The Long Road (Stanford Pines x Reader)
Chapter 3
WOOP WOOP CHAPTER 3 IS HERE AND BOY IS IT JUICY🫣 On a serious note though, we are finally getting into some of the exciting bits of the story!! I’m hoping by the next chapter we will finally be back in the present. No more sad flashbacks!! Also y’all writing Lizzy is genuinely my favorite. If this fic wasn’t about Ford I’d be wifing her up instead😔 Anyways- here’s chapter 3 you lovely souls!
Themes: Consumption of alcohol (reader lowkey gets wasted), major hangover, bill himself is a warning, suggestiveness kind of?? idk, heartache, lizzy is overall an amazing friend, alllll the angst and feelings, injuries, etc okay enjoy!
The drive to Lizzy’s place is quiet, the steady hum of the car engine and the sound of raindrops against the windshield the only background noise. You sit in the passenger seat, watching the trees pass by through the window as you fiddle with the wedding band around your finger. Lizzy glances at you occasionally, a small frown on her face as she senses your mood. She remains silent for most of the ride, giving you space to process your emotions if need be.
It's not long before the car rolls to a stop in front of her apartment building. You reach around to gather your belongings from the backseat and step out into the rainy afternoon. Lizzy follows suit, bright pink umbrella in hand as she leads you towards the entrance.
Once inside the building, she unlocks the door to her apartment building and the two of you usher inside. The soft yellow light of the living room envelopes you, creating a cozy atmosphere in stark contrast to the gloominess outside.
Lizzy begins to kick off her shoes, hanging her keys as she silently studies your face. She can see the turmoil in your eyes, and the uncertainty you’re trying to hide.
“So,” she says gently, breaking the silence. “You okay?”
Your eyes snap out of the daze they were in as you look over at Lizzy, giving her a weak smile.
“Oh, yeah I guess. Things went a lot better than I thought they would.”
Her expression relaxes at your response, a hint of relief showing on her face.
“That’s good,” she says as she walks over to the couch and plops down on it, gesturing for you to do the same. “I was half-expecting a tearful scene or something, honestly.”
You manage a light chuckle at her remark, plopping down on the couch next to her. You pull your knees to your chest as you grab a blanket draped across the back of it, wrapping it around you.
“Yeah,” you say softly. “Ford took it pretty well, actually. Better than I expected.”
Lizzy raises a brow as she leans against the back cushions, her arms crossing. “Girl, he better take it well after what he said to you. If it had been me, I would’ve dropped his ass on the spot.”
You can’t help but let out a small snort of laughter at her words, a genuine smile tugging at the corners of your lips for the first time in a while. It’s a relief to have Lizzy’s no-nonsense attitude around, her bluntness serving as a much-needed dose of honesty.
“Yeah, yeah Liz, I know.” you admit, the smile still lingering on your face. “I was a little tempted.”
Lizzy grins, satisfied with your response as she reaches over and pats your knee supportively.
“As you should,” she says with a nod. “You don’t deserve treatment like that of any kind, no matter how important his research is to him.”
You frown slightly at her words, opting to pick at the blanket below as a distraction.
“Yeah..”
Lizzy watches your expression carefully, sensing your discomfort. She tilts her head slightly, her gaze searching your face.
“But you don’t quite agree, do you?” she probes gently.
You let out a sigh, unsure how to articulate your feelings as you continue to fiddle with the fabric of the blanket.
“It’s just… complicated Liz,” you say, your voice tinged with guilt and frustration. “Yes, I’m hurt and angry with him, but I also understand where he’s coming from. We’ve been together almost our whole lives, and this is all he has ever worked towards. His research is important to him, and he’s under a lot of pressure.”
Lizzy nods slowly as she listens to your words, her expression a mix of understanding and concern. She reaches over and places a hand on top of yours, stopping your nervous fidgeting.
“I get that Y/N, I do,” she says quietly. “And I’m not saying he’s completely in the wrong. But you shouldn’t have to feel like an afterthought in his life either. That’s not fair to you.”
Your eyes brim with tears at her response, your hand twisting and taking hers tightly.
“I know,” you say, your voice threatening to break. “I just wish we could fix things..”
Lizzy squeezes your hand as your tear-filled eyes meet hers.
“And you will, Y/N. It’ll just take some time.”
A small, wobbly smile forms on your lips at her reassurance, a few tears slipping down your cheeks. The hope that you might be able to fix things with Ford, to find a way to bridge the gap that’s widened between you both, is a small but significant comfort.
“Thank you, Liz,” you murmur, your voice still shaky. “I really hope you’re right.”
Lizzy stands with a smile, her hand pulling away from yours and resting on your shoulder.
“I know I’m right chick, because you two love each other. I’ve seen it.”
Your heart warms at her confidence, a soft smile forming on your lips as you nod.
“Now, how about some pizza?”
The few weeks you spend with Lizzy fly by, days passing in a blur of movies, late-night conversations, and plenty of chocolate induced comfort eating. As the final night of your stay approaches, Lizzy turns to you with a sly grin on her face.
“Y/N, I know you’ve been pretty reclusive the past couple of weeks, but it’s your last night here and I refuse to let you spend it watching crappy movies in my living room.”
