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It isn’t over.
The tear in the sky is still there, the monsters still roam around, the town is still destroyed, and Bill still rules Gravity Falls with an iron fist. He has made himself at home in a town that never asked for him, and he has no intention of ever leaving.
Things have stayed the same way since Dipper last saw it.
But now — now he has Mabel.
Mabel, who has always had his back since the very beginning; his sister who pushed him to become someone better, who watered the flowers in his empty garden. He’s honestly not sure why he even considered leaving her. He can see it now: he wouldn’t even have been able to watch her step on the bus alone. It’s them against the world; it always has been.
There are ten things he wants to tell her after they escape Bill’s prison.
i.
“Are you okay?”
It’s almost midnight — well, it feels like it is, one can’t really tell with the ever present redness of the sky if it’s day or night — and Dipper can hear her sniffling through the worn-out covers.
She doesn’t reply; the sniffling stops in an instant, and its place is a soft, shaky breath. He can only make out her silhouette, her arms reaching over to her eyes to wipe away the tears. She turns her back to him on the bed, and Dipper feels a pang in his chest. She isn’t still mad, is she?
“Mabel?” he whispers. They’re lucky enough to have gotten the room in the attic all to themselves still, as everyone else preferred to sleep downstairs. “I know you’re awake.”
I know you were crying.
Still nothing.
Dipper sighs, and resists the urge to come over to her. “If you want to talk about, you know I’ll listen, right? But it’s okay if you don’t. You don’t ever have to unless you want to. I just — I just want to make sure you’re okay. So, uh…are you?”
In the dim light, he can see her shake her head. “It’s stupid,” she mumbles, still unmoving. “I’ll be better in the morning. Don’t worry about me, bro bro.”
“Are you sure? Do you want me to come over there? Just tell me and I’ll do it—”
“Dipper,” she interrupts softly. “I’ll — I’ll be okay.”
He decides to settle with that answer for the night. “Okay.”
(he doesn’t fall asleep until he knows she is, until he’s sure that she’s not going to wake up from another nightmare. he makes sure she’s still breathing.)
ii.
“Hey,” he says when they sit down to eat breakfast. “Wanna help McGucket go over the plans for the Shack-bot?”
She smiles at him, like she always does. It’s almost as if they’re not in the middle of an apocalypse; it’s almost like she hadn’t cried herself to sleep the night before. Almost.
(he knows his sister better than anyone. there’s not a sweeter and more thoughtful person in this world — but the kindest people are also the most vulnerable. and Mabel — Mabel is vulnerable.)
“The Shack-bot?” she asks, a teasing smile playing on her lips. “I think we should change the name.”
“What’s it gonna be? Mabel Fluffy Cat 618?” Dipper jokes lightly. He takes a sip of water.
Mabel lights up. “You read my mind, brother. Wait — does that mean we can read each other’s mind and it’s no longer a myth? Have we achieved the level of twin-sibling-ness that allows us to do that? Guess what I’m thinking of right now.”
“The water tastes and it’s terrible?” he guesses with a sour look on his face as he puts his water back on the table.
Mabel frowns. “I was thinkin’ about how cool life could be now with telepathy. Aw, man, you really got me excited there.”
“Sorry,” he mutters. “I shouldn’t have gotten your hopes up like that.”
“No!” she exclaims. “I — uh — it’s fine, Dipper. I was just…joking. Yeah.”
“Are you okay?” he asks her again. “You didn’t seem too good last night.”
Mabel tenses up. “Uh—”
“I still stand by what I said,” he adds quickly. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. Only if you’re ready. Don’t ever feel like you have to just because I’m asking.”
“Okay,” she says, her voice soft. “Okay.”
“I won’t push,” Dipper tells her. “You know that.”
“I know you won’t,” she says, her shoulders relaxing by the slightest bit. “I trust you.”
Dipper smiles and squeezes her hand. “Syrup race?”
She grins. “You’re on.”
iii.
Something is different between them.
