It was June 1st, in Gravity Falls, OR, USA, and the Mystery Twins' fourth annual trip to the aforementioned place. A skinny, fifteen year-old Dipper Pines ran along a damp, deserted ally in the near-dark dusk light, racing the setting sun to get home in time for his sister's boyfriend's meet the family night, one of the most important nights of the summer, and one that happened quicker every year. It never ceased to surprised him how fast and how well Mabel gained a boyfriend every year. Though he was in a hurry, a race futile against time, he wasn't blind. A thin body was sprawled out to the side of the ally, clearly using the brick wall behind themselves to keep from falling over. They had long dark hair and a dirty t-shirt on. The ally wasn't very wide, nor clean, and they looked hurt. Dipper felt for them, felt their pain somehow affecting him as if it were his own.

"Excuse me, do you need help?" Dipper asked, cautiously walking over to the person. He didn't want to be stabbed, but he couldn't just leave them there. They just groaned. "Can I pick you up?" They nodded, but it was a jerking movement. Dipper had grown strong (sort of) from his spending every summer out here, but this person was light, almost like they had no muscle or fat at all. He jogged at an even pace now, not wanting to jostle the poor soul. The sun still cast it's radiance throughout the town, though it was meager and there were deep shadows in every niche and crack. He was exhausted by the time he got back to the Mystery Shack, mostly from running, but also from carrying the person. He walked up the steps to the shack and knocked on the door. Shouting echoed from the inside and it opened to a disheveled looking Mable. She had a cut above her eyebrow and her eyes themselves were bloodshot, but the bright cheery smile was still there, kept safe from the world like an old heirloom.

"Mabes! What happened to you?" He asked, walking inside slowly, making sure not to bang the person he held tightly in his arms against the doorway.

"What happened to you, Bro? You said you would be here, and you weren't! It went up in flames. Very. Big. Flames!" Mabel had a... history. Ever since she had first gone out with the stack of gnomes, Norman, she hadn't been able to score a real date with someone who wasn't supernatural. Their Grunkles therefore required a screening process for anyone she brought home.

"What was it this time?" Dipper asked, smirking.

"He is an elf. A beautiful, handsome, elf!" She cried, throwing her hands up. "Grunkle Stan could care less, but Ford hates him. I think he's just scared from having to fight Hot Elf a few times. He left a few minutes ago, begging me never to contact him again." She sniffled, her eyes tearing up.

"I'm sorry, but I was detained. As you can see... this person needs help. I couldn't just leave them! It took me a little long because of that." Dipper frowned at the bundle in his arms. "I'm going to go put them on the couch." He walked over and did as he said he was going to, then nealt by them. They simply rolled out of his arms, like a rag doll would. "Can you go get Grunkle Ford?" Mabel nodded, then ran off. Dipper stared at the figure, unmoving from it's splayed out position. He hoped, desperately that this mysterious figure would be all right. He didn't know why, but there was something about them that just made Dipper want to help them, made him want to heal the creature.

"Dipper? Is there som- oh my." He turned to see Ford trailing behind Mabel, with a dismayed expression on his face. "Get up, Dipper. I need to look at them." Dipper complied, his face worried. Ford stared at the figure for a minute or two, then stood and turned to face the twins. "There's something odd about this. This person is neither hurt nor diseased from what I can tell, yet they still seem to be in ill health. Dipper, can you run a bath? Mabel, can you make some tea? I don't know what's wrong, but it's bad." Dipper scurried off quickly to run a hot, clean bath for the teen. He placed his hands carefully on the faucet, making sure the temperature wouldn't be too hot or too cold. He filled their deep, beige tub about seventy five percent of the way up, the called to Grunkle Ford that the bath was ready. After a minute or two of waiting, the door opened, but instead of the old man he expected to see, there was the stranger, awake and, surprisingly, alive. They had golden-yellow eyes that caught Dipper's. The person didn't smile or thank him, instead they just looked down at the aqua floor tiles and gripped the hem of their shirt self-consciously.

"Dipper, you'll have to bath him. I'm sorry to put you in that... erm... awkward position, but you're the best possible candidite." Ford's voice echoed from the other room. Dipper blushed.