She places her hands on her hips and gives you a stern look.
“We’re going out for drinks and that’s final.”
You mope as you walk into her view from the bathroom, your voice annoyed and pleading as you speak.
“Liz, I don’t think this is a good idea. I’m a married woman, and this dress feels less than... modest.”
Lizzy rolls her eyes, her expression clearly unconvinced.
“Girl, you’re not here to pick up someone, you’re here to have fun. And as for the dress I picked out for you, it looks fantastic. Stop overthinking it.”
She gives you a onceover, inspecting your outfit.
“Besides, I’d like to see anyone who tries hitting on you tonight.”
You pout as you watch her, pulling down your dress so it covers your knees.
“I don’t know how Ford would feel about this..”
Lizzy scoffs, shaking her head.
“Ford’s not here, and we both know he should be the last person you’re trying to impress right now. You’re still young, and attractive Y/N, you deserve to enjoy yourself for one night without him on your mind. Not to mention you’ve got to live your life without kids while you can. I know the two of you have talked about it. ”
She grabs the hem of your dress and tugs it back up, flashing you a defiant look.
“And if he has a problem with you having fun, he can talk to me.”
You sigh as you give in, knowing Lizzy wouldn’t be changing her mind about your all’s plans for the night.
“Fine, fine. But we’re not staying out too late, okay?”
Lizzy grins, victorious.
“That’s more like it! And don’t worry, I promise we won’t be out until dawn,” she assures you. “Just a few drinks, maybe a little dancing, and then we’ll come back here. You trust me, right?”
“More than anything Liz.”
And that’s how you find yourself at the bar now, one too many drinks in and slumped against Lizzy’s shoulder.
She laughs at your state, her own cheeks flushed from drinking. She slings an arm around your shoulders, keeping you upright and steady in the booth the two of you occupied.
“Goodness chick, are you already trashed? We’ve barely been here an hour!” she teases, her voice lighthearted and amused.
You grumble something in response, your head spinning from the alcohol in your system. You take another sip from your glass, your tongue loose and inhibitions lowered.
“I blame you,” you slur, pointing an accusatory finger at Lizzy. “You’re a bad influence.”
Lizzy laughs loudly at your accusation, her eyes sparkling. “No one forced you to down those shots, Y/N,” she says, sliding out of the booth with ease. “I’m going to get you some water, alright? You stay right here in your seat.”
You nod lazily at her words, the idea of staying where you are very appealing. You watch groggily as she strides away, her bell bottoms and flare top in tow. She weaves through the crowd to make her way to the counter, your eyes becoming heavy.
Just as you’re starting to doze off from the alcohol, a presence suddenly sits down in the booth across from you. You blink in surprise, your vision clearing slightly as you focus on the newcomer.
Your eyes widen as you recognize your husband’s face, his features strangely serious and intense as he stares back at you. But there’s something off about him… Something otherworldly in his gaze that sends a chill down your spine.
“Well, well,” he says, his voice cool and calculated. “If it isn’t dear Y/N. You look a little worse for wear.”
Your vision blurs as you grip the side of the table, your words slurred as you speak.
“F.. Ford?”
Ford smiles widely, his eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. The expression is slightly unfamiliar, different from the familiar warmth you’re used to. He leans forward, resting his elbows on the table.
“In the flesh, honey,” he drawls, his voice smooth and flirtatious.
“But I see you’ve had quite a few drinks already. Feeling a little dazed? I wonder how Sixer would feel about me seeing you in this state and not him. Hilarious!”
Your arm trembles weakly as you hold yourself up, vision blurring in and out as you sway slightly in your seat.
“Wha.. What? Why are you.. here..?”
His lips curl into a smug smirk as he eyes your disheveled form, eyes lingering on your exposed skin, clearly enjoying your confusion and intoxication.
“Oh, I had a little chat with Fordsy earlier. He agreed to let me take the reins for a few hours…”
He gives a careless shrug. “You know how he is. All work and no play. Figured I’d take advantage of the situation, hell, I even got him a new tattoo!”
You sit there, dumbfounded and wavering in and out of consciousness as your mind tried to process what Ford was talking about.
Ford’s – or rather, Bill’s – eyes rake over you again, giving an exaggerated sigh before his lips turned into a sly grin.
“You really are a sight for sore eyes, I can see why Sixer married you.”
Your thoughts are still spinning from the alcohol, making it hard to focus on the conversation. You struggle to keep yourself upright, your body feeling heavy and numb.
Bill notices your dazed state, chuckling as he gives a mockingly sympathetic tone.
“You look a little out of it, darling. You really shouldn’t have had so much to drink. Especially considering how easy it’d be to trick you into a deal right now.”
Your mind races with confusion as you stand up weakly, your gut telling you something wasn’t right as you sway back and forth, (Or maybe it was the alcohol) your vision blurring as you scan the place in search of Lizzy.
“Going somewhere? Those human legs of yours don’t look very stable!”
You wobble forward, ignoring his protests as you keep moving.
“You really should listen to me if you want to avoid that nasty bruise tomorrow!”
