merida’s own-- even though she knew this girl was strong, capable of much more than she might even think. That was part of Merida’s mission now. Becoming her alpha, she would not only look after San, but teach her that she was no longer a pup. She didn’t need her mum-- though of course they’d not turn the wolf away if she did arrive in Enchantra.
She nodded along with Belle then. “Exactly. When yer mum arrives, she’d be safe here. I would treat her as my own.” She had no problems promising as much; Lou probably felt differently, but well, he could suck on his own toe.
“So… how about it? Will ye sing with us when the moon is full?” Merida said again, gently, hopefully.
SAN:
San felt an ache in her chest vanish. It had been there a long time. Even before her pack was decimated and her mother ran away. Maybe it had been there all her life. Or maybe it started when her human parents left her in the forest all those years ago.
The hollowness San had felt all this time, was a want for a human connection. A werewolf pack was different from what she had known. Wolves aren’t people. And San was.
She looked at the three of them around her with wide eyes. They all looked back expectantly.
She didn’t hesitate to nod. And then she kept nodding, a smile soon forming. “Yes.”
“Yes! I will! Merida, thank you!” She wrapped her arms around the redhead, and her new alpha, squeezing her tightly. And then looked excitedly to Lou, who didn’t seem like the hugging type… but San wanted to anyway. Peeling away from Merida, the short girl threw her arms around his form but quickly retracted in case of protest.
“And you too, thank you,” lastly she turned to Belle, “And you, you may be… human… but you welcomed me into your home and you’re a part of my pack, wolf or not.”
3. “Okay, who’s raising the dead when I’m trying to sleep.”
Stan was awoken by the manor shaking, quickly followed by multiple screams. Him and Bella sat up in bed to see a zombie burst through the bedroom door.
“Fuck!” Stan exclaimed. He grabbed the baseball bat from beside the bed and slammed it into the zombie’s head, destroying it. Outside the room, a hoard of zombies filled the “hut”, pouring in from the doors downstairs.
“Fuckin’ again?” Bella complained, jumping into a pair of pajama pants. They managed to get through the manor to where the others were hiding.
“Ok, who’s raising the dead when I’m trying to sleep?” Stan glared. Dipper smiled sheepishly and waved from where he was next to the window. Ford was shooting the zombies out of the window, but they just kept coming. “Ugh. Seriously, kid?”
“It was supervised!” Ford defended, slamming the butt of his gun into a zombie’s skull.
"Mom? Hey!" Marcella held the phone between her ear and her shoulder as she looked for her car key. "I have like, ten missed called from you. What's going on?"
"Sorry, Ah fergot y'were at work- sorry," Bella responded.
"You're fine. Is something wrong?"
"Well- alright, no one died," Bella said.
"Mom..."
"Ok, there's a long story behind this, but quick version- yer dad got his mind wiped an' lost his memories-"
"What?!"
"Don' interrupt me. Ah'll tell ya the whole thing when ya get here- if yer comin-" Bella sighed. "He's havin' trouble rememberin' everythin' 'bout you an' yer siblin's. Ah thought it might help ta have y'all here. T' trigger 'em. That's how the rest of 'em have been workin'-"
"I mean- what, like, he has amnesia?" Marcella frowned.
"Eh- sorta? It's complicated," Bella said. "But there's ways ta get his memories back."
"Well if it helps, yeah, I'll fly over," Marcella said. "Sky'll stay here to watch Jacob and Brittany. And Brandon can fly back with me-"
"Thanks, sweetie. It means a lot."
"Of course, Mom. I'll see you soon."
"Hey, sweetie!"
"Hey, Mom." Marcella hugged Bella, accepting the kiss she left on her cheek. "Is Dad ok?"
"Yeah- yeah, he's alright," Bella confirmed. "Lee jus' got here yesterday- Ella hasn' shown up yet, but she said she'll be here t'morrow, probably."
"Ok-"
"Aunty Marcy!"
Marcella grunted as Taylor and Tyler slammed into her and hugged her.
"Haha! Hey, you two!" She grinned and squeezed them back. A third body joined the group hug. "And Jenny."