"Okay, well, I don't know why you can't bath yourself, but I'll do it," Dipper said to the tall teen, smiling nicely. The person just nodded curtly, then in a swift motion shut the door. "Um... I'll just stand over here and you can get undressed and in the water, okay?" The stranger nodded again and Dipper turned around. About five minutes later, a small unsteady voice graced Dipper's ears.

"You can turn around now." The person's voice was rough, like it had not been used in awhile, but it was sweet somehow. Dipper turned around, and was instantly stunned. The older kid was beautiful, like a statue come to life. His hair that was previously dark brown was now like pure spun gold, and his skin was also tinted gold. It shimmered under the florescent light of the bathroom, like fairy dust. "Is something wrong?" they asked, smirking.

"Oh, um. Nothing." Dipper recovered, shaking his head frantically. They laughed lightly, then began to cough. "Whoa, whoa." Dipper walked over. "So, what's your name and pronouns, anyway?"

"I'm... Will. I go with he/him. You? I guess I already know you're Dipper, but pronouns?"

"He/him, as well. Thanks. So, are you... okay?" Dipper smiled kindly again, hoping for a different response than before.

Will laughed, and it sounded like a breeze running through the trees. "Depends on your definition of 'okay' kid! Are we talking physically or mentally?"

"Physically, I think." Dipper gazed strangely at the person sitting across from him. "How old are you?"

"Why do you ask?" Will gazed back, his eyes hypnotic.

"Mmm... I was... just wondering," Dipper slurred, his head resting on his hand, which sat on the cool tub.

"Well, kid, it depends on your definition of time, but that's another story. Let's just say twenty, alright?" Dipper nodded distractedly, smiling at the boy in the tub.

"Dipper? How's it going in there?" Grunkle Ford's voice called from the other side of the door, jerking Dipper out of his reverie.

"Oh! Um... fine! It's fine- going!" Dipper shouted, sounding alarmed. There was no response from his Grunkle, which frightened him. Will smiled oddly, but the other boy didn't seem to notice.

"Are you okay?" Will asked, concern replacing the sinister expression.

"Yeah, thanks." Dipper smiled at him gratefully.

"Hey, this water is getting cold. Can I possibly borrow some clothes and stay here a night?" Dipper nodded and walked out of the small room. He walked up the creaky wooden stairs to his and Mabel's room. He dug around in their surprisingly roomy closet, looking for some clothes that might actually fit the man. After a few minutes of searching in a dusty chest, probably unsafely, knowing what Ford kept laying around, he came up with a blue and black plaid flannel shirt and some black skinny jeans. It would make a surprisingly passable outfit for leftover clothes. He nearly ran back down the stairs, busting into the bathroom.

"Hey, back already?" Will questioned sarcastically, smirking.

Dipper rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I'll be in the living room. Come out when you're ready and I can try and find you a place to sleep." He walked out before Will could say something rude.

"So? How do I look?" Dipper looked up from the Sibling Bros book he was re-reading to see Will doing a runway walk into the living room. He looked hot as Hell, but Dipper wasn't about to say that out loud.

"Devilishly handsome!" A voice answered for him. Mabel, of course. Will jumped, looking scared for a split second, but it quickly faded.

"Oh, well thank you, charming young madmoiselle!" He exclaimed, turning to meet Mabel. "And who are you?"

"I'm Mabel, she/her pronouns, and yes, I would love to go to dinner with you!" Mabel said, producing her hand. Will shook it, laughing.

"Well that is good to know, should I ever need a date, but I'm full in that department for now." Mabel made a face, but quickly started smiling again.

"Mabel, can you think of any free, clean rooms, that Will can stay for a night? I looked around a bit, but I can't find any." Dipper asked her, his eyes concerned.

She thought for a moment, cocking her head to one side. "No, I can't," she said, shaking her head. "I'll go ask Stan and Ford!" She ran out of the room.

"So? I never got your opinion on my ensemble. Do I pull it off?" Will asked again, crossing his arms behind his head. The fabric fit his lithe form perfectly, like a glove. A very... exciting glove.

"I..." His throat went dry. "I like it," he choked out, smiling sheepishly and feeling like an idiot. Why couldn't he just compliment Will like a normal person?

"Thanks," the other man said warmly, smiling back at him and seeming oblivious to Dipper's loss of words.

