Archive of Our Own ^beta

So many things were happening all at once and Dipper was trying to keep up with it. A slight pain ran through him as his back hit the wall on the far end of the basement when a blast came from the portal. He righted himself before trying to shout back over all the noise.

"MABEL! WHAT IF HE'S LYING? THIS THING COULD DESTROY THE UNIVERSE!" He pointed to his temple. "LISTEN TO YOUR HEAD!"

His uncle said something but Dipper gave up listening to him as soon as he saw all those IDs. "HE'S LYING! SHUT IT DOWN NOW!"

The preteen quickly looked around to make sure there was nothing in his path, he had only one chance. He could hear the countdown and he had only seconds to decide what to do. He pushed off as hard as he could from the wall toward the button as the last few seconds ticked away. His sister had already made her decision. Mabel had already let go of the controls when he reached out for it. 

But he was off, Dipper didn't realize how off he was until he got closer and felt the pull toward the portal's glow. His fingertips just grazing the controls as he was yanked past it.

"DIPPER!" He wasn't sure who yelled his name. It could have been any of them but he was already blinded by the light to see anyone trying to reach for him. A humming noise whistled through his ears.

Dipper hit the ground hard, skidding at least 2 feet from the impact. Dust engulfed him as he slowly sat up coughing and rubbing his arm that was most likely covered in scrapes. He could feel the beginning of blood forming and it stung.

The preteen pulled himself up as the dust cleared and he saw madness. Much more than where he came from. There were creatures of all kinds running through debris and fighting if not each other, something else.

He looked back at the portal where he came from hoping he could slip through but it was already closing too quickly. Even if the portal stayed open long enough for him to go through, there was a jump that Dipper knew he couldn't make. He wasn't sure how he was thrown far enough from the edge the first time but he wasn't making it back that way. He was stuck.

He had to get out of there, find safety somewhere in this strange place. There is always a safe place! He'll wait here...Mabel will find him...she'll find him.

She had to.

"Well, if it isn't Pine Tree!" Dipper didn't turn around, he felt frozen in place from the voice. "How great of you to join me in my world!" A chill ran up his spine.

Bill circled around the boy laughing. "Oh this is great!" The triangle stopped in front of Dipper. "Come on Pine Tree, gimme a smile!" With one hand Bill grabbed Dipper's face. "Looks like your uncle opened the portal. If only you haven't come through ᴛʜᴇɴ ɪ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ."

The last words were said with such malice that Dipper really feared he would never see his sister again. He clawed at Bill's hand as his cheeks were being squished between the triangle's fingers. He needed to get out. He needed to get somewhere safe. The preteen didn't want to know what would happen if he didn't.

"CIPHER!" A voice made Bill turn away from Dipper. 

Dipper saw a figure running toward them banishing a gun aimed at the demon.

"Fordsy!" Bill shouted happily dropping Dipper harshly to the ground. Dipper scrambled to back away from the demon. "You've come to join us! Too bad you weren't quick enough!"

Something whizzed past the triangle just missing him. "Back off Cipher!"

"Don't be so hasty! We have company!" Bill gestured to Dipper. "Someone from your home dimension no less!"

The figure shot at the demon again as he rushed forward next to Dipper. The stranger growled as Bill floated away laughing. He was about to pull out the pack from his back when he noticed Dipper.

"A child?" The figured looked down at the preteen, at least Dipper thought he was looking at him. The face was mostly covered. With all the dust being picked up from this place, it was probably for the best. The preteen was trying not to start another coughing fit.

There was a crash not far off from them. The figure looked around quickly bending down toward the preteen. "Please believe me when I say I will help you out of here."

Dipper nodded too frighten to move on his own. Anything seemed safer than staying where Bill was.

"Hold tight!" The older man wrapped an arm around Dipper pulling him close before racing toward the edge of the platform throwing a something behind him. "And don't look back!"

Dipper buried his head into the man's shoulder gripping onto the jacket hard enough to make his knuckles white. He felt the jump.

Then the fall. It felt like his stomach was trying to get to his throat as he tried to make his grip tighter. There was a tingling that ran through his body just like when he fell through the portal so Dipper guessed the same thing was happening again. A hand was placed on the back of his head and the preteen thought he heard a voice but all the air rushing past his ears made it hard to be sure.

The impact was softer this time around but Dipper remembered there was someone acting as a shield around him.

"Oh man! A-Are you alright?" Dipper quickly untangled himself from the other.

There was a low chuckle as the man stood and brushed himself off. "I'm fine. You should be more worried about yourself than an old man like me. I've been through this many times." He knelled down to Dipper's level. "Do you have any other injuries besides the one on your arm?"

"N-No, I don't think so," Dipper looked himself over but nothing seemed out of place. He was covered in some kind of dust, but he just brushed that off. Even the scrape was just that, a small scrape. He'd gotten worse falling out of bed.

"Good." There was a small smile on the older man's face before he got up to look at their surroundings. They were surrounded by a woods. It was safer than the last place the two came from but they needed to get to a shelter quick before any danger pops up. He pulled a gun from his belt just to be safe. "We both have questions, I am sure but we need to move. Once we're out of danger, we'll talk."

"R-Right," Dipper moved closer to the man trying his best to keep at the same pace the older man had. He could see some kind of eyes looking at them and Dipper didn't want to know how far their curiosity would go. He's seen enough in Gravity Falls to know some creatures will go to great lengths to get a meal.

"How is your climbing?"

Dipper was startled by the sudden question. "Decent?"

"Being on the ground is too dangerous so I want us to get up in the trees for the night. Do you think you could climb it on your own?"

"I can! Don't worry about me! I'm a kid! It's what kids do best!"

The old man chuckled gesturing to the closest tree. "Excellent. You go first so I can help if anything were to happen."

"Yes!" The preteen quickly scrambled up the tree only needing a little boast when he couldn't quite swing his leg over a branch. He moved his back to the trunk and let his legs dangling over either side of the branch. Dipper wasn't afraid of heights but he was gaining a fear of whatever could be on the ground.

"We should be safe up here for the night," the older man sat himself on a branch next to the one Dipper was on. He tugged off his goggles and scarf. Pulling his pack in front of him, the man rambling through it in hopes to find whatever he had to help the preteen with his scrapes.

"How are we-" he stopped when he turned to the man as the man looked back at him questioningly. There were differences but it was no mistaking that he was looking right into a face that he's been seeing all summer.

"Is something the matter?" The man asked confused by the Dipper's shocked expression. He wiped at his face thinking there was something on it. "I'm sorry, haven't seen my reflection in awhile, is there something the matter? I assure you I am just as human as you are."

"You look like my uncle..."

The man thought for a moment as he processed what the preteen said but it clicked.

The portal! The portal he saw the kid fall through! The portal he felt deep in his core that was to his own dimension that opened up just as he was fighting Cipher.

The man growled quietly to himself. "That dumbass."

"Uh...Gru-Mister..." Dipper just realized he never got the man's name.

The man almost forgot he wasn't alone in his anger. "Yes, sorry. My name is Stanford Pines." He held out his hand to the preteen. "You can call me Ford and if what you are telling me is true, then that uncle you mentioned must be my brother, Stanley. He turned on that damn portal."

"Wait, 'Stanley?' But his name is Stanford," Dipper tried to wrap his head around that information ignoring the hand in front of him. "All those IDs!" He smacked his forehead. "It doesn't explain why but now it makes sense!"

"What?"

"I think...I think he took your name..."

"WHAT?? What the hell has that knucklehead been doing all this time??"

