Dipper didn't even have time to scream before panic seized him. His throat closed up, his heart was beating loudly in his ears, his entire body trembling, and he couldn't breathe. But he couldn't do this right now.

Reacting blindly and impulsively, Dipper sprinted across the shore and dived into the frigid dark water. His eyes burned as he tried desperately to see through the murky water and sea life. He swam deeper and farther, desperately searching for any sign, any hint, any remains of—

There!

Raz's eyes were wide with fear and panic as he desperately struggled against the translucent hand that was wrapped tightly around his ankle, dragging him further down. Dipper swam as fast as he could towards them.

The moment he was close enough, Dipper wrapped his arms around Raz's torso and tried to kick back up. 'Raz!' he shouted desperately in his head, 'Listen to me, you need to calm down. Focus one of your psi-blasts at that thing. The strongest one you've got!' Dipper repeated the words over and over again in his head, lungs burning as they were dragged deeper and deeper.

Eventually, Raz stopped flailing and moved both of his arms to take aim at the hand. The blast was strong enough to instantly destroy the hand (temporarily destroy it, Dipper worried. He didn't know whether it could re-manifest or not, or even how long it would take if it could. They'd have to get to shore as quickly as possible) and propel the two all the way back to the surface of the water.

They gasped greedily for air but didn't dare revel in the moment of freedom. They started back for shore, Dipper still gripping tightly to Raz who was doing his best to help them paddle and stay afloat. Dipper could feel the water resisting them. Like a million tiny hands trying to push them farther away from land and pull them back under. No, not them, just Raz.

Dipper swam harder.

Eventually, just when Dipper was starting to feel like the hand, if it could come back, was definitely upon them, he felt sand under his feet. He wasted no time in throwing Raz to shore, far enough away that the tide didn't even touch him. Raz quickly scrambled farther away. Dipper collapsed tiredly on the wet sand, panting and cold. After a few moments of regaining his breath, Dipper tilted his head back to see Raz.

Raz was on his hands and knees, eyes wide and unseeing, entire body shaking and breathing heavily. Dipper rolled onto his stomach before getting his feet under him and hurrying over.

"Raz?" he asked, "Are you okay? Well, I guess not but are you having a pa—"

"Shut up!" Raz shouted, cutting Dipper off and stunning him into silence. "Just shut up, okay?!" Raz shook his head wildly and went down on his elbows, eyes shutting tightly and forehead pressing to the sand. "God, fuck!"

Dipper watched, horrified and scared as Raz shattered, screaming profanities and curses. When Raz started to pound his head against the ground, Dipper reached out to grip his shoulder. He didn't even get the chance to speak before Raz jerked and wildly flailed his arm, knocking Dipper away.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" He roared, quickly bringing his arm back close to him. "God, I hate this! Just—fuck I can't—I don't—shit!"

Dipper cradled the arm Raz knocked away and stared helplessly. He'd just wanted to investigate a small anomaly around the beach. Raz had been the only one free so he'd asked him to tag along. He didn't know—he never thought that-a hand had just appeared and grabbed Raz the moment the water brushed his shoes.

Dipper swallowed and looked down before glancing over his shoulder to stare at the water. He pursed his lips and turned to sit down cross-legged, back to Raz. He wasn't sure what had happened or why but if that hand came back, it would have to go through Dipper first. He tried hard to ignore Raz behind him, sure that the psychic would hate it if Dipper was any more privy to his moment of weakness than he already was.

Time passed and Dipper wasn't sure how much. Eventually, Raz quieted down and Dipper waited a few more moments before glancing over his shoulder. Raz had stopped shaking and banging his head but now he just looked exhausted and defeated. The expression on his face was the saddest that Dipper had ever seen from him.

"Raz?" he asked hesitantly. Raz's eyelids cracked opened and his eyes tiredly moved to focus on Dipper's worried expression. "Are you…" Dipper wasn't sure how to end that question. Obviously Raz wasn't okay. Raz seemed to understand anyway and shrugged in response, eyes falling back to the ground. They sat in silence for a few more moments before Dipper cleared his throat. "So, uh," he said, awkwardly fidgeting, "What was…all that about?"

Raz didn't respond for a long time. Dipper fidgeted the entire time before he heard Raz say, "I'm cursed." He stared at his friend in confusion, unwilling to ask what he meant. He didn't have to. "A band of gypsies cursed me and my entire family so that whenever we're in water any deeper than our ankles, the Hand of Galochio emerges to pull us under. It's already gotten to half my family."

Dipper had not known that. Raz hardly ever talked about his past beyond his exploits with the Psychonauts. No home, or family, or anything. Raz should've told them. Dipper should've asked. He should've known. Why wouldn't Raz have ever told them? That kind of information is important. It helps avoid danger and panic. It helps avoid situations like this one.

"Because I didn't want to talk about it." Raz snapped. Dipper hated when he read his mind. "I didn't want to remember it, or them, or have to think about any of it."

Dipper could understand that, there are just certain memories and things that can't be allowed to remerge. But with things that could literally make or break a situation, things that they could prepare for and take into account—things that could save a life, there was no excuses. Withholding that kind of information just runs a much higher risk of endangering others than it would if they knew. Dipper thinks this all loudly enough that he knows Raz hears it. When he sees the psychic's frown deepen and eyebrows draw tighter together, he knows for sure Raz heard.

"I did." Raz spits, "And I know. But I just…I just couldn't."

Dipper nods because he can understand that much. They stay there for longer. Eventually Raz flops onto his back, limbs sprawled out and eyes staring up at the darkening sky. Dipper turns back to cautiously watch the water and they're silent for a long time.

Later, when they stand to start the trek back home, cold, damp, and with sand stuck to them, Raz turns to Dipper and stares at him for a long second before saying, "Thank you for saving my life."

Dipper rolls his shoulders and gives him a small easy smile. "We're friends dude; I'll always save your life."

Raz doesn't stop staring. Dipper doesn't blame him. Out of all of their friends, Raz and Dipper aren't the closest. Their interactions are the most limited and half of them consist of pointless arguments. Raz had only even come with Dipper because no one else would. "I'd do the same for you know." He says eventually. "In a heartbeat."

Dipper nods because, yeah, he knows that. They're a team but more than that they're friends. Each and every one of the people in close kit bunch of misfits would readily take a bullet for each other. "I know, Raz."

Raz nods back at him and smiles. They don't talk for the rest of the walk home.