"Grunkle Stan says you can sleep in our room if you're not a pedophile!" Mabel ran back into the room, shouting.

"I'm not, as far as I know," Will said, laughing awkwardly.

"Did Grunkle Ford agree to that?" Dipper asked skeptically.

"Well he wasn't there to say no!" Mabel cheered.

It was bedtime, and Dipper was curled up in his bed, reading a book on quantum physics that Ford had recommended to him. It was fascinating, but he was tired from the circus of events that had happened in the last few hours. He was tempted to stay up and finish it, but he knew himself enough to know that that was a bad idea, especially with a house guest. Mabel was in her bubblegum pink bed across the room, fast asleep, and Will was on the floor, already snoring away, his blonde waves flung about the ancient mattress that he was laying on. He was hot even when he was asleep. Dipper immediately reprimanded himself for that. He shouldn't be thinking these things about a man five years his senior. Even if it was true. There was something off about him though, something that endeared Dipper to him. It seemed ominously familiar, and yet at the same time enchantingly different from anyone he'd ever known. Dipper fell asleep to thoughts about who Will might be, other than the poor maybe twenty-year old that had somehow gotten hurt and been flung out on the streets.

Dipper trudged along in the dark, alone and in the same alleyway as the one where he found Will. It was damp and musty, and dirty. The smell of an old dumpster someone forgot emanated from somewhere. He was sweaty and weary from a long, hard, day of work at Greasy's. Suddenly someone screamed, and the sound pierced through the night like a arrow, but it didn't seem to change the uneasy stillness that surrounded him. Terror filled his heart and mind. Dipper felt his adrenaline skyrocket, and he began to run, his lungs already heaving. Someone was following him. He had to get to the Mystery Shack. He needed to. Bill would get him if he didn't. But the alleyway never seemed to end. It went on as long as he ran, as far as he could see. Bill was in his mind. That's what this was. Bill was in everyone's mind. Dipper was the only one who could take back Dimension 46'/. His arm turned to liquid blood. It stained his shirt and shorts and arms and legs and knees and shoes and forehead and hair. He screamed. Everything went to black.

Dipper woke up, soaking in sweat. There were tears in his eyes, and he felt horrible, like what he could imagine his blood curdling would feel like. The arm that had turned to blood was sore and felt like he hadn't moved it in a decade.

"Are you okay, Pine Tree?" Mabel asked, her voice distorted as she asked the question. He screamed again, the old nickname of his giving him shivers.

"Is Bill in your head too? Did he get to you already? I was gonna save us! I need unicorn hair!" Dipper shouted, then began to cry, his bloodshot eyes welling up with tears. "I... can't save... anything..." He sobbed, curling up into a ball.

"Dipper? Are you okay?" Mabel asked again, this time getting up from her place on the floor and sitting on the edge of his bed. "You were screaming in your sleep," She informed him.

"Wait. Calm down." He told himself, ignoring Mabel. "It was a dream. I'm safe. We're safe. It was a dream, right Mabel? Bill's not back. Right?"

"He's not. We're all safe. We killed him, remember? We all did it together, and we'll all be safe forever." Mabel explained softly to him. He nodded.

"Right. We're okay." Dipper took a deep breath. "Did I wake anyone?"

"No, everyone's already awake. It's ten AM. Grunkle Stan told me to stay with you until you wake up. Everyone but Will is done with breakfast, but I'm sure he'd stay at the table with you and talk. I have to go to work now, since Grunkle Stan is really cracking down on my hours this year, so have fun for me!" She smiled happily and trotted off, probably more than ready to flirt with the boys who bought stuff.

Dipper stood up slowly, still not quite feeling steady from his dream. He thought about it as he took a shower, letting the cool water wash over and relax him. Did this mean Bill was back? He didn't know how, since they had defeated him, supposedly forever. But Grunkle Ford had offhandedly mentioned something about how forgiving the Axolotl was known to be. Really, in Gravity Falls, anything was possible one way or another. It was the charm of the place, really. Hope was abundant, and so was kindness. Dipper dried off and dressed quickly, crossing his fingers in hope of Will still being at the table. Dipper flew down the stairs and into the kitchen. Will sat peacefully at the table, sipping his coffee and eating pancakes, undoubtedly with Mabel-like amounts off maple syrup. His shirt was unbuttoned, showing his bare chest.