"I don't know! I'm just as confused as you are! Me and Mabel and Soos were trying to stop this giant machine and Grunkle Stan came to stop us from stopping it and there were police or the FBI or whatever who also wanted to stop it!" Dipper ran a hand through his hair while the other hand gripped his shirt. "I went to shut it down and I was pulled into it! I think he was trying to get you! That's what he meant by 'for this family!' And I was just going to shut it down! I didn't even think about it! I was going to shut it down! Stan was just trying to get you! He was trying to save you! What have I done??"

Ford saw the preteen's panic raising so he laid a hand on the his shoulder. "It's alright, my boy. Take a deep breathe. In through your nose, out through your mouth. That's it. Just keep at it. In and out. Slowly now."

Dipper settled down after a few tries, but had trouble trying to get words out. His brain trying to process everything too quickly so he stayed quiet following Ford's instructions.

"Feeling better?" He got a nod. "It's alright if you wanted to shut it down. I left warnings that it was too dangerous to be turned on. I hoped that Stanley would either destroy it or just leave it to rot when I was pushed through. I didn't think he would turn it back on."

"Warnings?" Dipper's eyes grew wide. "You're...you're the author of the Journals!"

"You've read my journals?" Ford couldn't help the smile that spread across his face.

"Read them? I've lived them!" Dipper reached into this vest but remembered that he didn't have the journal with him. "I...I've been waiting so long to meet you...I searched all summer...I don't know what to say! I have so many questions!"

Ford laughed. "And what may I call the person who found my journals?"

"I only found one of the journals, but I'm Dipper...and I guess I'm your nephew? Wow, the Author is my great uncle. Wait until Mabel hears about this..."

"It is nice to meet you, Dipper," Ford held out his hand again and Dipper took it with a grin. He looked down at Ford's hand.

"You...You have six fingers?" Dipper didn't even notice the older man's hesitation at the question. "Just like the journals' covers...you really are him. Amazing."

"Yes, I'm a polydactyl, a rare birth-defect, I have adapted it over the years as a sort of calling card," Ford flexed all his fingers. "I've been to so many places over these last 30 years that this was rarely the most unusual thing about me."

"W-Where were we when...I came through the portal?"

Ford sighed looking off into the woods. "The Nightmare Realm, where that demon almost had you. I am glad I got to you before he could do any damage."

"Bill..." Dipper said quietly.

"You know him?" The older asked with concern.

"He terrorizing us all summer! We beat him twice though! And you were fighting him? How? Why?"

"...That is a long story, much too long for a first family meetings, but it was to save everyone from the threat that Cipher put in this world. The fact that you've dealt with Bill is gravely serious and I hope I can keep that from happening in the future."

"I knew he was evil, but dude...I had no idea..." Dipper rubbed his arm wincing at the touch.

"I forgot you were still injured." Ford rustled through his bag taking out a tiny jar. "Lean forward a bit, Dipper, and roll up your sleeve. I have something that will help."

Dipper nodded doing what he was told.

"This will be cold for a moment," the man warned before rubbing some kind of ointment on the boy's shoulder. Dipper winced but relaxed when he could feel the effects helping soothe the pain. "I also have some bandages to keep out the dirt and you should be all healed by the morning."

"Thank you, Great Uncle Ford."

"Of course, my boy," he gave Dipper a light pat on the bandages. "You should probably get some rest. All of this must been stressful."

"The whole day was stressful," he sighed looking down from the branch. "But how can I sleep up here? Even if I wasn't a restless sleeper, I still won't want to sleep in a tree."

"I have picked up quite a few tricks in my travels!" Ford grinned before pulling out what Dipper could only describe as bungee cords. "If we put these around our legs and the branches, we have a less likely chance of falling out during the night."

"Oh, I think I read something like that! Well, it was in a fantasy novel..."

"I required them many years ago but they were helpful in so many ways." Ford stretched them before going back to his bag. "I don't really have blankets for cover and I don't have anything small enough for a child, but I have a few shirts that you can use until I can get you some proper clothes."

Dipper looked at the outfit that Ford was wearing and then down to this own clothes. He saw his uncle's point. He went to pull his hat over his eyes when he remembered it was still on the other side of the portal. The only thing the others had left of him. The preteen sighed in defeat. "How long do you think we'll be here? On this side of the portal, I mean?"

Ford stopped searching and sat in silence for a minute. "I cannot answer that."

"Until we...until we die?"

"I am not sure, Dipper."

"Grunkle Stan will get us, right? H-He did it once trying to get you! He can do it again! And now he has Mabel!" Dipper wanted to curl in on himself. He wished more than ever he could go into sweater town like his sister did but right now he couldn't. "Neither of them would let us stay here, I know it. They'll get us out."

"That portal is a danger to not only our own dimension but countless others," Ford reached out to pat Dipper's hair. "It would be best if they leave it alone or destroy it all together."

"Then why was it in the basement??" Dipper tried not to shout as he slapped away the hand, but the panic and stress from the day all came crashing down. "If it is so dangerous why is it under the Shack?? You left your warnings in invisible ink! How is that a warning if no one knows about them?"

"Dipper, please, I already said it is a long story, and it has been a long day." Ford handed him a shirt and one of the cords. "Wrap this around your legs before you anchor yourself down." Dipper grabbed the supplies and did what he was told not looking at Ford. "I promise, I will tell you more, but right now you need rest. I will keep watch."

The preteen refused to look at Ford out of anger. He knew he is being childish, but it's been too long of a day to try being mature. Dipper let his eyes close. He dreamed about fireworks and madness.

Dipper woke up confused with light shining on his face. He was in a tree? He was tied to a tree! The preteen almost panicked until he he realized his upper body wasn't tied down. He could move around freely.

"Good Morning, Dipper."

He looked over to the voice and saw an older man writing in some kind of book. Then Dipper remembered everything from the day before. "That really did all happen..."

"Indeed it did, my boy, are you feeling better?" He tucked away his book in his jacket turning to Dipper. "You slept for a few hours. Your wound should be healed by now."

"Uh...Yes, I think," Dipper rubbed his arm looking at the bandage. "I'm sorry I got angry before...I-I don't know what came over me..."

"It is perfectly reasonable, my boy, I should not have been rash with you as I was," Ford gave an awkward grin. "I think I should tell you the story about Stanley and I over a breakfast. It'll help you understand all of this."

"Really?" Dipper brighten at that. His stomach responded by growling loudly and Dipper turned red. When was the last time he eaten? Yesterday was such a rush, he could only remember eating those ice pops.

Ford just laughed. "I have been to this dimension before. Though it may be strange, there is a common lizard-like creature in these woods that makes an excellent source of protein."

"That sounds great!" Dipper looked down from the branch he was perched on. "I...may need help getting down though..."

"Getting down is always a bit tricky. First you should untangle yourself while I get some us some firewood and those lizards." He looked over to the preteen. "Will you be alright by yourself for a moment?"

"I'll be fine!" Dipper chirped as he started to pull at the cords around his legs.

"I won't be far. Call me if there is any trouble."

Dipper nodded as Ford made his way down. He watched the man make his way through the trees with a knife in his hand. The preteen went back to untangling himself from the branch.

"He pushed you through? On purpose?" Dipper was surprised as he grabbed for one of the sticks in the fire with something like blue lizard with too many legs on it. When he tried a bite, it tasted weird enough that he was almost disgusted by it but he shrugged it off. He'd eaten worse.

