If Shermie Has To Go To Vietnam While The Twins Are In High School, Do They Live On Their Own Or Stay

If Shermie has to go to Vietnam while the twins are in high school, do they live on their own or stay with another family member?

I'd imagine Shermie leaves them his apartment and they stay there together, but that he might've called Ma to check in on them regularly. (She at least wasn't terrible, and does actually care even if she didn't stop the abuse).

You know, Ford has been running away for 2 years, but I still don't understand why they didn't kill him. Why did they keep him captive like a rat? What was the point at all?

Basically, they figured Ford would inevitably end up in another dimension but had no idea how/why. So they settle for just keeping him under observation and hoping he will act as 'bait' for whatever phenomena is going on so they can control where it happens. All if this while not quite realizing that their interference might have already very much changed the outcome.

They couldn't kill him because of scientific curiosity. But now, with what a mess he's made, Ford is pretty sure they'd conclude that the risks of keeping him alive outweighs the benefits. Which is why he's doubly insistent on not being caught again.

How well did Carla and Ford know each other? Obviously, she's just worried about Stan. But she looks like she's genuinely upset about Ford's death, and not just out of politeness.

No, she wasn't particularly close with him. They would have talked a few times, but she's more a casual acquaintance.

She's still upset and shocked at the news though. Partially because it's still a tragedy to have someone that young 'die' suddenly and violently, and partially because she knows just how much Ford means to Stan and therefore how absolutely distraught he is. Seeing him break down over it makes her cry too. Sorta proxy feels I guess? He's usually tough and carefree so seeing him so genuinely upset just hammers home how wrong the entire situation is. She's hurting from seeing him so extremely hurt.

Ah yes. This probably makes zero sense out of context, but have some angst anyways.

Long story short: This is from the newest chapter of my Author Stan fic. Ford's entire family thinks he's dead, and for their safety he let's them keep believing it.

And then he runs into Ma at Stan's graduation after four years.

She doesn't recognize him.

"I'm going to pretend that I think you're joking, because otherwise I might have to do the 'responsible parent thing' and scold you."

Had this bit of dialogue pop into my head and it wouldn't leave.

I'm imagining that Sherman does end up getting drafted. He leaves his little brother's his apartment and makes them promise to look after each other, they're almost legally adults, and it's either they take care of each other or they're sent back home.

Sherman survives (I'm not that cruel), but being without him for the years he's gone is not an easy adjustment. But, sharing in that trauma of almost losing their closest parental figure and just generally being less emotionally stunted thanks to a lack of Filbrick's influence causes the twins to not drift apart like in canon. Ford is just as scared of being separated as Stan is.

Build-a-bastard