"Um... Hey, Will." Dipper said as he grabbed the last few pancakes and sat down across the table from Will to scoop some butter on them. They were cold by now, but Dipper wasn't really focused on eating anyway.

"Hello, Dipper! How are you on this fine day?" He sounded happy.

"I am... tired. I had a terrible dream last night. You?" Dipper asked, trying to be polite.

"Wait, wait. What was your dream about? I always talk about my dreams to someone, then they don't seem so very bad." Will explained, moving to sit next to Dipper.

"Well, I was walking home from... somewhere, down the same alley I found you, and then I-I heard a scream and was convinced someone was following me and I couldn't get out, so I ran. The next thing I knew, my arm... it was gone and Bill Cipher was in my head and I went crazy... then I woke up." Will smiled comfortingly and put his arm around Dipper's shoulders. Dipper blushed as he felt the man's bare chest brush his vest, and his thoughts went crazy. Will was so hot. Ugh! He wasn't supposed to think like that. He was supposed to think nice friendship things, not sexual things.

"Do you feel so terrible about it now?" Will asked, and all Dipper could manage was a simple shake of his head. "Are you okay?" Will asked, using the hand that was not around Dipper's shoulders to lift his head up to face Will. Dipper blushed harder. He could imagine it clearly, now, with their faces so close, unbearably so, him kissing Will and Will kissing him back. He could almost feel it already, his lips soft against the other boy's and it would be perfect. But that wouldn't happen. Will had clearly stated he was with someone else.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks," Dipper answered.

"Hmm... I don't believe you. You still look shaken. And sad."

"Well, I guess I have one question," Dipper wondered how Will seemed to know him so well, even though they had only met last night, and barely talked since then. "Who are you dating? I mean you said you were full in that department as of now, which clearly means you're dating someone, and why didn't they come find you or something last night? Clearly they can't care about you very much if they didn't worry about you enou-"

"Maybe I just didn't want to hurt Mabel's feelings." Will interrupted him. "And, anyway, I just have my eye on someone. They're really special, I can tell. I just met them recently, but I really like them." Will practically had stars in his eyes as he told the boy, and he gripped Dipper's shoulders tighter.

"Oh." Dipper looked back down at the ground, feeling awkward. "I like this one dude. He's really special too, but it might just be my bias. I don't think we'll ever happen, but someday it might be worth a shot."

"Everything's worth a shot if you like it enough to want to give it a shot, kid." Will smiled at him again, then got up. "I promised your Stans that I would either work in the gift shop or find another house and another job, so I better do that!" Dipper just stared at the beautiful man as he walked away, his hips swaying, a lucky glimpse of his bare back as the wind threw his shirt out like a cape behind him.

"I guess I should go work too," Dipper murmured underneath his breath. He stood as soon as he was finished with his meal and walked into the Mystery Shack's gift shop portion.

"Dipper, wonderful! I was just looking for you. I need you to go to the forest and harvest some griffin feathers. Take someone with you! It's not safe for you to go alone." Ford said, stepping into the elevator, and Dipper nodded.

"Hey, Mabel! You wanna go to the griffin's nest with me?" Dipper asked her, walking into the gift shop and leaning on the counter that she stood behind, waving bye to a boy leaving the shop who was about her age.

"Sorry Dip-Dop. As I told you, I actually have to work today. Tomorrow, though. I promise!" Mabel looked at him apologetically, then resumed checking out customers. Dipper sighed, disappointed at Mabel for her maturity. Ford would undoubtedly have something for him to do tomorrow though, so it was okay. He insinctively looked around for Wendy, but she was gone, and would be for another three years. It was her first year at college and away from home, and though it saddened Dipper, having his former crush and current friend away for so long, it was really good for her. She was getting her masters' in painting. Over the two years Dipper had known her, she had found a safe place in art and actually turned out to have a real knack for it. Whenever she painted, you could just see the joy that encompassed her. Soos was gone to, and so was his abulita, as there was a recent death in the family. Soos didn't give anymore information, but he said he would be back near the end of the summer, in time for the twins' birthday. That left... Will, who was nowhere to be seen. That was great. Really great. It wasn't that Dipper didn't want to spend time with Will. Under Mabel and Ford, he wanted to spend the most time with him out of anyone in Gravity Falls. But he needed a break from him. Dipper needed to get Will out of his mind for a few hours. He needed to reform how he thought about the man, since there were so many problems with how he currently did. They could never be anything. Will was five years older than him, for one. That's a pretty big gap, especially with both of them being on opposite sides of the age of majority. Will could even vote! Also, Will already had someone he was pretty set on, it sounded like. Someone as cool as Will would probably never see anything in a nerdy teenager, anyway. But Dipper still couldn't help but feel this... lightness, this pointless happiness, for his heart was free and in love. And it was all about Will. That was the problem.