"Um, no, not on purpose. Stanley didn't even know the portal was on. Neither of us did," Ford poked at the fire making sure it was cooking everything evenly. 

"How could you not know it was on? It kind of gets really bright and noisy."

"We were fighting, Dipper, we weren't paying much attention to anything that wasn't trying to kick each other's ass," Ford shot up. "Sh-Crap, I'm sorry for cursing. I'm so use to it being just me that I forgot how inappropriate that is to talk like that around children."

Dipper laughed. "That's alright Great Uncle Ford, it was funny. Thought I could learn some weird old man curses if I didn't say anything. Maybe you'd use some weird curse from other dimension that I could use around my parents and they would have no clue."

"Well you are not learning them from me, my boy," he rustled Dipper's hair when he noticed a mark under his bangs. When Ford went to push back the boy's hair, Dipper immediately batted his hand away looking embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking. I thought it might have been a scrape that went unnoticed."

"I-It's okay, you d-didn't know," Dipper patted his hair back down. "It's just a birthmark...that I-I'm not fond of."

"That is perfectly understandable," Ford didn't want to push it.

"It's...It's why I'm called 'Dipper,'" he mumbled. "Mabel started it when we were like 5 and it stuck. So many people started calling me that it was too late to tell them the truth."

"Ah yes, the Pines family nicknames strike again."

Dipper let out a awkward laugh at that looking at his feet. "I-I can show you? I'll show you." Before Ford could tell him that it wasn't necessary, Dipper pushed back his bangs to show him the birthmark on his forehead.

"The Ursa Major..."

"M-My real name is Mason." Dipper blurted out pushing his hair back down in place. "It's a dumb name anyway. Don't tell anyone."

Ford smiled. "Your secret's safe with me, Mason."

Dipper smiled back.

The two sat in silence for moment while they watched the flames lick at their breakfast.

"So how was your life at my old house? It sounds like you didn't know much about my brother or me, for that matter, before you were sent there for the summer?" Ford took one of the sticks inspecting the cooked lizard on it. "Not that those woods were a safe place to raise children but I know the town was a pretty peaceful place even if I rarely visited."

Dipper chuckled. "Yeah, our parents just wanted me and my sister out of their hair and get exercise or some lie like that. Summer camps cost money so shipping us off to live with Grunkle Stan for a few months seemed a better deal, but I think it was better for everyone involved even if Stan won't say it."

"Well he was the one better with children when we were younger."

"I mean he used Mabel and me for all different scams and made us help at the Shack, but I think he liked us being there overall. It probably got really lonely out there in the middle of the woods. Stan picked on me a lot, but I found out it was his 'tough love' thing and he just wanted to make sure I could take care of myself."

"The Shack?" Ford eyed Dipper curiously. "What's the Shack? Is that what he calls my house now?"

"Oh...um...yeah?" Dipper looked away from Ford. "The Mystery Shack. It's like tourist trap with paranormal things...? He makes most of things up honestly."

"Stanley turned my house into a Tourist Trap?" Ford took a few bites of the lizard. "He is making a mockery of my study!"

"I did try...to put in a real paranormal creature in a tour when Mabel was the boss for a few days. Long story. But it ended really horribly." Dipper cringed remembering that day. "People just aren't ready for the real stuff."

"But why would he do that? I thought he would have left that all behind! He's done it before."

"I don't think he left as much behind as you think, Great Uncle Ford," Dipper said. "I only have your side of the story but in the few months I spend with Grunkle Stan, he's really big on family even if he won't say it."

"I doubt that, my boy."

"How can you be sure? I know that science fair incident was a bit fishy, but you don't know how it really happened! Just the aftermath!" Dipper yelled. "I bet if you actually listened to Stan and he listened to you, you two can work out something."

"I'd rather not," Ford said without a thought.

Dipper sighed making himself fall backwards.

"Dipper, my boy, you don't know what I have gone through these last 40 years and most of it was Stanley's fault."

"How can you be sure? It can't all be his fault. Isn't the fact that he tried to get you back count for something?"

"And you see how that turned out, yes? You, a child, was thrown into the Nightmare dimension," Ford pointed out. "Where you could have been killed by that demon."

"That was my own fault."

"What?"

"I went toward the portal's opening when I was trying to reach the controls." Dipper pulled himself up. "If I didn't do that, both of us would probably have been safe on the other side. That's what Bill made it sound like anyway. Like it was a one-way ticket and I took it."

"Dipper, that wasn-"

"No, it really was Great Uncle Ford, it's my own fault I fell through and it's my fault you aren't on the other side. All cause I couldn't trust my uncle like Mabel could."

"Dipper."

The preteen quickly wiped away any of the tears from his face. He pulled his legs closer to himself and buried his head in his arms.

"Dipper, look at me please."

He didn't want to look up shaking his head.

Ford sighed but put a gentle hand on Dipper's head. "It's not your fault. Honestly, it is my fault. If I haven't built that thing or destroyed it when my partner said I should have, some of this would have been avoided."

"W-Why did you keep it there? You left it up and running!" Dipper mumbled. "I don't understand..."

Ford looked out at the trees and watched the light peek through them. "I don't know myself. I thought it was because it was my life's work but lately, I been thinking it was something else... something making me not want to shut down the portal completely and burning the blasted thing to the ground."

Dipper finally looked up at Ford.

"I'm sorry Dipper, there has been my own secret I have been keeping from you and I feared how you would react. But seeing as we might be sticking together for a time I would rather not keep too many secrets between us if I want you to trust me," Ford looked back with a frown. "I am not proud of my past."

Dipper looked back up at him wiping the his face.

Ford smiled slightly and then took a breath. "Cipher...I once thought of that demon as a friend."

The preteen looked at Ford wide-eyed. "H-How...?"

"Flattery mostly. He said so many things that made me feel...special, I guess would be the word, and that I could do the world good. Following him blindly into madness! I realized too late it was all a lie." Ford ran a hand through his hair. "I lost almost everything and was barely keeping it together when I reached out to Stanley...and you see where that got me."

"B-But Bill, he always seemed to just be out for himself! How did...He was always cruel to me!" Dipper gulped. "I made a deal with him once. Not too long ago, he tried to get the journal and if Mabel hadn't...I would have been a sock puppet forever...or worse."

"I know that feeling all too well. I allowed him to go in and out as he pleased. I got a metal plate installed so he had no more control over me."

Dipper looked at his uncle confused until Ford knocked on his temple and he could hear a sound that was certainly not normal bone. "Oh."

"I summoned that demon into our world, Dipper, I regret everything that demon did to you. I am sorry."

The preteen looked up at Ford again as he stared off into the trees.

"I promise, I am doing all I can to stop this."

"I-I can help."

"I could not ask you that, my boy."

"No, but I am telling you," Dipper stood up. "I can help. With the two of us, we can think of something!"

Ford chuckled.

"So that's a yes?"

"Yes." Ford held out his hand. "We're not the first two idiots to be tricked by Bill, my boy. But if we work together, we could be the last."

The preteen beamed as he grabbed Ford's hand. "Yeah! But you have to promise me something."

"What?"

"When we get back home, you are going to talk to Grunkle Stan."

"Dipper," Ford started before the preteen interrupted him.

"No, Great Uncle Ford, listen to me. I want the both of you to talk about this. You're twins, I know twins fight! I have one! Me and Mabel fight but I still love her and I know you still love your twin too."

Ford huffed.

"I mean it."

Dipper had such a stern face that Ford couldn't keep help but give in. "Alright...I will speak to him."

There was a big grin on the preteen's face.