"Hey, Mom," Brandon leaned against the doorway leading to the living room.
"Ah! Baby boy!" Marcella grinned and hugged the boy, squishing his cheeks and kissing his forehead.
"Mom, I'm not a baby anymore-" Brandon complained.
"Shush. Where's your grandpa?" Marcella asked.
"In the living room," Brandon said.
"You kids go on- let Marce say hi." Bella shooed the kids upstairs. "Dipper, Mabel!" Said kids appeared from the living room, Mabel holding a scrapbook under her arm. "Marcella's gonna say hi to Stan-"
"Ahh, are you one of Grunkle Stan and Graunty Bella's kids?" Mabel asked excitedly, eyes shining.
"Yeah! I'm your- cousin, I think?" Marcella said. "Wow, I haven't seen you since you were little! But, um- I'm not sure I've met you- Dipper, was it?"
"Y-you have," Dipper mumbled, glancing away and tugging his hat down a bit. "I'm, uh- I-I was-"
"He's my twin!" Mabel interrupted, throwing an arm around her brother. "We saw you when we were seven!"
Everything seemed to click into place rather quickly for Marcella.
"Ah! Ah, alright- yeah!" Marcella smiled. "Well, it's nice to see you again, Dipper. You guys were so small before! It's so weird seeing you both so big."
Dipper smiled and shrugged a bit.
"Alright you two, upstairs with yer cousins," Bella said, shooing them to the stairs. Marcella looked into the living room, where Lee and Stan were sitting on the couch. Stan wrapped an arm around Lee, noogie-ing his head.
"Ah! Dad, cut it out!" Lee laughed, shoving Stan off and adjusting his hair. "I have a thing goin' here."
"Yeah, no one likes the thing you have going on," Marcella teased, folding her arms.
"You don' know what yer talkin' about," Lee said.
"Sorry, who's the fashionista?" Marcella smirked. "Hey, Dad."
"Hey- ...which one are you, again?" Stan frowned a bit.
"Marcella," she said softly, walking over and sitting down. "Mom told me what happened. You ok?"
"Eh, great as I'll ever be." Stan shrugged. "So, uh- you're my daughter."
"Yeah. One of them," Marcella said. "Ella should be heading over. M-my twin."
"Is she the younger one?" Stan asked. Marcella perked up and grinned.
"Yeah! By seven minutes- you remembered!"
"Woah, wait, you're not dad-"
"Oh, um- apologies, I didn't mean to startle you," Ford said, folding his hands behind his back.
"Who- um- so, you're my Uncle Ford?" Marcella asked, frowning a bit.
"...I suppose so." Ford nodded.
"...I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude by staring-" Marcella shook her head, sitting down at the kitchen table. "Dad always said you were dead- it's a bit weird, seeing you."
Ford smiled a bit, turning to pour out a cup of coffee.
"What, ah- what are you doing up so early?" He asked.
"Ah, my routine has always started early," Marcella said, nodding for Ford to pour her a cup as well. "I'm not really doing my routine today, but I'm just used to waking up early. What about you?"
"I don't really sleep," Ford answered.
"...ah."
They fell into an awkward silence as Ford sat down. He ran a finger along the ring of his cup, glancing around.
"...you have polydactyly," Marcella spoke.
"Huh? Oh- yes, I do." Ford nodded.
"Dad told us about that," Marcella said, smiling a bit. Ford smiled back.
"I remember seeing you before the portal," he said. "You and your sister. You were... about two years old, I believe. And now, you're..."
"Old?" Marcella raised an eyebrow and smirked.
"N-no! Not- I didn't mean it like that." Ford sighed and rubbed the side of his neck. "You're grown up. When I saw you, I- I was excited to have nieces to watch grow up. But it never happened."
"...I heard a lot of stories about you," Marcella said softly. "From Mom and Dad. I always wanted to have an uncle like you. Uncle Michael and Jacen are cool, but not as cool as how you sounded."
"Ah- I'm not that cool."