There’s a shift in Mabel’s light eyes when she looks at him. Her shoulders look heavier, like she carries the weight of the world on her shoulders, and every day it gets heavier. She avoids eye contact with him when she can, but he keeps coming back to her like a magnet.
(the truth is: Dipper doesn’t want to get her out of his sight. he can’t risk losing her again; he can’t risk the dream demon taking her away from him again. he can’t watch her prick the thorns of his garden again and again and again. he just can’t.)
But the way she looks at him with a sad smile and a cloud over her eyes makes him think twice. Did he do something wrong? Did he say something that hurt her?
Why does she look so…guilty ?
What could she possibly be guilty of? It’s not her fault the rift broke in his backpack, it’s not her fault Bill took her away, it’s not her fault they’re in this mess — nothing is her fault.
(it’s his.)
And he wants to tell her that. He wants to shake her and tell her it’s not her fault because it isn’t . They all make mistakes, and they all mess up so bad it seems like there’s no way to fix it. But they get through it because they’re stronger than the circumstances surrounding them. They’re smarter, stronger, and better .
Well, they should be.
And Mabel is the strongest person he knows.
iv.
“Are you sure about this?”
“Yes.” Mabel doesn’t look up as she continues to sew. “This way, I’ll be able to be of more help.”
You being alive is a lot of help already.
“But these are all your sweaters, Mabel! Five years worth of sweaters! And you’re just going to let them go — just like that?” he asks. Honestly, Dipper’s not sure why he’s arguing against this. It’s a good plan, yeah, it really is, but these sweaters meant something to Mabel. They meant memories, love, heartbreak, and herself . They’re her proudest works. They’re everything she is. She can’t just ignore that.
But she is.
“It’s for the best, Dipper. I want to help,” she says as she finally looks up at him. “And we’re going to need all the help we can get. If we use them as parachutes, we’ll be a lot safer. ”
He can’t argue with that. “But your sweaters—”
“Mean a lot to me, yeah, I know that. But the memories I have with them are all up here, so it’s okay,” she places a hand on her temple. “It’s okay.”
Dipper sighs. “Okay.” He slumps down next to her and picks up a needle. “So how can I help?”
Her lips twist into a smile. “You can start over there, with the puppy playing basketball sweater.”
He reaches for it. “You know, I really liked this one. I see something in it.”
I see you.
“Yeah?” Mabel says with a wide smile. She throws an arm around him. “Well, listen up, brother, because once this whole thing is over, I’m gonna make you an even better one.”
Dipper laughs, a hearty one that rumbles from his stomach to his throats. It feels good, natural. “Sounds good to me.”
Her smile is worth more than anything in this world. “Just you wait.”
v.
The nights are the coldest.
His blanket is reduced to a towel, so Dipper tries to focus on falling asleep rather than the shiver in his bones. Sometimes it’s more than just the cold.
There’s always the lingering thought of what may happen if they don’t win this war; what if the demon wins? What happens next? Do they all just turn into golden statues saved like trophies? Will they watch time pass them by through broken glass? Will the world ever know their story?
Will they live to see tomorrow?
The real plan starts with Grunkle Ford. He’s the one who knows how to stop Bill, not them. If their mission to save him fails, then they have no their choice than to hide out in the Shack for as long as they can (and that may result in having to eat the gnomes). There’s no way in or out. They’ll be completely stuck in an apocalypse with no end.
Dipper has read more books than he can count. And in each story, the hero always wins. The hero always saves the day, fixes the problem, or figure out what’s next.
(he doesn’t feel like a hero.)
They have a plan. A good plan. But what if it’s not enough? What if they’re the first heroes to fail their mission? What if this is the end?
“Are you still awake?”
A whisper against the silence — one that has never been as loud before. Dipper pushes all his thoughts away, all the screams in his head, and forces out a reply.
“Yeah,” he answers. “Just thinking.”
“About what?”
He bites his lip. “What we’re gonna tell our teachers when they ask us what we did during the summer.”
Mabel lets out a soft laugh. Dipper savors the sound of it. Laughter is becoming rarer these days, and he does his best to act like they’re something to smile about.