"But I make no promises it will peaceful."

"Great Uncle Ford."

Ford sighed. "I promise to try. So let's finish these before we try to think of anything," he gestured to the few left over lizards in the fire.

"Please tell me other places have better things..." But Dipper took another one and started eating. "I'm not trying to be ungrateful or anything! Just that I-"

The man put up his hand to stop him. "It is perfectly understandable, Dipper. I will think about that in the future."

"Something like a pizza would be great about now."

"I couldn't agree more. I do miss the pizza I use to get on the boardwalk," Ford scratched his chin. "Heck, I could go for just a piece of the crust. Haven't had many human-made foods where I've been."

"When we get back I am making sure you get to try everything!" Dipper smiled. "Soos' Abuelita makes good food. Especially cookies. Mostly dinosaur shaped ones."

"Who's this 'Soos?' You've mentioned him a few times."

"He's someone who works at the Shack for Grunkle Stan! He's a great guy. Soos helped us get out of a lot of trouble during the summer. Don't tell Stan I told you, but Soos is kind of like his son by default. Don't tell Soos either, he'll probably start crying." Dipper laughed. "He's like the coolest person I ever hung out with...next to Wendy."

"Wendy?"

"Oh, um..." Dipper turned a bit pink. "She's another person who works for the Shack. S-She's really awesome. Like the greatest."

Ford chuckled.

"Don't laugh!"

"Sorry, I have just seen that look before many times."

"Well it's not! We've talked and we both know it's not going to work, she's too old for me." Dipper crossed his arms pouting. "We agreed staying friends is better for everyone."

"Very mature."

"You think?"

"Of course," Ford finished off the last of their breakfast. "You're very mature for your age."

"Heh, thought that was just something I said to sound older..."

"We've all done something to sound older."

"Yeah..."

"Before we head off, let me get a look at your arm. It should be healed but I want to make sure." Ford pulled himself up and kicked some dirt into their fire. "We have to wait for the fire to die down anyway."

Dipper looked at his arm. "Well it doesn't hurt." He tried to find the bandage's end to start unwrapping it himself. "It's not numb either. That should be a good sign right?"

"Here," Ford sat down next to the preteen and pulled at the right mark to make the wrappings unravel.

Dipper brushed them off looking down at what was now just light pink spots and lines on his skin. "Wow, that stuff works fast. It looks like it happened days ago."

"It's only one of my greatest find," the man looked over his arm making sure everything was nothing more than light color on the preteen's skin. "All on accident I'm afraid. It looked like aloe plants from Earth so I risked it. I had very bad sunburn of sorts and I would rather not deal with sun poisoning if you understand. Worked like a charm! So I gathered as much as I could for the future and found it worked well on scratches and scrapes. As long as they're not too deep."

"So there are dimensions with stuff similar to ours?"

"A few," Ford scratched his chin. "Some were very much like Earth but with little differences but most of the places I visited were nothing like Earth. I liked seeing how creatures survive through different hardships than what I am use to. You pick up on surviving skills."

"What about this place?" Dipper gestured around them. 

Ford looked up. "Well, this area is much like a rain forest but less dense and more swampy in certain areas. I believe the whole planet is like this but I haven't traveled far as the roots from these trees are mostly above ground. Can be tiring trying to climb them for long periods of time."

"I noticed some are bigger than me."

"I try not to tire myself out too much before a portal opens so I would suggest we do the same."

"Alright."

"The last time I was here finding a portal took a few days, but I didn't know where to look." Ford stood up and stomped on the last of the dying flames. "I just need to get my bearings and we should find a portal sooner. This isn't the safest place for you to be here, Dipper. You haven't seen the creatures and I hope you don't but they are rather unpleasant."

"I saw their eyes staring. I don't want to know what they look like close up."

The man chuckled. "Stay close." He took out the same gun from the night before. "We'll be out of here in no time."

His uncle was right about finding his bearings to find an opening quicker. They found one in only 2 hours in an area that the Ford thought was around the same area he found himself in when he first came to this dimension.

"So that's how it works..." Dipper followed Ford toward the glowing portal.

"Almost every dimension has a few rips that create ways of traveling between them. It's reason I went to Gravity Falls, there was some kind of pull that at the time I had no idea just that I needed to go there." Ford smiled down at Dipper. "It's like I was pulled toward it for being part of the strange and unusual."

Dipper laughed. "Yeah, there's a lot of strange and unusual things there. I like it. Where else would I have helped break a family curse? Or fight off zombies by singing?"

"Yes, I felt most at home in that place." Ford laughed too when they got to the glowing blue light. "I'm going to have to pick you up again if that's alright? I want to make sure we don't get separated. I haven't really gotten down how to know where each one goes and I wouldn't be surprised if this could end up at two different places."

"O-Okay, that's fine."

Ford knelt down and held out his arm. Dipper tried not to just latch onto him but he almost jumped onto the other man. Ford didn't say anything about it making sure Dipper was secure in his grip. "Ready?"

Dipper nodded against his shoulder.

"Alrighty then!" Ford hopped through.

Dipper wasn't sure he would even get use to the feeling of jumping through dimensions and he was hoping he never would. But he could deal with the feeling his stomach was trying out for the circus if it meant he'd was closer to getting home.

The older man was able to land on his feet this time around. He looked around before slowly putting Dipper onto the ground. They seemed to be in a field of sorts and from a short distance away looked like a town! Perfect.

"We lucked out, my boy!" Ford said with a grin as he pointed in the direction of the town. "There is probably a shop or two over there to get you in proper clothes."

"Really?" Dipper squinted toward it.

"Only one way to find out," Ford grabbed something from his bag. "But before that, use this to cover your face." A scarf was shoved in Dipper's face.

The preteen looked at curiously before taking it. He watched as his uncle wrapped his own around covering up to his nose so Dipper did the same.

"Stay close, Dipper," Ford started walking.

Dipper ran next to Ford grabbing onto his jacket as they walked toward the unknown town.

"These should work," Ford handed Dipper a few pieces of clothing. "They are similar to my own and should be good for any weather we come across. They're a little big but it will probably be better for you in the long run. I would take off your old clothes for now. They are probably covered in dirt."

"Thank you, Great Uncle Ford. Uh..."

"Right, right..." The man looked around when he saw a sort of changing tent nearby for the shop. "I'll stay out here at the entrance." 

Dipper hurried into the new clothes handing over his old ones to Ford when he was done. The boy looked down at his new clothes and felt a bit of pride that he looked like a mini Ford in them. He could be a real dimensional traveler now.

He was tighten up his boots when something was shoved in his face.

"What's this?" Dipper looked at the bag.

"I thought it would be best if you had something of your own to carry anything you need or want." Ford smiled as he placed Dipper's old clothes into the pack. "Also as a just in case, if we got separated you have your own supplies."

"Oh..." He took the bag handed to him and felt a little uneasy about it.

"It's only a precaution," the man placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I want to make sure you are ready for anything."

"I understand, I do! It's just a bit scary to think about that right now." Dipper bit his lip as he pulled the bag on his back.

"It is scary, but that's why I want you to be prepared," Ford said with a smile. "Now come on, my boy, I need some parts for one of my guns and we have a whole market to look through! Keep those goggles on and the scarf up though. This looks peaceful enough, but you can never be too careful."

"Y-Yes!" Dipper quickly pulled down the goggles from his forehead before grabbing one of Ford's hands. Ford jumped from the contact but gripped the small hand back.