"Ella sure thought you were." Marcella smiled a bit. "She loved hearing stories about you. Wanted to be just like you."
"I've made a lot of bad decisions. No one's goal should to be like me."
"Well, y'know, 'don't speak ill of the dead'." Marcella shrugged. "We never heard about anything really bad."
"...really?"
"Really."
"So, do we got a plan to help Dad's memories or what?"
"Well, Ah did dig out a ton'a old family movies," Bella said, setting down a box of VCRs. "Figured watchin' 'em might help."
"Oh, are there embarrassin' ones of Ella and Marcella?" Lee asked, grinning and digging through the box with Bella.
"Probably not nearly as many as there are of you," Ella retorted.
"Hey. Shut up."
"Hey. Make me."
"Moooom, Ella's being mean," Lee complained.
"Yer thirty-three, figure it out yerself," Bella said. "Oh! Here's the one'a us bringin' Ella an' Marcella home!"
She put the VCR in the VHS and got it to play, moving to sit on the couch. (Though, because it was so crowded, she ended up on Stan's lap instead.
"Alright! This here's the video'a us bringin' Ella an' Marcella home fer the first time-"
"C'mon babe, do you really gotta do this?" Stan was grinning either way, holding one of the twins. The other laid in the crib by their bed.
"Oh man, I had a mullet?" Stan asked.
"You had one up until we had to switch clothes to defeat Bill," Ford said. "We had to cut it so you looked more like me."
"Ah miss it," Bella sighed, playing with the ends of Stan's hair.
"It's April 5th, 1975- the girls were born two days ago," Bella was narrating, though hidden behind the camera. "We just got home from the hospital."
"Still don't see why we have to document it," Stan scoffed, setting the twin he was holding in the crib. "Can't we just, I don't know, call your parents and tell them all this?"
"One day yer gonna be glad that we got these videos ta look back on."
"Yeah, yeah." Stan waved her off playfully. "Make sure you get the girls on camera."
"Here, you do some recordin'," Bella said, handing the recorder over to Stan. She appeared on screen, looking tired but happy.
"Woah! You were hot!" Stan exclaimed.
They all burst into laughter.
"'Were'?" Bella questioned.
"Uh- well, you still are, obviously," Stan stammered. Ford snorted.
"Nice save."
"They're so small," Bella murmured, now holding one of the twins. "What the fuuuuuck. They were really in me?"
"Haha! Yeah, babe- that's how pregnancy works."
"Damn. Ah'm still sorta... in shock," Bella said, shaking her head.
"You did a good job, babe," Stan said.
"We did a good job. Though yeah, Ah did do most'a the work," Bella joked.
"Heh. ...how do I turn this thing off?" Stan asked. The camera moved around like Stan was looking over the recorder.
"Here, it's this button-"
"Ah think the rest'a that one is just their first month 'r so," Bella said, standing up and changing out the VCRs. "Hm... let's do one from after Lee's born."
"Yeah, I wanna see myself as a baby," Lee agreed. Bella smiled and put in a new VCR.
"Girls, say hi t'the camera!"
Ella looked up, her finger in her nose, and grinned and waved at the camera.
"Hello!" Marcella chirped.
"Hey, kid, keep still," Stan grunted. He was painting a design on her face with glitter face paint. Both the twins were dressed as fairies, and three-year-old Lee was running around as a pirate, including the eyepatch Stan wore for tours.
"Lee, are ya excited fer yer first Halloween out trick-'r-treatin'?" Bella asked.
"Yeah!" Lee exclaimed.
"Hey pumpkin, show off your costume to the camera," Stan said. Ella grinned and spun around in her costume, grabbing the fairy wings to make them flap.
"An' we're taking the dolls Daddy made of us!" Marcella added, holding up her doll.
"I still have mine," Marcella said softly.
"You do?" Stan asked.
"Mm-hm. You learned to sew just to make them for us. Of course I was gonna keep it."
"I have mine, too," Ella said. "It's under my pillow in the van."
Stan smiled a bit at the two of them before turning back to the TV, grin remaining on his face.
