HAT: YES! I know there are a lot of other unfinished stories, but dang it, I don't have the inspiration for CATS, and this one just had to be put out there. Yes, I'm still working on Pacifica Pines and Times In Which Stanford Pines Isn't A Terrible Boss, but I'll also be working on this... honestly, I'm not as bad as half of the authors I've seen on fanfiction when it comes to having a bunch of unfinished stories so... yeah. Anyway, enjoy!

Disclaimer: If I owned Gravity Falls would I make fanfictions about it?... probably, but regardless, I don't own Gravity Falls or its characters.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Pines... they're gone. They were killed by what we can assume to be a mountain lion."

"No, this can't be happening. They're not dead!" Stanley shouted in denial. "You're lying."

Officer Blubs gave him a pitiful look. "I'm sorry, Mr. Pines."

He knew that their adventures were dangerous, but they always made it out alive because they were clever little knuckleheads- and that journal that Dipper always carried around was always helpful as well. He always had faith that they would be smart enough to avoid a lot of the majorly dangerous things and come back safe and sound. Their clothes must've been found and they were on their way back and lost- that must've been it. Maybe they were lost in the woods, he just needed to look for them. He'd do that as soon as the officers allowed him to leave, he had to be sure that they're okay, they were under his watch and if they were dead then he-

"Deputy Durland, could you show him?" Officer Blubs asked.

No, no, no, this can't be real, Stanley thought as he watched the officer open the body bags on the table in front of him and immediately his entire world shattered. Mabel's hair was matted and tangled- not like her usual semi-tangled, semi-neat style that she usually had and there was blood everywhere on her clothes and there were large claw marks going from her left ear down along her jaw to her neck. Dipper had claw marks on his face that made his birthmark disfigured and his orange shirt was entirely red. They are too large and deep to be from a mountain lion- it could've been anything, really.

"No, no, no, no, no," he murmured, backing up against the wall and still looking at the bodies of his dead niece and nephew.

He teared at his hair and tried to see past the tears forming in his eyes. And for the first time in decades he broke down and cried.

Stanley shoots up straight in his bed with sweat covering his body and tears in his eyes. He shoots up and runs upstairs to the attic and throws the door open with so much force that it bangs against the wall and closes halfway. That isn't what his focus is on, his eyes are focused on the empty beds filled with the items of his niece and nephew. Just the way he remembers it except there were no children that are occupying the bed so early in the morning- and he knows that they don't wake up early.

"This can't be real," Stanley chokes, picking up one of Mabel's sweaters and silently crying.

He drops to his knees and lets out a ragged sob and goes quiet while tears continue down his face.

Rapid footsteps thump outside of the room and then come to a stop in the doorway.

"Stanley, what happened?! I heard a bang" Stanford demands before looking down at his brother and seeing the state he's in and speaking with a softer voice. "'Lee? What is it?"

"Th-they're gone..."

"What do you mean by that?"

"They're dead, 'Ford," Stanley chokes.

Stanford walks forward and puts a hand on his brother's shoulder- the one he had burned thirty years ago- and looks into his eyes. "'Lee, that was a nightmare... they're in the Shack with that redhead and your gopher-looking friend."

Stanley stares at his brother for good minute to be sure that he is telling the truth before he sags and rests his forehead on the chest of the man in front of him and lets out a sob of relief. The dream seemed to be so real and to to see them in their rooms was the final blow to his heart- if he lost them he's lost everything worth living for.

"Thank, God," Stanley breathes, still crying despite himself.

Stanford's never seen his brother cry so openly without feeling the need to hide it. Stanley's always tried to keep his emotions away from his sleeve and refused to even cry in front of his twin brother. It must have been a terrible dream to have him this emotionally wrecked. So he hugs his brother and whispers assurances until his sobs die down to nothing.

"Are you okay now?' Stanford asks, leaning back to try and see his brother's face, but the man has his head bowed and his hand is busy trying to rid any traces of tears.

"Yeah," chokes out Stanley as he stands up and walks out of the attic. "Thanks..."

"Anytime, brother."

Stanley goes to the bathroom and runs the water in the sink and puts his hands under the faucet and then rubs the moisture into his eyes so that his hot eyes are soothed even if it is just a little bit. All he needs to do is wait a few minutes and his eyes will have lesser in redness immensely and soon it will ooh like he hasn't been crying at all. Still, even if his eyes are only slightly red he has to see the twins because just hearing Stanford tell him that isn't enough.

He throws on his usual suit in haste- so he won't chase off any customers that decided to come early- and doesn't bother with the fez as he goes to the gift shop. When he enters he sees both children talking to his employees. They pause their conversation and stare at him in surprise. To them he looks like he's just gotten out of bed- his silver hair was wild and his suit looked like he either threw it on or slept in them and his eyes had bags under them- and the look in his eyes makes all of them stop for a moment. He looks like he's in a frenzy, emotions raw and if the relief in his eyes were any indication they could swear that he thought something bad had happened.

"Grunkle Stan?" Mabel asks.

Stanley shakes his head and walks forward and hugs both brunettes with a fierceness. Having them in his arms is a relief because he can feel their warmth and that they're alive. He hasn't been so happy since he saw his brother walk through the portal- the only difference is that this relief will last and won't be ruined too easily.

"Grunkle... Stan?" Dipper asks.

Stanley straightens up and coughs into his fist, a faint flush to his cheeks as his brown eyes move to look to the side. "It's- uh- National Hug Twins Day. That means you gotta hug a pair of twins before noon when it's over."

"Can I hug you and Stanford?" Soos queries.

"No," Stanley replies with a sideways glance towards his large employee before starting to fix his hair. "I'm gonna go get ready, you guys keep doing what you're doing."

He leaves as quickly as he can and a few seconds after he disappears Stanford walks into the gift shop.

"Uncle 'Ford?" Dipper asks. "I thought you were stuck with the portal?"

"I was, but I've gotta eat. I heard commotion upstairs near the attic," Stanford replies, glancing back to make sure his brother isn't coming back in. "Did he seem a bit off to you?"

"Yeah, a little, but today's National Hug Twins Day," Mabel replies.

So it was that bad, Stanford thinks. "Huh- guess that's why. He doesn't much like showing affection."

"Do you know why he looked like... that?" Dipper asks.

Stanford quickly goes over excuses to save his brother from having the others know that he had a nightmare- Stanley wouldn't appreciate it. "Guess it's because he woke up late."

They seem satisfied with this answer, but that does nothing to put Stanford at ease.

Stanford: *looks down a black hole* I'm going to tie that girl to a chair and lock that chair in a cage if she ends up in a black hole one more time!

HAT: HEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!

Stanford: I'm comin', keep your pants on! *turns to readers* Firstly, I'm surprised any of you read what this girl has to say- I mean- I'm pretty sure there's something wrong with this girl-

HAT: Shut up about my mental state and help me! AH! Barney's back! Barney's back, help me!

Stanford: *glances inside at a bang and winces* Oh, that looks like it hurt. *turns back to readers* What was I saying? Oh, yeah, why do you bother reading what she has after the story?

HAT: I don't love you Barney! Stop saying that I do!

Stanford: *sighs* I guess I gotta save her. *grabs a balloon, a ruler, and a plastic spoon* Review everyone. *jumps in to save HAT*