Sequel oneshot to Fallen, this takes place in my Rock Falls verse. Reading Fallen isn't required to understand what's going on but I do suggest reading it if you want feels. There's also a thing on tumblr I posted called Notes on Crashing Down that talks about this and explains why Stanford seems ooc in here, if you're wanting to check that out.

Have fun with my contribution to Gravity Feels! :')

Crashing Down

It was an accident. An accident.

One second he was yelling at Stanley. The next, rocks were falling down all around them and they were running for their lives. He knew what the fight was about but in retrospect it was moronic and he wished he could say he didn't remember. But he did and it was stupid and he had started it. He'd goaded Stanley into a response purposefully, knowing he'd take the bait if lead right.

Oh why the hell had he started that fight?! They had almost come to blows before the cave in happened!

Stanford had been too preoccupied with making sure Mabel and Dipper were safely in front of him. He was careless and it could've gotten him killed.

He felt a rough shove at his back and for one terrible moment couldn't stop the thought of Stanley trying to trip him up. But no… The noise of rocks falling and loud crashing filled the air for what felt like an hour but was probably only a few minutes. Eventually the rocks settled and the echoes faded.

As the dust cleared away Stanford pushed himself to his knees where he'd fallen. He grabbed at his glasses, trying to clean them.

"Everyone alright?" He kept his voice low. Shouting had already brought the ceiling down around them once. He wasn't going to tempt fate.

"Y-yeah…" Dipper coughed, sounding unsteady. Ford pushed his scratched glasses back on and his heart sank when he saw the bloody scratch over his ear. Damnit! Stanley was never going to let him hear the end of it.

He flinched at that thought. He probably deserved it this time. For once it really WAS his fault.

"I'm okay." Mabel said quietly while she tried dusting off her latest sweater. She sounded upset. She always was whenever they fought.

Stanford sighed and scratched the back of his head. Well… he got the kids hurt, even if just a little. The ONE thing he and his brother could agree on never letting happen. He turned around, mouth open to apologize as soon as possible. Maybe Stan wouldn't be TOO mad if he showed he was really sorry?

He throat closed up instantly. His brother was laying on the ground almost facedown, motionless.

"Stanley!" He forced his sore body up to his feet, running the short distance and falling down in front of him. He heard the kids' gasps and cries but didn't turn back to them.

Stanley's back and lower end were completely covered in rubble. The cave in ended right on top of him, crushing him underneath the weight of hundreds of pounds of earth.

Oh god, there was no way he could breathe properly underneath all of that! Ford's mind started evaluating the situation out of reflex even as his body was frozen in horror. There was no way of getting Stanley out- even slightly shifting the rubble could send even more falling down and potentially snap his spine… if it hadn't already.

"Grunkle Stan!" Mabel and Dipper yelled in shock, Stanford whipping around to make a 'quiet!' motion. The three of them stiffened and listened as the rocks shifted again.

When the noise stopped Stanford turned back to his brother, examining him as best he could without touching him. Oh god he was so pale and he wasn't moving.

"Stanley, please answer me!" Stanford begged, eyes searching him over desperately for any signs of movement. He watched his shoulders closely for his breathing. Oh hell, how could he breathe with all that on top of him?!

"Oh my god…" Stanford turned his head to see Dipper staring in terror and shaking.

"Dipper, go call for help or, or something." He tried to sound firm and in control but his voice was shaking as badly as his hands. A weak moan from the rocks caught off their attention. "Stan?!" He nearly shook his brother but stopped. What if he hurt him more? "Answer me!" Oh god he still wasn't moving. At least he moaned again, proving he might be regaining consciousness. "You idiot!" Stanford punched the floor next to him weakly, tears blurring his vision. "You… you didn't have to do that..!" He wiped his eyes under his glasses messily.

"Grunkle Stan!" Mabel had tears pouring down her face. She was trying to push Dipper, to get him to go for help, but he was in shock and wasn't budging.

Her voice seemed to spur Stanley on, his eyelids fluttering and mouth moving. Strangled sounds were all that came out along with his chest sinking under the weight. Stanford felt a sour feeling – that his brother had responded to Mabel and not him – but squashed it as soon as it hit him. He'd pushed Stan away so much… of course Stanley wouldn't respond to him. Not after everything.

Stanford's eyes widened when Stan wheezed. He'd held his breath when the roof came down, the sneaky bastard, and now trying to talk was using up that air.

"Dipper GO!" Ford shoved him, not caring that Dipper stumbled clumsily in the process. His inner hysteria must have come through because Dipper stared at him wide-eyed for a few seconds before nodding frantically and taking off down the tunnel yanking his phone out of his pocket. "Oh god, Stanley, hold on tight, Dipper's calling for help!"

Relief pooled in Stanford's chest when his brother's eyes twitched open. They were glassy and unfocused but found him within seconds. He actually flinched at first, making Ford flinch too, but then seemed to recognize him. His eyes were squinting horribly and Ford noticed his glasses must have fallen off in the chaos.

"Ssshtgh…" Oh god he was trying to say his name. He needed to stop, he was using up all his air..! Stan's eyes widened and his mouth gaped as he struggled for air, blood splattering on the ground in front of him. He was starting to struggle aimlessly, arms barely shuffling against the ground. Then the coughs started- his face twisting in pain and eyes impossibly wide in blind panic.

"Stan..?!" Stanford ignored the thought of hurting him more, lifting his head to try clearing his throat of blood. Oh god Stan was in so much pain what could he do?! "Come on, don't freak out on me." He tried keeping his voice steady but he couldn't.

What to do, what to do?!

