With a popsicle each, Alice led Ford away from the shack, away from town, and up a hill.

"Where are we going?" Ford asked, his popsicle clutched in his hand.

"Oh-" Alice smiled, turning to face him once she crested the top. "This is it. But-" She pointed up with her popsicle.

"A meteor shower?" He breathed out, his eyes wide as he turned his gaze to the sky. Alice followed the view, letting her hand fall to her side.

"The timing seemed perfect and I didn't want to miss seeing it," She explained, crossing her arms behind her, rocking on her feet. "With you."

Alice felt her face heat, almost thankful for the dim cover of night as she took a seat on the ground. Ford followed, his shoulder brushing against hers as he stared up at the sky.

"I'm surprised you went looking into meteor showers, Alice." He smiled, turning his head to face her.

"Well...After our last time searching for anomalies, " Alice smiled bashfully, rubbing her arm with her free hand. ", I got curious about other celestial... stuff. And Dipper may have let me know about it."

He chuckled ", That kid's bright. They are both very smart. And very close... for siblings.

He paused, and Alice glanced at him. She pressed her lips together, something was bugging him, she could tell.

"What's the matter, Ford?" She asked. He turned to her, his mouth opening as if he was going to say more, but he closed it.

"They're just... I'm surprised at how close they are, practically inseparable," He explained. "Stan and I were never like that."

"You seem like you are now," Alice commented, shifting her legs under her and adjusting the skirt of her dress over her knees. "What happened?"

"Well..." Ford breathed out, his brow furrowing. "We were very close. Best friends, but once we got to high school, everything changed."

Alice nodded, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw his hand, resting a few inches from hers. As casually as she could manage, she shifted her hand closer to his.

"Did something happen?" She asked, ripping her gaze from their hands and focusing on him once more.

"Well, yes. Something-" He said, taking a deep breath and leaning back on his hands, seeming to notice the proximity Alice had. "Something happened. Stan and I had plans since we were children. We were going to get on a boat and sail far away from our New Jersey home, far away from our family, friends, and everyone. Just him and me in the Stan O' War, the boat we fixed up."

His lips pressed together.

"I had the chance at admission to the college of my dreams- my other dreams, anyway. I always thought the Stan O' War was a lost childhood fantasy, and that one day we'd grow up and go our separate ways- and we wouldn't be as close as we used to be. My acceptance into said college hinged on the results of my science fair project, a perpetual motion machine I designed."

His brow furrowed, sudden anger Alice had never seen before crossing his face.

"The machine was flawless, the calculations were triple-checked, and I had rehearsed my full presentation in preparation! I could practically see myself at that university, studying with endless resources at my disposal, and getting several doctorates."

He reached up a hand, rubbing his temples.

"But..." He sighed, shaking his head.

"But?" Alice pressed lightly, Ford obliged her curiosity.

"It was the day of the science fair," He elaborated. "The admissions team from the university was there, in front of me, ready to view the machine. I pulled off the cloth cover and- and it was broken. My entire future was ruined."

"Oh, Ford," Alice breathed out, sympathy pouring into her chest.

"'A perpetual motion machine has one job: to not stop'-" Ford imitated a voice that only he could hear, his face twisted with frustration before returning to his usual tone. "The admissions team left, crossing me off their considerations, rejecting my entire presentation, my calculations, my hard work. My chances of going to my dream school were scrapped. It wasn't until I found a bag of toffee peanuts on the ground that I realized Stan had something to do with it."

Alice's hand shot over her mouth, stifling her gasp. She couldn't imagine silly and grumpy Stan Pines doing something like that. But he wasn't the Stan I've met back then.

"After that, we didn't talk for ten years," Ford elaborated. "I went to university, but it- it wasn't exactly my first choice. It wasn't until I came to Gravity Falls that I saw Stan against and-"

He cut himself off, deep in his reflection, his face looked heartbroken, sad. Alice rested her hand atop his. He glanced down at the tough, but he didn't take his hand away. He twisted his wrist, his fingers intertwining with hers.

"You don't have to keep going if it hurts too much," Alice told him, tipping her head to meet his gaze. "It's okay if you want to stop."

"No, I'm fine," Ford said with a shake of his head as if he was trying to convince himself. "I'm fine. It has been good to talk about it, in retrospect."

He sucked in a breath, his fingers tightening around hers.

"We fought. I hurt him- It wasn't on purpose, but I- I still hurt him. Then an accident happened and- I lost him again. I didn't see him for another thirty years after that."

Alice was tempted to ask what the accident was, but Ford fell silent, swallowing nervously.

"People change-" Alice started. Ford glanced up at her, his brow furrowed. Alice took the chance to elaborate, shifting to face him. "You were different people then, you've gone through so much since you were in high school. I'm sure Stan didn't mean to break your machine or to upset you like he did. He probably didn't want to lose you, he didn't want to be alone."

Ford glanced down at their intertwined hands.

"He didn't want to be alone..." He sighed, closing his eyes. "And neither did I."

 He looked tired, wiser than she remembered him. The man Alice had played Dungeons, Dungeons, and More Dungeons with seemed to disappear before her eyes. Her fingers instinctively tightened around his, her thumb brushing over his.

"You-" Ford started. "You're right, Alice."

"I am?" She asked. Ford shifted to face her, his hand squeezing hers back.

"You are. I-" He started, composing his words. "I never looked at it like, that, I never... I never looked at you... like that. You're smarter than you let on."

"Well, I-" Alice started. Well, I have a doctorate in zoology. God is it hot up here? "I have my moments, I suppose."

"I don't mean that kind of smart, Alice." Ford corrected himself, a smile crossing his face. "I mean... I mean a different sort of smart. You're kind and caring, and... And..." He suddenly realized how close they were. "And I've never met anyone as wonderful as you."

"The-" Alice felt like there was a vice around her chest, keeping her from breathing. "The feeling's mutual, Ford."

Alice leaned forward: Ford stiffening slightly.

"Are you-" He stammered, taking in a breath. "Are you sure that-"

"Ford," Alice muttered, her free hand reaching up to cup his cheek in the palm of her hand. She leaned forward, pressing a small kiss to his cheek, the heat of his flush clear even in the cool of the night.

"I-" Ford started as she leaned back. "Wow."

"Better than burnt chicken nuggets?" Alice asked with a small smile.

Ford snorted, his head tipping forward and resting against hers. Alice let out a laugh, her fingers brushing over his as they sat there. "Far better. Unbelievable better."