Proud

Disclaimer: I don't own it

Rating T for cursing

Pairing: None but it focuses on Stan and Wendy's relationship

Summary: Stan has watched her grow up since she was a little girl. It explores the past between them.

Stan wasn't proud of many things in his life. When you were as slick as him, it was hard. Sure, he loved his shack, his scams, and the profit he made. He even started like the twins, though he knew better than to get to attached (everyone else had left a long time ago. How else do you get to his age with no wife, kids, more enemies than friends). The only people left was Soos and that girl.

He could remember when he met her. He was just about to hit 50. She was no more than seven and should have been in school by now. She was sitting on the wood counter in the little shed behind her house where they kept the still. She was swinging her legs, eating candy she had stuffed her pockets.

Stan had come out to her dad's moonshine shack to get a little bit of the stuff (that lumberjack had no idea what the price was and it was easy pickings to get a little hooch). And there was this little girl sitting there with wild red hair that hadn't been combed in a while and her face sticky with sugar.

"Hey." She said through the two jawbreakers in her mouth.

"Hey, yourself. Is your dad around?"

"Nope. He had to go to work. So, he left me in charge."

Stan nodded and put his jar on the table. "Can you fill it up?"

"Sure." She smacked on her candy, tucked it under arm and slid off the counter. She went off to the back, put it on floor under the spigot and turned the valve. Stan watched her as she filled it up to the brim, but stop before it would spill. She done this often he gathered. She screwed on the top and struggled to pick it up. Stan would have let the kid struggle, but he moved before he realized and had it up before she could drop it and hurt herself.

"Thanks kiddo."

"She held out her hand. Ten dollars please."

"Your dad only charges me seven. I am your neighbor."

"I know, and it still ten." She put her hand on her hip. "You are not leaving to you pay up."

"And what will do about it, little girl." He couldn't help, but smile.

"I will kick you in the shin and call my Daddy."

"Alright, alright. I don't want trouble." He will still grinning at the determined little pout. He slipped out the ten dollar bill. "See you later kid." He waved as he headed back to the door, hooch tucked safely under his arm.

"Bye, Mr. Pines."

That kid had some moxie.

After years of her serving him drinks she was now twelve almost thirteen. She was kicking the dirt around his place talking with Soos. Soos was a little...simple, but nice enough and you don't have to pay him much.

She was still a wild-haired little girl. Probably, more so since her mom left town. News traveled quickly in the Falls.

"Hey, kiddo." He said as he walked toward the pit he needed to drop off some more stuff.

"Hey, Stan."

"I didn't know you deliver now. Where's the jar?"

She pouted. "I came up here to talk to Soos."

"Right. Hey, it is a little busy around here with the tour bus. Want to help? I know you are good with money and I'll give you twenty-five for today."

"Make it thirty."

"Nope. Offer stands. Besides what is your dad paying you besides candy?" It was a little low ,but the little con artist wasn't going to get him.

"Fine. So, gift shop?"

"Gift shop."

She had a little bounce in her step and he smiled. She was cute.

At sixteen she was cute and lazy, but despite his teasing and threats he could not get rid of her. Even when she brought her dumb friends (who made Soos look like the brightest crayon in the box) and that skinny jean wearing dumbass. They were kissing as her friends were trashing the place. They had stupid music playing that consisted of wub wub drop the bass wuuuubbbb wub. Dial up sounded better.

His great grand nephew was so jealous you could see the steam and even Stan found he was pissed with this guy. Wendy was wasting her time in this one.

"Hey. Wendy, you are on the clock. They have to go."

She frowned but said, "party is over." The guys all gave a collective groan and one just crushed his empty can of soda on the floor without picking it up. Once the door slammed shut, she turned on him.

"You are such a fun-sucker." She grumbled.

"Dipper. Out." The boy slide out of the room. He did not want to get involved in the storm brewing or he probably wanted to get Mabel to be his backup at least.

"Funny. I heard you were the one sucking that loser's dick" He snapped quietly.

She matched her hair a little. "Whatever, Grandpa." She sat on the counter flipping threw a upside down magazine. Her straight back turned to him now.