"Hey, Dipper. I ran into Stanford, and he said to make sure you had found someone to go with you to find some... uh... Griffin feathers, was it?" Dipper jumped as Will walked up next to him, smiling wide. It was almost creepy. "Uh... so I'll go with you, if you haven't."

"Okay," Dipper sighed, smiling back at the man, ignoring his creepiness. "Let's go!" He would have to find his solace tomorrow with Mabel.

They walked out the door and into the fresh, warm morning air. It smelled like what hope might. The forest was spread out before them, thick and inviting, like it simply wanted you to get lost in it for hours. The sunlight shone throught the leaves as they walked through it and dappled the ground in patches of light and dark, like the coat of some great beast. There had been a rainstorm a few nights before, and the forest was still soaked through and through. The drops that fell from the trees cast miniature rainbows everywhere. It was like being inside a very green prisim. Flower sprinkled the ground here and there, adding a variegation to the browns and greens. The grass beneath their feet was springy and soft. It probably would have felt like feathers, had their feet been bare.

"So... where are we going?" Will asked, gazing in awe at the beautiful sight around them.

"This way," Dipper pointed, starting into the greenwood. Will followed him, still staring at the beauty around him. They walked in silence, Dipper focused on the trail, or lack thereof, and Will focused on the world around him. After a hour or two of silence, Dipper spoke up, startling Will. "So who are you?" It was a simple question, but Dipper said it like he was scared of the answer.

"I... honestly don't really remember. All I know is my name and that I was laying on the street and I was hurt and then you saved me. It's all very blurry before that," Will said, looking at Dipper solemnly, almost looking sad.

"What about that person you had an eye on, then?" Dipper questioned, skeptical.

"I told you, they are a recent acquaintance of mine." Well, at least it lowered the potential competition. Wait! Not those thoughts.

"So you have no recollection at all? No... nothing?"

Will just shook his head sadly, golden hair flying back and forth like an angle's would. "I have a few fragments, some colors, but nothing else."

They walked on and on, the hour stretching over the late morning like melting cheese on a pizza.

"Well, this is it! The griffin's nest." Dipper threw his hands back, like he was selling a car on TV. Will perched his head on top of Dipper's and looped his arms around the boy's shoulders. Dipper blushed, his heart racing. Why did Will do these things? Things he wouldn't protest. Couldn't. But they just made his budding affections worse. It was a huge tree, maybe 2 meters in radius, that held a nest a little smaller than the tree at the top. The leaves were a tawny brown color, even though it was the beginning of summer. They shined with late morning light. It was about 10 meters tall, too.

"That's pretty amazing. Why can't you see this from the Mystery Shack?" Will asked, his eyes wide.

Dipper shrugged. "Gravity Falls is a strange place. It's why I love it," he explained, smiling at the sky. "Let's climb. I wanna get home before dinner." Will nodded an okay, then they began to climb. Will went up first, launching himself up into the tree and grabbing the lowest branches. They were thin, but hardy, and supported his weight nicely. Dipper climbed up after him, almost in the same way, but he didn't jump quite as high and had to scramble a little to reach the low branches. Dipper, naturally, watched Will more than he watched where he was climbing. Dipper watched his scrambling feet and his legs, thin and graceful despite the tricky ascent, he was hypnotized by Will's swaying hips and the lustrous hair that flowed down his back. It occurred to Dipper that this man might have been a model at one point or another. They reached the top too soon for Dipper's eyes, but much too late for the rest of his body. He felt the exhaustion in every bit of his being, and no matter how many times he climbed this tree, he would. It was magic, he knew, probably made to keep those meaning harm at bay. They climbed into the nest and Dipper flopped down on the bottom of it, heaving. Will settled next to him, looking more fluid than a mermaid in water and not at all tired.