"Be on the look out for any supplies you think we'll need. I got a few things for you already but I haven't been around children in a long time, so I am sure I forgot something." They started walking through the crowds. "And if you see anything you want to look at just ask."

"Okay."

"There's a lot of people around so be aware, but we should be fine." Some kind of moss pushed past them. "Sorry....HIS control does not seem to reach here or it is hidden well enough from the public. Should make it easy for us to be in and out."

"Do you really think so?" Dipper moved himself a little closer to his uncle as some giant birds passed them.

"Big market places like these are usually like that. Much like the ones on Earth though I haven't seen to an Earth flea market in a long time." He looked down at the preteen. "They still have flea markets, yes?"

"Yes, they still have those," Dipper laughed. "I've been to a few, but not one as crowded as this one. I can't even tell if there's many languages or just one."

"Oh, right, you don't have a Dimensional Translator."

"A translator? You can understand all this noise?" Dipper looked around trying to focus on at least one of the voiced but they all seemed to merge together. 

"Yes, but it is just as much noise with the translation as it is without," Ford laughed. "It's like a normal market. There must be a common portal here with all the different kinds of species. These are both my favorite and least favorite places." 

The preteen looked at him questioningly.

"There are so many people, it gets overwhelming sometimes, but it's easy to blend in even if you are the only human. There's also all different kinds of shops where you can find things for almost anything! I have found some of the oddest things that helped with the simplest tasks."

"Have you ever found anything from Earth?" Dipper asked as he watched what looked like a pill bug getting shooed off by some stick person.

"I'm not sure if it was Earth, but yes, I have come across some things that did look human in origin. Usually little things like teacups or hairpins," Ford said. "Some sellers try to make the objects sound like they're highly collectible or magical."

Dipper snorted. "Do they really not know much about humans?"

"Not a lick."

"Amazing, we're like fairy tales aren't we?"

"Something along those lines which is why you need to watch out in these places with little human interactions. There are collectors of sorts but most find going after humans to be tedious," Ford stated. "If there is one advantage us humans have, it's being able to adapt to almost anything thrown at us! Collectors get annoyed when getting out of things that would normally mean death for many creatures would just be a dislocated shoulder for us. A bi- pain to put back but survivable."

"Have you run into any?"

"Collectors? Only once which is where I got the dislocated shoulder." He rubbed the shoulder from the same arm that was holding Dipper's hand. "A few months later, I saw the same collectors again. I was ready for a fight when they noticed me but they just walked by with what I believe was a repulsed expression in my direction." The man chuckled. "I caused more trouble than I was worth I guess."

"That's good to know," Dipper sighed with relief. "There are so many different things here..."

"Don't worry, I have been in and out these places with little resistance. And again, there's bound to be a portal near by that people come in and out of all day. We can rush toward one if any trouble starts."

"Good," Dipper nodded to himself as he looked around at all the other market goers and what some of the shops had. Without much thought the preteen stopped when he saw some kind of jewels and gems on a table. When he was about to turn away Ford noticed.

"Do you want to look?"

"No, it's okay...I just..."

"It's alright, my boy, we can look at them," Ford started walking over to the booth bringing the preteen with him. "I was fond of rocks as a boy myself."

The table was covered in all different colors but there was no signs or organization that Dipper could see. He could only take a guess at what anything was and he wasn't sure if he was allowed to touch them. Ford watched him look hurriedly at each object with confusion.

The older man picked up one of the gems and turned it over in his hands. Dipper watched starting to do the same thing. Some of gems had something sealed inside like amber or in Gravity Falls' case, tree sap. He knew he had to find the perfect one! 

They spent a few minutes there while Dipper looked through them and Ford speaking to the seller about some of the properties of certain rocks. The older man finding some replacements for old stones he used that were wearing down. Ford looked down to see something in his nephew's hands.

"Mabel would love this..."

"Mabel is your sister, right?" Ford asked curiously looking at the object in Dipper's hands. It was a small jewel with some kind of colorful bug inside. "What is she like?"

"Mabel's great! She's my best friend and she can do some many creative things. Mabel makes her own sweaters and half the time, our room is covered in glitter." Dipper laughed thinking about all the glitter he probably inhaled over the years. "You and her would get along."

"You think?"

"She'll love you, don't you worry! You're both creative! Mabel will be so excited that there's more twins in the family." Dipper laughed. "I remember she just kept asking them and now I know why the adults always looked uneasy whenever she did."

"I can understand why no one would want to speak about it."

"I miss her a lot."

Ford knelt down to Dipper. "I am sure she misses you as well."

"Can...Can we get this for her?" Dipper asked.

Ford thought for a moment but he didn't have the heart to tell him that he may not see his sister again. He didn't want the boy to lose all his hope at such a young age. "Yes."

Dipper had a giant grin on his face. "Thank you!"

Ford smiled back before he paid for the purchases as Dipper carefully put it in his pack between his old clothes so it wouldn't get damaged or lost.

"I found some useful things and I think I see a place to get some spare parts I need, so how bout we move on?"

Dipper's stomach growled in response as Ford laughed. "Or we can see if there is anything that you can eat first."

"Sorry," Dipper whispered.

"Don't be, my boy, it's been a long day and you haven't eaten since breakfast," Ford held out his hand for Dipper to take. "There is bound to be something edible with all the different species here."

"I think as long as it's better than those lizards, we're safe."

"I make no promises, Dipper." As true as it was they both laughed anyway as Ford looked around for any sign of food. Usually markets have an area for just food if there weren't carts being pushed around. If they kept pushing toward the center of the town, they were bound to find something.

The preteen was on the tips of his toes trying to watch the person cook but he was barely able to make it eye-level. He wished more than anything he was that 1 millimeter taller instead of his sister.

"Here, let me help you see these," Ford picked up Dipper and put him on his shoulders keeping a hold on the preteen's legs. "I see you also got the short Pines genetics."

"I have until I am 21 to have a growth spurt, Great Uncle Ford," he grumbled watching the person flip random creatures that looked like they could have come from the ocean. "What are those?"

"Looks like they could be what I know as Desert Mites. Vicious little things." Ford pointed to one of the bright purple ones. "They have poison in their claws but it's no more than a bee sting even if you are allergic. At least to humans. I would not suggest these to eat but they smell good when being cooked though. I am always drawn to them."

"I'm not sure what you're smelling but they don't smell that good to me." He scrunched up his nose.

The older man laughed. "We'll head to another stall then. Tell me if you see anything."

They walked through the crowds, Dipper still on Ford's shoulders looking around for something that reminded him of the foods he liked or at least what he was use to. Everything just looked weird and had too many legs or arms or whatever those limbs were suppose to be. He leaned on his uncle's hooded head not sure what to even look for. He had to trust Ford to be able to spot something in this crowd.

Ford didn't take long to notice something he tried before. "Do you like jerky?"

"I've only had like one kind but I liked it," Dipper lifted his head up trying to find where his uncle was looking.

"It's sort of like beefy jerky but chewier," Ford walked in the direction he thought he saw it. "Unfortunately it is much like our breakfast."

Dipper just shrugged.

"A shopkeeper gave some to me when I first started traveling dimensions. My stomach grumbled loudly enough to alert this kind old soul that I was in need. They shoved them into my hands telling me that they keep for a few months if I am careful." Ford said. "They could probably tell that I wasn't meant to stay in one place. I ended up helping and learning about how to make my own. Though I have never been good at it."

"You should teach me!"

"I'm not very good, my boy, but...I guess we could try one day."