He calls out, and before you know it you trip, and everything goes black.
Hours later… aka early morning.
You slowly open your eyes, your head pounding and your memories fuzzy. You realize you’re lying on a couch in Lizzy’s apartment, a cool cloth pressed over what you assume to be a large tender bruise on your forehead.
Lizzy is sitting perched on the edge of the coffee table in front of you, her expression a mix of worry and frustration. She notices your eyes flutter open and lets out a relieved sigh.
“Oh thank god,” she mutters. “You had me worried for a second there. I stayed up with you all night waiting for you to wake up.”
“Liz?” you mumble, head pounding. “What the hell happened? My head is killing me..”
Her expression softens at your groggy murmur, her hand reaching out instinctively to brush the hair away from your face.
“Hey, take it easy,” she says, voice low and soothing. “You took a pretty nasty fall back at the bar. Hit your head on a table on the way down.”
Your eyes widen as your memory jogs itself.
“What..? Wait, Ford.. Ford was there?”
Lizzy freezes, her expression guarded at the mention of Ford. She averts her gaze, focusing her attention on the cloth that she’s holding against your forehead.
“Uh, yeah,” she says, her voice hesitant. “He showed up towards the end of the night when I went to grab you a water… You don’t remember?”
You think to yourself for a moment, your memory patchy and vague.
“I mean, I kind of do. But it was weird? Did something happen?”
Lizzy is silent, her gaze still firmly averted from yours. She adjusts the cloth, pressing it against your head with a little more pressure than necessary.
“Nothing happened,” she finally says, her voice tight. “You just had a little too much to drink and tripped, that’s all.”
Her words are curt and dismissive, clearly trying to downplay the situation. But there’s something in her expression, a flicker of unease that betrays her true emotions.
She glances at you briefly, her eyes meeting yours for a split second before moving back to your injury.
“Lizzy..?” you say, silently pleading with her to tell you the full truth.
She exhales slowly, her shoulders slumping in resignation. She knows you’re not going to let this go, and she owes you the truth.
“Alright, fine,” she mutters avoiding your gaze. “When I got back to the booth, it was exactly when you had fell..”
You listen closely, sitting yourself up slightly.
“I had noticed Ford when I got there, sure, but when I went to go help you..”
Lizzy pauses, a frown forming on her face as she continues.
“Ford laughed,” she says as her eyes meet yours, full of concern and.. fear? “And not in a lighthearted way, in a cruel mocking way Y/N..”
Lizzy lowers the cloth from your head, placing it in her lap as you sit there, dumbfounded.
“He was just… enjoying the view, I guess,” She mutters bitterly. “Like you were some kind of joke, I don’t know Y/N. It was fucking weird, really fucking weird. I didn’t like it. He laughed as if he was the one who had done it.”
Lizzy trails off, brows furrowed as she clenches her fists. While you, on the other hand, are utterly speechless.
Your mind reels with this new information, struggling to reconcile the image of Ford – laughing coldly and mockingly at your predicament - with the caring, affectionate husband you’ve known him to be your whole life.
“I… I don’t understand,” you stutter, your voice small and confused.
“He wouldn’t… he wouldn’t do that. Not Ford.”
But as you say those words, you can’t help but recall the other strange things that had happened earlier that night. Ford’s detached demeanor, his unfamiliar choice of words, the way he seemed so cold and calculating. Your heart clenches in your chest at the thought, leaving a sour taste in your mouth. Had something happened over the few weeks you’ve been gone? Did Ford get too deep in his research? Something wasn’t right.
As you try to make sense of the situation, Lizzy watches you with a mix of compassion and concern. She knows this is incredibly tough for you to hear, but she also seems to have her own worries about the situation.
“I don’t know Y/N,” she says quietly, her hands twisting in her lap. “It was just… so not him. I don’t know what the hell happened. But I’ve never seen him act like that before. It’s like he was a different person.”
Her voice trails off, leaving the two of you in silence as you’re both lost in thought.
Eventually, Lizzy breaks the silence, her voice sympathetic as she places a hand on top of yours.
“How about this, you rest up today, and when you’re ready, I’ll take you to the cabin to get some answers from Ford? Only if you feel comfortable, of course.”
You take a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions inside of you.
“Alright,” you murmur. “I’m still feeling pretty rough, but I’d like to see him… tonight, if possible.”
Despite your confusion and worry, you know that facing your husband and talking with him is the only way to get answers. The answers that you crave so desperately in hopes that it’ll mend your breaking heart - and marriage.
Lizzy gives you a reassuring nod.
“Of course,” she says gently. “You rest up, and I’ll come get you when it’s time to go.”
She stands up, gently readjusting the cloth on your head.
“Try to get some sleep, okay?”
You nod, laying yourself back down.
You’re going to need it to cross the bridge that awaits you tonight.
READER AND BILL INTERACTION WOOP WOOP!! Also I’m not gonna lie, I feel like I messed up the timeline a little bit but I’m just gonna go for it. Thank you for reading! :)
Tag List: @artistic-gato @karmaisacatluzi @therottenheartofscum @violetvsworld @inquiit @catr4dora