You’re my something to smile about .
“Can I tell them about Waddles?” she asks.
He shrugs. “I don’t see why not.”
His sister is silent for a moment. “Dipper?”
“Yeah?”
“What are we gonna tell Mom and Dad?”
Dipper isn’t sure of what to say. “I don’t know. We might have to bend the truth a little.”
“I don’t want to lie to them,” she replies. Then she sighs, saying, “But you’re right. They won’t believe us.”
“No one will,” he adds. “We’ll have each other, though. That’s okay, right?”
“Yeah,” she whispers. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
He smiles. “Me neither.”
For a moment, he thinks she’ll finally tell him what’s been bothering her so much. But a beat passes, and she doesn’t say a single word.
“We’re going to be okay. We’re going to make it through the end,” he reassures her, but maybe it’s mostly to reassure himself. “We’re going to turn thirteen, and it’s going to be the best party we’ve ever had.”
“That sounds nice,” she says with a yawn, her voice sleepy. “Good night, Dipper.”
“Good night, Mabel.”
vi.
“Hey, Dipper,” a gruff voice says from behind him. Stan looks back at him with a hint of — is that concern? worry? — something on his face. “I need to talk to you about something for a sec.”
“As long as it’s nothing illegal, I’m all for it,” Dipper quips, earning a glare from his uncle.
“Kid, anything’s legal nowadays,” Stan retorts with a huff. He drags Dipper into the kitchen, where no one else could eavesdrop.
“What’s wrong? What did you do?” Dipper asks with an eyebrow raised. “You didn’t try to eat Schmebulock yet, did you?”
“What? No! Of course not,” the older man replies. His arms cross, and his eyes glance at the door and then back to his nephew. “It’s about your sister.”
Dipper’s eyebrows furrow. “What about her?”
“Doesn’t she seem, I dunno, kind off to you?” Stan says softly. His eyes are full of concern. “She seems cheery around groups of people, tried talkin’ to her once alone and she basically ran away from me. Did I do somethin’ to — you know, hurt her? Kid can be unpredictable at times.”
“That’s what I’ve been thinking, too,” he admits. “But I don’t think she’s mad at you. I feel like it’s more of guilt. And I have a feeling it has something to do with me.”
Stan presses his lips into a firm line. He considers his nephew’s words. “I know you two didn’t seem to be on good terms before all of… this . You and Ford had been hanging out a lot, and your sister—”
“I know, I know,” he mutters, a sharp pain jabbing at his heart. “I wasn’t thinking about what she felt. I was being selfish.”
“Can’t argue with that,” Stan points out. He doesn’t seem to be mad. His eyes turn soft as he looks directly into Dipper’s eyes. “But kid, listen to me. Have you apologized?”
“Yeah, I mean,” Dipper replies as he remembers the hug that they shared at that monstrous courtroom. “At least I thought we made up, but like you said, something’s wrong. There’s something she’s not telling me. She always looks so guilty for some reason. I wish I could tell her that this isn’t her fault.”
“Well, best we can do is hope it ain’t somethin’ too bad. ‘Sides,” Stan says a little lighter, the ends of his lips tugging upwards into a smile, “nothing can be worse than our situation right now.”
Dipper appreciates it. “The Shack-bot’s going pretty well, though, considering our chances.”
Star raises an eyebrow. “Didn’t ya hear, kid? Mabel renamed it to Shacktron.”
“Oh,” Dipper says. A smile creeps into his face. “She made it sound even cooler.”
“Yeah, well, McGucket’s taken a liking to her,” Stan tells him.
Dipper starts turning to the door. “Speaking of him, I should go help him with the plans.”
“Dipper, wait.”
“What’s wrong?”
Stan kneels before him, putting a hand on his shoulder. He takes a deep breath. “Promise me you and your sister won’t turn out like my brother and me.”
Dipper releases a shaky breath. Things have changed; he’s not sure what the future has in storm for them. “I’ll try my best.”
“Promise me,” he says, insistent.
He closes his eyes. “I promise.”