"I've always wanted to make jerky since I saw a cooking show teaching you how," Dipper said happily. "When we get back home, we'll make some using like normal Earth stuff. It'll probably draw all the creatures out of the woods though..."

"O-Of course," Ford mumbled as he reached the cart with what looked similar to what he first encountered. Holding his tongue trying not to start on the subject of 'home' again.

Ford and Dipper made their way toward the edge of the town while the preteen tried to eat more whatever the creature jerky was. He was going to have to get use to eating things like this for awhile he thought to himself. He'd drink a whole pitcher of Mabel Juice right now if it meant something at least a bit normal. He'll take the sugar-high like a man.

As soon as they get back home, he is going to remind his uncle of all the food he hasn't seen in 30 years! And they'll both drink Mabel Juice, but he had a suspicion that Great Uncle Ford might just love the stuff. His sister will be happy if no one else was.

Ford stopped them and Dipper looked up to see all the crowds walking in and out of glowing circles.

"There really is some kind of portal transport here." Dipper stared in awe as portals opened as people stepped in and out. It reminded him of the bus station him and Mabel went to before they were off to Gravity Falls. It felt almost normal.

"The one we came from was a little ways away but it seems like it was in the same circumference," Ford gestured toward the crowds. "This must be where they commonly land."

"Cool."

"Yes, they are very cool."

Dipper snorted. "So which one do we go through? They all look the same except for the creatures."

"I'm looking for any ones I recognize to be safe..." He looked around making sure his grip on his nephew's shoulder stayed in place. He brighten up when he saw something. "Ah there we go!"

The preteen looked in the same direction that Ford was looking toward. He wasn't sure what he was seeing, but there was some kind of slime pile moving slowly along toward a portal. A few of them.

"Looks like certain areas are made for certain dimensions. Amazing how that works, but we will be following those creatures. Their dimension is a safe place and they love visitors as long as you have a story." Ford pushed through the crowds. "The only problem is their suns are bright and make it very humid, but it is a nice place otherwise. Those look like young teens with the colors as light as they are. They won't notice us sneaking in with them."

"So we'll jump through again?"

"Yep." Ford bent down to pick up Dipper again. "You'll get use to it."

Dipper groaned as he let himself be picked up. The preteen really didn't want to get use to it.

"You've met Fiddleford?" Ford perked up at the familiar name. "He's still in Gravity Falls? I would have thought he'd leave after what happened..."

"Well I can't really tell you why he stayed but yeah, McGucket's still in town..." Dipper's voice died down as he kept mumbling.

"Hm?"

"He probably can't tell you why either..." Dipper mumbled again. "McGucket isn't...what he use to be. We found out not long ago that...why he was just a crazy old coot who lived in the junkyard."

"W-What? In...In the junkyard?" Ford tried not to drop small make swift pan into the fire. "He lives in the junkyard?"

"He created this gun...and used it on himself...too many times..."

"That memory gun," Ford growled. "I told him. I fuc-I told him. He had this amazing mind and skill that surpassed my own! And he wasted it....to forget..."

They sat in silence for a few minutes watching the flames dance around the pan before Ford sighed. "This is my fault...He tried to stop me."

"Yeah...I may have read some of it in the journals." Dipper didn't look at Ford.

"Maybe if I stopped like he told me...or just went to him after everything with Cipher. Told him everything, begged him to help...then perhaps..." He ran his free hand through his hair. "I miss him terribly."

"When we get back, you should talk to him. McGucket has been getting some of his memories back when I last saw him. I bet talking to you will help him."

"Would he want to talk to me?"

"I'm sure he would love to," Dipper said. "He's a sweet old man if a bit nuts, but you're also a bit nuts so it'll work out."

"Alright, my boy, you made your point. I'll talk to Fiddleford..." He threw some small green fruit-like lumps into the pan. "I'll apologize...and maybe we can be friends again...I would give anything to be his friend again."

"It'll work out fine, Great Uncle Ford."

The man smiled going back to trying to fry the little fruits.

They sat in silence as they ate. Dipper was thankful that there was some kind of food that reminded him of home even if the colors were just a bit different. When he looked up at Ford, it looked like he wanted to say something but would shut his mouth like he was trying to gather his thoughts together. It took a few minutes before he spoke.

"I found myself in a dimension with a Universe similar to ours, but one where I destroyed the portal before any of the accidents happened." Ford sighed. "Fiddleford never saw what was on the other side of the portal and I, of course, never went through the portal....It was a better place for lack of a better description." Ford pulled a black case from behind him and set it in front of the both of them. "That dimension's Fiddleford helped me with this."

"You're finally going to show me what's in there?" Dipper watched his uncle closely as he unlocked the case.

"Yes." He pushed open the top. "The Quantum Destabilize. The only weapon that can truly rid everyone of Cipher." He carefully took it out of its case to show the preteen.

"Wow."

"Indeed." Ford smiled as he he let his hand drift over the metal. "That Fiddleford helped me a great deal....with many things...and with what you told me, I wish I had gone the way of that dimension. It had to be behind our dimension by at most 10 years going by Fiddleford's appearance. I didn't met or even see that Ford, but I was at an institute created by the both of them. They even created a device to travel through dimensions! I feel like I could have done all that..." He placed the gun back in its case. "Much of this could have been avoided and we could have met on different terms."

"You don't even know if I was in that dimension," Dipper poked at the green mush on his plate. "...and I don't mind that I met you this way. It's not ideal, yeah, but I still got to meet you. I got to met the Author I've been reading about all summer and see all the things he's been doing since he left journal 3 behind! That's something."

Ford chuckled. "Yes, my boy, that is something and I do hope that that Ford gets to met both you and your sister."

"It'll probably be so boring without us."

"I believe it would be." Ford ruffled the preteen's hair.

Dipper pushed the man's hand away laughing as they went back to eating.

Dipper was use to restless sleep and slight nightmares, but the preteen wasn't ready for a dream demon to pop by. He even pulled at the goggle strap and slapping it against Dipper's forehead.

"B-Bill??" Dipper shrieked. He pulled off the goggles rubbing his head.

"Indeed it is, Pine Tree!" Bill said. "Just wanted to stop by and see how my current favorite meat puppet was doing!"

"Wh-How are you here??"

"Can't a dream demon say hi?" Bill flicked Dipper's forehead. "Just because you're a few dimensions away doesn't mean I can't check in on ya!"

The preteen rubbed his forehead glaring at the triangle. "What do you want?"

"So many things! But those have to wait since my plans have changed with you over there with Sixer." The demon leaned in close. "Your fault by the way."

"Kept you out!"

"For now, Pine Tree, for now, but you sound like that's the only way in...I mean, it kind of was the only way to get back to your own dimension so you and your uncle are kind of stuck."

"You're lying..." Dipper whispered. He balled his hands into fists and looked right towards Bill glaring at him. "Why should I trust you? You're nothing but a liar! I know there's another way! You wouldn't be this annoying unless there was another way!"

"Sixer doesn't seem to think so..."

"What?"

"Your uncle, kid, the famous Author you so admire has given up on ever going home." Bill wrapped his arm around Dipper's shoulders pulling him close letting an image of Ford pop up in the flames in his free hand. "I feel almost sorry for him...you know, if I could feel that." He let the flame die in a poof.

The preteen pushed the triangle away. "Why should I listen to you? You're nothing bu-"

"A liar? You keep saying that kid but I don't lie, I just..." Bill took off his hat and pulled it wide enough to see inside before putting it back in its place. "Stretch the truth." 

Dipper tried to keep up his glare but it was fading.