Ford's mind couldn't come up with anything to do so he did what felt right. He pushed himself closer so he could lay Stanley's head on his lap. Wriggling to get a rock out from underneath him he gently lowered Stan's head. The movement must have hurt somewhat because his breathing caught for a moment and his eyes winced closed. Stanford put a hand on his head, trying to be comforting.

"S-Stanley…" Oh god this was all his fault. He paused when a small pair of arms circled him, Mabel next to him and sniffling into his coat. He ruffled her hair with a sniff. Following his instincts with that he began running his hand through his brother's hair. He remembered doing this once or twice when they were real little and Stan actually admitted he had nightmares. He used to go to Ford and nobody else. "I'm so sorry, Stanley…" Damn, his eyes were tearing up again.

"Ssshtgh…" He was trying to say his name again oh god and his eyes were flickering again. Stanford couldn't help it as he sniffed and started trembling, head bowed.

"Th-this is my fault…" He closed his eyes at the pain in his chest. Oh god it was all his fault and now his brother was probably going to fucking die. Stanley grunted, the surprisingly loud noise scaring Ford and Mabel into jumping. Looking down at him Stanford couldn't help a small hysterical laugh from bubbling up at the eyes foggily glaring up at him. "D-don't even try. This is my fault. I started it, th-the noise…" If he hadn't started the fight the cave in wouldn't have happened. It was his fault.

Stanford's tears slipped their way down his face, shoulders trembling and shaking with repressed sobs. Stan's eyes fluttered closed tiredly and he let out a breathy, husky sigh. Ford sniffed and smiled sadly when his brother absently pushed his head further into his hands as if to tell him to keep going.

Oh god, wait, Stan was starting to fall asleep. Ford couldn't even begin with the list of reasons that was BAD!

"Stan?" He patted the side of his face gently. All he got was an eyelid flicker. "Please don't, I-I can't…" Next to him Mabel shuffled closer worriedly. "Stanley please don't go to sleep! Stay awake, please!" Panicking Ford shook his shoulder and IMMEDIATELY regretted it when Stan gasped and cried out in pain. Oh god oh god oh GOD what did he do?!

"Grunkle Stan?!" Mabel shoved herself right up next to Ford so they were hovering over Stanley together.

This drew a grunt out of him, at least, giving them both a sense of relief.

Sitting there with his twin's head on his lap Stanford was suddenly hit with the full realization of what had happened.

Stanley had pushed him out of the way of a cave in. During an argument that he had started, when the noise from his yelling had started the cave in in the first place. And now Stanley was going to fucking die and it was all his goddamn fault.

And suddenly Ford saw that this wasn't the first time either. He'd been so selfish blaming Stan for ruining his life, he'd barely spared a thought for the fact that he'd been messing up Stanley's life every time too.

"Oh my god…" His eyes widened and he clutched at his brother. "Oh my god Stan, I'm so sorry. All this time, all this time I blamed you for destroying everything but I destroyed everything for you oh my god I'm so sorry..!" Ford was hunching over him, feeling like something was clawing its way up his chest.

"Grunkle Ford..?" Mabel whispered. He stayed hunched over crying. "I… I think Grunkle Stan would say that's it's oka-"

"NO IT'S NOT!" Ford screamed, tensing in horror and staring at the rocks around them as everything shook. When the tremors stopped he just kept on going in a quieter voice while crouched over Stan protectively. "No it's not! It's my fault my fault and I've been so blind to that, so selfish, that I ignored the fact that I've completely ruined his life! For god's sake he had to fake his death over me!"

He cut his rant short, chest heaving, when he realized Stan wasn't responding to the urgency in his voice. Even if he was too delirious to understand words he should have at least noticed the shout. Ford traded a wide-eyed look with Mabel before nudging Stanley's shoulder. Nothing.

No no no no. Not now. Not yet. Not after he'd only just realized how much of a horrible brother he was. He needed time to apologize damnit! He needed time to find a way to let Stan know he was so sorry..!

Dipper's voice came from down the cave in a whisper-yell.

"Guys, I called, th-they're sending a rescue chopper! With a rescue crew- th-they're gonna dig him out w-without sending the rest of the cave down..!"

"Grunkle Stan, do you hear that?" Mabel tried. "You're getting out, you're gonna be okay!"

Stanford stared in horror at the still figure in his lap, unable to move.

"G-guys?" Dipper came around the corner shaking and gasping for breath. There was silence as Ford snapped back to reality and frantically checked for a pulse.

"…Stan..?" Oh god the thing in his chest was so strong it was tearing him apart he could barely whisper past it and he couldn't find a pulse!

Oh god, oh god! There! He was alive! It was barely there, but he was still alive damnit!

"H-he's still got a pulse…" He barely choked out. The thing was in his throat oh god.

"O-oh my god, I-I should probably wait for the helicopter, sh-show them the way in..!" Dipper was running out in a second and Ford was grateful that the kid was keeping his head about him because he certainly wasn't.

"Grunkle Ford?! Are you okay?" Mabel shook his shoulder Ford was swaying, when had that happened? Oh god he couldn't breathe was this what Stanley was feeling?! It felt like he was the one with his lungs being crushed and oh god his vision was swimming.

Ford had just enough presence of mind to slump in the direction of the rubble to be able to lean on something. "M-Mabel…" Crap. It seemed like they both needed that rescue chopper.

I'mma say something about the Rock Falls verse I didn't with Fallen... I know a lot of people (mostly tumblr) were thinking this is Stancest. While I don't necessarily ship that I am true shipping trash and I'm totally fine with you doing that! Just know that in its original context the Rock Falls verse is NOT Stancest. If you're gonna ship it as such, please don't bug others about it. In other words: Ship away but keep your ships on the 'neutral' zone between shipping battlegrounds. :)

Please Read and Review~!