It was late when Bella woke back up. She, Stan, and Ford were asleep on the couch, and it seemed like Lee and the girls had covered them with a blanket. She smiled softly, stretching and sighing. She slowly stood up, making sure to not bother Stan or Ford.
Although- she probably should make sure they get to their beds. Probably a lot more comfortable.
"Psst- Stan," she whispered, gently shaking Stan. She gently tapped the side of his face, successfully waking him.
"Huh- what-?" Stan grunted, rubbing at his eyes. "Ugh- wha's goin' on?"
"We fell asleep," Bella said, helping Stan up. "C'mon- let's get ta bed."
"Uh, yeah, alright," Stan mumbled and yawned. Bella poked Ford's side.
"Hm-? Oh, hello," Ford yawned. "Sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep."
"Yer alright. We all did," Bella smiled. "Get ta bed, m'kay?"
"Yes yes, alright," Ford said, nodding and standing up.
"Seriously- no coffee 'r work 'r nothin'," Bella said. "Just get ta bed."
Had it really only been two weeks? Wouldn't it make for sense for it to have been two months? Or two years? It couldn't have only been two weeks.
But Bella knew how time worked. The ironic twist of fate where good things always disappeared and the bad stuck around much longer than you want it to. That's why sad moments in books were drawn out; an author would use longer sentences, and more commas, and more- more- the ones like 'and'. Because the longer it went on, the deeper it sounded, and the more time for the feelings to really sink in and hit at the reader's heart and make them start to cry-
This wasn't helping.
Bella sniffed, rubbing at her eyes with her sleeve. Marcella crawled over, noticing she was crying again, and pulled herself onto the couch. There's no way she could understand what was happening. Sure, maybe by now she had felt that Daddy wasn't coming back. But as to why? That's a concept that a two-year-old didn't understand yet.
"Don' cry, Mommy," Marcella said, sitting on her stomach. She wiped at the tears on Bella's face, and she laughed a sad laugh, like the one when you're so utterly depressed that nothing could really cheer you up, but the kind where someone tries, and they don't even know what's wrong, but they're so cute and they're actually trying that you can't help but laugh.
"Ok, sweetie," Bella smiled softly, running a hand through her daughter's hair. "Ok, Ah won'."
"Cryin' is sad," Marcella said. "Sad is bad."
"Well, bein' sad is ok," Bella said. "But yer right. It don't feel good, feelin' sad."
Ella came over then, crawling up and sitting with her mom and sister. She held out her dragon stuffed animal.
"Scaley is a happy thin'," she said. Bella smiled, taking the dragon and hugging it.
"Thanks, sweetie," she replied. She sighed, sitting up and pulling her daughters into a hug. "Ah'm sorry Ah'm bein' so lumpy. Ah just... Ah miss yer dad."
"Daddy," Marcella yawned, rubbing her face against Bella's arm. The woman buried her face in the girls' hair, her eyes swimming with tears.
There was the light squeak of the mail slot as it swung open and close. Bella looked up. She couldn't see very well without her glasses, but it looked like... like something. It was a piece of paper, that's all she knew.
"I got it!" Ella volunteered, wiggling out of the hold and running over to the front door. She grabbed the paper and hurried back over, climbing back onto the couch and holding it out to Bella.
"Thanks, sweetie," Bella smiled and looked at the- it was a postcard. A postcard? Who did she know who was somewhere postcard-worthy? Gravity Falls, the front said. Fiddleford! Wasn't that where he had gone to work with Ford? Maybe he had finally decided to talk to her after months of not picking up the-
...it wasn't from Fiddleford.
Added to that, it wasn't even for her. It was for Stan, from his brother. Of course! The first time in ten years Ford tried to talk to his twin and he was dead! Of course, Bella had been the one to put off calling him to tell him that Stan had been shot-
She wiped at her eyes again, reading the card.
PLEASE COME!
Well. What other choice did she have?
Two days. Yikes, Bella had no clue how her dad could do this for weeks on end. Two full days of driving and she was tired. Then again, she also had two toddlers in the car and her energy had been zapped of late anyways. No doubt that it was going to be more exhausting.