"Sixer has tried not to think about his own dimension in almost 20 years! And in comes you!" Bill patted his head. "Talking about going home! When you should really just follow his lead and give up. Face the music kid, you two are never going back."

"I know we'll make it back, Stan opened it once!"

"Believe or not, that took the man 30 years! Did you really think he could do another 30 years? He failed this time and lost you in the process. How do you think that make him feel with all that weight on his shoulders?"

"But if he has everything, it shouldn't take him as long..." Dipper muttered. "He only took so long first cause he was alone and didn't have all the journals. Now he has Mabel and all the instructions."

Bill roared with laughter. The laugh echoed. Dipper covered his ears trying to block out the disturbing sound.

"Dipper! DIPPER!" A voice was calling him?

"Opps, looks like your alarm clock is going off," Bill hit his can on top of Dipper's head.

Dipper shot up from his sleep in a cold sweat. He looked around in a panic when hands came down on his shoulders making him jump.

"Dipper, it's okay. It's me. It's your uncle." 

The preteen looked up to the older man's face. "Grea...Great Uncle Ford...?" He tried to even out his breathing.

"Yes, my boy," Ford sighed in relief. "You just had a nightmare. Are you alright?"

"I-I-I don't know..." Dipper ran a hand through his hair.

"Do you want to talk about it? I know talking about nightmares is hard but I will listen." Ford said quietly.

He looked up at his uncle and took a deep breathe. "It was Bill."

"Oh..."

"Yeah."

"It was just a dream, Dipper."

"N-No, it wasn't."

"I am sure it was just a dream, he can't get to you."

"How can you be sure??"

Ford was silent at the preteen's words. He wasn't sure. It's been so long since he thought of that probability or those yellow eyes.

Dipper ran his hands through his hair. "What if..."

Ford grabbed one of his hands to make him stop from trying to put at his hair. "If he really wanted to, he would have done so already but he hasn't. You may be too far from his reach but just close enough for him to interfere with your sleep."

"Are you sure?"

Ford looked Dipper in the eyes and with a serious tone, "I promise he cannot reach you, Mason."

Dipper stayed silent looking up at his uncle processing his words.

"Do you trust me?"

Dipper hesitated for a second but nodded.

"Good," Ford smiled. "Do you want to try to go back to sleep? You've only slept for 20 minutes."

Dipper shook his head.

"Well if you are up for it, I would like to search around here for a little bit before we try finding a portal."

"For what?"

"I haven't been to this dimension but I heard some things from a friend that this is a great place to find a magical plant." Ford stood up brushing the dirt from his knees. "It is supposedly great for energy and powering up certain technology. Or just makes really good tea. He was a bit vague about it."

Dipper laughed.

"He was a wise old man who was a tad obsessed with tea."

"Where do you met these people?" Dipper wiped his face with the cleanest cloth in his pack. "How do you met these people?"

"Well, I met him on accident. Most of my encounters are that way. He was just one of the kind ones." Ford looked around watching for anything in the darkness beyond their campfire. "Look for any kind of glow."

Traveling through another dimension landed them in a rocky desert-like area. Everything seemed to give off a purple glow in the corner of your eye but when Dipper looked right at the rocks, he could have mistaken it as a desert back on Earth. Whatever it was, it was barren and wouldn't do the two any good staying longer than they needed.

They moved through quickly staying in the shade as much as they could. As the light source went down, the purple glow seemed to dim down with it but there was still nothing that looked like a living creature moving about. It made the preteen uneasy and he could sense his uncle felt the same.

"We'll find a portal soon enough, my boy. I would like to keep moving a bit longer, but if you are tired, we can rest."

"No, I'm fine!" Dipper said quickly. It wasn't really lying if you were only a bit tired and still had the energy to keep walking. He really wanted out of this place.

"Then we will keep moving," Ford smiled and moved on ahead. "Maybe we can find a shelter for when that sun comes up again so we can rest during the light hours."

"Sounds like a pl-"

"PINES!"

They both turned to see someone look vaguely human but some kind of green color and two sets of arms coming from glowing circle.

"Oh no." Ford pushed Dipper in front of him urging him to run ahead.

"What's going on??" Dipper didn't need to be told to run twice.

"I'll explain later!" Ford shouted as he pulled out a gun from his belt. He stopped once Dipper was a good enough distance and shot a both of electricity at what was chasing them but it only shot near their feet. "Shit." He ran to get caught up with Dipper waiting for the gun to charge up enough to try another shot.

"Fu-Crap." He shook at the gun as he looked around for his nephew but couldn't see him as he ran. "DIPPER!"

"Great Uncle Ford!" Dipper called from a rock above his uncle.

"Genius idea, my boy!"

Ford hurriedly climbed up after Dipper, but he felt a shook run through his arm as he reached for the top. He tried to keep himself up but the pain made it hard for him to keep his grip. Something grabbed the back of his jacket pulling him to ground as harshly as it could. He winced at the contact.

"I know you have it," the creature yelled holding a teaser like device in Ford's face. "I saw you take it!"

"I haven't...I haven't taken anything," he weaved out.

"Then why'd you run??"

"Ah, y-yes, that would make this confusing, but when someone is waving around a weapon one does tend to run away from said someone."

"Don't give me that!" A foot came down Ford's hand as he reached for his own weapon. "Give me that die, Pines!"

"I don't have anything."

Dipper was above watching all this happening not sure what he should do. He hasn't dealt with anything like this since Gideon and it was still nothing like this! He tried to steady himself looking around for anything that could help his uncle. "I don't have time!" He whispered.

The preteen's eyes fell on Ford's gun. He quickly looked back from Ford and the other thing was but regretted it as soon as he saw Ford thrown against one of the boulders. "Grunkle Ford!"

He jumped down tumbling in on his landing but quickly grabbing the gun and running toward them. He turned the gun in his hands hoping he was holding it right. Hoping he was doing this right.

"Hold on, hold on!" He whispered to himself.

"Get away from my uncle!" Dipper barreled into the side of the other as hard as he could making them both fall. The preteen dropped Ford's gun but quickly righted himself pulling the teaser from the creature's loosen grip. He was in-between Ford and the creature. He disarmed the other and only hoped he was holding it the right way. Dipper had no idea what he was doing but if there is anything he learned from watching Stan during tours, he could fake it.

Fake it 'til you make it.

"Give that back kid." The other went to get up but Dipper aimed the weapon at him making him hesitate.

"I have this now! And if you move any closer I will fire!" Dipper glared at the other almost daring it to call his bluff.

He almost thought the creature was going to until he slowly backed away. Getting at least 3 feet back before standing and holding his hands up. "Alright, kid, I'm going." He clicked something on his wrist. "But he took something and someone will be back to reclaim it." He disappeared in a flash of light.

Dipper blinked a few times from the light lower the teaser staring the now empty spot. He turned around to see Ford laying on the ground and rushed over to him.

"Grunkle Ford!" Dipper cried holding onto the older man's hand. "Grunkle Ford! Please be okay!"

"I-I'm okay, my boy." Ford patted Dipper's hand back. The old man winced when he tried to sit up.

"Don't move, Grunkle Ford!" There were tears in the corner of his eyes. "You must have hit your back too hard. Did you hit anything else? I've never been good with medical stuff but you should probably stay still."

"No, I believe it was just my back, possibly just my tailbone. I'm fine." Ford could move his arms and legs with nothing more than a soreness when he realized what Dipper has been calling him. "You called me 'Grunkle'?"