"You okay?" Will asked Dipper, his face taking on a concerned look.

"I just tire easily when I climb this tree. Thanks." Dipper said, smiling at him. Will smiled back and snaked his arm around the kid's shoulders. There was a long silence between them, a moment of understanding that lasted a seeming eternity. It stretched betwixt their eyes, as brown and gold-yellow met. Dipper's heart raced, and Will had a calm, collected smile on his face. Dipper got the sense that Will knew everything about how he felt, but he had no idea what Will felt back at him. His eyes were a swirling void of mystery, like all the secrets of the multiverse condensed into one person's intoxicating body. Dipper felt light headed all of a sudden, and dizzy. His vision wobbled like a ship at sea. He felt floaty and odd. Suddenly, he felt his spirt jerked out of his body, yanked out with the force of a stubborn mule. It took him a second to realize what exactly it was that was happening, that he was being dragged into the mindscape and that Bipper was back. He saw what was happening, but it nearly didn't register. Then it all clicked.

"Bill Cipher! What are you doing?! Give me back my body!" He shouted. "How are you even back here, anyway?" He muttered thoughtfully.

"Well, kid, I had to fight this demon with someone's body. Can't have you go to Hell just yet, you see. Would you rather I use Will's?" He asked, gesturing over to Will's unconscious and bruised body with his head and grinning.

"No!" Dipper screamed, causing Bill to laugh maniacally.

"Well, you needn't be so overdramatic! What's he to you, anyway?" Bill asked, stilling punching. The hippogryph looked disaffected, almost amused that such a small, spindly person (as the being inside of it was a very different story) would have enough audacity to try to hurt them.

"No-nothing! It's none of your business!" Dipper cried indignantly, sounding almost like Blendin. Bipper smiled wildly, then gave the hippogryph one last punch, significantly stronger than the last few, that sent them flying over the edge of the nest and onto the ground with a sharp squawk.

"Well, that's that. I'll leave you to it, then." Bill said, as the sun began to flash. Then everything went black.

A man sat on the edge of Dipper's bed, blocking his vision past a few centimeters. He had a long tan overcoat on and his hair was grey with flecks of white. It was Ford, reading a thick book but clearly not focusing on it very well. He frowned at it like it was a interdimensional criminal who he was interrogating. He glanced over at Dipper and he smiled.

"You're awake! Are you okay, Dipper?" Grunkle Ford asked, his face alight.

"I... think so." He said, his face contorting in pain as he tried to sit up. He slumped back down onto the pillow. "Is Will okay? What happened?" He asked, doing his best to look at Ford, but it was hard.

"Well, Will... he brought you here, then said he had to go. I didn't ask where. I thanked him and he ran off. He didn't explain what happened, but you were knocked out and scratched up all over and bleeding, it was horrible. Mabel's been worried sick and Stan hasn't slept in two days." Ford explained, his smile falling. "I'm just glad he didn't leave you back in the forest."

"Oh," was all Dipper could find in him to say, letting his head fall backwards again with an unceremonious thump, so that he was staring at the ceiling. "Well, can you get Mabel and Stan? I want to talk to all of you about something important." Ford nodded and got up, straightening the blanket that he had been sitting on. He walked out unceremoniously, probably already guessing what Dipper had to tell them.

Once Ford was out of the room, Dipper pulled back the blankets covering him. He sat up, almost robotically and unwound the sterile white bandages that shielded various lengths of his chest, legs, and arms. He nearly screamed. His torso was covered by lengthy gashes, nothing like what he had been expecting from Grunkle Ford's description of what had happened. They were an angry red and the smell of ointment washed over him, overwhelming his senses. A few tears ran down his face. If Dipper had been harmed this much, what had happened to Will? Was he okay? Why did he leave? Everything would just be fine if Will was here, Dipper was sure. Everything would just work out. Dipper wiped the tears away from his eyes with a free hand as he heard the creaking of the stairs, a sure sign his family was coming. He quickly wrapped himself back up, sloppy and probably unhealthy, he knew, but he had needed to see. Those scratches would soon be scars and he wanted to know himself before anyone else. It was an odd thought, but it ran through his mind like a breeze bringing the north wind. It made him shiver with the force of winter and for one second, he could have sworn he saw the sky outside turn the lonely gray it does in winter and snow starting to fall from the sky, through the triangle window that no one had bothered to remove. It was over as soon as it began, though, and Dipper's head swung around as soon as he heard the door open.

