Dipper didn't now what happened. One morning he just woke up, and he felt all icky and weird. His forehead was burning, and his nose was... was...
"Ih-tew!" He sneezed.
Suddenly, Mabel popped up at the side of his bed, making him jump. "Aw," She said. "You sneeze like a kitten."
Dipper scowled. "Mabel, would you leave me alone?"
Mabel smiled, sitting next to him and elbowing him. "C'mon, brobro. Don't be a sock."
"I'm not being a- ih-tew!" Dipper sneezed again.
Mabel blinked, and Dipper suddenly got worried. "No, Mabel-"
"Oh my gosh!" Mabel exclaimed.
"No-"
"Are you-"
"N- ih-tew!"
"You're sick!" She said in shock, then instantly put a hand on his forehead, all the while Dipper swatting at her hands. "Dipper, you're burning up!"
"Mabel!" Dipper yelled in frustration. "I'm fine!"
Mabel shook her head. "No, no you're not. You've gotta stay in bed and get better."
"No, I can't," Dipper said, pulling back the covers, only to yank them back up, hit by an unexpected wave of chills.
Mabel smiled. "Don't worry, Dipper." She said, pulling on a white sweater over her head, one with a red cross on the front. "I'll be your nurse."
Groggy, Dipper frowned at his twin. "Mabel, I don't think that's the best-"
"Shh," Mabel put a finger to his lips. "Just stay here. I'll be right back."
Dipper sighed as Mabel ran out of the attic. This couldn't be good. Oh well. He leaned back, resting his head on the pillow. He was shockingly tired. Just five minutes...
Dipper was suddenly jolted awake by a cold sensation on his forehead. His eyes snapped open to find Mabel leaning over him. He reached up and felt a cloth on his forehead.
"Don't worry, brobro," Mabel said, hauling up a stool and a large box. "Nurse Mabel is on the case."
She leaned down, reaching into the box. She pulled out a stuffed blue bear. Dipper gasped. It was Mr. Snuggles! Mr. Snuggles had always been the twins' go-to stuffy when they got sick. Mabel nestled the bear in next to Dipper before tucking the blanket.
The next thing she did was grab something off the table. It was a modest white mug. She handed it to him, "Mabel Tea." She explained.
Dipper stared down at the brown liquid, hesitant. "Uh," At least it didn't have plastic dinosaurs in it.
"Try it!"
Dipper sighed, taking a sip. His taste buds were suddenly alert with the paste of something sappy and sweet. "What's in it?"
Mabel smiled triumphantly that her twin liked it. "I boiled pine needles in water, and put in some honey." She grabbed a book from the box. "I got the recipe from this book."
Dipper smiled, taking another sip. Mabel was actually taking his healthcare seriously. He chuckled. "I get it. Pine needles. Because we're Pines."
Mabel nodded. "Exactly."
She pulled a box of tissues from the box on the floor, placing them on the bed, then pulled out a book. It was his summer reading, The Sibling Brothers in The Telltale Fable of the Unstable Table, by Jenkins W. Jenkins. Mabel handed over the book, along with Dipper's favorite clicky pen.
Dipper smiled, finding the chapter he'd left off on. "Thanks, Mabel."
She, too, smiled. "Anytime brobro. Just being a good nurse." She suddenly gave Dipper a big hug.
Dipper blinked. "Uh, Mabel. I'm sick, remember?"
"Oh, right." She quickly released him. "Well, you rest up. That's doctor's orders." She tucked the blanket again and turned on the lantern before switching off the lights and heading down the stairs.
Dipper smiled to himself, clicking the familiar pen as he read.
"Chapter twelve..." And before he knew it, Dipper had fallen fast asleep.