Dipper's cheeks seemed to grow red. "S-Sorry, I just got so use to Grunkle cause of Stan. I'll stop if y-you don't like it."

Ford chuckled. "It's fine. I like it. It's probably a bit easier to say than 'Great Uncle' all the time."

Dipper glowed at that remark being allowed to call Ford his Grunkle as silly as that seemed to the boy. "Y-Yes! Thank you Grunkle Ford!"

"Of course, Dipper," he rustled the boy's hair. "Can you check to make sure there are still those pills in your pack?"

"Yes!" Dipper quickly pulled his backpack off almost pour all the contents to the ground before finding a bottle. "Got it! I still have some water too!"

"Thank you. Can you help me up?" Ford asked holding out his hand to Dipper to help him sit up. He still winced but once he was sitting up, he knew for sure it was nothing more than a bruise forming. He was handed a pill and a small water bottle. Ford downed it quickly waiting for the effects to kick in.

"A-Are you sure you're okay, Grunkle Ford?"

Ford looked at the concern on the boy's face and smiled. "I'm fine, Dipper, but we will stay here for a time if it will make you feel better."

"I-I-I just...I was afraid you got really hurt when he...when he threw you."

"Well, it was a good thing I had you here. I don't think I could have made it out with just some bruising if you haven't ran him off."

"Y-Yeah?"

"Indeed, my boy. How many other twelve-year-olds do you think are capable of doing what you've just done?"

"I really did that?" Dipper was surprised by this own words. "I...did."

"You are amazing, Dipper and I am proud to know you're a Pines."

Dipper beamed.

"We should move soon, there is hopefully an opening somewhere close by so we can hop to the next place, but we shouldn't stay here."

"Right, right!" Dipper started shoving the stuff back into his bag. "A-Are you sure you're okay to move?"

"The pills are kicking in so don't worry about me." He reached for his own bag. "We will move in a little bit when it is easier for me to stand on my own."

"Okay, but please don't push yourself."

"I'm just a bit bruised, you don't need to fuss over me this much."

"Oh, come on, Grunkle Ford. You've been fussing over me worse than my mom the last few days when all that happened was a paper cut." Dipper crossed his arms. "And this is more than a paper cut."

"Hmm..." Ford rubbed his chin going slightly pink. "I may have been...fussing a lot lately, yes."

"My point."

The man chuckled. "Yes, yes, I see your point. I haven't been around children even in my time before the portal. I don't remember much about taking care of them."

"I am practically a teen, Grunkle Ford."

"I know, my boy," he rustled Dipper's hair.

Dipper made Ford wait at least 3 minutes before letting his uncle try to stand. Ford was grateful to have someone to worry about him and not rush like he's done before. It felt nice to be cared for again.

"I've been thinking..." Ford trailed off slightly as Dipper helped him up and stayed close when the preteen noticed him wavering as he walked. "I've been thinking of when we get back...to our dimension..."

"...Yeah...?"

"I've actually been thinking about it. Going back home." Ford smiled down at Dipper. "Not much farther than just getting back, but that's more than I've been thinking about it in years....I want to go back there. I want to go home."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Good, cause we are going back home," Dipper patted the man's arm. "And you are going to see your brother again, met Mabel and everyone else. It'll be great. You'll get to see Gravity Falls again."

"I hope so, my boy," He patted the preteen's head. "I miss it. I am honestly missing it...and hearing you talk about your sister, made me realize...I do miss my own twin."

"It's a twin thing, Grunkle Ford. Twins got to stick together."

"I see that now."

"You two just need to talk it out, like actually talk about feelings and junk. Mabel will help, she's good with that kind of stuff." Dipper held onto Ford's jacket sleeve as they walked slowly through the rock towers. "We'll eat pizza too."

Ford chuckled. "Though I am not sure how well I am going to take Stanley's explanation of what he has been doing the last 30 years, I look forward to listening to it."

It's been over a week since Dipper fell through the portal but with all the traveling, he lost track of time. The preteen was surprised that his uncle could keep track of time. They've traveled through a few dimensions with little incident other than some run-ins with creatures or a bounty hunter after Ford's head. Both ending with a lot of running and questions to why that was even remotely a good idea. At least the answer to the bounty hunter question was explainable. Why both of them thought they could get close enough to a sleeping creature to get some of its scale-like skin, was beyond them.

They both would fall into fits of giggles trying to think of an explanation. Dipper thought it would make a great story to tell his sister. Ford agreed as he watched the scale seem to glow from the light of their fire.

The two were traveling through an open field when it happened. They were grateful for a portal to finally open in front of them. Being out in the open unnerved both of them, but it felt different then the times before.

"Is that...?" Dipper asked when they saw a light appear in front of them. He could feel the pull toward it and...and it felt safe.

"I think it is," Ford said. He remembers the way the first time a portal like this opened. They had another chance and he wanted nothing more than to take it.

"We can go home..."

"We can. Hurry!" Ford quickly grabbed Dipper and rushed toward it.

When the two stepped into the rubble of what Dipper guessed was the basement of the Shack he was quickly engulfed by something. In a panic he pushed whatever it was away from him, but as soon as he saw Mabel's metal filled smile and her puffy eyes, he pulled her back into the hug. Too afraid to let go in case it was just a trick.

"I was so worried!" Mabel wrapped her arms around her brother again. "Grunkle Stan told us everything! About the portal and his brother! Everything! We had to get you back!"

He buried his head into her shoulder.

"I missed you," she whispered.

"I missed you too."

"I thought I would never see my favorite dude again!" Dipper felt himself and his sister being lifted off the ground. Both of them giggling before Soos put them back down. His eyes were also a bit red. "We tried everything to get you back as soon as we could! I'm sorry we took so long, dude!"

"It's alright Soos, I missed you too."

Mabel pulled away wiping the tears from her face when she noticed the older man watching them closely. "You must be the real Stanford!" She held out her hand. "My name's Mabel and I'm Dipper's twin sister!"

Ford smiled as he knelt down to her to shake her hand. "Greetings, Mabel."

"Wow, you really do have 6 fingers!" She said happily. "One finger friendlier than normal."

Ford chuckled as he turned to Dipper. "I like this kid, she's weird."

"Mabel has that effect on people," he shrugged. He turned to see Stan in the doorway looking like a deer in headlights.

"Is...Is it really you?" Before anyone could answer, Stan rushed over pulling Dipper into a hug lifting him off the ground. "Don't you ever do that again, I thought we lost you!"

Dipper wrapped his arms around Stan's shoulders. "I missed you too, Grunkle Stan."

"I should have been honest with you from the beginning then this whole thing could have been avoided. I'll tell you everything. And if you do anything like that again you're grounded," Stan put the boy back on the ground keeping his hands on Dipper's shoulders. "I am glad you're back."

"I am too," Dipper grinned.

Stan looked up behind the boy. "Stanford..." He stood up walking toward the other older man. "You're back...Brother!"

Ford punched Stan square in the jaw making his twin fall to the ground.

"Grunkle Ford!" 

"Sorry, my boy, I know I promised," he raised his hands defensively toward Dipper. "It just happened."

"It's alright, kid, I deserve that," Stan rubbed his face when a six fingered hand was in front of him. He took it without hesitation and Ford pulled him up. "It's probably the least I deserve." 

"What you did was stupid," Ford crossed his arms after he pulled his brother up. "Incredibly so."

"Hey, what do you expect? You told me to do something and you think that I would do anything different?"

Ford couldn't help but let a smile slip as he tugged his brother into a hug. "I honestly didn't."