"Dipper!" Mabel cried, running towards him, tears in her doe-like eyes. She flung her arms around his torso and he squeaked in pain.

"Mab... ugh. Still fresh wounds!" He grunted, pointing to his chest. She released him instantly, crying out a sorry.

"What do ya' mean "fresh" Dip? You've been under for a we-mph!" Ford clapped his hand over Stanly's mouth.

"He means a day or two." Ford amended, glaring at his twin.

"I've been asleep for a week?!" Ford sighed.

"Sadly."

Dipper stared at him, speechless.

"Anyway, Dip Dop, Ford said you had something important to tell us?" Mabel asked, cocking her head. She met Dipper's eyes and leveled them with her naive ones. Her gaze had the clairity of a child's, but the wisdom of a old woman.

Dipper was going to tell them about Bill. He really was. He was intending to, right up until he opened his mouth. It hung open, almost as if he was surprised, and in a sense he was. "I just wanted to tell you that I really want Chinese food right now." Dipper almost started laughing at himself for how stupid he sounded, but held his tongue. It was important that everyone believed him.

Mabel laughed. "Is that all, Dip? You made it sound as if Bill was back in town or something! Thank goodness!" Stan and Ford started laughing too.

"We can get you Chinese. What do you want?" Stan asked him, smiling.

"Umm... surprise me?" He knew he sounded uncertain, but that was that. He couldn't quite remember any dishes from the single "Chinese" place in Gravity Falls.

"Will do, bro!" Mabel nodded enthusiastically, then walked out of their room. Stan and Ford soon followed, after some muttered words about they were sure he'd get better in no time. The moment they left the room, he collapsed back down onto the bed and cried. He cried and cried and cried for what felt like hours, but couldn't have been. His eyes were bloodshot and tear-filled, but after a while, he couldn't cry anymore. It was like his eyes dried up. It was the weirdest feeling, a strange elation that he couldn't quite trace to the source, yet it seemed painfully obvious. His mind filled with photographs of Mabel, Grunkle Stan, and Grunkle Ford, all laughing. Then him, laughing too. Then there was Will. He smiled, but his eyes showed layers of sadness. Of longing. His mouth curled contently, but his yellow orbs cried 'I miss you'. Dipper shook his head, trying vainly to get the dreaded images out of his head. It didn't work.

Ford delivered the food a little bit later. He brought in a steaming hot styrofoam box of some meat covered in a reddish sauce that looked like watery, thicker blood. He could already taste the revolting spiciness. Dipper really hated Chinese food. It always tasted bland or too spicy, or watery and slippery, to him, and he hated soup, too. It was nauseating, but his stomach rumbled in sheer defiance of throwing up due to the unparalleled huger pains he was experiencing.

"Thanks, Grunkle Ford," Dipper said, trying to smile.

"No problem, Dipper," Ford answered, smiling back and walking back out. Dipper's lips fell almost before the older man was out of his room. But he had to eat. And he should tell the others about Bill. Or should he? He had obviously stopped himself before for some reason, but what was it? Dipper was deathly scared for everyone's safety, but he didn't... no, he couldn't say. His belly rumbled, reminding him that there was food in front of him that he had to eat. He blinked slowly, trying to steel his mind for the disgust that was about to come. He plunged the plastic fork into the dish and shoved it in his mouth. It tasted like spaghetti. Wait, what? Dipper opened his eyes, frowning. The foam box was full of spaghetti. That didn't make sense, because he clearly remembered ordering Chinese in a moment of fear. He poked at it with his fork, trying to tell if he was crazy or hallucinating or something. But it seemed solid and very spaghetti-ish. Dipper took another bite, and flavors explode into his mouth. It's amazing and tastes just like Greasy's. Dipper ate it faster than he'd ever eaten something before, and finished in a few minutes. Then it hits him, like a smack upside the head.

Bill did that.