She tugged her hood up, cringing as she felt it already soaked from the snow. She unbuckled the twins, carrying Marcella and holding tight to Ella's hand. The baby bag slung over her shoulder, they walked up to the porch, and Bella brushed snow off the two of them once they reached the door. She knocked and waited for a few seconds before the door was flung open and something was pointed at her face.
"Who is it?! Have you come to steal my eyes?!"
Bella jumped, moving to protect Ella and Marcella. She and Ford stared at each other for a few seconds before Bella realized what was happening.
"Jesus Christ Ford, yer gonna give me a heart attack!" Bella shouted, pushing the crossbow away. "What in the hell are ya doin'?!"
"Bella?" Ford blinked. "What- what are you doing here?"
"Well, Ah know ya needed Stan, but..." she trailed off as she entered the house. Ford closed and locked the door behind them, an angry look replacing the confused one.
"Of course, he couldn't be bothered to show up," he said angrily.
"W-wait, no-"
"So, what? My mom called you instead?" Ford asked, heading into the house.
"Ford, that ain't-"
"I can't believe that I trusted that Stan would actually help, when he's not getting anything out of the deal-!"
"Stanford, he's dead!" Bella interrupted. Her throat was tight and there were tears in her eyes again. She had thought and thought about it for two weeks, but it was the first time she'd actually said it aloud. The first time she'd actually admitted it.
"He- what?" Ford spun back around. Bella sobbed, wrapping both arms around Marcella. Ella hugged her legs, looking up at her.
"H-he's dead, Ford. H-he got shot, two- two weeks ago."
She made a gun shape with her fingers and placed it against her forehead.
"He- oh..." Ford looked broken right then and there. He copied the action, as though processing it. "Oh."
"A-Ah sorry Ah didn'- didn' tell ya sooner," Bella said. "Bu-but Ah could hardly s-say it. T-t' myself, even."
"I- oh, man," Ford ran a hand through his hand. "I-I didn't- two weeks?"
"Mm-hm."
"...h-how'd you know about it?" Ford asked. "How did you know before- before Ma, or me?"
"A-Ah was livin' with him," Bella said. "W-we were... we were datin'."
"She's sad 'cause Daddy's still gone," Ella spoke up, trying to help, help in the way that made Bella laugh that sad laugh again.
"Ah... I see," Ford frowned. "Well, um- w-would you like to sit down?"
Bella nodded and Ford led her through the house to the kitchen. They sat down and Bella placed the baby bag on the floor with Marcella.
"Y-y'don' mind if they go play in the other room, do ya?" Bella asked, pulling out a few toys.
"Uh- not at all," Ford said. "They can go sit in the thinking parlor. Just the next room."
"Go on, girls," Bella nudged them out of the room. "Be good, m'kay?"
"M'kay, Mommy!" They responded, hurrying off. Bella smiled sadly, resting her head in her hand.
"...Stan's kids?" Ford asked.
"Our kids," Bella replied softly. "Nearly two years old, the both'a 'em. Twins."
"...W-what are their names?"
"Ella an' Marcella. Marcella's the older one- in pink."
"...I have nieces," Ford said softly, looking down at his hands. They were folded together on the table.
"Sure do," Bella smiled softly. "...you ok? With... with Stan?"
Ford hesitated and shook his head. Bella set her glasses on the table and reached over to hold Ford's hand. He entwined his fingers with hers, eyes shining slightly.
"What about you? You were... closer to him. And you're a lot more sensitive."
"Ah'm- I ain't ok, Ford," Bella sobbed. "God, Ah jus' miss him so much. Y'don't expect it. It's just another mornin', and yer sayin' goodbye like yer gonna see him later that day, a-an' ya never do, an'... an' ya never see him again. An' he ain't never comin' back."
Ford pulled his chair around the table, pulled Bella into a hold, rubbed her back and let her cry. She had needed physical affection, he could tell. Had needed it for a long time. And... and he needed it, too. Right then and there, he needed this just as much as Bella needed it. So the two of them sat there, rocking and crying and holding onto each other.