(and there’s another promise to add to the list of ones that he’s going to have a hard time keeping.)
(but he’ll try his best this time. he’ll try harder he ever has before.)
vii.
It’s the night before the fight, the calm before the storm. After tonight, things will be different. Things will change — for the better.
He just hopes it will all work out according to plan.
Mabel lies across him on her own bed. She’s awake, he knows she is, and it sort of feels like he can hear her heart beating in sync with his own. She’s nervous, too, he can tell. Who isn’t?
“Mabel?” he calls, his fingers fidgeting.
She hums in reply, turning to the left to face him. “Yeah?”
“How do you do it?”
“Do what?” she asks, sounding confused.
“Smile,” he replies in a whisper. “You smile even when you’re afraid. Or when you’re nervous and the world is falling apart. How do you do it?”
Mabel shrugs. “I guess it helps to pretend you’re not afraid when you’re scared on the inside. It lessens the fear, I think.”
“Oh,” he says. He remembers the way her eyes grow dim when she thinks no one’s looking; he remembers how her shoulders sag at the end of the day; he remembers how her smile twitches every day the dream demon is mentioned. He knows Mabel better than anyone — and this recent Mabel isn’t the same Mabel who came with him to Gravity Falls at the start of the summer. A part of her is broken.
They all are, in a way.
“I know I’ve told you this before, but I want to say it again in case you’ve forgotten,” he says, trying to make his voice as calm and soft as possible. “You don’t have to carry the weight of the world all by yourself, Mabel. Two hands may not be enough, but maybe four are. You can tell me what’s going on. I’m always here for you.”
“I know, I know,” she whispers. “Dipper, it’s not that I don’t trust you not to tell you. I’m just…scared.”
“I am, too,” he admits. “But we’ll do it together, like we always do.”
“Yeah. Together,” she repeats, as if trying to convince herself more than anything.
And I’ll—” his voice catches in his throat. “I’ll protect you no matter what…even if it kills me.”
Mabel remains silent to his words. She mumbles a “Good night,” and then she’s asleep.
Dipper tries to fall asleep, too, but he keeps seeing the same pattern in his dreams.
(Mabel keeps dying.)
viii.
Dipper remembers how their first day at Gravity Falls played out. He remembers Norman, fighting off a gnome monster, finding Journal 3, hugging Mabel, and Grunkle Stan giving him the pine tree hat.
Grunkle Stan.
The one relative who’s ever cared about them enough to try to protect them from the unknown; the one relative who has more secrets than good jokes; the one relative who is as stubborn as he is; the one relative who would protect the people he loves to the point of losing himself—
I’ll protect you no matter what…even if it kills me.
Dipper can’t find it himself to get mad at Stan for coming up with such a horrible plan and following through it because — he would have done the exact same thing if Mabel’s life was on the line.
(and Mabel’s life was on the line, and he would’ve started screaming that he knew the answers just to get the dream demon to let her go, even if he didn’t, but Stan had beat him to it.)
Dipper’s not sure of what to feel at this point. He’s just…numb.
And Mabel — Mabel is a crying mess.
He tries to hold her, but her shoulders are shaking so badly that he can barely keep a hold on her. Dipper lowers his hat over his head, and tries to block it all out.
That’s why I’m hard on Dipper. To toughen him up. So when the world fights, he fights back.
He’s really comin’ along. When push comes to shove, I’m actually proud of him. Just…don’t ever tell him that.
He’s stubborn, that’s his problem. Sorta like me, I suppose.
Kids, listen. This town is crazy, so you need to be careful. I don’t know what I’d do with myself if you got hurt on my watch.
It’s all too much. Too much.
Mabel’s shouting words he can’t really understand, but a part of his brain follows along and helps Stan back into the Shack. He looks hopelessly lost and confused.
But then Mabel picks up her scrapbook and — it actually works. It works.
Stan is getting his memory back. He’s coming back to them.
He’s coming home.
ix.
Hours later, they crash at Soos’s house while the Shack is still being repaired, and Dipper stares at the ceiling, trying to absorb everything.