He huffed "Don't call me when you get pregnant or worse."

"I said, 'whatever.' Besides, I wouldn't call you."

"Who then?"

"Shut up, Stan."

"That is what I thought." He straightened his back and left the room.

He loved her, but she could do better than that loser.

Just as he figured she broke up with one loser for another. He swore she was making rounds through all the boys in the small town.

It was a little past midnight,and he was sound asleep in his chair just in his boxers and the tank top when he heard the screen door squeak. Dipper and Mabel were back at school and whoever came in cussed and tried to keep it from slamming. The person was already in the kitchen and he heard it rattle, but as he got there the intruder was gone upstairs. He followed to the roof. He knew where she would go.

Sure enough, she was in the lawn chair with a stolen bottle of beer in hand. She was half through it.

"If you are pregnant I will put my slipper up his ass and I will kick yours."

"I'm not."

"Break up?"

"No." She never really cried because she was the one who always ended it. "It is nothing."

"So, you broke in, took beer and are on my roof for nothing."

She wiped her nose on the back of her hand. "Nothing."

He took a seat next to her. He took a beer back and popped the top. "Whatever." She would tell him later, if she needed him to.

The pair sat up there forever just watching the dirt road and the stars. Once she seemed good, he moved to go back inside. "I'm tired. You better get some sleep too."

"I'll stay up here."

"Hell no. The last time you I left you here you fell off the roof and broke your arm."

"It was my wrist." That was one of the worst days of his life. It was the middle of the sunny afternoon and next thing she fell clean off the roof. A thump. Sure, she had been drinking, but she was never stupid. He was sure she was dead and his heart stopped. Then she rolled over holding her wrist crying and he did what he had to. He carried her to car, while yelling at Soos to take the lead out. They got her to hospital. It was hard to explain the whole thing especially the blood alcohol level, but he played dumb and she got a warning.

"Come on."

She finally got up.

He took his spot in the chair and she got the couch. She yanked a blanket down off the top and soon she was out like a light.

That girl was trouble, but still he wouldn't let her fall off the roof again.

The girl finally graduated. Thank god. She walked across that stage without doing something stupid and he was happy. It surprised him when she did give him an invitation. It was printed on computer paper and she didn't have a real picture just one of her with the family at the shack, but it was the thought. Besides, her dad wouldn't have paid and knowing her she would not ask.

Her dad just clapped her on the back. Telling her that he was proud. Her brothers hugged at her robes. She did smile brightly and ruffled their hair.

Next, it was the kids and Soos. All hugs, smiles and Dipper being squished in her boobs. That boy was in heaven.

After they settled she came to him with a grin. "Bet you thought I couldn't do it." She waved that roll of fake diploma paper in his face.

"No." He took it from her. "Gravity Falls High is a sorry school. They would let a monkey walk if it been there long enough."

"Shut up." She said still smiling.

There was a small party at the shack because her house was as clean as one on the hoarders show. All her friends left and her dad was passed out in a lawn chair and her brothers ran into the woods like wild children. He settled down next to her.

"So." He leaned back. "Want your present?"

She made a face. "What present? I thought the party was it."

"Nope." He held out an envelope.

She opened it and her eyes got really big. "A check."

"Yep."

"For ten-thousand."

"Yep."

"Oh my god, Stan. You didn't have too... Wait... you love money... Why would you?" She clutched the check.

He pulled her into a loose hug. "Won a bet. Besides you will need it."

"Why?"

"I doubt you will go to college, but I want you to see a little outside this town. I left when I was about your age and I didn't have that much, but I want you to get head start on me kiddo. Bring me back something for the shack, and we are even."She wrapped her arms around his neck and he got her waist. After a good squeeze she let go. "Now, don't say I never gave you anything."

She nodded.

Stan seen her grow up and she was the closest thing to a daughter and one of his only friends. She stuck around over ten years and he would be sad to see her go. But what kind of life would she find here anyway. Besides, he was proud of her.

A/N: we never get to hear much about Wendy's family or Stan's past so, I had to write something. Now I might ship a little (I love May/December pairing) but I kept it innocent.