Dipper's hand hovered inches above the glowing red button, a look of determination on his face. "This all stops now-"
"Don't touch that button!" Dipper's hand froze. In the doorway stood Grunkle Stan, panting as if he'd just run a mile.
The silence cut deep into Mabel's ears, save for the rhythmic beating of the countdown, and the whirl of the portal.
Stan stepped farther into the room, holding his hands up in defense. "Dipper, just back away," he said, trying to coax the twelve-year-old away from the red light. "Please don't press that shut down button. You gotta trust me."
Dipper scowled at him, his hand still hovering threateningly over the button. "And I should trust you why?" he asked, blood boiling. "After you stole radioactive waste? After you lied to us all summer?" he pointed an accusing finger at Stan. "I don't even know who you are!"
Stan took cautious steps toward his nephew, still holding his hands up. "Look, I know this all seems nuts, but I need that machine to stay on." he bit his lip. "If you'd just let me explain." But before he could say a word, the watch on his wrist began to beep. Stan looked left and right, "Uh-oh, oh, no! Brace yourselves!"
Suddenly, gravity cut out, lifting all four of them off the ground as the portal sprang to life, glowing a spectrum of colors, the outside rim spinning dizzyingly. Shards of rock floated like dandelion puffs. A piece of rock smacked into Dipper's side, throwing him into the wall with a quiet "Oof!"
"T minus thirty-five seconds." the countdown's feminine monotone announced.
"Dipper!" he heard someone yell.
Looking over his shoulder, he squinted. Through the light and debris, he could make out a figure. Mabel! Her foot was caught in a wire attached near the shutdown button.
"Mabel, hurry!" he shouted over the portal. "Shut it down!"
Mabel gave a quick nod, grabbing the wire and pulling herself down to the button.
"No!" Stan cried, launching off the wall and swimming through the air. "Mabel, Mabel, wait! Stop!"
Smack! Soos launched himself into Stan, knocking him away from Mabel. Soos put a tight grip around one of Stan's arms as they floated away.
"Soos, what are you doing?!" Stan shouted, pounding a fist on Soos' head. "I gave you an order!"
"Sorry, Mr. Pines, if that is your real name," Soos said, his weight pulling them farther from Mabel. "But I have a new mission now: protecting these kids!"
"Soos, you idiot! Let me go!"
Dipper pushed off of the wall, colliding with Stan. He held on tightly with one hand while shoving the other into Stan's face. He looked over his shoulder at the still hovering image of his sister, who stared at the scene unfolding in front of her with scared eyes. "Go, Mabel, press the red button! Shut it down!"
"No, you can't, you gotta trust me!" Stan protested.
"Grunkle Stan," Mabel sniffed. "I don't even know-" she let out a sob, her eyes shining with sadness. "If you're my Grunkle!" she squeezed her eyes shut, hugging the button closer, her tears floating up like bubbles in the zero gravity. "I wanna believe you, but-"
"Then listen to me," Stan said, holding out his one free hand. "Remember this morning when I said I wanted to tell you something?"
The portal abruptly flared up, flashing brightly. A strong force slammed Dipper, Stan, and Soos against the back wall. It was starting!
Mabel blinked twice, lowering her fist towards the button, ready to end this all. But-
A voice reached Mabel through the chaos, freezing her in place She looked up to see Stan staring at her with pleading eyes. "What I wanted to say was: you're gonna hear some bad things about me," Stan frowned, looking away shamefully. "And some of them are true."
Mabel blinked, gripping hold of the shutdown podium tighter. She sniffed back more tears.
Stan continued. "But trust me, everything I've worked for, everything I care about…" Stan blinked back a few tears of his own. "It's all for this family."
"What if he's lying?" Dipper yelled out in desperation. "This thing could destroy the universe! Listen to your head!"
"Look into my eyes, Mabel!" Stan cried out. "Do you really think I'm a bad guy?"
Mabel looked back and forth between them. Brother or Grunkle. Brother or Grunkle?! What was she supposed to do?
"He's lying! Shut it down, now!"
"Mabel, please!"
"Ten, nine…" the countdown began.
The Portal whirled, pulling at the edges of Mabel's sweater. She stared at the button, blinking, glowing hypnotically. Who to choose? Who to trust? Should she trust anyone? Like Dipper?
Trust No One…?
"Eight, seven…"
"Grunkle Stan…"
"Five, four…"
Mabel released the button, letting herself float free as the portal started up. She'd made her choice.
"I trust you…"