Stan’s still trying to find pieces of himself and put them back together. It’s going to take a lot of work and a lot of time. But it’s okay. It’s better than nothing.
Anything is better than nothing.
He turns to the right, where Mabel lies next to him on the makeshift bed on the floor. Her breathing is soft, as she stares up at nothing.
“Are you okay?” he whispers. They’ve been in this position too many times the past few days. It’s almost like clockwork. “Today sure was something.”
She sighs. “Yeah,” Mabel replies, shutting her eyes. “Sure was something.”
“I’m just glad it’s all over,” he says after a beat. He’s exhausted.
Mabel remains completely still for a couple of seconds. Then she sits up, opening her eyes and taking a deep breath. “Listen, Dipper,” she says, pausing a bit. “I need to tell you something.”
“Oh,” he says, his heart racing as he follows suit and sits down. He can barely make out her face in the dark, but it’s okay. He doesn’t need to see her to listen.
(is this it? is she finally going to tell him what’s been bothering her? why she always looks at him with shame and guilt in her eyes? why her touch always seems so faraway and distant? is she finally coming back to him?)
“You don’t have to—”
“I want to,” Mabel interrupts. Her eyes squeeze shut. “Just...try not to get mad.”
“I could never be mad at you,” he tells her with an honest smile.
Her smile tells her that she appreciates his words. “Okay, here it goes,” she says softly.
“I’m the one who gave Bill the Rift.”
Oh.
Oh.
“I just thought that maybe — I mean, I know there’s really no excuse for this, but I just thought, y’know? I didn’t know it was him, he looked like Blendin, and he told me that I — that I could have an endless summer, and I really wished things would stay as they were because Wendy started telling me about high school, and you were telling me about how you were leaving me and — and — and—” she cuts herself short, clutching at her stomach. Her voice tones down into an almost inaudible whisper. “ I gave it to him. I’m the reason for Weirdmageddon. It’s my fault Grunkle Stan lost his memories. It’s all my fault, Dipper.”
Dipper’s just lost. Mabel — how could she — she caused this — but then again, he never told her the truth about it in the first place — so really, it’s his fault — and oh god, they’re a mess — and—
Dipper starts to laugh. He starts to laugh because they’re both just two broken teacups, it’s all over now, and they don’t have to be afraid anymore. It doesn’t matter who caused it anymore. What matters is that they’re here now, and they’re alive.
They have each other.
“Dipper?”
“It’s not your fault, Mabel,” he murmurs. “I never told you about it in the first place. I was just being dumb. And besides, it’s all over now. He’s gone.”
She blinks at him. “So you’re not mad?”
He shakes his head. “We just made a couple of mistakes, that’s all. We’re okay.”
Mabel nods, a soft smile curving up on her pink cheeks. She hugs him tightly, without a single intention of letting go anytime soon. “We’re okay.”
And that, for now, is enough.
x.
“Happy birthday, Mabel,” Dipper says as he holds out a small book for her. It’s a small, pink notebook with twice as many pages as her last scrapbook. “I figured now that summer’s over, you’d want a new scrapbook for your new adventures.”
Mabel grins, wrapping him in a firm hug. “ Our new adventures, bro bro. You’re the most amazing brother in the entire universe, you know that right?”
Dippr laughs. “I’ll be sure to remember that.”
Mabel picks up a medium-sized box from the bed. “Here,” she says, holding it out to him. “I made it out of my sweat, blood, and other bodily fluids.”
“Gross,” he comments, while lightly punching her in the shoulder. He takes the box from her hands, anyway. He unwraps the ribbon gently, and pulls the lid off to reveal a light blue sweater. There are small white dots on it, connecting together to form the Big Dipper. He wastes no time putting it on. Dipper grins, and pulls her into another hug.
“You’re the most amazing sister in the world, you know that right?”
Mabel grins. “I’ll be sure to remember that,” she repeats. Her laugh tickles his ear.
“Thank you,” he whispers into her ear. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, Dipper.”
“Ready to head into the unknown?”
“Let’s do it.”